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Powering Nonprofits to Fuel Positive Change

773.804.8589
info@bigbuzzideagroup.com
Big Buzz Idea GroupBig Buzz Idea Group
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About Melissa Lagowski

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Melissa Lagowski has contributed 30 entries to our website, so far.

Best Practices For Nonprofit Management

Best Practices For Nonprofit Management

By: Big Buzz Idea Group Staff This month, we turn to our helpful hive-full of Big Buzz team members for some insider insights and tips that they’ve honed and compiled over years of working with nonprofits. These simple but powerful methodologies have helped numerous clients along the way, so we know they’re tried and true and can work for anyone in the business of running a nonprofit like a business. Prepare For “The Ask” When soliciting new Board Members, Nicole Harris advises to go in prepared for the big meeting: A strong organization will have a solid plan when it...

Client Spotlight: Hope For The Day

Client Spotlight: Hope For The Day

Name/Title: Allison Herman (she/her), Director of Education What is your organization and mission? Hope For The Day is a nonprofit movement empowering the conversation on proactive suicide prevention and mental health education. How many years do you have in the nonprofit industry? 1.5 years / Before working at Hope For The Day, I spent 10+ years working in marketing and advertising. I’ve also been volunteering in nonprofit organizations since childhood. How do you develop and grow your desired culture within your organization? I’m a big fan of leading with empathy and creating psychological safety for the passionate people who work...

Chart a Path for Nonprofit Success

Chart a Path for Nonprofit Success

By Melissa Lagowski Big Buzz Idea Group Founder/CEO/Queen Bee With all the tasks that are on your to-do list, how often are you able to take a step back and think strategically about where the association is headed and what you hope to accomplish? Too often, nonprofit leaders are rushed for time, so to meet all the demands on their time, they wash, rinse and repeat yearend planning documents without much consideration. But if you keep doing what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten. According to the National Center on Charitable Statistics, more than...

Are You Leaving Money On The Table?

Are You Leaving Money On The Table?

By Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group I was at a networking event and chatting with someone about post-COVID challenges, and he suggested that I should look into the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC). He gave me the name and number for an agency that had helped his large company receive hundreds of thousands of dollars back from the CARES Act. The next day, I called that company and learned they wanted to charge me a $10,000 fee just for a review. If I qualified for the program, they would charge a large fee per employee. My heart...

Client Spotlight: Cyberjutsu

Client Spotlight: Cyberjutsu

Name/Title: Mari Galloway, CEO & Founding Board Member What is your organization and mission? Cyberjutsu is a 501c3 cybersecurity community for women to grow and build their #cyberjutsutribe. We empower women to network and lead in the cybersecurity space through hands-on workshops, cyber games, professional development, conference participation, leadership and volunteer opportunities, and more. How many years do you have in the nonprofit industry? 10 Your nonprofit community. Your team. Your mission. Your Board of Directors. Your events. Your volunteers. Your sponsors. How do you manage it all day to day? I don’t, lol. Just kidding. But I wonder about...

Employee Retention Tax Credit Yields Powerful Opportunity

Employee Retention Tax Credit Yields Powerful Opportunity

By Angie Noll Founder Reconciled Solutions We have been sharing strategies related to taking advantage of federal and local Disaster Relief Funding opportunities with our followers since coronavirus changed the world as we know it in early 2020.  This month is no different; we have discovered some super powerful opportunities regarding the Employee Retention Tax Credits (ERTC) available from the federal government against 2020 and 2021.  Here are some little-known, rarely discussed opportunities that we want to highlight that are reaping thousands of dollars of rewards to many of our clients: -The ERTC 2020 credit allows a business owner to...

Client Spotlight: Illinois Theatre Association

Client Spotlight: Illinois Theatre Association

Name/Title: Carmel DeStefano, Board President Organization: Illinois Theatre Association Mission: The Illinois Theatre Association is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to advocate for the important values that theatre at all levels in the state of Illinois bring to individuals as we work to expand hearts and minds through work both on the stage and off. Our work includes the important mission to inspire, engage, challenge, nurture, educate and empower artists and audiences to enhance the cultural landscape of Illinois, making our state a more conscious and compassionate community. Ultimately, we look to celebrate the essential power of the theatre...

The 3 Mistakes I Made Managing a Nonprofit

The 3 Mistakes I Made Managing a Nonprofit

By Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee It was October 1, 1999, when I began my first full-time position in the nonprofit world. I showed up excitedly and ready to dig in and get started. The president of the organization met me at the office, said the organization was looking forward to working with me, handed me the key to the office and walked out the door. Now what? As a staff of one, I was responsible for what would become 24 annual events, 12 newsletters and 8 committees. I remember looking around the office and trying to figure out where to...

