You Matter You Matter Chapter Leadership Brief 7.25.25 by Jill M. Scibilia, MBA, CFRE Vice President, Foundation, Northwell Phelps Hospital Tomorrow, Saturday, November 15th is National Philanthropy Day—a day set apart to celebrate the impact of generosity. The word philanthropy comes from the Greek and means “love of humankind.” Philanthropy has the power to drive innovation, alleviate suffering, facilitate healing, and transform communities. Indeed philanthropy makes the world a better place.
The Most Asked Nonprofit Marketing Questions of 2025 The Most Asked Nonprofit Marketing Questions of 2025 Chapter Leadership Brief 11.14.25 By Lynsie Slachetka Founder & CEO, aJuxt Media Group As we approach the end of 2025, nonprofit marketing teams across the country grapple with increasingly urgent marketing challenges as competition for donor attention intensifies. Marketing is no longer a nice-to-have for nonprofits; it's essential for visibility, fundraising, engagement, and long-term sustainability. However, many organizations still treat marketing as "extra" vs. mission-critical. Let's address some of the key marketing challenges that nonprofit organizations face and more importantly, what you can do about them now.
How Can Nonprofits Avoid the Stages of Decay? How Can Nonprofits Avoid the Stages of Decay? Chapter Leadership Brief 10.31.25 By David Langton President, Langton Creative Group, Ltd. In his new book, Cory Doctorow describes the decay of social platforms in three stages: We work for the people We work for our backers We work for ourselves. What if we applied these stages to nonprofits?
Why Nonprofit Videos Fall Flat, Even When The Stories Are Powerful Why Nonprofit Videos Fall Flat, Even When The Stories Are Powerful Chapter Leadership Brief 10.31.25 by Jason Ellinger Founder, Beard & Bowler A board member once asked me something I’ve never forgotten. They weren’t talking about our work. They meant the videos their team made in-house. Maybe you’ve felt that too, pouring your heart into a story that somehow doesn’t land. That question made me realize how often organizations wrestle with the same challenge, how to make a story feel as powerful as it is.
Less Updates, More Conversation Less Updates, More Conversation Chapter Leadership Brief 10.17.25 by Carolyn Vine Chief Development Officer, Robin Hood At Robin Hood, we’re fortunate to have a distinguished board that brings both generosity and insight to our fight against poverty in New York City. These are people who could spend their Tuesday afternoons doing just about anything, yet they choose to sit around our conference table wrestling with questions about resource allocation and fundraising strategy. Recently we decided to ask them a simple question. How can we make these meetings more valuable for you? Their answer caught us off guard in the best possible way. They told us they want less information and more conversation.
When the World Moves Faster Than Your Organization When the World Moves Faster Than Your Organization Chapter Leadership Brief 10.17.25 by Matthew Weber CEO, Development Guild The World is Moving at Warp Speed Look around. Politics, AI, economics — everything is shifting faster than any one leader, board, or organization can track. Your donors, staff, and community are living in a different reality every six months. The ground is not just shifting under your feet — it’s accelerating. Meanwhile, your board cycle is quarterly. Your planning cycle is annual. Your strategic plan is five years old and out of date. And here’s the uncomfortable truth: when the world moves faster than your organization, you fall behind. You lose relevance, trust, and momentum. Nonprofits are built to endure — but right now, endurance is not enough.
Perseverance, Passion, and the CFRE Perseverance, Passion, and the CFRE Chapter Leadership Brief 10.17.25 by Justin Kuczma, CFRE Development Manager, St. John's Senior Services Growing up, life was often a struggle. We would go days (sometimes longer) without electricity. Having a reliable car was out of the question, and I spent many years wearing shoes that were too small with my toes sticking out of holes in the front. In first grade, despite limited means, my parents signed me up for Cub Scouts. They knew the importance of being part of this incredible organization. I went on to become an Eagle Scout and continue to this day as a volunteer leader with Scouting America (formerly the Boy Scouts of America).
From Challenge to Growth: Lessons for Fundraising Success From Challenge to Growth: Lessons for Fundraising Success Chapter Leadership Brief 10.3.25 by Dr. Pazit Levitan Founder, The Path to Impact The Fall season is upon us. The air shifts, the light softens, and we move toward the close of the calendar year. This is the most vibrant stretch of our work: Giving Tuesday, year-end campaigns and the intensified giving that sustains our mission. This season is more than deadlines and goals. It is a magnifying lens that reminds us how fortunate we are to work in the space of change-making, where every day brings opportunities to encourage philanthropy, uplift communities and strengthen organizations. Our professional world is filled with donors, community members and colleagues deeply invested in the cause. Few professions give us such a clear view of how compassion and commitment turn vision into impact.
55 Years of Wisdom: How a Lifetime of Living Has Made Me a Better Fundraiser 55 Years of Wisdom: How a Lifetime of Living Has Made Me a Better Fundraiser Chapter Leadership Brief 10.3.25 by Terry Pearl Founder & Chief Philanthropy Partner, 360 Philanthropy Partners Today, I turn 55. It’s a milestone I approach with a full heart, a clearer head, and—if I’m being honest—a deeper appreciation for the road behind me than ever before. I’ve earned every gray hair, every laugh line, and every quiet moment of insight. And I’ve come to understand that nothing has shaped my work in relationship-driven fundraising more than the wisdom gained over five and a half decades of living.
Listening Inward, Leaning Outward Listening Inward, Leaning Outward Chapter Leadership Brief 9.19.25 by Brenda Marie Turner Soprano and CFRE Fundraising is often described as the “engine” that drives the nonprofit sector forward. But anyone who has done this work knows it’s not just about dollars. Rather, it is about people. And not just the people we serve or the donors we engage, but about ourselves.