A Tough Nut to Crack: Reflecting on the Delicate Dance of Holiday Fundraising
In her annual holiday posts, Karen Brooks Hopkins, president emerita of the Brooklyn Academy of Music, recalls memorable fundraising stories. This year, “The ... Read more.
Sometimes Things Just Work Out: A Fundraiser’s Tale of Year-End Optimism
In her annual end-of-year reflection, Karen Brooks Hopkins, president emerita of Brooklyn Academy of Music, reminds fundraisers to stay optimistic even when thi... Read more.
The Donor Deplorables: a Fundraiser’s Tales of “Bad Apple” Donors
Karen Brooks Hopkins regales us with tales of a “small but truly miserable group” of hard-to-deal-with donors she encountered during her time leading the Br... Read more.
A Winter’s Tale: A Fundraiser Recalls an Exceptionally Chilly Reception from a Potential Donor
In her annual end-of-year reflection, Karen Brooks Hopkins, president emerita of Brooklyn Academy of Music, recalls an unusual trip to meet with a donor in a fa... Read more.
The Great Latke Competition—a Fundraiser Reflects on the Holiday Event That Kept Giving
In her annual year-end post, Karen Brooks Hopkins, president emerita of Brooklyn Academy of Music, fondly recalls a very different holiday season than this one,... Read more.
A Fundraiser’s Nightmare Before Christmas
It was the most important fundraising event of the year for the Brooklyn Academy of Music—a holiday gala in the iconic setting of Grand Central Station. Then ... Read more.
Words to Live By (Or Not): A Fundraiser’s Holiday Rant
As fundraisers everywhere pray for end-of-the-year miracles, Karen Brooks Hopkins draws on her decades of chasing money—and landing big gifts—to offer some ... Read more.
“Why Would Anyone Want To Do This Work?” A Fundraiser’s Lament
Do today's young people have what it takes to succeed in grueling jobs that generally consist of 90 percent rejection? A veteran fundraiser reflects on the grow... Read more.
‘Tis the Season: The 10 Most Excruciating Parts of Fundraising
A former president and chief fundraiser of a major arts nonprofit offers an end-of-the-year list of the things she dislikes most about the grueling and stressfu... Read more.
