Best Practices For Your Group Text Messaging

Texting: All the cool kids are doing it.  Is your nonprofit one of them?

Sending text messages to your supporters is a good way to alert them to news or other information.  There aren't too many people who don't carry a cell phone with them, so chances are they are going to receive your message instantly.  Before you start sending your group text messages, though, it's important to listen to some sage advice.

In her book "Social Media For Good," Heather Mansfield went over some best practices for group text messaging:

• Add a "Subscribe to Receive Text Alerts!" button on your website, blog, newsletters, social media sites, and other materials.  This will help with your visibility.
• On a related note, have your text-to-subscribe keyword and short pitch code to your Twitter background.
• Your text messages should be timely and relevant to current events.  For example, text donations played a large role in raising money for the Haiti earthquake in 2010.
• Mix up your messages by sending both information and call-to-action alerts.  People don't want to receive too much of the same thing.
• Send periodic text messages to remind supporters that they can text to give or donate online.  But remember not to overload them with these types of messages.
• Speaking of which, you shouldn't send more than two or three text messages a month.  These things cost money, ya know.
• If you have a mobile website (and you should), link to it in your messages.
• Use a service like bit.ly to track click-through rates from the links in your texts.  This will give you a better idea of the effectiveness of your campaign.

For more tips like this, check our Management Tips page.

White House Announces Summer Jobs+ Program

Orignally Posted On The NonProfit Times

The White House announced Summer Jobs+, a call to action for businesses, nonprofits, and government to work together to provide pathways to employment for low-income and disconnected youth during the summer of 2012.

American youth are struggling to get the work experience they need for jobs of the future. According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (Current Population Survey), 48.8 percent of youth between the ages of 16-24 were employed in July, the month when youth employment usually peaks. This is significantly lower than the 59.2 percent of youth who were employed five years ago and 63.3 percent of youth who were employed 10 years ago.

Minority youth had an especially difficult time finding employment this past summer. Only 34.6 percent of African American youth and 42.9 percent of Hispanic youth had a job this past July.

Summer Jobs+ was initially proposed as a $1.5 billion for high-impact summer jobs and year-round employment for low-income youth ages 16-24 in the American Jobs Act as part of the Pathways Back to Work fund. When Congress did not approve the legislation, the White House started working with private-sector employers to commit to creating nearly 180,000 employment opportunities for low-income youth during the summer of 2012, with a goal of reaching 250,000 employment opportunities by the start of summer, at least 100,000 of which will be placements in paid jobs and internships.

“America’s young people face record unemployment, and we need to do everything we can to make sure they’ve got the opportunity to earn the skills and a work ethic that come with a job. It’s important for their future, and for America’s,” said President Barack Obama.

“While young people who are currently disconnected from school or work are not contributing to our economy, we see these young people as ‘Opportunity Youth’ – because of the untapped potential they bring to the Nation, said Patty Stonesifer, chair of the White House Council for Community Solutions (WHCCS) and former CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The Administration also announced its intention to launch, within 60 days, the Summer Jobs+ Bank, a one-stop search tool for youth to access postings for any participating employers seeking to reach them where they are online. The search tool builds upon an open standard, the JobPosting schema endorsed by schema.org in November, 2011 in support of the Veterans Jobs Bank, and will include technical and promotional support by Google, Internships.com, AfterCollege, LinkedIn and Facebook.

The Corporation for National and Community Service has released a new toolkit created in collaboration with the WHCCS and employers to support businesses and communities in their efforts to help young people become productive citizens and connect to greater opportunities, both of which are critical for the long-term strength and competiveness of the Nation.

A new analysis released today by the WHCCS showed that in 2011 alone, taxpayers shouldered more than $93 billion in direct costs and lost tax revenue to support young adults disconnected from school and work. Over the lifetime of these young people, taxpayers will assume a $1.6 trillion burden to meet the increased needs and lost revenue from this group. Read the full analysis here.

