Tag Archive for: Generosity

A Must-Have for Your BEST Year (Yet)

Every once in a while, a sentence lands in a conversation and everyone in the room just… pauses.

That happened recently while I was working with Tammy Hertzel, CEO of the YMCA of Mason City, Iowa, who is part of my MORE Major Gifts Accelerator coaching program.

We were talking about the realities Y’s and other nonprofit leaders have faced over the past several years. Pandemic disruption. Staffing challenges. Budget pressure. Programs stretched thin.

Tammy summed it up simply:

“We’ve been in survival mode.”

And that’s when the sentence came out:

Survival is not a strategy.

 

Across the nonprofit sector, leaders have shown extraordinary resilience keeping their missions moving forward. In many cases, simply holding things together beyond the pandemic has taken enormous courage and commitment.

But conversations when you are in survival mode alone will never inspire transformational generosity.

Donors don’t give their most meaningful gifts because an organization is tired.

They give because they believe in where it’s going.

They invest in clarity, leadership, and possibility.

 

You CREATE YOUR LIFE and your new energy around where you are going!

 

Tammy and I are preparing for our upcoming session at the North American YMCA Development Organization (NAYDO) Conference, where we will share the transformational success she has experienced at her Y.

The shift hasn’t been about doing more “fundraising activity.”

It’s been about moving from reacting… to building.

From uncertainty… to clarity.

From survival thinking… to strategic leadership.

From hiding…. to bold sharing.

And when that shift happens, something powerful follows.

 

-Boards align.
-Staff stay and confidence grows.
-Donors begin to see the future they can help create.

-Partners join in.

-Small efforts build a bridge to more and more…and more.

 

Because generosity responds to vision coupled with energy!

So when Tammy and I distilled our work together into a set of takeaways for NAYDO and all organizations that want their BEST year yet, the first one is simple.

Survival is not a strategy.

Survival may be where the journey begins.

But leadership — and generosity — begin when we decide to build something stronger.

Because your BEST year for your mission and your LIFE is right in front of you.

JUMP IN!

Invest in Joy!™

 

If you only hug the people who are easy to love, your heart never grows — it just stays comfortable.

Valentine’s Day makes love look easy.

Chocolate hearts. Red roses.

Kittens. Bunnies. Puppies.

 

The people who make you smile without effort.

The friends who finish your sentences.

The donors who light up when you call (and thus light YOU up).

The conversations that end in laughter and warmth.

 

Those are kittens, bunnies and puppies.

 

Kittens, bunnies and puppies are easy to hug.

But life is not made of kittens, bunnies and puppies.

Sometimes it’s made of porcupines.

 

You know the ones —

The people who don’t agree with you

Don’t understand you.

Frustrate you.

Disappoint you.  Hurt you.

Push buttons you didn’t even know you had.

 

They are the ones you tell off in the shower wishing you could say it TO them but you don’t dare. The ones you wish would stop listening to the same news channel and dig deeper for real facts.

And yet…

This past week I spent hours talking with supporters to One Vision – an organization that helps people with disabilities live full, meaningful lives. Every conversation ended in a hug — sometimes spoken, sometimes felt. It was easy love. Beautiful love. Energizing love. They were OUR PEOPLE!  And yet, they had real input and feedback for how our next steps can be the BEST steps we can take – steps they can get on board with. And some of this was challenging to hear – places we need to reset, dig deeper and get more clarity.

 

Real love isn’t measured by how warmly we feel when it’s comfortable.

Real love is measured by what we choose when it isn’t comfortable.

A porcupine doesn’t stop being worthy of care because they’re hard to hold.
They just require intention.

So this Valentine’s Day, yes — celebrate your favorites.

Call the people who always lift you.

Send chocolate to someone who makes your life brighter.

Reach out especially to the ones who are lonely, grieving, or quietly hurting.

 

And then… consider one more thing.

 

Offer kindness where it doesn’t come naturally.

You don’t have to agree.
You don’t have to pretend.
You don’t have to stay in a conversation that harms you.

 

But you can choose generosity of spirit.

A gentle word.
A softened assumption.
A pause before judgment.

A reminder that every person you meet is living inside a story you cannot see.

 

You see….YOUR LOVE EXPANDS when it stretches.

 

So hug your kittens and bunnies and puppies!
Celebrate your people.

Buy yourself flowers too — AND CHOCOLATE!  Seriously, don’t skip that part.

 

And also make time to carefully, intentionally, bravely…

 

HUG A PORCUPINE!!!

 

You might not get a cuddle.

But you will grow a heart that can hold the whole world.

And, THAT, my dear friends, is inclusion.

 

 

Sending you my hug – hoping I am not your porcupine – but ever so grateful if you are willing to hug me anyway.

 

And here’s a hug — Right back at you…..

