Newsletters

We need more deep discussions, which is one of the main reasons behind the creation of this issue of in:PURSUIT. You may not agree with some of what we have to say; but if we get you to think about it and talk about it, then we’ve accomplished a rather large goal.

“We must think anew and act anew.” Those words, penned by our nation’s sixteenth president (whose story hit the big screen a few months past), perfectly capture our goal for this issue of inPursuit. New action, new initiatives, and new fundraising programs all begin by thinking “anew”—or thinking differently about our work.

I don’t know what it’s like around your office, but the start of football season always seems to create a buzz at Pursuant. Whether you’re a college or a pro football fan, the new season generates excitement: Everyone has the potential to win. Everyone has hope that a new season will bring success.

We’ve hit & passed the mid-point in the year, and I’m sure you’re beginning to evaluate where you need to be by the end of December. Or you may have just finished out your fiscal year and now you’re in the throes of planning for the next 12 months. Whatever is on your plate, it’s not too soon to begin thinking about year-end. I realize it’s only August, but the busiest time of year for fundraising is just around the corner.

I’ve been doing a lot of listening lately. It started with listening to our clients—what they like and don’t like, what is working and where we can improve. It extended to listening to organizations considering an agency relationship with us. I love to ask questions about their points of pain, what they have been learning, what their vision for the future looks like, what they care about?

Spring has arrived…and with it comes fresh opportunities to re-connect and engage your constituency. At the heart of every nonprofit are its donors and volunteers—the people who believe strongly in your mission. They invest their time, money, resources and most importantly their circle of influence to help further your mission. No matter what level their investment, we know their involvement, financial or otherwise, directly impacts your fundraising future.

No organization is perfect. As hard as we try, we will always make mistakes. It’s part of life. Unfortunately, too many organizations are doomed to repeat their mistakes over and over because they fail to learn what really went wrong. Sometimes, they look only skin-deep. Other times, they don’t look at all.

In this edition, you will enjoy real life examples of successful donor campaigns, as well as, thought leadership articles centered on fundraising best practices. We hope this issue of in:PURSUIT will inspire you to develop new ideas for the new year. 

CEOs often find themselves evaluating processes, goals, and the overall well-being of their nonprofit organization to drive their mission forward with greater impact. We’re constantly asking and evaluating questions like “What would happen if we didn’t exist?”; “What if our largest donor quit giving?”; “Is our vision clear, measureable, impactful?”; “What would we do with an extra $X,000,000?” Without questioning strategic factors and our decisions as leaders, we may never realize the full potential of our organizations.

re:Define exists as a forum where top nonprofit leaders are challenged to take a deeper look at factors that contribute to success versus failure. Join us in this conversation. What you discover may very well re:Define your future. 

Full of real life examples of successful donor campaigns, award-winning creative, and helpful articles centered on fundraising best practices, we hope this edition of In Pursuit will challenge and inspire you with new ideas as you head in to the busiest time of year.