Center for Nonprofit Management

Beyond the Acknowledgment Letter

2012-03-07T13:47:00.001-08:00

Recruiting new donors can cost up to 10 times more than retaining existing ones! Therefore, multi-dimensional stewardship programs are not only cost-effective investments of your organization’s time and resources, they are also easier to implement than you might think. Here are a few quick tips to help you keep your donors around longer and increase their annual gifts.

A personal connection means more to someone than a pen.

We’ve all heard it a thousand times…people give to people. So introduce them to your people! This summer, our intern used a flip camera to put together two videos for our donors – a video "Thank You" message and a short "Happy Birthday" video. Both videos feature our dancers, staff, students, parents and Board members. They certainly aren’t fancy, but they communicate our mission in a way that a letter or brochure can’t.

We also try to keep track of important life events for our donors. If we hear news about a wedding, baby, illness, promotion, etc., we circulate a card around the office and each DBDT staff member writes a quick message. They obviously care about our organization, so we want them to know we care about them, too!

“Behind-the-Scenes” events are another great way to grow that personal connection. We host three, free afternoon performances each year here in our studios. But perhaps you could invite your donors to your offices to hear testimonials from some of your clients. Or if you provide training or seminars, invite them to a session. The closer they get to your mission, the stronger that connection will be.

Acknowledgment is an ongoing process. The organization that keeps on thanking gets the donors who keep on giving.

We all know the drill…phone call within 24 hours, tax letter within 48. But what about the other 363 days of the year? Keeping your donor connected to the organization and demonstrating the impact of their gift throughout the year will go a long way in keeping those renewal rates in your favor.

Most organizations are accustomed to providing our corporate and foundation funders with the required year-end grant reports. But, just like individuals, corporations and foundations need to feel the love year-round, too! Following each of our performance series and major educational initiatives, we provide our donors with a program wrap-up. We include promotional materials and press for the event, the number and demographics of the people served, pictures, and a short letter of summary and thanks.

Newsletters and e-blasts are also great tools in demonstrating their dollars at work. Our Executive Director often forwards press releases to our donors, thanking them for their support and all the ways their gift helps our organization grow. Just make sure to keep them short, sweet, and upbeat.

Few people will turn down a public recognition.

Finding creative ways to publicly acknowledge your donors can be a great retention (and acquisition!) tool. Last year, we designed a banner to be displayed at all of our performances and at our studios featuring the personal signatures of our $100 and up donors. The response to this was amazing! Now when you come to our performances, you will often see people standing by the banner, looking for their John Hancock.

We have also used GOBOS at our events to feature the names and signatures of our donors. These are often used for corporate logos, but we found that individual donors like to see their name in lights, too!

Your social media channels also offer a great opportunity to acknowledge your donors (with their permission, of course). Let your Facebook and Twitter community know when you land that big grant!

Think about hosting a Donor Appreciation event. This is a great way to get your entire giving community in the same room. We host an annual awards ceremony and present any donor who makes a gift of $1,000 or more with a small plaque. The turnout from individuals, corporations, and foundations has been great!

People who give to tangible things want you to deliver tangible results.

63% of individual donor respondents said the thing that influences them the most to increase the value of their gifts is receiving measurable results of their previous gift at work. Donors want to know…HOW DID THEIR GIFT HELP? With the shrinking number of corporate dollars and increasing competition for institutional funding, most organizations are used to having to translate their mission into numbers. But individuals want your digits, too!

This year, we put together a “DBDT by the Numbers” stewardship piece. It crunches everything we do – from the number of full-time dancers we employ to the number of children served by our in-school residencies – into numbers. Quantifying your impact…and how that grows with each gift…is a simple but effective message.

Hello and thank you for your gift…

We all know that a personal phone call can make a donor feel pretty special. But one thing to think about is finding the right caller for the job. Find out the donor’s connection to the organization, what aspect of the mission resonates with them most, and then identify the appropriate staff or Board member to make the call.

Always ask WHY…and WHO.

One of the easiest things you can do to improve donor retention is to simply ask WHY THEY GIVE. Not only will this help inform your future solicitations, it will also create another opportunity to make that personal connection. You can even make this a part of your acknowledgment phone call script. Also, think about doing a donor survey or focus group. The more you know about them, the more they’ll want to know about you.

For every six new donors obtained, nonprofit organizations lose five. But, lucky for us, we are used to finding creative, cost-effective solutions that will advance our missions. We also have a great resource in the Center for Nonprofit Management who encourages collaboration and idea-sharing in the DFW nonprofit community. Thank you to Lauren Sifferman and the entire CNM team for inviting Dallas Black Dance Theatre to lead this morning’s 501 Club. I am always so impressed with the incredible talent, passion, and resourcefulness of this city’s nonprofit leaders. The more opportunities we have to learn from each other, the better this city will be. So, it’s only appropriate that I end this blog post with a very big THANK YOU!!!

Ashley Pirsig
Individual Giving & Stewardship Manager
Dallas Black Dance Theatre

5 Steps to Being Charming

2012-03-01T15:12:00.001-08:00

We all know people who are charming. They make you feel like a million bucks - as though you made their day; that you're the most important person in the room. They come off as sincere and genuine and are just so dang likeable. It's quite sickening, really.

So how to emulate these super-human beings? for us mere mortals, there are actually 5 steps we can immediately take to start us on the road to charmingville.

1. Smile. It sounds basic but it's amazing how many people DON'T do it! Smile and the world smiles with you, frown and you look like a miserable so-and-so who no one wants to talk to. Friendly people put others at ease. Fact.

2. Make eye contact. Another seemingly obvious step, however, again a step that many people fail to take. If you don't look people in the eye when you meet them it makes you appear shifty. Look someone directly in the eye and you can't fail to exude confidence and make a positive impression.

3. Have something to say. Read the news, scour Twitter, squirrel away interesting trivia, sign-up for breaking news alerts - For heavens sake, do some prep work. Very few charming people were born that way; most have to work at it. It's no good showing up at an event expecting others to engage you, YOU must do the engaging. Always have a witty ice breaker up your sleeve as a vehicle with which to enter a conversation.

4. Act like a host/hostess. Take it upon yourself to draw people out of their shell by asking questions. Eveyone loves to talk about themselves so you should have a wealth of material. Pretend that every event you attend is a party that you are hosting and behave accordingly. You wouldn't mope around your own party staring into your drink and ignoring everyone, would you? No! Then take the initiative and start putting the focus on others.

5. Always follow-up. Charming people are also genuine people (you can't be one without the other) and most do a really great job of following up with a quick note or e-mail after they meet someone new. It's all very well dazzling everyone with your newfound charm, but if you don't follow-up and make a connection then the exercise is essentially meaningless. After all, a great reason to be charming is so you can be a better ambassador for your organization.

Katy Spicer
Director of Sales and Marketing
Center for Nonprofit Management

Thought of the Day

2012-02-29T09:20:00.001-08:00

A friend of mine recently got a new job after feeling unappreciated at her old job for quite some time. On her last day, the boss called an office meeting and made a sincere and touching speech about all the wonderful things she had contributed to the organization (many of which she thought had gone unnoticed); how her work and personality was always very much appreciated and how she would be sorely missed.

My friend was absolutely gob-smacked. "If I'd known my boss felt that way about me all along, I might never have left," she said.

Take-away: NEVER underestimate the value of showing appreciation. It can make or break your organization and costs absolutely nothing.

Katy Spicer
Director of Sales and Marketing
Center for Nonprofit Management

Be a Better Public Speaker

2012-02-24T13:59:00.006-08:00

Are you committed to becoming a better presenter and ambassador for your organization? Join the Center for Nonprofit Mangement's Toastmasters Club!

It's fun and inexpensive way to hone your skills and boost your confidence. You'll also get to network with your nonprofit peers to boot. E-mail education@cnmdallas.org for details.

Katy Spicer
Director of Sales and Marketing
Center for Nonprofit Management

Employee Engagement - Buck the Nonprofit Trend

2012-02-23T08:13:00.006-08:00

It happens to us all – Nonprofit managers get so focused on their clients that they lose sight of their employees. I recently sat down with Susan Frear, director of education, to get her take on the problem and advice on what we can do about it.

Katy: So Susan, how are you enjoying your new role at CNM?

Susan: I’m having a blast! I love working here and getting to interact with so many other nonprofit professionals. The CNM has pulled together an incredible team and I’m thrilled to be part of it. This is what first got me thinking about employment satisfaction trends in the nonprofit community and how not everyone’s as lucky as I am.

Katy: Ooh (leans in closer) - What employment satisfaction trends have you seen?

Susan: Well, the last four years have been really tough; both in the nonprofit sector and elsewhere. Employers have cut back on benefits, salaries, pay raises and professional development opportunities as a way to save on costs. Unfortunately, this has had the unintended side effect of dramatically lowering employee satisfaction compared to historical norms.

Recent studies have shown that when the economy improves, a significant portion of employees plan on leaving their current position. The impact on the nonprofit sector will be particularly noticeable because we are running tight ships and have a much smaller staff base than your average corporation.

Katy: Hmm, very interesting. What can nonprofits do to turn the tide?

Susan: There are many things nonprofits can do. First and foremost, never underestimate the power of saying “thank you”. It’s a no-cost approach of letting your employees know you value their contributions to the organization and the community.

I would advocate keeping staff informed about the rationale behind decision-making, especially with respect to lay-offs, pay and benefits. Most people understand where you’re coming from if you lay out the big picture. People feel respected when you give them the truth and don’t hide behind a veil of secrecy.

Katy: Great advice! In your opinion, what’s the most important thing an employer can do to hold on to their staff?

Susan: My number one tip would be to focus on employee professional development (of course, I would say that). Definitely check out what CNM is offering (http://my.cnmdallas.org/source/Meetings/cSeminarList.cfm); everything is designed specifically with nonprofits in mind and priced way below market rate. We always offer a deep discount for our members and some things are even completely free.

Another low cost option is local community colleges. They offer relatively cheap continuing education programs. Local chambers offer excellent programs throughout the year that are worth checking out. They also provide opportunities to build recognition for your organization at the same time.

If you have zero budget, you might look at ways to get your vendors to offer free education. For example, if you work with an attorney (or have one on your board), they may provide free workshops you can take advantage of. Software provider may offer free tutorials, etc. Think outside the box!

Of course, there are also lots of free online resources. One of my favorite free sources for webinars in the HR/talent management area is the Human Capital Institute (http://www.hci.org/). They offer hundreds of webinars every year to anyone who’s interested free of charge.

Another thing you can do is to look for ways to stretch people’s talents in areas that interest them. If you genuinely can’t afford formal training for your employees, then give them the chance to learn new things on the job with your support. Give meaningful opportunities for growth and you’ll be repaid ten-fold.

Katy: I totally agree. What have you found to be the best cheap or free way to incentivize employees?

Susan: Employee engagement really boils down to the relationship a person has with their manager. If you have money to devote to employee engagement then that’s great, but really, strengthening these relationships is the best (and possibly cheapest) thing you can do.

If you’re a manager then consider taking your staff out to lunch. Stop by their offices to say hi and see what they’re working on once in a while (in a non-micro-managing way). Ask about their families and look for ways to show appreciation for their work rather than looking for ways to criticize. Always be mindful of the individual and their preferred method of interaction.

If you are a manager, chances are you’re also feeling pretty stressed out yourself. Look for ways to recharge your own batteries, whether through hobbies, professional development, or more social time. The more you’re satisfied with your job, the more you’re able to pass that down to your direct reports.

Finally, find ways to celebrate and have fun! Engage the families of your employees. Ice cream socials and pot lucks are cheap and easy ways to get people together; try hosting a Bring-Your-Kid/Pet-To-Work day, an annual family picnic, or some other inexpensive social event. You get the idea…

Katy: Thanks, Susan! These are great tips. Finally, any good books you would recommend on the topic?

Susan: Absolutely; these are my top three recommendations for people to check out:

Carrots and Sticks Don't Work by Paul Marciano. This book provides some excellent commonsense approaches for managers to build a culture of engagement through respect and is a book all managers should have in their arsenal.

Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel Pink. This is another great book on motivation and if you want a teaser for the content in the book you should check out his TEDtalks presentation (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrkrvAUbU9Y).

Finally, there is some excellent work being done in the area of happiness at work by Jessica Pryce-Jones (a fellow Brit, Katy). Her book, Happiness at Work: Maximizing Your Psychological Capital for Success, is more focused on happiness from an individual's perspective. But, she provides a strong scientific and practical argument that happiness is directly linked to our ability to perform.

Katy Spicer Susan Frear
Director of Sales and Marketing Director of Education

Twitter Tips

2012-02-21T13:06:00.000-08:00

Want to build a solid Twitter following for your nonprofit? Follow my top tips and you’ll be well on your way to accumulating some serious klout:

1. Lead the way as an expert in your field. Does your organization work with victims of domestic violence? Then share the basics: early warning signs of an abusive partner, how to help a friend leave an abusive relationship, etc.

In addition to these core pieces, also share interesting articles on topics that indirectly speak to your mission. For example, a study that shows a link between animal abuse and people abuse. Keep your followers interested but stay on message.

2. Follow people and organizations with similar interests and missions. They will have the best and most relevant information for both consumption and retweeting purposes. Which brings me to my next point…

3. Retweet a LOT. You reap what you sow and if you start retweeting some of the big players you follow then hopefully they will do the same for you. Also, be generous on Follow Friday (#ff). If you especially enjoy someone’s tweets then encourage others to follow them too.

