|
|
|
Volume
6, Issue 4 - July 2004 |
|
 |
|
In
This Issue:
 Sign
Up for Future Newsletters!
If you find this newsletter helpful and interesting,
there’s only one way to keep receiving it —become a part of the email
subscription list.
If your email address changes or you want to add a
second address, just send me an email with the new or additional
information so you don’t miss out on a single issue.
IMPORTANT: Remember to include your email address
printed carefully and clearly!
THANKS!
Click here for the
electronic form
"I
love your newsletter! It's refreshing, fun
and filled with helpful hints"
Toni Paglia,
Director of Development, The ARC
Syracuse, New York |
|
Can You Do It Yourself... or
Should You Hire A Consultant? |
I have thought about this topic for some time, and always thought it
would seem rather self-serving to write about it in my newsletter but a
friend recently led a focus group on this issue, so I thought I’d share his
(and others’ ) thoughts.
WHAT ARE YOUR NEEDS?
There are any number of reasons to hire a consultant to help your
organization: fundraising, organizational development, planning, training,
conflict management, and all their various components.
When I was a staff or Board leader, I often realized that I could sound like
a broken record at times and people tuned me out, anticipating my response.
Sometimes having an outsider say the same thing brings out “Wow!” responses. We
shouldn’t care who gets the credit as long as our jobs are easier and our
organization moves forward!
CLARIFY EXPECTATIONS
What is it exactly that you expect a consultant to do? Develop
an RFP that spells it out. This doesn’t have to be a Big Deal, but put something
in writing about your expectations for outcomes, timing, costs, deliverables,
etc. Tell the prospective consultant what you need from him/her to make your
decision.
BUDGET
You get what you pay for, folks, but regional differences occur, so
do your research and find out what other organizations in your area have paid
for similar work. Occasionally you can find a corporate professional who will
offer to consult pro bono. Terrific! But a warning here—the corporate
world and the nonprofit world do not always equate.
If you have
absolutely no budget for consulting, ask the Board to ante up and share the cost
of a retreat facilitator or trainer. Research local or regional foundations for
underwriting. Collaborate with another organization in your area to share the
costs. Finally, if you or a volunteer have particular expertise in an area of
nonprofit management, offer to “trade” with another local organization’s staff
or Board specialist to consult for each other.
GET REFERRALS
Talk with other organizations who have hired consultants and ask for
referrals. Check with your local or regional community foundation, Association
of Fundraising Professionals, United Way, Volunteer Center or other “clearing
house.” You could even do an Internet search for consultants who offer what you
are looking for.
EVALUATE PROPOSALS
If you have specified a response format in your proposal for
consulting, it is relatively easy to review and rate the responses you receive.
But don’t stop there—ask for references and call them! Ask whether the
consultant delivered what he/she promised on time and at budget. Ask whether the
consultant interacted well with staff and volunteers.
TALK ABOUT IT
Once you have developed a short list of consultants, interview each
of them, in person if you can, but at least over the phone. This is a good time
once again to clarify your expectations about the consulting job to be done.
PUT IT IN WRITING
A handshake to confirm the relationship is fine, but I’d recommend a
written letter of understanding that clarifies your expectations about outcomes,
deliverables, timing and costs including direct and indirect costs, when
invoices will be sent and when payment is expected, reporting deadlines, etc.
You might also want to include your expectations about what staff will do,
what volunteers will do, what the consultant will do.
I hope this was helpful. Many thanks to Steve Ross, CFRE,
and my consulting friends at the AFP Chapter in New Mexico!
Back to Table of
Contents
For a number of years, I was responsible for corporate giving at a
professional services firm. In all those eight years, I remember getting ONE
thank you!
Now, don’t think I reside in a thankless community - I don’t. I received the
typical thank you letter on letterhead to acknowledge all the firm’s donations.
But I only felt “thanked” creatively and meaningfully once.
Why do I remember this thank you? We had served as a sponsor of a chocolate
event fundraiser. Bright and early on Monday morning, the volunteer who had
solicited me arrived in my office with a big basket of fancy chocolates! I was
an instant celebrity when I sent an email to the staff about chocolate in the
break room.
