MAJOR MOVES

Leadership & Professional Development

Careers in advancement stall for predictable reasons: avoidance, lack of clarity, and institutional complacency. This section focuses on leadership judgment, professional growth, and the skills that separate effective fundraisers from busy ones. Less about motivation, more about responsibility. Written for professionals who take their role seriously.

GIVING magazine, Karen Alonso on Cover, United Way Las Vegas, AFP Chapter President

Giving Magazine

For those who drive change — not watch it. Join the top 1%.

The Role of the Nonprofit Volunteer Coordinator

No matter the size of a nonprofit organization, the role of its volunteer coordinator cannot be overlooked. As organizations continue to rely heavily on volunteerism as a means of raising funds, the nonprofit volunteer coordinator plays an essential part in the success of the organization.  

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Illustration of two smiling nonprofit executives on stage holding a large $165 million donation check with camera flashes and confetti, while a fundraiser sits alone in the foreground with his back to the camera, with an institutional coffee mug and expense receipt note on a nearby table.
Leadership & Professional Development
Viken Mikaelian

You Closed the Gift. They Canceled You Out.

A fundraiser closed a $165 million gift—and got no credit. The president took the spotlight, while the closer was quietly sidelined. This article explores the nonprofit sector’s discomfort with recognizing individual achievement, often justified as ethical restraint. It argues that this culture of erasure and reluctance to reward success may be fueling burnout and high turnover. The piece closes with a bold message: if you want transformational gifts, start acknowledging the people who actually secure them.

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Hands Reaching Out
Leadership & Professional Development
Joe Garecht

How to Build a Culture of Philanthropy at Your Non-Profit

There are some non-profits where fundraising seems like a constant drag… These non-profits don’t have a strong culture of philanthropy. At other non-profits, fundraising is a source of pride and excitement, where new donations are celebrated, people are happy to lend a helping hand to the development office, and where fundraising programs seem to hum along.  These non-profits have a strong culture of philanthropy.

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You have heard the lesson before, “It’s not just what you say, it is how you say it.” This lesson was reinforced for me twice in the last two weeks: 1. I was making a presentation, and I emphatically made a point to be sure everyone in the room understood its importance. As soon as I did so, I could hear how I sounded angry and immediately lightened my tone, while still stressing the point. 2. On another occasion, a colleague responded to an observation I made, stating I sounded angry. I did not think I was angry, but again, I lightened my tone while stressing a critical point. Below are some essential lessons to immediately put to practice when considering your tone: 1. Understand tone can be “heard” in your words delivered verbally and in writing: Pay attention to tone in all communication, including your written avenues, such as your emails, website, and publications. 2. Knowing this, consider tone as crucial as your words: When speaking, experts encourage a stronger, deeper tone, with less breath when you want to stress a point. In music, tone can also be heard in duration and intensity. Knowing this, I frequently slow down my speech, and am more deliberate in delivering my words to stress important points. This gives the signal that I mean what I say. Your audience will listen because this tone says—you should listen. In general, a more friendly tone is usually pitched higher. It’s not loud or assertive, but breathier, more relaxed, and at ease. The vocal cords are not as pressed (tightly closing), which allows the breath to flow more. My female readers take note: Research says that women’s voices are judged more harshly than men’s voices. The natural higher pitch and breathiness in a woman’s voice can make her sound less certain in a business environment. Thus, you may need to pay particular attention to this. On the other hand, the lightness and warmth of many female voices may be a reason why women are so successful in fundraising and relationship building. Men may need to learn from this. 3. Be aware of attitudes and potential tensions present within yourself: When others respond to you negatively or in ways other than what you want or expect (such as happened to me in my conversation with my colleague), rather than criticizing or attacking them, pause to reflect on how your tone (and therefore your underlying feelings at the moment) may have caused the reaction we received. I am a strong advocate of “emotional intelligence.” The importance of self-awareness is more significant when considering and using the right tone. 4. When planning a presentation or an important conversation, ask others for their thoughts on the appropriate tone for you to use: Practice achieving and maintaining that tone. In the past, I have recorded myself to evaluate my tone. You should consider doing the same. What do you notice? Highly successful fundraisers communicate with the right tone—verbally and in written communications. They have a tone in all communications that is appropriate to the message and impact they desire to make. Their mindset is one of wanting to connect and influence with their words and tone. They understand their tone matters as much as their words.
Leadership & Professional Development
Benjamin Case

Your Tone Matters: It’s How You Say It

“The word is mightier than the sword.” And often, the tone can be mightier than the word. You have heard the lesson before, “It’s not just what you say, it is how you say it.” Highly successful fundraisers communicate with the right tone—verbally and in written communications.

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Guiding Ship Leadership
Leadership & Professional Development
Viken Mikaelian

Executive Director Leadership Skills

Improving executive director leadership skills can help align your team to meet future goals for your nonprofit organization.

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