Tonic Magazine Articles
Mother’s Day Fundraising Ideas
Last updated March 29, 2017 On Sunday 14th May 2017, you kiwis will be spoiling your wonderful mothers rotten. Mother’s day is also a great opportunity to tap into a popular celebration to raise some funds. Here are a few ways to make mums everywhere feel special:...
Volunteer Expo Ideas
Last updated March 29, 2017 Volunteer Expos are a great way of exposing potential volunteers to organisations looking for volunteer support. If you don’t have one in your region yet, maybe you could collaborate with your local volunteer centre and put one together....
Starting a Conversation at Networking Event
Last updated March 22, 2017 If you are anything like me, attending a networking event or meeting a lot of new people at once can be a little intimidating. Once I get started I am fine, but sometimes I need a little help to kick off. Here are a few tips to make your...
Stuck in the Busy Trap
Last updated March 22, 2017 Lately I’ve been doing a lot of work with people stuck in the ‘busy trap’. You know the one. The one where you’re so busy, so tired and so stressed. The one where nobody understands just how busy you are and they make stupid suggestions...
3 Ways to Kick Start Your Day
Last updated March 16, 2017 I read an article the other day on the differences between the successful leaders of the world and everyone else. I’m talking people like Oprah Winfrey, Steve Jobs and Richard Branson. While there are many factors that make these people...
Volunteer Management Tools
Last updated March 16, 2017 Managing volunteers can be incredibly rewarding, but if you are working with large numbers of people, it is not without its frustrations. The following websites offer some great tools for making volunteer management easier and less time...
Good Ideas for St Patrick’s Day Fundraising
Last updated March 10, 2017 St Patrick’s day is a celebration of the patron saint of Ireland and generally speaking a good excuse for a bit of a party and covering everything in green leprechauns. So how about tapping into this Celtic fanfare and raising some funds?...
Good Ideas for Achieving Your Goals
Last updated March 10, 2017 Some people are born ‘goal setters’. They have daily, weekly and monthly targets, all focussed towards a big picture result. They schedule, plan, measure and track, and as a result, they usually get where they want to go. To these people,...
Ways to Celebrate Success
Last updated March 2, 2017 There are so many reasons to celebrate your successes; to bring people together, increase motivation, say thank you, honour those involved, increase your visibility and reinforce your ‘why’. So here are a few ways to make the celebrations...
My Fundraising Advice
Last updated March 2, 2017 Every week I get asked to give my ‘one piece of advice’ for raising more funds. More than anything I wish there was a simple answer to this question, but sadly, there isn’t. There is no silver bullet when it comes to fundraising, instead it...
5 Tips for Effective Meetings
Last updated February 22, 2017 Meetings are a part of working life yet most employees view them as a waste of time and a major productivity downer. However, the opportunity to get people together, share ideas and solve problems is vital for keeping the wheel turning....
Pancake Day Fundraising Ideas
Last updated February 22, 2017 Pancake Day is also called Shrove Tuesday, and is the last day of feasting before Lent begins. In New Zealand, Pancake Day is still taking shape, but in the UK it is a big deal already. Given we have so many English people now living in...
Wet Weather Plans for your Fundraiser
Last updated February 17, 2017 With the recent dollop of rain at the top of the North Island spoiling a few events, I thought I would look at some ways to build in a contingency plan for your fundraising day. Having options will help ensure you still make heaps of...
Good Ideas for Getting Media Attention
Last updated February 17, 2017 Having your cause highlighted in the media is an effective way to raise the profile of your organisation, but while most non-profits are well practiced at writing press releases about their special events, many organisations struggle to...
Good Ideas for Showing Appreciation at Work
Last updated February 9, 2017 Everyone is slightly different in how they like to be appreciated or thanked at work. Some prefer gifts, others relish spending time with you, while some really value your words of encouragement. It is important to ensure you get the...
Retaining Great Staff
Last updated February 9, 2017 Finding a new job is one of New Zealander’s Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions. However, while finding a new job sounds like an adventure for the job-seeker, it can be a nightmare for your organisation. Not only are there the tangible expenses...
Great Ideas for Prioritising Tasks in a Short Week
Last updated February 2, 2017 Although a long weekend is a wonderful treat and a great chance to relax, often returning to work the next week means trying to cram 5 days’ worth of jobs into 4! So here are a few tips for making the most of the time you do have and...
Boosting Event Fundraising
Last updated February 1st, 2017 For decades organisations have run events as a way of raising money, but many events fall short of their fundraising potential because they are treated as isolated activities and not part of a bigger fundraising plan. To really make the...
Good Ideas for Valentine’s Day Fundraisers
Last updated October 12, 2018 Valentines is a great opportunity to think outside the square and try something new, so consider how the lovey-dovey day fits with your organisation. There are many ways to make the most of this annual celebration of love. Are you...
Engaging Ways to Thank Your Donors
Last updated January 27, 2017 Thanking your donors is an essential part of growing your donor relationships and a well written thank-you letter is the best place to start. However, if you really want to deepen your donor relationship, then a thank-you letter should...