Chris B.

I have a ... complicated relationship with nonprofit fundraising events. I've organized my fair share - even some that I am proud of almost 10 years later. But I also think that events are often an expensive and inefficient way to raise funds. Many nonprofits are stuck in a cycle of putting on generic events that don't celebrate their mission or engage their supporters - but make just enough money to make it difficult to pull the plug entirely. There are some remarkable nonprofit events...

I've been thinking about nonprofit myths lately. Those stories we tell each other in the industry that seem true, that drive decisions, and that sometimes cause some harm. Here's one that I used to really believe. The ultimate goal of every nonprofit (I was told) was to go out of business because the mission has been accomplished. That story was a story of selflessness. The minute we aren't needed, we'll close up shop and go do something else with our time. Now, this story doesn't...

Fundraising is driven by stories. Stories from donors, volunteers, clients, board members, and community members. Stories of impact, of generosity, of triumph. But while there's no shortage of advice about how to get stories, we don't spend enough time talking about what do with the stories after we get them. For a lot of my career, I was convinced that stories were fleeting and fragile, and that the audience for my stories only wanted to hear new stories, every time. I think the...