Creating a safe workplace is one of the most important things to accomplish when dealing with risk management. When accidents happen, people get hurt, and insurance is needed. And insurance costs money. One of the best ways to ensure your office is one your employees don't dread coming to is to constantly ask for feedback. This was covered in of NPT's most recent management tips:
* Invite feedback, including complaints. Send a clear message that ideas on improving the safety of the workplace are welcome.
* Banish assumptions. Assuming that policies and procedures are understood and followed is unwise.
* Provide training. Workplace training should address general safety as well as topics specific to areas or departments.
* Look for root causes instead of simple answers when accidents or near-misses occur. Opportunities to learn from mistakes are missed because of the tendency to blame or look for “simple” explanations.
* Reach out for help. Consider inviting an insurer to inspect the premises to identify opportunities to improve safety.
Want to read the entire article? Head on over to our website, and learn how you can make your nonprofit a safe one!
Monday, October 3, 2011
Friday, September 30, 2011
The NonProfit Times October 1st Issue
The October 1st issue of The NonProfit Times has just been posted online. This issue features a special focus on healthcare and nonprofits. Here are some of the articles you can expect to see in this edition of NPT:
- Special Report: Fundraising In A Recession Is A 'Capital' Idea: Flexibility is still resonating with donors.
- It's A Miraculous Turnaround For International Aid: International Aid, Inc., reported shipping a record $116 million worth of health products and reconditioned medical equipment to its partners around the world during its fiscal year that ended this past June 30, marking a sort of resurrection for the Christian relief agency.
- Online Payment Systems: Fundraising used to be pretty simple. Today, there’s an entirely new front in the battle for donations that didn’t even exist 15 or 20 years ago.
- On Board For Term Limits: Until this year, there were no term limits for board trustees of Children's Aid Society.
- Take This Job: The charitable sector must lead the way if the economy is to recover.
- Developing Your Board: To unlock your board’s true potential, boards need to constantly re-examine their own performance and make the necessary improvements that have been identified through their assessment process.
Giving Day In Texas (UPDATE: 9/30/2011)
UPDATE II: North Texas Gving Day turned out to be a huge success, raking in $10.7 million for 600 nonprofits. This far exceeded the amount expected, and set a new record for the event.
UPDATE: As was posted in the comments, the matching funds pool is now $1 million thanks to a donation from Hunt Consolidated. Thanks to Jake Cigainero from SparkFarm for posting the update.
Many states around the country have "giving days," when a percentage of donations to nonprofits are matched. This gives people high incentives to donate, which was clearly seen during this year's Erie Gives Day. The NonProfit Times wrote about Colorado Giving Day in its February 2011 issue. With the amount of money that can be raised from these events, it's no wonder that more states are having giving days of their own.
According to The Star-Telegram, Texas is planning to host a giving day of its own. It's called the North Texas Giving Day, and it will run between 7 AM and 7 PM on Thursday. Donors will be able to choose between 500 nonprofits in the region, with donations at $25 or higher receiving a matching donation. Those funds will come from a pool of $700,000 that was raised by the Community Foundation of North Texas.
This will be the third year of the North Texas Giving Day. Previous incarnations had raised a total of 9 million dollars. This year will be slightly different, as more Tarrant County nonprofits will be represented. Previously, the giving days had mostly benefited Dallas nonprofits.
Read more about North Texas Giving Day at their website, and make sure to read the full Star-Telegram article here.
UPDATE: As was posted in the comments, the matching funds pool is now $1 million thanks to a donation from Hunt Consolidated. Thanks to Jake Cigainero from SparkFarm for posting the update.
Many states around the country have "giving days," when a percentage of donations to nonprofits are matched. This gives people high incentives to donate, which was clearly seen during this year's Erie Gives Day. The NonProfit Times wrote about Colorado Giving Day in its February 2011 issue. With the amount of money that can be raised from these events, it's no wonder that more states are having giving days of their own.
According to The Star-Telegram, Texas is planning to host a giving day of its own. It's called the North Texas Giving Day, and it will run between 7 AM and 7 PM on Thursday. Donors will be able to choose between 500 nonprofits in the region, with donations at $25 or higher receiving a matching donation. Those funds will come from a pool of $700,000 that was raised by the Community Foundation of North Texas.
