Due to holidays and a busy work schedule it's been a while since my last round-up. Sorry for the delay!

Before I get on to the usual list of links, there are two things I wanted to mention.

First of all, I wanted to highlight the Resource Alliance's free Online Fundraising conference on the 13th and 14th May. I'm a big fan of 'free' and there are some good speakers and interesting topics, so thought it might be of interest to you.

Secondly, I've already said that I think 2015 will be the year relationship fundraising comes of age. Two important series of articles lend weight to my opinion.

Ken Burnett's new five piece series on the future of fundraising is thought provoking and challenging.  I'm sure the rest of the series will follow in a similar vein. It will be interesting to read the response to the series and to see if people will follow Ken's call to action to re-think our approach to fundraising.

The other series is from Giles Pegram on 101 Fundraising. Giles takes a close look at the current state and future of relationship fundraising.

Elsewhere on the web...

Tobin Aldrich reveals the secret of a successful fundraising strategy.

Jeff Brooks explains the most common fundraising error, and how to avoid it.

Beth Kanter describes seven trends in Giving Days.

Lori Jacobwith on how to share a concise, moving story.

Rory Green is sharing a great series on the Institute of Fundraising's blog. The topic? Major Gifts.

How to do great fundraiser engagement from the Pell & Bales blog.

The Hilborn blog has a three part conversation with Penelope Burk that is worth a listen.

The Fundraising Collective wield words to win or wound.

Stephen George has a list of 20 alternative questions that are worth asking at year end.

Another list with twenty items. This time the Veritus Group look at the 20 attributes that make you great.

The Shawshank  Redemption is one of my favourite films, so I was bound to love this post from Bright Stop Fundraising called 'The Dufrense Jolt'.

Finally, the awesome Pamela Grow has a great new course on donor stewardship called the 'Power of Thank You' - worth a look if you want to improve your thanking and stewardship processes.

The end of April is fast approaching, so I wanted to issue one last push for articles for SOFII as part of April's Nonprofit Blog Carnival.

A huge thank you to everyone who has contributed so far. The first two articles are now live on SOFII. You can read about Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation's award winning, cancer slaying, fundraising target smashing video. Also up is story of DEBRA Ireland's awareness day with a clever hook to get people involved.

As a quick reminder:

The Showcase of Fundraising Innovation and Inspiration (SOFII) is one of my favourite fundraising resources. When I’m stuck with a fundraising problem it is my first point of call for inspiration.

However, it is only as good as the exhibits and articles it showcases. The current archive is amazing, but it only features a fraction of all the innovative and inspiring fundraising work that exists.

That is why I’m dedicating April’s Nonprofit Blog Carnival to gathering new articles and exhibits for SOFII and I need your help…

Get involved and help me gather 100 new articles and exhibits for SOFII.

Don’t be shy. Showcase the most successful fundraising efforts you have been involved in. What made them special? How could they inspire others? What lessons did you learn? 

Not got a blog? It is still easy to take part.

You can download the exhibit form and send your submission direct to me. My e-mail is craig@fundraisingdetective.com. Alternatively, I’d be delighted to interview you via Skype or telephone.

Not got an exhibit? Why not say ‘thank-you’ to SOFII and make a donation to help pay for the upkeep of the site. Just like Wikipedia and Firefox, SOFII is dependent on the generosity of its users to keep it free and always available for everyone.