Month: December 2011

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Applying for The CFC — National & International Nonprofits

members-of-a-charity-organization.

The Combined Federal Campaign for the 2012 solicitation season begins on September 1, 2012 and runs through December 15, 2012.

For national and international charities, regardless of whether they are members of a federation or an independent charity, the deadline for all application materials is Tuesday, January 17, 2012 by 5pm (EST) and applications later than that will not be accepted.

The complete application is available on the opm.gov/cfc website, but in general this is some of the information that is required:
 •  IRS 501(c)(3) Determination Letter
 •  IRS Form 990 (accrual method of accounting only)
 •  Financial Audit prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles
    (GAAP) and Generally Accepted Auditing Standards (GAAS) (must be for same fiscal
    period as IRS Form 990).
 •  Detailed Description of Services for 15 or more states or 1 foreign country for national
    and international charities.
 •  Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation
 •  Listing of Board of Directors
 •  25 word description of services

It’s important to recognize that there are two very distinct and different processes with the CFC: the application process and the actual CFC campaign process. And different people may be needed for each process. For example, since your non-profit financials and IRS 990 form are required for the application process, you will need the person who handles your finances as part of the application procedure, while they are not critical to the process during the solicitation period.

Benefits for National and International Charities
Workplace giving is the only type of non-profit fundraising that is subsidized, low-risk and high leverage. It is not “no-cost” fundraising. There are costs associated with developing the workplace-giving materials, and costs for staff time to develop and manage the process.

CFC workplace giving subsidizes your development effort in many ways, including:
 •  CFC volunteers solicit their colleagues for charitable donations to your nonprofit
    and your community.
 •  If you participate in charity fairs, locations where you get to tell your nonprofit’s story
    are provided free of charge. How many hotels will do that for free!

CFC workplace giving is low-risk fundraising:
No one can mess up a “$10,000 ask” in a workplace giving setting, where the average gift is about $175. FYI, the single largest gift that I personally saw in my federal CFC career was $6,000 to one charity. The single largest recipient of CFC funds is the American Red Cross … about $7 million annually.

CFC workplace giving is high leverage fundraising:
A 25-word description of your non-profit (that you write) will be provided to every Federal employee in the United States and at US overseas locations. What would be the cost to mail several million postcards to all Federal employees and uniformed service members?

With one application you are automatically in the more than 200 regional CFCs. If you are a small, national or international non-profit, this amount of leverage for your efforts is huge. Compare the effort required to apply to the CFC to applying for 200 grants with different application procedures, and I think you’ll see what I mean.

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During his 25-year career in the Federal sector, Bill Huddleston, The CFC Coach, served in many CFC roles. If you want to participate in the Combined Federal Campaign, maximize your nonprofit’s CFC revenues, or just ask a few questions, contact … Bill Huddleston

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Basic Guidelines for Evaluating Action Learning and Coaching Groups

employees-having-a-board-meeting

It’s very useful to conduct relevant and realistic evaluations of a group coaching or Action Learning program that is assigned to address a current, major “problem,” or priority, in life or the workplace. It’s best to even create an evaluation plan — ideally before the group(s) even get started — and to have the plan reviewed by people in charge of the priority to be addressed, sponsors (people officially assigned to manage the group program), facilitators and some group members. Be sure to specify what will be confidential during and after the evaluation.

Here’s basic guidelines about what to evaluate, what tools to use and what to present at the end of the program.

NOTE: This post addresses basic guidelines — resources for more in-depth information are provided at the end of the post.

What to Evaluate

At mid-point and at the end of the group coaching or Action Learning program, you want to evaluate at least the following five things, with input from the members and facilitator (if an external facilitator is used):
  1. Progress on the overall “problem” or priority that the group is chartered to address. So it’s good to also identify some “indicators” toward progress — some indicators that you can realistically and practically get data about.
  2. Program goals — goals about starting and running a group coaching or Action Learning program, e.g., evaluate status toward achieving a goal to “Develop a group coaching or Action Learning Coordinator job description.”
  3. Quality of facilitation process and tools so far, whether it’s an external or self-facilitated group.
  4. Quality of each meeting, including attendance, participation, and coaching/feedback process and tools among members.
  5. Quality of achievement of individual goals that each member sets for him/herself in the program.

