While we were enjoying the game, Emily Cole, co-owner of the Bananas and wife of founder Jesse Cole, came onto the field and began to share the story of a local family that has fostered for years, bringing dozens of children into their home and adopting others.

She spoke about the power of family, and of foster care. 

She then invited the featured foster family, a local Seattle family, onto the field to be honored. 

If the moment had stopped there, it would have been a nice moment, like you might expect at any baseball game between innings. But not at a Bananas game…

What happened next brought tears to my eyes.

Reflection is the first of four things I do at the end of each year to set the tone and get clarity of vision for the new year.

My mission today is to get you to schedule time to reflect and plan for the new year before the end of this year.

Today is going to be a short one. 

Last week, I wrote about Six Insights at the Intersection of Gratitude and Generosity. 

This week, I’m trying to live those lessons out…

By keeping perspective. 

Enjoying the moment. 

Practicing the discipline of giving.

Being a blessing to others.

By spreading gratitude.

I hope that today you are able to take a moment, be present, gain perspective, and be thankful. 

I believe that gratitude and generosity form a virtuous cycle. One leads to the other, and they reinforce each other.

When I practice generosity, it leads to gratitude.

When I practice gratitude, it, in turn, leads to generosity. 

Tomorrow, November 15, is National Philanthropy Day. 

Officially recognized as a national day by President Reagan in 1986, National Philanthropy Day is an annual day of celebration that recognizes the contributions of philanthropy to the world. 

Simply defined, philanthropy is the use of private resources for public purposes. The giving of resources like time, talent, and treasure has deep roots in human history.

The word philanthropy comes from the Greek words “philos,” meaning “that which is beloved,” and “anthrōpos,” meaning “humankind.”

Philanthropy, literally translated, means for the love of humanity.

 If you acquire any volume of new donors, this Wave Report holds the secret to perhaps the single most effective strategy you have to grow sustainable giving.

$13.1 billion. 

That’s the amount that Americans will have spent on Halloween by the time the day is over, according to the National Retail Federation.

Over the past 20 years, I’ve interacted with thousands of nonprofit leaders, influenced hundreds of organizations directly, and consulted with 100+ charities individually. 

I’ve been on both sides of the table—hiring consultants and being one. In that time, I’ve seen the difference between a good consulting engagement and a great one that produces results. 

A great consultant can make a difference, but a great partnership can transform your organization. 

Let’s imagine a world in which generosity has a day. Not a holiday for deals or consumption, but one collective moment carved out for shared humanity and generosity. That world already exists — and it started less than a decade and a half ago.

GivingTuesday started with simple roots at the 92nd Street Y and its Belfer Center for Innovation & Social Impact in New York City. It was a bold experiment – a “Giving Tuesday” immediately following the Thanksgiving weekend, aimed at redirecting the energy of post-holiday momentum toward generosity.

Today, GivingTuesday is a worldwide phenomenon, with recorded movements in more than 100 countries. In 2024, U.S. donors alone gave $3.6 billion.

What do Seinfeld, Game of Thrones, and the Purpose & Profit Podcast have in common?

Each came to a natural end in its own time — and ended with a finale.

Some people celebrate anniversaries. At Imago, we celebrate Imagoversaries.

What do the likes of Walt Disney, the Savannah Bananas’ Jesse Cole, and Martin Luther have in common?

They each lead with imagination. 

Also… 

✨ They each have created movements. 

✨ They cared deeply about the people who followed their causes.

✨ They were masters of experience. 

The past week for me has been full of imagination. 

Events are one of the most effective channels for growing sustainable giving. In fact, for some organizations, they can be the number ONE channel for sustainer acquisition.

In this Wave Report, I’m going to unpack why events can be so effective in growing recurring revenue, and share seven ways to grow sustainable giving at your next event. 

Today, we continue our series on the worst advice I’ve seen when it comes to growing sustainable recurring giving. 

I’ve heard a lot of advice over the years about recurring giving. Some of it’s brilliant. Some of it’s practical. And then… there’s the other kind.

Well-meaning, confident advice that sounds reasonable in the moment — but if followed, could quietly choke the very growth in sustainable giving we’re trying to cultivate.

Historically, social services charities have been left behind when it comes to growing recurring giving. However, there is good news. This doesn’t have to be the case anymore, thanks to the way the subscription economy is transforming the way people give to charity. 

This week, I did something that I’ve never done in my life. 

I sailed a boat. 😬

We are embracing the final days of summer break in the Raley household. School starts next week, so this past week as a family we struck out for adventure on the Puget Sound in and around the San Juan Islands, or as they are known in the PNW, the “San Juans.” 

We didn’t go it alone, though. We were joined by Grandpa, and led by intrepid Captain K, an experienced sailor with decades of experience, who knows just about everything there is to know about life on the seas.

Did you know that Sunday, August 17, is National Nonprofit Day?

On August 17 each year, National Nonprofit Day recognizes the goals and positive impacts nonprofits have on communities and the world.

This week marks exactly six months since the release of The Rise of Sustainable Giving. 🎉

In less than a year, AI tools have added the equivalent of a full-time teammate to my business. All for around $100 per month. 

In Part 1 of this Wave Report –  10 Ways I’m Using AI Right Now (Part 1) – I shared five ways I’m using AI to multiply my output. It turned out to be one of the most popular articles of the year.

It confirmed something I’ve been sensing in so many conversations lately – leaders are hungry for practical, real-world ways to use AI-based tools to work smarter and lead better.

Today, I’m sharing five more — all aimed at helping you think, lead, and create with more clarity and capacity.