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Volume
7, Issue 2 - March 2005 |
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"I
love your newsletter! It's refreshing, fun
and filled with helpful hints"
Toni Paglia,
Director of Development, The ARC
Syracuse, New York |
|
The Questions I am Asked
Most Often...
and Some Answers |
I have been working and volunteering in the nonprofit sector for nearly
50 years (wow). As a national consultant and trainer, I am often asked the
same questions, so I thought I’d share the questions and some answers.
Hopefully, one of your burning questions is addressed here.
How Do I Get My Board Motivated To Fundraise?
It starts at the beginning with effective recruitment that clearly spells
out your expectation that all Board members will support fundraising efforts
to some extent. Your annual strategic planning meeting should identify
priorities and the need to sustain current and future efforts.
Help Board members understand the variety of ways they can support the
fundraising effort in addition to making their own gift. They can research
their company’s funding guidelines and advocate internally, recruit in-kind
goods and services, host events, plan events, underwrite the cost of a
campaign, etc. etc. etc.
Recognize and celebrate all successful Board fundraising efforts to set
the tone!
How Do We Clarify the Roles of Staff and Board?
I have a workshop on this issue called The Invisible Yellow Line,
named after the line you see on the TV screen during football games to
identify the next first down. While there are fairly clear cut guidelines
regarding governance versus administration, how you define the Yellow Line
in your organization can become a thorny issue, especially if each party
assumes the other understands their role.
Communication is the key. I recommend that the Executive Director and
Board Chair meet at the beginning of the Chair’s term to have an open and
honest conversation about how each of you defines the Yellow Line, how you
will communicate with each other, etc. You might use the Yellow Line test in
my book “The ABCs of Building Better Boards”
as a guide for the conversation.
Our Annual Fundraising Event is getting Stale.
What Can We Do? My advice is to change something about the event.
Change the date, change the venue, change the theme, change the members of
the event committee to generate new ideas and enthusiasm. Sometimes, merely
changing one or more of these things will bring a renewed interest at all
levels.
Should Board Members By Required To Give Money
in Addition to their Time? This is one of my all time favorites!
The answer is, simply, YES! Here is the question to ask yourself,
“How can we go to our community for money if our own Board has not set the
example?” Will the phone company accept a voucher of Board members’ hours as
payment for the phone bill? I think not.
Perhaps you’ve heard that Board members should give Time,
Talent or Treasure. Some consultants say you should be happy with
2 out of 3, but I maintain that your mission is too important to accept less
some of all three!
Our Fundraising Isn’t As Effective As It Could
Be. What Can We Do? First, look at what and how you are raising
money. Do you have a written development plan? Does the plan include diverse
sources of revenue, including grants, sponsorships, events, planned giving,
annual campaigns, endowment funding, earned income, etc.?
Are you fundraising in the old and traditional way of many nonprofits? Do
you think that because you are doing good deeds in the community, the money
should just flow to you?
Or are you researching donor/funder priorities and matching your
opportunities to donor/funder needs? Do you understand and use marketing
principles to improve your resource development efforts? If not, I recommend
you read “Fast Fundraising Facts for Fame &
Fortune.” This sounds like another plug for my book—but what’s in
this book really works!
How Do We Get the Right People on Our Board?
First, define what “right” means to your organization. Build a list of the
skills you need to help your organization meet its mission. These are the
WHATs, such as legal, accounting, PR/marketing, advocacy, human resource
skills, fundraising, etc. Then determine WHEN you need them as terms are due
to expire, for example. Next, brainstorm the WHOs that can fill your needs.
Appoint a nominating committee with at large members from the community
who can help with brainstorming. Start the process early enough that you can
invite potential Board members to serve on a Board committee before they are
invited to serve as a member of the Board. Interview, using Board Job
Descriptions that clearly define your expectations of Time, Talent and
Treasure.
Will Sarbanes Oxley Affect Nonprofits?
It is very likely that federal and/or state legislation will be enacted soon
that will affect the nonprofit sector. In fact, California has enacted
legislation with broad and sweeping requirements that affect fundraising,
reporting, and fiscal management. The best thing your organization can do is
to ensure that Board members are trained in their fiduciary duties of Care,
Loyalty and Honesty. Ensure that your financial reporting follows General
Accounting Principles, that your fiscal policies are thorough and that your
meeting minutes detail how effectively you operate.
