No Subsitute for Commitment

Posted on January 28, 2013 | 1 comment

Commitment

Successful fundraising for a nonprofit requires the full commitment of board members, the executive director, staff, and volunteer leadership. Without this commitment, it is very difficult to meet fundraising goals. People may say they are committed and that is good. What is more important is the extent to which people embody that commitment.

Consider the following. Do all leaders understand how much money the organization wants to raise, and what the funds will be used for? Can each articulate the impact the organization makes, and how it is unique? What about the strategic plan – do leaders understand the plan and how proposed fundraising ties to it? Does each believe the fundraising goal is achievable? Do leaders understand where the projected revenue will come from, and what plans are in place if initial solicitations are not successful?

What about their actions? Do your leaders embody integrity? Are they accountable? Do they encourage transparency? Do they come prepared to meetings and remain in contact with other members of the organization’s leadership between meetings? In the area of fundraising, do they make their own financial gift and ask others to do so? Do they generate enthusiasm for fundraising? Do they help secure in-kind resources that can offset organizational or fundraising costs? Do they share their creativity, resources, and problem solving skills to help advance fundraising? Most importantly, do they follow through on agreements?

While it takes time to cultivate and secure full commitment, this step cannot be pushed aside. If a fundraising initiative is executive director’s vision she should take time to meet individually with board members and share her vision and commitment. She will need to let board members know what it will take to make the vision a reality and ask for their support. She should be prepared to answer questions and overcome objections.

Likewise, if a project is the vision of the board of directors, the board chair should take the time to meet personally with the executive director to share the board’s vision and explain how the project will advance the organization’s mission and strategic plan. The board should be prepared to answer the executive director’s questions, and to provide her with the resources, support, and leadership that the proposed fundraising initiative will require.

The questions and objections raised by board members or the executive director may not be different from those that will need to be overcome when talking with prospective donors and partners. These comments, questions, and/or objectives can be most helpful in developing a strong case for support.

Regardless of where it originates, all leaders need to be engaged in the process of defining a fundraising project and its financial goals. What are you doing to engage the leadership at your nonprofit? What actions will you take to inspire commitment and engagement that will help secure funds, involvement, partnerships, and in-kind resources? Let us know.

Mel and Pearl Shaw are the authors of “Prerequisites for Fundraising Success” and “The Fundraiser’s Guide to Soliciting Gifts.”  They provide fundraising counsel to nonprofits. Visit them at www.saadandshaw.com. Follow then @saadshaw.

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FUNdraising Good Times Workshop – Nashville, TN

Posted on January 23, 2013 | Leave a comment

New book from Saad & ShawJoin us in Nashville Tennessee on Saturday February 9th at 9am for a FUNdraising Good Times workshop hosted by The Tennessee Tribune. This is an opportunity for local nonprofits to learn more about fundraising, and to work directly with us, Mel and Pearl Shaw. We will answer your questions and share what we have learned about the Prerequisites for Fundraising Success.

When: February 9, 2013 – 9am

Where: Panache Private Dining 1610 Jefferson Street, Nashville (use rear entrance)

Cost: $30 per person. Tables are available. limited to 30 people.

Workshop includes:

Email to reserve tickets or tables. We look forward to seeing you on February 9th!

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Mission, Vision, and Plan

Posted on January 21, 2013 | 1 comment

goal

Successful fundraising begins long before a fundraising plan is ever created. It starts with your organization’s vision and mission. These two items are at the core of non-profit operations. It is the vision and mission that drive your strategic direction and goals. And it is the strategic direction that influences fundraising and the use of funds.

The chief executive for your organization is the person responsible for the vision and mission. Depending upon the structure of your organization this person could be the director, executive director, the chief executive officer, the president or chancellor. He or she is the person responsible for ensuring board members, employees, and volunteers understand the mission and vision and are in agreement with these. He is also responsible for ensuring the organization’s strategic direction — as documented in the strategic plan — is rooted in the mission and vision.

The work of defining your nonprofit’s mission and vision may have been done years ago. Or, these may be still evolving. Sometimes the process of defining these can appear to be complicated and too time consuming. But clearly defining these is critically important – they are the bedrock from which you will create your strategic, business, and/or operating plans. They are what will ultimately drive your fundraising.