This will be the third year of the North Texas Giving Day. Previous incarnations had raised a total of 9 million dollars. This year will be slightly different, as more Tarrant County nonprofits will be represented. Previously, the giving days had mostly benefited Dallas nonprofits.
Read more about North Texas Giving Day at their website, and make sure to read the full Star-Telegram article here.
Nonprofits Fight To Keep Charitable Deductions
When Congress was discussing ways to decrease the nation's deficit this summer, one proposal that came out of the White House was to cap itemized deductions at 28 percent for individuals in the highest two tax rates. This proposal was met with heavy resistance from nonprofit organizations, and the proposal was eventually excluded from the final bill that passed Congress. The rejoicing by nonprofits didn't last long, however, as the proposal has re-emerged in President Obama's American Jobs Act.
The NonProfit Times posted an article yesterday about how 19 major nonprofits wrote a letter to the members of the so-called "Super Committee," the group tasked with finding ways to further reduce the deficit. The letter urged the committee to protect charitable deduction from the proposed cap. Nonprofits fear that any major changes would seriously impact giving. Most studies confirm this, but an interesting tidbit from the article seems to indicate there is some doubt on that front:
Stay tuned to The NonProfit Times for more updates on this topic.
The NonProfit Times posted an article yesterday about how 19 major nonprofits wrote a letter to the members of the so-called "Super Committee," the group tasked with finding ways to further reduce the deficit. The letter urged the committee to protect charitable deduction from the proposed cap. Nonprofits fear that any major changes would seriously impact giving. Most studies confirm this, but an interesting tidbit from the article seems to indicate there is some doubt on that front:
The challenge as Denton [senior vice president, government relations and strategic partnerships for American Red Cross] sees it is the uncertainty about what effect a change to deductions would have on donations. “Any tinkering on this just alarms folks,” he said, adding that for every study that indicates a large impact on giving, there are others that say the opposite.The proposed change could lead to the damaging results they predict, it could have no affect at all, or it could be somewhere in the middle. Not knowing for sure what the actual affect might be is probably more unsettling than if there was 100 percent certainty. This uncertainty, combined with concern about the long-term whittling away of the deduction, has spurred nonprofits to take action.
Stay tuned to The NonProfit Times for more updates on this topic.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
The Dreaded "Ask"
Cross-Posted From Our Squidoo Page
Nobody likes "the ask." The fear of rejection or hostility is a very human trait, and it's something that fundraisers have to deal with almost every day. The best fundraisers know they have to have thick skin, but it doesn't mean the ask is any easier. Is there anything nonprofit employees can do to get over these fears? Thankfully, the answer is yes.
-Know what you want to ask and how you want to ask it. Sounds simple, but it doesn't always happen.
-Know what the needs of the prospect are. How can the gift meet or exceed their expectations?
-Time your ask based for the benefit of the prospect and/or for a critical project.
-Create a great solicitation team.
-Make sure you have multiple asks happening weekly. The more you ask, the more you will receive.
Nobody likes "the ask." The fear of rejection or hostility is a very human trait, and it's something that fundraisers have to deal with almost every day. The best fundraisers know they have to have thick skin, but it doesn't mean the ask is any easier. Is there anything nonprofit employees can do to get over these fears? Thankfully, the answer is yes.
-Know what you want to ask and how you want to ask it. Sounds simple, but it doesn't always happen.
-Know what the needs of the prospect are. How can the gift meet or exceed their expectations?
-Time your ask based for the benefit of the prospect and/or for a critical project.
-Create a great solicitation team.
-Make sure you have multiple asks happening weekly. The more you ask, the more you will receive.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Nonprofit Management Tip: Direct Mail And The Recession
Mailing during the recession was not easy for nonprofits, but there are lessons to be learned from its aftermath. During a recent DMA Nonprofit Federation conference, Craig Finstad of the American Lung Association shared some of these lessons:
* If your piece is not in their mailbox, someone else's is. The strategy is to stay in front of renewal donors. The organization resisted pressure to cut the number of appeals without testing.
