CASE/NAIS 2011 Chicago

The DOW is such a fine gauge of how the economy is doing. Charitable giving will follow. Our inquiries from prospective clients are already increasing.

Tell us how you feel about your job

So, tell us. We asked this question in the most recent issue of the ORACLE.

What is your favorite part of your job?

What is your least favorite?

You can reply by name or anonymously. However you do so, we look forward to your thoughts.

Perfect timing

I was flying home yesterday from a prospective client visit and thinking about the fact that we have three schools who've asked us to do an assessment of the development office this summer. Their reasoning is that, while the economy is (hopefully) righting itself, this is the perfect time to be taking a good hard look at the Development Office, and making adjustments where necessary. Adjustments may not mean cutbacks either. We've chatted with a couple of schools recently who wonder if this is a good time to cut or increase staff. Our response has been to let the assessment final report guide them in next steps.

a few glimmers of hope

Along with what feels like an upward trend in the stock market, we've received a slightly increased number of inquiries from independent schools. It appears that enrollments are holding, and although requests for financial aid are up, they're not up dramatically. Annual giving varies, but what seems to be the common denominator is that schools are beginning to reaffirm that they need to continue to ask. They're more aware of donors' interests and capabilities. If the schools don't ask, they know that someone else will (another nonprofit), and the gift will go to someone else.

Hopefully, these are signs of a greener spring...

some good news

If you read the most recent issues of the Chronicle, read no further. BUT if you didn't, they had three points of relative optimism:

1. According to their survey, tax laws don't motivate donors. Indeed, half of wealthy donors said they would give even if there was no tax break.

2. Entrepreneurs are more likely to give more. Do you know who your entrepreneurs are??

3. In a survey of 22,000 donors, most intend to keep up their giving. They will consider making adjustments elsewhere in order to do it.

However, it was also said that donors are turned off by too many solicitations, or the perception that the organization is spending a disproportionate amount on fundraising...

We're seeing almost imperceptible signs of improvement. Hang in there!

Donors' intent inspite of the economy

I was so surprised to read in the Chronicle that most donors don't intend to change their giving habits, and that they'll do whatever they need to in order to support the causes they believe in.