Nonprofit organizations are navigating rapid change and increasing demands for measurable impact. At moss+ross, we view this moment as an opportunity to evolve alongside our clients and help organizations lead with greater clarity, confidence, and adaptability.
Nonprofit organizations are navigating rapid change and increasing demands for measurable impact. At moss+ross, we view this moment as an opportunity to evolve alongside our clients and help organizations lead with greater clarity, confidence, and adaptability.
Nonprofit organizations are navigating rapid change and increasing demands for measurable impact. At moss+ross, we view this moment as an opportunity to evolve alongside our clients and help organizations lead with greater clarity, confidence, and adaptability.
Nonprofit organizations are navigating rapid change and increasing demands for measurable impact. At moss+ross, we view this moment as an opportunity to evolve alongside our clients and help organizations lead with greater clarity, confidence, and adaptability.
Nonprofit organizations are navigating rapid change and increasing demands for measurable impact. At moss+ross, we view this moment as an opportunity to evolve alongside our clients and help organizations lead with greater clarity, confidence, and adaptability.
Susan Ross and I have been on a gradual step-down for the past year to ensure continuity and high-touch service as we step back from most of our client work as of April 30th. Going forward, I have a new title – Founding Partner and Of Counsel – that retains my lifelong connection to this wonderful firm.
As I reflect on 50 years in the profession, the through line of my fundraising career has been an enduring sense of purpose and a belief that great nonprofits in partnership with philanthropists really can make the world better.
When our team works with nonprofit clients on messaging and communications, we encourage them to share success stories, statistics that are driving the need, and data that demonstrates their organization’s effectiveness.
moss+ross and several area funders are teaming up to help our nonprofit community build a strong pipeline of leaders who can lean into their roles in steering organizations towards a sustainable future.
by Brooke Jenkins, Partner Gratitude is more than a feeling – it’s a way of living and leading, a culture that echoes a team's approach to the people they serve. I am reminded of this when I ask the co-founder of one of our current clients, How are...
by Lisa Adkins, Senior Associate When Hurricane Helene hit Western North Carolina one year ago, it left behind more than damaged buildings and flooded streets—it upended lives. Families were forced from their homes, schools were closed, and...
by Kathryn Williams, Partner It takes hard work to attract, engage, and retain donors. In a capital campaign, nonprofit leaders often worry - what if our donors won’t make larger gifts in addition to their annual contributions (or vice versa)? Here...
by Elizabeth Hopkins, Partner moss+ross is proud to be a trusted consulting partner to the SECU Foundation’s Mission Development Grant (MDG) Program, helping nonprofits across North Carolina assess their capacity, set priorities, and build the...
by Emily Hill, Associate An engaged board can be one of a nonprofit’s greatest assets - but true engagement doesn’t happen by accident. It requires intentionality, clarity, and a commitment to building strong, two-way relationships. At moss+ross,...
by Kate Barron, Associate This past year, I had a meaningful opportunity to serve as an m+r interim solutions® affiliate contractor with the development team at the historic Carolina Theatre in Durham. My assignment began as the Senior...
by Kate Hearne, Vice President and Partner Assembling a leadership team with the right mix of talent, chemistry, and experience is a critical part of a nonprofit's success. At moss+ross, we are all about teamwork – from assembling project...
by Dave Monaco, Partner “There is a noble but deeply misguided belief that leadership requires broad shoulders and an ability to stand under pressure alone.” This insight from Tod Bolsinger’s Canoeing the Mountains has been on my mind lately as...
by Kim Glenn, Partner With the uncertainty of federal funding, and the volatility of the stock market, our moss+ross team is monitoring the impact on our nonprofit partners as well as responding to questions about best practices during challenging...
by Anna White Hosea, Partner You’ve likely heard the saying that the journey is more important than the destination. While knowing your destination is crucial, strategic planning is key to understanding the path to get there. A strategic plan not...
by Mary Moss, Founding Partner You would think I would know the answer to this question since I held some version of this role for 23 years. And I do! A Director of Development (DOD) oversees a variety of advancement programs, beginning with...
