Archive for August, 2009

A question I am frequently asked is, “Once I get my board fired-up, then how on earth do I keep my board members motivated and enthusiastic? Whenever the board members gather together, we get excited and energized about our work. But my board members frequently get distracted with other priorities.  What to do?”

The first thing you must do is take responsibility for keeping your board energized.   If you are the nonprofit CEO, do everything you can to keep them going.  AND if you are the chair of the board, also, do everything YOU can to fan the flames of your board members’ energy.

When you assume responsibility, then you can’t expect that someone else will assume this role. Do you know the saying, “If it’s to be, it’s up to me?“  Well, here’s the perfect place to implement that idea.

If your board is gonna stay excited, motivated and energized, it won’t happen without YOU taking the lead.

You can’t expect your busy board members to keep focused and energized on their own. If you leave it up to them, you just may be disappointed. This is “Volunteer Management 101” – and the number one job of managing volunteers is motivating them.

Here is a real life best practice example from a board I am currently serving on. This is from the CEO of  Lillian’s List, a political action group on whose board I serve.  Our CEO, Carol Teal, is just about the best nonprofit CEO I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with.

Here is a recent “cheerleading” email Carol sent us board members. Needless to say, it pumped us up and made us feel really good about the results we are creating in the world. We are all engaged in a big project to systematically and personally thank our donors.

Carol wrote:

‘Thank you to all the Board members for taking the time to help us say thank you.  The connections that we all have with each other is what sets this organization apart from any other I have been involved with in the past 20 years.

“Thank you to Karen and Ernestine for joining the Trailblazer Major Donor Club and thank you to Kim for providing the excellent support to all of us so we can say thank you.  And thanks to Claire for keeping us all engaged with the Fund Development part of our mission.  Onward!

“I’m leaving now to meet with another potential Trailblazer. I love asking and I thank all of you for being part of thanking.”

Carol complimented various board members for their efforts and successes.  By praising them in front of other board members (which is something all board members love), she sets the bar higher for all the other board members. She holds these folks up as examples for the rest of us.

And do note that she ended by letting us know how excited she was about raising money. She is out there making solicitations all the time. We can’t let her down!  It makes us feel like we are all in this together.

It’s a wonderful feeling! And you can bet that this board is sure FIRED-UP!

It was August, and that meant time to create our dreaded Annual Report.  I was working on one of my least favorite projects as a Development Director.  I was worried that the content was pretty deadly, with the standard “Letter from the Chair” and pie charts of expenditures.

Creating this and the rest of our publications was a painful, lengthy process. I also knew that no one would read it if it were boring.

What to say and how to say it?  This is the perennial challenge of nonprofit fundraisers. And we usually don’t do a very good job in our attempts at “messaging.”

This morning I was reading marketing guru Seth Godin’s blog and, as usual, he nailed this issue. He said this is where marketing is heading:

“Big companies, non-profits and even candidates will discover (the best communications are) hyperlocal, hyperspecialized, hyperrelevant . . . this is where we are going.”

What he means is that people (donors) want to receive messages from their favorite nonprofits that are “anticipated, personal and relevant.” And if the nonprofit marketing communication they are receiving fits these criteria, then they’ll read it.

If your letters, reports, brochures, invitations are not “anticipated, personal and relevant,” then you are not going to be heard or read or paid attention to.

How do we make our communications “hyperlocal?”  By referring to something that is going on locally. Or that the reader is currently involved in.

How about “hyperspecialized” – what does that look like?  It means that the folks who attended your auction get special communications about how well the auction did and what you did with the funds raised.

How about “hyperrelevant?” It means that donors who gave to help teach prison inmates to read get updates about that particular program.

This is a tall order for nonprofit organizations with few fundraising resources.  But focusing on your current donors, and sending them relevant information that they are actually interested in, can keep them involved and coming back for more.

And that’s the basis of our holy grail – a sustainable fundraising program, full of repeat donors who are enthusaistic and passionate advocates for your cause.

Do you ever consider what we fundraising folks are really up to when we appeal to our donors?  Is it hype? Is it promises that we will keep? Is it mission, vision and values?  Is it changing the world?

Last month at the Bridge Fundraising Conference in DC, I kept hearing a theme echoing through many of the presentations I attended.