* If you mail it, they will come.
* Dance with the girl who brought you. Pressure from management and complaints from donors will make you want to cut back on the number or cost of mailings or on winning packages. Resist the temptation of making changes without testing.
Want to read more? Head on over to our website to get the full scoop on this important subject.
* If your piece is not in their mailbox, someone else's is. The strategy is to stay in front of renewal donors. The organization resisted pressure to cut the number of appeals without testing.
* If you mail it, they will come.
* Dance with the girl who brought you. Pressure from management and complaints from donors will make you want to cut back on the number or cost of mailings or on winning packages. Resist the temptation of making changes without testing.
Want to read more? Head on over to our website to get the full scoop on this important subject.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Finding Volunteers For Special Events
Nonprofits can raise funds through a variety of different methods. While a large amount of these funds come from direct donations, special events play a large part as well. These events can be concerts, galas, special speaking events, or other large gatherings. These can take a great deal of effort, but that effort is repaid well if it's done properly.
The backbone of a great special event lies in the strength of its volunteers. You are going to want to find individuals who are totally committed to the cause for which the event is raising money. If a volunteer is not enthusiastic about it, they will likely not put as much effort into making sure things go smoothly. That's why it's important to have a solid screening process when picking volunteers. One great suggestion is to create a questionnaire for potential candidates that might include questions like: "How many people are you comfortable working with?" or "What skills are you proficient in?"
All potential volunteers should also receive a document explaining, in detail, the goals of the event, and what you expect them to do. This last point is especially key. People don't like getting surprised with work they weren't prepared for, so make sure you list everything you want your volunteers to do.
These simple tips will help you pick out quality volunteers for your big special events. Feel free to leave more ideas in the comments section.
The backbone of a great special event lies in the strength of its volunteers. You are going to want to find individuals who are totally committed to the cause for which the event is raising money. If a volunteer is not enthusiastic about it, they will likely not put as much effort into making sure things go smoothly. That's why it's important to have a solid screening process when picking volunteers. One great suggestion is to create a questionnaire for potential candidates that might include questions like: "How many people are you comfortable working with?" or "What skills are you proficient in?"
All potential volunteers should also receive a document explaining, in detail, the goals of the event, and what you expect them to do. This last point is especially key. People don't like getting surprised with work they weren't prepared for, so make sure you list everything you want your volunteers to do.
These simple tips will help you pick out quality volunteers for your big special events. Feel free to leave more ideas in the comments section.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Retro Article Of The Week: Outrage To Dogfighting Charges Knocked Out Site
Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback Michael Vick is enjoying a career resurgence in the city of brotherly love. He led the Eagles to the playoffs last season, and was rewarded with a 10-year, $100 million contract extension this off season. But it wasn't all fun and games for Vick. He first signed with the Eagles after he was released from prison on dogfighting convictions two years ago, a signing that caused a huge stir in the sports and animal rights worlds. Days after his sentencing in July of 2007, the Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS) launched a campaign to send e-mails to the NFL Commissioner's office. If it was ever possible for a campaign to be considered too successful, this was it.
More than 275,000 e-mails were sent through HSUS's website, causing the site to experience major outages. To put the use into perspective, the website experienced five times its normal volume on July 19th, and six time the normal volume on the 20th. The NonProfit Times wrote an article about these outages in September 2007. Here's an excerpt from that piece:
The charity's technology provider made some initial fixes within the existing framework before moving an additional server to boost capacity, Handy said. "We also sent emails to advocates in our file in smaller chunks, so email wouldn't go to a large number of people at the same time. We spread demand out over a larger time window. That seemed to have worked," he said.
"The real issue was the fact that we had emailed a pretty good size of our file at the same time," Handy said. "The issue was in the news, with public outrage, a much higher percentage of people wanted to take issue. People on our file then told family and friends to do the same."
It's hard to anticipate, "but you need be ready to handle any kind of crisis," Handy added. "We are the leading organization on animal fighting abuse. We need to be ready to respond...but it's hard to pay for that capacity you need" every year or two.
"The demand goes from ordinary to extraordinary overnight. It speaks to the need of having systems in place, and excess capacity with your technology partner to handle anything," Handy said.