by Kim Glen, Partner A new year and the opportunity to start again…easy to ponder, harder to achieve. Inspiration is a powerful force that drives creativity, productivity, and success, yet staying consistently inspired can be tough amid tasks,...
by Elizabeth Hopkins, Partner Nonprofit leaders and fundraisers know that donor stewardship is more than an end-of-year thank-you note. It’s a philosophy of relationship-building to be woven into every interaction with donors. Effective donor...
by Kristina Bowman, Senior Associate An estimated 30% of annual giving occurs during the month of December. Inspiration for giving varies: increased messaging and solicitations, generosity of the holiday season, or meeting a tax deadline. Now is...
by Brooke Jenkins, Partner At the beginning of a fundraising campaign, there is both excitement about fulfilling a vision and anxiety about making it to the finish line. As consultants to nonprofits, schools, and institutions of higher education,...
by Carrie Gray, Director of Executive Search The qualities of a great leader in the nonprofit sector have evolved over the years. Leaders need to be passionate about the mission of the organization they are leading, and they must also be savvy...
by Michael Lowder, Senior Associate The arts sector constantly reinvents itself to remain relevant and financially sustainable. Over my 45-year arts management and consulting career, I have witnessed the remarkable resiliency, commitment to...
by Lizzy Mottern, Vice President of Talent One of the greatest challenges we hear from nonprofit leaders is identifying, hiring, and keeping top talent. We are also in touch with experienced professionals who are applying for jobs, interested in...
By Kim Glenn, President. Our community is facing an unprecedented mental health crisis, and many nonprofits are on the front lines of the suffering. Our moss+ross team is inspired every day by our clients who are investing in new ways to support,...
By Antoinetta Mosley, Senior Associate. April is National Volunteer Month! At moss+ross, we recognize and celebrate the extraordinary contributions of volunteers to the nonprofit sector. The dedication and commitment of volunteers reflect the power...
By Kathryn Williams, Partner. March is Women’s History Month, an annual celebration of women’s contributions to history, culture and society. The National Women's History Alliance has designated this year’s theme “Women Who Advocate for Equity,...
By Kathryn Williams, Partner. March is Women’s History Month, an annual celebration of women’s contributions to history, culture and society. The National Women's History Alliance has designated this year’s theme “Women Who Advocate for Equity,...
By Jeanne Murray, Partner. Does artificial intelligence have a place in nonprofit work, which is fundamentally rooted in the reality of human relationships? When it can save you time, improve productivity, and generate ideas, using AI is quickly...
By Mary Moss and Susan Ross, Founding Partners Dream It. We’d like to say that 15 years ago we had a fully charted path for what success looked like as we left our jobs at Saint Mary’s School (Mary) and Duke (Susan). We envisioned a firm that would...
By Kim Glenn, President. As moss+ross celebrates our 15th year, we are delighted to announce four new partners: Elizabeth Hopkins, Brooke Jenkins, Jeanne Murray, and Kathryn Williams. Founding Partners Mary Moss and Susan Ross will retain their...
By Anna White Hosea. Gratitude and philanthropy go hand in hand. As we enter this season of giving and giving back, many nonprofits are thinking about Giving Tuesday campaigns. Now a firmly entrenched part of the shopping and spending days that...
By Dave Monaco, Subject Matter Expert. Want to raise the anxiety level of nonprofit executives or board members? Engage them in yet another conversation about how to do a lot with a little! Indeed, discussions about how best to allocate an...
By Susan Ross, Founding Partner. Maybe it is because Lessons in Chemistry is on nearly every book list this year (and it is a great read), but I have been thinking lately about CHEMISTRY and how it plays a role in successful relationships of all...
By Wes Brown, Senior Associate. August is National Make-a-Will Month—a timely reminder to the nearly 67% of American adults who do not have a legal will in place. Wills and other estate planning documents such as health care power of attorney are...
By Lizzy Mottern, VP of Talent. A transition is a chance to think creatively, consider different perspectives, address challenges and opportunities, and celebrate successes. When moss+ross gets a call to assist with temporary staffing through...
By Mary Moss, Founding Partner. “I just want to stay the same”…said no nonprofit leader ever. I have never worked with a nonprofit leader who said, “We just want to stay the same. Can you help us do that?” Every nonprofit leader I have known in...
