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Expanding Non-Governmental
Organization Impacts
An online program offered by
Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education
designed to give
NGO leaders the opportunity to sharpen their visions and think
strategically about how to build capacity in a sustainable
manner.
www.hks.harvard.edu/ee/impacts1
or call 617-496-0484 for more information.
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Happy And Hired
Stress-busters to help
you sail through your job search
By Dottie
DeHart
Money woes. A sense of
rejection. Questions and pressure from family and friends. An
uncertain future.
If you’ve recently lost
your job, or are afraid that it’s about to happen, this
dismal laundry list is all too familiar. And while being forced
into unemployment is never easy, the fact that it’s
happened in the middle of a terrible recession rife with
lay-offs really amps up the stress.
That’s why, according to
Richard Bayer, it’s crucial to take care of your mental
health. And, if you do the right stress-busting exercises,
you’ll also improve your odds of finding a job.
To read
the complete article click here... |
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Boards ...
4 tips for
getting good recruits
Your
board -- what is it good for? If you answered “absolutely
nothing,” you might be thinking about Edwin Starr’s
lyrics for “War.” Or, you might need to rethink your
organization’s board strategy.
Don’t have one? That’s a bad sign, according
to Sheila Bailey, director of fundraising and communications at
Apostleship of the Sea in London. Bailey explained at the 46th
annual Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP)
international fundraising conference in New Orleans that board
members shouldn't just take up space during meetings. She
explained how nonprofits should think of a dynamic board as part
of an overall organizational strategy:
-
Recruit skilled individuals. Analyze your current
board’s strengths and weaknesses. Determine where the
leadership has gaps and try to fix openings to fill that lacking
skill set.
-
Search for a match. Bailey
explained that board recruitment should resemble an executive
search. Word-of-mouth can only get you so far. Engage a search
consultant to find a great person.
-
Put everything on the table.
Make sure board members understand legal obligations and what
tasks the organization expects them to do. If you want all board
members to fundraise, make sure a candidate isn’t afraid
to ask friends and family for money.
-
Look for the
“X-factor.” No single factor will make someone
perfect for your board, according to Bailey. Instead look for
good qualities for a future board member, such as challenging
the status quo and a wide contact
network.
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Fundraising ...
Making a long-lasting
impression on youth
This isn’t Neverland.
Young donors will not stay young donors forever. Hopefully the
relationship building you do now with a person in the 20 to 40
age demographic will stick throughout the person’s
lifetime, according to Derrick Feldmann, CEO of
Indianapolis-based Achieve.
He explained during a session
at the 46th annual Association of Fundraising Professionals
(AFP) international fundraising conference in New Orleans how to
engage young donors today so they will support your organization
tomorrow:
-
Get in first. If you
don’t engage these donors now, another organization will.
-
Take steps. The tried and
true cultivation methods don’t suddenly fly out the window
for younger donors. Move them up in the donor pyramid like you
would do with any donor.
-
Growing pains. Understand
where your donors are in life. Most are worried about the
economy. But some young donors are faced with the crippled
economy and paying off hefty student loans – in addition
to other life challenges. Keep that in mind when cultivating
these young donors.
-
Networks. Social and
professional networks are extremely important to this target
group – on and off the Web. Encourage social engagement
within online social networks and face-to-face meetings.
-
Have them take the lead.
Give these donors specific roles or jobs within the
organization. The deeper engagement will bring them closer to
the mission.
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Volunteer Management ...
Volunteers are
an excellent source of fundraising
ideas
Do you have so much to do for your capital
campaign, with so little time? Think about including your most
zealous volunteers in your fundraising program, according to
Michael J. David-Wilson, executive director for the Middlesex
County College Foundation in Edison, N.J. Why not use your best
supporters to cultivate other organization members?
David-Wilson presented his ideas in a
session at the 46th annual Association of Fundraising
Professionals (AFP) international fundraising conference in New
Orleans. Here’s how to turn your volunteers into
development participants:
- Volunteer participation. Volunteers can be
a great addition to your fundraising team. Just make sure if
they are asking others for gifts, they make one of their own.
- Major gift donations. Try to tackle big
gifts early. Use your own board’s participation as
examples of campaign giving.
- Volunteer training. Ensure that your
volunteer solicitors are properly trained before they ask for
gifts. Team your professional fundraisers with volunteers for
some role-playing in donation asks.
- Give information. Compile important donor
information for your fundraising team. Set up a gift amount to
ask for and what that gift amount would do for the campaign.
- Set up success. Everyone needs a boost of
confidence. Arrange some telephone solicitations for your
volunteers with donors most likely to give. That will put your
volunteers on the right foot for in-person asks.
- Provide backup. Volunteers don’t
normally ask donors for gifts – so they may lose their
confidence at the meeting. Couple volunteers with a professional
development staff member who can move in if the volunteer gets
too nervous.
- Celebrate successes. Make volunteer
solicitors excited about their hard work. Think about building
some friendly competition among volunteers by tracking donor
visits or the amount raised.
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