• Home
  • Our Team
  • Clients
  • What We Do
  • Case Studies
  • Blog
  • Join the Team
  • Contact
  • FAQ

Powering Nonprofits to Fuel Positive Change

773.804.8589
info@bigbuzzideagroup.com
Big Buzz Idea GroupBig Buzz Idea Group
  • Home
  • Our Team
  • Clients
  • What We Do
  • Case Studies
  • Blog
  • Join the Team
  • Contact
  • FAQ

Blog - Small Layout

Leveraging AI For Time Management

Leveraging AI For Time Management

By Melissa Lagowski Founder/CEO/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group “Larger nonprofits, with annual budgets exceeding $1 million, are adopting AI tools at nearly twice the rate of smaller organizations (66% vs. 34%), underscoring a growing digital divide,” according to the 2025 AI Benchmark Report which appeared in the NonProfit PRO.  If you have been too busy to look into what artificial intelligence (AI) can do, you are missing an opportunity to gain valuable support. Nonprofit and association professionals can save time and increase efficiency in a variety of ways. Here are just a few ideas to get started: -Data Entry: […]

By Melissa Lagowski
Read More
Navigating Uncertainty: How Nonprofits Can Protect Funding and Advocate for Change

Navigating Uncertainty: How Nonprofits Can Protect Funding and Advocate for Change

By Melissa Lagowski Founder/CEO/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group  As the new administration stepped into office, many nonprofits have been in a frenzy trying to confirm if they will or won’t have the funding they count on to provide their programs. Whether this is your charitable organization or not, this is a wake-up call for all of us, and we need to band together to advocate for one another.   Our industry needs to work together at this time to be heard and protect the funding that many nonprofits rely on. So, first and foremost, contact your congressional leaders to let […]

By Melissa Lagowski
Read More
Tips for Nonprofit Success

Tips for Nonprofit Success

Staff Report Big Buzz Idea Group Running a successful nonprofit requires adaptability, innovation and a clear vision, but it’s the collective wisdom of a dedicated team that truly drives impact. Check out these insights from Big Buzz Idea Group team members who each bring their unique perspective on what it takes to thrive in today’s evolving nonprofit landscape. From leveraging technology and fostering community engagement to ensuring financial sustainability and prioritizing mission alignment, their thoughts offer a comprehensive look at how nonprofits can navigate challenges and seize opportunities in the year ahead. Tricia Fusilero Association Manager  Every day, move one […]

By Melissa Lagowski
Read More
DEI, DEIB, Equity & Inclusion for All: Ways to Advance the Work in 2025

DEI, DEIB, Equity & Inclusion for All: Ways to Advance the Work in 2025

By Candance Chow CEO NextGroup LLC The winds are shifting when it comes to corporate messaging and strategy around Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI): what it is, what it is called, etc. As a nonprofit leader or mission-based organization looking forward, you should be less concerned about what you call it and more focused on the value and importance of creating a culture that empowers and nurtures diversity of thought and contribution.  Regardless of shifting political winds, let’s not lose sight of the reason we started all this talk in the first place (in addition to the recognition of systemic […]

By Melissa Lagowski
Read More
Gen Z is the Next Wave of Donors—How Can Nonprofits Engage Them?

Gen Z is the Next Wave of Donors—How Can Nonprofits Engage Them?

By Amanda Lovell Digital Marketing Manager Big Buzz Idea Group  As nonprofits look to the future, one generation stands out for its unique, powerful potential: Gen Z. Born between 1997 and 2012, Gen Z is already making waves in the philanthropic world, even as most of its members are just beginning their professional lives. This generation is socially conscious, digitally fluent and unafraid to put their values into action, making them a critical demographic for nonprofits to understand and engage.   So, why should nonprofits focus on Gen Z as their next wave of donors … and how?  Why Gen Z […]

By Melissa Lagowski
Read More
Communicating With Your Nonprofit’s Supporters During Times of Unease

Communicating With Your Nonprofit’s Supporters During Times of Unease

By Julia Schroeder Marketing & Nonprofit Account Coordinator Big Buzz Idea Group Change is inevitable for any nonprofit or business, just as people experience times of uncertainty in their own lives. Someone may pass away or lose a job they were counting on to pay the bills. A nonprofit organization may need to dissolve due to a lack of resources or difficulty keeping its supporters engaged. When sudden change occurs – perhaps a loss in major funding or a board member decides to leave before their term is up – the organization may need to scramble to put all the […]

