March 2016 – Management Library

March 30, 2016February 16, 2023

Can Two Nonprofits, With Very Different Missions, Hold A Joint Fund-Raiser?

Representatives of two nonprofits discussing about the details of their joint fundraiser

That was a question that recently found my email inbox, along with the explanation that one of those organizations has a medical focus, the other is in the arts.

My immediate thought/response was, simply, “Yes.”

You just have to be sure that both organizations have a signed agreement as to how the expenses will be paid, and by whom; and, it must be clear to event attendees how/if the funds raised will be split between the two organizations, and what that split will be.

The one “problem” you might encounter is how to acknowledge contributions to the event. Do donors get a choice which NPO they support, or what percentage of their gifts go the which org? Which organization gets the names and contact information of the ticket buyers/attendees/donors? How will the thank you note and/or receipt be worded?

Of course, if tickets are sold for the event, it must be made clear what percentage of the ticket cost is tax deductible. The IRS is very picky about that.

The best way to cover all the bases is to be totally transparent — to make it clear, up front, how the expenses are being covered and how the net is being split.

That response evoked the following:

What if the organizations do not do what you have explained above?

I simply know that someone is having a fund-raiser with two completely distinct and different non-profit organizations. One is receiving all the monies raised while the other in bringing in the “clients” to donate. None of the donors knows the way the funds are being disbursed.

They are advertising that the ticket cost is tax deductible. But they do not say if the two non-profits will both receive funds.

Should I mention something to the hosts or just not worry about my donation and tax deduction to be legit ??

The IRS makes it clear that the cost of a ticket cannot be fully deductible if the purchaser is to receive any “real” benefit. And, if the IRS learns to the contrary, both organizations could put their (c)(3)s, and their donors, in jeopardy.

To not fully inform those people who are expected to buy tickets, is to risk both organizations’ credibility/standing in the community.

It sounds like what you are describing are a couple of amateur organizations — with no professionals in the development office, and no educated board members.

The questioner then wrote that he/she has “donated a significant sum to this non-profit — worrisome indeed for us that have.

If the “board” of these non-profits will not heed any advice given, is there recourse or a way to inform the IRS of the wrongdoings of this organization? There are many abusing the non-profits for their own advantage.

My final thought: The donor is always better off donating directly to a nonprofit, instead of through a so-called fund-raiser.

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Have you heard about
The Fundraising Series of ebooks?
They’re easy to read, to the point, and inexpensive ($1.99-$4.99)
This posting is a sample of what’s in the series.

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Have a comment or a question about starting, evaluating
or expanding your fundraising program?
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We’ve been posting these pieces for the last five years,
and we welcome your questions/problems.
They are likely to engender further discussion.
Look forward to hearing from you.
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March 23, 2016February 28, 2022

Development Communications

It may get old, hearing the same thing over and over again, but it’s still worth starting a posting with a reminder that “Development” is about relationship building … with the intent that the relationships that are built will result in (financial) support for the nonprofit organization.

Development Communications function in helping to build those relationships and in maintaining them; and, the basic objective of these communications is to get your (prospective) donors to want to support you. To do that, your communications must say something that, to some degree, satisfies the needs of your (potential) donors.

Communications range from the printed, through the electronic to the verbal … and non-verbal.

Printed communications would include actual hard-copy brochures, fact sheets, envelope inserts, newsletters, personal notes, press releases, etc. And, all of those must be written not as laudatory pieces for your organization but with the focus on how people have been and are being helped, and will be helped because of the support of donors.

Your electronic communications, including your website, email, tweets, newsletters, DVDs, etc, must also be about people.

Verbal communications convey how the speaker feels about being part of “something,” being able to help, seeing the good his/her (verbal, emotional and financial) support has helped happen, feeling good about his/her relationship with the people who run the organization, make the programs happen, serve the people, and feeling good about his/her role in the process.

Non-verbal communications include a smile or a handshake … some action or body language that shows appreciation/gratitude.

Development Communications should be about people, people who have been and are being helped, and will be helped, and people whose support has made or will make a (specific) difference.

It’s not about an organization. It is about the people without whom you couldn’t do what you do … and help the people you help.

