I publish posts or “thought pieces” about every other month. These are recent discussions that also share occasional updates about my projects.
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- Season’s Greetings
I hope you are having a successful year-end giving season. Here’s wishing you and your nonprofit a happy holiday. My fall has been busy behind-the-scenes. That is one reason why I am a tad late… Read more: Season’s Greetings - What’s Going On
In this post, I wanted to point out insightful research and reports I find timely regarding philanthropy in our world today. While news in the media can be tumultuous and confusing, nonprofits need to focus… Read more: What’s Going On - Carolyn Recommends
Those who have discovered my Linktr.ee know that I share my most recent blog articles and projects there. But also, I recommend several organizations and platforms that serve the nonprofit sector. Those I recommend I… Read more: Carolyn Recommends - Dramatic Summer in the Texas Hill Country
As I post, no information I could possibly share about fundraising generally speaking would be helpful to those affected by the torrential rains and overwhelming flooding across the Texas Hill Country. But I will share… Read more: Dramatic Summer in the Texas Hill Country - Going Visual: Getting the Word Out
How do nonprofits build visibility, trust and engagement? Whether we embrace it or not, social media plays a significant role in how nonprofits are perceived and judged today. While I would argue nonprofits should not… Read more: Going Visual: Getting the Word Out - Spring
March passed with a flurry, and April is off to a roaring start. As Mark Twain once said … Groups I follow have been rallying their colleagues in the face of uncertainty and challenges at… Read more: Spring - Now is the Time to Act
During a conference hosted this spring at The University of Texas at Austin by Planet Texas 2050 the term, “polycrisis” was discussed. Polycrisis is, “a time of great disagreement, confusion, or suffering that is caused… Read more: Now is the Time to Act - Truth Challenges and Cowboy Values
One of the most-read thought pieces on Carolyn’s Nonprofit Blog is, “Cowboy Ethics | Ten Principles to Live By.” Last year alone, more than 8,000 visited! The topic holds personal resonance for me. I grew… Read more: Truth Challenges and Cowboy Values - Reflections on 2024
I hope you have had a productive and successful 2024. Ongoing research, community-building, communications, and critical infrastructure work for the nonprofit I am supporting this year dominated my time. As the nonprofit with which I… Read more: Reflections on 2024 - Shedding Light on Fundraising Through Personal Experiences
I learn by doing. Carolyn’s Nonprofit Blog is focused on sharing personal experiences in nonprofit fundraising, from my earliest days as a volunteer for a local art museum in the 1980s, to designing and running… Read more: Shedding Light on Fundraising Through Personal Experiences - Dusting off my life …
This September, I moved from my longtime home of Bee Cave, a suburb on the western edge of Austin, to North Austin. The move was hard but it has been rewarding. Everything I own got… Read more: Dusting off my life … - Minding the Details
I hope you are having a pleasant summer. Mine has been filled with tending to details: updating mailing lists, filling out and fine-tuning a new constituent relationship management platform, watching social media postings by the… Read more: Minding the Details - Statistics Inspire New Insights
I smile when I recall back in 2010, most of my professional colleagues balked at the idea that major gift donors and prospects were active on social media. I gave a presentation that spring during… Read more: Statistics Inspire New Insights - Meeting Them Where They Are
Carolyn recounts her experiences in major gift fundraising in Dallas, involving high level events, including corporate jet trips. - Cloud Security Protects Your Nonprofit’s Future
With this discussion, I will break the mold. Few nonprofit fundraisers address the importance of cloud security. But in this post, I will. I have been working in the nonprofit sector for forty years. Over… Read more: Cloud Security Protects Your Nonprofit’s Future - Take the Long View
When I have been hired to develop and run a major gift campaign, I often find that when enough funding has been secured, the executive director and staff frequently want to put fundraising to rest.… Read more: Take the Long View - Importance of Nonprofit Research and a New Discovery
