Accidental Techies, or Necessity – the Mother of Invention

Many people who work in a non-profit organization or small office comment on and may even take pride in the fact that they wear multiple hats. In the increasingly technology-based society, some non-profit staff may wear the Techie Hat out of necessity rather than out of expertise or even desire. These wonderful people have the title of “Accidental Techie.”

Robert Weiner points out that there are actually two kinds of Accidental Techies: those who want to be more than accidental and those who would rather not. Non-profits should take into account the desires of both people and give roles and titles accordingly. For those who would like to move up to a Technical Leader, here are some tips and qualities to be a success.

• Ask yourself if you understand the big picture of the issue and then communicate clearly with your co-workers. How do they learn best? Use that method to speak clearly about what is happening or what needs to happen.
• Know yourself and be honest with others about the things you don’t know. You can always research and find out more, but don’t fake it. Convey the need to constantly learn.
• Demonstrate a proactive and service-oriented vision and be clear about the positive outcomes of what you’re doing.
• Understand how your organization works and how decisions get made; understand what the leadership values.
• Develop a professional network of colleagues and friends who can help you when you need it.

Skills in technology do not mean the same as technical leadership. A technical leader will tie technology to people, mission and strategy. Technology skills can be learned but people skills are harder to come by.

Find the complete article here.

You can learn more at our upcoming Technology and Non-Profits training, May 25th, 2011. You can register online.

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This article was featured in the May 2011 issue of our monthly newsletter, CDP Press.  
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Fundraising Advice in a Recovering Economy

With the Great Recession officially over, the recovery is another story. Fundraising is still a struggle for non-profit organizations. This struggle comes from all parts of society: individuals, government, foundations and corporations.

The unemployment rate has finally dropped below 10% nation-wide, but underemployment still hovers around 20%, according to a Gallup poll. Many former volunteers are now clients at the organizations they used to help. Many have also stopped charitable giving because of their tight budgets and have cancelled, or cut, planned gifts and bequests.

We can expect the government to make broad cuts in spending, many in grant programs to non-profits, as they try to shore up the federal deficit. We may also face a rise in taxes. Foundations are hesitant to jump back into the stock market and have made fewer funds available for grants to non-profits. Corporations have had to make cuts as well and many have reduced the amount of giving to organizations through corporate contributions, grants and payroll deductions.

Wise strategies for effective fundraising in this economy would be to embrace fundraising, strengthen and stick to your brand and get online.

Embrace Fundraising

Without throwing efficiency to the wind, your organization needs to avoid cutting expenses in fundraising. Typically, the less money you spend on fundraising, the less you will raise. Keep spending on marketing and public relations. If no one knows who you are, they will not give to you. Focus on getting your current donors to give more. Put them in categories by interest or demographic and then approach them in a specific, unique way. Be creative! Challenge them to raise money for you or to compete against each other. Ask for monthly donations or even quarterly gifts.

Strengthen and Stick to Your Brand

Your mission statement should be short and succinct, and yet explain clearly what your organization does. If it can fit on the back of your business card, then you’re probably safe. And then, promote it. Get your message out there, whether it be in newspapers, magazines, radio, T.V., billboards, search engines, conversations – whatever you choose, be consistent with your brand and get your message out. Show that you are a good steward of the money you have received. Check out your competition (other organizations doing it well) and learn from their mistakes and successes. Look at their website, go to their events – see how they show off their uniqueness. Don’t copy them, but let it inspire you to be creative in sharing how your organization is unique. Talk to your volunteers and supporters and get their ideas as well. Lastly, do not exaggerate. Do not over-emphasize the impact you have or oversell the organization. If you misrepresent your organization it can seriously hurt your reputation in the community.

Get Online

It’s not an option anymore. The internet is a prime arena for showing off your organization and sharing your brand and message with the masses. This can be done through Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Flickr (for art and photos) and blogs. Social media can help you reach new supporters but also give you an insight into what your donors are thinking. Your website should be updated regularly (once a week is a great goal) and should be “shareable”, with links to connect to the platforms mentioned above. Your website visitors should be able to easily make a donation right on your homepage. You can also ask someone to help you get your webpage high up in the search engines. There’s no specific rule for increasing exposure online, but there may be someone on your staff (or a volunteer) who knows the basics and perhaps some tricks to getting you up there.

For more, check out this article from the Chronicle of Philanthropy by Irwin Stoolmacher.

