Blog

This blog recently appeared on the NAYDO (North American YMCA Development Organization) website. We thought you’d enjoy it too, if you’re a Y or any other nonprofit, school or church.

I believe I have the best job in world. On a regular basis I get to meet with amazing leaders who care about their communities and the world. Many of these leaders also have the capacity to make community dreams, programs and campaigns successful.

While we spend most of our time working on major gifts, we were inspired by this story of a grassroots fundraising effort done right.

Parents at a suburban-Chicago grade school were trying to raise $350,000 to renovate a local playground and create an improved outdoor learning environment for their K-4 school. (Read more in the Chicago Tribune) Although excitement around the project was high, the end of the school year was quickly approaching and supporters wanted to sneak in a student-focused fundraiser before school let out for the summer.