tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69955125087405566722024-03-13T05:58:47.901-07:00Mid Shore FundraisingUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6995512508740556672.post-60709635885439926672013-10-20T10:50:00.001-07:002013-10-20T10:50:55.925-07:00Social Networking and the Non Profit World: Be There or Be Square.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">This blog is sure to bring a few snickers from some of my associates. I really was the anti-social media person for quite some time. Truth be told, I just didn't get it. I had a website. Didn't that make me "with it"? Didn't everyone see the beautiful pictures, links and content that made me so proud of my world wide web contribution? Nonetheless, after years of fighting against the cyber revolution I've realized: I was the last human being still not involved with social media and still using Windows XP.</span> </div>
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The first thing I had to understand about social media is that it's free and easy. But, like others of you - I was a skeptic. I also didn't understand what having a page on Facebook could do that my website couldn't. It just seemed like one more thing I had to monitor and update. And, guess what? It is! Of course it requires work. But, it is worth it. With Facebook - I could reach out to people - share my thoughts whenever I wanted. And, I could share my clients' successes with all of my followers with just a few key strokes. If I update my website- I can go on Facebook and let people know to come check it out. </div>
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Now, I am by no means a major player in the Social Networking world - but I get it. And your organization should too. Social Networking has changed the landscape for corporations, politicians, individuals and of course - non-profit organizations. It can assist with building a constituency, public relations, stewardship, and more. Now, before I sound like a commercial for Facebook - let me just say there are many other great social networking sites as well. Open up your mind to it, as I had to do, and you will find plenty. </div>
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Here are some serious pros to utilizing social networking:</div>
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1. Messaging goes to an audience that self-selects an interest in your organization.</div>
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2. You are instantly able to share news or events as many times as you wish.</div>
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3. You can list and highlight new donors.</div>
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4. There are plenty of work-from-home folks that would be happy to get you set-up at a reasonable fee.</div>
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5. And, most importantly, $22.4 billion was given to non-profits over the internet in 2011!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00567632068438916069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6995512508740556672.post-7911203731909807422013-08-13T18:30:00.001-07:002013-08-27T14:01:04.304-07:00Engaging Your Board For Effective Management And Oversight<div class="yui_3_7_2_45_1376443401068_81" id="yui_3_7_2_45_1376443401068_136" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
<i id="yui_3_7_2_45_1376443401068_110"><span id="yui_3_7_2_45_1376443401068_109" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;"></span></i><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 24px;"></span><span style="font-size: small;">Much of the subject matter of my previous posts has been
about Board recruitment, development and responsibilities. Here is where I tell you flat out and in no
uncertain terms, where a board can overstep its power and in the most well
meaning way – impede the organization from meeting its mission.
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<span style="font-size: small;">First, I need to talk about leadership. The Board is the governing
body of an organization. They establish
the mission and guidelines. They
recruit, hire and train the executive director. And then, (<i>here’s the hard part folks) </i>they TRUST the executive director to
handle and lead the daily operations of the organization. A board cannot be an effective board if they
get involved in every personnel issue,
marketing and communication pieces, or even each program that is developed. Ever hear the expression, “too many cooks in
the kitchen”?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Think of the board as the heart of the organization. The board sets the tone and rhythm for the
executive director to execute its directives. They help with many tasks – including fund
development, program development, finance, etc.
The board should focus on the big picture and the board members should
focus where their personal talents and skills can most benefit the
organization. At any given time, a board
member can be called on to assist in the writing of a marketing piece, help
with a grant proposal or even offer advice on daily management. Now, here’s the but – BUT, an effective board
with an effective executive director knows that it is not a good use of time or
resources if the ED is not empowered to make decisions and act on those
decisions when necessary.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">At
times there can be a temptation for the president or executive director
to rely too heavily on the board as a whole to review printed materials,
critique solicitation letters and approve stewardship correspondence.
