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Powering Nonprofits to Fuel Positive Change

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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...

Self-Care: A Necessity for Successful Leadership

Self-Care: A Necessity for Successful Leadership

By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group Have you ever lost sleep at night with the feeling that you aren’t meeting the needs of your nonprofit? Do you devote all your time and effort successfully leading the organization only to receive that one negative comment from a board member that leaves you beating yourself up for days? Are you struggling with keeping your association – as well as your staff, board and volunteers – navigating current events to find yourself completely depleted at the end of the day? There is no “one way” to run a nonprofit organization....

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...

Re-Imagine the Possibilities to Better Serve Your Mission

Re-Imagine the Possibilities to Better Serve Your Mission

You might feel like you will never break free from Zoom calls and virtual meetings right now, but we will reach the other side of this “shelter in place” soon. However, the world as we knew it will never be the same. Have you started thinking about what this means for you and your nonprofit?

Many organizations have been extremely busy as a result of COVID-19, trying to keep up with an increased demand from core constituencies and working to pivot their in-person services to virtual programming. Nonprofit leaders have been struggling to stay abreast of financial assistance programs, additional giving campaigns and managing remote workforces. We get that you are busier than ever right now, but times like this are for preparation and innovation. If you actively invest the time now to plan out what you want to achieve on the other side of COVID-19, you are far more likely to succeed. You must make the time to begin planning for a future that has already been altered.

Team Culture Exists Beyond the Office Walls

Team Culture Exists Beyond the Office Walls

Sarah Pollock Nonprofit Account Manager Big Buzz Idea Group   Team culture is more than a cake shared in the breakroom for each birthday. While a beloved tradition, the purpose of the birthday cake is to foster positive, company-oriented events that bring the group together beyond the work itself. Team culture, on the other hand, is individually defined within a company; it represents the identity of the team, the dynamics between members, and establishes the interactions and social engagements that define the company. It usually doesn’t even have a designated leader, but organically develops as your team’s dynamics evince the...

Life After COVID-19: Next Steps for Your Nonprofit

Life After COVID-19: Next Steps for Your Nonprofit

By: Melissa Lagowski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group   COVID-19 entered the news in early January, but it entered our American lives hard in mid-March. For the last three weeks we have gone from “normal” living to modified living to shelter in place. And now we all wait and wonder when these restrictions will lift and when we will be safe to return to “normal” again. Unfortunately, normal will never be the same for any of us. So, what now? Immediate Needs As we all adjust to this new “normal,” it is important to identify your most immediate needs....

Why Identifying and Communicating Your Core Values Is Important

Why Identifying and Communicating Your Core Values Is Important

4 Ways Core Values Contribute to a Nonprofit’s Culture and Success  By: Melissa Lagowski CEO, Founder and Queen Bee, Big Buzz Idea Group As individuals, we each live by our own set of core values. These are the beliefs and ideas we use to shape our goals, guide our actions and ensure we stay on track. For nonprofits and businesses, creating a concrete set of core values is equally important. Much like our individual values, a nonprofit’s core values provide direction and guidelines for the organization itself as well as every person or entity it comes in contact with. Why...

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  • Client Spotlight: Illinois Theatre Association
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Insights Blog Archive

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

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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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