4. Send a direct message to say thanks when someone retweets or mentions you. But make it meaningful, don’t be generic.

5. Weigh in on conversations that pertain to your mission. Be the expert voice and don’t forget to use the hash tag.

6. But also be the one to throw out questions for your community to chew over. Start the dialogue and keep it going!

Katy Spicer
Director of Sales and Marketing
Center for Nonprofit Management

A Conversation About Fundraising

2012-02-10T08:49:00.000-08:00

I recently sat down with Luis Gonzalez, our new VP of Development at the Center, for a chat about fundraising. Here’s how our conversation went:

Katy: So Luis, (sips coffee) tell me your secrets for bringing in the big bucks.

Luis: Well, as the adage goes, “People give to people.” Another observation of mine is that peers give to peers. For the right cause, you can count on me for $10. Now…if you want $100K gift for the Center, I can help you find a generous person who loves the Center, knows that we’re mission-driven and has given a sizable gift the agency. My job, then, is to assist that philanthropist in finding the perfect community of peers who will support the Center with a six-figure gift.

Also, (getting excited) on some level, we all have what we need or are at least six-degrees of separation from what we need. I’m of the “Dorothy from Kansas” school of fundraising – click your heels three times and say there’s no place like home. Then ask your lunch buddy for help, then your neighbor and your colleagues from work.

When I administered an organizational development program and new nonprofits would come for a session, some would tell me how they were planning on applying to one of our Dallas foundations. I would say, “Have you asked your mother for money?” I’d get this befuddled look and a response asking me why they should ask their mother. I would challenge them by saying that if your mother hasn’t giving you money for this effort why should a foundation or anyone else for that matter give you money.

Katy: Great advice…

Luis: (Interrupts) …AND, if you want money, ask for advice. If you want advice, ask for money. People love to give their opinion and feel needed. As fundraisers, our job is to listen and try to take people’s suggestions to heart and communicate them gently and respectfully to our agencies. This is always the hardest part for me. Once a prospective donor sees that you value his or her input and most importantly, that your agency is responsive to that advice, then trust begins to be build between all parties.

Now, as fundraisers, we have to be vigilant that the proverbial “tail wagging the dog” does not occur, in other words doing something in an agency only because money is being used as a carrot. Often, the service delivery folk are already engaged in similar type of activities, and then it’s the fundraisers job to communicate either through reports or visits.

Katy: What about an elevator speech? What do you think makes a good one?

Luis: Oh, definitely less is more. If you can’t tell people about your mission in 2 sentences, then forget about it. Be concise or go home. And don’t forget theater darling! If after you say your 2 sentences they don’t go, “Ah,” and raise their eyebrows with some semblance of enthusiasm, you’ve wasted your breath. Only when they go, “Ah” do you follow with offering to send them information. Don’t give them your card unless there is a reason for them to move to action. Of course, if they offer you theirs, then it’s polite to reciprocate.

Katy: What do you see as the future of fundraising?

Luis: Hmm… (looks thoughtfully) The future of fundraising is… Well, it’s going to be very different. How exactly? I’m not really sure… Message us on Twitter (@CNMDallas) if you know the answer (chuckles).

Katy: Um, very helpful. Now tell me some things you do each day to raise money.

Luis: There are 2 things I do every single day – Number one, I prospect for new gifts, and number two, I am working on closing the deal on those in the works.

Katy: Interesting. Any thoughts on the solicitation and thank you process?

Luis: Absolutely! (Making wild gestures) Everything must be mission driven, even the solicitation process. Close the deal in a meaningful way that connects the donor with the mission. Do you serve children? Then invite the donor to have juice and cookies with the kids and let them interact. It’s all about letting the donor see the potential for their dollars to do good.

Most importantly, ALWAYS say thank you! I don’t care if someone gives $25. Thank them appropriately and sincerely. I love saying thank you. It’s a gift for me to work with such amazing human beings, people who give from their hearts, who respond to need and give personally significant gifts.

Katy: Wise words, indeed. Any final thoughts before we wrap up?

Luis: Respect people’s time. Don’t exhaust your volunteers and friends just because you can - Use them optimally and they will replay you with loyalty. People are more important than things, and that includes money. (Luckily my boss agrees with me!) Don’t just be about the money, be about service and people. If the mission is worthwhile and the agency has communicated that effectively and demonstrated integrity, efficacy and good stewardship, then the money will be there. Lastly, ALWAYS say thank you! Did I mention that already?

Katy: Yes you did. Thanks, Luis! Very insightful stuff.

Katy Spicer Luis Gonzalez
Director of Sales and Marketing Vice President of Development

Introducing Luis Gonzalez

2012-01-23T10:53:00.000-08:00

Please join us in welcoming Luis Gonzalez, the Center for Nonprofit Management's new Vice President of Development.

Luis holds a Master of Business Administration degree and a Master of Arts in Arts Administration degree from Southern Methodist University. His undergraduate degree is in international marketing from the University of North Texas.

Luis has a long history of working in the nonprofit sector that includes the Dallas Children’s Theater, YMCA, The Dallas Opera, Dallas Youth Service Corps, and the City Attorney’s Office in Dallas.

He has served as an Adjunct Professor in Arts Marketing at the University of Texas at Arlington and Adjunct Professor for Nonprofit Marketing for the M.B.A. program at the University of Dallas. 

We are thrilled to welcome Luis onto our leadership team and look forward to benefiting from his long standing expertise in the nonprofit community.

He may be reached via e-mail gonzalez@cnmdallas.org, in the office

(214) 580-1724, or via cell (972) 951-3611 and looks forward to working with each of you.  

They Say It SO Much Better

2012-01-17T13:10:00.000-08:00

Will You Rise From Tactical To Strategic In 2012?

2012-01-09T08:10:00.000-08:00

The Chronicle of Philanthropy has twittered and posted New Year resolutions for 2012 (click here to read them). Well known folks such as Ted Turner and representatives from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, along with those entrenched in the world of non-profits, gave their hopes and dreams for the New Year.

Consulting with nonprofits, I find (more often than not) that nonprofit leaders get buried in the tactical and lose sight of the strategic focus which provides depth and breadth to an organization.

If the standing mantra of nonprofits is world peace, making a difference to an individual, or changing the world; and the standing mantra of corporations is to make more money, find more customers and saturate the market; then it would be prudent to step back from your day-to-day work and specifically take time to evaluate the logic of your mission and your programs.

As a nonprofit or for-profit organization, here are three New Year Goals for 2012:

1. You are not alone. The TV series X-Files held this tag line through most of the 90s. While many organizations may be full of “aliens” and dysfunctional environments, the fact is: organizations are only successful when planning and decisions are made with the input or opinions of key representatives. Goal #1: Involve stakeholders!

2. Edge of Glory. Lady Gaga is a pop icon and her umpteenth hit song title should reverberate through the core of your organization. It would have been interesting to have Gaga and Einstein share a grande mocha latte’, since his quote, “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results” speaks the truth. The economy is driving organizations closer to their core mission. It’s time to take a look around and step into Goal #2: Evaluate your current organization.

For nonprofits this may be conducting an organizational assessment and/or a development/fundraising analysis. For corporations, perhaps it’s your opportunity to look at your philanthropic giving and its impact to your community, your organization and your employees’ engagement.

3. Keep the eye on the prize. The holiday movie Hugo destined to become a classic contains a quote in which Hugo Cabret says; “If you lose your purpose, it's like you're broken.” Organizations have to balance the logical side with their passion driven side. Both are important to success. Be great at what you are and discard that which is only mediocre. How does an organization do this successfully?

Goal #3: Create and/or review your strategic plan.

The New Year inspires E.O.S.C (early onset of spring cleaning); however, if you have not included your stakeholders and facilitated a successful strategic plan which is pertinent and active your organization – then perhaps it is time to clean out old assumptions and start over through a strategic planning session.

May 2012 inspire you to be strategic! Find out how the Center can help you with strategic planning here.

Kristina E. Jones, M.A., CFRE

President, Stronger Organizations, LLC

New Year, New You

2012-01-04T07:18:00.000-08:00

Like most people, the first of the year always causes me to reflect on how successful I have been during the previous twelve months at living up to my personal expectations and what I’m going to do in the upcoming year to make a more positive impact on those I come in contact with.

While much media attention is given to the ways in which we can improve personally through improved physical, emotional or financial health, there are also enormous opportunities for us to consider how we can improve professionally.

Although I am a relatively new member of the Center’s staff, I can see many professional accomplishments to celebrate:

· Exceptional co-workers who are passionate about making every nonprofit in our community as successful as they can be

· Outstanding resources to our community through education, consulting and financial support

· A strong history of superior board support through our Future Boards program and our Blueprint program

And this appears to be just the tip of the iceberg! Every day I am learning about new ways that the Center supports nonprofit professionals and nonprofit organizations and it is tremendously exciting to be a part of such a dynamic group.

When I consider how the Education Department can continue to improve the services it provides, I am thankful for the work that was done by our leadership in developing a very robust roadmap. Our strategic plan has our department focusing on a number of key initiatives including:

Enhancing our current certification programs and developing new courses to meet the needs of our members and the nonprofit community
Exploring different mediums and time frames to reach a broader audience
Expanding our partnerships with other organizations and in other geographic regions to support nonprofits throughout North Texas

I’m looking forward to working on these initiatives and meeting more of the individuals and organizations that the Center supports. If you have any suggestions for how the Education Department can be a service to you and your employees, I would love to hear them. Feel free to give me a call at 214-580-1735 or send me an email at frear@cnmdallas.org.

2012 is already shaping up to be an exciting and fruitful year for me personally and I hope that it will be the same for you!

Susan Frear
Director of Education

Introducing Susan Frear

2012-01-03T13:15:00.000-08:00

Please welcome Susan Frear, our new(ish) director of education...

Susan joined the Center on November 14^th as Director of Education and is responsible for running the Center’s education and training programs.

Susan received a Bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Dallas, a Master of Arts degree in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix and is a doctoral candidate at the University of North Texas in Applied Technology and Performance Improvement.

She has an extensive background in training and development, human resources and operations management and currently serves on the board of the Dallas Mayor’s Committee for the Employment of People with Disabilities. We are thrilled that she’s here!

Feel free to drop her a line at frear@cnmdallas.org.

Texas Connector: Maximizing Texas’ Nonprofit Sector

2011-12-01T08:40:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday, November 29, the Texas Connector advisory panel—including the Center’s President, Cynthia Nunn—met to discuss their upcoming launch. The Texas Connector is a tool being developed by OneStar Foundation that many of us have been anxiously awaiting. In short, the Texas Connector will link community needs with nonprofit solutions in order to strengthen Texas communities.

If you’re in any way connected to the nonprofit community, chances are that at one point you’ve wondered about the needs that are actually being met in your community. Whether you are a funder, chamber of commerce, business person, or nonprofit leader, you’ve most likely wanted to know the answer to one or all of these questions:

Where are nonprofit groups located, who do they serve and what services do they provide?
Where are the gaps or duplication in services?
How can I increase the return on my investments in the nonprofit sector and maximize my impact?

OneStar Foundation’s answer to these questions is the Texas Connector. The Texas Connector is an online, interactive geo-mapping tool that overlays needs and nonprofits. It provides a visual “snapshot” of social service needs and resources to allow funders, government leaders, researchers and the nonprofit community to more effectively meet Texas’ growing needs. The Texas Connector aims to bridge the information gap between the areas served by nonprofits and the underserved communities in Texas.

Think of it as “Google Maps” for nonprofits. For example, if a food bank is looking to locate a new facility where large populations of jobless residents live, the Texas Connector can visually zero-in on the geographic areas where that population resides—and where existing food banks in the area are located to determine precise need. This allows the investment in that food bank to have the greatest possible impact. That makes smart business sense—and it helps us do a better job of helping those in need.

The Texas Connector will be using Social Media to keep you up to date in anticipation of the statewide launch in the Spring of 2012! You can find them at: https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Texas-Connector/319487581398040. For more information on the Texas Connector and how you can take advantage of it, go to www.onestarfoundation.org/page/connector.

Lauren Sifferman

Marketing Coordinator

Collective Impact: Not Just Collaboration

2011-10-17T12:16:00.000-07:00

At the GroundWork 2012 Conference on Tuesday, October 11, Brent Christopher, President & CEO of Communities Foundation of Texas, provided the keynote on the concept of Collective Impact. I found his explanation insightful, clear and concise as to this new “hot topic” in the nonprofit world.

We keep hearing about how we will all need to do things differently in the coming years with limited funding available, while the need for our services grows and grows, but HOW do we do things differently.

The concept of Collective Impact is a grand project to create social change around a specific issue. As Brent explained it, collective impact is not equal to collaboration. Collective impact is collaboration PLUS, where a group of people tackle a social issue where there is no clear path to success - issues that cannot possibly be tackled by one organization alone. For example, a nonprofit might offer a mentoring program that helps kids excel and is able to touch the lives of many individual children, but collective impact would involve working with government, corporations and the philanthropic community to evolve the education system as a whole and provide true systemic change.

As Brent further explained, John Kania and Mark Kramer, authors of the Stanford Social Innovation Review’s article on the topic, define five conditions for collective success. Successful collective impact typically includes these five conditions that together produce true alignment and lead to powerful results:

Common Agenda – all participants have a shared vision for change, one that includes a common understanding of the problem and a joint approach to solving it.

Shared Measurement – agreement on the ways success with be measured and consistent data collection will ensure that all efforts remain aligned and enable participants to hold each other accountable.

Mutually Reinforcing Activities – collective impact depends on a group of diverse stakeholders working together, but not by requiring all participants do the same thing. Instead, each participant is responsible for activities that lie within its strengths in a way that supports and coordinates with the actions of others. All activities must fit together as part of the overarching plan.

