I’m sorry for the lack of entries recently - I’ve been on the road and had only limited internet access. I guess I’ll have to subscribe to one of those Internet access services that supposedly provide service in most airports. I’m still stuck on the idea of the Internet being “free.”

While I was out on Long Island I had a great conversation with the head of a nonprofit that has a clear strategy to interest large donors. “We touch their hearts,” she said. Hmmmm, novel idea. But actually what seems so intuitive is often overlooked. Donors will get excited about something that touches their hearts… if you give them a real and tangible way to respond to that touch. All to frequently nonprofits don’t tell the personal stories that are filled with passion and emotion, for fear of being perceived as manipulating their audience. I believe that fear is, more often than not, unfounded. It is true, the use of personal stories that touch the heart need to be genuine, directly connected to the point of the appeal and used with permission; but given those parameters they are a powerful tool.

But the key is not the heart-rending story; the key is the tangible way for donors to respond to the emotional connection. Here are a few ideas you might consider:
1) When telling a story to connect donors to your mission, always draw a clear line from donated funds to the positive result.
2) Be sure to offer similar opportunities for positive change through an immediate contribution.
3) Document and reference your stories when possible. You might even invite further investigation before a large contribution.

Of course, be sure to tell real stories without embellishing them, and get permission when needed. But tell your story!

I spent this past Tuesday with Karl Bastian, the founder of Kidology. Karl is an amazing guy, brimming over with creative ideas and a passion for advancing the Kingdom of God through children’s ministry. Few and far between are those that can combine genuine creativity with business savvy - Karl is one of them.

Click on the logo above and check out Kidology’s web site. It’s wonderful! You’ll find everything from puppet scripts, to discussions of theology, to job opportunities. This is one of the finest examples of a resource web site I know of. Kudos to Karl and his staff! I’m sure you’ll be hearing more of Karl and Kidology in the future.

I’m in the Chicagoland area this week to meet with several current and possible clients. As the song goes… “the weather outside is frightful…” and I’m trying to remember why it was that we scheduled this trip for this time of year. The forecast for tomorrow is for wind, some snow and a high of 17 degrees! Ugh!

I guess this says one thing - if you need The Coach, no matter the time or place, he’ll likely come your way. So why not schedule a visit today? You can email me at: info@thegrantwritingcoach.com.

As another song says, “My bags are packed, I’m ready to go…”

Benjamin Briggs, of Preservation Greensboro Incorporated, in the organization’s retail store. (Nancy Pierce for The Chronicle)

The Chronicle has a wonderful and inspiring article today on nonprofits that establish for-profit businesses for the benefit of their mission. This is a trend in the nonprofit sector that is very exciting. Check out the article Click Here

I’ve been facilitating retreats for a variety of organizations for more than 30 years. During that time I’ve come to the conclusion there are five key ingredients to a successful retreat:

1) You’ve got to go off-site.
2) You’ve got to have a purpose.
3) Get everyone involved.
4) Be flexible: take advantage of the moment.
5) You need a skilled retreat facilitator from outside your organization.

The Grant Writing Coach January eNewsletter will expand on all five of these. Be sure to sign up for the eNewsletter at my web site: www.thegrantwritingcoach.com. The next edition will be coming out in a week.

When writing a grant proposal, one of the challenges is to adequately communicate the scope and process of the particular project. A timeline is a very useful tool in this regard and is often used by more experienced grant writers (see archives for suggestions on timeline utilities). However, you can make your proposal really pop and stand out from the rest by using a Gantt chart to graphically portray the scope of your project.

A Gantt chart will help you track tasks, persons responsible and due dates, and it’s reassuring to grantmakers. You can download a free Gantt chart template, simply Click Here

This was the view after a fun day in Auckland. The Kiwis are delightful people and their country is beautiful.

Frank Martinelli and Susan Biro recently drew my attention to the latest in nonprofit trends as reported by the National Council for Nonprofit Associations. The report isn’t exactly current (it uses 2003 data), but it’s the best we have. Interestingly, the report identifies the US nonprofit sector as the sixth largest economy in the world ($1.76 trillion). To download the report as a .pdf file Click Here

OK, so pomegranate juice is all the rage these days, and the new salsa is peri-peri sauce. Design mavons are telling us neutral colors are in and pointy-toed shoes and boots with heels are out. Trends - what next?! I can get into the food trends but I must admit, when it comes to fashion I’m a dingbat. Technology is another thing. I love to keep up on the latest techie stuff.

What trends do you think will take hold in 2007? Add your comments and I’ll fill everybody in after a few days.

Here’s to trends that last!

It is my habit every New Year to set goals. I’m not sure why I shy away from New Year’s resolutions, maybe it’s because I’ve not had much luck in keeping them. But goals are somehow different. Like resolutions, goals require resolve, but goals are more gracious. Once a resolution is broken it’s done. The internal promise has been violated and most often we respond by simply giving up. We say to ourselves, it was a folly any way, I knew I couldn’t keep it. Doomed by self-fulfilling prophecy.

Goals are different - they’re a work in process. Goals are something you work towards, strive for, live up to. Goals, when properly envisioned, have the power to inspire and motivate. And when pursued with determination, goals can transform the desperate and make dreams a reality. Goals have resiliency, they can withstand temporary setbacks and continue to hold their power. Goals are the platform of hope.

So as 2007 begins, allow me to encourage you to hope for a truly great year by setting goals and realizing them one by one. Toward that end, may I suggest three goal-setting guides:

1) Set goals that have a direct relation to your vision.
2) Set goals that are reachable, but just barely.
3) Keep your goals before you daily and work on them patiently.

May your goals become reality in this New Year, according to the grace and mercy of God who provides each new day to work on them.