Spokes | Resources for Nonprofits

Find Us On Social Media:

Strategic Planning and Major Gift Fundraising

by

This post was originally published in 2016. 

At Spokes, we have been surprised – and impressed – by the number of nonprofit boards that have chosen to spend their summer completing strategic plans for their organizations. We know it’s not an easy choice to make when the sun is shining and the beach is only a few miles away. And, yet, we also know the vital role that strategic planning plays in the success and longevity of organizations. So, for all of you who have stepped up to the plate instead of into the sand, we commend you! Please find a refreshing drink with an umbrella and toast yourself as soon as possible!

In most of the strategic plans that Spokes’ consultants have helped create, there is a consistent theme of setting goals to increase revenues through major gifts. Even though evidence proves the value of major gift fundraising over event fundraising and other forms of development, lots of folks are terrified by it. It can be daunting to directly ask another person to make a significant gift to your organization. We understand and want to help you overcome your fears and successfully execute your strategic goals.

Kim Klein is a well-known and regarded fundraising expert who specializes in fundraising for smaller grassroots organizations, similar to most of Spokes’ members. In her two-part series published in the February 2016 issue of Nonprofit Quarterly, “Starting a Major Gifts Program,” Klein shares personal strategies for overcoming her own fear of asking folks for money. Her quick tips: remember that “feelings are not facts”. It may help to make a gift of your own so you stand “on firmer ground” when asking a donor to join you in making a gift.

Klein goes on to offer formulas and charts to guide you in determining how many gifts to seek and at what levels. Her experience tells her that, in healthy nonprofits:

  • 10 percent of the donors give 60 percent of the income
  • 20 percent of the donors give 20 percent of the income
  • 70 percent of the donors give 20 percent of the income

In the second part of her series, Klein offers tips to help your nonprofit decide what types of benefits it will offer donors, what types of collateral/promotional materials to create to help solicit donors, and a few basic steps to take in cultivating and stewarding major gift donors – including sending a personal note with every mailing.

Read through Part I and Part II of the series for a quick “virtual” class in major gift solicitation. Use your strategic plan and ask donors to join you in reaching the goals you have set to better serve all those who rely on your nonprofit. If you don’t have a strategic plan, get in touch to learn about Spokes’ consulting services. This time next year, you’ll have lots of reasons for more tropical toasts!

Part I
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2016/02/11/starting-a-major-gifts-program-part-i/

Part II
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2016/02/12/starting-a-major-gifts-program-part-ii/

Credible Crisis Coverage

by

Spokes would like to thank Leslie Jones, Spokes Consultant and promotional marketing consultant for guest-writing this article. 

When a local natural disaster, school-related emergency, environmental or health crisis unexpectedly occurs, is your nonprofit ready to be the “voice of expertise” when the media and community start calling? Do you have an effective, written plan in place that can quickly be implemented? Are you prepared to be a reliable source of information?

Delving deeper into our ongoing disaster preparedness theme, we offer a summary of key steps for your nonprofit to build a “community-in-crisis” communications strategy plan.

  • Choose a primary spokesperson and a reliable support team. Your team can include staff, board members, volunteers, and community members. Explain the individual and collective roles.
  • Ensure that everyone on that team needs to share the same outgoing message. It’s helpful to utilize these questions: Who needs to know? What do they need to know? When do they need to know?
  • Prepare current educational fact sheets and statistics to easily share when a crisis occurs. Remember to keep it tightly focused and relevant to your nonprofit’s field of expertise. At the time of the event, you can add relevant information.
  • Keep website and social media pages updated with changes in services/operations.
  • Reconnect with your entire team after the crisis has passed. Brainstorm and openly discuss successes, needed improvements, and challenges.
  • Revise your written action plan based on that follow-up meeting and update all necessary media materials.

For a helpful media strategy checklist from nonprofitrisk.org, click here.

By preparing now for an unanticipated crisis, your nonprofit creates an opportunity to receive heightened, credible coverage. Most importantly, your nonprofit is able to effectively support and assist your community when it needs you the most. That is a true success story!

Does Your Board Work or Govern?

by

Do you know if your board is a working board or a governing board? Although we use these terms all the time, this is a trick question! All boards are governing boards. Their first and foremost responsibility is managing the organization: making policy and strategy decisions, overseeing and monitoring organizational performance, and ensuring accountability. Volunteer-run or small-staffed organizations’ board members may also have working responsibilities in addition to governance responsibilities, such as program delivery. Because program delivery is often the most fun part of the job, it’s natural to want to focus your time and energy on direct service.

However, things get sticky when procedures, policies, and roles aren’t clearly defined. When board members disagree on the difference between the “must do” responsibilities and the “nice to do” activities, it can cause friction or result in compliance issues.

It may be time to review your activities and ensure that governance comes first if:
• your board meetings continually go off topic,
• committee updates take more than ten minutes of a board meeting, or
• your board spends more time discussing details than big picture items.