So, let me challenge you to spend as much time and creativity on thanking
donors as you have on soliciting them. Thanking is an excellent time to
strengthen your relationship with donors and connect the donor with the benefits
and results of their gift to your organization.
Here are some things to remember:
-
Never confuse thanking
with acknowledging. An acknowledgement is the formal
letter on letterhead that gets filed as a receipt. It seldom has deep
meaning for the donor.
-
Thanking must be timely and it
must be meaningful. I make it a rule to send thank you notes
within 48 hours! Ask large donors, underwriters or sponsors how you can show
your appreciation. Tell them why their gift matters, what an impact it had,
what changed. Get creative. Connect the donor with your programs and
services. Offer a tour. Ask clients to write thank yous. An environmental
organization can send leaf prints...an animal organization can send puppy
paw prints...book marks from a library or literary group...you get the idea.
-
Thank major donors,
underwriters, sponsors a minimum of three times: immediately
after receiving the pledge or commitment, after you receive the donation and
then later as a follow up or progress report to show the donor how important
his gift was...how much you raised at the event above her sponsorship, etc.
Learn more creative ways to thank donors in Chapter 13 of
Fast Fundraising Facts for Fame & Fortune.
Back to Table of
Contents
In a nutshell, here are the best practices of the best Boards I
have consulted with.
They recruit effectively.
The nominating committee identifies what the organization needs to
accomplish its mission and plan of work and then identifies the whos that
can get it done.
Board
members understand what is expected of them. The Board uses job
descriptions that clarify expectations for their Time, their Treasure and their
Talent. There is new Board orientation and an annual planning retreat to set the
plan of work for the year.
The Board is managed effectively.
Committees are established to carry out the annual plan of work and are held
accountable for achievement of goals. The Board holds effective meetings which
start and end on time. Board members come to meetings prepared to act, having
read minutes, financials and other documents ahead of time. Individual Board
members are held accountable for achievement.
The Board has effective leadership.
Those at the top motivate and inspire the entire team. The Board president
pushes accountability and ownership of Board goals to the entire team, and
recognizes and rewards excellence and achievement. The Board president never
says “My year” “My agency” or “My Board.” It is the team that counts, not one
individual.
In Board management as in most things,
You Get What You Accept and What You Reward! Make sure you are paying
attention to those who get it done, not those who require babysitting!
Learn more about good Board management in
The ABCs of Building Better Boards.
Back to Table of
Contents
Looking for good fundraising ideas and resources? I encourage you to visit
www.FundraisingDeals.com, an easy-to-use directory that provides ideas
and links to info about products and services you can use. Nathan Shurtleff has
collected an amazing list of resource for nonprofits after he couldn’t find such
a collection on the Internet.
I can’t endorse the following programs since I haven’t used them, but they
look interesting. www.signevents.com
offers to put sport legends’ signatures on items for consignment at raffles or
auction. www.holeinoneinternational.com offers hole in one insurance, putting
contest insurance and million dollar shoot outs and gives no obligation quotes.
And visit www.NonEvents.com for assistance with fundraising through a virtual
event! This is one site I CAN endorse—it’s mine!
These and other sites are hot linked from my web site. Of course, from time to
time, organizations and sites disappear, so if you find a broken link on the
site, please send me an email (
) and let me know. Thanks!
Found any other great Internet resources you’d like to share? Send them to
me!
Back to Table of
Contents
Now you can add two great books to your agency library.
The ABCs of Building Better Boards is just what you need to
improve your Board’s potential. It includes ideas for recruitment, retention and
recognition and has some great forms for you to copy and use.
The Association of Fundraising Professionals says of this book:
“Here is a book that every senior fundraiser
responsible for board recruitment and development should read once and then
review annually...takes up where books full of theory fall short...give it a
chance and you will discover a gem to be treasured.”
Learn how to deal with unproductive Board members and how to better define the
roles of staff and Board. There is a chapter on financial and fiduciary facts,
one on simple parliamentary procedure and much much more.
Discover how Board Job Descriptions and annual Commitment Letters will
dramatically improve your Board’s effectiveness. See how a truly effective
Nominating Committee will lead to a better Board.
