Nonprofits CAN Advocate or Lobby?
Recently, I’ve heard from several of you wondering what your organization is allowed to do when it comes to advocacy (and, yes, lobbying!). As many mission-driven leaders know, weighing in on public issues is vital to advancing our causes, but the legal boundaries around lobbying can feel confusing…
How Do You Define Success?
And yes, you can measure messy, unstable and long-term stuff. Don’t start with outside voices and benchmarks. Start by asking the people who come to work every day to make your mission happen, "How do you define success?" Ask the people you serve, “What has made the biggest difference for them?” Ask questions about why you do your work the way you do. You may learn that some things need to change, but in the process you’ll have galvanized the people who care the most and want to see your work succeed.
Roots of Growth
Often when organizations are stagnating or going backwards (really in my mind there is no difference as they are the same), it is not typically due to what is happening right now, but what has been happening.
What Drives Donor Behavior
Here are 5 things I found interesting about Donor Behavior. I hope you will find something useful in this information.
The Power of Following Up
Follow up, so your donors can follow through. Many organizations don’t follow up out of fear donors will get mad. If the donor is a transaction and your solicitation reflects that, you bet, they will get mad, not because you followed up, but because you are just resending a transactional appeal to them. On the other hand, when you engage them as a relationship that matters, you engage them personally and share an opportunity to make a difference.
Invite, Renew, Repeat
The final month of the calendar year is here. This represents a very important time to welcome new donors and invite repeat gifts from previous donors. Forty percent of charitable donations are typically being made in December, according to The Fund Raising School and the School of Philanthropy at Indiana University.
Leading Through Strength
We are at our best when we are flowing in our strengths. We each have been given a unique set of talents. It is deeply embedded in our DNA. There is no one else exactly like you. You reach your best by being fully who you are made to be.It is through self-awareness and living authentically to our strengths that we reach our best.
The Value Proposition
We will soon enter the season of engaging many people with the invitation to give. It is about now that I start thinking deeper about the value proposition we share with donors.
Why Time Away Matters
Recently, there was a new study that affirmed old studies on vacations. This study confirmed the negative impact that a lack of personal separation from work has on health and productivity.
Building Impact
As we approach fall, I have been thinking about the role of the board as a partner in building and inviting donor relationships. This especially applies for those of you who do a comprehensive donor invitation/solicitation in the fall. The board carries the brand and the integrity of the organization to the donor. They often set the perception.
Non-Profit Impact
The U.S. is home to the most vibrant, strong and largest nonprofit sector in the world--more than 1.5 million organizations, plus some 300,000 churches. It is always frustrating to me to see how sensationalized things become without looking at the full context of the trust equity, quality leadership, and amazing organizations we have.
If We Don’t Ask, No One Will Give
If giving is down for you so far, try not to use that as the gauge for the year. Instead, stay focused on your donors, your relationships, your shared values and vision. Ensure they are invited to give this spring in meaningful ways. If we don’t ask, no one will give.
The Power of Community
We know that donors, who are aware that there are others in community with them, give more money. We know that volunteers who do the same also give more time. It only makes sense that when we build that sense of community, our ability to empower advocates also grows.
Impact Is Not a Report Card
Measuring impact is not about perfection. It is about building an internal process that pays attention to key aspects of your organization’s work.
Follow Up So Donors Follow Through
We hear from many donors in the field that they often just forget to respond to an invitation to give. They planned to follow through, but they needed follow up. With that in mind, let’s consider a “follow up so donors can follow through” strategy. It is really simple.
The Joy of Giving
December is a great opportunity to help people think more intentionally about giving, about helping others, and how we can make that a continuous way of life, as opposed to something we do for a season.
Income to Intention
Giving is not an income based practice. Giving is a values and heart based practice.
Lessons in Stewardship
Sarah captured some insights about stewardship that she gained from a Biblical parable. I thought these insights would be helpful to share with everyone, so we are sharing them in our Bits and Bytes.
Season for Stewardship
I like seeing how organizations are translating themselves and how donors respond. It all beckons back to stewardship, generosity and sharing our love of people.
Reducing Volunteer Attrition
As we move through the fourth quarter, I want to remind everyone that as you are engaging volunteers that you are also nurturing them. Research shows that the average volunteer attrition rate is about 67% per year--that means 67 of every 100 volunteers stop giving their time EACH YEAR.