Though the outages were unfortunate for the organization, the increased traffic led to increased donations. There was certainly no complaints on that front. If you want to read the full article, please go to our website.
More than 275,000 e-mails were sent through HSUS's website, causing the site to experience major outages. To put the use into perspective, the website experienced five times its normal volume on July 19th, and six time the normal volume on the 20th. The NonProfit Times wrote an article about these outages in September 2007. Here's an excerpt from that piece:
The charity's technology provider made some initial fixes within the existing framework before moving an additional server to boost capacity, Handy said. "We also sent emails to advocates in our file in smaller chunks, so email wouldn't go to a large number of people at the same time. We spread demand out over a larger time window. That seemed to have worked," he said.
"The real issue was the fact that we had emailed a pretty good size of our file at the same time," Handy said. "The issue was in the news, with public outrage, a much higher percentage of people wanted to take issue. People on our file then told family and friends to do the same."
It's hard to anticipate, "but you need be ready to handle any kind of crisis," Handy added. "We are the leading organization on animal fighting abuse. We need to be ready to respond...but it's hard to pay for that capacity you need" every year or two.
"The demand goes from ordinary to extraordinary overnight. It speaks to the need of having systems in place, and excess capacity with your technology partner to handle anything," Handy said.
Though the outages were unfortunate for the organization, the increased traffic led to increased donations. There was certainly no complaints on that front. If you want to read the full article, please go to our website.
Nonprofit Fundraising Tips
Ever hear of Squidoo? It's a site that allows you to create pages on a given subject. The NonProfit Times has just created a Squidoo page that covers the all-important topic of nonprofit fundraising. The intention of this page is to give nonprofit managers and employees another venue to get free tips to help their organization succeed with all of their fundraising activities. We already have three articles on there, including one on how to find volunteers for fundraising events. Let's take a look at an excerpt from that piece:
Nonprofits can raise funds through a variety of different methods. While a large amount of these funds come from direct donations, fundraising events play a large part as well. These events can be concerts, galas, special speaking events, or other large gatherings. These can take a great deal of effort, but that effort is repaid well if it's done properly.
The backbone of a great fundraising event lies in the strength of its volunteers. You are going to want to find individuals who are totally committed to the cause for which the event is raising money. If a volunteer is not enthusiastic about it, they will likely not put as much effort into making sure things go smoothly. That's why it's important to have a solid screening process when picking volunteers. One great suggestion is to create a questionnaire for potential candidates that might include questions like: "How many people are you comfortable working with?" or "What skills are you proficient in?"
Head on over to our Squidoo page (linked at the top of this post) to check out the full article. You should also check out our other Squidoo Lens that covers nonprofit jobs.
Nonprofits can raise funds through a variety of different methods. While a large amount of these funds come from direct donations, fundraising events play a large part as well. These events can be concerts, galas, special speaking events, or other large gatherings. These can take a great deal of effort, but that effort is repaid well if it's done properly.
The backbone of a great fundraising event lies in the strength of its volunteers. You are going to want to find individuals who are totally committed to the cause for which the event is raising money. If a volunteer is not enthusiastic about it, they will likely not put as much effort into making sure things go smoothly. That's why it's important to have a solid screening process when picking volunteers. One great suggestion is to create a questionnaire for potential candidates that might include questions like: "How many people are you comfortable working with?" or "What skills are you proficient in?"
Head on over to our Squidoo page (linked at the top of this post) to check out the full article. You should also check out our other Squidoo Lens that covers nonprofit jobs.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
NPTtv Summary: Changing An Organization's Culture
The NonProfit Times TV recently sat down with Jennifer Ferro, general manager of the LA public radio station KCRW, to talk about how to change an organization's culture. Here is an excerpt from that interview (Note: Questions and answers are paraphrased):
NPTtv: Jennifer, what were some of the challenges you faced coming to an organization that was used to doing things a certain way?
Jennifer Ferro: I think my position was a bit unique, because I came from inside the organization [she was promoted to her current position after two years as assistant general manager], so the biggest challenge for me is trying to see this organization as an outsider would. I know the personalities involved in the organization really intimately, so one thing you have to do as a leader is to look strategically at your organization, and look at the roles people play. So that's what I've been working on the most right now.
