Fundraising Insights From a Circus Chaplin
Plus how to revitalize outdated computers for wicked cheap
In this edition
Fundraising insights from Henri Nouwen
Revitalize old computers with a $3 USB stick
New early grades Kreyol books available from New Roots
Kudos to Middle Ground Haiti for showing such respect to the staff
Webinar from Nonprofit Financial Commons
Data collected in the 2024-2025 School Census
MENFP drama
Another conference that likely won’t solve anything
Norwegians chime in on reasons for out-of-school children
Potential value of Mangos and Bamboo to Haiti’s economy
Fundraising insights from Henri Nouwen, who really was a circus chaplain
Many readers of this newsletter are religious and know of this author. For those who don’t know him, think of someone on a first-name basis with Jesus, who is wicked smart but is also kind, funny, and likes to wear cardigan sweaters. The kind of guy you’d like to have a beer with and maybe ask some serious and not-so-serious questions. He has written dozens of spiritually minded books, which surprisingly include one on fundraising. I learned about this at CAFO in September at a fundraising seminar. It’s not going to explain how to segment your donors or write the best fundraising letter, but it will help you reorient your thinking around asking for donations. I think both religious and secular people will find this useful. A Spirituality of Fundraising by Henri Nouwen (7 bucks on Kindle)
Revitalize old and outdated computers with $3 USB stick
“In a world where Windows 10 machines are left completely functional but with software that’s no longer updated or secure, and also when the rising RAM and storage costs are making new laptops very expensive, these cheap ChromeOS sticks might be a good alternative for many.” They are loaded with a super simple Chrome operating system that works on many machines, including many Apple products. There will be a limited release at first, but keep your eyes open for more coming down the road. This is a godsend for those still operational computers sitting in storage rooms awaiting disposal.
New Roots Haiti develops new Kreyol curriculum for early grades
“We created our Haitian Creole curriculum to make learning more accessible, joyful, and relevant for Haitian students. Designed for early learners, it’s full of engaging, culturally-rooted lessons that build strong literacy foundations.”
Kudos to Middle Gound Haiti for showing such respect for its Haitian staff
I have gotten 2 emails from Middle Ground Haiti that warmed my heart. One email was interviewing the cook and the other was interviewing a nursing assistant. Each was given the honor of having a whole email dedicated to their good work. Each email showed the personality of the staff and the good character of both the staff and the organization. Good job MHG!
Webinar for those facing tough financial decisions
Are you weighing tough financial decisions right now? Should you invest in development capacity, bring financial functions in-house, pursue earned income or new grants, consider program expansion or reduction, or even explore a merger?
Nonprofits of all sizes are complex financial systems. When strain begins to show, issues that seem small or unrelated can quickly ripple across the organization. Many nonprofits have learned over time not only to be constantly vigilant about these patterns but also to distinguish between a quick fix, which tends to have only temporary benefits, and a more fundamental organizational recalibration.
Join us for Redesigning Your Nonprofit: Reimagining Your Operating Model in a Changing Environment on April 14, 2026, a practical webinar focused on how leaders can thoughtfully rethink programmatic and organizational structures to align mission impact with financial health.
This session will help you unlearn some of the bad advice and learn how to identify high-leverage points for financial restructuring that make long-term sense in the current operating environment.
Click here to reserve your spot.
Data collected during the 2024-2025 School Census by MENFP
About 4 million students - 18% public elementary schools - a pitiful 4% public high schools
Drama at MENFP
Powers that be decided to spin off a seperate orgs from MENFP to deal with univeristies and scientific reasearch. The State Univerity of Haiti isn’t having it. In their press release it appears they are most upset that the move was unilateral and undemocratic in that they were not consulted at all.
Will this be the conference that solves the education mess? Past experience says likely not.
Haiti - Education: Declaration on the Refounding of the Haitian Education System
The Norwegians chime in
The Norwegian Relief Society, part of the European Union, did a study of out-of-school children and found the primary reason they were out of school was economic, not the current violent upheaval. They are finding that the average tuition across the country is about $290/year - an impossible sum for so many families in Haiti. Compare this to UNICEF who says In the 2024-25 school year, 1,600 schools closed due to violence, with 1.5 million lacking access to education.
Can bamboo restore Haiti’s landscapes and drive economic growth?
The mango value chain
Another report from the Haiti Policy House.