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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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How to Hire a Consultant

How to Hire a Consultant

By Brad Ball Vice President Big Buzz Idea Group As an association management company and nonprofit consultant, we’ve written extensively about the benefits of outsourcing for your organization. Outsourcing can help you navigate a tight job market or hiring market, ensuring that tasks are performed by competent professionals and the office is running efficiently throughout the hiring process. It can cost less than hiring new staff, is more reliable than counting on volunteers, and can even allow you to bring in an expert with a specific skillset you need for a limited time. With more and more complex tasks and responsibilities...

Silver Linings Discovered Amidst a Pandemic

Silver Linings Discovered Amidst a Pandemic

By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group We have always known that, out of necessity, nonprofit organizations are incredibly nimble and resilient. Over the last 12 months, organizations have made quick pivots and showed great commitment and creativity to the missions they serve. Now that it has been a full year of life with COVID-19, we asked our clients if they had any unexpected positive results from the pandemic. Here is what they had to say:   Rogers Park Business Alliance “We added video interviews to our Small Business Saturday event in 2020. The pivot to video for...

Promotion Ideas to Benefit Your Nonprofit – Part I

Promotion Ideas to Benefit Your Nonprofit – Part I

By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group I recently heard a horror story about a nonprofit that was promised a packed room for their annual fundraiser. The development team guaranteed that the tables would be full and the event would be a huge success. I don’t know all the intricacies, but in the end, their promotions clearly failed as there were not even three full tables and it was a huge flop. This is everyone’s worst nightmare. We are constantly tasked with growing our audiences and engaging new supporters but often don’t know where to begin. This list...

3 Questions to Ask If You Hope to Grow Your Membership

3 Questions to Ask If You Hope to Grow Your Membership

By: Brad Ball Vice President Big Buzz Idea Group If boosting membership is a key goal for your organization, we’ve got three questions to kick off your strategic planning. To add some context, we spoke with Lynsey Sorrell, the Vice President of Membership for the Ely Chapter of Lambda Alpha International, the Honorary Society for the Advancement of Land Economics. As one of our valued association management clients, she was able to share some of the impactful ways we’ve worked together to improve her organization’s membership. Read on for our thought-starters to move your own membership forward. 1. How can...

Budgeting for Your Nonprofit in Uncertain Times

Budgeting for Your Nonprofit in Uncertain Times

By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group Far too many nonprofits that we talk to have a wash-rinse-repeat model of budgeting that we at Big Buzz do not generally support. For those readers who have been following us for a while, you know that we believe that forward-thinking budgeting leads to the growth of your organization. We fully believe that when it comes to budgeting, it is imperative to do a deeper dive about where you are and where you want to go as an association. You need to annually evaluate which resources are necessary to elevate your...

4 Ways Outsourcing Your Development Work Can Provide Value

4 Ways Outsourcing Your Development Work Can Provide Value

Three Nonprofit Leaders Share the Benefits of Enlisting Outside Support for Development Assistance By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group For nonprofits with a small development department—or perhaps none at all—outsourcing is a valuable option. In our work at Big Buzz, we provide support with fundraising, events, communications, database management, marketing and more, offering a deeply impactful value to nonprofit organizations. But you don’t have to take our word for it. This month, we talked to three client partners to hear (directly from them) about the value they saw in outsourcing development work. Here are the main benefits...

How to Manage Your Organization During an Election Year Without Violating Your Nonprofit Status

How to Manage Your Organization During an Election Year Without Violating Your Nonprofit Status

By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group During an election year, people within your nonprofit may want to support political causes and candidates. What does this mean for your 501(c)(3) organization? To maintain tax-exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code, your organization cannot directly or indirectly participate in a political campaign to support or oppose a candidate for elected office. This means your nonprofit cannot show political bias. You may not, in any way, indicate that the organization favors or opposes a candidate. Your organization cannot make political statements or endorsements in favor of one candidate or make...

Our Top Five Free Online Tools for Nonprofit Management Teams

Our Top Five Free Online Tools for Nonprofit Management Teams

By: Brad Ball Vice President Big Buzz Idea Group Whether you are well-seasoned in your nonprofit management career, just starting out at an entry-level nonprofit job or somewhere in the middle, you most likely spend a good deal of time in the digital workspace. In this post, we’re going to tell you about our top five favorite online tools to make your life easier and keep your nonprofit organization running smoothly without spending a penny. DESIGN: Canva We’ve written about this one before and it’s worth mentioning again because it’s such a powerful tool for your nonprofit marketing team. Keep...

Big Buzz Idea Group Launches Additional Services

Big Buzz Idea Group Launches Additional Services

Big Buzz Idea Group has enjoyed consulting nonprofits for the past 15 years, and over that time, whenever we met a new potential client, we heard a very common theme: “I had no idea a company like yours even existed!” The need for assistance has never been more obvious, which is why we are presenting a new suite of budget-friendly services to a larger audience of nonprofits.

Your mission is our mission, and now in addition to “powering nonprofit organizations to fuel positive change in the world,” we want to also “power nonprofit professionals” to accelerate your organization to fuel positive change in the world.

The Compelling Case to Renew

The Compelling Case to Renew

By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group   Today’s the day to make things happen. It’s time to move forward (while the whole world seems to have stopped, and we watch and wait and wonder and worry). Put aside the feeling of helplessness, that the more we learn, the less we understand what it all means for each of us. That’s the problem with paralysis by analysis: while we’re stuck in the mud and waiting for something, time keeps slippin’ and the world keeps spinnin’… A boulder has been placed in your path. While deciding what to do...

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Check Out These Recent Posts

  • 8 Tips For Leading Productive Meetings
  • The Importance of Authenticity in Sales and Networking
  • How Big Is Your Fire?
  • The Keys to Presenting Your Nonprofit Online
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  • Client Spotlight: Hope For The Day
  • Chart a Path for Nonprofit Success

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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 Networking Nonprofit Nonprofit Board Members 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

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

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

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