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Powering Nonprofits to Fuel Positive Change

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6 Tips for Healthy Collaboration with Your Board Chair

6 Tips for Healthy Collaboration with Your Board Chair

By Melissa Lagowski CEO / Queen Bee / Founder Big Buzz Idea Group In thinking back to my first day as an Executive Director (E.D.), I realize now that the tone was set right there on day one. I met the Board President at my new office. He unlocked the door, handed me the key and said, “Have a nice day” as he left. There was no training, nobody to answer my questions. I don’t even know if I saw any of the board members between meetings (except, on occasion, for the Board member who owned the building where my...

Leadership Starts with You

Leadership Starts with You

By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired and success achieved.” ~Helen Keller When you think of a “leader,” who comes to mind? We typically list examples of great leaders like Abraham Lincoln, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, Jr., Mahatma Gandhi and other famous people, but we overlook the value that each of us possess as leaders. Does your organization have strong leadership? How enthusiastic and impassioned are the leaders that sit on your board of directors?...

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...

6 Tips for Recruiting Ideal Board Members

6 Tips for Recruiting Ideal Board Members

By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group We regularly hear from nonprofits that their Board of Directors or certain members are not carrying their fair share of the weight. The biggest concern is leadership not delivering on their Board commitments and sometimes they aren’t even showing up to the organization’s events. But imagine the flipside: What if each Board member actively engaged with your organization? What if every Board member met their give-or-get requirements and took their fiduciary responsibilities more seriously? What if every Board member actively served and supported your nonprofit with shared vision and commitment toward...

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...

5 Secrets to Streamlining Your Administrative Tasks

5 Secrets to Streamlining Your Administrative Tasks

By: Melissa Lagowski Founder, CEO and Queen Bee, Big Buzz Idea Group Nonprofit leadership and high-level salaried staff need time and space to focus on their organization’s mission, growth, strategy and fundraising. But all too often, we see these leaders become bogged down and burned out by administrative tasks trying to wear a million different hats. Does this sound familiar? With a few changes, it’s possible to streamline your nonprofit’s admin tasks and create effective systems. These efficiencies will improve day-to-day operations to benefit your leadership, staff and those you serve. #1 Segment Calls, Emails and Other Communications Managing incoming and...

Board or Bored Leadership – Enter the Magnificent Seven

Board or Bored Leadership – Enter the Magnificent Seven

By: Denise Dahl, MPA Founder & Principal, Epiphany Planning & Development Nonprofit Leadership & Strategy   One of the most common questions I receive is “How do I get my board to do more?” The answer is easy, but the implementation can be a bit more challenging as board members each come with their own motivation regarding serving. Maybe they are serving as the cause is dear to them. Maybe they are serving because they feel a type of ownership (founder’s syndrome). Maybe they are serving to build their resume. Reasons to serve on a board are as varied as...

Holding On When You Feel Like Throwing In the Towel

Holding On When You Feel Like Throwing In the Towel

Holding On When You Feel Like Throwing In the Towel: Seven Tips To Keeping a Positive Mindset By: Melissa Lagowski CEO, Founder and Queen Bee, Big Buzz Idea Group The nonprofit space is filled with good people doing good work, but in being a servant leader, you encounter many different personalities along the way. Most of the people who devote themselves to the nonprofit world are optimistic people hoping to make a meaningful contribution. But, unfortunately, along the way, there are also a lot of curmudgeons and naysayers, and it is incredible how much negativity enters the arena. How can...

Why Is My Organization Not Growing?

Why Is My Organization Not Growing?

By: Sherry Quam Taylor QuamTaylor LLC The energy and passion needed to successfully fund and launch a nonprofit is not the same energy and passion that will keep it moving forward. Growing your organization takes even more, and most leaders feel this playing out daily. I’ve found that most nonprofits are full of passionate, thoughtful, and sacrificial leaders who have the ideas to make a great impact in the world. But I also know gaining traction and momentum to move forward isn’t easy. Often it takes an outsider’s perspective to bring clarity to problem areas. Whether your organization generates $300K or...

The Benefits of Outsourcing

The Benefits of Outsourcing

Save time, money and effort By: Melissa Lagowski CEO, Founder and Queen Bee, Big Buzz Idea Group When your plate is full—perhaps too full—it’s hard to do anything well as you’re pulled in different directions and constantly hurtling from one task to the next. Meanwhile, your team is also working hard, but they likely don’t have the time or all the necessary skills to propel your nonprofit’s growth. The result? Burnout, stagnation and missed opportunities. Rather than focus internally, the solution may lie outside of your organization. Partnering with an external business to delegate key tasks or areas of expertise...

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Insights Blog Archive

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

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

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