Jennifer E Goldman, Nonprofit Consultant

I recently attended an event hosted by our local fine arts museum; it was a roving lecture on Pablo Picasso. We walked from room to room, hearing about his art (inspiring, innovative, and thought-provoking) and his personality (philandering, explosive, and troubled) as narrated by a curator. While not on the tour, guests were treated to mulled wine, charcuterie and holiday cheer in a large, open, rentable event space. As some friends and I sat at a table chatting, a man approached us – he was clearly excited about the event – and asked if we were having a good time and had we been on the tour yet. Immediately, I knew what role this man had in the organization. I asked questions about the event space, which had one brick side and looked like it may have once been the original entrance to the museum. He very happily told us all about the renovations that had been done to the museum years ago and their plans for further renovations as well as the expansion onto an adjacent property whic...

  Many nonprofits struggle with fundraising . I see several of them addressing funding concerns by adding events to their already busy calendars. And I get it. An overwhelming majority of people aren’t comfortable with asking for money. It may seem easier to raise funds through ticket sales, silent auctions or cash bars. But in reality it takes a lot more time (not to mention energy) – from your staff and your volunteers. I’d like to help organizations be more comfortable with asking for money. It ties into my 2023 theme of value proposition . It’s easier to ask for money when you believe in yourself and you believe in what you’re asking money for. See and feel the value of yourself and what you bring to the table as well as your organization, your programs, your projects and the level of service that you bring to your community. The first step, in my mind, is to realize (visualize) your own strengths and assets. We all have different personalities, different attitudes, different ...