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Powering Nonprofits to Fuel Positive Change

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Cross-Train Your Team for Better Outcomes

Cross-Train Your Team for Better Outcomes

By Brad Ball Vice President Big Buzz Idea Group As a leader, you’ve likely spent plenty of time and money hiring just the right person for each role on your team. Here at Big Buzz Idea Group, we have a quote we frequently reference from author Rudyard Kipling: “For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack.” Successful teams (the pack) are built from each individual team member (the wolf) bringing their best effort to the company and to the job every day. We count on each other for individual excellence...

Something Good: Building Your Team’s Connection

Something Good: Building Your Team’s Connection

By Brad Ball Vice President Big Buzz Idea Group Celebrating wins and recognizing opportunities for improvement are crucial components of successful and connected teams. Each week, the staff at Big Buzz Idea Group meets on Monday and Friday mornings and included on those agendas is “Something Good” and “Something Better.” By taking just a few minutes each week to connect about successes and SNAFUs, we enjoy a deeper connection to one another and the work we do for our clients. Something Good “The power of progress is fundamental to human nature, but few managers understand it or know how to...

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....

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...

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...

Conference Call Hero – 6 Tips to Master the Art of Video and Audio Conferencing

Conference Call Hero – 6 Tips to Master the Art of Video and Audio Conferencing

By: Brad Ball Vice President Big Buzz Idea Group According to a 2017 Gallup study, nearly one half of the American workforce spends at least some time working from home (WFH). While the study doesn’t specifically identify nonprofit professionals as part of the inquiry, experience tells us that WFH is becoming more commonplace all the way around. One of the more important ways to connect when team members or volunteers are working from home is via the conference call. Available as both dial-in audio-only and increasingly common video conference, here’s a list of how to conference like a pro. Know...

4 Productivity Tips to Elevate Your Nonprofit

4 Productivity Tips to Elevate Your Nonprofit

By: Melissa Lagwoski CEO/Founder/Queen Bee Big Buzz Idea Group Do you feel overwhelmed by the demands of your organization? Struggling to balance all of the responsibilities in your work week? Are the pressures of your nonprofit spilling over into your personal time? These common challenges can happen throughout the year but there are simple actions that will remove those issues for more productivity. And January is a great time to make a few small changes to reclaim your time and elevate your organization to new heights! Identify Your Priorities Take some time to get clear about what you must do...

Boost Your Daily Productivity

Boost Your Daily Productivity

By: Melissa Lagowski CEO, Founder and Queen Bee, Big Buzz Idea Group Do you find yourself buried in overwhelm while reviewing the weekly to-do list? Does it feel as though you work and work but never get to the one thing that needed to get done today? Are you constantly struggling to tame an inbox that constantly floweth over? When overwhelm hits me, I am instantly reminded of Elton John’s “Circle of Life:” “From the day we arrive on the planet, and blinking, step into the Sun, There’s more to be seen than can ever be seen; More to do...

Seven Tips to a More Productive Year for Your Organization

Seven Tips to a More Productive Year for Your Organization

Have you ever had a difficult time getting your committees to focus on the task at hand because they get easily distracted? Does it sometimes feel like every member of your Board is rowing in a different direction? It happens unexpectedly and just when everything seems to be going well. Your organization stands to have an amazing year because the strategic planning has been completed, the team has become clear on the mission and maybe even rebranded the new vision of the organization. The energy is high and everyone is excited about the things to come. Then fast forward six...

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

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Insights Blog Archive

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

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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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