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This article was featured in our monthly newsletter, Bridgeworks Connect.
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National Volunteer Week

National Volunteer Week is coming up April 10th-16th, 2011. Organizations across the country are taking this time to promote projects led by volunteers and to show their appreciation for those who give their time and energy to volunteer with them. Hands On Network publishes a significant amount of material of resources for organizing volunteer projects, showing appreciation and maintaining volunteer support. Here are some highlights:

• Recognition is a key component of volunteer management. it makes volunteers feel appreciated and valued.
• Recognition can take many forms: a simple thank-you card, a free lunch, or a large annual event.
• The kind of recognition you give to volunteers may depend on the kind of volunteer. Try to match the recognition with the type of volunteer: Achievement-oriented volunteers, Affiliation-oriented volunteers, and Power-oriented volunteers.
• Recognition should also vary based on whether the volunteer is a long-term or short-term volunteer. Short-term recognition should be immediate and from the group leader. Long-term volunteers should be honored by the whole group and from a person in authority, such as the Executive Director.
• Give recognition frequently. Once a year at a banquet is not enough.
• Give recognition honestly. Praise someone only if you mean it, and don’t praise substandard performance, or praise for good work will not be valued.
• Give it in an individualized fashion and to the actual persons volunteering, not to the work being done.

For more information, visit the Hands on Network Library page.

We have more posts about Volunteers on our blog.  You can find them by following this link:  Volunteers on CDP’s Blog

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This article was featured in the April 2011 issue of our monthly newsletter, CDP Press.  
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Annual Reports – Paper or Digital?

Just about everything is going digital these days. Should your Annual Report be as well? The debate for physical versus virtual continues to rage, but how “on-line” does your organization need to be? We’ll discuss some pro’s and con’s to making an Annual Report digital instead of a print version.

Pro’s

Innovation

By putting the Annual Report online and making it digital, an organization can include much more than just word-stories, data and donor lists. Those stories can be converted into video which tells them in a meaningful and engaging manner. Putting a face to a need, whether through a photo or a video increases emotional investment on the part of the donor and the chance of financial investment. Audio bits giving a breakdown of a group of data, an interactive map of influence and activity for the region, and photos with descriptive captions can liven up an annual report and keep a donor engaged longer on your site. Any videos created for the annual report can also be used on the organization’s website, blog, television spots and community presentations.

Cost

The cost of printing and mailing an annual report can weigh heavy on an organization. By putting it online, an organization can save a lot of money that can then be rolled into more fundraising efforts. The initial cost of producing the features (such as videos and audio clips) may be a little higher, but since many of the materials can be recycled throughout the year, the benefit often outweighs the cost.

Accessibility

Once an annual report is online, anyone can access it. This means that someone who is debating joining your organization as a donor can see what you have accomplished and make an educated decision whether to give or not. It can also be shared through Facebook and Twitter. Videos can be posted on YouTube and sent through the media spaces as well.

Cons

Some people just like to have something in their hands, to hold and to read. For those people, you may consider downsizing the amount of info you have in print form and send it to a limited number of individuals. One thing that can be moved online is the list of donors. This can take out a big chunk of space in a printed version. Other things that can be cut down would be lists of grants awarded and excess data.

Tips:

Focus on the content and not the features. Keep it simple yet informative. People are more interested in what you accomplished during the year than in the fancy technology you use. Keep videos short (between 3-5 minutes). Watch what others are doing to gauge what is working well. Look for help from people who are skilled in digital content. There may be some on your staff already.

For more information, check out this article by Chronicle of Philanthropy.

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This article was featured in our monthly newsletter, Bridgeworks Connect.
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5 Reasons to Have Board Term Limits and Then Some

One of the questions we hear is, “Should we have term limits on our non-profit board?” Approximately one-third of non-profit organizations may not have term limits for board chairs. There are some good reasons for having a term limit not only for board members, but also for board chairs.

1. Term limits are an easy way to retire with grace someone who may not be doing a good job. Sometimes the wrong person gets into a position of authority and with term limits in place, you know that they won’t be there indefinitely.
2. Term limits may make the board chair more appealing to prospective recruits who feel overwhelmed with the amount of time and energy it will require.
3. Term limits force organizations to develop new leaders in their field, which will ultimately lead to more impact for their cause.
4. Term limits can help with fundraising as current board chairs may exhaust their contacts or get tired of asking for funds.
5. Term limits can lead to healthier boards as it can reduce the opportunity for a small group of individuals to dominate board meetings, bring in fresh ideas and energy and prevent burn-out.