Businesses, nonprofits and government can accept the President’s call-to-action by directly hiring youth as well as providing corporate mentorship experiences, internship, and other opportunities that connect young people to jobs. The three key ways organizations can engage are:

• Learn and Earn: Provide youth jobs for the summer of 2012 in the form of paid internships and/or permanent positions that provide on-the-job training. Of the roughly 180,000 job commitments announced today more than 70,000 are Learn and Earn commitments.
• Life Skills: Provide youth work-related soft skills, such as communication, time management and teamwork, through coursework and/or experience. This includes resume writing or interview workshops and mentorship programs.
• Work Skills: Provide youth insight into the world of work to prepare for employment. This includes job shadow days and internships. More information about this initiative can be found at dol.gov/summerjobs

The Second Mile Weighs Options

It's been a little while since we heard any news from The Second Mile, the charity for troubled children founded by former Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky.  The last time we had some major news to report on the organization, we learned that they had started laying off employees.  As we enter the new year, we are learning more about the organization's plans.

The Patriot News reported yesterday that the organization was considering outsourcing some of its services to three charities as 2011 came to a close.  But about 10 days ago, two of those charities backed out.  The signal was clear: They wanted no part of The Second Mile.  Now the troubled charity is deciding how to move forward without its first and second choices.

One of the organizations that pulled out of negotiations is a Volunteers of America (VoA) chapter based in Harrisburg, Pa.  Leaders at he organization made up their mind after they decided the distraction of the Jerry Sandusky trial were too big of an issue.  The second organization, Centre County Youth Service Bureau, made no comment to The Patriot News on its decision.  Arrow Child & Family Ministries is still considering assuming control of some programs.

Second Mile CEO David Woodle said Tuesday that the charity has three remaining options: Continue to operate, run under a different name, or dissolve.  With the negative attention the charity has received thanks to the Sandusky scandal, it seems hard to believe it can survive, at least under its current name.  A major rebranding effort would need to be happen for the charity to continue operating.

Read the full story in The Patriot News.

Hiring In Today's Job Market

Originally Posted on The Nonprofit Job Seeker

Recruiting the right employees is a tough task in today's job market. Nonprofits must be diligent in the hiring process if they are to be successful. It all starts with understanding the needs of the organization.

That sounds simple enough. There's an opening for a major gift officer at the organization so the ideal course of action would be to look for someone with that kind of background, right? That's the basic idea, but there needs to be more long-term thinking involved. An organization should not only hire for today's needs, but also for the future. Avoid the temptation to simply fill a pressing need with a candidate who seems promising. Make sure they fit the organization's plans going forward.

Next, you should take a step back and analyze the position you are attempting to fill. Ask yourself what kind of people do this job the best. For example, if your organization needed a new CEO, you would probably want to look for people with exceptional leadership abilities.

You should also remember to take advantage of your greatest resource: Your current employees. There's a good possibility that one of them has done the job in question before, and you can use their knowledge to figure out who the ideal candidate is. This will help refine your selection process, making the probability of a bad hire less likely.

It's a competitive job market out there, and there will be tons of candidates knocking at your door. It's up to you to use these tips to narrow the applicants to find your finalist.

Branding Promises You Should Make

Of all the nonprofit buzz words out there, branding reigns supreme.  You would be hard pressed to find an organization that isn't trying to increase awareness of their brand.

It's all well and good to talk about branding, but a nonprofit won't find much success if they don't follow some essential elements.  One of these is something called the brand promise, which is discussed in the book "Be Your Own Brand" by David McNally and Karl D. Speak.  A brand promise is a short yet inspiring statement that will provide the focus an organization needs to apply its distinctive qualities toward making a difference.  McNally and Speak offered the following suggestions for crafting a brand promise:

• Remember to keep it short.  Anything more than five to eight words is too much.
• Tone is key.  It should have a direct and action-oriented voice to get people excited and inspired.
• Let people know, directly or indirectly, how your brand will pay off for them. 
• On a related note, show how the brand provides value to others.
• Don't be afraid of revisions.  There's nothing wrong with fine-tuning until it is just right.  After many iterations, your brand promise should keep everyone motivated and focused on your organization's brand strengths.
• Test it with your friends and family.  They are the ones who will be the best judge of how it reads.  You will know you have a success based on their reactions.

First Issue Of The New Year

We've officially begun the new year, and with that comes lots of changes.  Out with the old and in with the new!  And you know what that means: A new issue of The NonProfit Times! 