By Vince Bayyan. Many of you reading this piece may recognize “this is the way” as the creed from the hit Disney Star Wars spin-off, The Mandalorian. For those unfamiliar, these words are the often-repeated affirmation and code of conduct at the...
Mental Health Awareness month acknowledges the importance of mental health and reducing the stigma of mental illness. moss+ross is proud to support the following clients whose nonprofit missions are dedicated to mental health support.
A successful search for your next nonprofit Chief Executive Officer, Executive Director, or development professional is a meticulous process with inevitable twists and turns. moss+ross guides search committees and nonprofit leaders based on our...
By Emily Bruce, Senior Associate A successful search for your next nonprofit Chief Executive Officer, Executive Director, or development professional is a meticulous process with inevitable twists and turns. moss+ross guides search committees and...
By Carolyn Rhodes, Senior Associate. Prioritizing pay equity may seem like an additional task for nonprofit leaders and board members to tackle, but it can have significant benefits for both the organization and society. By promoting diversity,...
By Mary Moss. Do you know the phrase “black swan” – a rare, unpredicted occurrence with widespread consequences? It was popularized in a book by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, published around the time Susan and I started our business just before the...
By moss+ross Team. moss+ross approaches each client engagement as an opportunity to ask: are we doing the work that recognizes diversity and builds inclusivity and equity? What does this look like in our day-to-day work, in our strategic visioning,...
By Kim Glenn, President. As January brings us into 2023, many of us are thinking about our New Year’s resolutions. We make lists for ourselves, announce our intentions to others, and think purposefully about how we will live into them. It’s the...
By Carolyn Rhodes, Senior Associate. As a Black woman gaining momentum in the non-profit sector, I used to begin every new interaction with my lived/living experiences. It was something I felt like I had to do in order to be connected to...
By Mary Moss, Founding Partner. Are you worried that you have not reached your year-end goals, that you have not talked to the people you thought you should, and that no one is returning your emails? It’s not too late. Pick up the Phone and Smile!...
By Lizzy Mottern, VP of Talent. Transitions are part of every organization’s life cycle. The good news is they are incredible opportunities to rethink, adjust, and become even stronger. We join clients in times of transition in multiple ways:...
By Susan Ross, Founding Partner. If your Board nominees look like mirror images of your current board, perhaps it’s time to try a new approach. Most of our nonprofit clients are actively seeking ways to embrace Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and...
By Mary Moss, Founding Partner. In my experience, there is not much luck in major gifts work. I believe that you make your own luck. I have been in this business for four decades, as staff and consultant, and I have witnessed comments such as:...
By Kate Hearne, VP Corporate Services Many of you count yourselves among our more than 230 clients, some with 10-12 different contracts (THANK YOU!) At moss+ross, we begin each client relationship with a base of mutual trust and respect, and...
By Susan Ross, Founding Partner. “Shopping local” doesn’t exactly mean the mom-and-pop store on the corner when it comes to choosing strategic counsel. moss+ross takes a community-centric approach to meeting the needs of nonprofits in our region of...
By Lizzy Mottern. Your search was successful, and you have hired an amazing new member of your team — congratulations! Now you want them to stay. Retaining employees requires thought, planning, and creativity — and has dramatic payoffs. One is...
By Kimberly Moore. My first experience with servant leadership was watching my grandmother serve as an usher in our small rural Baptist church in Gibsland, Louisiana. I am reminded of that usher protocol through moss+ross’ work in executive search,...
By Mary Moss, Founding Partner. April is National Volunteer Month, and we are celebrating the strengths and talents of volunteers with our clients and in our social media. Volunteers are not supplemental, or nice to have; they are essential and...
By Kate Hearne, VP for Corporate Services. Like many of you, our team is feeling the pace of business activity approach pre-pandemic levels. At moss+ross, this means we are seeing multiple Request for Proposals (RFPs) each week. Campaigns that were...
By Lizzy Mottern, Vice President of Talent. Whether trying to hire, re-think a position, tap into new networks, or creatively re-imagine career objectives, we are all working through the talent puzzle. As nonprofits craft strong and diverse teams...
