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What smart nonprofits are doing right now

August 6, 2010 By Sandy Leave a Comment

I’m seeing signs of the economy improving.  Are you seeing them?  Restaurants and shopping malls are packed and I’m hearing positive news from trusted sources.

My clients are seeing more and bigger donations coming in (yay!).  I firmly believe that fundraising is going to get easier a little bit at a time over the next several months.  I don’t know if it will go back to where it was, but I don’t plan to spend any time worrying about that.  I’d rather focus my attention on what needs to be done now to set ourselves up for success both now and in the future.

Here are some things that smart nonprofit organizations are doing right now to prepare for success:

  • Deepening donor relationships. Smart nonprofits are investing time into their donors.  They’re spending more time getting to know their donors.  They know that this is the best use of their time, because loyal donors will stick around for years to come.
  • Showing their appreciation. Smart nonprofits are spending more time than ever before thanking and acknowledging their donors.  They’re making thank-you calls and sending handwritten thank-you notes. Some are getting their Board members involved in this!  They’re making sure that the donor knows how much they appreciate their support.
  • Honing their Case for Support. Smart nonprofits are getting very clear about their reason for existence.  They have concise, razor-sharp answers for the questions about why someone should give to them.
  • Strengthening their Board. Smart nonprofits are spending time to make sure their Board members understand their roles and responsibilities for leading the organization, and have the resources they need to do their job.  They’re helping their Board members find ways to comfortably participate in fundraising.  Instead of sitting back and expecting their Boards to know what to do, smart nonprofit staff are educating and supporting their Boards.

What is your nonprofit doing right now that’s smart?  I’d love to hear!  Click on the comment link and share.

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Fire up your Board!

August 4, 2010 By Sandy Leave a Comment

I had the privilege of hearing my friend and colleague Gail Perry present at the Virginia Fund Raising Institute recently.  Gail is a wonderful speaker and has a way of making her audience feel at ease so they can soak up all the information she shares.  I thought I’d share some of my notes from her presentation called “Fire Up Your Board!”

1. Help Board members reconnect with their passion for your organization.  Give them opportunities to practice talking about the organization and their experiences.

2. Redefine fundraising into friendraising.  So many Board members don’t want anything to do with fundraising.  Help them see that you are simply connecting people with the work you are doing through their gifts.  You’re developing friends who will be there to stand beside you for years to come.

3. Put them to work in easy, no-ask jobs.  Give your Board tasks to do that count as fundraising, but don’t require them to ask anyone for money.  Examples include inviting friends for a tour of your facility, calling to thank donors, and talking to friends in the checkout line at the grocery store about your mission.

Gail said, “We all get the Boards we deserve.”  Translation:  we get out of our Board what we put into it.  Don’t expect people to show up to sit on your Board and already know how to be a great Board member.  It won’t happen.  You must support people and teach them how to be a great Board member.

Thanks for a great presentation, Gail!

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Notes from a Board retreat

July 22, 2010 By Sandy 8 Comments

I had the pleasure of spending time with the Board and staff of Prescott Area Habitat for Humanity in Prescott, Arizona last weekend.  Habitat is one of my favorite organizations and this group is full of heart and passion for the people they serve.

Here are a few highlights from the information I shared with them.

Passion is key. A nonprofit will best be able to serve people and fulfill its mission when the Board, staff, and volunteers are all passionate about the cause.  Our first activity of the day helped reconnect everyone with their love for the organization.

Mission takes money. In order to fulfill your mission, you must have money.  Unfortunately, many Board members are intimidated or downright scared to get involved in fundraising.  When Board members understand that there are lots of ways they can participate in fundraising without actually asking someone for a gift, they start to relax.  Once they understand how fundraising works, they can find a spot where they feel comfortable participating.

When we got to this activity on Saturday and every Board member identified and committed to their comfort zone, I was so happy for the organization I could have popped!  Some wanted to help solicit, others wanted to help thank donors, others wanted to help build relationships.  It was awesome!

People give for a variety of reasons. Part of my Fundraising 101 for Board members helps them understand the myriad of reasons why people give.  We dispelled the myth that people give for the tax benefit alone.

And the main theme for the day:  Good fundraising is based on relationships. Our donors are our partners in serving people.  The better we engage them, the more we develop relationships, which builds loyalty and keeps them involved for the long haul.

christine and sandy reesThanks to Christine Wallace, Development Director for inviting me to spend time with Prescott Area Habitat!





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What you can count on (or not) from your Board

July 7, 2010 By Sandy Leave a Comment

Today’s post is from my friend Gail Perry, who is an expert in nonprofit fundraising and Boards.  Visit Gail’s website at www.gailperry.com.

Whenever I bring up the subject of boards, so many fundraisers roll their eyes. Why are our boards such a huge pain point and what can we do about it?

I say we have to face reality about some sensitive topics: people, motivation, volunteers and commitment rather than chasing after some myth of the ideal board.

Let’s be realistic and see what we really can expect from our board – particularly in the area of fundraising.

Let’s remember that most board members are afraid of fundraising because they are embarrassed and fear rejection.  And they generally are not sure what your expectations are of them.

Get your expectations in the right order and you’ll have a happy relationship – and a productive one – with your board.

Here’s what you can count on – and what you can’t  – with your board members.

WHAT YOU CAN COUNT ON

1.  Most board members really do want to help. They just don’t know how. It’s really up to you to make it easy for them. You’ll need to motivate, guide and support them.

If you do make this investment of your time and energy, then you’ll have a gold mine of great board members on your hands.

2.  Most board members are open to and even enjoy education. They don’t like “training” but they do like “education.” June Bradham, author of “What Nonprofit Boards Want” says that the word “training” makes them feel like seals.

Most board members are eager to do a good job and want to know what their job is. The clearer your job expectations are for board members, the more you’ll get out of your board.

3. Most board members are capable of being terrific friendmakers if they know the right thing to say and they are pumped up.  But you need to teach them what friendmaking is all about or they may go in the wrong direction.

4. Most board members are happy to help thank donors. In fact, they love it!  And you can increase donors’ future gifts if your board members make thank you calls quickly to donors.

5. Most board members can be terrific “sneezers” spreading the viral message around your community. Just make sure they can practice what do say in a comfortable, natural fashion.

HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN’T COUNT ON

1.  You can’t expect them to be good at soliciting. That’s a special skill and personality type. Frankly I don’t even want all my board members out there soliciting because some of them would not be very good at it.

Treasure the board members who are good at soliciting and find other productive jobs for those who are better at other things.

2.  You can’t expect them to show up at every event. You need to tell them what your priorities are – what’s essential and what’s optional.  Then, when they have a clear idea of what you need from them, they can give it to you.

3.  You can’t expect them to know exactly what to say. You might think they know the mission, vision and case for support, but they need practice, practice, practice putting it into their own words.

4.  You can’t expect them to maintain their passion on their own. It’s your job to keep them pumped up and excited about the cause. If you do, you’ll have an enthusiastic, fired-up team helping you spread the word and make connections!

5.   You can’t expect them to keep coming to boring meetings. Busy people will flee if they feel their time is not well used. If you liven up your meetings, then you’ll also liven up your board!

So set your own expectations correctly,  provide the leadership and support your board needs, and you’ll be rewarded with a high-performing team!

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