Here are some of the articles that you can expect to find in NPT's first issue of 2012:

Special Report:

• "Accounting Software": Accounting software is essential to the daily operations of financial functions.  Find out why in this in-depth special report by Tim Mills-Groninger, a consultant to the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate.

Articles:

• "Electing To Campaign": Catholic Answers is one of more than 250 organizations investigated by the IRS because of activity during the 2004, 2006 and 2008 election cycles. More than half were found to be valid complaints; seven of those nonprofits lost their tax-exempt status.
• "Fans?  HSUS Has A Million Of 'em": What do one million fans on Facebook look like? The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has the answer – in the form of an infographic that details all sorts of information about its fans.
• "Bowling Green 'Raps" Up Big Fundraising Goal": Bowling Green University found a unique way to thank the donors who gave money to their recently completed $36-million center: A rap video.

Columns:

• "Ask The Nonprofit Board Therapist": In his new column, Dennis C. Miller of Dennis C. Miller Associates answers your questions about nonprofit boards.  This edition covers topics like increasing a board's effectiveness and handling disruptive board members.

Happy Holidays!

Wishing everybody a happy holidays!  I also wanted to note that there will be no blogging during the next week.  We will return as scheduled after the New Years.

Status Update Ideas For Facebook

Facebook, Facebook, Facebook.  It's what all the cool kids are talking about these days.  Anybody who's anybody has one.

In all seriousness, having a social media presence is pretty important these days, especially for nonprofits.  Not only can you find new supporters you might not have otherwise reached, it also is a place where your followers can converse, and get the latest updates on your mission.  Since Facebook is the big kahuna of social networking sites, it's important that it provides maximum engagement for your supporters.  One of the best ways to do this is to write great status updates.  In her book Social Media For Good, Heather Mansfield provides five ideas for status updates:

• Success Stories: Supporters like to know that the dollars they are contributing are going towards successful causes.  Fill them in on how their contributions are helping to fund successful programs.
• Photos: We live in a visual culture.  Post photos directly to Facebook of your organization's latest events or just show people what your office looks like.
• Videos: Videos are also an effective visual tool for your Facebook.  Try sharing a new one at least two or three times a month.
• Breaking News: The great thing about social media is it allows you to communicate with your followers instantly.  When something big happens, take advantage of this by letting people know.  The news can be summarized in a few sentences for your status update.
• Call To Action: Have a fundraising campaign coming up?  Use your Facebook status to get your followers to participate.  You can also do this for petitions or other special events.

National Philanthropic Trust: Donor-Advised Contributions Up

The Great Recession impacted nonprofits in a number of ways, no more so than donor-advised contributions.  According to a new report, recovery on that front is underway.

The NonProfit Times reported yesterday that The National Philanthropic Trust released its annual Donor-Advised Fund Report and it contained some great news.  According to the report, contributions to donor-advised funds increased by 25.5 percent in 2010, to a total of $7.7 billion.  Total assets from these funds accounted for $29.96 billion, which was a 12.3-percent increase over the $26.67 billion in 2009.  It was also closer to the pre-recession high of $30.2 billion.

The numbers look much better than they did during the height of the recession, from 2007-2009.  While the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell sharply from 2007-2009, it didn't affect donor-advised funds until 2008 and 2009.  There were some declines noted in the report.  For instance, the number of donor-advised funds decreased about 0.05 percent from 161,967 in 2009 to 161,873 last year.  A slight decline, but a decline nonetheless.  On the bright side, the average size of the funds exceeded $185,000, marking a sharp recovery from the $164,663 average in 2009.  It still remained lower than the $192,547 average in 2008 and $202,851 in 2007.

To read more on this story, check out NPT's website.

49ers Wide Receiver Gives Back

In 2005, Braylon Edwards, then a rookie wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns, gave a challenge to 100 local eighth-graders: If they could graduate high school with a 2.5 GPA and 15 hours of community service, they would each get $10,000 scholarships.  Years later, Edwards is still offering this chance to college students.