NPTtv: What kind of problems did you see that you wanted to change?
JF: The structure of the organization. Because it had started really from nothing and grew up around that, there was basically no structure. It was the leader, me, and everybody else. There are some benefits to that, but there are also obvious structural challenges with it as well. As we go forward in the future, that's the one thing we need to address: How can we create an organization that maximizes what we do already, but at the same time fosters innovation.
NPTtv: When you became general manager, how difficult was it putting your own stamp on the position without changing what the organization was already used to?
JF: That is one of the advantages of coming from the inside. Because I came from within, people already knew me, they trusted me, and they supported me. A lot of the changes that I wanted to make with the board leadership, the staff, all that kind of stuff, those were things that people were not fearful of because they understood who I was and what I was about. You do have to be sensitive to what people want, however. When you come into an organization with no structure, what ends up happening is that people have their own way of working. When there is a threat to habits, there can be some backlash. That hasn't happened to KCRW, but there is a certain level of anxiety. Anxiety can be good, but it can also be damaging. So I've just had to manage that.
***
Make sure to check out the full interview with Jennifer Ferro on NPTtv.
NPTtv: Jennifer, what were some of the challenges you faced coming to an organization that was used to doing things a certain way?
Jennifer Ferro: I think my position was a bit unique, because I came from inside the organization [she was promoted to her current position after two years as assistant general manager], so the biggest challenge for me is trying to see this organization as an outsider would. I know the personalities involved in the organization really intimately, so one thing you have to do as a leader is to look strategically at your organization, and look at the roles people play. So that's what I've been working on the most right now.
NPTtv: What kind of problems did you see that you wanted to change?
JF: The structure of the organization. Because it had started really from nothing and grew up around that, there was basically no structure. It was the leader, me, and everybody else. There are some benefits to that, but there are also obvious structural challenges with it as well. As we go forward in the future, that's the one thing we need to address: How can we create an organization that maximizes what we do already, but at the same time fosters innovation.
NPTtv: When you became general manager, how difficult was it putting your own stamp on the position without changing what the organization was already used to?
JF: That is one of the advantages of coming from the inside. Because I came from within, people already knew me, they trusted me, and they supported me. A lot of the changes that I wanted to make with the board leadership, the staff, all that kind of stuff, those were things that people were not fearful of because they understood who I was and what I was about. You do have to be sensitive to what people want, however. When you come into an organization with no structure, what ends up happening is that people have their own way of working. When there is a threat to habits, there can be some backlash. That hasn't happened to KCRW, but there is a certain level of anxiety. Anxiety can be good, but it can also be damaging. So I've just had to manage that.
***
Make sure to check out the full interview with Jennifer Ferro on NPTtv.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
NPTtv Summary: United Way's Growth Stunted
Note: This is a summary from a story in the newest webcast of The NonProfit Times TV.
While overall giving picked up in the last year, contributions to United Way Worldwide slowed down. According to the agency's latest figures, total income last year grew to $4.2 billion, a $100 million increase. That amount represents a slower gain than the $255 million that the organization saw in the previous year.
The reason for this decrease seems to stem from the fact that traditional workplace giving campaigns, which is the source for a large amount of United Way's contributions, were down in 2010, according to the numbers from Giving USA.
Overall public support accounted for $3.8 of United Way's revenue. While this is up slightly from 2009, it is still lower than the more than $4 billion raised in 2008. To see the whole video on this story, visit NPTtv.
While overall giving picked up in the last year, contributions to United Way Worldwide slowed down. According to the agency's latest figures, total income last year grew to $4.2 billion, a $100 million increase. That amount represents a slower gain than the $255 million that the organization saw in the previous year.
The reason for this decrease seems to stem from the fact that traditional workplace giving campaigns, which is the source for a large amount of United Way's contributions, were down in 2010, according to the numbers from Giving USA.
Overall public support accounted for $3.8 of United Way's revenue. While this is up slightly from 2009, it is still lower than the more than $4 billion raised in 2008. To see the whole video on this story, visit NPTtv.