By Melissa Lagowski
Read More

Big Buzz Idea Group Named One of America’s Top 100 Small Businesses

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 30, 2024 Media Contact: Cat Donovan cat@bigbuzzideagroup.com Big Buzz Idea Group Named One of America’s Top 100 Small Businesses U.S. Chamber of Commerce CO—100 list honors Big Buzz Idea Group as ‘Enduring Business’ Chicago, IL – The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and CO, its award-winning digital platform for small businesses, announced Big Buzz Idea Group was chosen for the CO—100: America’s Top 100 Small Businesses list. Big Buzz Idea Group was selected out of more than 14,000 applicants by an esteemed panel of judges for its overall growth driven by cutting-edge ideas, resilience, and strong employee culture. The list includes a […]

By Melissa Lagowski
Read More
Navigating Nonprofit Finances: How to Effectively Manage Your Bookkeeper

Navigating Nonprofit Finances: How to Effectively Manage Your Bookkeeper

By Melissa Lagowski Founder/CEO/Queen Bee Successful financial management is one of the greatest keys to the sustainability of your nonprofit or association. The accuracy of your numbers is crucial for day-to-day funding of staffing, programming and strategic planning. And yet, depending on the source, 40% of nonprofit leaders and 60% of small business owners say they are not good at bookkeeping. Accounting is a highly-regulated area of importance for your organization, and yet most nonprofits do not invest in securing the specialists needed to manage their finances. And even when an association does hire a bookkeeper, leadership might not know […]

By Melissa Lagowski
Read More
These Red Flags Scream That You Need a New Bookkeeper

These Red Flags Scream That You Need a New Bookkeeper

By Melissa Lagowski Founder/CEO/Queen Bee If your nonprofit or association manages cash flow or oversees the filing of financial documentation on a regular basis, check out these warning signs that indicate when it’s time to hire a new bookkeeper. 1. Missed Deadlines Reconciliations and reporting are on a steady and predictable cycle. Bank statements are issued by the end of the month, so the bookkeeper should be able to reconcile all accounts and provide the monthly reports by the 15th of the following month. Governmental deadlines are also established and follow a regular pattern for submissions. If your filings are […]

By Melissa Lagowski
Read More
10 Cybersecurity Tips to Protect Your Nonprofit from Cyber Threats

10 Cybersecurity Tips to Protect Your Nonprofit from Cyber Threats

By Amanda Lovell Digital Marketing Manager Big Buzz Idea Group Do you know the potential costs and impacts that a cyberattack could have on your organization? Are you prepared? In today’s digital age, nonprofits are increasingly becoming targets for cyberattacks, data breaches and ransomware. Your organization’s cybersecurity efforts are crucial, not only to protect sensitive information from theft and damage, but also to maintain the trust and confidence of your stakeholders and your members. Here are some key stats that every nonprofit needs to know: 50% of NGOS reported being targeted by a cyberattack in 2021. 500K confidential records of […]

By Melissa Lagowski
Read More
  • 1
  • 2
  • …
  • 16
  • 17

Check Out These Recent Posts

  • Leveraging AI For Time Management
  • Navigating Uncertainty: How Nonprofits Can Protect Funding and Advocate for Change
  • Tips for Nonprofit Success
  • DEI, DEIB, Equity & Inclusion for All: Ways to Advance the Work in 2025
  • Gen Z is the Next Wave of Donors—How Can Nonprofits Engage Them?
  • Communicating With Your Nonprofit’s Supporters During Times of Unease
  • Big Buzz Idea Group Named One of America’s Top 100 Small Businesses

Sign up for Insights newsletter

Select list(s) to subscribe to

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 Funding Fundraising Goal-Setting Gratitude Leadership management Marketing mission Networking Nonprofit Nonprofit Board Members Nonprofit Leadership Nonprofit Management Nonprofit Organization NPO Organization Organization's Culture Outsourcing pandemic Productivity Social Media Sponsors Sponsorship Staff Strategic Planning Virtual