Continuous Communication – Trust can often be an issue among new partners. Developing trust among the participants can often take years of meetings to build experience with each other and alignment toward the common agenda, rather than favor the priorities of one organization over another. This communication must continue on a non-stop basis throughout the partnership to ensure consistency and alignment.

Presence of a Backbone Support Organization – as defined in the Stanford Review article, managing collective impact requires a separate organization to serve as the backbone for the entire initiative. Coordination takes time and often the participating organizations do not have time to spare. The backbone organization provides staff who can plan, manage and support the initiative by helping facilitate common communication, gather consistent data and hold participants accountable.

The last critical piece to collective impact is funding. Successful collective impact requires a significant financial investment to be able to cover the time of all participating organizations, development and monitoring of shared measurement, resources to support the backbone organization and more. No longer do funders support an innovative solution created by a single nonprofit for short-term solutions. For collective impact to work, funders must be willing to let grantees steer their work without set solutions and must be willing to stay with the initiative for years. Are funders ready to make this shift? Rather than looking for the quick return on investment, funders must focus their attention on a specific social issue and help create a process that mobilizes the organizations involved to find the solution themselves.

Brent spoke about the Texas High School Project as a local example for how a successful partnership works. As the industry shifts, we look to not only nonprofits, but also government, business and the funding community to learn if other similar partnerships will grow and if we are ready to move in a different direction toward collective impact.

Katie Edwards

Vice President of Programs & Operations

Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail

2011-10-10T11:19:00.000-07:00

Have I mentioned how important it is that I am on the faculty to teach a program planning and evaluation certification class for the Dallas Center for Nonprofit Management in Dallas?

The class is a part of the overall Nonprofit Management Certificate Program offered by CNM. What I appreciate most is the affordability for nonprofit leadership to apply best practices to their own organizations.

As a former Executive Director of an agency, I understand it is not uncommon for the staff and ED of an organization to lose track of time and to be so focused on clients that they forget to take time to plan.

Since our firm just offered a training on planning for the 4th quarter… we understand how time creeps past those in the nonprofit world… propelling everyone into chaos. This course with Dallas CNM is an intense version of taking your mission statement and ensuring that you are doing two things:

    1) offering the right programs for your mission; and
    2) you are evaluating your organization’s programs for effectiveness and
        potential capacity.

The best part of this class is that it offers a perfect blend of academic theory and application in the real world. How often do you find a course that spurs you into action which has a positive and measurable outcome?!

Didn’t register for the class on October 7?! No worries, the program is offered again in Wichita Falls, Texas on November 8th… and there are many other great classes you can register for between now and then by visiting http://www.cnmdallas.org/certificate_programs.aspx

“Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I’ll understand.” Chinese Proverb

Involve yourself in quality nonprofit education!

Kristina E. Jones, M.A., CFRE
President, Stronger Organizations, LLC

Speaking of Nonprofits and Media...

2011-09-12T07:45:00.000-07:00

What an impressive morning TV segment in Dallas featuring 25 local nonprofits!

These nonprofits worked really well with the "Good Morning Texas" producers and talent at WFAA-TV to deliver five minutes of live (and lively) television that informed and entertained.

This segment succeeded on another level, too. You had to be a robot, if you were not just a little inspired to make a donation on North Texas Giving Day, which is coming up on September 15th.

Here's the clip from WFAA-TV:

This segment was clearly prompted by the urgency of the news peg: North Texas Giving Day, September 15th. This is "earned media." Coverage is dictated by the value of the story to the community.

This television story was all the more attractive because of the continuous choreography before the live camera, irresistible animals and children, and creative signs and props.

But going beyond those production values, the succinct essential stories told in the interviews with the leaders of Communities Foundation of Texas, Genesis Women's Shelter, and YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas were particularly well-crafted. They were wonderfully brief, yet the audience was made to understand the precise level of human services rendered.

Well done!

I'll be at the Center for Nonprofit Management in Dallas TOMORROW, September 13, to help nonprofit organizations boost their media savvy and skills and ultimately "Get the Media to Tell Your Story." It's a Lunch and Learn. You can click here for details and to register.

Cynthia Wallace, a former television news producer, is the founder of MediaStory Consulting which helps clients get to the fundamental truth of a situation and then turn it into a terrific story for the media.

Cynthia Wallace
MediaStory Consulting

Looking For A Good Investment With A Guaranteed Return?

2011-09-01T14:01:00.000-07:00

By Nancy Barry

Speaker, Author, Gen Y Expert

Times are tough. Budgets are tight. What if you could invest $30 and see an immediate return on your investment?

Are you a manager who wishes you had more time to train new recruits and share your words of wisdom? Or perhaps you’re a young professional who would like to get off to a great start in your career. Keep reading. We have great news for you.

On Thursday, September 24, the Center for Nonprofit Management and I will be presenting our 5^th Annual Ultimate Orientation for Young Nonprofit Professionals. During this fast-faced, interactive session created specifically for young adults with five or fewer years of experience, I’ll share the secrets to success. I’ll tell young professionals what managers want them to know and don’t have time to tell them.

In addition to receiving practical advice that can be put into action immediately, attendees will have the opportunity to meet other young professionals in the north Texas area and start building valuable relationships. Attendees will also receive an autographed copy of my book, When Reality Hits: What Employers Want Recent College Graduates to Know.

Thanks to the generous sponsorship of ExxonMobil, this seminar is the best deal in town.

What’s the value of investing $30 to attend the 5^th Annual Ultimate Orientation for Young Nonprofit Professionals?

Priceless.

Click here to register today! The seminar is $30 if you register by September 12. The registration fee then increases to $45, which is still the best deal in town.

Nancy Barry is a speaker, Gen Y expert and the author of When Reality Hits: What Employers Want Recent College Graduates to Know. One of her passions is helping young adults be successful in their careers.

How To Be A Great Boss

2011-08-30T13:56:00.000-07:00

Finding a great boss can be like finding the Holy Grail. No one sets out to be a bad boss, but sometimes it can be all too easy to get bogged down in the daily grind and lose sight of what really matters.

Paige McDaniel wrote a great blog entry back in May on the very same subject: http://bit.ly/ndw4Ub.

Below are some tips that sum up what it means (to me, at least) to be a great boss.

Do you have anything to add?

· Be Accessible – Sometimes.
You want people to feel that they can ask your advice or admit to a mistake or a problem. The alternative is living in blissful ignorance until all hell breaks loose around you... However, you don’t want to be too accessible. Have a clear signal that indicates you’re not available unless it’s an emergency; closing your office door is a common and simple method.

· Delegate – Then stay hands off.
From the employee’s point of view, there’s nothing worse than being given a task and then having constant interruptions and “suggestions” from the boss on how to accomplish it. Learn to delegate properly then forget about the task.

Provide access to training.
Try to ensure that every employee has access to professional development. People enjoy learning new things and highly-trained, confident employees produce great results.
Make people feel valued.
Bad workplaces are typically apathetic places because the employees feel disconnected. They think their contribution doesn’t really matter. In contrast, the great boss engages people so that they feel empowered, respected, and valued.
Update everyone on progress.
Send out an occasional organization-wide email or hold a short meeting to update everyone on the progress that’s being made. Encouraging everyone to feel part of a team effort that’s producing something worthwhile can create employee satisfaction. This is especially important at a nonprofit where monetary incentives may be harder to come by.
Bring food and arrange treats!
One of the most well-received things you can do as a boss is to offer “treats”. This doesn’t need to cost much – a few boxes of chocolates or cookies can be a lovely treat. If your staff has completed a big project or hit a significant milestone, consider arranging some sort of celebratory event – perhaps a lunch out, or an afternoon of activities. This does cost money (and person-hours) but it’s another way to create the sense of being a group of friends, not just colleagues.
Say “thank you”.
This is very simple but it can mean so much. In the rush of day-to-day business, it’s easy to forget to acknowledge people’s hard work. But people are often much more motivated and encouraged by a few words of thanks and praise than by any other reward. A few words like “Katy, I heard your presentation went down really well – great work!” can really make someone’s day and doesn’t cost a thing.
Treat people like people.
Act like the boss you would want to have or have admired from your past. Your employees will appreciate you if you care and show them the utmost respect. Keep in mind that you set an example for everyone else.
Know how to have fun.
People work for all sorts of reasons, pay is just one. The best bosses balance work with fun, knowing that the latter reinforces the former.
Reward good, hard work.
Rewards can come in all sorts of forms. Monetary is best of course, but recognition for a job well done can sometimes be equally effective.
Listen.
Bad bosses rarely listen. Good bosses always do. You may not agree with what you hear (and then again you might) but people will know that you’re fair and are willing to hear out a different point of view.
Set realistic, achievable goals.
Let people who work for you know what is expected of them, period.
Show up a lot.
This is the single defining behavior of great supervisors. When you show up a lot you get to know your people and they get to know you. Your presence speaks volumes about how much you value an event or the staff person coordinating it.
Accept that your staff will fail sometimes.
And be prepared to support them when they do. Create an environment where taking risks is encouraged and where failing (within reason) is okay.
Trust in your staff.
Trust is a two-way street - Your staff should trust you and you should trust them.
Provide support.
Provide staff with the tools they need in order to be effective; whether that’s a listening ear or the right software to do the job. Adequate support is critical.
Be motivating and inspiring.
Everyone wants to enjoy their work and feel what they do matters. Great bosses have a knack for painting a picture of the future and getting everyone excited about the organization’s mission.

To conclude, I couldn’t resist including this cute poem by Jeffrey J. Fox:

The Great Boss Simple Success Formula

Companies Do What the Boss Does
Groom 'Em, or Broom 'Em
Hire Slow, Fire Fast
Don't Be Tired
The Rule of the Ds
Delegate Down, Down, Down
Don't Hire a Dog and Bark Yourself
Don't Shoot from the Lip
Never Be Little, Never Belittle
Listen to Phonies, Fools, and Frauds
Don't Check Expense Accounts
"Quit" Is for Scrabble
It's Okay to Be Quirky
- Jeffrey J. Fox

Katy Spicer
Associate Director of Marketing

Approach with Caution

2011-08-11T09:05:00.000-07:00

There is no making this stuff up...

On my commute home one night I found myself behind a white trailer hitched to a pick-up and posted on the back of the trailer was a large sign that read,
"Warning, Violent Primates Inside Approach with Caution".

Seriously? Is that a joke? Decided it was best to get my distance (after snapping a quick picture on my phone of course); not a vehicle you want to be in rush-hour traffic with. My next thought was, “I sure hope that guy driving is well paid!”

So when you decided to work in nonprofit did you do it for the money? Surely not; and still, there are days you might feel like you’re driving around a violent primate. Yet, you do what you do because you choose to share your talents in a way that gives back to the community. You get up every day and drive that trailer because you believe in the mission and the people you serve.

Five years ago this May, I chose to join the Center for Nonprofit Management and serve you, the nonprofit community. I’ve gotten up every day of those five years and challenged myself to find the best ways to educate nonprofit professional in service of the Center’s mission: To build stronger communities by increasing the performance and impact of nonprofit organizations.

This Friday, August 12^th, that five year journey comes to a close as I leave my position as Director of Education to start a new journey with another organization. In wrapping up my time here and reflecting on those five years I am reminded of how much “education” I received in turn. All the amazing people I’ve come to know; colleagues, partners, consultants, instructors, volunteers, community leaders, hard-working staff and amazing movers and shakers. I remain in awe of the collective brilliance. For all its diversity and vast geography, Texas nonprofits know how to move mountains.

Yes, approach with caution – but by all means approach! Keep driving that trailer; taming that violent primate; and changing the world, one day at a time.

Thank you for choosing to give back; and for having made my time here unforgettable. In the immortal words of George Burns, “Say Good Night Gracie”.

Stacey Bruenning
(Soon-to-be-ex) Director of Education

Board Members: Are We Throwing them in the Deep End without Teaching them to Swim?

2011-08-04T13:08:00.000-07:00

A recent blog post, Sink or Swim by Laura Otten at The Nonprofit Center at La Salle University, talks about expecting great things from our boards but never teaching them how to do it. Just like throwing them into the deep end of the pool without teaching them to swim. In her post, she specifically talks about expecting our boards to fundraise, but doesn't it apply to everything the board does?

Do our boards really know what their roles and responsibilities are?

What they should and shouldn't be doing and how best to do it?

For many of us who have worked in the field for years, we intuitively know how responsibilities are divided and what we need from our boards, but we expect our board members "to just know". We assume they learned about it on another board or maybe we just don't have time or the expertise to continually train our boards, starting with board orientation for new board members to continued board training on best practices in board governance.

Proper training and clarification of roles and responsibilities can help a board stay focused and engaged on the critical work they do for the organization. Every new board member should receive training on not only the specific expectations of your agency, but also the overarching roles and responsibilities of being a nonprofit board member. In addition, every full board should receive training together at the beginning of each year to bring the board together under a shared vision and make sure everyone is on the same page.

The Center for Nonprofit Management offers several solutions to keep your board members informed and ready to swim:

Board Member Boot Camp, Thursday, August 18, 2 - 7 p.m.
A quarterly session designed for new and old board members about the fundamental roles and responsibilities of being a board member. Register now.
Other Classes on Board Governance. See the Class Calendar for other classes of interest to board members.
Board Training for your full board - available in half-day sessions or full board retreats.

Katie Edwards
Vice President of Marketing

Tips for Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

2011-07-26T08:57:00.000-07:00

It’s an understatement to say that social networks are booming. Facebook has 750 million active users. Twitter has 175 million users. LinkedIn has 100 million users. So many potential new donors, so little time…

Nonprofits use peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising tools and techniques to take advantage of the enormous fundraising potential of social networks. Peer-to-peer fundraising takes place when social network members promote a cause within their network, soliciting donations and other support for that cause from other members of that network. Nonprofits can leverage their donors’ social networking activities by providing tools that allow donors to raise mission awareness and funds leveraging their social networks.