By Kim Glenn, President. Over the last 13 years, moss+ross has had the privilege of working with 220 central North Carolina nonprofits to help them deliver on their missions. We partner with board and staff members alike to evaluate fundraising...
By Mary Moss and Susan Ross, Co-founders. moss+ross celebrated its 13th anniversary just a few days ago. Our firm has grown tremendously over these years, fueled by the increased demand for our extensive suite of services. In response, as of...
By Kathryn Williams. Clients often call us when they need interim staff to support temporary needs. I’ve been called on when a position becomes vacant, to assist with researching and writing grant proposals, to help prepare for a capital campaign,...
By LisaCaitlin Perri. Often a staff transition means losing that person’s institutional knowledge of documents, processes, and decision making. From our years of experience stepping into organizations as interim contractors, we see several key...
By Susan Ross, Partner. The media is calling it a “resignation revolution,” but when it happens in your shop it’s just painful. Executive Directors, Directors of Development, and other nonprofit staff leaders play an integral role in a team’s...
By Lizzy Mottern. The statistics are staggering: The Achievers’ Employee Engagement and Retention Report found that 52% of workers plan on looking for new jobs in 2021. A study from Nonprofit HR revealed that 45% of responding nonprofit employees...
By Jeanne Murray. What does it mean to approach fundraising in an equitable way? We see many examples of organizations, foundations, boards, and nonprofit leaders taking action to be more equitable and inclusive in fundraising. Some examples:...
By Mary Moss, Partner. Almost every day this month, as emotional headlines about rising Covid cases, the Afghan war departure, and historic weather events scrolled across my screen, I was inspired by the uninterrupted focus that comes from great...
By Elizabeth Hopkins, Brooke Jenkins, and Lizzy Mottern. The summer months are a good time to refresh and renew our enthusiasm for the important work we do – and to create a Development Plan for the year ahead. The Five W’s of Development Planning...
By Susan Ross, Partner. I’ve kept a newspaper column for many years called “Learning to be grateful for life’s normal days.” Encouraging us not to overlook their beauty, Donna Britt writes in the Washington Post of their “magnificent mediocrity”...
By moss+ross staff. moss+ross has offered Executive Search services since 2010, and has helped Triangle nonprofits place more than 70 executive-level and development professionals since then. We asked several to share their perspective on nonprofit...
By Lizzy Mottern, Senior Associate. Executive director turnover at nonprofit organizations was between 18% and 22% in 2019. Every five years your organization could be facing a transition, expected or not. m+r interim solutions can support you with...
By Mary Moss, Partner. The Dow Jones all-time high of 34,811 happened on May 7, 2021. Given the year we have had, I have been astonished at U.S. economic performance amid the disruption of the pandemic, the calls for justice, and political...
By Emily Bruce, Senior Associate. Local corporate partnerships are often part of the funding mix for many nonprofits, though typically a small proportion (only 5% of overall philanthropic giving, according to Giving USA.) Developing a win-win...
By Susan Ross, Partner. Last month I loved being a volunteer faculty member for AFP’s three-day intensive Fundamentals of Fundraising course. My portion of the training used 46 slides and two hours to reinforce one critical point: “Building and...
By Lizzy Mottern, Senior Associate. m+r interim solutions can fill gaps to make everyone’s life a little easier – especially during fundraising campaigns. Affiliate contractor Deborah Thompson has been working as a member of the North Carolina...
By Mary Moss, Partner. It’s 2021. The hope for a bright and shiny new year was dashed with images from January 6th at the U.S Capitol. An already beleaguered nation that is dealing with issues of life and death – the pandemic, racial inequity, and...
By Anne Wein, Associate. Does your nonprofit need help meeting communications goals and telling your story?m+r interim solutions matches highly skilled professionals with your temporary staffing needs. Communications and marketing professionals can...
By moss+ross team. The moss+ross team gathered virtually last week to kick off the new year, and exchanged advice for approaching the opportunities and challenges ahead. Be Intentional Use virtual meetings to your advantage by emphasizing the...