It is not enough anymore to operate as a Mom and Pop charity. Nonprofits
are being held to high standards, and I don’t disagree with this. After all,
it’s not your money! You are expected to fulfill your mission and
purpose effectively and efficiently.
What are the 7 Most Important Things We Can Do
To Improve the Board’s Performance?
- Recruit effectively, getting the skills
you need. Use a Board job description to clarify your expectations of
Board members.
- Orient all new Board members so they
are ready to serve, fully understanding their roles and
responsibilities.
- Hold an annual planning meeting to
identify organizational priorities and develop the annual plan of work
for the Board and its committees.
- Keep the annual plan alive by using it
as a basis for the Board meeting agenda. Report action against plan.
- Respect Board member’s Time, Talent and
Treasure by making Board service meaningful and meetings effective and
efficient.
- Allow Board members to resign with
dignity before the Board room is obscured by smoke from burn out. Use
annual commitment letters.
- Recognize excellence. Remember: You Get
What You Accept and What You Reward!
Back to Table of
Contents
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10
Nonprofit Resolutions for 2005
|
Bob Harris, CAE, offers these 10 New Year’s
resolutions for nonprofits:
For Management and Staff, I resolve
to:
- Protect the organization with adequate
insurance and an annual audit.
- Promote professional development by
funding staff training.
- Write down procedures to create an
operations manual.
- Know thy history.
For the Board of Directors, I resolve to:
- Conduct effective board orientation
about the agency, board responsibilities, risk management and goal
setting (Strategic Plan update).
- Evaluate board performance and use the
results to improve performance.
- Encourage the board to act strategically,
using the strategic plan to guide the work of the Board.
- Maintain a policy manual so the Board
can govern more effectively.
For the Committees, I resolve to:
- Ensure committees are charged with work from
the strategic plan.
- Educate committee chairs how to conduct
meetings.
Abridged and reprinted with permission.
Bob Harris, CAE, visits 1000s of associations each year
with the goal of improved governance and operations.
He offers free management tips and templates on his
website at www.nonprofitcenter.com.
Back to Table of
Contents
Confused
about nonprofit tax laws? The IRS recently released a new brochure, The
Compliance Guide for 501(c)(3) Organizations, publication 4221, can be
downloaded at
www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p4221.pdf.
A great enewsletter is Nonprofit Quarterly, chock full of timely
information. You can subscribe at
www.nonprofitquarterly.org/scripts/news/subscribe.
CharityChannel continues to grow with specialty forums, book
reviews, timely articles written by nonprofit experts and much more. For a
very nominal fee, you can subscribe at
www.charitychannel.com.
Remember, if you are not devoting at least one hour every week to
Internet research, you are leaving money and opportunity on the table!
Lots of the sites I’ve found 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!
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 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!
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:
"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
"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
“You certainly shifted my paradigm. After hearing you last
Friday, it is the first time in 11 years as an ED that I was excited abut
fund development. And you got my Board members to that point as well. “
Kay
Hopper
RDC for Children, Richardson, TX
"As a senior-level development officer, I have a hard time
finding useful workshops. Jean's programs should be required for even us old
CFREs."
Trisha Dunbar
Visiting Nurse Association,
Dallas, TX
"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.
“Your seminar in Dallas was the best I ever attended. You
are wise and hilarious.”
Mary Jo Dorn
Catholic Charities of Dallas
“Your training was invaluable to me. I dreaded doing this
because I couldn’t even sell someone a candy bar in the past but I was
inspired by your advice to try. I raised about $377,000!
Joan Shepack
Keystone Botanical Garden, El Paso,
TX
Jean Block
Consulting, Inc.
7915 Cliff Road NW
Albuquerque NM 87120
(505) 899-1520
Fax (505) 890-5285
Email:
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"I
love your newsletter! It's refreshing, fun
and filled with helpful hints"
Toni Paglia,
Director of Development, The ARCRC
Syracuse, New York |
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