Any term limits set should be established in the By Laws of the organization. One-to-two years per service is a low-end limit, but three years is preferred for continuity, with a third of the members rotating off each year. Some organizations adopt a one-year probationary term. A first-time board member serves for one year to judge if she and the organization are a good fit. If so, the board member is able to stay on for a full-term. But if not, the member is able to retire from the board and a new one is elected to take her place.

If your organization is in a small community, term limits may not be an easy task. However, it is important to establish clear guidelines for the Board of Directors and any removal procedures for unproductive board members in the organizational By Laws.

We discuss the importance of a non-profit’s board in our Back to Basics class, which will be offered in April. Each organization which attends the Back to Basics course is eligible to receive one Toolkit, which contains valuable resources including a funding directory, a Field Guide to Developing, Operating and Restoring a Non-Profit Board, and much more. See below for the date and keep an eye on our website for the next Board Basics class.

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This article was featured in the March 2011 issue of our monthly newsletter, CDP Press.  Sign up today!

Can Your Organization Stand Up Against a 10-Year Old?

While parents are working to get their children more involved in volunteering, some are seeking ways to get them interested in giving financially as well. One such mother compiled a list of 20 charities to which she and her son were interested in giving. They were having difficulty in deciding which of the organizations they would give to and decided to let the son search them out.

He was armed with a pen, some paper and three questions:

1. What does the organization do?
2. How do they do it?
3. How do they know if they are making a difference?

He had 20 minutes to investigate each charity’s website to find the answers. Based on the information he could find (and what he could not find) they determined which of the organizations they planned to help financially.

A few things that this boy found to help him make his decision:

• ratings and stars – given to the organization by their current donors.
• metrics – provided by the organization for how they track progress in their mission
• outside references – books and collaborative groups/projects

Not all the people who look at your website are going to be 10 year old philanthropists. They might be, but probably not. However, simple rules apply when establishing content on your website and should be considered for viewers of all ages. Is the most important information easily found? Web viewers typically spend 80% of their time looking at the information above the page fold (the point at which you must scroll down to see more information). Is your mission statement posted in the top part of your homepage? Do you have a large “Donate Now” button near the top for easy access? Do you have a way for visitors to see that you are actively following the mission statement and making a difference for your cause? What are others already saying about your organization?

These questions can serve as guidelines for the primary and immediate information you share on your website.

For more on this story, go here: philanthropy.blogspot.com

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This article was featured in our monthly newsletter, Bridgeworks Connect.
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Direct Mailing Campaigns

Direct mail fundraising programs have long been prophesied to dissipate and disappear, but in light of recent studies, fundraisers are finding that this is far from the truth. While there is an increase in the amount of fundraising done through social media (Internet, websites, blogs, Facebook, etc), there’s no denying that paper still has a significant force in donor development.

So, what does direct mailing do that the other stuff doesn’t?

Direct mailing gives you a list, a fairly concrete list, of consistent donors. This information should be held in a donor database that will enable you to track trends and retain the data you need. You can find great information on various databases at TechSoup.org.

A direct mailing campaign provides regular revenue for your organization. You may not get a lot of response in the mail, but recent figures show that just over 1 in 3 donors have given to an organization online after receiving a direct mail letter. The percentage of donors giving online in response to direct mail gets larger as the age decreases, but the trend is getting stronger. Stumped on how you can track this? Try putting a “Giving Code” on each of your mailings. Recommend that the donor put that code in the memo line of the check they send in the mail. They can easily do this through their online banking system as well. Also, be sure to include a space on the donation page of your organization’s website to place this code. This way, you can have an easy way to track the source of that donation. Create codes for different methods too, such as a Facebook Code, Twitter Code, and website. Make sure it’s nothing complicated so that the donor can easily transfer it to whichever method they choose to give. The results may surprise you.

Direct mailing builds brand awareness in the community in which you serve. You can have all the presence online in the world, but if people don’t know who you are, they aren’t going to give. Have a professional design your logo, develop a short but informative tag line and invest in quality marketing materials. Even if they do not give right away, you are still increasing the awareness of your organization.

And lastly, direct mailing develops a base for future planned donors and major gifts. Many studies have demonstrated that those who give generously to organizations have developed a long history with that organization. That history was often established through direct mail campaigns.