By Lizzy Mottern. People are what make your organization amazing, and moss+ross affiliate contractors have a variety of skills that can contribute to your organization’s success. As you think about closing out the year and looking ahead to 2021,...
By Susan Ross. Now that Election Day has passed, the calendar shows just eight weeks left to hit your year-end goals. Now is the time to get your message out and bring in the gifts you need for your nonprofit. Here is where to start: 1) Set a...
By Wes Brown, Director of m+r Faith Communities. The year 2020 winds down with some questions answered about life in the pandemic, yet much remains unknown on the far horizon. In this digital age many of us have discovered new ways to move our...
By Mary Moss. You have been working all year long to keep your head above water, to strengthen the relationships you have, and to identify new ones along the way. You have learned how to operate remotely, and even ask for money remotely. While...
By LisaCaitlin Perri. Database clean-up will help retain your nonprofit’s donors by equipping you with the tools to get those second- and third-time donations through the door. 1. Identify the top 25-50-100 individual donors and prospects, and make...
from the partners. moss+ross welcomes former Durham Tech President Dr. Bill Ingram to our Of Counsel team, starting August 1. Bill brings extensive experience in public higher education, having served as DTCC president from 2008 until his...
By Mary Moss and Susan Ross. One week ago, we joined the nation in witnessing yet another atrocity — the murder of an unarmed Black man captured on video. What happened that day has left another image burned in our memory of what systemic racism...
By Lizzy Mottern. As your organization adjusts and innovates to move successfully through the COVID-19 crisis, you will have opportunities to evaluate your needs and rethink how you do what you do. An m+r interim solutions contractor can provide...
By Chuck Fyfe and Jim Roberts. Many organizations are now asking themselves: Could we have been better prepared? As nonprofits look to the future, risk management and continuity planning is a high priority. Effective emergency and crisis management...
By Susan Ross. Now that North Carolina has begun its phased reopening, you may be looking at how this applies to your fundraising efforts. The nonprofit community has responded in extraordinary ways during this time, with dedicated staff and...
By Mary Moss. For tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today. African Proverb The past six weeks have tested all of our abilities – personally, professionally, and societally. By almost any measure, the blow of this virus has been...
By Susan Ross. We are confident that a new normal is ahead – we just don’t know what it looks like yet. In the past six weeks, we have posted weekly newsletters focused on what we CAN do, in the context of the hourly, daily and weekly shifts in...
By Mary Moss Let’s look back at the last month, which seems like a year. Your first order of business was to make provisions to meet your mission even as you were shuttering your offices. Somehow, you had to go virtual administratively and also...
By Susan Ross. We’ve shared one piece of advice consistently since the pandemic started: Stay in touch with your donors and key volunteers. Mary called it Extreme Stewardship in a recent newsletter, and we know many of you are working...
By Mary Moss First, how are you today? At moss+ross, work continues not just on campaigns, but also on strategic plans, organizational assessments, interim staffing, annual funds, and searches. We are busy helping our clients meet their missions in...
By Susan Ross. With clients, we often talk about making critical decisions in real time. Every one of us is living this challenge with the COVID-19 pandemic. The world says STOP but some can’t, particularly those working directly with at-risk...
By Jeanne Murray. moss+ross has served nearly 200 clients, grown to 20+ associates, and offers a suite of services to nonprofits, including temporary staffing through m+r interim solutions. As we begin our second decade, we have launched a robust...
Did you know there are 3.1 million temporary and contract employees in the staffing industry on any given day? m+r interim solutions is proud to match highly skilled nonprofit professionals with clients across the Triangle. Our affiliate...
By Susan Ross. Successful nonprofit leadership demands fundraising capability. Subject matter expertise and passion for the cause remain important parts of the nonprofit skill set, but leaders know it takes money to live into an ambitious mission....
We are pleased to announce the conclusion of recent Executive Searches. The Eno River Association has hired Jessica B. Sheffield as its new Executive Director. Sheffield comes to the Eno River Association after eleven years as the Program...
By Elizabeth Hopkins. For many major gift officers, summer is the opportunity to take stock of the success and challenges of the previous fiscal year and make resolutions for the new year. The most successful gift officers embrace prospect...