“We are in the dream business.”

It really means that we are telling stories of a happy dream of the future. Of a better world. A better community. People being helped. Smiles. Comfort. Happiness.

But in our appeals for help, we forget this all too often. Instead we focus on problems, what’s wrong, what we will do to fix things.

But the most successful approach – whether you are doing fundraising, sales, bringing together groups of people for a common purpose, teamwork – whenever leadership and inspriation are required – is to picture your dream for the future.

Think Martin Luther King, one of the greatest inspirational leaders – and orators – of recent times. His “I have a dream speech” is a spectacular example of inspired dreaming.

The dream is so powerful that it’s like a great river sweeping everyone up in its path, surging inevitably downstream to a much happier future.

When we paint a picture of our dream for happy students, healthy children, cared-for elderly, majestic symphonies, clean sparkling water – whatever we are raising money for – we also capture the power of that mighty river of energy sweeping everyone together.

When I work with boards, we talk about dreaming. I tell them they should always be standing high on the hill sharing their vision of a happier world with everyone they know.  When they are standing on that hill, solid in their dream, focused on the future, they are more powerful than they can imagine.

When you, your board members and your volunteers take a firm stand on the mountain, that’s when you have the energy and the power to change the world.

That’s when nothing can stop you.

So many nonprofit board members are enthusiastic and well-meaning but too often they back out of their commitments.  Bet you have run into this problem!

And I have been on the other side too, as a board member. In the heat of an exciting discussion, I suddenly found myself making personal commitments. Then later, in my office, I thought better of those ideas and was not so very enthusiastic about them.

In nonprofit organizations, it’s hard working with volunteers, who actually don’t HAVE to do anything anyway.  You simply can’t MAKE volunteers work.  That’s why I always say that we are in the motivation business.

You have to be able to motivate and charge up your board members and volunteers if you want them to be productive.  It’s a rare nonprofit volunteer who can keep herself fully pumped up with excitement and enthusaism all the time!

Here’s my secret weapon in motivating my volunteer committees. And it’s an old standby of teamwork and leadership theory:  PEER PRESSURE.

Here’s the most important thing to know about board members: they never, repeat, never want to look bad in front of their peers.

In fact, if for some reason you should inadvertently embarrass a board member in front of the group (or if another board member does so) – it’s likely they will never forgive you.

I remember a board meeting I was attending last summer. The chair of the development committee publicly called a certain committee to task for not coming through on their fundraising event, when all the other board members had done so.

Ooooh boy. Those were fightin’ words.  We had a behind the scenes uproar later because those board members were embarassed and angry.  We are still picking up the pieces of this one!

So if peer pressure is the best way to motivate your nonprofit board members, how do you employ this?

Lots of ways:

1.  In the meeting packets for every board meeting, include a list of board members and the actions they have taken on behalf of the organization since the last meeting.

2. In your meetings, go around the table with everybody reporting in on their accomplishments. I can guarantee you that there will be a flurry of work right there at the last minute so that everyone will have something to report.  They don’t want to look bad in front of their peers!

3. Publicly praise the board members who are pulling through. Send emails out to everyone lauding accomplishments. And in meetings, hold up the high-performing board members as examples and honor them.

4. Send emails out with lists of board members and their “to-do” commitments so that everyone can see who has committed to do what.

5.  And when you have a board member who is lagging on his or her promises, just call them up and ask them if there is any way you can help them.  You’ll then have a friend as well as a board member!

What are your favorite ways to motivate your own board members?

I was in the presence of a great man yesterday.  Greg Mortenson, author of “Three Cups of Tea” risked his life to build schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

And HE said to US that he was “humbled” to be speaking to nonprofit leaders! Wow, it was I who was humbled to be in the same room as him.

The odds against what he was trying to do in those far-away countries were almost overwhelming. No money, few connections, no experience.

He started his fundraising by writing 500 letters to celebrities asking for funds to build his school.  Needless to say, that strategy failed. Then a friend of a friend volunteered the full funding needed for the first school. The rest is history.

Our lesson here is that it was the personal connection yet again, that funded his project.  The friend heard about what he was trying to do and was interested.

Mortenson’s key fundraising secret?  “Storytelling is a great way to raise money.” He says that statistics are one thing but painting a picture with a story makes all the difference.