Here’s how it works. Your mission and vision inform the creation of your strategic plan. Your strategic plan sets the path for your operations and activities. Knowing your current and projected future operations and activities informs your fundraising. While you can always raise some money, meeting your fundraising goal will require that you know how much you are seeking to raise and for what current and projected purposes. It all ties back to your mission and vision.

Here are our simple definitions. Your vision statement communicates your vision for the future — what you are seeking to achieve. Your mission statement communicates the purpose of your organization. Your strategic plan communicates how you will bring your vision and mission to life..

Your vision and mission statements should be short and concise — one or two sentences at most, if possible. Your strategic plan can be as simple or as complex as your organization requires. We are partial to short, clearly written plans that include easy-to-understand and easy-to-measure goals and objectives.

Once the vision and mission are established, it is the chief executive’s responsibility to ensure they are understood and that the board and employees are in agreement with them. All parties need to know these statements – and what they mean – inside and out. All need to be able to discuss the vision and mission when talking about the organization. Each needs to know the goals and objectives contained in the strategic plan and the progress being made toward these. These are some of the first steps in building towards fundraising success.

Mel and Pearl Shaw are the authors of “Prerequisites for Fundraising Success” and “The Fundraiser’s Guide to Soliciting Gifts.”  They provide fundraising counsel to nonprofits. Visit them at www.saadandshaw.com. Follow them @saadshaw.

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Triple your special events revenue

Posted on January 18, 2013 | Leave a comment

Special events can help one of the most exciting ways to raise money. They can also be the most challenging.

MelanieMesser2In October of 2011 Melanie Messer joined the Jacksonville Speech & Hearing Center as its first full-time development director. One year later she had tripled special event revenue, reduced expenses, and doubled sponsorship revenue.

Here’s her story:

As the new development director Melanie faced two challenges: creating a fundraising program that expanded beyond the organization’s well-attended major special event, “FinFest”; and doubling FinFest sponsorship revenue within one year.

Melanie began her work by establishing a donor cultivation program that included monthly “meet-and-greets” and bi-monthly home receptions. She talked with board members and community leaders to encourage them to host receptions and to visit the center for a “meet-and-greet.” She developed a structure that supported board members in becoming more involved with cultivating current and prospective donors.

Melanie also worked to change the culture of giving across the organization. She began with setting expectations for giving from board members. She moved on to increasing special event revenue. She laid out new sponsorship levels and encouraged the event committee to increase the giving level associated with each type of sponsorship. She encouraged the committee to approve an approach that asked potential sponsors to give financially, and to also ask the lead sponsor to give in-kind support such as printing and design services that would reduce event costs.

While we admire Melanie’s spirit and leadership, we know that no one person can change a culture. We asked her what organizational strengths were working in her favor. She replied, “Being supported by a leader – our executive director – who is willing to take risks, who allows new ideas, and encourages organizational change.” Other supports were highly invested individual and corporate stakeholders who put their passion and financial investment behind the center’s mission and vision. “Bill McQuilkin, the executive director, and I spent a lot of time strengthening existing relationships and building new ones.

“I had the support of my executive director and I had the support of colleagues across the organization. We were fortunate to identify and develop a core of “cheerleaders” or leaders of influence who were helpful in rallying their colleagues towards supporting our efforts,” she shared.

“This moral support was important because the revenue expectations for the event were high,” Melanie continued. “The goal was to increase sponsorship revenue from $50,000 to $100,000, which was a daunting challenge.”

While the challenge may have been daunting, the results were inspiring. “Not only did we reach our $100,000 sponsorship goal, we tripled our overall event net revenue from 2011 to 2012,” Melanie shared.

We asked her for words of guidance for her fellow development directors, or for those taking on a new fundraising job. “Do your homework before setting lofty fundraising goals but do not be afraid to take risks if you have the right backing and sound advice to pave the way,” she replied. “Also, remain transparent with leadership and your board and seek out potential individual and corporate partners in the community, who are able to be connected to your organization, whether through a board member introduction or funder.”