 

Happy Valentine’s Day. ❤️

Invest in Joy!™

 

“If ONLY my Board would help!” Can’t tell you how many times I have heard that.

During my recent trip to Nottingham, UK, I had the pure joy of sharing time with the remarkable Board Members and CEO’s of the YMCA’s throughout England and Wales.  Their mission is bold, their commitment is deep, and—like so many volunteer leaders around the world—they are eager to help create a culture where generosity thrives. But they also are not quite sure of their role in making this happens!

My session, “How to Be an Effective Development Ambassador,” focused on what I believe with my whole heart:

You don’t need a fundraising title to inspire generosity.

You need intention, confidence, and a joyful mindset.

You need clarity and simple knowledge on what giving DOES and REALLY DOES in the organization.

You need to be inspired to give yourself.

 

And these Board Members got it.
They took it in.
They stepped up.

 

Here’s what they told me afterward:

“This presentation has helped me with the style and approach I’ll use to inspire generosity.” — Angela Barbaro-Robins, Board Member

“Marcy’s presentation was fantastic and thoughtful… She gave lots of practical ways to develop relationships. This workshop has helped me feel more confident about making an ask.” — Steffen Benbow, Board Member

“Marcy provided the energy needed to inspire. This workshop has made me feel empowered. My first step will be to develop an action plan as a team to develop the conversation.” — Joe Piliero, Board Member

Marcy gave an excellent presentation! She is personable, wise, and kind. Marcy’s workshop presented new ways to inspire generosity and was really useful – thank you! Peter Mayne, Trustee, One YMCA

 

Their words touched me deeply—not because they praised me—but because they affirmed something the world desperately needs to hear:

When you change how you THINK about giving… everything else changes too.

One board member shared with me privately after the session…..

“I do believe in the area of fundraising that it is definitely more of a ‘numbers game’ for us. The personal relationship aspect – which includes an appraisal and alignment of mutual values – is missing.

Also missing is a more effective use of board and trustee resource. Not everyone wants to get up and give an address to a crowd. Not everyone wants to pick up the phone and give a personal “thank you” to a donor. But some of us do. A smaller number of us think we’d do a good job of it. And an even smaller of us would do exactly that!

What is missing is an honest conversation with all parties about what we want to achieve and what are the resources available – with some of the magic and clarity you gave us last night, sprinkled on…”

So there you have it.

We all have an opportunity to support people, programs, experiences, and actions that resonate with our values. All the Board learned, wrote and delivered a 3-sentence ask in my session.  While Board members often fear “the ask.” They worry about saying the wrong thing, asking at the wrong time, or sounding pushy. When we help them approach giving as an opportunity—not an obligation—we can engage donors with a calm, joyful confidence.

You can help your Board become ambassadors by:
• Focusing on YOU language that honors the giver – in everything you write and say.
• Sharing why the mission matters in our own words.
• Inviting—not insisting.
• Walking alongside people as they discover how they want to be generous.

Mindset ignites momentum.

What struck me most in the UK was how quickly they embraced the abundance worldview. When leaders see giving as joyful, meaningful, and possible, the entire organization rises. Energy rises. Confidence rises. And generosity follows.

Your future as an ambassador of generosity is already unfolding.

If Angela, Steffen, Joe, Peter, and their colleagues can walk into a workshop feeling cautious and walk out feeling empowered, then so can every board member—every staff member—every human who cares about a mission.

My hope is that their feedback inspires YOU today.

Remember…

You are called to this work.

You can do this work.

When you bring your JOY, others will rise with you.

 

So go forward with confidence.
Tell your story.
Invite others in.
And above all…

SHINE ON!

Invest in Joy!™

 

Do You Want More Success? Do This ONE Thing.

This is the most generous time of year.
But honestly? This is impactful ANY time of year.

Whether you’re writing a letter, an email, a text, a voice message — or better yet, making a personal visit — one simple change can transform your relationships and your results.

Always begin with YOU.

In my consulting, I edit scores (and scores and scores) of letters, emails, and appeals every month. And 99% of the time, they begin with the nonprofit — NOT the reader.
Yes, somewhere later in the message there’s usually a donor-focused sentence.

But it’s buried. It’s not the opener.

And that’s too late.
You’ve already missed the chance to authentically connect.

Because it’s not about what you say.
It’s not about what you do.
It’s about how you make your giver feel.

As Maya Angelou reminded us — and I had the joy of singing with her long ago —

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

YOUR giver wants to feel…

1. Seen.
2. Like you’re talking directly to them.
3. Known.
4. Special and important.
5. Appreciated.

 

Opening with YOU does all of that — instantly.