Mortenson shared some key qualities of people who’ve been successful. I’d say these are the qualities our nonprofit sector needs now more than ever. Qualities that successful social entrepreneurs and nonprofit leaders share:

1.  You have to always think out of the box. (Consider this: where will solutions to today’s problems in our sector come from?)

2.  You can’t be afraid to fail. The key to success is sometimes having to fail first. (Are our boards willing to take these risks?)

3.  You have to be willing to work really really hard and persevere. (You can only do this if you are committed heart and soul to your mission and your vision.)

4. Learn how to listen – to the people you are trying to help. Their voice needs to be appreciated and understood. They can often show you the way, perhaps following a path that is totally outside your own box.  (Mortenson’s Pakistani friends had to teach him this lesson.

How long has it been since you really listened to the people you are serving?  They may have some interesting answers.

So you’ve popped the question to your donor. You’ve said “We were hoping that you would consider a gift of $XXX to make something wonderful happen.”

The Moment of Truth

Now, what’s next?  Did you know that the next person who speaks loses?

You’ve got to allow your donor plenty of time to think it over.  The donor is mulling, mulling, not saying anything.  And there you sit! Nervous – and as jumpy – as a frog in a frying pan.  I know, the urge to start babbling is strong, mighty strong!  But KEEP YOUR COOL!

The donor may take as long as a full minute to think this over. He or she is considering lots of issues: can I make this gift?’ do I really want to make this contribution?; if I donate money to this cause, will they spend it wisely?; what is my cash flow?; can I sell some stock?; can I ask other family members to go in with me?; what’s the timing of all this; do I really believe in this project?

And these are pretty important considerations! While you are sitting there, all this is running through your donor’s mind.  And there you sit. Silently, silently.

This is the moment I have kicked – ok, maybe gently nudged – college presidents under the table when they started to open their mouth. (Advice:  make a deal beforehand that you can do this!)

This fundamental rule is rarely discussed in fundraising circles.  Actually, it’s an old sales technique.  I was trained by Xerox in the 80’s on “professional selling skills” back when they were in their heyday.  If you happen to be working with anybody who’s had sales training, they probably understand this rule well.

What are your experiences with “popping the question?”  Share them and we can discuss!

I was talking today with my friend and client Cynda Heward of the Saint Mary’s Hospital Foundation in Montreal.  She was telling me about the Foundation’s new web site that is being developed.

She used an interesting term that we should all embrace:  a “story platform.”  This means that you tell a story right at the beginning of your web site.  Remember that “narrative” or “story-telling” is by far the most effective way of communicating an idea or concept.

Just about the most important thing you can do on your home page is to launch a heartfelt story about someone who was helped by your organization.  And we all know that one story is more effective than three, right?

Most nonprofits want to crowd 5 pictures where only one would be much more effective. And many folks seem to think that instead of “less is more,” they believe “more is more.”

Are you telling stories everywhere you can?  Try the “story platform” for your annual report, your brochures, your handouts, your powerpoint presentations, and most of all – your fundraising solicition letters and grant proposals.

Stories are stickier than statistics.  They are more compelling than facts.  And people can remember them a lot better.

Best of all, stories carry emotion.  And we all know that people give out of emotion.  So if your web page looks like a static brochure on  information overload, I’d recommend going back to the drawing board and starting with a story.

I presented one of my favorite topics at our NC Philanthropy Conference yesterday:  “Parties With a Purpose:  Turn Your Fundraising Event into the Best Party in Town.”

Boy did my friend, media maven Claire Meyerhoff,  and I  have some fun in this topic!  And the room was packed. Clearly there were people in need here.

Events can be huge pain points for fundraisers. Yet they are a vital component of most annual fundraising programs. How do you set up the event to accomplish multiple objectives?

• Enlist new suppporters
• Expand your visibility in the community
• Involve and engage your volunteers in the cause
• Present your mission in a compelling light to new and old supporters
• Entertain your guests
• Make sure your guest have fun (yes, please!)
• And certainly not the least, raise the money you need to support your cause

This is a tall order.  Most presentations you attend on “event planning” focus on details and logistics.  For our presentation, we focused on the branding, marketing, PR and fundraising aspects of an event.  I think that is why it was so well attended.

