The year end nears. For those of us in development, it's the final push to get those moving letters and compelling proposals to people and foundations still perceived to have deep pockets. While I'm asking for amounts from $5,000 to $20,000 and much more - there are fundraisers that are doing just fine at $25 a pop.
Mr. Obama did pretty well at that before he became President. There's an excellent report from PBP Executive Reports that looks at the lessons from the Obama campaign. Over time he grew his e-mail list from 90 thousand addresses to 13 million and attracted nearly 4 million donors. The average donation according to some reports was just over $100.
Amazing numbers! Yet there are three contradictory articles in the latest Chronicle of Philanthropy.
One report states that Social Networks Produce Dismal Results. Caroline Preston reports that out of 250 nonprofits surveyed, 74% said they had raised less than $100. Few of them could determine how many volunteers or how much money they had actually raised through their forays into social networking.
Another by Ben Gose Urges Charities and Donors to Focus on Small Gifts. Gose reports that Wendy Smith's new book, Give a Little, reminds us all how the little gifts can really add up. Individuals gave $229 billion dollars in 2007. For some context, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation gave just $2 billion the same year. Smith contends most of those donors are from households earning less than $100,000 per year.
Finally, Sean Stannard-Stockton writes an excellent article on tactical philanthropy using Twitter. He makes a great point that Twitter is THE new forum for discussing philanthropy. It far outstrips traditional media among young readers. All those young readers are the ones making small donations - for now. What will they give as they get older??
More significantly, Stannard-Stockton states: "...philanthropy is no longer a topic of discussion reserved for the ultrawealthy, nonprofit executives, or academic researchers. As with any topic that goes mainstream, many insiders will complain that the subject is too nuanced for the masses to understand.
But the people and organizations that can figure out how to speak authentically about philanthropy to a mainstream voice — without dumbing down the subject or talking over the heads of the newly formed crowds — will dominate the discussions about the nonprofit world in the coming months and years."
My $12.96 GoodSearch contribution this year isn't much. Some nonprofits turn up their noses at the pennies per search concept. Some don't. They are getting checks of over $1,000 this month. The pennies add up.
Heaven is in the details. Details are often very small. But they always make a difference.
Showing posts with label development. Show all posts
Showing posts with label development. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Big Wow Service
In the world of grant writing, we strive to impress. Programs and services described with compelling words backed up by impressive numbers. It is a fact of fund-raising life if you're going to make your organization stand out from all the others.
But what is your mission? What is your priority? What service do you really offer?
According to Richard Foster, "service is not a list of things that we do...it is a way of living." While rereading his excellent book, Celebration of Discipline, I came across a sub section on service in the marketplace. He provided a short list of services that each of us can perform on a daily basis. They are the services of:
The service of hiddenness is certainly counterintuitive to our PR driven world. We're all about getting the word out far and wide, loud and clear. But acts of service and generosity don't always have to be material for the next newsletter. Word gets around slowly and quietly that good things happen. If you're just in it for the short term and need kudos before moving on to your next gig to "help" people, you won't understand that concept. But if you're satisfied with making quiet, long-term impacts, you probably know how to spell the word "anonymous."
"There are no small roles. There are only small actors." That's an old show business saying. The world of acting is known for its big egos. The service of small things is another one that probably doesn't make sense to the loud and proud. But details matter. Heaven is indeed in the details.
The service of hospitality seems to pervade most of the nonprofit world. With just a few exceptions in Dallas, I've been amazed at how many people in the nonprofit world are willing to spend time answering questions, giving advice, and listening. That welcome feeling is what makes competitors into partners for the common good.
The service of listening is one more service that's often taken for granted. We have two ears and one mouth. There's your ideal ratio of listening to talking. The nonprofits that hear what their clients need; that hear what their donors want to do; that hear what their staffs can do are the ones that are making the biggest difference.
Yes, there must be adequate funds to perform programs and services. The highly touted, big wow service draws a lot of good attention. But to get it right from top to bottom, you literally must have service in your heart.