By Kathryn Williams. Family foundations comprise the largest segment of the private foundation sector, a sector that grew by an estimated 7.3% to $75.86 billion last year, according to Giving USA 2019: The Annual Report on Philanthropy for the Year...
By Mary Moss. If you’ve seen Hamilton, you know that the “Room Where it Happens” means more than just clever lyrics and melody. History is made by having the right people in the room, people whose actions and commitment will change...
By Susan Ross. All donors, large and small, play an important role in charitable giving, yet recent data show that about half of US families today are not giving at all, and those that do are giving less than they did 15 years ago. Research from...
By Fred Stang. When your organization needs to hire a senior-level leader, you may wonder about the value of hiring a search firm versus managing the search in-house. Searches take a great deal of thought, energy, resources and time. Do you have...
By Mary Moss. Imagine your organization has stopped operation. Imagine funds have run out. Imagine the population your mission supports cannot be served. Everything stops. Imagine the despair. For the leaders at Community Music School (CMS) in...
By Kim Glenn. A familiar refrain in the nonprofit world is: The team is working at capacity and needs help. Even with the help of generous volunteers, the staff are stretched to raise enough dollars and to meet the ongoing demand for your services....
By Susan Ross. I was asked for my perspective on the probing question “Is Your Board Any Good?” in a recently released short video from local agency Angel Oak Creative. During the filming, I suggested to the interviewer that “Is your board as good...
By Jeanne Murray. In the fundraising world, beginnings and endings are cause for celebration: from kickoffs and launches, to end-of-year campaigns and recognition ceremonies. Yet significant work must also happen in the middle – whether that’s in...
By Mary Moss. It turns out, a lot! Have you ever been in a meeting and caught yourself yawning without opening your mouth where your nostrils expand, and you pray no one is watching? This is a dead give-away that the meeting has gone on too long. I...
Record $2M gift launches AI Program at the NC School of Science and Mathematics “A $2 million gift to the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics from alumnus and entrepreneur Carl Ryden ’89 and his wife, Ashley — the largest private gift...
By Anna White Hosea. Taylor Swift and Michael Scott were deep in conversation. Across the room, Buzz Lightyear and Frida Kahlo were having a spirited debate. Meanwhile, at the front of the room, two 90’s era game show hosts and Big Bird were...
By Susan Ross. Mary and I are thrilled that moss+ross is celebrating its 10th anniversary this month, and we just have to take a few minutes to reminisce about the journey. Over 10 years we have helped build shelters, schools, cathedrals,...
By Mary Moss. Beginning in late November, the temptation is to concede December as too busy and intrusive for fundraising. We sometimes become tentative; we project what may not be true: that December is a bad time to ask because we are invading...
By Brooke Jenkins. One key question in campaign planning is: “What is the timeline for meeting goal?” There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. Campaigns with goals of less than $1 million can require as much time as multi-million...
By Susan Ross. Our region of North Carolina is filled with top-rated colleges and universities, all of which set high bars for development excellence. Over the past eight years, moss+ross has worked on more than 20 engagements with UNC Chapel Hill...
moss+ross is proud to work with nonprofit partners who are on the ground in Florence’s wake. Our work with clients in the nonprofit sector inspires us every day, and never more so than in the past week as Hurricane Florence has affected our region....
By Lizzy Mottern and LisaCaitlin Perri. Triangle-area nonprofits that need hands-on professional help with leadership, fundraising, grant writing, communications, database support, and more can now call on moss+ross for interim personnel services....
By Mary Moss. Our firm’s goal is to strengthen nonprofit capacity in numerous ways. Last month, we announced the creation of a new business division focused on communities of faith. More than 30 representatives of this rich fabric of faith in the...
By Wes Brown. Faith institutions require financial support for leadership, facilities, education, and mission outreach. Yet, many congregants insist that their giving is “between me and God,” and often the pastor or other spiritual leader does not...
By Susan Ross. Listening to the inspiring words of the Most Reverend Michael Curry on Saturday at the Royal Wedding reminded the world (or at least the two billion of us who watched) that there is power in love to help, heal, lift up, liberate, and...
