by Lari Hatley | Jul 1, 2020 | Board Involvement
A national crisis. A heart-breaking pandemic. And missions that must still address serious problems:
Justice that needs to be equal
Hungry kids that need to be fed.
Animals that need to be rescued
Homeless families that need shelter
Systemic racism that needs to end
An environment that needs to be saved.
Each organization needs all hand on deck, but let’s start with the Board. They have Fiduciary Responsibility. They hold the organization’s future in trust.
Here are four easy ways Board Members can help during hard times:
- Each board member needs to dig deep. They need to make leadership gifts. To institute this action find an advocate on the board. This may be the Board Chair, but it must be an influencer – that person that everyone listens to. The influencer needs to address the entire board and explain the need for philanthropic leadership. Then have the influencer choose a couple of board members, who understand the need to help, call each board member personally to emphasize the board’s role in meeting financial goals in times of crisis.
- Invite board members to help communicate with major donors. Share a list of top donors with very brief bios. Ask each board member to sign up to contact 3-5 donors. Ask them to choose people they already have a good relationship with or people that the bios indicate might be a good match (She’s an attorney. I’m an attorney. She like this particular program. I do, too. She hates events. I do, too. ) Then give the board members a script for an initial contact and a list of possible ways to stay in touch and deepen the relationship with the organization.
- Have board members commit to making thank you calls or writing hand-written thank you notes to donors. Staying in touch is even more important when we can’t get together, and donor retention is key.
- Ask each board member to list 1-3 people they know personally (colleagues, neighbors, members of their social group or faith community) who might have an interest in your mission. Have the board member make a call or send an email, text or note that says they would like for that person to chat with you, that you work for an organization that is doing great work and you wanted them to hear about it. It may not be as easy to meet for coffee or lunch as it once was, but we still need to grow our donor base.
Four simple activities that can assure your mission’s future – all because good board member came to the aid of the organization. Ahhhh – teamwork.
by Lari Hatley | Jun 30, 2020 | Building Relationships, Communication
Not so many years ago, Stephen Covey was telling us to, “Seek First to Understand.” Today, many nonprofit experts are echoing that with Listen First.
There are good reasons for this excellent advice.
First, as you listen to your current donors whether it’s on the phone, video chatting or in person at a safe social distance, you learn what attracted them to your organization, what part of your mission touches their heart. Knowing what matters to them, you know what stories to share; you tell those things that reflect their interests. Let them know their investment is paying off in ways that are meaningful to them, and they will be more likely to keep investing.
Part of listening, too, is hearing what does NOT matter to them. It is knowing how they prefer to communicate and how often. Do they want texts, emails, phone calls, or visits? Are they following your social media? Do they want weekly updates or a letter twice a year? It’s knowing if they are moved by stories or by data. It’s knowing who they want to hear from. Do they want to hear from someone who directly benefitted, a favorite staff member, a board member or a senior administrator? Would they enjoy being on a committee, sharing their own expertise, becoming a volunteer or in healthier times, hosting a small gathering to thank fellow donors or introduce your mission to their friends. Store this information in your data base. So you honor their wishes and their interests later.
For prospective donors, listen for things you have in common. If you connect personally, they are more likely to take time to listen to your organization’s story. Pay attention for their interests. Your organization’s mission may not interest them. In that case, your time will have greater benefit for the organization spent with someone who is interested.
Of course, you may hear strong interest. Then how do you engage them? Listen to the language they use. Mirror it. If they talk about fairness, then describe ways your mission builds fairness. If they talk about kindness, share acts of kindness your mission engenders. Listen for their values, their beliefs and their trusted sources for information. Let those help frame your story as you share with them. Ask if you may get back in touch again later. When you return to the office note what you’ve learned in your data base, so you can continue to frame your communications in ways that recognize your shared values.
When it’s your turn to share, continue to focus on them. Make their interests central as you share the good your organization is working to accomplish. If you’re are visiting in person or video chatting, Watch their reactions. Watch body language and facial cues. If their eyes light up, continue in that vein. Ask for feedback. But, if their eyes are wandering, or they are glancing at their watch, or if you’re on the phone and there are long pauses or sighs or sounds that indicate they are ready to move on, wrap it up, and thank them for their time.
by Lari Hatley | Jun 29, 2020 | Best Business Practices, Focus on the Mission
Education or Experience – which has greater value?
