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Letter from the Editor
Hello readers! We are overjoyed to share the newest issue of Blue Avocado with you. Based on your feedback, we heard loud and clear that you’re excited for more practical tips and tools around fundraising, boards, engaging millennials, and succession p …
How to Cultivate Big Donors with a Small Staff
Time is the most precious commodity in fundraising, especially when you are leading or part of a small but mighty development team. Knowing where to best invest your fundraising time is critical to success, yet it can be one of the hardest aspects of s …
Readers’ Thoughts: Secrets to Successful Succession
In the article “Whose Nonprofit Is It Anyway?” we included a survey to gather reader’s thoughts about the challenging topic of transitioning from a founder to new leadership. After taking time to collect and digest the results, here we report back on t …
NextGen Nexus: How to Build an Engagement Pathway for Millennials
What do Millenials view as “social change” and, more importantly, do they believe any of the actions they take—from giving or volunteering, to voting and activism—make more of an impact than others? More importantly, how can you use this information to …
Top 10 Nonprofit Board “Worst” Practices
Hey board members, let’s face it, navigating your position can be tricky. On top of your day job, you’ve agreed to contribute your best thinking to a nonprofit. If you don’t have much experience in the nonprofit world, it has its own set of rules, and …
Ask Rita: How Do We Handle Harassment by an Outsider?
Dear Rita: Yesterday, our front office receptionist reported to me that one of our vendors—the person who stocks the vending machines in our break room—made several sexually charged comments to her, came very close to her face, and touched her hair. Cl …
Political Polarization & Nonprofits: How Can You Bridge the Divide?
Is the world more divided or does it just seem like it? Most importantly, how does political polarization impact your nonprofit? Research shows that the ideology of our country’s two major parties is further apart than it has ever been, and animosity b …
Letter from the Editor May 2019
Hello nonprofits! Great to see you all again and you are in for a huge treat with this issue of Blue Avocado. From fundraising to millennials, to HR and change management, we’ve got you covered! And we’d love to hear from you if you have suggestions fo …
Win Back Your Lapsed Donors: 3 Effective Strategies
Your nonprofit knows that every one of your donors is important to helping you continue your good work and achieve your mission. As soon as they’ve made their first gifts, hopefully you work hard to build your relationships with each of them, but that’ …
NextGen Nexus: The New Face of Philanthropy, Courtesy of Young America
I am often warning nonprofits looking to engage young people against putting too much emphasis on giving and social media. Research I have led has shown—and continues to show—that while your next generation of supporters donate and use social media to …
