FYI Blog

Avalon Dispatch 07.26.2022

In this week’s @AvalonFYI dispatch, get the scoop on Allison Porter’s #BRIDGECONF22 session + Disability Pride Month, proactive stress management, Excel tips, and an exciting client announcement. Read it here!

 

Dear friends,

I look forward to seeing you at Bridge Conference this week. It will be great to attend in-person, and on Friday at 2pm I will lead a creative session with Tiffany Neill (Lautman Maska Neill & Company) and Mwosi Swenson (Mal Warwick Donordigital). We will present 30 Ideas in 30 Minutes, so don’t be late!

Speaking of Tiffany, she recently urged fundraisers to stop waiting for “a mythical day without change” in The NonProfit Times. I co-sign her advice to invest in donors by staying front of mind and mixing cultivation with fundraising. She also suggests revisiting old test results. And don’t stop mailing! But be strategic about communications, cadence, and channels. The best thing we can do in an ever-shifting landscape is “calm down, take charge, and embrace reality.”

July is Disability Pride Month, and I’ve been learning about the mantra, “Nothing About Us Without Us.” It’s a call to value people with disabilities as “integral and essential contributors to every sector.” I also liked this video from The Valuable 500, which describes their work to lead disability inclusion in large companies.

In client news, The Kennedy Center announced recipients for the 45th Kennedy Center Honors. Congratulations to George Clooney, Amy Grant, Gladys Knight, Tania León, and the members of U2! The event is scheduled for Sunday, December 4. Kennedy Center president Deborah F. Rutter noted the importance of Honorees to the Center and the arts: “Each year’s Honorees add another layer to the complex and inspiring collage of artists that together tell the story of our collective contribution to global culture.”

On a technical note, senior VP Jackie Biancolli Libby shared a cool Excel tip from @thecheatsheets on Instagram: how to import data from a webpage. I spent some time perusing their other tutorials and found this collection of their most popular tips. Spreadsheet nerds, unite!

With the fall busy season just around the corner, I am beating the drum for proactive stress management. Marketing VP Barb Perell shared a great Fast Company article on how to give your brain boundaries when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Author Joe Robinson, whose book is profiled in the article, emphasizes four things to work on: managing your attention, reducing interruptions, releasing stress, and getting enough rest.

Finally, I loved this NY Times feature on the magic of your first work friends. Marketing and operations manager Mollie Bensen shared it with the Avalon team, noting, “Where we work can shape who we become.” Hear, hear.

Take care,

 

Allison signature gray

Allison Porter headshot

Allison Porter, President
(she/her/hers)
Avalon Consulting Group
202-429-6080 ext. 102
allisonp@avalonconsulting.net