TV Time

Have you noticed the extraordinary lengths people will go to to get on TV- even if it is for five seconds.  Our local station does a remote with the weatherman.  Nonprofit organizations rally the troops on a daily basis to show at 5 AM or earlier and perform some mundane activity in the background while the weather report is delivered.  I always wonder what is the return on investment?  Sometimes it feels like the cars that Oprah gave away- everyone remembers Oprah giving away cars, few can recall the make or model of the car.

Would You Rather

The new season of 30 Rock started on NBC this week.  During this week’s episode Liz Lemon is repeatedly asked, ‘would you rather’ questions.  It struck me that the social sector often plays this game on a regular basis.

Would you rather ask your peers for a donation or make cuts to the budget?
Would you rather pay our most important staff member a very hefty salary or have a competitor recruit her away?
Would we rather put up with the inconsiderate board member who breaks the organizational moral or confront him and endure his anger?

We each have our own, ‘would you rather’ moments.  Often there are additional solutions to the question but we are too busy assessing the options place in front of us.

Guest

I recently had the opportunity to visit a nonprofit’s board meeting.  I was not wearing my consulting hat or there in any official role.  I just happen to be in the building and stopped by to listen for a while.  This group is quite open to visitors and there were no awkward glances or looks of disapproval.  What was remarkable was that the board chair spoke very little and when she did it was to direct the conversation into deeper reflection, ask a board/staff member to expand on their comments, or draw-out the expertise of an individual.  It was well done, masterful in fact.  There was no reporting and rubber stamping, this was actual dialogue about the transformational opportunities and challenges facing the enterprise.

What would a visitor say about your organization’s board meetings?  Would they be inspired or rejected?  Would they want to serve or run far away?  Are you using the meeting to tap into the wisdom of the board or simply download the latest updates?

A Different Way

34% of U.S. adults do not use all their allotted vacation days each year

2009 International Vacation Deprivation Survey
Getting some individuals to take a step back, reflect, and recharge does not come easily.  There is always another project to start, a call to return, an email to send.  The lists of ‘to do’ runs like a the crawl at the bottom 24 hour news channel.  

One organization I worked with authorized the Executive Director to call two ‘work free’ days a year.  The intention was for the staff to go to lunch together, attend an event, perhaps take advantage of the ski mountain.  There was a group component and then the option to partake in an additional activity or have free time.  These ‘CEO Days’ did not count against the staff’s personal vacation days and represented a goodwill gesture from the board to the staff.  As board chair I would remind the Executive Director to use the days and sometimes we would discuss a possible group activity for the staff.
Sometimes you have to reprogram the system to get the intended results.  Encouraging staff to take vacation days was not always effective so instead the board manufactured an unanticipated day away from work.

Values and Actions

ESPN Game Day is visiting Boise State University with the live show starting at 5:30 AM this morning.  The day continues with BSU vs. Oregon State in the evening.  I just received an email from the local bike community.  There is free and secure bike parking starting at 5 AM and lasting until the game is over and everyone departs.  It is one think to say your organization is sustainable or values alternative modes of transportation.  It is another to show-up at 5 AM.

Like a Politician

What can those of us involved in fundraising learn from politicians when it comes to raising money?  For starters there are ways not to collect contributions, such as the voicemail left by Eleanor Norton.  Even a skilled politician fumbles with the idea of asking for a donation, even in this case when it borders on corruption.  What we can learn from politics is that certain approaches work in the short-term.  Creating an environment laced with fear, an uncertain future, and serious repercussions if the other party’s candidate is elected generates an urgency to give.  What endures is a message of a brighter future, a shared belief, a common value system.  Fear inflicts immediate pain but hope endures.  Look no further than the number of emergency appeals that circulated the nonprofit sector during 2009.  Many claimed all would be lost without additional funding.  It worked for a few months but the appeal would not float today.  Donors understand that enterprises that have not adapted to the new economy and its realities probably are not sustainable.  However, the same causes that appealed for an investment in a greater good and a higher purpose could recirculate the same appeals today and receive a warm reception.  Throwing a life raft off a burning platform is the right thing to do when the the structure is sinking.  Tossing a life ring into calm seas when all is well seems irrational.  Much of politics is based on creating a sense that the platform continues to burn daily.  Much of the social sector is based on creating a better future.  Which path your philanthropic dollars follow is a personal choice.  Which one is more rewarding is also based on individual assessment.  Understanding the techniques deployed by fundraisers is fundamental to success.


What inspires your fundraising efforts?

Resources

Sometimes it is just about passing along resources and sharing ideas.  These are some websites that I return to on a regular basis.

Scheduling a meeting?  Try Meeting Wizard.

Need to create an online form?  Take a peek at Woofu.

Thinking about a refreshing approach to a PowerPoint presentation.  Consider Presentation Zen. 

Need to run an online survey?  Survey Monkey keeps it simple.

Looking for board governance resources?  Click on BoardSource.

What resources do you recommend or wish to share?

Beyond the Giudebook

It takes self-initiative and a willingness to engage with fear to travel without a guidebook.  You have to be willing to deal with the unknown and stumble across the unexpected.  When you travel to unknown parts and use a guidebook, I projected that there have been moments that you journeyed to a highly acclaimed sight and left disappointed.  And there may have been moments when you stumble across a ‘not in the guidebook’ moment that became the highlight of your travels.

The same is true for the deciphering which social sector causes to support and align with your philanthropic investments.  It is much easier to react to the recommendation of a peer or in response to a news story than it is to go off in search of a specific entity.  Some of the most beloved organizations who get the greatest PR, constant stream of board members, and donors would not necessarily be the highest rated when measured against similar but less known enterprises.  But the word of mouth and the fact that theses well-known nonprofits are in the ‘guidebook’ give assurance that you will have a quality experience based on the experience of those that went before you.  It is hard to compete with the guidebook if you are looking to attract the masses.  However, if you know your organization’s purpose you can pay attention drawing-in those who are passionate about your cause.  Sometimes you need to write your own micro-guidebook or succeed by staying out of the major publications.  It may be your competitive advantage.