Evaluation Methods

  1. Quick verbal rating from each member in each meeting about the quality of that meeting, including why each member selected that rating, and what he/she could have done during the meeting to have gotten a higher rating now.
  2. Questionnaires at the mid-point and end of the program, about the 5 items listed above and about the 6 items listed later on below.
  3. Then selected interviews after the questionnaires, especially about best results, worst results and recommendations from members.
  4. Optionally, case studies at the end of the program, especially about a best experience, worst experience and average/nominal experience in the program.

What to Present at the End of the Program

In the final presentation, ideally made by the group members themselves, they present on 6 things:
  1. Description of the “problem” or overall priority they addressed.
  2. Their “charter” or purpose as a group, i.e., the process they used, resources they were allocated, authority they were given, members of the set, any sponsorship from other roles in the organization, etc.
  3. The actions they took between meetings.
  4. The learnings they gleaned about the 5 items that were evaluated (listed above), and especially in terms of new knowledge, skills and perceptions — both expected and unexpected.
  5. The final effect on the “problem” they addressed.
  6. Ideally, any recommendations for future program and group activities.

What do you think?

For many related, free online resources, see the following Free Management Library’s topics:

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Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD – Authenticity Consulting, LLC – 800-971-2250
Read my blogs: Boards, Consulting and OD, and Strategic Planning.

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Performance Management: How To Do It Right

female-manager-and-colleagues-having-a-team-meeting

As a manager, it is your job to ensure that the work gets done right, on time and on budget. If not, then you must correct the situation first coaching and then with discipline.

That may seem to you a time-consuming, unpleasant task but it’s part of your responsibility as a manager. If you don’t, it sends a definite message to your good workers that poor performance is acceptable. Is that what you want? Here are some common mistakes managers make in performance management particularly in dealing with poor or unacceptable performance.

1. Ignore the problem thinking it will get better.
You are counting on peer pressure to correct sub-stand performance. This rarely works and the staff grumbles about the ineffective way the issue is being dealt with.
2. Have a group meeting.
Instead of dealing directly with the problem employee, a meeting of the work group is held and standards of performance are repeated with the hope that the problem employee will get the hint. This is a waste of time for your “A” players and the person rarely gets the hint.
3. Transfer the poor performer.
When the person applies for a job in another department, you gives the employee rave reviews about this work performance. When the transfer is made, one supervisor gives a sigh of relief and the other just sighs.
4. Delegate it.
You give the task of dealing with the poor performer to a team member. This is not fair to the “good” employee because it is not that person’s responsibility…it’s yours. Nor is it fair to the problem employee because he or she may resent getting disciplined by a fellow team member.

Here’s the right thing to do:
Make sure every position has specific requirements and if possible measurable standards. Then, when an employee is not meeting the requirements, deal with it immediately.

Here’s an example: A shipping clerk is required to process 25 shipments per day. If the employee is only processing 20 a day, the standard is not being met. You first review the job requirements. You then ask about what is preventing the person from meeting these requirements. Is additional training or resources needed? Finally together you and the person agree on a solutiion – what needs to be done to meet the job standards.

Management Success Tip:

Here are the five “T’s of effective performance management with a poor or marginal performer. 1. Target: Does the person know what’s expected? 2. Tools: Does he have the right equipment? 3. Training: Does he know how to do it? 4. Timing: Does he know when to start and finish? 5. Truth: Does he know why it is important? How well do you follow these when managing the performance of your people?

Do you want to develop your Management Smarts?

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Metrics of Meaning

colleagues-celebrating-corporate-success-together.

An old business maxim is “What gets measured gets rewarded. What gets rewarded gets repeated.” It’s worth taking some time to stop and reflect on what you are measuring in your work and life. Think of this exercise as an end-of-year inventory of your inner world, your spiritual supplies.