There is a
natural inclination to do so, especially when the organization is new
and the
board is in its formative stages. Yet it
is incredibly inefficient in trying to simply get things done. I know of
one
president who had her entire board review, edit and otherwise re-write
each of
three solicitation letters. To say this "gummed up the works" is an
understatement. In addition, the Rule of Thirds came into play: one
third read
and commented on the letter, one third reviewed it and had no comments
whatsoever and the remaining third never remembered seeing it. Needless to say, it wasn't the most effective use of anyone's time.</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00567632068438916069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6995512508740556672.post-75478309548066246242013-01-02T18:07:00.000-08:002013-01-02T18:07:54.980-08:00Board Responsibilities<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In a previous blog, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Board Basics</i>, I mentioned the following:
“An active and involved board of directors is the most critically
important commodity to the success of a non-profit organization. It
is the Board’s responsibility to ensure that the organization keeps the
promises outlined in the agency’s mission and for assuring that the agency is
accountable for acting within the laws governing the operations of non-profit
corporations. Basically, a Board of Directors can make or break an organization.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This was more about how important a
board IS. Here I talk about what a board DOES.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is imperative that every organization have
clearly defined responsibilities that are shared with each board member at the
beginning and during his/her term.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A dangerous
habit many organizations get into is failing to share this information until a
time of conflict.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A good method of practice is to have each board member
sign a member agreement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many
organizations offer free sample board member agreements.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A simple internet search will help you find a
wide variety of these documents and select the one that is the most relevant to
your organization.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In addition to any specific duties as assigned by an
institution's charter, there are many areas where Board members are often
called upon to become involved. What follows is an attempt to present broad
guidelines for board members, to be refined and defined by the individual
non-profit.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">1) Be active in the achievement of the organization’s
mission and goals.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">2) Attend a specified percentage of board and committee
(if applicable) meetings. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">2) Support the chief administrative officer by allowing
them the latitude to operate the institution and pursue its mission without
undue interference.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">3) Board members should avoid becoming involved with
personnel issues other than the hiring or dismissal of the chief administrative
officer.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">4) Be informed and help influence the creation of the
institution's mission and policies.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">5) Prepare for meetings by reading and researching in
advance agenda, policy issues or related issues.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">6) Refrain from making special requests of the staff
especially without consulting the chief administrative officer.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">7) Make a personal financial commitment commensurate with
one's means. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">8) Assist in keeping the board viable by making
suggestions and nominations for new members.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">9) Actively participate in 1 or more fundraising
activities.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">11) Provide financial oversight.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">12) Ensure integrity both legally and ethically.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I can’t stress enough the importance of defining roles
and responsibilities for each board member.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In my experience, the most challenging thing a staff member or volunteer
experiences in their non-profit career is a board that hasn’t taken the time to
map out its goals and role in achieving them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This creates hurdles that are unnecessary and wastes valuable time and
other resources that could otherwise be utilized to help the organization
further its mission.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00567632068438916069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6995512508740556672.post-17567143499164038422012-09-01T11:09:00.002-07:002012-09-01T11:09:46.025-07:00Should your organization contract with a professional grant writer?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There
really is no one size fits all answer to this question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have to evaluate your organization’s
situation, the grant writer’s skill (and fees) and the possibility of return on
your investment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Here
are a few pros and cons to using an outside grant writer:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Pros:</span></div>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><u><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Expertise.</span></u><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Generally speaking, grant writers
understand the process and can help guide you through it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They can research for the funding, write
the grant and often help with the follow-up required to tie up any loose
ends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are a smaller
organization, you might not be able to hire someone full-time with this
level of expertise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hiring a
contractor in this case would make sense.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><u><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Flexibility.</span></u><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Using a contractor allows you to decide
if you are content with the work they are completing on your behalf and if
you are not, to discontinue the relationship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This isn’t always as easy with an
employee.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><u><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Focus.</span></u><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A grant writer that charges by the hour
wouldn’t stay in business long if they were “goofing off” on company
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cons:</span></div>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><u><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Institutional