Insights Blog Archive

  • Outsourcing: The Only Solution To Staffing Shortages
  • 4 Productivity Tips to Elevate Your Nonprofit
  • SPONSORSHIP 101: To Package or Not to Package
  • Post-Pandemic Event Lessons
  • Client Spotlight: Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce
  • 6 Tips for Recruiting Ideal Board Members
  • 5 Secrets to Streamlining Your Administrative Tasks
  • How to Develop Your Nonprofit’s Audience Persona
  • Meet Big Buzz, the Creators of Ribfest Chicago
  • Why Your Nonprofit Needs Brand Guidelines
  • Organic Methods to Cultivate Sponsorship Leads
  • These Red Flags Scream That You Need a New Bookkeeper
  • How to Manage Your Organization During an Election Year Without Violating Your Nonprofit Status
  • Silver Linings Discovered Amidst a Pandemic
  • Optimize Your Contact List for Nonprofit Growth
  • Client Spotlight: Cyberjutsu
  • 5 Tips for Prioritizing Your Mental Health in the Workplace
  • If You’re Feeling Hopeless of Late, Remember That Your Work Matters and You Do, Too
  • Crisis Management: Are You Ready?
  • 4 Ways Outsourcing Your Development Work Can Provide Value
  • Defining Your Value: Reclaiming Relevance to the Community You Serve
  • 5 Reasons to Outsource Instead of Rely on Volunteers
  • Self-Care: A Necessity for Successful Leadership
  • Celebrate You and Avoid Nonprofit Burnout
  • Engage Your Board – Start with Recruiting and End with A High-Performance Culture
  • Goal-Setting For Successful Events
  • 2020: A Lesson in Gratitude
  • Losing Control? Reclaim Your Time!
  • Navigating Uncertainty: How Nonprofits Can Protect Funding and Advocate for Change
  • Client Spotlight: Center for Changing Lives
  • Budgeting for Your Nonprofit in Uncertain Times
  • Grateful for Nonprofit Leaders
  • Why Identifying and Communicating Your Core Values Is Important
  • Transparency and Nonprofit Organizations
  • Take Time to Evaluate Your Events
  • Employee Retention Tax Credit Yields Powerful Opportunity
  • Cross-Train Your Team for Better Outcomes
  • Making a Case for Strategic Planning
  • The Taxman Cometh (Yes, Even For Your Exempt Organization)
  • Keep Your Mission in Mind to Maximize Results
  • Leveraging E-Newsletters For Nonprofit Growth
  • A Job Gone Wrong
  • Client Spotlight: Old Town School of Folk Music
  • Tips to Ensure Event Safety
  • Should You Ever Cover Board Member Expenses?
  • Implementing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Your Nonprofit
  • Communicating With Your Nonprofit’s Supporters During Times of Unease
  • Why You Need to Establish Gratitude as a Pillar at Your Nonprofit
  • Interim Directors Provide Strength in Times of Transition
  • Is Your Marketing Missing the Mark?
  • Gen Z is the Next Wave of Donors—How Can Nonprofits Engage Them?
  • The Need to Go Beyond Surveys
  • The 3 Mistakes I Made Managing a Nonprofit
  • 3 Reasons Why Your Organization Should Use Canva
  • The Keys to Presenting Your Nonprofit Online
  • Life After COVID-19: Next Steps for Your Nonprofit
  • From Awareness to Action: Using Social Media to Reach Your Goals
  • 6 Tips for Cultivating Gratitude in the Workplace
  • Networking for Personal and Professional Growth
  • Client Spotlight: Hope For The Day
  • Navigating Nonprofit Finances: How to Effectively Manage Your Bookkeeper
  • Advantages of Donor Database Software for Charitable Organizations
  • The Compelling Case to Renew
  • What’s Your Nonprofit’s First Impression?
  • Time to Assess Your Year-End Campaigns
  • To Be Successful, Nonprofits and Associations Must Be Forward-Thinking
  • Re-Imagine the Possibilities to Better Serve Your Mission
  • Four Step Process to Building Better Buy-In
  • Communication Tips to Advance Your Organization
  • Something Good: Building Your Team’s Connection
  • How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media to Meet Goals
  • 11 Tips to Make Your Newsletter More Readable
  • What’s Your Nonprofit’s Story
  • Big Buzz Has COVID-19 Resources For You!
  • An Interim Leader Isn’t a “Temp:” Interim Leadership in NPOs as a Management Profession
  • Does Your Mission Have a Compelling Voice?
  • Making the Most Out of Event Centerpieces
  • Clearer Communication Is the Secret to Better Outcomes
  • Promotion Ideas to Benefit Your Nonprofit – Part I
  • How to Hire a Consultant
  • Tips For Meaningful #GivingTuesday Follow-Up
  • Seven Tips to a More Productive Year for Your Organization
  • Never Overlook the Value of Gratitude
  • 3 Questions to Ask If You Hope to Grow Your Membership