 So, do not throw out your direct mail fundraising campaigns. It might seem like it costs too much to do, but the payoff is much greater than you may anticipate.

 You can read more about Direct Mail Fundraising campaigns here:
Fundraising Fundamentals

The Point, Groupon and G-Team

The Point

Give money or do something – but only when it matters.

Have you sent out an email request to your supporters, asking them to donate for a specific cause? Or to help with a particular event like folding newsletter mailings or making sandwiches for the children you serve? When the time comes, it can be a toss-up as to whether you have enough help or not.

The Point seeks to guard against that. On the website, campaigns can be created and then have a “tipping point” set – meaning that people pledge to help only if enough people sign up, or if enough money is pledged. This way, you can be sure to make an significant change because you have what you need.

And The Point is non-exclusive, so it can be used to raise money to clean up a local park or to buy a ping-pong table for the staff room.

The Point Website
Learn More
Starting Campaigns video

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If you spend any time online, you’ve probably seen advertisements for Groupon. Groupon features a discounted offer each day to a different place in your nearby major city. However, not just anyone can get the coupon when they feel like it. First, there has to be enough people to say they want the deal. Then, once enough people are on board, the deal “tips” and those people are then charged the discounted price and sent the coupon.

Groupon has been heralded as the “fastest growing company ever.” But Groupon has its roots not in the business world, but in social action. We talked about The Point, Groupon’s mother site, if you will. But The Point, with much less exposure and branding than Groupon, has been left chugging along at a canter while Groupon has raced forward like a speedskater.

The founder of both, Andrew Mason, decided to get back to the foundation of The Point and use the powerhouse of Groupon. This union is called G-Team and is currently being tested in Chicago. Here is how it works: A Groupon is set out (*ex. $35 for an $80 Bike Tune-Up) and then a Point campaign is attached to it (ex. If $1,000 is raised, a local bike cooperative will fix up 100 broken bikes and donate them to disadvantaged youth).

They are already seeing great results in Chicago and will soon be looking to expand it to some of the 88 other cities in which Groupon currently deals. You can find more information on the Groupon website here. Also, be sure to check out The Point to see if it could help you make an impact on your community.

*example taken from the Groupon website.

Video: Our Clients

Check out this great video with some of our wonderful clients.

Volunteering Families

“A growing number of charities are responding to the emerging demand for family-friendly volunteering.  Nonprofit leaders note that parents today often grew up volunteering and want their children to have that same experience.”

 
The above is a quote from an article in The Chronicle of Philanthropy, discussing the burgeoning interest in parents wanting their children to get involved in charities and community service.  One parent mentioned in the article is Heather Jack who went on to found Volunteer Family when she couldn’t find a charity willing to take her and her 5 year old daughter on as volunteers.  Here are some highlights of the advice to non-profits from the rest of the article.

1. Take an incremental approach to bringing on young volunteers.  Time is a precious commodity, not only to you and your organization, but also to the families volunteering.  Start them out small and simple, with maybe an hour’s-worth of service.  Provide several options, too, so people can pick and choose things that fit into their schedules.
    
2. Offer age-appropriate opportunities.  Young children may not be allowed to be physically involved in certain projects, like construction sites, but there are a lot of complementary things they can do.  Children can be involved in planning and designing (especially if it’s a children’s facility), helping with landscaping, and even painting murals.  Be sure to have a long-list of age-appropriate activities for kids so they feel they’re involved and safe at the same time.
    
3. Recruit volunteers where families congregate.  Church would be the first place many would look for service-minded families but you can also try youth sports venues, school family events and boys and girls clubs like Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and American Heritage Girls.
    
4. Let young volunteers serve as spokespeople.  Let kids talk about issues that are important to them.  Kids respond to other kids.  When a child knows someone involved in a cause, they will likely want to get involved themselves.  Your young volunteers could be your best support-raisers.
    
5. Don’t count out teenagers.  Even with a growing amount of high schools requiring a certain amount of community service hours to graduate, GenerationOn shows that 55% of people between 12 and 18 years of age took part in volunteer activities in 2005 but only 5% of those attributed it to required hours for school programs.  If it is easy for teens to volunteer, the program will become self-sustaining.  It may take a lot of staff coordination, but the payoff is worth the investment.

GenerationOn has made a list of tips and tools for organizations wanting to use young volunteers available on their site.  Organizations wanting to make themselves more family-friendly can post activities and projects on a couple different websites:

www.1-800-Volunteer.org
www.theVolunteerFamily.org