Teaching morals may be one of the most important (and difficult) jobs of parenting. Morals are not built through lectures; they are formed through ordinary moments, consistent examples, and the behaviors children see when no one is watching. The real test comes when children begin making those choices on their own, even when doing the right thing costs them something. Those quiet victories may never trend on social media, but they are the ones that matter most.
Read MoreAre fewer people really becoming less generous? Or are we simply measuring generosity too narrowly? Traditional charitable giving may be declining, but crowdfunding, mutual aid, giving circles, and everyday acts of generosity reveal a broader philanthropic impulse. The challenge for nonprofits may not be convincing people to care, but recognizing all the ways people already demonstrate that they do. Perhaps philanthropy isn't broken; perhaps our definition of it is.
Read MoreColleges have a responsibility to keep their communities safe, and technology has an important role in doing that. But safety becomes something different when surveillance begins to influence what students and faculty feel comfortable saying. A healthy campus does not require agreement; it requires the freedom to question, challenge, listen, and disagree respectfully. The best universities use technology to protect people without creating an environment where people are afraid to express ideas.
Read MoreSome of the most meaningful gifts will never be wrapped in paper. They're found in shared experiences, a road trip, a concert, a ballgame, or an afternoon spent together without distractions. While possessions eventually wear out or are forgotten, memories tend to appreciate over time, becoming stories, traditions, and part of a family's identity. The greatest inheritance we leave may not be what we owned, but the moments we shared.
Read MoreGreat advancement strategy begins with understanding people, not assumptions. The National Alumni Survey is providing one of the most comprehensive looks yet at what alumni actually think, value, and expect from their institutions. Its early findings reinforce a simple but powerful truth: graduates who feel informed, connected, and genuinely known are far more likely to become engaged donors. The future of university philanthropy may depend less on asking better questions and more on listening better.
Read MoreFor years, nonprofits have concentrated on crafting compelling messages for donors. Today, donors are paying just as much attention to where they give as why they give. A trusted giving platform has become more than a payment processor—it has become a signal of credibility, transparency, and security. In an increasingly digital world, the platform itself is now part of the donor experience.
Read MoreFor years, I treated busyness like an accomplishment and vacations like an interruption. Somewhere along the way, work stopped being something I did and quietly became the lens through which I viewed nearly every day. This summer, I'm trying something different: being fully present with my family, putting work in its proper place, and remembering that rest isn't the enemy of productivity, it's one of its prerequisites. Sometimes the hardest thing a workaholic can do is simply step away.
Read MoreFor decades, schools invested heavily in technology, convinced that more screens would produce better learning. Now, many educators and policymakers are asking whether we've allowed the tool to become the teacher. Technology has undeniable value, but innovation should always be judged by outcomes, not novelty. Sometimes the best way to prepare students for the future is to rediscover the strengths of paper, pencils, books, and face-to-face learning.
Read MoreThe greatest governance challenge is not always an inactive board, it is an overactive one. When boards spend their meetings debating hiring decisions, software platforms, or operational procedures, they unintentionally neglect the strategic issues only they are positioned to address. Healthy organizations create a clear distinction between governance and management. The board's responsibility is not to run the organization, but to ensure it has the vision, leadership, and financial strength to thrive for years to come.
Read MoreWatching my nine-year-old daughter perform in Frozen reminded me that courage often looks much smaller (and much more powerful) than we imagine. Stepping onto a stage under bright lights, speaking lines, singing, and dancing before hundreds of people requires a kind of vulnerability that many adults still avoid. Confidence is rarely something we possess before the challenge; it is something we earn by facing it. Sometimes the greatest acts of bravery begin with simply taking that first step into the spotlight.
Read MoreOne of the hardest lessons parents ever teach is that not everyone deserves your trust. We want our children to believe in kindness, generosity, and the goodness of people, yet we also have a responsibility to prepare them for those who exploit those very qualities. The same applies in philanthropy, where trust is the foundation of every donor relationship and the very thing scammers seek to abuse. The goal is not to become cynical, but to pair trust with vigilance.
Read MoreFor decades, grades have been drifting upward while meaningful feedback has quietly disappeared. If every student receives an "A" or every assignment earns little more than a checkmark, schools risk confusing encouragement with learning. Confidence is important, but growth requires honest assessment, constructive correction, and the resilience that comes from improving after mistakes. If grades no longer distinguish excellence from adequacy, they stop serving the very purpose they were designed to fulfill.
Read MoreWealth screening is a valuable research tool, but it was never meant to replace professional judgment. When organizations ask donors solely at their estimated financial capacity rather than at a level supported by trust, engagement, and demonstrated commitment, they confuse information with strategy. The strongest philanthropic relationships are built over years, not by algorithms.
Read MoreIn today's attention economy, fundraisers have only a few seconds to capture a donor's interest before the opportunity is lost. This blog explores how the "three-second rule" extends beyond data visualization to emails, direct mail, videos, social media, and even face-to-face donor conversations. The key is not reducing substance but communicating in layers. Earning attention first, then building understanding, and finally providing evidence. Organizations that master clarity and relevance will be better positioned to engage donors in an increasingly distracted world.
Read MoreFor educational institutions, the greatest threat is not declining enrollment. It is refusing to adapt. Demographic shifts, rising operating costs, and changing student preferences are forcing colleges, universities, and independent schools to reconsider long-held assumptions about independence. Strategic mergers and affiliations should not be viewed as admissions of failure, but as thoughtful leadership decisions to strengthen missions, expand opportunities, and better serve future students. Sometimes preserving the mission requires changing the structure.
Read MoreThe debate over tenure and university cost containment is growing more complex as public institutions face financial pressure and shifting student demand. Tenure remains a vital safeguard for academic freedom, but universities also need ways to adapt when programs have persistently low enrollment or no longer align with institutional priorities. Responsible change requires data-driven decisions, transparent processes, and respect for the people affected. The challenge is balancing core academic values with long-term financial sustainability for students and families.
Read MoreWatching a child become a teenager is a reminder that the small, often exhausting parenting decisions of earlier years matter more than they seem in the moment. While mistakes and impulsive moments remain part of the teenage experience, there are encouraging signs of growing maturity and self-awareness. The lesson is reassuring: the habits and boundaries established over time often reveal their value years later.
Read MoreDisaster recovery is often treated as a short-term response, but meaningful recovery requires long-term coordination, patience, and strategic leadership. Drawing on the Omaha Community Foundation’s response to the 2024 tornadoes, aligning donors, nonprofits, government agencies, and case management efforts can produce more effective outcomes than fragmented relief efforts. The lesson goes beyond disaster philanthropy: the most impactful solutions emerge when organizations focus on system design, collaboration, and sustained support rather than immediate activity alone. Recovery is not an event. It is a process that rewards discipline and thoughtful coordination.
Read MoreThe expansion of legalized mobile sports betting has created exactly the risks observers predicted: constant access, minimal friction, and growing behavioral consequences. Using a recent college athlete gambling case as a lens, the issue is not isolated misconduct, but a structural problem driven by technology, accessibility, and human psychology. Student athletes may face risks, but the broader concern extends to an entire generation for whom sports wagering has become normalized. When access expands faster than safeguards, the new challenges should not come as a surprise.
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