Any time this topic comes up, I get excited. Any chance to talk about the important work non profit marketers are doing adds fuel to that fire that burns in my belly. Not just about doing good, but learning to do it well --- ah the beautiful world of non profit marketing.

And we are going to talk about it from two perspectives: that of the AMA Foundation and even some insight from one of today’s leading nonprofit marketing gurus.

With me today is Tom Abrahamson. He is the Chairperson of the AMA Foundation, and in his day job he is the managing director and principal at Lipman Hearne, a national firm that focuses exclusively on the nonprofit sector. They’ve worked with international foundations, research universities, and cultural and medical institutions to small colleges, advocacy organizations, and community-based organizations.

"Nonprofits swim in the culture," says Tom in today's show. What an amazing metaphor for the work they do. But that work must be informed and skilled. The AMA Foundation is working hard to build those skills and have a number of initiatives underway to meet this goal.

1. Nonprofit marketing boot camps.
2. The national Nonprofit Marketing Conference -- July 14-16 in Washington DC
3. The national study on the state-of-nonprofits.
4. And about a gazillion educational resources available in online and offline channels.

What is clear from today's show is that nonprofits are facing the same challenges their for-profit counterparts are, and then a myriad of extras just becuase they're nonprofits. According to Tom, approximately 60,000 brand new 501c3 organizations start up each year. Passion and dedication are not going to be enough to make them effective and keep them running for the long haul. That's the job of the AMA Foundation -- to equip those leaders AND MARKETERS to step up to the challenges of today to capture the opportunities of tomorrow.

-- David Kinard, PCM