Outsourcing: The Only Solution To Staffing Shortages

Outsourcing: The Only Solution To Staffing Shortages

By Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Debates continue about the “great resignation” and the fast-rising salary demands that are running rampant in the current hiring climate (also known as wage compression). As nonprofits and associations strive to serve their missions with diminishing resources, many are struggling to find the experienced workers they need at a salary they can afford. Just as frustrating, the labor shortage increases the demands on your existing staff (who are already taxed as a result of the pandemic), which results in higher levels of burnout. So, what is an organization to do? We’ve seen a recent rise...

Want To Retain Your Employees? Wellness in the Workplace Matters!

Want To Retain Your Employees? Wellness in the Workplace Matters!

By Cat Donovan Executive Assistant Employee wellness continues to be a topic circulating at the forefront of nonprofits and associations. The pandemic has escalated workplace pressures and shifted expectations placed on employees by both supervisors and also the employees themselves. For example, working from home has made it much easier for employees to check email at all hours of the day and night. Without the real separation of office and home, employees may be off the clock but essentially still “working” and may feel pressure to constantly check in, fearful that others are doing the same and, thus, they might...

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Check Out These Recent Posts

  • Best Practices For Nonprofit Management
  • Client Spotlight: Hope For The Day
  • Chart a Path for Nonprofit Success
  • Are You Leaving Money On The Table?
  • Client Spotlight: Cyberjutsu
  • Employee Retention Tax Credit Yields Powerful Opportunity
  • Client Spotlight: Illinois Theatre Association

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Tag Cloud

501c3 Appreciation Association Association Management Big Buzz Idea Group Board Members Board of Directors Communication Communications Core Values Culture Development Digital Marketing Donations Donors Event Planner Event Planning Events Executive Director Fundraising Goal-Setting Gratitude Leadership Marketing mission Nonprofit Nonprofit Board Members Nonprofit Fundraising Nonprofit Leadership Nonprofit Management Nonprofit Organization NPO Organization Organization's Culture Organizational Growth Outsourcing pandemic Productivity Social Media Sponsors Sponsorship Staff Strategic Planning Virtual Volunteers