In 2007 Edwards, who now plays for the San Francisco 49ers, started the Advance 100 Program through the Braylon Edwards Foundation (BEF).  It's a continuation of the promise he made to those Cleveland-area kids, 79 of whom met the original criteria, according to Yahoo! Sports.  The program was developed by Edwards and his mother as a way to use their good fortunes to help others.  Even though they didn't expect many students to fit the criteria (only half of Cleveland public school students graduate), they went through with their commitment anyway.

Those 79 original students were provided with laptops and other supplies to help them once they arrived in college.  Edwards is paid a $1 million base salary for the year, which is about half what he'll pay the Advance 100 students to get through college.

Edwards is certainly not the only athlete to help those who are less fortunate.  A look at Pros Give Back, a site which tracks good deeds from athletes all over the sports world, will show many other acts of generosity like Edwards'.  We've also seen similar philanthropy from athletes like Jonathan Vilma and Craig Breslow.  In an age where we see athletes and owners squabbling over millions of dollars, it's good to read stories like the one coming out of the Advance 100 Program.

Eliminate Charitable Deduction?

Should charitable deduction be eliminated?  One former foundation president thinks so.

Jack Shakely, who ran the California Community Foundation for 25 years, recently wrote an opinion piece in The Los Angeles Times that is sure to cause some controversy in the nonprofit sector.  He proposes that the best way to reduce the national debt is to completely scrap the charitable-giving tax deduction.  If you've been following politics lately, you already know that capping charitable giving at 28% for the nation's highest earners has been a priority of the Obama administration.  They have tried it four times already, most recently in the American Jobs Act.  Each time it has failed after major backlash from nonprofits. 

Yet even with the administration's proposal, charitable deduction would remain in place.  If Shakely's suggestion was to be put into place, the deduction would completely disappear.  His reasoning comes down to this: After nearly a century of existence, nobody can say for sure whether it truly stimulates giving.  The argument has been put out there, most recently by Brian Gallagher of United Way of America, that capping charitable deduction for high earners at 28% would cause donors to "withhold the difference to cover the tax."  But is that really the case?

Shakely argues that it isn't.  He cites what happened when the cap on deductions for the top tax brackets was reduced in the past.  In 1980, it went from 70 percent to 50 percent, and then from 39 percent to the current 35 percent in 2003.  If stood to reason that giving should have declined as the cost of giving increased.  But according to the Giving USA Foundation, charitable donations over the last 25 years have remained consistent, staying around 1.7-percent and 1.95-percent of personal income.  If giving didn't decrease then, he argues, why would it decrease now?

All these examples are when the deduction was reduced.  Shakely's suggestion, however, is to get rid of it entirely.  Would that have any significant impact on giving?  It's hard to say because, as he argues, it's hard to pinpoint how much it really stimulates giving.  Regardless, the article is a great read, and we suggest you check it out if you have the time.

Creating A Start-Up Nonprofit Isn't Easy

If you were ever thinking of starting your own nonprofit, take a step back: It's not as easy as it sounds.

In a piece written for The Huffington Post, Marty Zwilling, a start-up expert, explains the complications of starting your own nonprofit.  He explains that although most people looking to create a start-up company see nonprofits as the easy route to success, there's a lot that goes into the process.  This includes a healthy business model, which was recently outlined in an article on The NonProfit Times website.  A nonprofit still has to make money on everything it sells in order to maintain its operating expenses.  This is true even if it relies totally on donations.

All this is not to say that you shouldn't try to make your own nonprofit.  You just need to be aware of some of the challenges that come with it.  Zwelling listed five reasons creating a start-up nonprofit can be a challenge.  Here are a few I found most compelling:

• You know that 501(c) form you have to fill out to become tax-exempt?  It requires a lot more than just filling out a form, and it can take a long time to be approved.  The form has to be accompanied with a $850 fee, and it can take as long as two years to completely finish.
• Start-ups require willing investors, and it can be a challenge to get them interested in a nonprofit since it will be hard to guarantee an excellent return on investment.
• Private start-up companies don't have to disclose their salaries or spending practices to anyone other than the IRS.  Nonprofits, on the otherhand, undergo trememndous public scrutiny.

Make sure to read the rest of Zwelling's points on The Huffington Post.

