It was lunch at the Toronto Convention Centre eleven years ago, a lunch, as it turned out, that turned our peanut book publishing company, Civil Sector Press, into a serious business. Leanne Hitchcock and I had kicked the business off a few years earlier, with a great little book by Frank McGrath on how to run a charity golf tournament. There had been a few more titles added but none of them “best sellers.” Then, the lunch with Guy Mallabone. And Guy always means business — serious business.
This time was no different. Guy was full of ideas, but the zinger was a reference handbook for Canadian fundraisers, with chapter contributions from leading experts across the country. Of course, when dealing with Guy, one of Canada’s most successful major gift fundraisers, your answer is always “Yes,” and so Excellence in Fundraising in Canada was born. An early Globe & Mail business best-seller, Excellence soon became a standard reference in Canada and we did a second volume to round out our coverage of the field. Then Guy gave me a break while he launched his new consulting firm. We all grappled with COVID, the book list at Civil Sector Press continued to expand and we continued to fill orders for Excellence.
New trends, evolving best practice
A decade on, Excellence has made its mark as a key resource when preparing for the CFRE course in Canada, and a revised, updated and expanded edition has become necessary. Trends and best practices have evolved. The pandemic turned fundraising on its ear and the #MeToo movement and WE charity scandal held a critical mirror up to the charitable sector. On a quest for continuous improvement, “best practice” must evolve and mature.
That’s why we’re delighted to announce the publication of a 2nd edition of Excellence in Fundraising in Canada! Due off the press in the next few weeks, this new edition includes ten new authors, including Sofia Janmohamed from Vancouver with advice on crafting a memorable case for support and Jean-Nicholas Marziali from Montréal on the importance of CFRE accreditation to career advancement and building credibility with clients.
“There’s something here for everyone,” says Guy." For the new fundraiser, it’s an excellent primer for the CFRE exam. For the mid-range professional, it can provide direction for further study and investigation. For the seasoned pro, it can highlight new trends and changes in the profession in the past decade.”
Guy left a message yesterday, saying he wants to have lunch in the next few weeks, and I’m nervous. He’ll be pushing for a French edition, and versions in other countries, and I think I may be too old for all this excitement.
Jim Hilborn is the Publisher of Hilborn Charity eNEWS.
Learn more and reserve your copy of the second edition of Excellence here.