9/21/2011 NPTtv Webcast Available
The newest edition of The NonProfit Times TV has just been released. Here are the stories included in the webcast:
- "Two Top CEO Jobs Open"-Peter Goldberg of Families International passed away, and Jill Schumann of Lutheran Services in America resigned, leaving two CEO vacancies at the two nonprofits.
- "A 'Cereal' Killer?"-A nonprofit is sued by Kellog's because of logo.
- "United Way's Growth Stunted"-While overall giving was up last year, contributions to United Way Worldwide slowed down.
- "Re-Branding For Next 30 Years"-MADD and Gifts In Kind International Re-brand.
- "Changing An Organization's Culture"-Interview with Jennifer Ferro of KCRW.
Recent Giving Trends
The fundraising landscape is always changing, especially in this volatile economy. Here are some recent giving trends that were released in the 2011 Giving USA Report:
- Giving to arts, culture, and humanities fell 8.7 percent.
- Education fell 8.8 percent.
- Religious giving increased by 0.1 percent.
- International Affairs organizations received 7.2 percent more donations.
- Human Services groups saw an increase in donations by 10.4 percent.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
How A Hobby Became An Online Mission
Can you imagine spending 2 hours every day compiling articles and information about the September 11th attacks? That's what Arnie Korotkin has been doing since the attacks on that fateful day. Korotkin, who is an adjunct professor of sociology at Montclair State University in New Jersey, is the creator of the largest 9/11 list-serve in the country. Every day, he collects news articles about anything related to the terrorist attacks and sends them to his mailing list.
Korotkin's "labor of love" all started when he worked as a director of community building at the United Way of Passaic County. He was working with a woman who had just lost her husband due to the attacks, and he offered to send her information and services that might help her. Her e-mail was the first of thousands that would subscribe to his daily 9/11 updates.
In trying times, sometimes the smallest gestures can mean the most. This is certainly the case with Arnie Korotkin's e-mail list. When you get the chance, please take a moment to read this story on our website. You can also subscribe to Korotkin's mailing list by e-mailing him at AMKorotkin@aol.com.
Korotkin's "labor of love" all started when he worked as a director of community building at the United Way of Passaic County. He was working with a woman who had just lost her husband due to the attacks, and he offered to send her information and services that might help her. Her e-mail was the first of thousands that would subscribe to his daily 9/11 updates.
In trying times, sometimes the smallest gestures can mean the most. This is certainly the case with Arnie Korotkin's e-mail list. When you get the chance, please take a moment to read this story on our website. You can also subscribe to Korotkin's mailing list by e-mailing him at AMKorotkin@aol.com.
2010 Nonprofit Salary Survey
The 2010 Nonprofit Salary Survey gives you details on a wide range of topics that involve salaries for nonprofits. In this survey you will find out the base salary and cash compensation data with percentile rankings for each position, bonus pay practices (including average payout), percentage receiving and organizations paying, annual salary increases (prior and current year; executive and non-executive), employee turnover and average tenure by position, and more!
If you are in charge of structuring nonprofit salaries for an organization, or someone who wishes to start a nonprofit, the 2010 Nonprofit Salary and Benefits Report is a must have for you and your organization. Don’t let your organization become less competitive in the job market because you are not up-to-date on the current average salaries for a job: Get the 2010 Nonprofit Salary survey today and make sure you are as competitive as the next organization.
If you are in charge of structuring nonprofit salaries for an organization, or someone who wishes to start a nonprofit, the 2010 Nonprofit Salary and Benefits Report is a must have for you and your organization. Don’t let your organization become less competitive in the job market because you are not up-to-date on the current average salaries for a job: Get the 2010 Nonprofit Salary survey today and make sure you are as competitive as the next organization.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Management Tip: Firing Up Your Board Members
Did you know board members can be very successful fundraisers? Given the right opportunity, they can do a lot to help your organization raise money. What can nonprofits do to use their boards to their full potential? The answer is simple: Fire them up! OK, maybe that's a little vague. Onto the bullet points!
* VIP Prospect List -- Have them write down the 10 most important people they know who could catapult the organization.
* Host Small Socials -- Don’t just solicit people for money, have a good time during it while having a party.