I’m going to enter a series of blog posts on the “Best Party in Town” topic.  For now, I want to talk about the difference between a “party” and an “event.”

An “event” is when you throw a bunch of pepole into a room, give them a drink, and hope they survive.  Ever been to one of those?

A “party” is when you throw a bunch of people into a room, give them a drink, and work to make sure they are having a nice time. This is really social hostessing 101 but it’s amazing how few people really understand this.

Frankly, I’ve been to “events” that were social occasions at private homes. If I didn’t know anyone, I felt lost or worse, wanted to run for the door!

And I’ve been to “parties” staged by nonprofits that made me feel so very welcome. I had the best time at those parties. And you can imagine that I still have a nice feeling in my heart for the nonprofit cause.  Not only that, but I will be looking forward to the next party that nonprofit throws!

Always remember, the smart fundraiser’s motto:  “When in doubt, throw a party!” Make every thing in you do into a party and people will flock to your cause.

Nobody ever said that charity work should be dreary or boring!

I am teaching today in Greensboro, NC at the AFP CFRE Review Course and the AFP First Course in Fundraising.  As usual, they have me talking about managing and motivating volunteers and board members.

In my last class, we had such a laugh over “Boards Gone Wild.“  What do I mean?

A Board Gone Wild is a well-meaning group of volunteers who gallop off in the wrong direction.  It’s the wrong direction because the plan or project they are espousing is not well-planned, not well-thought out, has unintended negative consequences, and cannot be pulled off with the current staff and human resources on hand.

Here’s a typical example: Board members are desperate for easy fundraising short cuts.  Board member Bob recalls a golf tournament that made over $75,000.  (He never saw all the back end work that made it happen – he just saw a seamless event on the day of.)

Other board members grab on to the idea. To them this seems like an easy way out.  Let’s do a golf tournament!  No matter that we will need to pull it off within a six week time frame, leaving little time to solicit sponsors.  Not a problem!

If we can’t do it then the staff can help, right? No matter if it’s not in our fundraising plan, we can heap additional stuff on our already overworked staff easily. No matter if they will have to bail out our non-performing volunteer group at the last minute.  No matter if all our major donors have already been solicited recently, we can always go back to them.  And on and on.

Meanwhile the staff has fainted.  They  know what the fundraising plan is for the year and it sure doesn’t call for a golf tournament. They know that golf tournaments, of all things, require an enormous commitment of organizational time and energy to be successful.

The staff is trying to speak up but they are brushed off in the wake of the board galloping down the road to a possible disaster.    Can this board be saved???

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not picking on golf tournaments.  In fact, they are excellent fundraising tools when planned for properly and when supported with appropriate staff and volunteer energy. They are just the example I am using.

There are many examples of Boards Gone Wild.  It could be a pancake supper (groan), a new staff member or fundraising consultant who will be the silver bullet, something called “grantwriting” that will be the magic solution to all the organization’s challenges.

What’s YOUR EXAMPLE of a Board Gone Wild?

Come on and share your own experience!

Hot off the presses this afternoon is a most interesting new report from the Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund Gender Differences in Charitable Giving 2009.

The study surveyed high-wealth men and women who had given at least $1k last year to charity.  It found significant differences:

Women are more likely than men to respond to the recession by giving more generously.  When asked if they would typically give more in challenging times “because the need is greater,”  35% of the women responded “yes” and only 25% of men agreed.

This means that we should focus specific appeals toward this group of donors: high wealth women who are already connected to our cause.

Here’s the pitch:

‘In these challenging times, we urgently need your help more than ever!  (you must create urgency in every appeal you do!) More and more people need our help and we are unable to reach them because our resources are strained right now.”

“We have stretched hard yet we are still having to turn needy people away.“  (or we are having to lay off our ballet dancers and cut back productions; or we are having to turn away accomplished students because our scholarship funds are low etc etc).

“We hope we can count on you – one of our most steadfast supporters – to help us help others.  Yours is the gift that can make a huge difference to people right here in our community.”  etc etc etc.

That’s how you do it right now.  You have to be frank, specific and urgent.  Donors want to help, they just need to be invited and asked in the right way.

Have a great weekend! I’m off to my garden before it gets too hot!