• Home
  • About Us
  • Services
  • Case Studies
  • Blog
  • Join the Team
  • Contact

Powering Nonprofits to Fuel Positive Change

773.804.8589
info@bigbuzzideagroup.com
Big Buzz Idea GroupBig Buzz Idea Group
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Services
  • Case Studies
  • Blog
  • Join the Team
  • Contact
Time to Assess Your Year-End Campaigns

Time to Assess Your Year-End Campaigns

By: Sarah Pollock Nonprofit Account Manager Big Buzz Idea Group In the last quarter of what has been a very unpredictable year, everyone is fighting with full force towards their year-end campaigns. With a drastic change in the economy, this year has included more asks and more widespread campaigning from nonprofits, and funding sources, themselves, have to be as strategic as the askers. Though workloads have increased, sifting through donor lists and segmenting campaign asks – tasks which always seem to end up on the back burner as tedious and time-consuming – need to become your immediate goal. The development strategy needs to face three questions: How many donor lists do you currently have? How many times has each donor been asked for a...

Financial Planning for Uncertain Times

Financial Planning for Uncertain Times

By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group Does your organization have a reserve fund? According to an annual survey conducted by the National Council of Nonprofits, less than 25% of the survey participants had six months of reserves. The majority had less than three months of operating reserves, and 10% had less than 30 days cash on hand. Many nonprofit organizations have budgets that have them eking through the year with a minimal surplus or worse yet, a financial loss. Why any board member would disregard fiduciary responsibilities and approve a negative budget is beyond me, but that...

Tips For Meaningful #GivingTuesday Follow-Up

Tips For Meaningful #GivingTuesday Follow-Up

By: Lidia Varesco Racoma Owner, Lidia Varesco Design You did it—you made it through #GivingTuesday! But your work is not done yet. Take advantage of the momentum of your campaign: Follow up with your donors and supporters, create meaningful connections that will last throughout the year, and use the insights gathered this year to inspire next year’s campaign. Say thank you—and share results Thank your supporters on social media and share the results of your campaign as well as the impact it has on the people your serve. Sharing a video thank you from the organization’s founder or leaders can...

Why You Need to Establish Gratitude as a Pillar at Your Nonprofit

Why You Need to Establish Gratitude as a Pillar at Your Nonprofit

By: Melissa Lagowski Founder, CEO and Queen Bee, Big Buzz Idea Group With Thanksgiving upon us, it seems like everyone is talking about gratitude. (To be fair, it’s always top of mind around here-gratitude is one of our core values at Big Buzz!) Is there anything better than feeling appreciated? For nonprofits, acknowledging the contributions of those people directly tied to your organization is important. A simple, inspirational gesture of appreciation cultivates a sense of community, generosity and support for your mission. WHO to Thank Think about all of the people who are a part of your organization. They keep...

Nonprofit Form 990: Friend or Foe?

Nonprofit Form 990: Friend or Foe?

By: Sherry Quam Taylor Founder, QuamTaylor LLC   When I started in nonprofit years ago I had no idea what a Form 990 was – all those numbers and check-boxes seemed like a lot of painful information for someone to fill out. Frankly, I didn’t understand what most of it meant. I’ve put off filing because of “more important” business and have admittedly filed a few extensions myself. But that was before I understood the importance of this little gem of a document. You want your donors to see you as a transparent partner, right? You want them to see...

SPONSORSHIP 101: Growing Nonprofit Revenues

SPONSORSHIP 101: Growing Nonprofit Revenues

Part One of a Two-Part Series (Click here to read Part Two) By: Melissa Lagowski CEO, Founder and Queen Bee, Big Buzz Idea Group Be it donors or dinners or annual bake sales, nonprofit organizations live and die by their budgets and funding streams. Finding a steady revenue stream may seem difficult but it also might just be hidden in plain sight: look around to discover that opportunities exist to develop a sponsorship program that can play mightily into your success. Established nonprofits already have an underlying support system in their board of directors, staff members, social media followers, donors,...

How To Secure More Donor Dollars

How To Secure More Donor Dollars

By: Stephanie Nivinskus Founder, SizzleForce If you’re like many non-profits, fourth quarter is when you ramp up your fundraising campaigns. After all, Giving Tuesday, the biggest donation day of the year for many organizations, is right around the corner (November 28th, to be exact.) Knowing this, and the fact that more than 30% of annual giving usually occurs in the month of December, there’s no time like the present to prepare your most irresistible fundraising campaign yet. The problem? You may be planning to do fundraising as usual. And because of that, you may miss out on millions of potential...

Fundraising: Creating a Straighter Path to Revenue Growth

Fundraising: Creating a Straighter Path to Revenue Growth

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...

Check Out These Recent Posts

  • 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
  • The 3 Mistakes I Made Managing a Nonprofit

Sign up for Insights newsletter

Select list(s) to subscribe to


By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Big Buzz Idea Group, 4055 W. Peterson Ave., Chicago, IL, 60646, http://bigbuzzideagroup.com. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact

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

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

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

Twitter

  • Today we're showing our appreciation for our Executive Assistant, Cat Donovan. We are grateful for all her hard wor…  http://t.co/jfi1zNB4yX 
  • 10 months ago
  • If you're a #nonprofit leader, what are some #goals that your organization is working towards? Sound off below! ⤵️
  • 10 months ago

Follow @BigBuzzIG

© 2021 — Big Buzz Idea Group

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Services
  • Case Studies
  • Blog
  • Join the Team
  • Contact