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Have a comment or a question about starting, evaluating
or expanding your fundraising program?
AskHank
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We’ve been posting these pieces for the last five years,
and we’re now at a point where, to keep this resource alive,
we need your questions/problems to engender further discussion.
Look forward to hearing from you.
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March 21, 2016February 17, 2023

How to Make a Keynote Presentation More Engaging

Today’s speakers need to do more than impart information to their listeners. With all the competition for attention, speakers like you know it is important to connect with and engage your audiences. That may be pretty easy to do with a small group or meeting, but how about when you are speaking at a forum, an all-hands meeting, or any time your audience is large?

To add engagement and connection during your next keynote, consider doing one or more of these:

Ask questions of your sponsor before you even accept the speaking assignment. Is it a good match for you? Do you have value to add for your listeners?
Talk to some of the audience members ahead of time to find out what they know and what they want to know about your topic.
Do an electronic survey of your audience if possible. Be sure your talk addresses their concerns; and let them know you heard their opinions.
Ask the audience to state their expectations early in the session or talk. They can pop up or discuss at tables. Make sure to request short responses.
Ask for a show of hands, or a vote. Getting the audience involved early is key, and raising their hands is usually pretty safe. I like to ask something that is easy to respond to first, and then ask them more sensitive questions.
Have people vote with their feet. That means they move to a certain part of the room to both show their opinions, and sometimes to have breakout discussions. It is also a visual way for you to get feedback, and the listeners get to move. It’s a win-win as long as you can maintain control and get them back in their seats when you need them to be.
Use 3×5 cards to have listeners write down their questions or opinions. You could have them give each other feedback or questions by writing on the cards. Or use different colored cards to note different opinions.
Meet and greet your audience. Set you your room before people arrive so you can attend to them as they walk in. Smile and say hello. If you have time walk around and chat with people. Maybe have a few questions in mind to ask them. Even if you don’t love small talk, this will pay dividends when you stand up to speak in front of your “new friends.”
Plan an “entry” activity, such as writing comments on a flip chart, making a name tent, or writing on a virtual whiteboard (during a webinar, for example.” Again, this early engagement sets the tone for what is to come.
Do quick introductions. I have found that even three minutes for people to introduce themselves at tables changes the energy level in a group significantly. This seems to make it easier for people to engage and share ideas and opinions.

Engage. Connect. Listen. Make your next keynote presentation stand out from the crowd.

March 20, 2016February 10, 2023

Online Reputation Lessons from VW

Red-volkswagen-beetle-car-parked-outside

Avoid repeating Volkswagen’s mistakes

Volkswagen’s crisis will go down as one of, if not the biggest auto industry scandals in history. As such it presents many lessons, ones that could save much heartache and significant expense for others.

We came across an infographic from the UK’s Woodstock Motors that did a nice job of summing up VW’s lessons relating to online reputation management, excerpted below. For those interested we’ll link the full infographic after the jump.

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For more resources, see the Free Management Library topic: Crisis Management
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[Jonathan Bernstein is president of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc., an international crisis management consultancy, author of Manager’s Guide to Crisis Management and Keeping the Wolves at Bay – Media Training. Erik Bernstein is vice president for the firm, and also editor of its newsletter, Crisis Manager]

– See more at: https://staging.management.org/blogs/crisis-management/2016/03/01/how-are-you-viewed-on-the-internet/#sthash.SAiFnIZO.dpuf

Full infographic:

March 18, 2016May 29, 2022

Who Are The Millennials and How Do They Shop?

Two females shopping through their smartphone

Insights into Millennials’ Mobile Shopping Behavior

Who Are The Millennials?

Millennials (also known as the Millennial Generation or Generation Y) are the demographic cohort following Generation X. Most observers use birth years ranging from the early 1980s to the early 2000s. Many use 1982 as the Millennials’ starting birth year and 2004 as the last birth year.

This is the biggest group since the baby boomers and they have a large influence in the marketplace for jobs, technology and shopping habits. They have grown up with technology at their fingertips and because of this they are comfortable and confident when shopping online.

Millennials LOVE to Shop Online

This group of young people have a combined purchasing power of $170 billion – so they should be seen as massive influencers in the retail space. But they don’t want to be seen as a group. The millennial are most definitely individuals. They want the companies that they buy from to treat them in that way.