  • 3 Tips For Maintaining Your NPO’s Digital Assets
  • Six Things Your Nonprofit Needs to Know About Sales Tax
  • Holding On When You Feel Like Throwing In the Towel
  • Board Nominating: A Better Way
  • Our Top Five Free Online Tools for Nonprofit Management Teams
  • Want To Retain Your Employees? Wellness in the Workplace Matters!
  • Word of the Year: Manifestation
  • Nonprofit Event Venues 101
  • 6 Tips for Healthy Collaboration with Your Board Chair
  • Mastering Client Expectations: 6 Essential Tips for Success
  • Put Some Zing in Your Zoom (Or Any Other Virtual Meeting)
  • Fresh Funding Ideas Are Blooming
  • Cancelling or Postponing Your Events in Light of COVID-19
  • Fundraising: Creating a Straighter Path to Revenue Growth
  • The Birth of a New Vision
  • New Year’s Resolutions for Board Members
  • Boost Your Daily Productivity
  • 50 Content Promotion Tactics: How to Drive Traffic to Your Next Article
  • Real Progress Requires Intention: What Do You Want to Achieve in 2020 for Your Nonprofit?
  • Leadership Starts with You
  • Make Your Nonprofit Stand Out: Creating Impressions for Impact
  • Why Nonprofits Need to Evaluate Their Budgets Every Year
  • Please Send a Hi-res Copy of Your Logo
  • Four Pillars to Attracting and Retaining Ideal Employees
  • Client Spotlight: Illinois Theatre Association
  • 10 Tips to Cultivate Sponsor Relationships
  • Conference Call Hero – 6 Tips to Master the Art of Video and Audio Conferencing
  • 5 Ways to Generate Sponsor Leads
  • 10 Cybersecurity Tips to Protect Your Nonprofit from Cyber Threats
  • How To Secure More Donor Dollars
  • Tips for Nonprofit Success
  • Securing Help from Your Board: Are You Ready?
  • Big Buzz Idea Group Named One of America’s Top 100 Small Businesses
  • Board or Bored Leadership – Enter the Magnificent Seven
  • Why Is My Organization Not Growing?
  • Nonprofit Form 990: Friend or Foe?
  • Organizational Operations Versus Organizational Strategy
  • Are You Leading With Impact?
  • DEI, DEIB, Equity & Inclusion for All: Ways to Advance the Work in 2025
  • How to Secure Mega Sponsorships For Your Fundraising Event!
  • Cyber Security: How To Protect Yourself In Today’s “Connected” World
  • Tips for Virtual Event Success
  • Strategies for Membership Based Associations to Flourish in Face-to-Face Interactions
  • The Hidden Costs Behind Your Fundraiser
  • How to Rewire Your Brain with Positive Thinking
  • Becoming a Virtual Event Planner in an Instant
  • DIY Event Photos
  • Innovative Approach to Volunteer Recruitment
  • Apply the Spoon Theory to Run Your Nonprofit
  • How to Keep Your Visuals On-Brand
  • Fostering Board Engagement in Virtual Times
  • Melissa Lagowski Named Faculty Member at Institute for Organization Management
  • The Board’s Hot (Summer) Topics
  • Nonprofit Hiring: Best Practices for Building Your Team in 2024
  • Leveraging AI For Time Management
  • SPONSORSHIP 101: Growing Nonprofit Revenues
  • Are You Leaving Money On The Table?
  • 7 Tips for Managing Hybrid Events
  • Lessons Learned in Nonprofit Management
  • Spend Less. Do More. Your Guide to Effective Outsourcing
  • 9 Lessons Learned from Our First Virtual Conference
  • Best Practices For Nonprofit Management
  • Financial Planning for Uncertain Times
  • Team Culture Exists Beyond the Office Walls
  • Should Sponsorships Include Membership Dues?
  • Four Tactics to Resolve Nonprofit Staffing Shortages
  • Talk to Me! Prioritizing Internal Communications During Times of Transition
  • Streamlining Success: Using a Consent Agenda for Nonprofit Board Meetings
  • Promotion Ideas to Benefit Your Nonprofit – Part II
  • 8 Tips For Leading Productive Meetings
  • SPONSORSHIP 101: Growing Nonprofit Revenues
  • The Benefits of Outsourcing
  • Virtual Fundraising: 18 Ideas for Nonprofit Revenue
  • Chart a Path for Nonprofit Success
  • The Importance of Authenticity in Sales and Networking
  • How Big Is Your Fire?
  • Big Buzz Idea Group Launches Additional Services

Contact Us

Want more info? Have a question? Send us an email and we'll get back to you, asap.

Send Message
Spark the growth and power of your organization. Schedule your FREE consultation today. Let's Connect

CONTACT INFO

  • Big Buzz Idea Group
  • 4055 W. Peterson Ave., #105 Chicago, IL 60646
  • 773.804.8589
  • 773.804.8986
  • info@bigbuzzideagroup.com

Connect with us

Proud Member:

© 2021 — Big Buzz Idea Group

  • Home
  • Our Team
  • Clients
  • What We Do
  • Case Studies
  • Blog
  • Join the Team
  • Contact
  • FAQ