On this last post for 2020, I thought it would be fun to look back at the top 5 most read blogs of the year. It’s interesting to see how the topics covered and what resonated most with you reflects the mindset and state of affairs of the moment. I’m very happy with the post in the number 1 position, it was deeply personal but more importantly, it reflects what has resonated the most with you.
In fifth place: Learning From The Past
In May, as we were all trying to figure out how to keep our fundraising programs going, it became apparent that some organizations were faring better than others. What seemed to standout was that what distinguished them from the rest was the organization’s leadership and its ability to remain nimble to the unexpected. This post explored some of those themes.
In fourth place: 6 Ways to Improve Your Legacy Web Page
Oh this was great fun! Following an offer to conduct a legacy web page audit FOR FREE, about a dozen of you reached out and took me up on the offer. This post highlights some of the most notable “things to fix”. Will I be offering this again in the new year? Possibly, keep an eye out on my newsletter 😉
In third place: How Propensity Can Help Your Legacy Program
Ross Anderson of the Alfred Foundation in Australia was so generous with his time and knowledge to share two case studies where he used propensity modelling to help identify and to prioritize gifts in wills prospects. In the video, he explains how the modelling is done and the results they had. It’s very interesting and useful for those professionals who are managing a more advanced GiW program.
In second place: 7 Things We Learned (so far) About Legacies During The Pandemia
Ouf, turning things around quickly and trying to figure out if and how to have legacy conversations with donors under the varying restrictions at the time (and still ongoing) brought a whole new level of complexity to our work. Taking stock and observing what was happening from a bird’s eye view put things in perspective. I hope we don’t lose sight of our successes, what could have been done better and how we’re going to do better in the future.
And the winner is …. The Way We Promote Legacies Perpetuate White Supremacy
The awful racial situation in the US and the subsequent social mobilization that spread across the globe – for good reason – instigated this blog. It was deeply personal for me and it’s clear that it resonated with many. It came from a place of acknowledging my own privilege and the racism many of my black, Indigenous, and POC friends experience every single day. But more importantly, it came from an observation about how the nonprofit sector (including myself) have promoted gifts in wills has perpetuated white supremacy. I have since been more mindful at how I coach and help nonprofits be more inclusive in the way they promote gifts in wills. What have you done to be more inclusive in your legacy marketing?
So there you have it, the top 5 most read GlobetrottingFundraiser posts for this craazzzy year! I want to close this off by saying thank you for coming back every week. It’s always a pleasure to share my knowledge, ideas or perspectives with you. Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season!