While most nonprofits have heard of peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising, what’s surprising to the fundraising experts at Greater Giving is how few organizations have actually implemented a P2P campaign, or included P2P fundraising as a standard component of fundraising strategy, despite the enormous revenue potential in a P2P campaign. To help the nonprofit community get started with P2P fundraising, Greater Giving has these tips:

1. A-thon not necessary.
You don’t have to run an a-thon to execute a successful P2P campaign. A P2P campaign can be built around a nonprofit standby, the fund-a-need.

2. Define a specific, compelling need, and personalize.
The need or cause around which you build a campaign should be compelling and specific. In order to engage potential new donors that know nothing about your organization or cause, you need to create empathy. The best way to do this is to personalize the need with a constituent case study. Specificity also helps your campaign participants to more easily solicit donations.

3. Leverage sponsors. As you are planning a P2P campaign, include a sponsorship component. Talk to your existing sponsors and ask them how they want to participate. They’ll give you some great ideas. And, remember, if you engage sponsors, you’ll be able to take advantage of their social media investment.

4. Set realistic timelines and goals.
The more money you intend to raise, the longer your pre-execution timeline should be. The Greater Giving clients running the most successful P2P campaigns started with one or two small “test” campaigns to help them understand how long it actually took to plan and execute.

5. Set firm deadlines and stick to them. Campaign participants and supporters work better with deadlines. Make sure that you clearly communicate deadlines even for a test campaign.

6. Provide training and resources.
Train participants on how to use your P2P fundraising software and provide them with fundraising resources to help ensure their success.

7. Encourage competition among participants.
Whether you choose a team or individual participant fundraising model, encourage competition to raise more money. Post results, hold participant motivational meetings, and communicate fundraising standings to participants.

8. Promote, promote, promote.
Use social media, email, sponsors, your website, the press, every opportunity you have to promote your P2P campaign.

To learn more about P2P fundraising, including more detail on the tips listed here, join Greater Giving at the Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Strategies seminar scheduled for Wednesday, August 10, at the Center for Nonprofit Management (2902 Floyd Street, Dallas).

For more details and to register, click here.

Patricia Borders

Greater Giving

‘Tis (Almost) The Season

2011-07-22T09:41:00.000-07:00

With Get Up & Give!, North Texas Giving Day fast approaching on September 15 and nonprofit gala season just around the corner (will the fall hurry up and get here already?? I’m DONE with 100F weather!), it may be worth spending some time strategizing about how you’ll use social media to promote your organization’s special event.

Frogloop recently posted this great blog entry to give you some starting points that can also easily be applied to Twitter or Facebook:

20 Creative Ways to Blog About Your Upcoming Events

Share a special moment from last year's event to clue me in to what's in store and what's special about being there.
Ask people to share their favorite moment from last year's event in an open forum post.
What can you tell me about the event that I'm not going to want to miss?
Who's going to be at the event? Highlight and thank your Event Steering Committee. I may know some of them and decide to come because of that alone. Plus if you have awesome people involved in planning the event your supporters will be confident that it will be great.
Raffle off a free event ticket to anyone who posts a comment on your blog post sharing why they are excited to attend the event.
Is there a theme for the event? Tell me about it!
Do you need volunteers? Create some meaningful opportunities for me to get involved and then ask for my help in a blog post.
Tell us about the event honorees. Who are they, why are they key to your organization, or what have they done that's incredible in your field?
Even better - do a sneak peak mini-interview with the honorees or speakers. You can record this over Skype as a little "can't wait to see you" teaser.
Share an update on tickets sold. Are there only 30 spots left? Is this the fastest the tickets have ever gone? Remind people it's coming up.

Your event is competing with something happening at the same time. I guarantee it. Find out else is happening at the same time and tell me10 reasons why your event is better than...

the Superbowl
the season finale of Gray's Anatomy
Monday Night Football
Helping my kids get ready for school Sunday night
Eating dinner with my mother-in-law
Holiday sales at the mall
Opening Night for the 8th (or 18th) Harry Potter Movie (one can only dream)

Click here to read the full post.

Katy Spicer

Associate Director of Marketing

Your Facebook Fans May Not Be Seeing Your Nonprofit's Posts

2011-07-15T10:12:00.000-07:00

Facebook has changed the default setting on the news feed to limit the posts people see to only show those they interact with most. That means if your nonprofit has a fan page, the posts may not be seen by people that you have not interacted with recently through comments or likes. In other words, you may be posting about your upcoming golf tournament, but very few people may be seeing it.

This setting can be changed through your news feed by clicking on "Most Recent", and then "Edit Options". Select "All Your Friends and Pages", and then "Save".

So how do you get people to change their settings if they aren't seeing your posts?

1. Post this information to your personal profile page and ask people to repost it so their friends see it.

2. Include the message on your Twitter feed

3. Send out an email making sure everyone has seen your page and knows about the change

4. Ask your loyal fans on Facebook to post to their profile as well.

5. Send a message through Facebook to all of your fans about the change and how they can fix it.

E-mail me if you have any questions about this change at greg@changedfw.com.

Greg Allbright
CEO - Change For A Dollar
http://changedfw.com/

How to Become a Nonprofit Rockstar

2011-07-13T12:47:00.000-07:00

Book Review –
How to Become a Nonprofit Rockstar: 50 Ways to Accelerate Your Career
By Rosetta Thurman and Trista Harris

Who wouldn’t want to become a rockstar? The top of your field! I first became acquainted with Rosetta Thurman through another nonprofit blogger, Beth Kanter. Beth would frequently reference Rosetta in her writings and as we all know – when someone you trust recommends someone else, frequently you will “become a customer”. So, I started reading Rosetta’s blog and following her on Twitter and Facebook. I was impressed with what she had to say. When she mentioned she had co-written a book How to Become a Nonprofit Rockstar, I had to read those 50 tips offered in the book.

I can truthfully say this is going to be one of those books that 1) changes my life and 2) I re-read over and over. That is how good the content is. I won’t take up valuable blog space sharing Rosetta’s and Trista’s stories. You can read that information by clicking on their names. Even though the book was written predominantly with younger nonprofit professionals in mind, we “seasoned veterans” can also benefit from their wisdom.

Each chapter focuses on developing the skills necessary to become an outstanding leader in the nonprofit world: Developing expertise, building a strong network, developing your personal brand, practicing authentic leadership, finding balance (one lesson we ALL need) and moving up. Within each chapter are tips to help you develop that skill set. You can either read the book cover to cover or focus on an individual chapter for a particular refresher course. As the book says “think of this as a cookbook for your career and try out the recipes that sound good to you.”

Ok, so convince me you say – why should I invest the time in reading this book? For one – it is an easy read. I read mine in the space of a couple of afternoons. Two – let’s look at a few nuggets:

Chapter 2: Develop Expertise
The authors address the importance of finding a job in the nonprofit sector that you love and are good at. Do your research. Notice the culture of the organization. Know yourself. If you don’t want to work nights and weekends at events, then you might want to rethink working in development. Pay attention to the size of the organization. Some people are more comfortable with a large staff; some prefer a smaller staff where you do a bit of everything.

Chapter 3: Build a Strong Network
Make networking a priority. Go to nonprofit conferences – even if you have to pay your own way. Take courses related to your job (the Center for Nonprofit Management can probably help you out with that one!) Join professional associations. Talk with people – get out in the community.

Chapter 5: Practice Authentic Leadership
Do your job and do it well. Know your boss’ priorities and make them yours. Under promise and over deliver. Join the Board of Directors of another nonprofit. Learn about a board and how it works. Polish your public speaking skills. Mentor someone else.

These are just a few of the tips Rosetta and Trista share with you. Make How to Become a Nonprofit Rockstar part of your professional library by ordering it from http://www.nonprofitrockstar.com/. You won’t be sorry!

Leslie Clay

Chief Development Officer

Hope Cottage, Inc.

Staff Spot Light

2011-07-11T13:12:00.000-07:00

Meet Shana Risinger - Education Coordinator & Receptionist here at the Center for Nonprofit Management. If you’ve ever called the main line, attended a class or visited the Center’s offices, chances are Shana was the first person you talked to.

Shana would describe her entrance in to nonprofit as an accident. Her previous job required her to stand on her feet all day but when she broke her ankle, it became necessary for her line of work to change. “I actually fell into this job by accident and I haven’t looked back since.”

An important aspect of working in nonprofit is enjoying your work, but also enjoying the people you work with. Shana believes the best part about her job is the people she works with. She also enjoys meeting the Center’s various clients. “When people come through the door they are so sweet and eager to tell you about their nonprofit's mission and the great work they're doing in the community.”

Amber Collins
Marketing and Social Media Intern

Groundwork 2012 Fires Up the Nonprofit Community

2011-07-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

We all know what it’s like to work at a nonprofit. Our days are full with simply trying to keep up under the piles of critical tasks that must be accomplished before day’s end. We become engrossed in “today’s emergency” and often don’t have time to worry about what’s happening outside our doors. But what happens when what’s happening outside our doors becomes critically important to what’s happening inside our world?

At last week’s Groundwork 2012: Legislative Impact on Nonprofits Town Hall, more than 250 people heard from an expert panel on what’s happening down in Austin at the Texas State legislature and how important it is for us to get involved.

Giving us their insights were representatives from a wide spectrum of industries concerned about the nonprofit sector:

The Legislature - Texas Senator Royce West
The Philanthropic Community - Brent Christopher, President, Communities Foundation of Texas
The Business Community - Debbie Taylor, SW Regional Dir & TX State Dir for Citi Community Development, Citi
The Nonprofit Perspective - Jason Sabo, Senior Vice President of Public Policy, United Way Texas
The People – Rev. Gerald Britt, V.P. of Public Policy & Community Program Development , CitySquare

The panelists had much to say about the past and the present. Senator West spoke of the discussions that are happening in Austin and the bills and issues that are related to nonprofit issues. During this time of incredible budget cuts, we spoke about the concept of “collective impact” and how the nonprofit community must come together with corporations, government and other sectors to collectively create social change.

To see the Stanford Social Innovation Review article referenced by Debbie Taylor, click here.

As funding is fading away, Brent Christopher and Debbie Taylor both reinforced the issue that the corporate and philanthropic communities are also under increased stress and will not be able to fill the hole created by decreased funding from government and that we must think creatively in how we do our work.

Brent Christopher recommended the Kania and Kramer book “Do More Than Give: The Six Practices of Donors Who Change the World” for a new perspective on philanthropy and how high-impact nonprofits apply to donors to advance social causes.

Another key take away from the session included the importance of having a voice and not sitting on the sidelines of politics and legislation. Jason Sabo spoke of his role in nonprofit lobbying and how all nonprofits should be engaged in advocacy for their issues. As Rev. Britt said, “Money is politics and politics is money” and we can’t miss the opportunity to be engaged in creating change on behalf of our clients.

What comes next? The Center for Nonprofit Management will host the Groundwork 2012 Conference on August 9. The day-long conference with break-out sessions will be dedicated to actively engaging organizations in how to strategize for the upcoming budget cuts, more on collective impact and how to get involved in advocacy with our legislators. Look for more information and how to register coming soon!

Katie Edwards
Vice President of Marketing

Do You Have Blog Goals?

2011-06-30T09:08:00.000-07:00

Blogging is still a fairly new activity here at the Center for Nonprofit Management. When we launched the CNM blog back in February, our goals were to:

1) Communicate with our clients, friends and stakeholders on a more informal, interactive level.

2) Offer more free resources to the community.
3) Create a body of work to help solidify our position as experts on nonprofit management.

Since then we’ve added:

4) Increase the Center’s search engine optimization (SEO).
5) Be the glue that holds together our social media efforts.
6) Be a place to provide regularly updated information to our audiences.
7) Have a chance to talk about something other than our programs and services.

Even though it’s difficult to assess any measurable results in these areas (we currently only track page views), I really believe that blogging has been a valuable addition to our marketing efforts. It’s timely, quick, and most importantly it’s FREE! It’s helped give us a more human feel and gives our staff and consultants a place to showcase their expertise.

What are some of your blogging goals?

If your organization doesn’t already have a blog, I highly recommend starting one. If you need some inspiration, here are 5 tips to jumpstart your blog found on the Have Fun Do Good blog:

5 Tips to Jumpstart Your Blog

1. Write about what excites you, not what you think you should write about.

2. Learn from the best. What blogs do you looove to read? Why do you love them? How can you incorporate what makes those blogs wonderful into your blog?

3. Schedule blogging time into your week, just like you'd block out time for something else that's important to you.

4. Share your posts on your favorite social networks (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn).

5. Link unto others as you'd like to be linked to. Write posts with links to blog posts you love, share other bloggers' posts on your social networks, ask your favorite bloggers if they'd like to guest post on your blog.

Click here to view the post.

Katy Spicer
Associate Director of Marketing

Find Great Deals & Support the Center

2011-06-22T14:00:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of each fiscal year, every organization is faced with a BIG HAIRY AUDACIOUS GOAL. At the Center for Nonprofit Management, we are no different and are working hard to be creative with new fundraising ideas to help us reach that goal. In thinking “outside the box”, the Center has joined forces with dealeebob.com and Soap Hope to provide you with great deals and a new, fun way to support your favorite nonprofit.

Dealeebob.com is a group coupon site and after registering, I myself was pleasantly surprised with the offerings and now anxiously anticipate the daily email to see “what’s in it for me”? A discount at the restaurant I’ve been eyeballing or a gloriously affordable spa treatment? Yes, please!

