I am pleased to report that my latest article in the prestigious Stanford Social Innovation Review has been published. It distills lessons learned from a fascinating process I was part of – a nonprofit with assets of $4 million in hand choosing to wind down and donate those resources to another organization (MCE Social Capital) that was better positioned to use them effectively in combating global poverty.
With my co-author Gary Hattem, I had written a long article about the history of the Deutsche Bank Microcredit Development Fund and the lessons we learned from closing it down. SSIR was interested in publishing the lessons learned. I decided to run the historical parts on my blog and work with the Review’s talented editors to make the lessons learned piece the best it could be. With many nonprofits likely to shut down, be acquired or merge in the wake of the COVID-19 and economic crises, I believe these lessons may prove useful to the broader philanthropic and nonprofit communities.
Taking a page from my friend Abra Annes, I have just begun work on a new article about one of the most painful chapters in my 31-year career in mission-driven organizations. I am not sure where it will be published or what form it will take, but even putting words to paper is proving cathartic. It has taken me several years to be ready to even contemplate writing about this experience. My hope is that it can help others avoid the trap I fell into.
In the meantime, the final installment of my five-part series on major donor fund-raising will be posted on my YouTube channel tomorrow morning. Following earlier posts on how to conduct your first meeting with a major donor prospect, donor cultivation, and solicitation (“the ask”), this final one is about donor stewardship (appreciation).
For more tips and techniques about fund-raising and other aspects of nonprofit management, check out my new book, When In Doubt, Ask for More: And 213 Other Life and Career Lessons for the Mission-Driven Leader.