She closed her comments with words that delighted us, “Do not be afraid to apply or seek support to bring in advisors such as Saad & Shaw with a proven track record to bring your goals into reality.”

Back story: We met Melanie when she called us and asked us to work with her using our Counsel on Demand service. We admire Melanie’s talent and strategic thinking, and we have never met! We worked with her and Bill by phone and by email, listening to their ideas, reviewing their plans, and offering strategies for engaging donors, board members and sponsors. Let us do the same for you.

Mel and Pearl Shaw are the authors of “Prerequisites for Fundraising Success” and “The Fundraiser’s Guide to Soliciting Gifts.” They provide fundraising counsel to nonprofits. Visit them at www.saadandshaw.com. Follow on Twitter @saadshaw.

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Job Opening – Philadelphia

Posted on January 15, 2013 | Leave a comment

Job AnnouncementDirector of Development and Communications

Philadelphia – Stepping Stones Scholars, Inc.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

The Director of Development and Communications is a senior management level position directly responsible for all development and communication activities across the organization including strategy, implementation, results measurement, and evaluation. He/she will work closely with the President, Board of Directors, Development Committee, and program staff on setting the long-term direction of the organization and in managing the overall organization. He/she will directly supervise one full-time Development Associate and manage relationships with consultants. http://bit.ly/XbhIMo

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Capacity Building Grants

Posted on January 15, 2013 | Leave a comment

Community Foundation of Greater MemphisIt’s time for the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis’ Nonprofit Capacity Building program. Information sessions are next month. The Community Foundation will have pre-application information sessions in February for its Nonprofit Capacity Building grants program. Organizations interested in applying for a grant are required to attend one of the sessions. The attendance requirement is waived for organizations that sent a representative to a session in 2011 or 2012. Letters of intent will be due in April. For criteria and the schedule of information sessions, visit http://bit.ly/UCXqet

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Preparing for Fundraising Success

Posted on January 14, 2013 | Leave a comment

Leadership Forum Sept 2012

Why are some nonprofits successful with fundraising when others face challenges? What can be done to change a nonprofit’s fundraising “fate?”

Some of the things that impact fundraising are outside a nonprofit’s control. These include a downturn in the local or national economy, or increased – and unexpected – competition from national disaster relief efforts. But other factors can be addressed proactively.

Here’s what we know. Sustained, successful fundraising requires consistent attention, action, funding, and leadership. It is proactive and volunteer-driven. The success of an organization’s or institution’s fundraising depends upon the involvement of board members — specifically, their ability and willingness to cultivate and solicit major donors. This is where it all begins. If the leadership of an organization is not behind a fundraising initiative, it will be very difficult for volunteers or staff to experience success.

Good intentions, desire, and commitment abound amongst board members, staff, and volunteers. While these traits are a mandatory prerequisite for fundraising success, they are not enough.

Your organization will also need develop relationships with individuals and institutions that can provide the financial and other resources you need. You will need strong project management skills and the ability to ensure that your fundraising goals remain a priority in spite of other emerging and/or unpredicted priorities. Volunteer recruitment and management will be key to your success. So will creativity, strategic thinking, and the ability to take advantage of opportunities as they arise.

Always keep in mind that successful fundraising is donor focused. While it may sound counterintuitive, fundraising is not necessarily about you and your organization or institution. Success comes when you understand why your current and potential donors want to support your organization and when you value those motivations. When donor motivations are valued, the nature of the relationship between a donor and an institution can transform from one where donors are viewed primarily as a revenue source to one where donors and institutions partner to achieve a common goal.

But before you even begin the work of fundraising you need to look closely at your organization or institution and its leadership. Are the director or president and the board in full agreement regarding the organization’s mission and vision and how these will be brought to life? As simple as it sounds, this is where it all starts. Take the time to talk amongst yourselves. Do all members share a common understanding of the mission and vision, or do they operate from their personal or historical understanding of these? Have you taken the time to create an easy-to-use strategic plan that will guide the work of your board, staff and volunteers? Do you know how much money the organization really needs to raise? Can you communicate how the funds will impact the people you serve or advocate for?

