It’s Blog Action Day: Raise Your Voice Against Injustice!

Did you know today is Blog Action Day? I apologize for two posts in one day. I usually send my curated links on Friday (and I did, because I missed last week), but I just had to let you know about this special day when bloggers all over the world unite, raise our voices and shine a light on one single thing that’s not going right in our world. And we talk about how to make it right.

There are, alas, always wrongs that need righting.

And, gosh, there are so many things. They seem to multiply like rabbits. It can seem hopeless.

But it’s not. We’ve proven that we can pull rabbits out of hats and make magic happen. Life has always been unfair, yet civilization has prevailed.

And lives have been made better. In large part, because of the compassionate work done through  civil society — the social benefit sector and citizens working together to right the ship.

Allow me to share a little story learned in my many years working for Jewish social service organizations:

There’s an old Jewish parable that begins with the notion that at one time everything in the world was perfectly balanced. It was “tzedek” – which happens to not only mean “balanced” but is also the root of  the word “tzedekah” ( justice) and the term for the money that is collected weekly by every Jewish community to take care of its poor. The goal of tzedek/tzedekah, throughout our lives, is to do what we can to get back to that equilibrium. That time when there was no injustice. No unfairness. No fighting. No wars.

In fact, the Torah insists, “Justice, justice shall you pursue.

Here’s to those who speak out against injustice!

This year’s Blog Action Day theme is the mother of all issues:

The right, and the moral imperative, to RAISE YOUR VOICE to speak out about any of the many injustices we see all around us. To shine a light on wrongs that must be righted — without fear of retribution. To look evil in the eye, rather than look away. To bring hope in the darkness, so that there will be light.

 

The case of Malala Yousafzai, the 11-year-old blogger who was shot in the head for chronicling the fears of schoolgirls under the shadow of the Taliban, has become a well-known cause célèbre. She prevailed. But there are thousands like her who are silenced.

This is a fight that must be won battle by battle. And the war is still raging.

Details

#GivingTuesday or Gratitude Tuesday? Choose How You'll Roll

GivingTuesday2015Did you participate in #GivingTuesday last year? I’m hoping it was a great success from your perspective, but what about your donor’s perspective?

What did you do to assure your donors felt like the heroes they are for making your mission possible? What can you do?

What about thinking about what’s called #GivingTuesday a bit differently?

What if, instead of asking donors to give to you, you decided to use this occasion to give to them?

Embrace Gratitude on Tuesday December 1st!

What if you and your organization do the giving? Are you grateful to your donors for making your mission possible? Show them.

Details

Foolproof Fundraising Trick Mom Knows and You Need

I’m a huge fan of a too-little used tool when it comes to fundraising. It’s called behavioral neuroscience, and it’s pretty awesome stuff.

Moms use it all the time without evening thinking about it. Moms. Just. Know.

I’ll bet you even use it yourself. Unconsciously.

But what if you could use it intentionally to persuade prospective donors to say “yes” to investing in your cause? Or to give more often or with greater passion?

You can!

Today we’re going to talk about one foolproof way to get donors — and anyone — to do what you want them to do.

And it’s as simple as Mom saying “Because I said so!

Details