By connecting with the average millennial through social media and email marketing, the organizations must respect their individuality. They want more than just somewhere to buy stuff. They want a brand that they can understand, respect and interact with on different levels.

Millennials Shop on Mobile Devices

More than a third of millennials shop on mobile devices at least once a month or more. This means that the savvy retailer has more than one way of connecting with the millennial generation. Mobile stores, social media accounts and interactive website services are an absolute must for any retailer that wants to capture a share of the millennial dollar.

You must be ready, willing and able to interact with the millennial on their terms to be able to do business with them. In fact in a recent survey, millennials ranked the use of technology as the one thing that they thought set their generation apart.

It has been cited that 83% of millennials sleep with their smartphone, so you can see that they are highly devoted to their technology! And it is here that the more successful retailers can see an opportunity and run with it.

Social Media is the Millennials’ Playground

The millennial generation are great users of social media. By having a social media account that can connect with the average millennial and give them something they can’t get elsewhere, a company can build a relationship that lasts a lifetime and brings in great rewards.

Your social media sites need to be more than just somewhere else for the millennial to see you, or buy from you. It needs to give them engaging content that appeals to them and their values. They love to see what brands their friends are following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. An amazing 47% said that someone else’s following, liking, pinning or tweeting info on social media helped introduce them to a brand. This is marketing taken right into the digital age!

How to Connect with Millennials

Millennials want to feel as though they are valued by the organization they deal with. One way of doing this is to have millennials in the workforce. The US workforce is expected to be made up of 36% millennials by the year 2025. If you have millennials working for you then they are more likely to connect with other millennials, and solve the problems that other millennials want to be solved.For more resources, see the Free Management Library topic: Marketing and Social Media.

.. _____ ..

About Lisa M. Chapman:

Lisa Chapman helps company leaders define, plan and achieve their goals, both online and offline. After 25+ years as an entrepreneur, she is now a business and marketing consultant, business planning consultant and social media consultant. Online, she works with clients to establish and enhance their online brand, attract their target market, engage them in meaningful social media conversations, and convert online traffic into revenues. Email: Lisa (at) LisaChapman (dot) com. Her book, The WebPowered Entrepreneur – A Step-by-Step Guide is available at:

March 15, 2016February 16, 2023

The Executive Director’s Role in the Development/Fundraising Process

There is an old saying in the development field, that a person soliciting a major gift can only ask for a gift equal to or less than the gift he/she has made … with three exceptions: a person of the clergy, a prominent community figure/politician and a nonprofit Executive Director (or whatever the title held by the CEO).

The Executive Director holds a unique position in a nonprofit. She must know and oversee all elements of: running the business aspects of the organization; the various programs, how well they function and who they serve; the relationships the NPO has with the community; the interactions with local, state and the national government; the relationships with the organization’s board; and, the relationships with the people whose (financial, moral, public) support makes it all possible.

Of all the people in an organization, even, often, including the board members, with whom would a prospective major/corporate/foundation donor rather have contact – the person who has the answers to the business/program/regulatory/financial questions – the ED.

Who would be the best person to speak to (potential) donors about the organization’s programs? …to explain the need for various items in the budget? … to be able to describe how much of a difference their contributions would make or have made?

Of course the ED doesn’t do it all by himself. There are others who identify likely prospects, cultivate them, create the relationship, and do the Asking. But, the ED brings a presence – a body of knowledge to the relationship, to the cultivation, to the Asking.

Having the Executive Director be part of the development process adds to the depth of the relationships. An Executive Director who won’t participate in Cultivating and Asking reduces what could be raised.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Have you heard about
The Fundraising Series of ebooks?
They’re easy to read, to the point, and inexpensive ($1.99-$4.99)

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Have a comment or a question about starting, evaluating
or expanding your fundraising program?
AskHank
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Many of these postings are based on questions/comments
from readers. Look forward to hearing from YOU.
Comments & Questions
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March 11, 2016February 17, 2023

Guest Post: The Ones That Shouldn’t Happen

[Editor’s note: This post comes to us from our colleague Rick Kelly, director of Triad Strategies’ crisis communications practice.]