Items you could include in your year-end Inventory:

1. What percent of your values show up in your work every day?

2. What is your weekly average of looking for grace in challenging situations?

3. How many envelops of Care did you share?

4. How many times have you acted with integrity or demonstrated that you are trustworthy?

5. How many cartons of humility do you have? How many crates of empathy?

6. What is your weekly average of losing your patience or your temper at work?

7. How many bundles of ‘Loving the Precious Present’ did you use this year?

8. What is your ratio of self-limiting beliefs vs. abundance thoughts?

9. How many ‘Pay It Forward’ packages did you share this year?

10. How many times have you laughed with a co-worker or brought joy into your work?

As you think of your goals for the coming year, consider making some goals about how you want to be at work and who you want to be. What areas do you want to grow next year regarding your inner richness, your spiritual character, your alignment of values with your work? Create clear and specific measures for them.

When you pay attention to those things of meaning in your life, you focus more energy on it. Set your intention to measure those things that have meaning to you and monitor it regularly. Do this for the first quarter of the year and see what unfolds in your work. Feel free to share with me any wonderful shifts or manifestations that appear in your work.

May you find joy and strength expressing and experiencing the Magnificence of Who You Are!

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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.

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Linda has a new Fan Page – https://www.facebook.com/LindaJFerguson “like” this page if you want to get notices of these blog posts and other updates of Linda’s work.

Also now available– 10th Anniversary edition of “Path for Greatness: Work as Spiritual Service” is available for purchase in time for the holidays.

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10 Job Stress Tips

A-woman-tireleessly-working-on-a-task-with-a-laptop

Stress managementLife’s little hassles mount up until you say to yourself, “If one more thing goes wrong today, I’ll explode.”

Stress. Pressure. Anxiety. Tension. Whatever you call it, there is no shortage of it in today’s fast-paced workplace. Can we totally eliminate them? No. The trick is to manage the stress versus being overwhelmed by it. Here’s how:

  1. Know the enemy.
    What, exactly, is stressing you out? Is it your job? Your home life? Your relationships? Without knowing the root of the problem, you are unlikely to resolve it.
  2. Share the load.
    Delegate whenever possible. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you are the only person who can do the job right. Your coworkers and boss might start to buy into that concept as well.
  3. Get a fresh outlook.
    Whoops! I made a mistake. Okay. The world is not going to come to an end. Stress often comes from taking yourself and the job too seriously.
  4. Stop being the lone ranger.
    Share your frustrations with someone you can trust. Talk it out. Ask for advice. Accept the concern and encouragement of key people in your life.
  5. Beware of the to do list.
    First take note of all the good work you’ve accomplished and give yourself credit for it. Then look at what needs to be done and set priorities.
  6. Be a kid again…play.
     Put your job concerns aside for five minutes and concentrate on something of fun. Use your break time to work a crossword puzzle, play a quick game of Frisbee, listen to some good music, etc.. A few minutes spent playing brings renewed energy to the job.
  7. Let go.
     Recognize the difference between the things you can control and the things you cannot. Make a list of these two categories. Stop stressing about the things in your job you have no control over.
  8. Develop a tough skin.
    Try not to personalize any criticism you receive. Look at negative comments as constructive criticism that allows you to improve your work.
  9. Don’t make work your life.
    Job stress builds when our minds are constantly focused on work. Strive for balance in your life. Make time for family, friends, hobbies and, most importantly, fun.
  10. Finally, give your job the heave-ho.
    You know it’s time to quit when: You’ve tried all the appropriate channels and methods for resolving your situation, to no avail. You hate going to work every day and it’s making you sick. Your boss is intimidating, disrespectful or demeaning to you.

Career Success Tip:

Distinguish between the areas of your concern (all the things that bother you) and the areas of your influence (what you can change or control). Focus your time and energy on things that you can personally influence or change either within yourself or with others. It not only leads to less stress but also a feeling of personal empowerment. What are some things in your work world that you can influence right now? Let me know.

