January 11, 2013

I’m sitting here in Tucson in the delightful Azure Gate bed and breakfast. The Azure Gate is wonderful! In the desert surrounded by cacti. Easily accessible to hiking and Tucson’s neighborhoods. Gourmet breakfasts that amaze you every morning. Lovely accommodations. If you visit Tucson, stay here!

Tom and I are here presenting at the AFP Southern Arizona Chapter. And, since we were coming to town for AFP, the Tucson Symphony asked me to do some work at the same time. For all of you who might attend a presentation by me (or Tom) at an AFP workshop or conference… You can also ask me (or Tom) to come early or stay late and work with your organization.

Tom and I love Tucson. We like speaking here to the AFP chapter attendees. They are engaged and engaging, always asking good questions. We love the hiking in desert and mountains. We always stay for several days. And we always eat at Feast, several times.  Owner and chef, Doug Levy who creates interesting and yummy food. Really yummy food. A marvelous wine cellar. Welcoming staff. And let me say again, really good food!

But enough of food and hiking… Back to business, the business of nonprofit organizations, the chance to do so much good.

Check out these materials:

1. Marc Chardon’s interview with the Nonprofit Quarterly. Marc is the CEO of Blackbaud. Marc has lots of interesting things to say. You can see a YouTube video with Marc, too. Marc and Blackbaud helped sponsor the “Growing Philanthropy Summit” in June 2011 in Washington D.C. I was one of the fortunate attendees. Read the “Growing Philanthropy Report,” posted in the Free Download Library on my website. The summit was the brainchild of Adrian Sargeant. And how many times have I told you to read and follow Adrian’s research?!

2. Read the two Agitator issues that talked about what Marc talked about, January 9 and 10.

3. I strongly recommend that you subscribe to the Nonprofit Quarterly. Great print publication and very active and very good online daily issue. In addition to Marc Chardon’s interview mentioned in #1 above, check out Jen Shang’s article (co-authored with Rachel Crosen), “Social Influences in Giving.” Jen is the first PhD in philanthropic psychology. Follow here research, too.

4. How about some face-to-face professional development? Check out “Creating the Extraordinary Donor Journey…A Fundraising Odyssey of the Future” the week of March 18, 2013. Direct marketing. Major gift requests. Extraordinary Experiences. And bequests. Guy Mallabone. Stephen Pidgeon. Richard Radcliffe. Simone Joyaux. Canadian. United Kingdom. USA. Live – on line or in person. You might like it!

And now, not business. Just for fun. Because fun is good, too. Check out these film reviews and prognostications for the annual Academy Awards in the U.S.

 

 

Filed under: Resources / Research

About Simone Joyaux

A consultant specializing in fund development, strategic planning, and board development, Simone P. Joyaux works with all types and sizes of nonprofits, speaks at conferences worldwide, and teaches in the graduate program for philanthropy at Saint Mary’s University, MN. Her books, Keep Your Donors and Strategic Fund Development, are standards in the field.

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