By Mary Moss. When growing up, this was one of the most often heard questions coming from the generations above. I can remember not having a good answer for it. I didn’t have “people” that I thought were description-worthy. Frankly, I had no...
By Susan Ross. I had 20 at my house for Christmas dinner. As always, the family meal marked the passage of time, with a core group of regulars bookended by loved ones missing and by promising new relationships. Why do we value these celebrations...
Moving Your Donors to Major GiftsAll fundraisers know they need more major gifts. In a packed room at our recent presentation at the 2017 North Carolina Philanthropy Conference, moss+ross offered a variety of tools to support fundraisers to get...
By Susan Ross. Like many of you, I celebrated June 30th again this year. It has been many years since I was Director of the Duke Annual Fund, but I am still tuned in to the importance of this particular day on the calendar, and the hard work with...
By Kate Hearne. 1. Do we need a consultant? Look at your strategic plan or annual fundraising plan. What are your goals and how do you plan to move the needle toward those goals? Will you just work longer and harder? Maybe. Or maybe some of those...
Your organization communicates purpose and inspires support through your messaging. While a good starting point is crafting a great mission statement, the day-in/day-out communication of your organization’s message doesn’t end with a declaration of...
I am a communicator as well as a fundraiser – two very important aspects of our profession. Telling stories of how the work you do changes people’s lives, and how your donors’ gifts make a difference, helps your fundraising. Once you have painted a...
“If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.” Wise words from Yogi Berra that remind us good planning is essential to success on many levels, and in the case of fundraising, can be critical to your organization’s long-term...
Those are three phrases that I use to guide many facets of my personal and professional life. I did not grow up knowing how to do any of these things with respect to advancement (or much of anything else). It is through 35 years of practice that...
Faced with an historic building in need of crucial maintenance, Duke Memorial United Methodist Church followed our favorite piece of advice when it used its strategic plan as the foundation for campaign planning. In launching a needs-based...
Whether it is quick-printed or a beautiful glossy piece, you need to make a solid case to your audience. The most important reason to have a case statement is to help donors understand how they can make a difference by participating in your...
Here are seven key components of a campaign plan: Objectives – What you typically want out of a campaign are objectives like the following: to raise a specific financial goal; to broaden awareness of your organization’s mission and impact; to...
Fundraising is all about relationships. Whether a donor makes a $25 gift to your cause or a philanthropist makes a $1 million gift, the relationship you established helped motivate the gift. As you prepare for a campaign, nothing is more important...
Walking up to the new Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral (Catholic Diocese of Raleigh) dedication on July 26th, I was humbled and reflective. How had it come to be that I could cross the transom of those beautiful doors on this special day? A...
moss+ross helps clients plan and run campaigns of varying sizes and purposes, from under $1 million to $400 million. We asked two of our clients to talk about the benefits of working with us at various stages in their campaign planning and...
Campaigns are exciting! They provide an important opportunity to draw attention to your mission and programs, deepen engagement with current supporters, and build new relationships. Although the potential rewards are great, the thought of a...
For many years, organizations embarking on a strategic planning effort followed an organized, pre-set process that grew out of a desire to justify large capital expenditures to investors. Many books were written on the subject, and a generally...
Our clients are an amazing group of creative and energetic professionals. Here are a few things that have impressed us recently: 1. A school developing its first strategic plan reached beyond its traditional leadership and invited a parent who is...
Once a strategic plan is in place, it shouldn’t sit on the shelf. Proactive organizations revisit their plans regularly and pay attention to the milestones for achieving their vision. This takes many forms; here are a few examples: Pictured above:...
DURHAM – Durham’s emergency homeless shelter and free meal provider has hired a new executive director with more than 20 years of experience leading human services agencies, the board announced Wednesday. The Urban Ministries of Durham board...
April Fools’ Day is not the only time reality can be hard to see clearly. Just ask any nonprofit executive, and you will get an earful of examples. Smart nonprofits do all they can to prepare themselves, though, and this means taking precious time...
Perspectives on change and the unexpected from moss+ross co-founders and partners Mary Moss and Susan Ross… Over the course of our consulting careers, we have worked intimately with more than 100 organizations. Some embrace change, planned or not,...