As with most things in life, the answer is – It depends.
Let me give you three examples from my experience:
- I was a brand new teacher – well-trained in all the latest pedagogy, filled with facts, and brimming with knowledge about child development. A mom from my classroom came to me concerned about her son. I smiled. I listened. I did my best to make her feel heard, but I’m ashamed to admit I sat there thinking, “Where did YOU get your degree in education? Which of us has studied Erik Fromm, Maslow, Montessori, and Howard Gardner? My youthful ignorance made her dear son struggle longer than he needed to.
Then I had my own kids and learned about the wisdom that can only come from experience. A parent may not have read the manuals, but they know their child. Ahhh, the value of experience!
2. Each of us has natural talents, and everyone wins if an organization makes use of each person’s gifts. I saw that as a teacher. I also saw it at each organization I served. One example happened as Duke University. I was the first full-time Development Officer for the Lemur Center, and we had enough success marketing and raising funds that we needed to add staff. While we received many applications with the right education, there was an Animal Technician I had noticed. She had just the natural gifts we needed. She was smart. She was confident. She was comfortable with all kinds of people, and she had a knack for listening, connecting, and building relationships – just the skills we needed. We hired her and she was amazing! She took over my position when I moved on, and she kept moving up. Several organizations have benefitted from her use of her natural gifts – and of course now she has taken classes, too, to fill in any gaps.
3. As important as education is, matching a person’s skill set – those skills needed to do the job is more so. When I was hired as the Foundation Director at Penick Village, an assistant was already in place. She was willing and hardworking, but her skill set didn’t match the position. I chatted with her, and found out that she had never wanted that position. She had applied to be on the Activities Staff. She wanted to work directly with the residents and here she was doing her best to input data and run reports. It wasn’t the right match. As soon as a position on the Activities Staff became available, we moved her. She didn’t have a degree in Social Work or Occupational Therapy, or anything related, but she had the heart and the desire and the natural gifts to connect and relate and innovate. She and the residents were thrilled. She was a natural!
So I guess the answer to the question, which has greater value – education or experience is that the right education helps, but look for experience, natural talent and matching skill sets, and both your employees and your organization will thrive.
by Lari Hatley | Aug 25, 2019 | Aquiring and Retaining Donors, Building Relationships
House parties (also known as small cultivation events) all serve one purpose – to help your nonprofit find people who value the good you do.
You can do that in two ways:
- Introduce people to your mission and the difference the program makes – with the goal of finding people who want to help make this possible. (No “ASK” at this type of event.)
- Share stories of the good your donors make possible and invite guest to support the mission financially. (This event has an “ASK”, so be SURE people know they will be given an opportunity to make a donation. NEVER surprise guests with an “ask.”)
Both types of events are important. Both are about relationships. Both are avenues to greater support.
Decide which purpose suits you and the people you are inviting.
Twelve steps to successful House Parties:
- Think of something fun. It can be as simple as a cozy dinner or as elaborate as the incredible original play followed by an ask.
- Ask staff to supply speakers on confirmed date and time.
- Invite people who may be interested. The event can be as small as 3-4 couples, plus a couple of staff and the hosts, or as large as 50-75 people with four to five staff plus the hosts. Having half the people come that you invite is a good return, so invite more than you actually expect to come. To get eight guests, invite 16. To get 50 invite more than 100.
- Match guests and staff. When you have your RSVPs, look at the guest list and divide the guests, who likely have the greatest interest and capacity for giving, into groups. This is just on paper. The guests should not be aware of this. Match the guests with staff members based on interests, gender, age, status, etc. – people likely to feel comfortable with each other. For instance, a corporate CEO would be matched with the Executive Director. Again, this is behind the scenes work. Give each staff member their list. It will say something like,” Rachel, please make a point of greeting: John and Suzi Smith, Janice Jones, Phil and Maribel Johnson and Samuel Mitchell.”
- Have nametags.