As some of you know, I was a member of AFP: Association of Fundraising Professionals for 18 years, and a Certified Fund Raising Executive for 14 years. But with new technologies and social communications increasingly… Read more: Importance of Nonprofit Research and a New Discovery - Happy Holidays and Carolyn’s Project Updates
In this post, Carolyn shares her top nonprofit picks for 2023 and provides updates about her volunteer projects. - Making the Case
In this post, Carolyn shares her thoughts about case statements, a core document used in major gift fundraising. - Laying the Groundwork for Successful Fundraising
In this post, Carolyn discusses her busy summer “behind the scenes.” - ONE Power Summit 2023
In this post, Carolyn discusses PEPFAR and her trip to Washington, D.C. for the One Power Summit 2023. - Carolyn’s Updates, Be Prepared, and the ONE Power Summit
In this post, Carolyn shares information about two milestone presentations, she revisits her work on nonprofit disaster preparation and recovery with TechSoup, and discusses her forthcoming trip to Washington, D.C. with ONE Campaign. - Carolyn’s 2023 Tech Webinar and More
Sharing Carolyn’s March 2023 update! - Old School Teaches New Lessons
Winter Storm Mara prevented me from speaking in person during the Real Places 2023 Conference, but we were able to visit with attendees remotely online. Our talk was timely, “Old School Teaches New Lessons: How… Read more: Old School Teaches New Lessons - Everyone Matters
I often encounter people who seek to raise major gifts for worthy nonprofit causes. And some believe all that is involved is chatting with wealthy prospective donors. But the process of inspiring the trust of… Read more: Everyone Matters - Year-end Wrap Up 2022
As the year draws to a close, I wanted to send holiday greetings to my readers. Thank you for following Carolyn’s Nonprofit Blog. This year alone, 12,900 visitors from more than 100 nations have visited… Read more: Year-end Wrap Up 2022 - Nonprofits and the Economy
In this post, Carolyn revisits an earlier discussion about nonprofits and their impact on the economy. - Practical Planned Giving and Major Gift Fundraising
I enjoyed speaking during Crescendo Interactive’s 2022 Practical Planned Giving Conference, “Navigating the Path Ahead.” I remember speaking at the conference ten years ago. What I remember most is how kind and sincere the Crescendo… Read more: Practical Planned Giving and Major Gift Fundraising - Summer 2022 Updates
This July 2022 blog post shares important updates from Carolyn’s Nonprofit Blog. - Be Strong, Sound and Secure: Supporting Uvalde
This article follows on the heels of the tragic Uvalde school shooting, and it suggests a “mental health” approach for young people going forward. - How to Launch Your Grant Writing Career
This post discusses ways you can become a professional grant writer. - We Must Have Plugins and Other Myths
Since launching Carolyn’s Nonprofit Blog back in 2011, I started learning how to use WordPress “by hand.” I continue to design and develop all my own content and design elements. And while I have moments… Read more: We Must Have Plugins and Other Myths - Hurricanes and Other Disasters: Nonprofits Must Prepare
And the good news is, there are helpful resources available to help you and your nonprofit prepare. “Climate change is already driving more severe flooding across much of the country, especially along the East Coast… Read more: Hurricanes and Other Disasters: Nonprofits Must Prepare - Parting Thoughts on 2021 | Looking Ahead to 2022
Carolyn’s final thoughts for 2021 are included in this post. Sign up on Carolyn’s Nonprofit Blog for future thought pieces! - National Infrastructure Improvements Help Nonprofits, Too
This post discusses the passage of the U.S. infrastructure improvement bill, how nonprofits will benefit, and how they can prepare for disasters. - Nonprofit Fundraising: Reasons for Hope
This article is in some ways a prediction of the future for the nonprofit sector. It was inspired by a presentation I prepared for UIW in Summer 2021. - Every Day is Mandela Day
“Without education, your children can never really meet the challenges they will face. So it’s very important to give children education and explain that they should play a role for their country.” Nelson Mandela, South… Read more: Every Day is Mandela Day - Inspiring Words in Challenging Times
When I posted this article in 2021, The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) was hosting its annual Continental Congress. As each program began, members were invited to stand at home or from… Read more: Inspiring Words in Challenging Times - Is Bigger Better?
