Welcome!

Here we are – my first blog post for my consulting company, The Modern Fundraiser.  I’m excited about this blog and the conversations I hope it generates.  The plan is to share my experiences as a small-shop development professional in the rapidly changing nonprofit sector. Welcome!

I am a seasoned non-profit development professional with over fifteen years of experience, mostly at small community-based nonprofits.  I have worked in organizations focused on everything from child abuse prevention to legal advocacy.  Today, I am working for a national think tank here in DC.  Throughout these experiences, one thing has remained consistent –  I have been the only full-time person in the development program.  In several cases, I was even hired as the first development director to establish and lead the organization’s fundraising and development program.

To be effective at my job, I have to be as efficient and strategic as possible – just like you.  Every organization has different needs, so every organization needs different solutions.  By sharing my experience and knowledge, I can help you develop fundraising and marketing strategies to create a diversified funding portfolio for your organization.

Although I am sure the blog will change and develop with time and feedback, I plan to focus on a few key areas and the intersection between them: fundraising, marketing, and technology.  In upcoming blogs, I will be focusing on (i) starting your own young professionals group; (ii) finding your organization’s brand’s voice; (iii) choosing a CRM for your organization; and (iv) reviews of tech tools and apps that might (or might not) make your life a bit easier.

I welcome your comments and thoughts.  There are so many interesting and exciting things happening in the nonprofit sector that I look forward to exploring with you!