One value statement from the Nordstrom store: “Service to the customer above all else.” I bought shoes there. Tried them on and all seemed fine. But the first day I wore them out in the world … oops … hurt my feet. I told a friend how I had just wasted the money, darn it all. And I was kinda criticizing my mistake. My friend told me to return the shoes. “But I can’t return shoes that I’ve already worn,” I responded. And my friend responded: “At Nordstrom’s you can.” So I took the shoes back. And the sales person said, “Of course, we’ll take the shoes back. I’m so sorry that the shoes didn’t wo ..read more

Years ago, I wrote a regular column for the Nonprofit Quarterly. And I published some of my greatest articles in NPQ, too. I’m sharing my column of March 18, 2010 here today. Wow. 11 years ago. I think the big question is how much has changed since then? = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = THE COLUMN: What do all the words mean? Robert L. Payton, the first professor of philanthropics in the U.S., defined philanthropy as voluntary action for the common good. I love that definition. People voluntarily give their time and / or their money. Voluntarily. Not because they were pressured by a fri ..read more

LOTS OF ONLINE CHATTER ABOUT STORYTELLING. And I want to talk about story listening. CHECK OUT THESE QUESTIONS TO ASK DONORS.  Imagine reaching out and inviting your donors to share their stories. Remember that donors give through a particular charity to fulfill their own personal aspirations: Perhaps the donor wants to ensure equal voting rights. Another donor wants to save the abused children or starving puppies. Other donors fight for reproductive justice. Others want to stop the planet’s destruction. Still others fight for the right to choose one’s own sexual identity. A personal choi ..read more

From John Rawls, A Theory of Justice, 1971…as told by Warren Buffet and modified by Simone Joyaux Let’s say it was 24 hours before you were born, and a genie appeared and said: “What I’m going to do is let you set the rules of the society into which you will be born. You can set the economic rules and the social rules and whatever rules you set will apply during your lifetime and your children’s lifetimes and even the lifetimes of your grandchildren.” And you’ll say, “Well, that’s great. I get to define what kind of world I want to live in.” But you’re smart, too. You ask: “What’s th ..read more

I write Simone Uncensored issues whenever the spirit moves me. And then I schedule them for future posting – mostly weekly. I wrote this issue in February 2021. I was thinking about the upcoming 20th anniversary of the Women’s Fund of RI, which I founded with the Rhode Island Foundation. Part of my inspiration came from one of my favorite books: Robin Hood Was Right – A Guide to Giving Your Money for Social Change. Authored by Chuck Collins, Pam Rogers, Joan P. Garner. And the most marvelous Preface by Alfre Woodard. Published in 2000. So musing about social change and giving time an ..read more

A postcard in my office From le Site-Mémorial du Camp des Milles – It’s purpose statement: Comprendre pour agir. (Understand in order to act.) Ton christ est juif                                                               Your christ is Jewish. Ta voiture est japonaise                                                 &nbs ..read more

My first book, co-authored with Tom Ahern…Keep Your Donors: The Guide to Better Communications and Stronger Relationships, published in 2008. The final special chapter, is called “CODA: Philanthropy’s Moral Dilemma.” Later, I made this book chapter into a stand-alone publication…a document in the Learning Center in this website. A document included in workshops and courses that I teach…over and over. I started that chapter with 3 quotations…I often use quotations in my business books … quotes from various sources, even romance novels and sci fi fantasy! Philanthropy’s Moral Dilemma…my man ..read more

One of the most meaningful and important insights for life … and for fundraising, too. First, a comment from author  Carlos Ruiz Zafón… “Everything is a tale. What we believe, what we know. What we remember, even what we dream. Everything is a story, a narrative, a sequence of events with characters communicating an emotional comment. We only accept as true what can be narrated. This statement means so much to me…And to you, too? Isn’t life a story? A series of stories? Isn’t every experience described via a story? How do you share your life experiences and moments in your job and narrati ..read more

Sometimes it feels like an endless fight…Ah tristesse… You’re the fundraiser. You study and study and read and and … But your boss keeps telling you that you’re wrong. That big donor (so often a wealthy white guy) wants to share some thoughts and give you advice about how to be a better CEO. “Well, Missy…” And seeminly everyone is singing the same refrain: “If only you nonprofits would just behave more like the for profits. Then everything would be fine.” Hmmmm….. Check out these resources. “What Business Execs Don’t Know – But Should – About Nonprofits” Authors: Les Silverman and Lynn Talien ..read more

What if we developed a checklist for fundraising? Or a different checklist for different angles of fundraising? Let’s see…what could the angles be? Hmmmm… Donor newsletter checklist First solicitation letter to qualified prospects Direct mail solicitation letters Personal solicitation checklist And and and… Oh, here’s an idea!! Checklist for what words we will never every use in our organization. Maybe the formal title is: Forbidden words!? Checklist for what we will do every single year with donors … no matter how tired we are or the boss is or anyone else in the organization!! I could go on ..read more