I am amazed at what I have seen and heard nonprofit organziations have done in response to our current economic challenges. Seems almost every organization is looking for a quick fix to their decrease in income.

Among the most common “new ideas” is the use of social media and other online techniques.

Now, put on an imaginary blindfold and think…

Facebook, Twitter and blogging are not new. Xers, Ys and Millenials have been telling us all for a few years now to get connected to them in this manner. This technology and their encouragement began way before the current recession. Too bad we did not hear them in advance. However as important a tool this is it is not likely to cure your fundraising shortfalls.

Another (and apparently new) approach is to get the board involved in fundraising.

Again, with that blindfold on…

Have any idea what the chief complaint staff has about a board? Yep…that the board is not doing what it should be, namely fundraising! And this is not a new issue…there is over 20 years of dedicated research on the subject. Not to mention a library of books and numerous places to train board and staff on their roles.

Go ahead remove the blindfold…

I understand that urgency makes us act differently. In times of crisis we never realize that what we may be doing is much the same thing we should already have BEEN doing in the first place!  It is frustrating to realize that once the urgency is gone we will forget we tried to find the great paneca without success and go back to doing what we did before.

In the final assessment it becomes clear. We need a good period of urgency to make us remember what we had been told in the first place.