By most measures, Cedar Fair is a thriving enterprise. Its share price since 2010 has nearly quadrupled, most analysts rate its stock as a “buy,” and the $1.24 billion in revenue it generated in 2015 was its sixth straight annual revenue record. As the economy strengthens, the outlook is bright as attendance is expected to increase at its 11 amusement parks, four water parks and five hotels. Its ticker symbol is FUN. In terms of advancing a mission, we’d call this kicking butt.

In late January, the company’s Allentown venue, Dorney Park, announced it was starting its summer hiring process and expected to hire more than 3,000 seasonal workers this year. Christopher Emery, a 29-year-old with special needs, expected to return for his 13^th summer of cleaning restrooms.

We’ll let the Morning Call take it from there:

Claudia Emery, of Macungie, said her son looks forward to going back to Dorney each spring and takes pride in his work. This week, she said, the family was informed that the park’s interview process was changing, and that Chris would be required to complete some tasks with other potential employees, including building things with Legos and other group activities.

At the end of the session, Claudia Emery said, she was told that Chris didn’t do well on the test and would not have a job when the park opened.

“I had to hold everything back until we got out the door,” she said. “I told Chris that he was not going to work at Dorney this season. He didn’t understand.”

Claudia Emery said she had to console her son, who was very upset about not seeing his friends at the park. One of those friends, fellow Dorney employee Matt Redline, wrote an angry post on Facebook that quickly went viral:

“I can’t express how angry and hurt I am right now!!! This is my buddy Chris. I had the pleasure of getting to know him and his family during my 10 year employment at Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom.

Redline posted a photo of Chris proudly holding a certificate praising him for 12 years of service at Dorney. Redline blasted Dorney officials in the post.

As one would expect, Facebook, the Twittersphere and other social media channels erupted, and the news articles spread internationally.

By the next morning, Dorney Park had retracted its decision and posted the following, attributed to the vice president/general manager:

“We respect, value and appreciate all of our dedicated associates. I’ve known Chris for many years, and when I became aware of this situation I requested that we immediately reach out to him and his family to let them know that we would happily welcome Chris back for a 13th season.”

Under the circumstances, the park acted just about as quickly as it could and did the right thing. It didn’t satisfy Mrs. Emery, however, who at last report said she would decline the offer in order to avoid subjecting her son to more humiliation. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police chapter and Autism Speaks said they would take their annual Dorney Park events elsewhere. There’s no telling how many others who learned of this episode have taken Dorney Park off their itineraries.

There are many events that can throw organizations into crisis – acts of nature, accidents, structural failures, actions of others, regulatory or legislative changes, and more. But the ones that sting the most are the ones that could have been avoided.

There’s nothing wrong with screening new employees for their suitability for employment, but when you launch a process that could result in turning away returning employees, that should constitute a red flag. When you turn away a returning employee with special needs, you should not only see the red flag, but smell it, hear it and taste it as well.

Every organization can benefit from someone whose radar is calibrated to identify “the worst thing that can happen.” Whether that person is an employee or a crisis management consultant, he or she should have the ability to assess potential consequences, estimate the probability of each and identify steps to mitigate or avoid the risk. The easiest way to manage a crisis is to not have it in the first place.

Will this episode prevent Cedar Fair from achieving another revenue record this year? Maybe not. But you can bet the company’s investors are not pleased about it, and neither are those whose job is to keep the investors happy.

For more information on Triad Strategies and Rick Kelly, visit TriadStrategies.com

March 9, 2016February 28, 2022

What is the Role of a Development Officer ?

A development officer chatting with their team

First, going back to the definition of “development,” it is the creation, nurturing, and maintaining relationships that (ideally) engender charitable contributions.

If that is a Development Officer’s basic role, how does that apply to the various roles that they play ??

So, let’s start with the Development Officers who function in a limited arena – and there are different titles/designations for the various functions.

The Grant Writer, doesn’t just sit and write grant proposals. S/he must interact with board and staff members to determine what programs need or may need funding – and, to be effective in that aspect of the role, there must be solid internal relationships.