 

 

 

 

**Real Examples:

The “Before” I See All the Time vs. the “After” You Should Use**

Before:

We want to thank you for making XXX a very special place…
After:
YOU make XXX this very special place…

 

Before:

We invite you to leave your mark on…
After:
You have already left your mark here — and you represent us every day as you travel through life.

 

Before:

On behalf of the XXX Administration, I want to thank you…
After:
Your financial gifts to XXX make a profound difference — especially for students facing financial challenges.

 

Before:

We are excited to share that the building walls were recently raised…
After:
You are part of an exciting time for XXX as the building walls were recently raised.

 

Additional “YOU-Focused” Openers That Work Beautifully

• Your partnership in this mission is…
• Your impact reaches farther than any of us can see today.
• Your support is especially meaningful as we move forward with…
• Your commitment is bringing important support to…
• You bring a unique understanding of XXX’s history and potential.
• Your role as a trustee is shaping the future of…

 

And Remember — Opening with a Question Can Also Boost Engagement

Questions naturally make the brain lean in:

• When you think back to your time at XXX…
• Did you know it’s been 40 years since XXX has had a major facilities renovation?
• When you imagine the future of XXX, what do you wish for?

 

This Isn’t About Making Donors “Save” Us

It’s not about neediness.
It’s not about pretending the giver does everything.

It’s about making them feel seen and heard — like the real partner they are –  in every message, human or AI-boosted — as you build sincere personal relationships.

 

Because YOU Are Key to Your Success

You inspire generosity.
You create connection.
You make people feel valued.
You move missions forward.

YOU matter.
And YOU are important to me.

Invest in Joy!™

 

 “All ___ Are ___ — What Are YOUR Global Beliefs?”

We all have them — those global beliefs.

“All vegetarians are just being anti-meat and farmer.”
“All Catholics are opposed to women leading.”
“All teenagers are glued to their phones.”
“All this AI stuff is cheating.”

Now I’m not saying these are MY belief but rather that without a doubt we all create sweeping generalizations from our experiences, our upbringing, the news, or even one strong encounter that left an impression.

Recently I spoke at the 20^th Annual BRIDGE to Integrated Marketing and Fundraising Conference in Washington DC. There I took in an excellent closing keynote by Dr. Marcus Collins – a master in decoding the “why” behind what we buy, do and believe.  In a nutshell he led us through global beliefs we ALL hold and challenged us to at least consider that they may not still serve us. For years, I had an image of vegetarians as the ones giving waiters a hard time—“Is the meat touching my entrée in the kitchen?” But now that my son and his girlfriend are eating a vegetarian diet, I see it differently. He feels better than he ever has. He’s learned what works for his body. I understand so much more now about food sensitivities and how individual it all is and how much our knowledge has increased since I was 20! That shift changed my belief—not because I was ever unkind, but because I now see a bigger picture.

And isn’t this true in fundraising, too? AND IMPORTANT?

What are your global beliefs about wealth, donors, and money?

“Wealthy people didn’t earn it.”
“All big donors want is their name on a building.”
“All people with money inherited it.”
“All philanthropists are self-serving.”

Or maybe you were raised with:
“Money doesn’t grow on trees.”
“Rich people aren’t liked.”
“It’s not polite to talk about money.”

These beliefs seep into how we feel about asking for gifts, celebrating generosity, and building relationships with donors. They can color how we see our donors before we’ve even met them.

I often meet development professionals who deeply want to serve their missions but carry quiet, limiting global beliefs about wealth. They hesitate to connect, to ask, to celebrate giving because they’ve absorbed some version of “money = bad” or “rich = selfish.” Sort of a chip on their shoulder when doing our honorable work.

And yes — I had my own global belief about AI. I thought, “All this AI stuff is sort of cheating.” Then, in practice, I discovered my chat is a partner who helps me think more clearly, write more joyfully, and serve my mission better… and FASTER. It’s a tool — like a calculator, a spreadsheet, or a microphone — that I can use for good. That belief shifted because I gave it a chance.

Here’s your reflection invitation this week:

1. Fill in the blank — “All _____ are _____.”
2. Ask yourself — where did that belief come from?
3. Consider — how might that belief impact how you feel about your donors, your work, and yourself?
4. Reframe — what could be a more joyful, generous belief?

Try these to get started:

• All fundraisers are ________.
• All board members are ________.
• All major donors are ________.
• All people who put their name on a building are ________.
• All people who ask for money are ________.
• All AI tools are ________.

 

 

When we bring awareness to our global beliefs, we free ourselves to see people — and even tools — not labels. We invite connection rather than separation.

Celebrate discovering your own global money beliefs (and maybe your global AI beliefs, too!). It’s part of our joyful journey as artful askers — seeing each person and each act of giving through a lens of respect, curiosity, and delight.

After all, the more we understand, the more we can truly  Invest in JOY!™ and inspire generosity!

Invest in Joy!™