Do you want to develop Career Smarts?

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Can A Donor Demand That She Get Her Donation Back?

A-donor-giving-out-to-an-organization

A reader wrote: “I know of an organization where the donor gave restricted funds, i.e., funds specified for a certain program, that the nonprofit agreed to.

“The nonprofit has been giving regular reports to the donor, along with achieved outcomes, but the donor suddenly insists that she wants all of her money back.

“I’ve never encountered this before. Have you? Might you venture a suggestion?”
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The first question I’d ask would be about why … why she wants her money back, what happened … what provoked her demand.

Not knowing the answer to those questions, I’d have to respond generically:

A restricted gift must be used (only) for the purpose(s) stated-and-agreed to by the donor and the NPO prior to the gift being made; and, if the money was used for the agreed upon purposes, and the NPO provided regular reports to the donor confirming that the money was so used, I can’t imagine a “legitimate” basis for the donor demanding to have her money back.

It may not sit right for the NPO to be in this position, but my experience working with nonprofits makes me sensitive to the negative publicity an NPO could engender … that could hurt their future fundraising efforts. So, in response to your request for a suggestion, I offer the following thoughts:

  •  If the donor is a major donor, it raises the question of the potential for future donations –
     but if she’s demanding her money back now, future potential seems unlikely.
  •  If the donor has major influence in the community, it might be best (good will-wise) for the
     NPO to return the donation, if they can !!

Of course, if the above considerations don’t apply, then there’d be little motivation for the nonprofit to even consider returning the contribution.

  •  Giving in to someone who is generally perceived as an “eccentric” might set a bad
     precedent and create the image that the NPO is poorly managed.
  •  If the NPO doesn’t feel that a court case will engender the kind of negative publicity
     that will hurt them, then they should fight the case if the donor takes it to court.

If the question becomes about legal issues — i.e., if the donor wants to sue to get her money back, the court will decide if she has a case … or not.

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Have a comment or a question about starting, evaluating or expanding your fundraising program? Contact me at Hank@Major-Capital-Giving.com With over 30 years of counseling in major gifts, capital campaigns, bequest programs and the planning studies to precede these three, I’ll be pleased to answer your questions.

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What is an SOP?

Standard operating procedure text on a notepad

A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) contains a list of steps or directions to follow for accomplishing a particular task. It is a set of approved guidelines consisting of steps that have to be followed from inception to completion. Having an SOP standardizes tasks and eliminates confusion about particular tasks.

Up front, an SOP contains the same information as Business Requirements (with the Scope and Purpose) and ends with information as if you were writing Functional Specifications (Glossary, Appendix). Begin with the purpose of the document and include who authorized, approved, and formulated the SOP. (It is a good idea to include the people who will be affected in brain storming sessions when the standards are beginning to be developed.) Within the scope of the SOP for a, e.g., product, describe what the procedure entails, list any other products, departments, etc. that are involved, and the history behind it. While writing, simultaneously begin to include a section at the end for an Appendix for Company Policies as well as a Glossary section for definitions or terminology as these can become difficult to grasp depending on the industry you are writing for. Pharmaceutical, Financial, or Insurance institutions for example, have a wide range of terminology which the average person may not be familiar with.

An example of an SOP for:

  • System managers are the steps needed to perform backups, system recovery, start-up, shut-down, performance monitoring, notifications, etc.
  • Developers are the steps involved when producing an application through its complete development life cycle, creating prototypes, etc.
  • Retailers are the steps involved for handling inventory, returns, losses, layaways, etc
  • Pharmaceutical manufacturing are the steps for clinical trials, adverse effects, data collection, regulatory requirements, etc.
  • Insurance claims are the steps for policies, appraisals, reinsurance, settlements, etc.
  • Accountants are the steps involved in payroll, disbursement of funds, inventory, purchases, receipts, etc
  • Testers are the steps involved within test plans, test cases, system acceptance criteria, etc

SOP’s should also include the following:

  • People involved/affected
  • Responsibilities and consequences
  • Quality control to ensure tasks have been correctly completed
  • Check lists to ensure all tasks have been completed
  • Instructions for revising the SOP to ensure up-to-date accuracy
  • List of requirements to accomplish a task
  • Illustrations if needed
  • Table of Contents
  • Appendix
  • Glossary

Having Standard Operating Procedures eliminates guess work and helps in creating quality work. They answer questions and clarify answers. It is not easy to develop an SOP, but if you are a curious person, then you will have no problem in gathering information to create one. And always remember to write for your target audience and be concise and to the point in explanations.

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You Have to Know When to FREAK OUT

A-man-freaked-out-due-to-much-work-given-to-him

Years ago, I worked in the retail industry as a multi-unit manager. During that time, I worked with a Director of Loss Prevention that would spend hours educating supervisors and managers on preventing store loss. Some of the most important things I learned during this tenure were things I learned from him. Some of them were the common Loss Prevention Messages:

  • Only a very small percentage of shrink is external (less than 10%)
  • The majority of shrink is caused by paper or operational fails
  • Everyone is a suspect
  • Complete your audits in an irregular pattern

However, the most important message he sent, “When the store employees fail to do this one thing (insert most important loss prevention topic), FREAK OUT; but don’t FREAK OUT all the time. Only on the big stuff.”

I find myself going back to this sentiment often. It is applicable nearly daily in HR and management. The key to doing it successfully is knowing the difference between the little things and the “Freakoutables.” (yes, I made up my own word).Now, I am not suggesting ignoring the little things. If it is important enough to have a policy around it, support the policy, just don’t FREAK OUT. If it isn’t, don’t waste time creating the policy to begin with; let the grownups be grownups.

Understanding what warrant s a FREAK OUT requires that HR know the business and also requires that HR communicates the HR stuff to the business folks. The business folks can’t make good HR decisions if they don’t know why their important and HR can’t make good business decisions if they don’t know the business. So if you want to somewhere to start, start there. And STOP FREAKING OUT about everything. Who has the time or the energy?

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For more resources, See the Human Resources library.

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Sheri Mazurek is a training and human resource professional with over 16 years of management experience, and is skilled in all areas of employee management and human resource functions, with a specialty in learning and development. She is available to help you with your Human Resources and Training needs on a contract basis. For more information send an email to smazurek0615@gmail.com or visit www.sherimazurek.com. Follow me on twitter @Sherimaz.

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How to Address Others’ Fears about Program Evaluation–Creating a “Culture of Evaluation” (Part 1)

A-man-mentoring-two-young-males-in-a-hall.

Now that you:

In this post we will focus on addressing others’ fears about program evaluation. These “others” may include administrators, partners, program staff and participants. As you know, such fears can be harder to address, and there is no cure-all. But consider using a suggestion or two from this list on ways to create a culture of evaluation. Vince Hyman, former publishing director of Fieldstone Alliance discusses the concept of evaluation culture in his article “Create a Culture of Evaluation.” The following is my commentary which applies this concept to my experiences of culture and program evaluation. I am a product of multiple cultures, having picked up various aspects of cultures at different stages in my life. In my experience, culture was most effortlessly instilled in earlier stages of life but it continues to be a gradual life-long process. Some of the aspects that differentiate cultures are language, practices and ways of thinking. Let us apply this to evaluation by considering the following action steps that can help develop a culture of evaluation.

Step 1: “Talk the Talk”—Teach the Language of Evaluation

Familiarize yourself with or continue learning the language of evaluation by reading evaluation handbooks and blogs from credible sources. If you are too busy, aim for at least 5-10 minutes or a page a day. Then speak and patiently teach the language of evaluation, promoting the benefits of evaluation whenever possible. Take time to consider all those who may be resistant to evaluation: explain and define any unfamiliar evaluation-related terms, building on previous concepts and ideas that are more familiar to them.