It’s rare (but not unheard of) that anyone really looks forward to performing quality assurance checks on their database. Believe me, though: your future self, the rest of the staff and returning donors will thank you. Plus, over time, the...
The old adage “many hands make light work” is just as valuable today as in the 1500s when this phrase was coined by English writer John Heywood. Although he did not work for a nonprofit, he understood the benefit of people joining together to meet...
At this time of year, you are busy creating year-end appeals and reaching out to donors to say thank you. As a development professional, you probably think of expressing gratitude as making those calls and writing those letters. Have you stopped to...
When we started moss+ross in 2009, we made a strategic decision to define the Triangle and surrounding region as our service area. As we thought about our ideal nonprofit clients and the difference we wanted to make, staying local made the most...
Your organization is planning a 30th anniversary gala, and hundreds of donors, board members, and honored guests will be invited to attend. It’s a flagship moment in your history, an incredible opportunity to highlight your mission, boost...
While the departure of an executive director is not something that can always be planned, there are things that can be done along the way to ensure the organization is not crippled when this happens, because sooner or later, it will. Executive...
Curious about what the other guys are doing? How they are communicating with their supporters? What is most important to them? A recent report on nonprofit trends notes that, of the Communications Goals nonprofit companies set for each year, Donor...
When was the last time you sat down with your best donors, or potential donors, and invested your time and energy in them by listening to their ideas and truly matching their interests with the goals of your organization? Did you develop a...
1, 2, 3, 4…it takes a lot of work to get to 100, and we did it! moss+ross is pleased to count 100 clients in the Triangle, and beyond, as our partners as we work together to make our community even better! Client organizations represent every...
moss+ross senior associate Fred Stang has read hundreds of cover letters and resumes as he and the executive search team work hard to match exceptional professionals with nonprofit organizations in the Triangle. We think he’s the right person to...
At this year’s AFP Philanthropy Forecast, held January 26, Mary Moss led a roundtable where participants discussed the importance of strong board leadership. As part of the conversation, Mary asked participants what was on their minds. The issue...
When you set your New Year’s resolutions, be sure to set some aspirational goals for your organization, as well. Mary and Susan have three suggestions that you and your Board can discuss early in 2015 to be sure it is a stellar year. Define your...
Mary and Susan were honored to host Barker French and David Reese from East Durham Children’s Initiative (EDCI) at our table for AFP’s National Philanthropy Day on November 12. Barker represents the very best qualities in a fundraising volunteer,...
The 2014 NC Philanthropy Conference gathered hundreds of development professionals last week at the Durham Convention Center. moss+ross co-founders Mary Moss and Susan Ross, and senior associate Chuck Fyfe gave a presentation that promised to make...
When we decided to form moss+ross, our goal was—and still is—to help nonprofits in our community make an even greater impact. Now, five years later, we are so grateful to our client partners who have invited us to roll up our sleeves and work...
By Anna White Hosea. Gratitude and philanthropy go hand in hand. As we enter this season of giving and giving back, many nonprofits are thinking about Giving Tuesday campaigns. Now a firmly entrenched part of the shopping and spending days that...
By Wes Brown, Senior Associate. August is National Make-a-Will Month—a timely reminder to the nearly 67% of American adults who do not have a legal will in place. Wills and other estate planning documents such as health care power of attorney are...
By moss+ross Team. moss+ross approaches each client engagement as an opportunity to ask: are we doing the work that recognizes diversity and builds inclusivity and equity? What does this look like in our day-to-day work, in our strategic visioning,...
By Kim Glenn, President. Over the last 13 years, moss+ross has had the privilege of working with 220 central North Carolina nonprofits to help them deliver on their missions. We partner with board and staff members alike to evaluate fundraising...
By Anne Wein, Associate. Does your nonprofit need help meeting communications goals and telling your story?m+r interim solutions matches highly skilled professionals with your temporary staffing needs. Communications and marketing professionals can...
By Susan Ross. We’ve shared one piece of advice consistently since the pandemic started: Stay in touch with your donors and key volunteers. Mary called it Extreme Stewardship in a recent newsletter, and we know many of you are working...