By: Amy Schiffman Principal and Co-Founder, Giving Tree Associates It’s that time of year when most boards are closing the books on this fiscal year and planning for the next. Perhaps we’re spending time reviewing new programmatic, fundraising and operational strategies or putting the finishing touches on next year’s budget. But I’d like to make a case for summer being the right time to consider the health of your organization’s governance program. And if that sounds either too vague or glaringly obvious, let’s dig down a little deeper, unpack the possibilities, and prioritize. During this year’s summer board retreat, why...
By: Melissa Lagowski President, Founder and Queen Bee, Big Buzz Idea Group “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ~Maya Angelou Think back to the last time that you had an AMAZING customer experience. Was it on the phone? A retail experience in a store? Perhaps it was during a meal at a restaurant or café. It might have even been your morning barista. What made it truly special for you? For me, it can be as simple as a smile that...
By: Melissa Lagowski President, Founder and Queen Bee, Big Buzz Idea Group As our peak event season is ramping up, I am constantly reminded how crucial communication is to success! From staff to volunteers to program participants to donors to Board members, communication is vital to organizational success, and yet, due to the demands and constraints on our time and attention, it is the one thing that often gets shorted. Take a minute to make a plan: Create a standard communication policy. It took me years to learn the importance of this one simple piece of advice. Actually, I don’t...
By: Katie George Grant Writer, Big Buzz Idea Group Spring has arrived with the promise of fresh and new! We at Big Buzz Idea Group quite naturally love this time of year; the hive is humming and people are buzzing with energy and activity, preparing for the longer days ahead. It’s that time when New Year’s resolutions, set in the dreary months of winter, are reinvigorated—like dormant trees bursting with leaves to meet the warm sunshine. For some, this means finally getting outside, being active and becoming more physically fit. For nonprofit organizations, this is the season of renewal and...
Does your organization host an annual event? What is the purpose of the event and why is it relevant? Do your members know and understand this? Are your guests fully aware of the purpose of the event? Far too often when we meet with NPOs, they are not at all clear why they host an event. And at least half of the stories begin with “a key member of the leadership team wanted an event so they created one.” It takes a great deal of time and money to plan and produce an event, so it is imperative that you...
By Guest Blogger: Tony Ulman Security Specialist, Sanders IT Consulting Cybercrime has taken over the conversation of computer security for the past few years, but why? Companies such as Apple, Target, Home Depot, Michael’s, Walmart, Sally’s Beauty Supply, BlueCross BlueShield, Chase Bank, Staples, Neiman Marcus, Jimmy John’s, and countless others have become victims of cybercrime. But what is being taken? Information. Yes, information. Data such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, phone numbers, addresses, and so on. Health information such as patient data records, diagnosis records and medications used. Why is this important to the cybercriminal or hacker, and...
Have you ever had a difficult time getting your committees to focus on the task at hand because they get easily distracted? Does it sometimes feel like every member of your Board is rowing in a different direction? It happens unexpectedly and just when everything seems to be going well. Your organization stands to have an amazing year because the strategic planning has been completed, the team has become clear on the mission and maybe even rebranded the new vision of the organization. The energy is high and everyone is excited about the things to come. Then fast forward six...
By Guest Blogger: Sherry Quam Taylor Consultant, QuamTaylor LLC Nonprofit organizations are often staffed with sacrificial leaders striving hard toward achieving admirable missions, full of passion and great ideas to make an even greater impact in the world. At the same time, many are struggling to grow beyond their initial successes. Research indicates that 74% of the 1.4 million charitable organizations registered in the U.S. never reach the $500,000 mark in revenue, and most of these never hire more than five employees (Source: Urban Institute’s Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy). This begs the question: Why is the $500,000 mark such...
By Guest Blogger: Joe McClennan Managing Partner, McClennan Partners Happy New Year! How often did you receive or express that greeting toward the end of December and the beginning of January? In 2017, for a number of my nonprofit clients, the emphasis is on the “New.” Continuing to do what they have always done is no longer possible because of funding cutbacks, change in management philosophy, loss or expected loss of key staff, and/or a call for a deep re-evaluation of what the value proposition now needs to be for the community they serve. In planning and facilitating January Board...
It is an all-too-familiar scenario when a nonprofit comes to the harsh realization that it has limited resources and manpower to effectively administer its daily operations while trying to carry out the mission and vision in an impactful way. Some organizations are blessed to have a strategic plan and staff, but there is almost always more work to be done than the staff can execute. Other organizations have a limited staff, so the Executive Director often gets distracted by the operational fires that arise, which prevents leadership from focusing on the higher impact items such as fundraising and programming. And...
