Our Blog

By Alexis De Sela Last month, I discussed the important elements of recruiting new employees including crafting an accurate job description, completing a position analysis and creating a list of specific behavior based questions.  It’s always important to...

By Priscilla Guajardo Cortez Over the last decade, nonprofit corporations have faced increasing government and public scrutiny, due in large part to scandals like Enron and the United Way.  With the passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and Pension Protection...

By Michael Bacon, CFRE Have you ever been involved with a visit to a prospective donor where YOU have spent the majority of time talking?  Do you ever stop to think about how the prospect might be feeling when no one asks her questions or listens to what she...

By Alexis De Sela Having the right team in place can make the difference between an organization that merely survives and one that thrives; people truly create the competitive advantage. That is why when recruiting, selecting, and hiring a new employee,...

By Joyce Penland, CFRE Q. In our capital campaign planning, we have various levels of gift recognition, but I’m worried that our smaller donors won’t feel appreciated since their names won’t be on buildings.  How do we address this issue? A. Giving donors...

By R. Michael Patterson, CFRE This month the Bacon Lee & Associates team responds to a question from one of our readers about combating “founder’s syndrome.” It can be a very tender spot for many organizations and requires careful attention. Q: A...

By Joyce Penland, CFRE Your nonprofit expects its Board of directors to participate in giving and you’ve achieved 100% participation every year.  If that’s the case, congratulations!  But if your Board hasn’t achieved that milestone, you’re not alone. In a...

Last month we launched the "Ask the Experts" portion of the Bacon Lee & Associates newsletter, inviting your questions on a variety of topics.  The response was terrific!  We received numerous requests for dialogue on topics of interest to funders and...

By Vicki Boyce One might consider working with a funder to have two aspects, or two sides of a coin: the personal relationship and the paper relationship.  Assuming you’ve done your homework and established the fact that your organization is a “match” with a...

By Marion Lee, CFRE “A prudent question is one-half of wisdom.” -- Sir Francis Bacon (a better known Bacon) This is a lovely profession!  Every time you turn around there is something new, different and puzzling.  Over the years, we here at Bacon Lee &...

By Michael Bacon, CFRE Every now and then, I receive a thank you from a nonprofit that is thoughtful and considerate.  I wish that every appreciation note from a nonprofit managed to do that! More often, I receive a tax receipt signed by a Staff member that...

By Joyce Penland, CFRE When I think about the fundraising advice I’ve heard through the years, the many conferences I’ve attended and the excellent books I’ve read like Jerold Panas’ “Asking,” Claire Gaudiani’s “The Greater Good,” and Penelope Burk’s...

By Barbara Anne Stephens I am willing to admit that the first computer I ever saw was a huge main frame in the computer area of Trinity University (and it was years following my own matriculation at the University in the Sun).  At that time, I could not have...

By Karen Kegg There seems to be more buzz about mentoring now than there was when I was beginning my professional career as a fundraiser.  Being a mentor--a professional helping others grow in their professional and personal lives--is such a popular thing to...

By Beverly Seffel There has been a lot of talk about the workforce of women “Beyond 50.”  Recently in Austin there was a conference on “Beyond 50.” It is my understanding that it was so well received that there is another one scheduled before the end of...

By Marion Lee, CFRE If you have not read the June 30th Chronicle of Philanthropy, you are missing out on one of the most interesting editions this year.  The article, The View from the Top: What Nonprofit Executives Report, is a great birds-eye view from a...

By Mike Bacon, CFRE It takes time and hard work to find the right person to lead a nonprofit or to be a Director of Development.  For any job search we conduct, we can receive as many of forty résumés, sometime more.  Not surprisingly, we see some great...

By Joyce Penland, CFRE In a recent article in the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ weekly eWire, the trait of “resilience” was found to be one of the top skills needed to be a successful fundraiser.  I would certainly echo that sentiment. ...

By Mike Bacon, CFRE A good plan is like a road map: it shows the final destination and usually the best way to get there. - H. Stanley Judd What is your plan for fundraising this year? Is it “Let’s do what we did last year and hope we do better?” If that’s...

By Marion T. Lee, CFRE Frequently, we are drawn into discussions that focus on the role of Board Members.  Many of these conversations take the tone of  “can’t live with them, can’t live without them,” and in some organizations, the relationship with the...