Lotus Insights

Hiring a Director of Development (DOD) is one of the most consequential decisions a nonprofit will make. And yet, organizations get it wrong constantly. We’ve all seen it: a DOD in one day and out the next. It is the revolving door position in nonprofits. Research backs this up. According to the Chronicle of Philanthropy, the average Director of Development lasts just 18 months on the job. I’ve seen it from every angle. Before founding Lotus, I spent years as a VP of Develop

One of the most common refrains I hear from board members when I walk into a new client engagement is: "We need more new donors." I understand the instinct. Growth feels like it should mean new. But after analyzing donor databases across many organizations, I can tell you that in most cases, the answer isn't starting with new donors. It's starting with the donors you already have — the ones who gave, and then quietly stopped. Before you spend a dollar on new donor acquisition