This post discusses the benefits of giving to nonprofits with small budgets, but big impact. - GuideStar: Invaluable Nonprofit Resource
This article discusses how incredibly helpful GuideStar is to nonprofit organizations as a research tool. - Fundraising Professionals Are Essential Workers
This post discusses the essential nature of nonprofit fundraising professionals. - Quiet Time Has Been a Busy Time: Carolyn’s UpdateI suspect you have been wondering what became of me. Despite being “quiet” on WordPress after my December 2021 nonprofit predictions post, I have been busy elsewhere. In January I wrote, “Nonprofit Social Media is Essential… Read more: Quiet Time Has Been a Busy Time: Carolyn’s Update
- 2021 | Nonprofit Predictions
It is a tradition on Carolyn’s Nonprofit Blog to offer predictions for the year ahead. - Art and “Looking” Matter, A Bit About New York City and 1890 Census History
This post reflects on art history, why New York City is important to our nation, it recounts Carolyn’s scholarly research on the 1890 Census, and it notes how important participating in the 2020 Census was. Written a few years ago, this post still holds true today. - Grant Conversations
#Respectfully – to those making grants – a call for more communication. - Research and Writing | Ideal Tasks While Working from Home
This post discusses 2020 “stay at home” mandates and how working from home can be such a productive activity for nonprofit staff today. - Habits of Mind in Challenging Times … and Remote Locations
This post shares Carolyn’s experiences in South Texas and how she developed habits of mind that have helped her manage major gift campaigns. - Financial Literacy: The M in STEM
This post discusses the importance of financial literacy. - No Time Like The Present: Disaster Planning Helps Your Nonprofit and Community
This post discusses the importance of nonprofits to society and why it is so important to prepare in advance for possible emergencies. - Building Your Nonprofit’s Credibility with Qgiv
This post was written for and published by Qgiv in 2019. Since then, our world has been through traumatic times with the pandemic. Nonprofit organizations have been pushed even further online in terms of donor… Read more: Building Your Nonprofit’s Credibility with Qgiv - Baby Boomers and Older Adults: Go For Startups
My hope is for deeper, long-term partnerships between younger and older generations, the latter holding significant disposable income to make charitable donations. - Apollo Program: Era of Optimism
This post recounts Carolyn’s early experiences growing up around the Apollo 11 program in Houston, and the “can do” attitude that characterized the community. - Combatting Hate and Dangerous Speech
We all need to work toward combatting hateful speech and actions. - Rethinking Major Gift Fundraising
In this post, Carolyn shares her thoughts about major gift fundraising today. - Don’t Forget to Prepare for Rainy Days
Nonprofits should always prepare for future financial challenges. A reserve fund makes excellent sense. - Trust Your Instincts | Early Career Lessons
This was a tough story to relate, but for young development professionals and their supervisors, I felt it was important to share. - Summer is “Development” Time
This post recounts Carolyn’s summer activities. - Digital Inclusion: As We Race Ahead, Let’s Be Sure No One is Left Behind
This blog post discusses the digital divide and how we as a society must help those less able to access and make use of technology. - Hurricane Inspiration on the Gulf CoastThis blog post discusses Carolyn’s work with Texas Sealife Center and its work during Hurricane Harvey.
- Being a Bridge
This post discusses how development staff are “bridges” between their organizations, donors and potential donors. This is an essential role that should not be taken for granted. - You and the Donor
This post discusses the objective mental framework nonprofit staff must develop over the course of their careers, particularly development staff. - Giving Thanks for Diversity
Written originally for Thanksgiving, the message of this post is timeless! - Media and Nonprofits | A Worthwhile Partnership
This article discusses the importance of media to nonprofits, with tips to getting more media attention. - ONE Campaign and the Electrify Africa Act
Why should someone like me support critical needs like electricity for Africa? I believe Africa represents the future of our world. It has so much promise! - Best of the Old and New
Nonprofit fundraising professionals should both honor the past – traditional, proven methods of educating, cultivating, soliciting and stewarding relationships with donors – while also adopting new methods. In this way, we will ensure a sustainable future for the nonprofit organizations we support. - Nonprofit Fundraisers’ Bill of Rights
This article takes the AFP Donor Bill of Rights and alters it to reflect a Nonprofit Fundraisers Bill of Rights, which our professional genuinely needs. It is not all about the donor, it is about our shared mission and how we accomplish that. - Lots of Zeros
This post discusses my early experiences developing comfort in handling, “lots of zeros.” It also talks about working in financial institutions for aspiring development professionals. - Engage Online Ambassadors
Written when I was still living in San Antonio, this early post shares excellent advice. - Emergencies: Use Social Media
Written a few years ago in San Antonio, I have continued to update this important post.
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