But what is your mission? What is your priority? What service do you really offer?
According to Richard Foster, "service is not a list of things that we do...it is a way of living." While rereading his excellent book, Celebration of Discipline, I came across a sub section on service in the marketplace. He provided a short list of services that each of us can perform on a daily basis. They are the services of:
- Hiddenness
- Small things
- Guarding reputations
- Being served
- Common courtesy
- Hospitality
- Listening
- Sharing the word of Life
The service of hiddenness is certainly counterintuitive to our PR driven world. We're all about getting the word out far and wide, loud and clear. But acts of service and generosity don't always have to be material for the next newsletter. Word gets around slowly and quietly that good things happen. If you're just in it for the short term and need kudos before moving on to your next gig to "help" people, you won't understand that concept. But if you're satisfied with making quiet, long-term impacts, you probably know how to spell the word "anonymous."
"There are no small roles. There are only small actors." That's an old show business saying. The world of acting is known for its big egos. The service of small things is another one that probably doesn't make sense to the loud and proud. But details matter. Heaven is indeed in the details.
The service of hospitality seems to pervade most of the nonprofit world. With just a few exceptions in Dallas, I've been amazed at how many people in the nonprofit world are willing to spend time answering questions, giving advice, and listening. That welcome feeling is what makes competitors into partners for the common good.
The service of listening is one more service that's often taken for granted. We have two ears and one mouth. There's your ideal ratio of listening to talking. The nonprofits that hear what their clients need; that hear what their donors want to do; that hear what their staffs can do are the ones that are making the biggest difference.
Yes, there must be adequate funds to perform programs and services. The highly touted, big wow service draws a lot of good attention. But to get it right from top to bottom, you literally must have service in your heart.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Hope to Fill Your Glass
On Christmas night just a few weeks ago, Ray Suarez asked: "When will the muscles in the back of your neck relax?"
During the 25 December edition of The Newshour on PBS, Suarez was talking to three exceptional leaders in the nonprofit world. The panel was composed of the development manager of the Salvation Army, the editor of the Chronicle of Philanthropy, and the president of the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance. It could not have been a better summary of the challenges facing nonprofits during the current economic crisis.
You're best served by reading the transcript of this excellent interview. What follows is my summary and a few comments.
The glass is half full: it's a bad time for all charities, but social services giving for people in need has increased a little - just not enough to meet the growing demands.
The glass is half empty: If you're not involved with social services, hang on. The arts, the environment, and other parts of the public sector are incredibly important, but they will be in line behind the basic needs of people.
Charities lag the economy. The economy lags the market. The market has yet to turn around although there are small hints of new life. This means there's a "long row to hoe" during this new economy.
That row may last longer than many charities can stand. There are only so many ways to become more efficient and creative. Assuming the only people left on your bus are the right people, it is going to be a short bus ride if you cannot afford gas and tires.
People and foundations are prioritizing their giving. Corporations are barely thinking of giving. Nonprofits must prioritize their spending. Tension is increasing between donors and service providers.
It's tough to ignore the passion of the servant's heart, but the reality is either:
a) don't cut back on services and close the doors this summer or
b) scale back and try to make it to the end of the year. Depending upon how long the row is, you may well get to do it all over again next year.
Faith is an important element here. Yes, God will provide and can stop a locomotive. But He gave you the brains to get off the tracks before the train comes. Now is a time, not just for prayer, but for some thought leadership.
Forward thinking nonprofits will be looking for more partners, collaborators, volunteers, and even mergers. Is it all about you and your nonprofit - or is it really about who or what you serve? As with every crisis, there are opportunities.
Can some administrative services be combined with other nonprofits in your sector or geography? Is there someone willing to create an administrative outsourcing business for nonprofits? At what cost? Who can help peer organizations get past egos and come together to serve the common good?