Gift giving also seems to be simplified with the one-stop shopping at Soap Hope’s website for all-natural soaps, candles and beauty products, where there is truly something for everyone and occasion. Birthdays, baby showers, house warming’s, anniversaries, even shampoo for Lassie…all covered and smell magnificent!

We are never ones to be greedy and want to share this wonderful news with you so Register, Shop and Share these great deals and support the Center for Nonprofit Management in return. Happy money saving, you savvy gift giver you!

· Register with dealeebob.com and 5% of every purchase you make on dealeebob.com will go directly back to Center for Nonprofit Management. Plus, dealeebob.com will pay the Center for Nonprofit Management $1 for your registration and an additional $1 for every referral that you generate!

· Shop at Soap Hope with the links and coupon codes provided by the Center and a percentage of your purchase is directly returned to us. Shop now and receive a 5% discount with coupon code: CNM5

· Share this information with friends, family and colleagues for great daily deals and chic gift ideas all year long.

Camille Davis
Development Coordinator

Introducing CNM Summer Interns!

2011-06-17T08:33:00.000-07:00

We’re thrilled to welcome Amber Collins - our 2011 ExxonMobil Community Summer Jobs Intern. Originally from Houston, Texas, Amber attends school at Louisiana State University where she is studying Mass Communication- public relations. Amber will be with us for 8 weeks working as the Marketing & Social Media Assistant.

Amber is a proud recipient of the Gates Millennium Scholarship and recalls her high school mentor helping her through the 26-page application. “My teacher Cynthia Smith helped me through every page of that application. I can’t help but wonder if I would be still recipient without her help.”

After receiving her scholarship and speaking with high school students in New Orleans, she became interested in giving back and understanding the world of nonprofit.

This is Amber’s first internship in a nonprofit. She enjoys the atmosphere and being able to interact with all the employees. “This is the first job where I actually get to see the President, Cynthia Nunn, on a regular basis.”

For Amber, the most valuable asset of working in a nonprofit is the experience and networking. “I love networking and when working in a nonprofit the opportunities are endless. Any time I take a class or go to an event, I am constantly meeting new people with unique professions.”

We are also pleased to welcome Preetha Swamy from Plano, Texas (photo to follow!). She is serving as our new education intern and is a recent graduate of Austin College where she studied political science.

Preetha found her passion for the nonprofit sector while taking an International Human Rights class. The course sparked her curiosity of how nonprofits work at the grassroots level. “I had an internship one summer with a human rights nonprofit and that was the beginning of my realization.”

Preetha believes that if you are working for a cause, it makes working a lot easier. “I really enjoy working with people who are truly passionate and proud of what they do. It provides an environment that makes you want to work as hard as you can.”

In the future, Preetha hopes to attend graduate school and receive a master’s in social work.

Welcome Amber and Preetha - We are so happy you’re here!!

Amber Collins
Marketing & Social Media Intern
Center for Nonprofit Management

I Am Catwoman… Hear Me Roar IRS

2011-06-15T08:24:00.000-07:00

On June 14th, the Wall Street Journal published an article in which a rescue volunteer for felines received the best kitty treat of all from an IRS Ruling. Even Morris the Cat is impressed…

Up until recently, unreimbursed volunteer expenses and the ability to take tax deductions for such gratuity have not been on the list of treats for donors. Unless a gift was given directly to the charity in cash, other acceptable financial vehicle, or an in-kind format, a donor could simply forget about adding it to their tax return.

Our heroine for this post – the “crazy” cat lady has shed the assumed moniker and she is actually sane. In fact, she has clawed her way to write-off expenses of not only food, but utilities and other costs for offering her house as a foster home to cats. On a side note: she cared for 70 such cats (not all at one time I hope!) over the course of a year.

Believe it or not, the IRS will now allow this justification of in-home unreimbursed expenses of $250 or more which furthers the organization’s mission.

Not a cat person?! Well, for all you dog-lovers and others who are ambivalent about cats… the message is very clear (although potentially not odorless) deductions which were formerly denied are now allowable. (I smell BACON!) As a charity, you might just want to share this article and ruling with all of your magnanimous volunteers. You know the ones… the warm-hearted souls which have such a passion for your mission they “litter”-aly turn out their pockets to serve your cause.

As always – those same volunteers should consult a tax consultant for official guidance. But on first glance, I bet our Cat Woman has popped open a can of extra special tuna in celebration...MEOW!

Click here for the full story.

Kristina E. Jones, M.A., CFRE

President, Stronger Organizations, LLC

CNM Consultant and Trainer

The Stars Have Aligned

2011-06-08T08:59:00.001-07:00

Just as we began running promotions for the upcoming Leaders Circle season, we received this fabulous e-mail from Harriet Boorhem at Promise House, gushing about her experiences.

Talk about perfect timing!

Paige McDaniel has also given Leaders Circles a shout-out in her blog. Click here to read it.

I just love it when fantastic community leaders like Harriet and Paige do my job for me J

For more information on Leaders Circles, click here.

Katy Spicer
Associate Director of Marketing

From: Harriet Boorhem
Sent: Friday, March 25, 2011 4:14 PM

Subject: Friday Email

I want to say thank you today to my Leaders Circle. Sponsored through the Center for Nonprofit Management, it is a support program for executive directors and/or upper management of nonprofit agencies. You are placed in a group of executives who run agencies similar to yours, but who are non-competing.

I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical when I joined. But I was also pretty desperate to get some support and to meet other EDs who were dealing with same the challenges, successes, and issues as I.

I think it may be the best professional decision I have ever made.

Not only are the women in my group fabulous, funny, highly skilled, supportive, and tell-it-like-it-is, they have saved my you-know-what many times!

Although clichéd, the saying “It’s lonely at the top” is really true… certainly not all the time, but sometimes. And it is those ‘sometimes’ that can really pull you under if you don’t have the support of colleagues who will be honest, comforting, supportive, confidential, and/or who will kick you in the butt if you need it.

So, thank you Center for Nonprofit Management for the program, but more importantly, thank you, Leaders Circle ladies for being so incredibly helpful and perfect for me!

Dr. Harriet Boorhem
Executive Director

Promise House, Inc.

What Am I Supposed To Tweet?

2011-06-01T08:38:00.000-07:00

Greg Allbright, CEO of Change For A Dollar, LLC will present a free-to-members webinar via the Center for Nonprofit Management on June 8 from 1 to 2 pm entitled "What Am I Supposed To Tweet". The webinar will cover the basics of social media content strategy and ideas. For more information and to register, click here.

Not sure what to tweet? Take a photo!
Facebook and Twitter are powerful ways for your nonprofit to raise awareness and keep your supporters aware and engaged in the good works you perform pursuing your mission.

They can also be time consuming. The status update you started to write can quickly turn into an hour long exercise before you know it. Facebook especially is always adding and changing new things that require you to learn what it means for your fanpage. Sometimes that leaves you with little time to create content your fans will love.

Here are some quick ways to produce content for your Facebook and Twitter by taking photos:

1. Profile a staff member
Reward those hard working employees by posting their photo into your Facebook and Twitter feeds. Let them know about it so they can share with their own networks, which increases your exposure. Bring the human element of your operation online so your supporters can connect with someone, instead of a logo.

- Ask all of your employees to fill out short bios and include a few fun questions (favorite food, sports team, celebrity etc). Post these answers with their photos.

- Post photos of new employees and ask your Facebook and Twitter supporters to welcome them to the organization.

- Post updates with photos of employees that have recently had babies, gotten married, graduated from college, or any other proud moment.

- Is a favorite employee moving to another city or position? Tell them how much they will be missed by saying goodbye online and letting your online supporters how they have impacted the mission.

2. Thank a donor or volunteer
If the fundraising mantra of thanking donors seven times between asks is true, how can you use social media to accomplish one of those asks?

- If a group of volunteers come in to serve, get a group picture and post it saying thank you.

- If a business donates goods for your auction, show the auction item or their logo with a thank you. (If their competitors are watching, think they will be more likely to donate next year?)

- If a long time volunteer comes in one day, thank them for their continued service by posting a photo of them with a thank you.

- If you have solicited major sponsors for your campaign or event, use a post a day to thank them. Show their logo or company representative along with how they are helping. Include their website or Facebook page to promote them as well.

3. Bring the fun of events online
Events bring an energy and excitement you can capture and show to everyone via photos. Plus, the fun and festivities from an event don't have to stop when the party is over. Sharing photos online from events brings back good memories for those that went, and makes the people who didn't go envious of the good times. They'll be more likely to attend another event in the future.

- Take photos of everyone and everything before, during, and after your event.

- Post a few right away, and keep a few back to use throughout the year.

- Use one to thank a donor or volunteer a few weeks or even months later.

- Use a silly one to show you all are human and have fun helping others.

- If someone won an award, follow up with them a few months later to see how they are doing. Post three sentences about what they are up to now.

A few quick tips for event photos:

- Know who you are taking pictures of (have a volunteer write them down as someone else takes them) and include company/organization name and title.

- Remove drinks and name tags before taking the picture

- Use Facebook @mentions for sharing pictures on your page

- Get approval from a parent if a child is included in the photo

Photos can be fun and simple ways of connecting with people online. Photos provide entertaining and engaging content at the snap of a button. If you have found unique ways to share photos online, please let us know about them in the comments below.

Greg Allbright
CEO/Digital Marketing Director
ChangeDFW.org

I Never Pick the Right Lane

2011-05-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

We’ve all been there. You’re standing in line with your small basket of groceries waiting behind the guy with the grocery cart piled high, parceling out coupons, scrutinizing every charge and writing out a check. If you’re me, your patience ran out the second time the cashier had to call for a price check on the item that he swore was on sale. So I start looking around -- is there a shorter line I can jump in? So I do, only to end up behind the gal who forgot something in mid-check out and has to run “quickly” to go get it. I smile at her as I silently scream, watching the moments of my day tick by.

I made the wrong choice, letting my impatience get the better of me thinking I could cheat time.

As a nonprofit leader your days are inundated with choices every moment and making the wrong one can have mildly irritating to potentially devastating effects. It can be a lonesome place to bare the weighty responsibility of the public trust but you aren’t really alone.

Nonprofit leaders do have a place to go to share their experiences, their choices, their weighty decisions; a place to grow as leaders and support the growth of their nonprofit comrades. The Center’s Nonprofit Leadership Certificate program and Leaders’ Circles provide safe harbor for shared wisdom, and personal-professional growth. Who says it has to be lonely at the top?

Pick the right lane. Make a smart choice. Submit your application today!

New programs starting in September:

Nonprofit Leadership Certificate
Leaders Circles

Stacey Bruenning

Director of Education

How Nonprofit Culture Impacts Our Work

2011-05-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

Question: What is a nonprofit’s only renewable resource?

Answer: Its people.

Because people are so important to nonprofits, your culture can make or break your nonprofit organization.

Today, in the 21^st century, it is important for all cultures to be more entrepreneurial and embrace the inevitable change ahead of all of us in the social sector.

In next week’s Lunch and Learn – Assessing Your Nonprofit Culture & Plan for Advancement – we will utilize a research-based assessment to find out what culture you have and discuss four key concepts to convert your culture into a more entrepreneurial one that will enable you to succeed in the 21^st century.

Register now for this action-packed session.

Suzanne N. Smith
Social Impact Architects
CNM Instructor and Consultant

Writer’s Block

2011-05-20T09:01:00.000-07:00

If like mine, your job requires you to constantly generate content then you realize how exhausting this can be. If you’re anything like me, you’ll find that there are days (sometimes weeks) when you’re feeling decidedly uncreative and yet still have to come up with the goods.

However, it turns out we need not be re-creating the wheel all the time. There are many ways we can “cheat” and still churn out compelling and relevant material on a tight schedule (who knew?!).

This recent post by Danny Iny on Copyblogger offers 21 Ways to Create Compelling Content When You Don’t Have a Clue. Perfect for those days when you’re feeling uninspired.

Numbers 5, 10 and bonus # 22 are my favorites. Which are yours?

21 Ways to Create Compelling Content When You Don’t Have a Clue

Sometimes you’re just flat out of ideas.

It’s not a matter of talent — you’ve written great stuff in the past. But lately, when you go back to the well for a fresh idea, it’s coming up dry.

This happens to the best of us — even veterans who consistently produce quality content have their off days. Yet they continue to write.

They may grumble about how hard it is to get going and create something solid, but they still do. Again, and again, and again.

They aren’t super-human, and they don’t have magical content-producing powers. So what is the secret?

They do it by pulling out the well-worn toolbox of strategies for creating awesome content. Steal content and ideas. If you’re flat-out exhausted and out of ideas, then get them from somebody else — either content, or ideas, or both.

I’m not talking about real stealing, of course — it’s more like “borrowing with the author’s blessing”. Done right, this can produce some valuable content that the authors you “stole” from will thank you for using!