Over the next few weeks we will address these topics in more detail. Our hope is that these columns will stimulate conversation and appropriate action within your organization. We want your 2013 fundraising to be successful.

Mel and Pearl Shaw are the authors of “Prerequisites for Fundraising Success” and “The Fundraiser’s Guide to Soliciting Gifts.”  They provide fundraising counsel to nonprofits. Visit them at www.saadandshaw.com. Follow on Twitter @saadshaw.

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New Year – New Career – Fundraising. – Part Two

Posted on January 9, 2013 | Leave a comment

Part two of a two part series

In the first RolesResponsibilitiespart of this series we encouraged you to consider a career in fundraising. It’s a career that gives you a “voice at the table” and introduces you to those who have the resources to make change.

People in fund development and fundraising help influence service delivery, public policy, education, research, advocacy, and more. Success in fund development can bring you to the decision making table. It’s also excellent preparation for serving as an executive director.

“How do I start?” you might ask. If you are can secure work with a hospital, college, or public radio or television station you can learn the systems and procedures that represent best practices.. Working in fundraising for one of these institutions can provide insight into the different strategies and activities that comprise fundraising.

Another way to gain experience is to volunteer as a board member or fundraiser for an organization you believe in. If you are interested in learning through doing, be sure to interview the leadership of the organization and tell them your goals. Also, make sure their fundraising is well-organized and effective, and is a program you will actually learn from.

You may also find that your private or government sector experience is transferrable. The following is an overview job titles and responsibilities within the nonprofit sector. Knowing the terminology and responsibilities can help you assess career opportunities and the extent to which your skills may be transferrable.

  • Chief Development Officer, Vice President for Development – executive charged with fundraising management.
  • Data management specialist – enters fundraising-related data into a database and generates fundraising management reports.
  • Development Assistant – provides administrative support to staff, board and volunteers.
  • Development Coordinator – coordinates fundraising activities. Specific responsibilities vary from organization to organization.
  • Grant writer/Proposal Writer – researches foundations, corporations and government agencies that make grants in the areas your organization specializes in. Writes proposals that meet funders’ objectives and reports required by funders.
  • Major Gifts Officer – cultivates and solicits major gifts. Works with board members and high-level volunteers. Major gifts can range from $2,500 to $250,000 to $2,500,000 or more.

The following fundraising activities can be filled at the coordinator, manager or director level depending on an organization’s needs and the skills of the individual. As you review consider how your experience could be of value to a future nonprofit employer.

  • Alumni Relations –engages alumni and encourages annual giving that increases over time.
  • Annual Campaign – secures gifts from individuals on an annual basis often ranging from $25 to $2,500.
  • Corporate and Foundation Relations – identifies, cultivates and solicits individuals within corporations and foundations responsible for grant making, underwriting and sponsorships.
  • Direct Mail – creates, manages and grows direct mail programs that encourage current and prospective donors to give through the mail or online.
  • Donor Relations –sustains and strengthens relationships between donors and the organization. Encourages continued giving and shares giving opportunities that match a donor’s giving priorities.
  • Membership – develops and manages programs that enroll members who pay a fee in exchange for benefits or services.
  • Special Events – designs and/or manages special events ensuring they are financially profitable.

We wish you every success in your career!

Mel and Pearl Shaw are the authors of “The Fundraiser’s Guide to Soliciting Gifts” and the “Prerequisites for Fundraising Success: The 18 Things You Need to Know as a Fundraising Professional, Board Member, or Volunteer”. Follow on twitter @saadshaw

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New Year – New Career – Fundraising. Part One

Posted on January 8, 2013 | Leave a comment

Part One of a two part series

Are you looking for a new caCareer Dayreer? A career with opportunities for growth?

Maybe you were laid off due to changes in the economy, or maybe you feel it is time to make a difference while making a living, or maybe you are entering the job market for the first time — why not consider a career in fundraising or fund development?  The increasing number of non-profits who need to grow their fundraising and a shortage of trained and experienced professionals combine to make fundraising an ideal career. .