Knowledge.</span></u><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> An outsider will not have the advantage of seeing the
day to day operation and might not always understand those special nuggets
that make your organization unique.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><u><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Priority.</span></u><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most grant writers will take on only
what they can handle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You want to
make sure that you are working with someone who has the time to give your
organization and its needs the appropriate amount of attention.</span></li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As
with any line item on your budget, you want to make sure you are utilizing your
organization’s resources wisely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grants
can be a very large component of your income and must be treated with great
attention to detail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00567632068438916069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6995512508740556672.post-68416760810634853652012-08-27T18:04:00.001-07:002012-08-27T18:04:20.451-07:00Paying a fund-raiser a percentage of the income… a big bad no!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
Okay, so the heading gives it all away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So why bother writing an entire blog about
it? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because as time goes on this is one
of those topics that everyone (well intending) will bring up at some
point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can you pay your fund raiser a
percentage of the income they generate?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Simply
put: No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In all actuality, the State of
Maryland prohibits registered fund raising consultants from accepting this type
of payment arrangement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Additionally, it
is<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6995512508740556672" name="_GoBack"></a> unethical for many reasons.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
Development staff (whether full-time or on contract) spend
their time developing relationships and strategies that are intended to benefit
an organization for years to come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
donors that make donations to these organizations, do so in good faith that the
funds they provide will help greater the mission of the organization.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When utilizing development professionals, the
organization must make this cost a part of their operating budget.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
I believe the The Association of Fundraising Professionals
(AFP) handled this topic best when it made the following statements in a 1992
position paper on the topic:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal;">
“The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP)
believes that individuals serving a charity for compensation must accept the principle
that charitable purpose, not self-gain, is paramount. If this principle is
violated and percentage compensation is accepted:</div>
<ol start="1" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;">Charitable
mission can become secondary to self-gain.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;">Donor
trust can be unalterably damaged.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;">There is
incentive for self-dealing to prevail over donors’ best interests.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;">In
addition, percentage-based compensation, however administered, can produce
reward without merit.</li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal;">
AFP holds that percentage-based compensation encourages
abuses, imperils the integrity of the voluntary sector, and undermines the very
philanthropic values on which it is based. AFP is restoring to its Code of
Ethical Principles a statement that prohibits members from working for
percentage compensation or accepting finder’s fees."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal;">
Unfortunately, in these stressful economic times,
organizations must do everything in their power to stretch their budgets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, having worked in the non-profit sector
for as long as I have, I understand the necessity in being efficient and prudent
in utilizing operating funds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is
why I also encourage organizations to examine their development staff and
programs as a whole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Using both a bird’s
eye perspective to gauge overall success, in addition to utilizing the same
methods that you would to determine salaries for all other staff and contract
positions – are the only ways to ethically measure appropriate compensation for
your fund-raiser.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00567632068438916069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6995512508740556672.post-15264251100106297142012-07-25T16:03:00.001-07:002012-07-30T17:14:14.349-07:00Board Basics<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
I would like to say ‘Board Development’ has <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">become</i> a hot topic with non-profits, but
the truth is, it has always been, and always will be, a hot topic- as it should. An active and involved board of directors is the
most critically important commodity to the success of a non-profit
organization. It is the Board’s
responsibility to ensure that the organization keeps the promises outlined in
the agency’s mission and for assuring that the agency is accountable for acting
within the laws governing the operations of non-profit corporations. Basically, a Board of Directors can make or
break an organization.</div>
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Here is a brief overview
of the key elements involved in Board Development simply described in what I
like to call, the four R’s: Recruitment,
Retention, Recognition and Rotation. </div>
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Finding the right people
to serve on your board is more of an art than a science. First, you need to recruit those that have a
passion for your mission. It is an honor
to be asked to serve on a board of directors and you want to make sure that the
people you invite have a strong commitment to what your agency is trying to
accomplish. Second, a good board member must
have the means to give to the organization in a significant way. By this, I do not only mean financially. Giving of one’s time, treasure, or talent are
all ways of making a significant impact on an organization. There are many other characteristics to a
‘perfect’ board member, but ultimately a passion for the mission and the means
to give (in some fashion) would be the most essential aspects in your search.</div>
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In terms of retention,
board members must be trained and given the appropriate resources to
successfully carry out their responsibilities.