The response to Suarez's question was that it's time to shift nonprofit thinking to the "new normal" (my words). There is an immediate need for survival. You must manage through this week and this month.
But the row may take many months to hoe. What are your plans for the new economy that does emerge next year - or the year after next? Are you ready to consolidate? to share resources? to share responsibilities?
The new economy is the new normal. There is help for the asking. Is it time to add some partners to your paceline?
There are answers to all these questions. There is hope - it is not a new concept.
During the 25 December edition of The Newshour on PBS, Suarez was talking to three exceptional leaders in the nonprofit world. The panel was composed of the development manager of the Salvation Army, the editor of the Chronicle of Philanthropy, and the president of the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance. It could not have been a better summary of the challenges facing nonprofits during the current economic crisis.
You're best served by reading the transcript of this excellent interview. What follows is my summary and a few comments.
The glass is half full: it's a bad time for all charities, but social services giving for people in need has increased a little - just not enough to meet the growing demands.
The glass is half empty: If you're not involved with social services, hang on. The arts, the environment, and other parts of the public sector are incredibly important, but they will be in line behind the basic needs of people.
Charities lag the economy. The economy lags the market. The market has yet to turn around although there are small hints of new life. This means there's a "long row to hoe" during this new economy.
That row may last longer than many charities can stand. There are only so many ways to become more efficient and creative. Assuming the only people left on your bus are the right people, it is going to be a short bus ride if you cannot afford gas and tires.
People and foundations are prioritizing their giving. Corporations are barely thinking of giving. Nonprofits must prioritize their spending. Tension is increasing between donors and service providers.
It's tough to ignore the passion of the servant's heart, but the reality is either:
a) don't cut back on services and close the doors this summer or
b) scale back and try to make it to the end of the year. Depending upon how long the row is, you may well get to do it all over again next year.
Faith is an important element here. Yes, God will provide and can stop a locomotive. But He gave you the brains to get off the tracks before the train comes. Now is a time, not just for prayer, but for some thought leadership.
Forward thinking nonprofits will be looking for more partners, collaborators, volunteers, and even mergers. Is it all about you and your nonprofit - or is it really about who or what you serve? As with every crisis, there are opportunities.
Can some administrative services be combined with other nonprofits in your sector or geography? Is there someone willing to create an administrative outsourcing business for nonprofits? At what cost? Who can help peer organizations get past egos and come together to serve the common good?
The response to Suarez's question was that it's time to shift nonprofit thinking to the "new normal" (my words). There is an immediate need for survival. You must manage through this week and this month.
But the row may take many months to hoe. What are your plans for the new economy that does emerge next year - or the year after next? Are you ready to consolidate? to share resources? to share responsibilities?
The new economy is the new normal. There is help for the asking. Is it time to add some partners to your paceline?
There are answers to all these questions. There is hope - it is not a new concept.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Hugs for Nerds
Have you hugged your grant writer lately? Okay. Not all grant proposal writers are nerds.
But lets face it. Who comes to mind when you're thinking of someone who not only writes, but really understands numbers, enjoys spread sheets, gets into research, actually uses good grammar, and thrills at finding just the right word?
Hint: it's not someone on the Yahoo! Buzz Log. You might try looking up "nerd" at Dictionary.com - "an intelligent but single-minded person obsessed with a nonsocial hobby or pursuit."
A Director of Development of a ~$2M nonprofit just told me that she's covered her budget with over four months left in the fiscal year. More significantly, the organization's foundation revenue for the year has doubled from about $300K last year to over $600K this year.
Not too shabby for fund raising during these "interesting" economic times. What did she do differently in the last year?
For one thing, she got more help. A year ago she had one full time person who helped her coordinate volunteers, run special events, manage the data base, do the research, and write newsletters, thank you notes, appeals, progress reports, and grant proposals. That's a lot of spinning plates for two people trying to grow a 1.5M dollar operation.