Spokes’ Board Academy provides the perfect opportunity to explore:

• Board Member roles and responsibilities
• Governance to achieve your mission
• Legal responsibilities of board service

Whether you’ve served on your board for one year or ten years, this training will give you new tools and knowledge to make your board function more effectively.

Want to learn more about working versus governing boards? Compass Point has more to say on the subject here: https://www.compasspoint.org/board-cafe/working-board-vs-governing-board

Keep Your Volunteers Coming Back!

by

Spokes would like to thank Rachel Cementina, Spokes faculty and SLO County YMCA Director of Membership and Marketing for guest-writing this article.

Several years ago, a young man contacted our office seeking a last-minute volunteer opportunity. John was required to complete 15 hours before the semester ended. We thought the Cal Poly student would do well at a computer project and quickly set him on his task.

Upon completion of the hours, he was asked how he felt about the experience. John answered, “It was the most boring work ever.” And that was the last we saw of him.

We can learn a lot from our experience with John and use it to keep volunteers coming back in the future:

• John said yes to the hours even before we told him about the project.

Make sure volunteers know in advance what they are signing up for by setting expectations. This means outlining a position description, including the purpose, duties, and skills that are required of the volunteer. A great place to start is at volunteer recruitment – make sure your position descriptions are complete at VolunteerSLO.org!

• We didn’t know how John was motivated.

Besides having appropriate training to get the assigned work done, volunteers also need the motivation. Was John motivated by the achievement of the project, satisfaction of giving back to an organization he was passionate about, or recognition of his hard work and time? On the surface, he may have been motivated by the proof that he completed the volunteer hours, but had we gotten to know him, we likely would have found that he also wanted to feel good about the work he was doing.

• John didn’t understand why his job mattered.

Even though we asked John to complete what he found to be a menial task, he may have found it more fulfilling to know why it mattered. If volunteers understand how their support leads to the greater mission of the organization, they have a better volunteer experience. Let each volunteer know how their efforts are making a difference and how their work contributes to the bigger picture.

When a volunteer knows what they are going to be doing in advance, are appreciated for their work, and can connect it to the “why,” it creates a quality volunteer experience. For more additional resources on Volunteer Retention, check out Energize Inc or chat with your friends at Spokes at (805) 547-2244 or [email protected]

From the Top: Executive Director Performance Evaluations

by

Calling all board members! Did you know that evaluating your executive director is a key board responsibility? Evaluations foster clear communication about the boards’ expectations while giving the executive director an opportunity to weigh in on those expectations. Evaluations are also a critical tool for reviewing and setting the executive director’s pay. They open the door for frequent, honest discussions about your organization’s effectiveness and sustainability.

It’s never too late to start
The best time to establish the performance evaluation is before the executive director’s hire date. This way, the board can outline the standards of success and objectives in advance. However, it’s never too late to introduce an annual performance evaluation. Your board may even find that the evaluation results in a happier executive director who finally has a clear understanding of what success looks like to the board of directors.

Improve understanding to resolve conflict
Performance evaluations are also a useful tool to assess organizational failures or navigate conflicts. As HR professional, attorney, and Spokes Board of Director Jim Dorf says, “If the executive director is not achieving their goals, don’t just hope that things will improve. Once performance problems are observed, write everything down. Sit down with the executive director and set an objectively measurable performance improvement plan. Task a board member to assess the progress over agreed-upon intervals.”
Annual performance evaluations establish trust between executive directors and boards. Since executive directors manage day-to-day operations without oversight, board members can be left wondering what’s going on behind the scenes. Performance evaluations offer a safe space to inquire about daily operational strategies.

Keep it professional
It’s important to remember that the goal of an evaluation is to appraise professional performance, not the person. There is a great risk of bias, prejudice, and discriminatory actions when a board judges an executive director based on their personality or other subjective areas. According to 501 Commons, “An annual performance review can only hold the executive responsible for meeting targets, complying with policies, or achieving results that were agreed upon at least a year in advance. This way, the executive has time to organize resources and meet those targets and is given a chance to provide the board with information to indicate if the results and goals have been achieved.”

Make it a priority
To effectively conduct the evaluation, form a 2-3-person committee or task force – they will be responsible for determining the measurement criteria, establishing the formal process, and communicating with the executive director and the rest of the board. Download a checklist, like this one from Blue Avocado. Edit it to reflect your own measurement standards. Prepare to have a strategic discussion about organizational goals that have been set, met, or are pending.

Performance evaluations take time and effort to implement, but your executive director works hard. Your feedback plays a major part in their continued professional development. If you have questions or need supporting resources, feel free to call Spokes at 805-547-2244 or email [email protected].

Guiding nonprofits to achieve their goals through support and expert resources.

How Can We Make A Difference Together?

Spokes welcomes local professionals who would like to share their expertise in support of the nonprofit sector.

Get Started Contributing

Recent Articles