Curate content. Find your ten favorite websites, and then find your favorite post on each of them. Publish a post listing these top ten posts, and explain why you like them. You don’t even have to think about being creative, and everyone you feature there will appreciate it. This is what we do with our Best of the Web feature, and there are lots of other examples.
Ask friends for ideas. If you’re tapped for ideas, then reach out to your friends and colleagues, and ask them what they’d like you to write about. You can do this with offline friends, or with like-minded online entrepreneurs. If you’re not already part of a mastermind group, then reach out to a few bloggers that are about as big as you are, and suggest starting one. I’m in a mastermind group with Jon Alford, Paul Wolfe and Caleb Wojcik, and they’ve all been a great help to me.
Ask your audience. You can kick the last strategy up a notch by reaching out to your audience. This can be done in several ways — it can be as simple as running a “what would you like me to write about” post (which is a bit lame), or it can get more interesting by asking for their input on a problem, as Marcus Sheridan did to create his tag-line, or by asking a question so that you can compile their answers into another piece of content, like nittyGriddy’s free blog posting schedules e-book.
Do an interview. There are lots of reasons why interviews are great for blog content, but right now let’s focus on the simple fact that it’s a lot easier to write a handful of interview questions than it is to write an entire post! Plus, it can be a great way to connect with really interesting people. (I got to interview Randy Komisar, who is my hero in the business world – and all I had to do was ask!)
Solicit guest posts. This is a great source of content, and it’s easier than most people think – find a handful of blogs that are your size or smaller, whose content you really like, and invite them to write a guest post for you. They’ll be flattered, and happy to get exposure to your audience. They’ll work hard to bring their A game, and not only will you get a great post, but they’ll happily tell their contacts about it, and bring you a few new readers in the process.

Click here to read the full article.

Katy Spicer
Associate Director of Marketing

Mr. Armstrong Works Here

2011-05-10T12:17:00.000-07:00

Stretch Armstrong was a large, gel-filled action figure first introduced in 1976, a well-muscled blond man wearing a pair of swimming trunks whose most notable features were his arms and legs that could stretch outwards for great lengths, presumably without breaking, and ultimately returning to his original state.

The youngest of four kids, my siblings and I definitely put good ol’ Stretch to the test, each one taking a limb and pulling as hard as we could in opposite directions, but he never broke.

Sound familiar?

The idea of being stretched beyond one’s conceivable limits and then bouncing back is a concept that is all too real in our world of ever shrinking resources and increasing needs. But the point is, we do bounce back. Just like Stretch, the amazing capacity and incredible resilience of nonprofit professionals is seemingly endless.

But even Stretch had time off from the torturous tugs of little tikes from time to time. When is the last time you took a vacation in the toy box of life? More and more Americans skip the annual vacation, and those of us that do manage to physically break away, find ourselves, with increasing frequency, bringing work along with us, or “checking in” via technology and ultimately keeping ourselves still in the work mindset we should be escaping.

The fact is vacations can help with your job performance! The psychological benefits that come with more frequent vacations leads to increased quality of life and that can lead to increased quality of work. Vacations promote creativity, stave off burnout, help keep us healthy and promote overall wellbeing. In other words, keep Stretch Armstrong elastic! Have you ever seen plastic get hard and brittle? It isn’t pretty.

The Center’s Department of Education spends eleven of the twelve months promoting best practices in nonprofit management through our various programs. But there is one month, July, when we stop our programming and focus on personal renewal.

Summer is fast approaching and your assignment; Mr. & Ms. Armstrong… plan a real vacation! Even if you don’t have the funds to go somewhere, find a way to really disengage completely from work and the demands of everyday life to restore yourself and ultimately prepare you for the next BIG S-T-R-E-T-C-H!

Stacey Bruenning
Director of Education

Which Came First – The Horse or the Cart?

2011-05-04T10:34:00.000-07:00

I know that’s not how the question usually goes, but this is a question we sometimes need to stop and ask ourselves. So often the greatest ideas for social change are ones that start with an action (the cart) rather than a theory for how actions generate the desired outcomes (the horse).

Don’t get me wrong, if we sat around thinking about how to make a difference all day long we would never see anything come to fruition. However, even the best program ideas can benefit from periodically asking “is this program accomplishing what we want it to?” or in the case of new programs “how will this program drive the outcomes we want to achieve?” Here is a great (fictional) example:

A well-intentioned group of concerned citizens recognizes a need in their community – high childhood obesity. They know that childhood obesity has numerous negative impacts on children, so they want to help the children in their community get on track to a healthier lifestyle.

What's their solution? A weekend expo with healthy cooking classes from a local celebrity chef and a mile-long fun walk for fitness. The group raises necessary in-kind donations, holds the event, and has a higher than expected turnout. They did a great job implementing their solution and all the attendees had a wonderful time! One year later the childhood obesity rates in their community are even higher. What happened?

This well-intentioned group had a vision for change that they wanted to create in their community and a strategy for how to make it happen. They had the dedication to see that strategy through, and yet somehow their vision didn’t materialize as they had hoped.

The problem: they didn’t fully understand their theory of practice – the LOGIC behind their program. They had the right idea – they wanted to raise awareness, show kids that healthy foods could be tasty, and encourage physical activity – but they didn’t think about the long-range impact of their efforts. As a result, while everyone had a wonderful time at their expo, and probably much awareness was raised, it didn’t impact individual behaviors in a way that changed the overall childhood obesity rates for their community.

What could they have done differently?

While there are many possible solutions here (including collaboration with other agencies or using a different program model), the first step might have been to complete a Program Logic Model to analyze the anticipated short-term and long-range outcomes of the expo. Both as a visual tool and as an exercise, a logic model would have helped the group better understand their underlying assumptions and identify gaps in their program. It would also help them define how they would measure success. They could then act on this to improve their outcomes and implement additional programs or collaborations to build on the expo. This way they would be much more likely to see the change they set out to accomplish!

For more information on Program Logic Models and a template you can use, visit http://www.cnmdallas.org/downloads/Logic_Model_Templates.pdf.

Rachel Leventon, MPA, CVA
Associate Consultant

The Great Divide

2011-05-02T09:40:00.000-07:00

As graduation day comes knocking on the door for college seniors across the country, the decision will soon have to be made—make money or do good deeds? Why is there such a great divide between the .com money-makers and the .org do-gooders? Social entrepreneurs from across North Texas gathered one recent Friday morning to discuss this very topic with thought-leader, Robert Egger, Founder and President of the DC Central Kitchen.

Mr. Egger was the guest at an invitation only breakfast co-hosted by Spark Club and Social Enterprise Alliance North Texas Chapter (SEANTC). It was an inspiring round-table featuring coffee and pastries donated by It's a Grind Coffee House, a local social enterprise located in the Deep Ellum neighborhood in Dallas.

The room was filled with enterprising minds behind such ventures as Translation and Interpretation Network, Soap Hope, Ability Connection Texas, Café Momentum, Belltower Chapel and Garden, Demeter Project and so many more.

Social enterprises connect money and meaning and philanthropy with everyday commerce. And as the gathering of these innovative nonprofit programs suggests, North Texas is leading the way in looking to social enterprises to bridge the divide between .com and .org.

The discussion with Mr. Egger challenged North Texas to continue to support and build social enterprises that combine purpose and profit. As he said in a recent blog post: “Let’s open thousands of new businesses, re-invest in our communities, pay good wages, decrease the need for charity by channeling the market forces of daily commerce for CHANGE and shatter the myth that you have to choose between doing good or making money.”

Where will you make a change?

For more information on the Social Enterprise Alliance of North Texas visit www.cnmdallas.org/seantc.aspx or http://www.seantc.org/.

Lauren Kearns
SEANTC Intern

My Guide to Running a Great Nonprofit

2011-04-29T08:04:00.000-07:00

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery – The Container Store (TCS), prepare to totally swoon...

Back in June our friends at TCS asked me to come out to their headquarters and speak to a conference they were hosting for the Conscious Capitalism Alliance. TCS founder Kip Tindell is a major part of this movement and it was simply amazing for me to hear about their business model and to meet business owners from across the country who believe in Conscious Capitalism. To learn more about the Alliance, visit http://cccsummit.com/?page_id=65

I was totally inspired by The Container Store's Foundation Principles and I know that you will be too. See them here http://standfor.containerstore.com/our-foundation-principles/

I wrote the document below for Community Partners of Dallas (CPD) called CPD Agency Principles. We are using them to guide CPD in a multitude of ways -- as our board members write our strategic plan, for our staff annual reviews, to guide our corporate culture and establish norms, to be accountable to donors, and more.

Let me know what you think.

CPD Agency Principles

Stop the Abuse. Start the Healing.
Our tag line isn’t just a line; it is the reason why CPD is needed and our response. It is easy to feel sorry for our kids – those who have been beaten, neglected, sexually abused, and more – what matters is what you do to stop it from continuing. Thank God for CPS Caseworkers and all of the CPS staff. These brave and committed people work tirelessly to protect victims and CPD is privileged to be able to be part of the healing and help that brings these precious kids solace and sanctuary.

Communication is Leadership.
Borrowed from our good friends at The Container Store, we agree that “consistent, reliable, predictable, effective, thoughtful, compassionate, and courteous communication” is important for a successful organization. We make sure that information is shared and available to all board members and employees. Each one of our staff members is able to discuss this agency and our board meetings are open to all. We celebrate financial goals, volunteer project completions, and program successes with equal fervor.

Training is Key.
For our Board of Trustees members, our volunteers, and our employees, training is a vital part of success for Community Partners of Dallas. We want our volunteers to fully understand why they are here and why their time is so needed to benefit CPD. On-going specialized volunteers receive a formal orientation and training, and continue to receive additional on-the-job training from our staff members. Staff members receive at least 100 hours of training in their first year with the agency, and continuing education is encouraged throughout their tenure.

We Uphold the Donor Bill of Rights.
The Association of Fundraising Professionals designed the Donor Bill of Rights and CPD is committed to its principles and follows them fully. The full document may be found below. We want every donor to have full confidence in supporting CPD and we pledge to you that every gift is being handled appropriately and as the donor requests.

Attitude of Gratitude.
Whether for our Dallas County CPS caseworkers, for our volunteers, or for our donors, we strive to show you appreciation and gratitude. We strive to greet you with a smile, answer any question, and serve you with dignity and respect at all times. Plus, you will walk away with a hearty thank you and knowing that you are a vital part of the success of Community Partners of Dallas.

When You Love Your Work It Shows.
This is the mantra for CPD employees and we attempt to show it in everything we do. No man is an island and each staff member of CPD knows that help with a project is only steps away. Putting the good of the agency above ourselves is the goal and staff members work until the job is complete – but with a sense of fun in every step. We find that when we give staff members the latitude and freedom to do their work, they go above and beyond to make it their best work possible. New ideas and ways of looking at problems are rewarded and celebrated. We LOVE working at CPD and we want you to feel the love too!

Come Back to the Kids.
Finally, this is how decisions are made at CPD. We are mission focused; making sure that every decision is put to the test: “Will this decision provide the best possible outcome to benefit our kids and our agency?” The mission of Community Partners of Dallas is to ensure safety, restore dignity, and inspire hope for the abused and neglected children served by Dallas County Child Protective Services. In the end, we want to look back on our efforts here and know that we made a difference in the lives of children. That is success.

The Donor Bill of Rights (from the Association of Fundraising Professionals)

Philanthropy is based on voluntary action for the common good. It is a tradition of giving and sharing that is primary to the quality of life. To ensure that philanthropy merits the respect and trust of the general public, and that donors and prospective donors can have full confidence in the nonprofit organizations and causes they are asked to support, we declare that all donors have these rights:

I. To be informed of the organization's mission, of the way the organization intends to use donated resources, and of its capacity to use donations effectively for their intended purposes.

II. To be informed of the identity of those serving on the organization's governing board, and to expect the board to exercise prudent judgment in its stewardship responsibilities.

III. To have access to the organization's most recent financial statements.

IV. To be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given.
V. To receive appropriate acknowledgment and recognition.

VI. To be assured that information about their donation is handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extent provided by law.

VII. To expect that all relationships with individuals representing organizations of interest to the donor will be professional in nature.

VIII. To be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of the organization or hired solicitors.

IX. To have the opportunity for their names to be deleted from mailing lists that an organization may intend to share.

X. To feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt, truthful and forthright answers.

Paige McDaniel
President & CEO
Community Partners of Dallas

Thank You Seems to be the Hardest Word(s)

2011-04-27T14:27:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, we do harp on about thanking donors on this blog, but I really don't think the importance can be stressed enough.

I'd like to give a shout-out to an organization in town that does a fantastic job at saying thank you - The Senior Source. In the interest of full disclosure, I am on their board of directors, but if they didn't appeal to the ego-maniac in me then maybe I wouldn't be happily signing up to serve a second term.

Since I became involved with this organization I've never gotten so much mail in my life (invitations, hand-written notes, birthday cards, etc.), nor have I felt so incredibly special. They genuinely make me believe that the organization couldn't function without me which I know to be a lie of enormous proportions. However, I happily swallow it.

Now, I’m certainly not one of their top donors (not even close), but if this is how they treat small fry like me then just imagine the red carpet welcome they roll out for their highest level benefactors. That thought makes me proud to be associated with such a gracious organization and confident that they are good stewards of my money.

Notice that I haven't actually mentioned The Senior Source's mission. It happens to resonate with me deeply, but I must confess that if I never heard a peep from the organization except from when they wanted something, I probably wouldn't be involved, no matter how noble and personal the cause.

Bottom line - Don't underestimate the power of gratitude.

Looking for different ways to say thank you? Rachel Muir has some ideas:

7 ways to say thanks

It breaks my fundraising heart when I hear about gifts going unthanked.

I recently read this story about Gail, a donor who has been giving consistently for over 30 years to the same organizations and has never had her cumulative gifts recognized. None of the groups she supports have identified her as a major gift or planed gift prospect.

Every donor has the right to what the Association of Fundraising Professionals refers to as the ‘donor bill of rights’, which includes the right to “receive appropriate acknowledgement and recognition.”

Regardless of the gift size or the channel through which they made their gift, prompt, sincere, accurate appreciation is the first thing that needs to happen, preferably within 24 hours (but no later than 48) of receiving the gift.