That other full time person was replaced twelve months ago with three part time people with focus. The database person knows fundraising databases inside out. The volunteer coordinator energetically keeps finding new hearts and minds to involve in the organization. And the grant geek just researches and writes proposals.
Now to be sure, all four are working together to help each other. There is some overlap. And the three part timers are generating a few more hours each week than the single full timer did a year ago. But the small, additional investment of focused labor is paying some big dividends.
More significantly, the Director of Development can work on the big picture of "growing the business." When it comes to grants, she does the final review of all the proposals without spending time in the tedious business of matching numbers to words or ensuring that all six copies of the nine attachments are printed on three hole paper and attached to this week's proposal.
Do you have a good grant proposal writer? Do you have a forecast? a pipeline? a coverage model? These are things your favorite nerd can handle while you're building relationships with the donors.
None of this works without those donor relationships, but the paperwork has to be exactly right (and on time) if you want to see that big check in the mail. Don't forget to hug your grant proposal writer. They're suckers for just a little appreciation.
But lets face it. Who comes to mind when you're thinking of someone who not only writes, but really understands numbers, enjoys spread sheets, gets into research, actually uses good grammar, and thrills at finding just the right word?
Hint: it's not someone on the Yahoo! Buzz Log. You might try looking up "nerd" at Dictionary.com - "an intelligent but single-minded person obsessed with a nonsocial hobby or pursuit."
A Director of Development of a ~$2M nonprofit just told me that she's covered her budget with over four months left in the fiscal year. More significantly, the organization's foundation revenue for the year has doubled from about $300K last year to over $600K this year.
Not too shabby for fund raising during these "interesting" economic times. What did she do differently in the last year?
For one thing, she got more help. A year ago she had one full time person who helped her coordinate volunteers, run special events, manage the data base, do the research, and write newsletters, thank you notes, appeals, progress reports, and grant proposals. That's a lot of spinning plates for two people trying to grow a 1.5M dollar operation.
That other full time person was replaced twelve months ago with three part time people with focus. The database person knows fundraising databases inside out. The volunteer coordinator energetically keeps finding new hearts and minds to involve in the organization. And the grant geek just researches and writes proposals.
Now to be sure, all four are working together to help each other. There is some overlap. And the three part timers are generating a few more hours each week than the single full timer did a year ago. But the small, additional investment of focused labor is paying some big dividends.
More significantly, the Director of Development can work on the big picture of "growing the business." When it comes to grants, she does the final review of all the proposals without spending time in the tedious business of matching numbers to words or ensuring that all six copies of the nine attachments are printed on three hole paper and attached to this week's proposal.
Do you have a good grant proposal writer? Do you have a forecast? a pipeline? a coverage model? These are things your favorite nerd can handle while you're building relationships with the donors.
None of this works without those donor relationships, but the paperwork has to be exactly right (and on time) if you want to see that big check in the mail. Don't forget to hug your grant proposal writer. They're suckers for just a little appreciation.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Starts and Finishes
Time to start your next project? Or are you just too whipped to think about climbing a new mountain?
Wonder when this current project will EVER finish? When will we ever get out of this valley? Is it time to give up?
Don't like those words? Try these: It's time for someone to feed us. We've been feeding others long enough.
Ahhhh....the joys of projects, especially those that start with good intentions, but seem to lose their luster and energy as time goes by.
The November issue of Christianity Today has an excellent article by Greg Snell titled "Developing Good Development." More than a few skeptics think millions (billions?) of dollars are being wasted (they probably are) and that all that generosity is harmful to its recipients (in many cases it is).
Some of those skeptics are saying "give up." That's just what you wanted to hear, right? A reason to quit. Mr. Snell disagrees. There are others who share the views of Mr. Snell.
Ram Cnaan, in his book, The Other Philadelphia Story, talks about how faith-based giving initiatives in Philadelphia are making huge differences in that urban environment. His studies conclude that faith-based nonprofits in Philly contribute as much as $250M a year for vitally needed services that the government does not have to maintain.