The Grant Writer must then conduct research to determine which foundations have interest in and might fund the (proposed) needy programs. The next step is contacting the foundation, possibly a program officer, to determine what would have to be done to get the foundation to want to fund the program. That’s the part that involves creating and nurturing a relationship with foundation staff-and-or-board.

Whether or not a grant proposal is successful, the Grant Writer will want to maintain a relationship with the staffers/board-members of the foundation with an eye toward future funding.

A similar role to that of the Grants Writer is the Corporate Relations Officer. S/he needs to determine which Corporate Officers and/or Board Members would have an interest in the nonprofit’s programs, in supporting the organization, in being visibly associated with the organization and/or in having the corporation visibly associated with the NPO.

Again, it’s all about creating, nurturing and maintaining relationships. And, let me emphasize, the relationships are with people, not foundations or corporations.

A Director of Special Events (and this does not include so called “fund raisers) may be the expert at the behind the scenes logistics for events … working with venues and vendors; but, the people who make an event successful are those who can get others to attend/pay the ticket price, to support/contribute to the event, to lend the prestige of their social/business/political positions to getting others to want to participate/contribute/attend.

The Director of Special Events helps to create and nurture the relationships with the movers-and-shakers, without whom there would be no event.

Some organizations have a Development Officer in-charge of their Direct Mail Program; and this, too, is about relationships. It’s not about sending “junk mail” to people who wouldn’t even open the envelope. A major part of this person’s job is to identify who would respond positively to solicitation mail from his/her organization. It’s testing mailing lists; testing the content of the mailing pieces; and, testing the timing of how often people are sent a solicitation. All that is about determining who the people are that you can establish a relationship with that will result in ongoing support for the nonprofit.

And it is a relationship. Those supporters will gain great satisfaction at helping the people you help, at being part of your “family,” at getting the thank you, the recognition for helping make something happen, for being part of your “family.”

A Major Gifts Officer must (directly or indirectly) create/maintain/enhance relationships with (potential) major donors. I wont’ beat this to death, since I’ve written extensively on major gift fundraising. But, I hope, by now, you get the idea.

In closing, I’ll talk about one other role, that’s the Chief Development Officer – whether it’s a Director of Development, a VP of Advancement, or other such title, that person must have the experience/expertise gained by having served in other development roles.

This person is all about relationships; and, in the planning of the various “fundraising” programs, must ensure that all development staff, other organizational staff, board members and volunteers are educated as to the importance of relationship building, maintaining and enhancing.

Next week I hope to address the Executive Director’s role in the Development/Fundraising process.

March 8, 2016February 9, 2023

Do Competitions Help or Hinder Social Enterprises?

An-office-team-participating-in-a-team-building-competition

By Rolfe Larson and Adam Brock, Joining Vision and Action

Competitions are all the rage in the social enterprise world. From New York to San Francisco, organizations seeking to nurture emerging social entrepreneurs have decided to go all in on the pitch session, offering the winners startup funds and technical assistance. Good idea, right?

Crowd Wisdom

We’re not so sure. Looking for second opinions, we crowd-sourced this question to the npEnterprise Forum (npE), an online social enterprise forum, founded in 2001 and distributed to more than 10,000 people around the world.

Here’s what the community told us:

Too much about winners and losers?

Winning a competition can be great rush of joy and resources for an emerging SE. But what about everyone who does not win? Are they “losers,” or just not as showy? “While these events are great opportunities for entrepreneurs to perfect their pitches and get quick and dirty input on their ventures, the focus on winners and losers in a fly-by manner is not always helpful,” noted Paul Lamb.

Undermines Innovation?

Kara Penn mentioned a recent FastCompany article she and Anjali Sastry wrote. “Those of us who study innovation know that everything hinges on the hard, sometimes tedious work of taking a promising idea and making it work — technically, legally, financially, culturally, ecologically.” The article continues, “Innovation is usually a lurching journey of discovery and problem-solving. As a result, it’s an iterative, often slow-moving process that requires patience and discipline.”

That rarely happens when all the focus is on that 5-minute pitch.

Collaboration Is Better!

Many of our subscribers voiced a preference for collaboration. Aaron E-J’s opinion is that “collaboration is a way better model for development (in most cases) then competition. Whereas competition goes down to the bottom line – who can present the best instead of what actually is best – collaboration does not worry about what individual or company can dominate and instead focuses on what ideas, actions and products best suit a given need.”