Making people feel appreciated never goes out of style. Doing it well is the least expensive way to significantly grow your major gifts program. My advice is give your donors 7 stewardship touches annually.

To get you started, here are 7 creative ways to say thank you and steward your donors:

1. Have an intern or volunteer prepare a stack of thank you cards on your stationary with a printed digital photo that highlights your mission: a child at play, a family together, a student at work, a natural reserve, you get the picture. If you need someone else to write it and/or sign it you can, but make sure they go out within 24-48 hours of receiving the gift.

2. Have your Executive Director call and thank the donor within 48 hours.

3. Have a mini thank-a-thon at your monthly board meetings. Give each board member a handful of phone numbers to call and a thank you script if you like. If calling isn’t possible circulate prepared and addressed thank you cards for them to sign or write a note on. I prefer the phone call approach. Even if they get voice mail the donor will appreciate the personal thanks from a board member. As an added bonus, thank-a-thons are some of the most rewarding and painless ways to get board members introduced and involved in fundraising!

4. Have a client, volunteer, recipient of your programs or parent of one of your students write a personal thank you note to your donor.

5. Create a mission moment: invite your donor to come tour your facility, visit your program or attend your event to personally see in person how their gift is making an impact in the community.

6. Add the donor to your mailing list to receive your annual holiday card, annual report, and/or newsletter. If they’ve just made a gift consider suppressing their name from an ask appeal for 12 months.

7. Recognize their gift in your annual report.

Click here to read the full article.

Katy Spicer
Associate Director of Marketing

What’s Your Story?

2011-04-25T11:54:00.000-07:00

I recently had the pleasure of watching a TEDx video on YouTube from Brene Brown on “Vulnerability” – probably the most important 20 minutes I spent that week. A friend had recommended it, yet I hardly expected the first minute to have much impact. In the beginning Brene shares her own personal revelation that while she is a researcher, she is also a story teller, because in her words,

“a story is just data with a soul”.

BAM! I rewound and listened again, and again. Yes, she’s right – this is the perfect way to think about story-telling. It’s how to tell what you do in a way that has meaning and impact; that engages the head and the heart.

So, what is your story? How you answer this question is a major determinant of how much impact you’ll have. If your response is about the statistics on how many you serve or how much disease or poverty you have eradicated, then you’ve missed an opportunity to really connect me to your cause. If however, you use a story to demonstrate your impact, I’m much more likely to engage.

Story-telling is one of the oldest and most powerful marketing strategies. Every organization needs to have a few thoughtful stories that all stakeholders can share on a moment’s notice. Where to begin?

1. Be strategic – Who is your target audience? When you understand who you are communicating with, you’ll know which stories to choose and develop. Most nonprofits have multiple target audiences: Donors/funders/sponsors, staff, board/volunteers and clients. You may need or want different stories that highlight different results for each target group. Put yourself in their shoes – what do they want to hear about your organization and then begin your research?

2. Finding the story – Where do you find the stories to use? Keeping in mind your target audience groups, begin asking around to your program staff, volunteers and board members. Ask them, “If you could share one story that really demonstrates the impact that we have on our constituents, what would it be”? Then listen. Ask probing and clarifying questions. Capture the facts, but don’t forget to dig deep to find the heart of the story.

3. The right story – Is there a right story? I believe some stories are better, but they’re not necessarily the right story – mainly because a story that is right for one person may be the wrong story for another. Once you have collected a half-dozen or more stories, convene a group of people who are closely involved in your nonprofit. Maybe it’s a few staff, a couple of volunteers and 1-2 board members. Share the stories and talk about their relevancy to each target group. Brainstorm on how to improve the impact of the story by re-wording or re-positioning the main points. Choose the best 3-4.

When you have collected a few really great stories, make sure that everyone associated with your agency has a copy and is coached on how to use them. Distribute written copies to staff, volunteers and the board. Ask them to use these stories when they are out in the community, meeting with funders or recruiting volunteers or board members.

Having consistent stories - data with a soul - will help you grow your brand while better demonstrating the impact that your agency is having. And if you think that social media is the must-have marketing strategy, I’d suggest that you consider finding and using a few of your most powerful stories. Using your stories as a foundation for your marketing activities will help you have more impact, and you can always use them in social media too!

Ann Ranson
President, Bottom Line 3 Marketing
CNM Marketing and Strategy Consultant and Presenter

Worthwhile and Significant Work

2011-04-20T12:55:00.000-07:00

I have been involved with the Center’s Nonprofit Management Certification program since shortly after its inception, and continue to marvel at the microcosm of individuals that take advantage of this training resource. Over the years, they have changed. Early on, most of our students were already working for a nonprofit organization and came to polish their skills. As time progressed (and the economy digressed), we saw more and more folks who are actively looking for jobs – deepening their knowledge of the nonprofit sector and looking for connections that might lead to employment.

There is another group that we encounter in nearly every new session of classes – those who have had careers in the for-profit world, and long for a different workplace experience – one that not only stretches them, but also provides that feeling so many of us in nonprofit work have come to take for granted – that sense that our work is worthwhile and significant – that it makes a real difference in our neighborhood; in our community; in our world.

I am reminded with each new class, as students introduce themselves and describe their motivation for attending the class that our nonprofit sector offers a kind of employment medicine – that great satisfaction at the end of the day that we’ve done something good; we’ve done something that really matters. We have a “drug” that many in the for-profit world are seeking – and they come to the Center as an entry point to a new kind of relationship with their work.

These students infuse our classes with a perspective that reminds us of why we work in the nonprofit world. They are eager to share their talents and skills, and they form connections and friendships that transcend the classroom.

The Center delivers a high-quality product to them, as evaluations confirm. And we witness the continual transformation of nonprofit organizations through the more effective staff and board members we train. This makes my work at the Center worthwhile and the Center’s place in the community significant.

LouAnne Smith
Instructor and Consulting Associate

Does Your Annual Report Go Straight in the Trash?

2011-04-18T13:33:00.000-07:00

Okay, I have to confess that I am guilty of writing ‘nonprofit-centric’ annual reports. They are wonderful glossy affairs which describe our programs and achievements at length; however, they are also:

1) Self-congratulating
2) Organization (and not donor) focused
3) Extremely boring

BUT – Not this year! This year I am determined to produce an annual report that not only hits the high points and skims over the lengthy blocks of text which no one reads, but is also donor-focused and filled with gratitude over what we have helped our donors accomplish (do you see the distinction?).

Sara Kite, our vp of development recently forwarded me this wonderful article by Tom Ahern about donor-friendly annual report models (I think she was trying to tell me something ;) and I have been duly inspired. Takeaway - Boring and risk-free does not work in marketing. Ever.

Take a look for yourself:

B4 u do yr annual report
Issue 9.5: Repeat after me: "I am a marketer!" And consider a few donor-friendly models, for inspiration.

Annual reports.

So many trees felled for pages. So few donors who care.

So, before you clear-cut another acre of old-growth forest, take time to sit with some annual reports that did a good job, an effective job, a persuasive job, in my opinion, of showing donors that the charity they've supported was worth the gift.

Redwood 2010 AR. (domestic violence and recovery)
Fairfield County (CT) Community Fndt AR
United Way Pickens County (SC) AR 2010
Interval House 2009 "Gratitude Report"

Let's talk.

What I am about to tell you could scramble your self-image like breakfast. But, here it is, without a euphemistic bone in its body:

You, Mr. and Ms. Fundraiser ... you are what we call a marketer, professionally speaking. And that's when you're thinking strategically. When you're behaving tactically (making the phone call, sending the appeal), you're what we call a salesperson.

Technically. Dictionary definition.

"Me? Sales? I think not, my good man. My title is Director of Advancement." Like General George S. Patton during WWII?

Look, no matter what title drapes you, the fact of the matter is, you are engaged in marketing -- and its subset, sales.

And, frankly, lucky you! Because marketing (subset: sales) is a exhaustively- researched field and richly supports untold global industries. When you understand the principles and science of marketing, you will do very, very well in fundraising. And if you don't understand them? Good luck.

Let's get back to your annual report.

What is the function of a charity's annual report? Well, from a marketing standpoint, its chief function is this: to show (not tell; long prose mostly won't get read) your investors (i.e., your donors) how much they (not you) have accomplished during the past year, by trusting you with their support.

Click here to read the full article.

Katy Spicer
Associate Director of Marketing

Resources for the Small Development Office

2011-04-11T08:58:00.000-07:00

Let’s face it, most Development Directors are a department of one, maybe two if you are lucky. With responsibilities for fundraising, grantwriting, event planning, relationship building, marketing, public relations, awareness raising, donor acknowledgements, record keeping, volunteer management and the ever popular “and other duties as assigned” which can range from trash patrol in the parking lot to cleaning out the storage closet, we LDDs (Lone Development Directors) need to make sure we have the tools necessary to maximize our time and resources.

I have come to rely more and more on resources I can find on the internet, because I will be honest – a great deal of my professional development reading is via my smart phone while I am trudging away on the treadmill – you know maximizing my time by multitasking! Here are my top six resources for an LDD:

Pamela Grow – www.pamelagrow.com. You can also find her on Facebook with Simple Development Systems and on Twitter as @pamelagrow. Author, coach, copy-writer, nonprofit marketing consultant and political junkie, Pamela is the author of “Five Days to Foundation Grants” and the creator of Simple Development Systems, the only online coaching program created for the overwhelmed fundraiser in the one-person marketing and development shop. Sign up for her free newsletter The Grow Report. She’s the founder of #smNPchat on Twitter – the only Twitter chat geared specifically to the small nonprofit development shop. That chat takes place every other Friday at 11:00 a.m. CDT. She is insightful, succinct and a resource you should not miss.

Wild Woman Fundraising – www.wildwomanfundraising.com. This is what Mazarine Treyz says about her blog: This blog is about helping you succeed with your cause, whether you’re fundraising, marketing, running an event, or standing up to the office bully. I created this blog to give you a chance to talk about what your deepest hopes and deepest fears are around fundraising and working in the nonprofit world. Again, I follow her on Twitter at @wildwomanfund.

Gail Perry – www.gailperry.com. Fired Up Fundraising. Gail has some wonderful free fundraising tools available on her website. She can be found on Twitter at @GailPerryNc and on Facebook at Fired Up Fundraising.

Sandy Rees – www.getfullyfunded.com. Sandy has some great forms that are free, but you need to sign up for them. Included are: Monthly Development Checklist and a Summary Calendar Template. Sandy can be found on Twitter at @SandyRees and on Facebook at NonProfit Fundraising - The Get Fully Funded Way.

Christopher Davenport – www.501videos.com. Having a new video about fundraising delivered to your inbox every Monday morning – simple. The information you learn – priceless.

Tom Ahern – www.aherncomm.com. The granddaddy of them all. Tom Ahern is often described as "one of the world's leading authorities" on how to speak properly -- and profitably -- to donors. Subscribe to his free newsletter via his webpage.

Every day, through Twitter, I am privy to some of the best information about fundraising there is, courtesy of the people listed above and others. I encourage each of you to set up a Twitter account if only to give you easy access to resources that will enhance your ability to do your job well. You don’t ever have to issue a single tweet, just read and glean from others. Of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t encourage you to also follow Hope Cottage on Twitter at @LeslieatHope! Here is my list of some of my favorite nonprofit and fundraising “Tweeple”. If you have questions, pop me an e-mail at lclay@hopecottage.org:

@pamelagrow @wildwomanfund @GailPerryNC @SandyRees @Nonprofit_Mo @npquarterly @GordonJayFrost @Gregallbright @fdncenter @101fundraising @cnmdallas @marcapitman @rosettathurman @HildyGottleib @PublicityHound @HeidiEKMassey @maddiegrant @mcahalane @FundraisingNews @rjleaman @askdebra @cargillcreative @stevenetwork @change4aDollar @LinkedInQueen.

Leslie Clay

Chief Development Officer

Hope Cottage Pregnancy and Adoption Center

Whose Universe Are You Living In?

2011-04-08T13:37:00.000-07:00

In an interview I recently read, the question was asked “do great writers have to build their own universe?” and part of the answer was “I think it's less that you build your own universe, and more that you expand to meet the universe around you in all its weird and wonderful aspects.”

It made me think about nonprofits and how many of us spend time building our own universe, particularly the one that makes us the most comfortable, when we should spend more time in the “weird and wonderful”.

It is easy to do the easy things, it can be scary to step outside your comfort zone and meet the world, because the world ~~can be~~ is a scary place. There are people out there who don’t look, act or think like you. But they are some of the most wonderful people you will ever meet, who will challenge the way you think and look at the world. And hopefully you will challenge them too. What fun would life be if everything stayed the same all the time?

So this week, step out of your comfort zone and go see what the “weird and wonderful” world has to offer you and what you can offer it.

   - Start a blog
   - Volunteer
   - Take a class, learn something new
   - What can you think of?

Joel Rothermel
Assistant Director of Education

Write GREAT Grants

2011-04-05T12:54:00.000-07:00

When I first started writing grants, I remember struggling with – “what are they looking for?” and “how can I write the grant in a way that put our agency in the best light?” I was fortunate to have landed in one of the Center for Nonprofit Management’s Grantseeking classes which taught me the basics. Then, I just learned by experience – trial and error and getting feedback on each of the grants I wrote.

Now, after countless grants submitted and serving as a peer reviewer at the state and federal level, I work with agencies to help them unlock the secrets to not just a good grant, but a GREAT grant.

I’m excited this year to be partnering with the City of Dallas and the Center for Nonprofit Management on a series of classes to help all their existing and prospective grantees:

1) know what to expect when the 2011 City of Dallas grants are released;
2) navigate the City of Dallas’ process for submission; and
3) write a grant that showcases your agency’s programs.

