The following is a compilation of online discussions of faux donors trying to scam colleges, schools, and nonprofits. In most cases it’s not clear what the scammers are trying to achieve. Maybe they’re just practical jokes. These tales were provided by Barbara Esteve at Cedar Crest College, … [Read more...]
ROI for a donor database
My colleague Charlie Hunsaker posted the following question on the FUNDSVCS Advancement Services listserve: I have two clients who are looking for new systems and want a “cost justification” for their acquisition to share with their management. Probably an issue that we should all be looking at. … [Read more...]
Blackbaud’s acquisition of Convio is a done deal
Blackbaud completed its purchase of Convio. The next adventure starts today, as we wait to see what the future holds for their various systems. … [Read more...]
Blackbaud – Convio merger expected to close this week
The Department of Justice signed off on Blackbaud's acquisition of Convio last week, and it looks like the deal will close this week. This is just the beginning of the story. I expect that it will take at least several months, and probably several years, before the dust settles and we … [Read more...]
Creative credit card donation scam
Since this scam is on the rebound I'm republishing the following: A friend forwarded the following description of a scam aimed at a well-known college. Fortunately, they didn't fall for it. I would like to make everyone aware of a recent situation here that is most likely a scam to … [Read more...]
What’s a good donor database?
I've been enjoying the discussion in the Chronicle of Philanthropy's LinkedIn group in response to the question, "What's a good, affordable donor database program for a small non profit?" (you'll probably need to join the group to read the responses). There have been 120 responses so far, and … [Read more...]
Thoughts on the Blackbaud – Convio deal
Lots of people have already weighed in on Blackbaud’s purchase of Convio (two of my favorites: http://www.frogloop.com/care2blog/2012/1/18/blackbaud-buys-their-rival-convio-now-what.html and http://nonprofit-force.org/2012/01/20/the-convio-blackbaud-merger-one-customers-perspective/). Here my … [Read more...]
Predictions for Nonprofit Fundraising Technology in 2012
NTEN published my somewhat snarky predictions for nonprofits' use of fundraising technologies in 2012. My overall predictions are that most things will be pretty much the same as last year (and 2010 and 2009, etc.): many nonprofits will struggle with out-of-date systems. No surprise -- many … [Read more...]
Year-end donation processing
As the calendar year draws to an end, charities (and ideally, donors) are focused on year-end donations and tax deductions. Here are a few scenarios for U.S. charities to keep in mind. (Note: I am not a lawyer. When in doubt, contact an attorney who specializes in nonprofit law or contact the … [Read more...]
New article: Take Control of your Organization’s Data
NTEN just published a short piece of mine on data management in their Change magazine. It's in their DIY series -- short tips for implementing something for your organization without extensive tech know-how or extra budget. The topic they gave me was managing decentralized data entry. … [Read more...]