<img class="alignright" src="http://0.tqn.com/h/nonprofit/1/3/u/F/-/-/boston.jpg" alt="Boston" />
<p>Monday was such a sad day. To see an iconic event such as the Boston Marathon turned into a scene of terror was gut and heart wrenching.

<p>Those of us connected to the nonprofit world feel particularly upset, because so many participants were running to raise money for a cause. Athletic events have become a staple of nonprofit fundraising, and these events have been a boon to the sector. But most of all, "thons" bring people together in a community effort. It's just such an American thing to do.

<p>Most of us have run, walked, or biked for a cause at some point. The events are usually joyous, fun, and social events that we remember forever.

<p>Now...will we be forever looking over our shoulders? Let's hope not.

<p>All event organizers will now reconsider their security measures, of course. But, after we take those precautions, let's return to one of our favorite things and keep running, walking, and biking together for the social good.

<p>Here are some blog posts about the Boston tragedy that informed and inspired me:

<ul>
<li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://social.razoo.com/2013/04/how-to-help-the-victims-of-the-boston-explosion/">How to Help the Victims of the Boston Explosion</a> - Joe Waters, Inspiring Generosity.
<li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/04/15/177378241/online-tools-help-people-connect-after-boston-marathon-bombing?ft=1&f=1001&sc=tw">Online Tools Help People Connect After Boston Marathon Bombing</a> - Bill Chappell, NPR
<li><a a href="http://gettingattention.org/2013/04/tragedy-nonprofit-marketing/">How to Communicate In The Midst Of Tragedy: 9-Step Checklist</a> - Nancy Schwartz, Getting Attention.
</ul>

<p>I also updated my article about <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://nonprofit.about.com/od/nonprofitpromotion/tp/crisistips.htm">how to prepare your nonprofit for a crisis</a>. The key is to not put off planning for a bad situation. Now is a good time to think about your plans.

<img class="alignright" src="http://0.tqn.com/h/nonprofit/1/3/p/F/-/-/donorretentioninfographic4.JPG" alt="Infographic showing why donors leave." />

<p><b>Fundraising</b>
<ul>

<li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://fundraisingcoach.com/2013/04/15/guest-post-why-donors-stop-giving/">Improve Donor Retention by Knowing Why Donors Leave</a> - Jay Love guest posting at Fundraising Coach. An infographic and post that sums up all you need to know about why your donors ditch you, plus some ideas about how to stop the pain.

<p><li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://101fundraising.org/2013/04/return-on-fundraising-talent/?utm_source=feedly">Return on (fundraising) Talent</a> - 101Fundraising. The field of fundraising has terrible churn. Are we paying enough attention to developing our development staff?


<p><li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://www.futurefundraisingnow.com/future-fundraising/2013/04/easy-social-proof-for-your-donors.html">Easy social proof for your donors</a> - Future Fundraising Now. Jeff Brooks reveals the psychology of social proof and demonstrates it with a real world example.

<p><li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://www.adminbandit.com.au/are-your-board-members-involved-in-fundraising/">Are your board members involved in fundaising?</a> - Admin Bandit. A sneak peek at an upcoming report reveals that boards don't seem to want to talk about fundraising, pretty much leaving it all up to the CEO.
</ul>
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<p><b>Social Media</b>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://www.socialfish.org/2013/04/cool-infographic-friday-facebook-page-growth-rates.html">Facebook Page Growth Rates</a> - SocialFish. Ever despair over how slowly your "fans" grow on your Facebook page? Well, at least you're not alone. Here is a rather striking infographic that shows the stats. It's not a pretty picture.

<p><li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://www.nonprofitfacebookguy.com/five-ways-to-dominate-the-news-feed/">Five Ways to Dominate The News Feed</a> - The Facebook Guy (John Haydon). Facebook has changed the newsfeed...again. John explains how your nonprofit can thrive.

<p><li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://socialnicole.com/social-media-spring-cleaning/">Social Media Spring Cleaning!</a> - Social Nicole. This is a great reminder and how-to about properly maintaining your social media. You have to admit, it becomes a bit of a mess if you don't keep organizing.
</ul>
<p><b>Marketing, PR, Communications</b>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://www.thewakemanagency.com/blog/five-simple-ways-make-reporter-your-bff">Five Simple Ways to Make a Reporter your BFF</a> - The Wakeman Agency. Many folks in nonprofits fear reporters way more than making an ask. No need, says this post, if you follow these tips.

<p><li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://nonprofitorgs.wordpress.com/2013/04/14/nonprofitenewsletters/">Three Nonprofit e-Newsletters to Subscribe To and Learn From</a> - Nonprofit Tech 2.0. Marketers know that their email lists are their bread and butter. Even though some recent research suggests that people may not be responding as well as they used to, it's not time to pass on those email newsletters. Here are some examples of good ones.

<p><li><a a href="http://www.jeffbullas.com/2013/04/15/how-to-unleash-the-power-of-content/">How to Unleash the Power of Content</a> - Jeff Bullas. I love this mini-tutorial from Jeff. Suitable for any kind of marketer, business or nonprofit, Jeff pinpoints why content is so important, how to make yours zing, and the types of content you should be writing.

</ul>


<p><i>Image: <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=https://bloomerang.co/resources/">Bloomerang</a> Infographic</i>
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