* Host Tours -- Invite board members to have friends tour program sites together, while having them call their friends the next day to get their impressions.
* Thank You Calls -- One out of 10 gifts comes from board members making a thank you call after 24 hours of receiving the gift. After the next solicitation, those who gave, gave 39 percent more, and after 14 months gave 42 percent more.
Want to learn more on this topic? Read the full article over at our management tips page.
* VIP Prospect List -- Have them write down the 10 most important people they know who could catapult the organization.
* Host Small Socials -- Don’t just solicit people for money, have a good time during it while having a party.
* Host Tours -- Invite board members to have friends tour program sites together, while having them call their friends the next day to get their impressions.
* Thank You Calls -- One out of 10 gifts comes from board members making a thank you call after 24 hours of receiving the gift. After the next solicitation, those who gave, gave 39 percent more, and after 14 months gave 42 percent more.
Want to learn more on this topic? Read the full article over at our management tips page.
Friday, September 16, 2011
New Issue Of The NonProfit Times Released
The September 15th issue of The NonProfit Times has just been posted on our website. Here are the articles you can expect to see:
- Special Report: Hands-Free Fundraising: Donor management systems are starting to support mobile devices and cloud computing, one of several recent market trends that are adding value and capability to the software.
- 'Call To Action' Films Are Winners: The Lights. Camera. Help. Festival (LCH) is providing a venue for nonprofit films to be viewed and judged. Learn about the background of the festival, including how the films are judged.
- Recruiters Seeking Experience, Connections: This article looks at the criteria nonprofit recruiters are using to hire new employees.
- Texting Isn't All About Giving: One of the great technological advancements for nonprofits has been mobile fundraising. More and more donors are using their cell phones to text in donations, but how much does it help smaller charities?
- 2010 Funding: How did the recent downgrade of the U.S.'s credit rating affect nonprofits?
- The First 30 Seconds: This column provides tips on how to efficiently handle telemarketing calls. It turns out the first 30 seconds are key.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Retro Article Of The Week: Hard-Hitting Ad Campaigns
Tomorrow we will be releasing the newest edition of The NonProfit Times, so today we will be looking at an article that also came out in one of our September 15th issues. The year was 2008, and the article was about a controversial ad campaign by The United Way of Greater Milwaukee (UWGM). The campaign was for statutory rape awareness, and the proposed ads contained imagery that caused a frenzy: The faces of adolescent girls were superimposed onto the bodies of full-figured, adult bodies. This particular campaign was eventually scrapped when it was leaked on the internet.
Although this particular campign was scrapped, UWGM moved onto other campaigns, including one that showed images of pregnant teenage boys to shed light on teenage pregnancy. Here's an excerpt from the article:
A poster featuring a busty, D-cup model will turn heads. Couple it with a precocious, pig-tailed face of a little girl and it will stir an Internet frenzy.
That's what happened to The United Way of Greater Milwaukee's (UWGM) statutory rape awareness campaign when the faces of adolescent girls were imposed on full-figured, adult female bodies. But before the campaign could launch, the ad images leaked on the Internet and the campaign was tossed, even though the ads tested well in focus groups.
"It was obvious that the ads were being misconstrued," said Nicole Angresano, the community impact associate director for UWGM. Angresano said that changes were made to the images and text and the leaked versions represented earlier design prototypes.
"If we were to move forward, those were not the versions they would have seen," said Angresano, who explained that the ads were created to discourage adult men from having sex with under-aged girls.
Some 71 percent of babies born to teen girls in Wisconsin are fathered by adult males older than 20. In 20 percent of those cases, the fathers are at least six years older than the mothers, according to the Wisconsin Subcommittee on Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention study. The UWGM assumes that the statistics have stayed relatively the same since 1998, through case studies and anecdotal evidence from law enforcement, said Angresano. A new study is under way but results have not yet been released.
Whether you disagree with this form of advertising or not, there's one thing that's can't be argued: It generates a lot of publicity. To read the full article, head on over to our website.
