What I offer...
If you’re a community, family, or private foundation

Workshops:

Affordable, tried-and-true, and tailored to your needs, for five people or 150. On nearly all subjects having to do with communications, such as:

Strategic planning for a single department or your whole foundation. We’ll look together for that clear mission you’ve always wanted. I can be your facilitator, analyst, interviewer, and/or synthesizer. The secret? Clarify your vision and define the steps to get there.
Building your initiatives. Need to create a targeted program in response to a new field-of-interest fund? An evaluation of a short-term or longstanding project? Outreach to a special group of donors? We’ll determine together what ‘success’ is and design or evaluate accordingly.
Board retreats. The Board and senior staff need an opportunity every year or two to tackle big issues, revisit the mission, and/or recharge your enthusiasm. We'll develop a process and agenda that engages every Board member in meaningful, direct discussion. You'll have a skilled facilitator whose only goal is a stronger organization.
Development review and planning (for community foundations and associations of funders). Starting a new campaign or just need a fresh look at operations? Let's take a close look at your operation, your community, and your capacity and consider next steps.

A full-fledged Communications Audit that assesses your foundation’s capacity to identify and talk to your essential audiences. We’ll look at everything from your website and newsletter to how you say 'no' to grant applicants and answer the telephone. An exhaustive written report reviews six areas in detail (publications, electronics, media, advertising/direct mail, word of mouth, and institutional commitment) and offers advice and resources.
Take stock of your regular publications. We’re talking about your newsletter and annual report. Do you start out with a clear idea who you’re talking to and what they want to hear? We’ll transform the work from intimidating to fun.
Build a successful website and get the right people to go there. Don’t you wish websites were like books, with a beginning, middle, and end? But they aren’t, so let’s capture the special energy of great websites and other electronic tools. We’ll use the excellent "Don’t Make Me Think" by Steve Krug as our road map.
Media campaigns. I can help you understand the basics or execute a press strategy. One hint? Never do press conferences; have parties instead.

Advertising, direct mail, and other tried-and-true methods to get new donors. Yes, there are proven rules and research about what works and what doesn’t when it comes to marketing. Sometimes it's well-placed (and repetitive) advertising. Sometimes it's the perfectly-written letter sent to the millionaire next door. Sometimes it's the readable case statement that accompanies a personal visit. The secret? The communication is always one-to-one.
Interviewing and donor stories. I’ve interviewed hundreds of donors at all levels of giving. It’s a major part of meaningful relationship building. I’ll show you the ins and outs of the donor interview, or interview your favorite giving partners. You'll have a polished story and a delighted donor/founder by the end.