Job descriptions, meeting agendas, calendars, minutes, governance rules
and policies are just some of the basic tools that must be provided to each
board member. Additionally, updates on
the organization’s successes and areas of concern should be shared
regularly. A steady stream of
communication between the agency and its governing board is imperative to its
success. Consider your board your
mouthpiece in the community. If you
share, they share. It’s everyone’s job
in a non-profit organization to ensure that the board of directors is readily
prepared to communicate the mission, the success and the challenges that the
organization faces.</div>
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As with any type of
volunteer position, recognition should never be overlooked. Remember the Robert Fulghum book, “All I Really
Need To Know I learned In Kindergarten”?
We all know we are supposed to say thank you when someone helps us. That’s all recognition is, saying “Thank you”
often, always, publicly and privately.
Serving on a board is a big commitment and should be appreciated. Additionally, public forms of recognition –
i.e. events, newspaper ads, etc offer a great marketing opportunity.</div>
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The final ‘R’ is often
the most difficult, especially for younger organizations. Rotating board members can be tricky, but not
if it is a concept discussed up front and often. You’ve probably heard of the famous saying
from Henry Ford, “If you always do what you have always done then you will
always get what you‘ve always got.”
Rotating board members, both on and off, allows the organization an
opportunity to grow with new perspectives and experience levels – while
maintaining some of its unique traditions.
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I have had the honor of
working with various types of boards and I have found if you really pay close
attention to the four ‘R’s you have a great road map for success. </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00567632068438916069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6995512508740556672.post-72879750902567623242012-07-16T10:21:00.000-07:002012-07-16T10:21:58.991-07:00Fund Raising vs. Development<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After more than 40 years working directly for non-profit organizations, I recently made the decision to become a consultant. Being a consultant offers me the unique opportunity to work with many organizations, sharing my experience and expertise. I get to offer an outside voice to organizations of varying size, age and missions. This rewarding experience suits my desire to enhance our local non-profit community. It also has presented me with some interesting and unexpected challenges. Through this blog, I hope to share my insights along the way. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Working in development for as long as I have, my primary challenge was somewhat unexpected. Clarifying the difference between “fund raising” and “development” is so important and something I took for granted was inherent in every organization. However, as I continue to explore our local organizations, I realize it makes sense to help make this distinction more clear. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Simply put fund raising is one part of the broader term development. Your typical fund raisers have short term goals to bring in revenue immediately to an organization. Development, on the other hand, involves many strategies to successfully fund organizations’ missions for the long-term. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A commitment to purely fund raising is not always detrimental. It can be appropriate when an organization is committed to a cause that has a clear beginning and end to its needs. For example, funding a budget for a summer camp for one summer for a group of at risk youth might require a one- time fund raiser. On the other hand, using sound development strategies that same camp can operate and serve thousands of children for many years. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Development could include any or all of the following: </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* Prospecting </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* Marketing </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* Research </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* Goals and Objectives </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* Creating a strategic plan </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* Annual </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* Planned </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* Grant Writing </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* Direct Mail </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* Special Events </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Understanding this distinction is extremely important as each of our community organizations determines their individual futures. Long term sustainability is only achievable with a commitment on the part of all those involved to move away from purely fund raising and onto a development strategy that encourages the right donors to make the right type of philanthropic investment at the right time. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comEaston, MD 21601, USA38.7742826 -76.076330538.7247656 -76.1552945 38.8237996 -75.9973665