Insights Blog Archive

  • Promotion Ideas to Benefit Your Nonprofit – Part I
  • Cyber Security: How To Protect Yourself In Today’s “Connected” World
  • The Birth of a New Vision
  • How To Secure More Donor Dollars
  • Self-Care: A Necessity for Successful Leadership
  • Does Your Mission Have a Compelling Voice?
  • Interim Directors Provide Strength in Times of Transition
  • Please Send a Hi-res Copy of Your Logo
  • Crisis Management: Are You Ready?
  • Communication Tips to Advance Your Organization
  • 6 Tips for Recruiting Ideal Board Members
  • How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media to Meet Goals
  • Celebrate You and Avoid Nonprofit Burnout
  • Four Pillars to Attracting and Retaining Ideal Employees
  • 5 Reasons to Outsource Instead of Rely on Volunteers
  • Best Practices For Nonprofit Management
  • Lessons Learned in Nonprofit Management
  • Time to Assess Your Year-End Campaigns
  • Why Identifying and Communicating Your Core Values Is Important
  • Put Some Zing in Your Zoom (Or Any Other Virtual Meeting)
  • 2020: A Lesson in Gratitude
  • Take Time to Evaluate Your Events
  • Big Buzz Has COVID-19 Resources For You!
  • Word of the Year: Manifestation
  • Silver Linings Discovered Amidst a Pandemic
  • 5 Secrets to Streamlining Your Administrative Tasks
  • Real Progress Requires Intention: What Do You Want to Achieve in 2020 for Your Nonprofit?
  • Four Step Process to Building Better Buy-In
  • Tips for Virtual Event Success
  • The Taxman Cometh (Yes, Even For Your Exempt Organization)
  • Chart a Path for Nonprofit Success
  • Seven Tips to a More Productive Year for Your Organization
  • 11 Tips to Make Your Newsletter More Readable
  • Is Your Marketing Missing the Mark?
  • Networking for Personal and Professional Growth
  • Goal-Setting For Successful Events
  • Leadership Starts with You
  • Defining Your Value: Reclaiming Relevance to the Community You Serve
  • Outsourcing: The Only Solution To Staffing Shortages
  • Talk to Me! Prioritizing Internal Communications During Times of Transition
  • Why Your Nonprofit Needs Brand Guidelines
  • Holding On When You Feel Like Throwing In the Towel
  • The Hidden Costs Behind Your Fundraiser
  • Clearer Communication Is the Secret to Better Outcomes
  • Conference Call Hero – 6 Tips to Master the Art of Video and Audio Conferencing
  • Why You Need to Establish Gratitude as a Pillar at Your Nonprofit
  • SPONSORSHIP 101: To Package or Not to Package
  • Transparency and Nonprofit Organizations
  • Fresh Funding Ideas Are Blooming
  • Something Good: Building Your Team’s Connection
  • Optimize Your Contact List for Nonprofit Growth
  • Post-Pandemic Event Lessons
  • 50 Content Promotion Tactics: How to Drive Traffic to Your Next Article
  • Are You Leaving Money On The Table?
  • Fundraising: Creating a Straighter Path to Revenue Growth
  • Organic Methods to Cultivate Sponsorship Leads
  • 6 Tips for Healthy Collaboration with Your Board Chair
  • The Compelling Case to Renew
  • Tips For Meaningful #GivingTuesday Follow-Up
  • The Need to Go Beyond Surveys
  • 5 Tips for Prioritizing Your Mental Health in the Workplace
  • Securing Help from Your Board: Are You Ready?
  • Budgeting for Your Nonprofit in Uncertain Times
  • Why Nonprofits Need to Evaluate Their Budgets Every Year
  • Nonprofit Form 990: Friend or Foe?
  • 3 Questions to Ask If You Hope to Grow Your Membership
  • The 3 Mistakes I Made Managing a Nonprofit
  • Re-Imagine the Possibilities to Better Serve Your Mission
  • Engage Your Board – Start with Recruiting and End with A High-Performance Culture
  • 3 Tips For Maintaining Your NPO’s Digital Assets
  • Spend Less. Do More. Your Guide to Effective Outsourcing
  • 6 Tips for Cultivating Gratitude in the Workplace
  • Virtual Fundraising: 18 Ideas for Nonprofit Revenue
  • Cancelling or Postponing Your Events in Light of COVID-19
  • Keep Your Mission in Mind to Maximize Results
  • What’s Your Nonprofit’s Story
  • 4 Productivity Tips to Elevate Your Nonprofit
  • Never Overlook the Value of Gratitude
  • Board Nominating: A Better Way
  • 7 Tips for Managing Hybrid Events
  • A Job Gone Wrong
  • Should You Ever Cover Board Member Expenses?
  • Leveraging E-Newsletters For Nonprofit Growth
  • Boost Your Daily Productivity
  • DIY Event Photos
  • Fostering Board Engagement in Virtual Times
  • Nonprofit Event Venues 101
  • Grateful for Nonprofit Leaders
  • To Be Successful, Nonprofits and Associations Must Be Forward-Thinking
  • Board or Bored Leadership – Enter the Magnificent Seven
  • Client Spotlight: Illinois Theatre Association
  • Financial Planning for Uncertain Times
  • If You’re Feeling Hopeless of Late, Remember That Your Work Matters and You Do, Too
  • Organizational Operations Versus Organizational Strategy
  • How to Manage Your Organization During an Election Year Without Violating Your Nonprofit Status
  • Tips to Ensure Event Safety
  • Our Top Five Free Online Tools for Nonprofit Management Teams
  • 10 Tips to Cultivate Sponsor Relationships
  • Becoming a Virtual Event Planner in an Instant
  • How to Hire a Consultant
  • New Year’s Resolutions for Board Members
  • Employee Retention Tax Credit Yields Powerful Opportunity
  • How to Develop Your Nonprofit’s Audience Persona
  • Life After COVID-19: Next Steps for Your Nonprofit
  • How to Rewire Your Brain with Positive Thinking
  • How to Keep Your Visuals On-Brand
  • How to Secure Mega Sponsorships For Your Fundraising Event!
  • Should Sponsorships Include Membership Dues?
  • The Board’s Hot (Summer) Topics
  • Making a Case for Strategic Planning
  • Meet Big Buzz, the Creators of Ribfest Chicago
  • Why Is My Organization Not Growing?
  • 5 Ways to Generate Sponsor Leads
  • Promotion Ideas to Benefit Your Nonprofit – Part II
  • 3 Reasons Why Your Organization Should Use Canva
  • SPONSORSHIP 101: Growing Nonprofit Revenues
  • Innovative Approach to Volunteer Recruitment
  • Implementing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Your Nonprofit
  • 9 Lessons Learned from Our First Virtual Conference
  • Four Tactics to Resolve Nonprofit Staffing Shortages
  • Team Culture Exists Beyond the Office Walls
  • Cross-Train Your Team for Better Outcomes
  • Client Spotlight: Cyberjutsu
  • The Benefits of Outsourcing
  • Client Spotlight: Hope For The Day
  • 4 Ways Outsourcing Your Development Work Can Provide Value
  • Want To Retain Your Employees? Wellness in the Workplace Matters!
  • Make Your Nonprofit Stand Out: Creating Impressions for Impact
  • Big Buzz Idea Group Launches Additional Services

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