Last year, we saw the Trump Bump of 2017 morph into a bit of a Trump Slump of 2019 for marketers and nonprofits. So we were thrilled to see our clients’ supporters wholeheartedly respond to our year-end campaigns to end 2019 on an encouraging note. All but one of Avalon’s clients saw an increase in […]

As we begin the new year, processing the year end results (AWESOME) and working on plans for 2020, I’m reflecting on how Avalon has grown and evolved since its founding in 1997. We’ve moved forward and evolved as a firm in ways I couldn’t imagine 23 years ago—including our collaborative work spaces and work-from-home options […]

  Like so many people in Washington, DC, we’ve been waiting impatiently for the opening of The Kennedy Center’s expansion: The REACH. We’ve made donations to the building fund, and watched the progress as this huge undertaking came to completion, moving the boundaries of the Kennedy Center beyond the stages of its iconic building. Much […]

Now more then ever, fundraisers are focusing on how data must guide their fundraising decision-making. Check out “Data Literacy is Key” by Avalon CEO, Allison Porter on how can strengthen your organization’s data literacy.  

Lonnie Bunch to Lead the Smithsonian We are thrilled that Lonnie Bunch, the founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, has been named the 14th secretary of the Smithsonian. He goes from overseeing one museum, to 19 museums, 21 libraries, the National Zoo, nine research centers, and several education units and […]

Food for thought Farm Sanctuary’s President Gene Baur wrote a compelling letter to the editor of the New York Times recently, on this main point: Instead of prolonging the inevitable failure of dairy farms and subsidizing the overproduction of commodities that consumers aren’t buying, our government should actively invest in transitioning these struggling dairies into producing more of the foods […]

  Happiness  is equilibrium. Shift your weight…You compensate, rebalance yourself so that you maintain your angle to the world. When the world shifts, you shift.   I like this quote by playwright Tom Stoppard—reminding us that we are all in a constant state of finding our balance in all facets of our lives. We’re always making […]

Avalon is thrilled to announce that our president, Allison Porter, was recently named to the Direct Marketing Association of Washington (DMAW) Hall of Leaders. This award is one of our industry’s highest tributes, and Allison is honored to be listed among industry greats and groundbreaking pioneers, many of whom have been mentors to Allison over […]

• Bread for the City holds its annual Good Hope Gala—named for the organization’s roots in Southeast Washington, DC on Good Hope Road, and echoing its mission. This year’s event—on May 20 in Washington—promises to be a real treat, with a live auction, seated dinner, and live music. But most importantly, the Gala is a chance to get together to provide hope for the more than 34,000 people Bread for the City serves every year. Last year’s event raised more than $1 million to support this vital cause, and organizers hope to top that record this year. For tickets, sponsorships, and more information, visit Bread for the City’s website.

• May 29 is JFK’s 100th birthday, and the Kennedy Center is celebrating with special events every week, all year long. Visit the website for more information. And there’s still time to get tickets to the 2017 Kennedy Center Spring Gala—Come Together: A Celebration of John Lennon—on May 8. This exciting evening, hosted by actor David Duchovny, will feature performances of Lennon’s songs by Judy Collins, Shawn Colvin, Taj Mahal, Steven van Zandt, and more.

• On May 11, the Maryland Food Bank’s Heroes Against Hunger Annual Award Breakfast in Baltimore celebrates individuals and organizations whose work with MFB aims to “vanquish hunger by lifting food-insecure Marylanders out of despair while modeling generosity and hope for all of us.” This inspiring event will remind us of the profound difference we can all make in the lives of others. Visit MFB’s website for tickets and more information on how you can help end hunger.

• Every year, people across the Washington, DC, area look forward to the Friends of the National Zoo’s ZooFari—the premier culinary event featuring more than 100 top DC restaurants and vintners offering tastings in the wild setting of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. Come for the terrific food, fine wine, live music, exotic animal encounters, silent auction, and much more. For tickets and details about this May 18 event, visit the Zoo’s website.

• Discouraged about where we’re heading on global warming? The Rainforest Action Network wants you to know that we can avert this looming catastrophe. Join RAN in Boulder, Colorado, on May 30 for its spring benefit, Reversing Global Warming: It’s Possible! The evening will feature a conversation between Lindsey Allen, executive director of RAN, and Paul Hawken, an entrepreneur, environmentalist, author, and director of Project Drawdown, the world’s first comprehensive plan to reverse global warming. Get your tickets now at RAN’s website.

• Pop culture has not always been kind to sharks, a species that is critical to ocean health. These fascinating creatures are in danger, largely due to human predators who kill them for their fins. Find out why sharks deserve our protection as well as our respect at the National Geographic Society’s Sharks exhibition starting May 24. Large-scale images, videos, artifacts, models, and interactive experiences highlight award-winning National Geographic photographer Brian Skerry’s passion, skill, and technique in capturing these beauties, whose survival is integral to our ecosystem.

• MORE EXCITING EVENTS COMING UP: National Air and Space Museum’s Air Force Band Concert . . . and National Parks Conservation Association’s Kids to Parks Day at Shenandoah National Park.