Paul Lamb then suggested, “What might be more useful are collaboration events where social entrepreneurs, investors, experts, and others explore synergies and partnership opportunities.” He further notes, “In many of the SE classes I teach, entrepreneurs often discover commonalities and ways they can partner with and assist each other. In setting them up as competitors, this is much less likely to occur.”

Kevin Jones wrote in to say that “collaboration has a cost and startups sometimes or usually can’t afford it broadly but can afford it strategically as they drive toward their explicit milestones and deep goals.”

Hey, Don’t Give up on Competitions!

Hannah Pechan, Director at Social Enterprise Alliance-Nashville, counters “there’s a place for both competition and collaboration. Running a competition is a time-finite project. In contrast, fostering continued collaboration is an ongoing commitment. I agree that collaboration is important as there is, of course, more work to be done than just a single winner can accomplish.” She adds: “It’s not an either/or approach, it’s a both/and, in which competitions help to spur on a few very needed winners (and I would argue, the movement as a whole) and collaboration works to raise the tide and create more widespread progress.”

Paul Lamb gets the final word: “I’m not advocating that we get rid of competitions altogether, but that we look at other creative ways to bring our community together and help lift each other up.”

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Adam Brock and Rolfe Larson are Denver-based social enterprise advisors for Joining Vision And Action (formerly JVA Consulting). They help organizations achieve greater impact and financial sustainability, typically through market research, feasibility studies and business plans. Their new suite of affordable SE consulting products is called the Social Enterprise Navigator series.

March 3, 2016May 29, 2022

Tips For A Business Plan (Part 1)

woman writing down a plan for her business

How do you communicate a business plan? First, what is a business plan? It is a document that outlines the steps for completing a future project, a restructuring of a company, a personal project, or any future change within an organization. It will show the strategy involved in, e.g., developing the outcome of a new idea or a new venture for a company or an individual. Some business plans take a short time to execute and some take a few years, depending on the proposal and design.

Depending on the situation, some or most plans have to be approved. To get it approved, we have to ensure that it is written well. Being able to make others understand the Business Plan is crucial. The Technical Writer has to be able to communicate and translate details from the, e.g., the current business background for business processes to a new and improved business model.

Why we need a Business Plan

For Communication – It will help by communicating the direction taken to complete a proposal.
For Organization – It will help by maintaining organization and by staying on schedule, especially through various business ups and downs. It will also help to keep track of events, trends, clients, investors, etc. – anything that will potentially alter the business goals of the plan.
For Justification – It will help by justifying the value of the plan, by defining its goal, scope, and planned resources.
For Proof – It will help by providing proof of the usefulness of the plan and the consequences if the plan is not approved

How to structure a Business Plan

Organize it. Because the Business Plan is like a blueprint, and clearly defines the purpose and its strategy, it can almost be structured similarly to a Requirements Document (which provides the desired prerequisites of a project; stating its goals, resources, funding, and technology). The difference though, is that the Business Plan will include more detail on how it intends to build and complete the project. It will show how the end result will be accomplished and benefit the intended audience. It details and orchestrates the steps for ensuring how a project will be completed.
Describe why the Business Plan was developed and what it will accomplish.
Show proof that research was done and apply comparison purposes and show its positive results.
Include facts and details so that, e.g., the plan defines a solution to a problem.

How do you begin to create your Business Plan?

Collaborate with others. Meet with your stakeholders to gather useful background and include the material within the plan.
Perform your interviewing and research. Investigate and interview all leads to create a structure that is understood and acceptable by the organization. In other words, the plan should fit into the company vision.
Validate the plans business scope so that critical stages can be listed and prioritized. Note: Status reports can be checked (when necessary) for items, such as, whether or not there have been or will be issues during critical stages to affect the project.
Plan to break up the document into categories such as Introduction, Summary, Business description (Operations), Strategy and Risks, Recommendations, Research, Marketing plan, Problems and Resolution, Resources, Finance (Support), Costs, Benefits, and Time.

Part 2 will describe how to design a Business Plan. If you have other suggestions of what a Business Plan is or should contain, please leave a comment. Thank you