This FREE session is offered on the following dates:

Wednesday, April 27, 8 am to 12 pm
Tuesday, May 3, 1 to 5 pm
Wednesday, May 4, 1 to 5 pm
Thursday, May 5, 8 am to 12 pm

In addition to this training, attendees will also receive a voucher to attend follow-up sessions either on Project Management, Grantwriting, or Outcome Measurement. While the first training will cover all of these areas in some detail, the follow-up sessions will give you the details you need to write a GREAT grant.

So, if have the same questions as I did, these classes are perfect for you. Come join us for a worthwhile and productive training series that will not only help you with your City grants, but all of your grants moving forward.

Suzanne N. Smith
Social Impact Architects
CNM Instructor and Consultant

A Bird in the Hand is Worth Two in the Bush

2011-04-04T13:39:00.000-07:00

We’ve all heard the stories of the little old lady who sent $25 to her favorite charity every year, only to leave them $1 million gift upon her death. But have we heard the story of the donor who stopped sending $25 a year because she was never thanked? Or because she didn’t feel her gift was making a difference?

It is well understood that it takes ten times the amount of time and money to get a new donor as to keep an old donor. That, given the state and federal budget crisis, means focusing on donor loyalty is essential to remain viable in this market place.

But, how do you do so?

By building relationships.

Take the time to answer these three questions and you will be well on your way to building a development plan focused on donor loyalty.

Who are your donors? Take time as a staff and board to identify your donors—by name for major donors, and by category for those that give small gifts. Use your database to learn who is giving every year and who is a lapsed donor. Having this information is vital to maintaining strong relationships.
How and why they give? Now that you know who your donors are, get to know them! Understand why they give to your organization. Learn who else they support. Gauge where they rank the issues your organization deals with. Meet individually with major donors, and if you can, collectively with smaller donors.
What do your donors want from you? Understanding why your donors give is great. Learning what they would like from you is equally important so that you can deepen your ties with them.

Use this information to create meaningful tactics to reach your current donors. Tell them stories of how their gifts are hard at work. Thank them. Again and again, thank them.

Building relationships with donors takes time and energy. Make the effort to keep your donors happy so that they will continue to support you in good times and in bad.

Laura Wooten
Wooten Communications
CNM Marketing and Fundraising Consultant

Citi and CNM… A Winning Partnership!

2011-03-29T12:06:00.000-07:00

For more than 15 years (over half the Center’s lifespan), Citi has been a wonderful ally and advocate for the Center. Again and again, Citi has invested in our work to bring best practices and state of the art tools to the North Texas nonprofit community to help expand financial inclusion and economic empowerment.

Citi is committed to achieving economic empowerment and growth for underserved individuals, families and communities by expanding access to financial products and services, building sustainable business solutions and developing innovative partnerships.

Last year, we received a $50,000 grant from the Citi Foundation to help fund the operation of our new American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Loan Fund. Through the Fund, nonprofits that received federal stimulus money have access to working capital to launch programs that provide access to housing, education, increased unemployment benefits and new job opportunities.

We are proud to share that the ARRA Loan Fund partnership has been highlighted on Citi’s new, interactive Community Development @ Citi website.

To view the full story, please visit http://citicommunitydevelopment.com/citi/citizen/community/community
_initiatives.html?article=66&?utm_campaign=20110321PartnerOutreachCNMTX

Be sure to check out Citi’s innovative initiatives that are also highlighted on the site. Thank you, Citi, for your partnership, leadership and innovation on behalf of our communities!

Sara L. Kite
Vice President of Development

Making Social Media Work: A Talk With Hope Cottage’ s Leslie Clay

2011-03-25T10:23:00.000-07:00

Editors Note: Join me, Greg Allbright for a discussion about successful nonprofit social media efforts at our 501 club, April 6th, 7:30am, at Its A Grind. Bring your success stories and questions for the group discussion.

Given the challenges presented by the current economic downturn, awareness for non-profits and not-for-profits is more important than ever. Leslie Clay, Chief Development Officer for Hope Cottage, uses social media to promote the brand she has created for Dallas' oldest nonprofit, nonsectarian adoption agency.

Hope Cottage has Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube accounts, and a blog to engage and inform their supporters and donors. Leslie is particularly active on her blog and Twitter, which is how I became aware of her. After seeing the work she has done via social media, I wanted to hear more about her efforts. We sat down recently and the following is a portion of our conversation.

So Leslie, what are the goals of your social media efforts?
Leslie Clay: Relationships and awareness. You can bring in money when you
have relationships established and awareness raised. People have to know
you and know what you do, before they give the organization money. The
relationships you establish are important because they have friends and
family as well. They may not be able to donate but may know other people
who can.

Have you seen any tangible results from your efforts?
Leslie Clay: Our golf tournament revenue tripled last year when compared to the previous year and we attribute a large portion of that increase to our social networking. Also, one of the Hope Cottage Twitter followers who recommend nonprofits to follow tweeted out to his list that they should follow Hope Cottage as well and we saw a measurable jump in followers as a result. Just like in networking, you give before you get, and the same is true in social media. You should give with no expectation of getting.

How do you know what to write?
Leslie Clay: Jump in and start doing it. Know your audience and decide what
should you be talking to them about? For example, Thursday is resource day
for parents on our blog. Whether they are adopting or not, the purpose is
to be a resource to all parents. The content for that blog comes from the
people we follow on Twitter who share parent-related information or ideas
that will be researched further and made into blogs.

Last November was Adoption Awareness month. We tweeted out the name of a famous adopted person and the name of a famous adoptive parent. It’s a small but very informative and powerful way of getting our message out. On YouTube we are addressing common adoption questions such as "Why is it so expensive", "Why is so much parent training required". We have staff interviewed to answer some of these questions and share stories from families who have adopted.

How much time do you spend doing this?
Leslie Clay: I will state upfront that both of my children are out of the
house and my husband works 24/7 just like me. That said, I spend up
to two hours a night on writing the blog, and updating Twitter and
Facebook.

That sounds like a lot! How do you save time using social media?
Leslie Clay: I use Hootsuite to schedule many of my tweets in advance since
you can set the date and time a tweet is posted. I only check Twitter once
a day and can see everything from the day all at one time. I write many
blog posts at a time and schedule them to post at different times throughout
the week and month.

For more information about Hope Cottage and to follow their social media efforts click on the links below.

http://www.hopecottage.org/
http://www.hopecottagepregnancyandadoptioncenter.blogspot.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/HopeCottageFamily
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#%21/pages/Hope-Cottage/139033456135040
http://twitter.com/LeslieatHope

Greg Allbright
CEO/Digital Marketing Director
ChangeDFW.org

Mrs. Sprat Never Worked in Nonprofit

2011-03-21T08:04:00.001-07:00

“Jack Sprat could eat no fat. His wife could eat no lean.” Clearly Mrs. Sprat never worked for a nonprofit! We live, breath and eat lean! And with the coming legislative cuts; the promise of even leaner times are ahead.

The state is experiencing an unprecedented budget shortfall, and one of the solutions to eliminate the deficit is to cut spending significantly. In past years, government budget cutters have looked to the nonprofit sector to fill the gaps left where government has withdrawn programs and funding, and given these uncertain economic times, how will you prepare your organization to navigate these challenges?

We can take a lesson from our old friends the Sprats… “And so between them both, you see, they licked the platter clean.” Jack and his wife (like any good married couple) understood the value of collaboration and partnership. If you are going to survive in the nonprofit world of today, you need to embrace this concept. Think beyond the boundaries of your walls – who are the natural partners in your cause? How do you combine resources to stretch beyond your means and serve your mission? What do you do better than any other organization? What is your Achilles heel? What organizations can fill the gap so you don’t have to try and be all things?

I recently had a conversation with someone who was doing just that; asking all the right questions to find a new way to make a way. The path is no longer straight or paved, but it is most definitely a path we can travel together. Jack Sprat could eat no fat. His wife could eat no lean. And so between them both, you see, they partnered and collaborated and forged new paths unseen!

Stacey Bruenning
Director of Education

Rainy Day Fund

2011-03-18T08:32:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

All of us have been sitting on the edges of our seats regarding the impact that state funding cuts could have on service delivery in the North Texas area and around Texas. You have advocated, and some have lobbied, with State Legislators to encourage the Governor to use the rainy day funds to decrease the negative impact of cuts for services that are critical to our community. Well, it worked. The Governor has recently relented and agreed to use some of the Rainy Day Funds to soften the blow.

Read this letter from the President of Dallas Regional Chamber for details: http://tinyurl.com/479g3mf

The message here is that advocating for what we believe in is an important and impactful way for having our voices heard. It also serves to move our legislators and officials to take actions that support our work in the nonprofit sector which is all about being there to support the people in our communities who need and deserve our help.

Let’s keep it up!

Cynthia B. Nunn
President

Nonprofit Compensation: What's Fair?

2011-03-11T08:58:00.000-08:00

Hello Nonprofit Friends,

I was reading through an article from the National Council of Nonprofits and thought you might be interested in it. It speaks about the board's role in executive compensation: the process and the policy. It is an easy read with helpful links. I especially appreciated the focus on paying nonprofit employees 'fairly and reasonably.' And, if you do not have a written policy for board approval of compensation, this just might be your ticket.

Nonprofit Compensation: What is too much? …and who decides?
Posted: March 10, 2011

Are you tired of hearing, "That nonprofit pays its employees too much!" If every nonprofit board followed IRS guidance on setting the compensation of its key staff leaders, perhaps we wouldn’t hear that refrain as often. So board members, please do your part by embracing your role as defenders of the nonprofit sector’s right to pay its employees reasonably and fairly. Help us change the conversation from, "What compensation is excessive?" to "What compensation levels will help our organization build its capacity by hiring and retaining terrific staff?"

First, know the process for reviewing the annual compensation of the executive director. Second, be aware of the downside of NOT engaging in an annual compensation review. (Bad press, lack of donor confidence, and potentially IRS penalties….need we say more?)

Background: Under federal law, a charity may not pay more than "reasonable" compensation for services rendered. Although the Internal Revenue Code does not require charities to follow a particular process for determining the appropriate level of salary and benefits, it is clear that compensation for board members, officers, key employees (and others in a position to exercise substantial influence over the affairs of the nonprofit) should be determined by persons who are informed about what comparable nonprofits pay their employees, and who have no financial interest themselves in approving the compensation. (Source: IRS, Governance and Related Topics - 501(c)(3) Organizations 3-4 (2008)). These are the general guidelines offered by the IRS – but the IRS Form 990 offers specifics.

Read the full article at: http://tinyurl.com/4e5ggg5.
Source: National Council of Nonprofits

Cynthia B. Nunn
President

Networking done right

2011-03-03T13:00:00.000-08:00

At 501 (c)offee club yesterday morning (a free monthly networking session aimed at nonprofit staff, board and volunteers), the discussion was centered on effective networking. As nonprofiteers, sometimes the temptation is to view networking in terms of what we can gain from it. We want to size people up immediately to see whether they could be our next volunteer, advocate or million dollar donor. If we don't see potential then we’re inclined to move on quickly.

This ‘meat market’ approach is entirely the wrong way to network! Instead of thinking about what others can do for us and our organization, we should be thinking about what we can do for others. Cheesy but true.

This made me think of a recent blog entry by Leo Notenboom, calling for a change of terminology in the nonprofit world.

I Am Not A Prospect

Don’t get me wrong. I could very well be a potential supporter of your organization. Maybe even an ardent one. Heck, I may eventually someday become a financial supporter. But, please don’t call me a prospect.

In fact, it would be best if you didn’t even use the word privately. Simply avoiding a term doesn’t change the way you think about it; you need to change your thinking as well. To me, the word “prospect” minimizes my potential contribution to your organization by narrowing it to a single concern. It implies a one-dimensional relationship that, at its worst, just involves the “prospect” of a donation.

I realize that you may work in the fundraising arm of your organization and, from your point-of-view, that prospective donation might be your most important concern. But, to be honest, it’s not mine. And I’m the person you want to engage. Each time I read the term “prospect” in non-profit-related literature, I wince a little… and feel somewhat objectified. I am more than my wallet. Much more.

To read the entire entry, click here.

Katy Spicer
Associate Director of Marketing

Impending budget cuts

2011-02-25T10:06:00.000-08:00

The state is experiencing a significant shortfall that could involve dramatically cutting spending, raising state taxes and user fees or introducing new revenue sources such as legalized gambling, or raid the state’s “rainy day fund” now in reserve. The proposed House budget includes a “cuts-only” strategy with a 27% cut to state programs and services.

This related article posted by The Chronicle of Philanthropy is worth a read: http://tinyurl.com/4spd5fa.

In the past, government has looked to the nonprofit sector to fill the gaps left where government has withdrawn programs and funding. This may not be a realistic alternative for many nonprofits given the uncertain economic times we have faced for the past few years.

So what do we do? Many of you have already begun conversing with state legislators as have our public policy partners in the field. I wanted to add my voice to the conversation and urge you to tell your stories so that those in a position to make funding decisions will know the impact those decision will make on the nonprofit sector. We are all in this together!

Cynthia B. Nunn
President

Drum roll please

2011-02-25T09:58:00.000-08:00

We finally bit the bullet and did it – We started a blog!! In the coming months expect to hear from a bevy of the Center’s staff and consultants who will bring helpful insights and news from the nonprofit sector.

We also welcome your input. Feel free to put the comments section to good use and let us know what you think. Monologues can get boring pretty quickly.

So without further ado… We hereby unveil the official CNM blog!

Katy Spicer
Associate Director of Marketing