Byron Johnson of Baylor University looked at Ohio and concluded in his study that faith-based programs in that state can bring about "dramatic increase in the cost-effective provision of social services that otherwise go unmet in so many communities." It seems to me this applies to the world, not just a city or state.
John DiIulio, does a good job of summarizing the works of Cnaan and Johnson in his Wall Street Journal article, The Other Philadelphia Story. Mr. DiIulio has also just released a book, Godly Republic: A Centrist Blueprint for America's Faith-Based Future. A magazine that presents a vision of liberal philosophy, politics, and public life, The American Prospect gave the following review of his book: "If there were more liberals who shared John DiIulio's passion for justice, liberalism would be better -- and so would America." My comments on faith vs. secularism and liberals vs. conservatives will have to wait for another time.
Back to "Developing Good Development." Mr. Snell offers ten principles (my comments are in parenthesis):
1. Know more than your mission statement (make sure everyone knows it)
2. Avoid deficit auditing (live within your means)
3. Seed the project with local seeds (insure there's "skin in the game")
4. Make the rounds early and often (relationship 101)
5. Build values before buildings (see number 1)
6. Practice cost sharing (find partners willing to invest)
7. Use the eyes and ears of locals (relationship 102)
8. Don't patronize (relationship 201)
9. Answer questions slowly (relationship 202)
10. Plan your exit strategy (plan on eliminating yourself)
Whether your working in Kenya, Mississippi, or Dallas, Mr. Snell offers principles that every nonprofit will do well to consider.
Wonder when this current project will EVER finish? When will we ever get out of this valley? Is it time to give up?
Don't like those words? Try these: It's time for someone to feed us. We've been feeding others long enough.
Ahhhh....the joys of projects, especially those that start with good intentions, but seem to lose their luster and energy as time goes by.
The November issue of Christianity Today has an excellent article by Greg Snell titled "Developing Good Development." More than a few skeptics think millions (billions?) of dollars are being wasted (they probably are) and that all that generosity is harmful to its recipients (in many cases it is).
Some of those skeptics are saying "give up." That's just what you wanted to hear, right? A reason to quit. Mr. Snell disagrees. There are others who share the views of Mr. Snell.
Ram Cnaan, in his book, The Other Philadelphia Story, talks about how faith-based giving initiatives in Philadelphia are making huge differences in that urban environment. His studies conclude that faith-based nonprofits in Philly contribute as much as $250M a year for vitally needed services that the government does not have to maintain.
Byron Johnson of Baylor University looked at Ohio and concluded in his study that faith-based programs in that state can bring about "dramatic increase in the cost-effective provision of social services that otherwise go unmet in so many communities." It seems to me this applies to the world, not just a city or state.
John DiIulio, does a good job of summarizing the works of Cnaan and Johnson in his Wall Street Journal article, The Other Philadelphia Story. Mr. DiIulio has also just released a book, Godly Republic: A Centrist Blueprint for America's Faith-Based Future. A magazine that presents a vision of liberal philosophy, politics, and public life, The American Prospect gave the following review of his book: "If there were more liberals who shared John DiIulio's passion for justice, liberalism would be better -- and so would America." My comments on faith vs. secularism and liberals vs. conservatives will have to wait for another time.
Back to "Developing Good Development." Mr. Snell offers ten principles (my comments are in parenthesis):
1. Know more than your mission statement (make sure everyone knows it)
2. Avoid deficit auditing (live within your means)
3. Seed the project with local seeds (insure there's "skin in the game")
4. Make the rounds early and often (relationship 101)
5. Build values before buildings (see number 1)
6. Practice cost sharing (find partners willing to invest)
7. Use the eyes and ears of locals (relationship 102)
8. Don't patronize (relationship 201)
9. Answer questions slowly (relationship 202)
10. Plan your exit strategy (plan on eliminating yourself)
Whether your working in Kenya, Mississippi, or Dallas, Mr. Snell offers principles that every nonprofit will do well to consider.
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