You might find work with grassroots organizations, colleges, hospitals, national organizations, foundations, advocacy organizations, research institutes, churches, radio and television stations, or political campaigns. All of these organizations rely on fundraising for some or all of their revenue.

Fundraising is the process of soliciting gifts, and fund development is the ongoing process of identifying and cultivating current and prospective donors. They require similar skill sets and experience. You may already have some of the skills need because fundraising and fund development are close cousins to sales and marketing in the private sector.

For non-profits, revenue can be secured through tuition, sales, donations, sponsorships, interest from endowed funds and other mechanisms. Most people who work in fundraising and fund development are engaged in encouraging and soliciting donations. They work closely with volunteers, board members and often the CEO or Executive Director as they cultivate and solicit gifts.

As a fundraising or fund development professional you get to work with some of the best people around: People who care, people who lead, people who give. And people who want to work with you. As you gain experience your career opportunities will increase as will your ability to make a meaningful impact on your community.

We always remind people new to this field that the work is about the organization and those it serves and not about you. People won’t be giving to you; they will give to the organization you represent. Your job will be to best promote its successes, the vision of its leadership and how donations are used to advance goals and programs.

You may be surprised to learn that most of the time spent fundraising is actually spent on preparation. Asking for funds is an activity that takes the least amount of time. Often the “ask” is made not by fundraising staff but by volunteers who are trained and supported by staff. So if you are afraid of asking for money, don’t be afraid of a career in fundraising. You can overcome fear by learning the techniques used by professional fundraisers. In fact as you get more involved in the profession you will come to realize that fundraising is not about “twisting someone’s arm” until they give. Rather fundraising and fund development is about creating and sustaining relationships between people and organizations that allow individuals, families and businesses to give money, time and resources to the causes they most believe in.

Mel and Pearl Shaw are the authors of “The Fundraiser’s Guide to Soliciting Gifts” and the “Prerequisites for Fundraising Success: The 18 Things You Need to Know as a Fundraising Professional, Board Member, or Volunteer”. Follow on twitter @saadshaw.

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Is Your Board Bored?

Posted on January 7, 2013 | 1 comment

Empty Conference Room --- Image by © Bill Varie/CorbisHere’s a question for our readers who are nonprofit executives and board members: is your board fully engaged? Does the structure of your board meetings encourage members to bring their talents and abilities to the table or does it stifle members’ creativity and create a “bored board?”

If you are a nonprofit executive, do you really know who is serving on your board? Do you know their skills, strengths, talents and relationships? Do you have a strategy for how to engage each board member in advancing the agreed upon goals of the organization? Have you met with each to share the current strategic plan and ask how each would like to be involved in bringing it to life?

Do you provide board members with information they need to serve as advocates and fundraisers? Have you met personally with members who tend to miss meetings, come unprepared or are otherwise disengaged? Have you reflected on what you know about their skills, personality and relationships and considered strategies for involving members in ways that are in line with their interests?

Do you typically create and circulate the board agenda? Do board members agree with the majority of your ideas? Do you have challenges getting a quorum at meetings? If you answered “yes” you may want to look at doing things differently.

Encourage your board chair to work collaboratively with you in crafting the agenda. Ask her to pose questions of the board; ask for their insights to challenges and opportunities the organization is grappling with. Find a way to creatively release the talents of your board. A “yes” board is not an asset: no one of us is so wonderful that all our ideas are perfect. Encourage dialog and diversity of opinion.

If you are serving on a board take a moment to reflect on your involvement. Why are you on the board? Is the reason you joined the board the reason you continue to serve? Are you serving at the request of your employer? Are you filling a seat that is reserved for a representative from your business, agency, church or organization? Is your board service an obligation or a challenging joy? Do you attend the majority of board meeting? Do you participate or are you bored? Can you summon the courage to talk with the board chair and find a way to contribute to a positive change in how the board operates?

Here’s what we know – talented, respected and well-connected people are often asked to serve on nonprofit boards. But, the structure of board meetings can work against their active involvement. A board’s talent is lost when meetings are filled with reading of reports and discussions regarding the next time to meet. Consider working with a consent agenda and time allocated to strategic discussions regarding operations, growth, partnerships, and delivery of services. No need to be bored.

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