Blog

In the course of your career, you’ll likely have a chance to attend professional development conferences. These conferences offer a variety of opportunities to connect, learn and get inspired.

For the past two years, DBD Group has been working with a cohort of nonprofit leaders from across the country on strategies for improving annual giving. While there are many learnings to be shared, I think the most interesting may be what we’ve learned in developed major gift relationships.

During visits to Chicago in a former job, I was struck by an unusually designed building across the Chicago River. This two-acre lot had previously sat undeveloped for decades while stakeholders sought a way to utilize the space for maximum efficiency and impact. 

Fundraising is a lot like yoga. If it hurts, you are probably doing it wrong.

Recently, I was speaking with a close friend who made a bad hire when filling a development position.  "I ultimately went with someone I know, not someone who knew."

This year as a Christmas present, my incredible in-laws made a donation to provide tuition to students in Tanzania. The generous gift will pay for 20 children to attend school for the next year. I can only imagine the happiness felt by the children who received this gift.  

In November, I achieved a personal goal of running my seventh half marathon.  I had not run a long distance in a few years; and, I am admittedly a few years older. Training and preparation are very important for any long-distance challenge. With a very busy schedule, I was concerned about having enough time to train. 

Like me, you may be hearing a lot of chatter about our economy. We have experienced significant economic prosperity over the past years. Is our economy headed for a slow down? Who knows?