Although this particular campign was scrapped, UWGM moved onto other campaigns, including one that showed images of pregnant teenage boys to shed light on teenage pregnancy. Here's an excerpt from the article:
A poster featuring a busty, D-cup model will turn heads. Couple it with a precocious, pig-tailed face of a little girl and it will stir an Internet frenzy.
That's what happened to The United Way of Greater Milwaukee's (UWGM) statutory rape awareness campaign when the faces of adolescent girls were imposed on full-figured, adult female bodies. But before the campaign could launch, the ad images leaked on the Internet and the campaign was tossed, even though the ads tested well in focus groups.
"It was obvious that the ads were being misconstrued," said Nicole Angresano, the community impact associate director for UWGM. Angresano said that changes were made to the images and text and the leaked versions represented earlier design prototypes.
"If we were to move forward, those were not the versions they would have seen," said Angresano, who explained that the ads were created to discourage adult men from having sex with under-aged girls.
Some 71 percent of babies born to teen girls in Wisconsin are fathered by adult males older than 20. In 20 percent of those cases, the fathers are at least six years older than the mothers, according to the Wisconsin Subcommittee on Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention study. The UWGM assumes that the statistics have stayed relatively the same since 1998, through case studies and anecdotal evidence from law enforcement, said Angresano. A new study is under way but results have not yet been released.
Whether you disagree with this form of advertising or not, there's one thing that's can't be argued: It generates a lot of publicity. To read the full article, head on over to our website.
The 50 Best Nonprofits To Work For 2012: Defend Your Title!
We’ve started the next round of the best nonprofit for which to work. Following on The NonProfit Times’ 2010 and 2011 listings of the 50 best nonprofits at which to work, we are seeking contenders for the 2012 crown.
Management always thinks it’s providing a great work experience. Now it's time to see what the employees think.
Please go to http://www.bestnonprofitstoworkfor.com/ for details regarding how you can nominate your organization to be recognized as one of the best. The deadline to register is October 14, 2011, which is less than a month away. So if you won during 2010 or 2011, sign up today and defend your title!
Management always thinks it’s providing a great work experience. Now it's time to see what the employees think.
Please go to http://www.bestnonprofitstoworkfor.com/ for details regarding how you can nominate your organization to be recognized as one of the best. The deadline to register is October 14, 2011, which is less than a month away. So if you won during 2010 or 2011, sign up today and defend your title!
Monday, September 12, 2011
Philanthropic Giving After 9/11
Yesterday was a solemn day for our country. As we honored the lives of those lost on 9/11, we had to once again relive those horrifying images from 10 years ago. There were some positives we were able to take from that day, however. We remembered the brave work of the First Responders at Ground Zero, how we united as a country, and the re-ignition of philanthropic giving. That last point was something that was covered in the most recent issue of The NonProfit Times.
Nearly $2.6 billion was raised following the attacks, creating a turning point for philanthropy in response to large-scale disasters. Following 9/11, Americans continued to give generously when these disasters took place, whether it was the Gulf Coast hurricanes in 2005, or the Asian tsunami in 2004. As long as donors were sure their money was going to where it is supposed to be going, they seemed to have no qualms about giving large amounts of cash.
That was one of the lessons learned following 9/11. The Red Cross came under heavy criticism when it was learned that money raised from the Liberty Fund--set up to collect donations in the wake of September 11th--would also be used to prepare for other major disasters. This was eventually changed due to massive public pressure, creating a lesson that future charities heeded.
If you want to learn more about giving post-9/11, check out the full article on that subject on our website.
Nearly $2.6 billion was raised following the attacks, creating a turning point for philanthropy in response to large-scale disasters. Following 9/11, Americans continued to give generously when these disasters took place, whether it was the Gulf Coast hurricanes in 2005, or the Asian tsunami in 2004. As long as donors were sure their money was going to where it is supposed to be going, they seemed to have no qualms about giving large amounts of cash.
That was one of the lessons learned following 9/11. The Red Cross came under heavy criticism when it was learned that money raised from the Liberty Fund--set up to collect donations in the wake of September 11th--would also be used to prepare for other major disasters. This was eventually changed due to massive public pressure, creating a lesson that future charities heeded.
If you want to learn more about giving post-9/11, check out the full article on that subject on our website.
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