I sometimes struggle being alone.
It's not that I can't stand the silence. I welcome silence most days. I just prefer community.
To make a long story boring, fate (or whatever you want to call it) has me alone this Valentine's weekend. My roommates are all gone. My couple friends are off somewhere staring into each other's eyes. And I'm here.
You see, at first I wasn't exactly keen on the idea of being here alone on Valentine's Day - I blame you, Hallmark – So, I made plans to fly home and be with my family. BUT snow came. Ice covered the grounds. Bridges closed. Planes couldn't fly..and thus, my plans changed.
Naturally, I wallowed for a few minutes too long in self-pity.
But, when my pity party (of 1) finally got old and I stopped viewing my "situation" with blinders, I was able to see that this was probably all for the best. Whether alone on Valentine's Day or not, it's important to take time to focus on y-o-u. Take yourself on a date. Or don't. Have a few reality-checks. Get back to the projects you've been putting off. Appreciate a longggg cup of coffee. Make lists. Write some ideas down. Just do whatever YOU need to do to arm yourself for what’s coming up next week, next month, or beyond. The posts below might help you prepare.
Here are this week’s nonprofit highlights:
- A lot’s changed in fundraising over the past decade. And with constant advancements in technology, we can only imagine where our industry will be in another 10 years. In this week’s Q & A on theguardian, Best bits: what will fundraising look like in 10 years’ time?, we hear what leading thinkers from charities across the world are predicting for fundraising’s future.
- On Kivi’s Nonprpfit Communications Blog, she focuses on one of the challenges nonprofits face when trying to raise awareness for their cause. In most circumstances, nonprofits regurgitate some version of their mission statement or present irrelevant stats, neither of which put the focus on what the person can do. Kivi’s Five Messages to Try When Raising Awareness offer ideas to help you drive action while building support for your cause.
- On nonprofit hub, Randy Hawththorne points out that while events can be incredibly successful fundraising tactics, they shouldn’t be the end-all and be-all for your nonprofit. Here are 5 Ways to Get More Out of Your Next Fundraising Event by connecting and tying your event to your larger development and marketing strategies.
- NTC – It’s not your grandmother’s conference, and Michael Beahm tells you why. From the crowds of nptechies and the pre-conference party to the keynotes and breakout sessions, Michael’s npEngage post highlights the top 10 Reasons to be at NTEN’s Nonprofit Technology Conference (#14NTC) March13th – 15th. See you there? (Beers on Michael..)
- Ever struggle with How to Get Your Emails Opened and Read By the Right Person? We all do – no shock there. But Gail Perry has 10 super practical tips for smarter emailing. Have some personality. Pay attention to your subject line. Don’t write a novel. And subscribe to O Magazine.
- Your organization’s increase in revenue is important- no doubt- but what’s even more important is sustainability. Joe Garecht poses The 4 Questions You Need to Ask to See if Your Fundraising is On the Right Track on The Fundraising Authority Blog. Look past the $ signs and focus on your engagement tactics,, your retention rates, your case statements, and your referral system. Then ask yourself, how strong are your communications with your donors?
Yours truly,
Madeline
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