How Can a Small Nonprofit Cultivate Board Members and Turn Them Into Ambassadors?
Short answer Thank each board member personally for the specific things they do, keep them supplied with stories from your work, and invite them to …
“Connection is why we’re here…and what gives purpose and meaning to our lives.” ~ Dr. Brené Brown
There are four essential connections of the Heartspoken Life, and when our life gets out kilter, we can almost always find that one of them needs some work.
The Profound Wisdom of Changing Seasons
NOTE: This reflection was originally written in 2013 but right now—in 2025—the autumn leaves are falling again and I’m reminded of the …
How Can a Small Nonprofit Thank Volunteers So They Stay Committed?
Short answer Thank each volunteer for the specific thing they did, soon after they did it, and tell them what difference it made. Recognition that …
Book Review: The Correspondent, by Virginia Evans
The Correspondent: A Novelby Virginia EvansPublished 2025 by Crown Imagine discovering a life not through scenes or dialogue, but through the …
How Can I Build Donor Relationships If I’m Shy About Talking to Donors?
Short answer: Start with notes. Writing lets you choose your words at your own pace, and a few warm notes give you and the donor something to talk …
Be Swift to Love: A Benediction for Everyone Who Serves
[Updated 2026] Some words stay with you for years. For me, one of those is a benediction, or blessing, given at the closing Eucharist of the 2010 …
How Can a Nonprofit Executive With No Extra Time Keep Up With Donor Notes?
Short Answer Set aside fifteen minutes a week, keep everything you need in one place, and write three to five short notes in a single sitting. That …
Start by listening: The First Step in Building Lasting Donor, Prospect, and Volunteer Relationships
Listening may be the most powerful tool in your whole connection toolbox. “Listening is music to another’s heart. It is the unspoken …
How Often Should a Small Nonprofit Contact Donors Without Bothering Them?
Short answer: Plan on at least one personal, no-ask contact each season, plus a prompt thank-you after every gift, so that your thank-yous and …