- Greet guests as they come in. Have a host and a staff member greet everyone. Have staff assure that everyone receives a nametag and is directed to the activity.
- During the mingle time, have staff make a point of chatting with the guests on their list. This should feel organic not like staff checking folks off their list. Staff and hosts are listening to guests. Listening is key. Listen for why they came, what their interests are, what they already know about your nonprofit, what their passions are. Make mental notes, like Suzi Smith is a cancer survivor. She is also a musician. Samuel just returned from Italy. He goes every year and loves the art and the wine. Share your findings with your Development staff.
- After folks have a chance to mingle, call everyone together. Thank them for coming and tell them about your nonprofit. Staff gives a brief overview of mission (3-4 minutes).
- If you are introducing your nonprofit: Staff or someone who benefitted from your mission shares a heart-felt story of the life-changing difference your mission makes. (5- 7 minutes) Then have another share by a person in a different role. If the first speaker was a staff member, then this story is a participant. (5-7 minutes) Then staff wraps up: “We’d love to stay in touch. If you’d like to receive our newsletter or get more involved, please leave your contact information on one of the sheets. (Point them out. Have more than one place to sign up. So there is no line or waiting.) Then the host invites everyone to have more coffee, wine, cake – – –
- If you’re making an ASK: Follow the directions above, but have the final speaker be a staff person, who invites guest to make a gift to help make more happy endings. Have envelopes and pledge cards for each guest. Have staff pass them out or have them easily available. Have a place for guests to place pledges. Then have host invite guests to have more refreshment.
- After the party – If you’re introducing your nonprofit: The area Development person follows up with a call asking for feedback and asking if the guest would like to get involved in any way. the Development person will make next day calls thanking donors, and she will call all other guests within a week asking for feedback and seeing if they have any interest in further involvement.
- Stay in touch with guests, who express interest in your mission. Not everyone will have an interest and know that is okay. They will do good elsewhere.
by Lari Hatley | Aug 21, 2019 | Starting Fresh
New office. New co-workers. New mission.. How do you start as a new Director of Development?
Your new boss may have planned orientation, staff meetings, and planning sessions for/with you.
Or
Someone may say, “There’s the coffee maker. There’s the bathroom. There’s your desk. Go!”
Either way, work in these first steps:
1. Read the Mission Statement. Keep that in mind. The missiion should drive everything you’re doing.
2. Study the website, marketing materials, FaceBook, Instagram, all social media. This is who your organization says it is. It is important to building trust with donors that words and actions match.
3. Meet with your Executive Director. This is the time to listen. Let the ED know you are collecting information in order to represent the organization more effectively.
Ask:
their vision,
their view of how development works,
what has worked in the past,
what they hope to see changed,
and who they see as the influencers (people others listen to) on the staff, the board, and among current donors.
4. Use the Executives Director’s list of influencers and add to it from your own observations. Who do people turn to when they need advice? Whose statements become policy. Who can kill an idea with a look. They may not have a title, but they have influence. Talk to them. Invite them to coffee away form the office. People tend to be franker when they know they won’t be overheard. Start with staff and –
Ask:
What drew you to this organization?
What do you see as our strengths?
Are there things we need to work on?
Are their minefields (topics or people) you should avoid or approach carefully.
Who do they see as influencers?
5. Set up meetings with board members. You can email, call, or meet in person. In person is most effective, when possible. Use the questions above and add:
How would you describe our current development program?
What do you see as development’s role?
How do you see your role in development?
6. In between these visits, study your data base. Who are your largest donors? Who are your long term donors? Set up meetings with them.
Ask:
How did you get connected with our organization?
Why do you support us?
What keeps you caring?
How do you like to connect? Email? In-person? Once a year. Often?
What could we improve?
7. Record your findings from each group: staff, board, and donors, in your data base.
The goal you are headed toward is strong relationships with people, who care about your mission, and who want to help. You have started your trip toward that goal by initiating relationships with key players and learning who the influencers are. By connecting with the influencers, you can multply the good you and your organization can do.
Now, help everyone keep the mission first in mind. Engage the whole team in making sure the organization has everything needed to do the most good.
You’re off to a good start!