Get good ideas for more efficient Board management and administration, including
how to set up and manage effective committees.
It’s only $24.95 plus shipping and handling. Take advantage of a volume
discount of up to 20% and give this book to all new Board members as part of
their orientation.
The NEW 3rd Edition of
Fast Fundraising Facts for Fame & Fortune
is full of ideas to improve your fundraising, including how to ask effectively,
special events essentials and new ideas for fundraising.
Help volunteers get over the fear of asking for money and in-kind resources for
your organization. Learn how marketing principles will make fundraising easier.
Learn about Jean’s Ten Rules for Fundraising Success
and apply them to your organization immediately. This book puts the
FUN into
FUNDraising and gives good examples and ideas that really work, rather than
using hard to follow formulas and theories.
It’s only $24.95 plus shipping and handling. Take advantage of a volume
discount of up to 20% and give this book to all new Board members as part of
their orientation.
Or buy both books for only $45.00 plus $4.50 shipping and handling. Order
your copies today!
Email me at
to
discuss volume discounts for staff or volunteers.
Order Now So You Don't Forget
Go to the Order Form to order your copies of
The ABCs of Building Better Boards
and
Fast Fundraising Facts For Fame & Fortune ©
|
Back to Table of
Contents
HOW CAN I HELP YOU?
TAKE THIS QUICKIE QUIZ
|
Please give me a call if you want to turn any NO into a YES. I can help
with:
- turning your Board into a dynamic group of volunteers,
- facilitating a strategic planning session,
- analyzing your current fundraising and suggesting some new ideas, and
- training volunteers and staff in becoming more effective fundraisers.
Back to Table of
Contents
Here is what people have said about my training and facilitation:
"I attended your workshop in St. Louis
and left there feeling so uplifted by your motivation. Your training - to
make us all savvy marketers - has paid off. Even in this economy, our
underwriting is up and our auction donations have blown away everyone in
town! We simply feel empowered to ask anyone and everyone AND to tell them
WHY we are their market. It's working!
Thank you!"
Kirsten Wagmeister
Junior League of Evansville
"Jean conducted an extremely well
organized and productive [Board] retreat, one that I can
say with confidence that our members count as the finest
ever conducted for us. Jean's follow-up report was
in-depth and meaty, and both Board and staff have
referred to it time and again. The knowledge of
boardsmanship the members took with them has made a
remarkable difference in their levels of commitment and
support."
Eileen Cook, Executive Director
Casa Esperanza
"Jean Block is a powerhouse in the
Non-Profit world. You don't move about these circles long before her name is
prominent in the conversation. Her commitment to training, fundraising,
motivating, and cultivation is unsurpassed. To say she is an influence is
to miss the point. She gives new meaning to the word enthusiasm! You don't
know Jean, you experience her! She is a force unlike any other I have every
met."
Randy Gleason
Randy
Gleason Consulting, Inc.
"I attended the Corporate
Sponsorship Workshop - WOW! You were amazing! What an OPPORTUNITY for me!
Your presentation style was EXCELLENT. By
far the best workshop I've been to in a long time (content and style
both!)."
Vicki
Kopplin
Epilepsy
Foundation of Minnesota
Jean Block
Consulting, Inc.
7915 Cliff Road NW
Albuquerque NM 87120
(505) 899-1520
Fax (505) 890-5285
Email:
Back to Table of
Contents
Return to
Electronic Newsletter Archive
If you wish to be notified
whenever a new issue of our newsletter is published, please fill
out the form below with your name and Email address and we will
add you to our electronic mailing list.
If your email address changes or you want to add
a second address, just fill out the form again and put a note in the
"Comments" section.
"I
love your newsletter! It's refreshing, fun
and filled with helpful hints"
Toni Paglia,
Director of Development, The ARCRC
Syracuse, New York |
Jean
Block Consulting Home Page | Search Our Site |
Free Newsletter |
Buy the Books! | Training and Workshops |
ABCs of Building Better Boards | Fast Fundraising Facts For Fame &
Fortune © |
Retreats and Planning |
Special Offers & Opportunities |
BLOCKbusters - Special Event Essentials |
Internet Resources
for Non-Profits | About Jean Block | Representative Client List