Step 2: “Walk the Walk”—Mentor and Role-model

Mentor junior program staff. Role-model sound evaluation practices and explain evaluation logic or evaluation-related ways of thinking. This will help them in turn to adopt and promote the culture of program evaluation which will help foster sustained evaluation efforts. (I will be outlining evaluation models that promote sound evaluation practices soon). Staff and administrators’ nightmarish experiences with evaluation could very likely have been a result of poor evaluation practices.

Step 3: “Birds of a Feather”–Collaborate with Like-minded Individuals and Organizations

Ever notice how in general people of similar sub-cultures (whether based on ethnicity or shared values) tend to gravitate toward each other? An existing community helps to draw newcomers to the group as well. Do your best within reasonable limits to start by working with those who already possess an evaluation-related frame of mind. For health-related programs, an option might to hire graduates of accredited community health education programs. This ensures a background in health program evaluation and increases the likelihood of shared evaluation-related goals and values. Nurture such collaborations, for they can in turn help draw others to participate in the culture of evaluation. Have you experienced any challenges or successes with addressing others’ fears about evaluation?

Stay tuned for an important point in Part 2!

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Priya Small has extensive experience in collaborative evaluation planning, instrument design, data collection, grant writing and facilitation. Contact her at priyasusansmall@gmail.com. See her profile at http://www.linkedin.com/in/priyasmall/

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Consultant — What’s Your Natural Approach to Gathering and Processing Information?

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In a project, whether you are conducting a formal, systematic assessment or just doing a rather informal assessment, your natural approach to gathering and processing information will influence how you work. The Myers-Briggs folks provide some useful dimensions to consider. (Myers-Briggs is a registered trademark of Consulting Psychologists Press, Inc.),

Intuitive Versus Sensing Approaches to Gathering Information

There are a variety of assessment instruments that are often referenced when helping people understand their own unique styles when solving problems and making decisions, for example, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicatorâ instrument. One of the dimensions of the Myers-Briggs is “Intuitive versus Sensing,” which considers how a person gathers information. (Myers-Briggs is a registered trademark of Consulting Psychologists Press, Inc.),

Intuitive

A highly intuitive person often gathers information instinctively. They thrive on ideas and possibilities. They might seem oblivious to what is going on around them, yet they often effectively solve problems and make decisions based on surprisingly valid information. Many times, they might not even know how they did it. Some experts on leadership and management assert that highly experienced people often have developed intuition that enables them to make quick, effective decisions. A major advantage of this approach is that it can save a great deal of time. A major challenge can be how to explain their choices to others.

Sensing

These people thrive on facts and information. They are detail-oriented and accuracy is important to them. They are aware of their physical surroundings, of who is saying what. They solve problems and make decisions by considering the “data” around them. One of the major advantages of a sensing person is that their actions are often based on valid information. Thus, they are able to explain their reasoning and their actions to others. A major challenge is the time and care required for them to solve problems and make decisions.

Thinking Versus Feeling Approaches to Process Information

Another major dimension of the Myers-Briggs Indicatorâ instrument is “Thinking versus Feelings,” which considers how a person makes decisions about information.

Thinking

A thinking person often uses a highly objective, sometimes rational approach to organizing, analyzing and making decisions about information. At their extreme, they might shun consideration of emotions. The thinking person probably prefers the rational approach to problem solving as described above in this subsection. The advantage of this approach is that it often generates valid problem solving and decision-making. A major challenge can be that it might require an extensive amount of time to come to action.

Feeling

The feeling approach is used most often by individuals who are quite sensitive to their values in processing information. When people focus on their values, emotions often come into play. A major advantage of this approach is that it can help to ensure that people are happy and fulfilled in the situation – that their values have been considered during the process and are reflected in the outcome. A major challenge is that there are a variety of short-term factors that can influence a person’s emotions other than the current major problem or decision, for example, their not having had enough sleep or having eaten right.

Also see:

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Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD – Authenticity Consulting, LLC – 800-971-2250
Read my blogs: Boards, Consulting and OD, and Strategic Planning.