Name:  Wendy Davison
Title & Organization: Assistant Director of Annual Giving, Salem State University (SSU)
WID Role: Current WIDGB member and on the Membership Committee
Hometown: Berkeley Heights, New Jersey
Lives Currently: Salem, Massachusetts
Education: BA in Business Administration from The George Washington University, MBA in Business from Salem State University
Hobbies: Exploring the North Shore and beyond! There is always something to do. We have great beaches for long walks and reflection and a variety of events. In my downtime, I like to read and do puzzles – crossword or jigsaw.

Four Landmark Studies that Development Professionals Should Cite for Women’s History Month
March marks Women’s History Month, a time for us to champion the diverse contributions that women have made to the charitable ecosystem and to the larger movement for equality, justice, and power. The following primary sources examine non-profit as a space increasingly belonging to women and offer several citable insights about the philanthropic sector.

 

Name: Karen DeTemple
Title & Organization: President, Workwonder
WID Role: Member since forever
Hometown: Champaign, IL
Lives Currently: Brookline, MA
Education: BA in Communication Arts and Sciences from DePauw University
Hobbies: tennis, weightlifting, pickleball, scuba diving, hiking, traveling, tequila and mezcal tasting

Developing a Case for Support

A case for support is a key document for any nonprofit - a straightforward, engaging, and inspiring way to communicate the most important aspects of your work with your donors, trustees, employees, and funders. Whether it is developed for a specific campaign or to support an annual fund, a case for support helps to communicate your mission, vision, values, and goals. If you are ready to jump in to write (or perhaps update) a case for support, here are some resources to get you started.

Name:  Elizabeth Fitzsimons
Title & Organization: Associate Director of Advancement, The Pike School
WID Role: WIDGB member; Marketing and Communications Committee member
Hometown: Swarthmore, PA
Lives Currently: North Andover, MA
Education: Wellesley College
Hobbies: Hiking, paddling, reading, cooking

More than 250 people gathered in-person for WID’s 2022 Fall Breakfast Kick-off held on Thursday, November 3, at the Westin Copley Place. Fundraising professionals from Boston and beyond caught up with peers across the industry and make new connections during a lively networking session before settling in for an engaging and insightful talk from guest speaker Dr. Makeeba McCreary, president of the New Commonwealth Racial Equity and Social Justice Fund (NCF).

Using Industry Reports to Guide Philanthropy Strategy
Industry reports can inform our fundraising strategy as we go in to a new year by providing a compiled and analyzed industry research that give a snapshot of the current state of philanthropy. This year’s reports assess the “new normal” for philanthropy after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, showing us which philanthropic trends have endured and those new trends nonprofit trends fundraisers will want to track. These 2022 reports give special focus to gift planning, grant distribution, and new digital fundraising trends.

 

Name: Erica Leung Lawless
Title & Organization: Associate Director of Development, Major Gifts | Harvard University
WID Role: Programs Committee Co-Chair, Scholarship Task Force member
Hometown: Trenton, TN (originally from Hong Kong)
Lives Currently: Brookline, MA (soon to be Holly Springs, NC)
Education: BS in Piano Performance - Lee University, MS in Arts Administration & Graduate Fundraising Certificate - Boston University
Hobbies/Interests: Baking, reading, going to museums, traveling, organizing data, and being a dog mom

We all need it, but, despite our best intentions, don’t always get it: truly, completely unplugged time away from work. Whether it’s an unmovable deadline, colleagues who ignore our OOO message, or the undeniably strong urge to take just a quick peek at our work email, it’s hard to disconnect. With summer now in full swing, we’ve compiled a few articles about how to better unplug and unwind—and why it’s so important.

At the WIDGB Annual Meeting Natanja Craig-Oquendo, Executive Director of the Boston Women’s Fund, shared stories of the times she “looked over the edge” in her personal and professional journey. For Natanja, looking over the edge means taking a risk, and those “over the edge” moments have been pivotal in her life and her career.

Name:  Janetta Stringfellow
Title & Organization: Chief Development Officer, PRX
WID Role: Member. Former member of the Membership Committee.
Hometown: Cape Elizabeth, Maine
Lives Currently: Marblehead, MA
Education: BA in Classical Studies from Colgate University; ALM in Creative Writing & Literature from Harvard University (Expected May ‘23)
Hobbies: Rowing in a single on the ocean; writing essays & a memoir.

Name: Jessica McNeill
Title & Organization: Harvard Business School, Assistant Director, Reunion and LeadershipGiving
WID Role: Member
Hometown: Dorchester, MA
Lives Currently: Dorchester, MA
Education: BA Communication Studies, Bridgewater State University; MS Nonprofit Management, Northeastern University
Hobbies: I don’t know if I have many “hobbies,” but some of my interests are: traveling, astrology, watching documentaries, volunteering, and reading (although I used to be much better at this).

Effective leaders are always learning, thinking critically about what we do, why we do it, and how we can do better. No matter where you are in your leadership journey, these articles (and a podcast!) will give you something to think about, new ideas to consider, and tips for taking your leadership to the next level.

This April, we are highlighting Gift Planning. If you've wondered how to talk about or encourage your donors to consider tax-efficient ways to give or making gifts of assets, beyond cash or check, you're not alone! Especially now, as 2021 taxes are being filed, people are thinking about their financial and philanthropic goals for the year ahead, and beyond. Here are some helpful resources to help get you, your organization, and your donors thinking about planned gifts. 

Have you been working in nonprofits for many years, searching for the illusive work/life balance? You are not alone. The additional stress from the pandemic has felt like walking on a tightrope. Some folks are balancing parenthood and home responsibilities with work from home jobs, enduring lockdowns and homeschooling, all with the ever-present threat of catching an illness with unknown outcomes. As the empathetic individuals you usually find working for nonprofits, we also tend to take the stress of our mission home with us. Managing budget shortfalls and addressing low staffing  issues on nights and weekends has compounded our stress and anxiety over the past few years. The following articles have attempted to address these issues and help us ease into 2022 with tools to achieve the balance we seek.

Name:  Carmen Chan
Title & Organization: Director of Philanthropy, Just A Start
WID Role: Member
Hometown: Boston, MA (My home country is Hong Kong)
Lives Currently: Boston, MA
Education: BS in Journalism, Suffolk University
Hobbies: Lion dance (see me perform), arts, and outdoor activities, including hiking, biking and skiing.

Thinking about infusing some fresh ideas into your year end communications? Have you been thinking about ways to teach your own children about philanthropy. Look no further! WIDGB has you covered in this month's pulse of fundraising.  

The WID Community is so grateful to have had the opportunity to hear from Sara Minkara, MPP in our virtual 2021 Fall Kick-Off: A Conversation Over Coffee with Sara Minkara on Wednesday, November 10. The inspiring, emotional, and informative conversation was moderated by Stacia Sylvia, who has been a WID member since 2014 and on the WID board since 2017. Stacia currently is the Director of Foundation Relations and Development Operations at the Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

Name:  Molly Richter
Title & Organization: Associate Director of Development, Talent Management at Massachusetts General Hospital
WID Role: At-Large Board Member, DEI Committee Member
Education: MBA from Boston University, BA from NYU
Hobbies: To quote Glennon Doyle, “What is fun? I don’t do fun. I am a grown-up. I do family, work, and trash TV. Repeat forever.”