World Giving Index Ranks U.S. Number One

People often claim that the United States is the most charitable country in the world.  Now there is some hard data to back that claim up.

The World Giving Index (WGI), a yearly report released by the United Kingdom-based Charities Aid Foundation, ranked the U.S. first overall for the first time, with an overall score of 60 percent.  It's quite a turnaround from last year, when it ranked behind Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and Canada.  Here are the top 10 countries from this year's report:

• United States
• Ireland
• Australia
• New Zealand
• United Kingdom
• Netherlands
• Canada
• Sri Lanka
• Thailand
• Laos

And here are some highlights from the report:

• The percentage giving money for the U.S. was 65 percent, tied for 10th with Malta.  Thailand was first with 85 percent.
• 43 percent of respondents in the U.S. said they volunteered.
• 73 percent of Americans said they helped a stranger this year, up from 65 percent last year.
• Ireland increased its overall score from 56 percent to 59 percent.

The news from WGI is very consistent with what we learned from Giving USA's data for 2010.  Given the number of natural disasters that have happened over the past year, it isn't entirely surprising that Americans are giving more, even during this time of economic uncertainty.  To read the rest of the data from the report, check out our article on The NonProfit Times.

Should You Use A Prospect Database?

Looking for fundraising prospects is a lot like looking for gold: It's better to have a systematic process in place to find it rather than just hoping you find it where you look.

Part of that systematic process involves using something called a prospect database.  This technology is a virtual warehouse in which data is linked and aggregated to help enhance your campaign.  It contains an organization's own donor data, compiled data, transactional data, prior mail history and response lists in their entirety  Not all nonprofits use them, but the ones that do have experienced success. 

One of these organizations is Smile Train, a children's charity based in New York City.  Priscilla Ma, executive director of the organization, spoke about their use of the prospect database at the DMA Nonprofit Federation conference.  The NonProfit Times recorded her suggestions on what types of organizations should use a prospect database.  You should consider using one if:

• You’re a high-volume mailer, and your costs are increasing.
• You want to be a high-volume mailer and you need to cut your costs to get there.
• Direct mail drives your revenue. 
• You use a wide variety of lists.

You can read the rest of Ma's suggestions on our website.

Writing A Great Nonprofit Job Description

Is your nonprofit interested in posting a job with our online career center?  Great!  But before you get started, you must know how to write a nonprofit job description that will attract potential candidates.

Some employers make the mistake of believing that describing a job is as simple as saying what the position entails.  That's part of the equation, but the best job descriptions offer a lot more than that.  If you are going to attract the top job seekers, you are going to have to get way more in-depth about your job.  Before you start writing, gather some employees in the organization who are familiar with the position in question.  They will be able to best tell you the kinds of characteristics that an ideal candidate should possess.  The biggest mistake you can make is assuming the applicant knows the kind of personality they need to possess for the job.  Information like this should go in the "requirements" section of your job posting.

Finally, there is the issue of length.  How long is too long?  It's a hard question to answer, but it's a balance you are going to have to strike.  If you submit a job posting that is too long, you run the risk of job seekers missing important information.  Your description must be concise and easy to read.  Consider using bullet points to highlight the most important information, or bolding important words.  Whatever you do, avoid what I like to call "walls of text."  You've probably seen what I'm referring to: It's those really long paragraphs that never seem to have any breaks.  Make sure you are including paragraph breaks in your posting!

To view samples of typical nonprofit job posting, visit our job search page and see what other organizations have done.

Online Giving On The Rise

Large nonprofit organizations led the way as online giving saw a significant surge, according to findings from The Blackbaud Index.

The Index, which is updated on the 15th of each month, showed that online giving was up more than 10 percent for the quarter ending in October while overall charitable giving increased more than 2 percent, all noticeable increases from the same three-month period in 2010.  Larger nonprofits were the clear winners, as they saw a 16.6-percent surge in online giving.  Let's give some love to the smaller nonprofits, though; they weren't too far behind with a 15.9-percent increase.

The only organizations to report declines of any kind were those in the environmental/animal welfare and healthcare sectors.  Those two groups reported declines in overall giving of 4.2 and 2.3 percent, respectively.  Environmental/animal welfare did see an increase in online giving, of 6.2 percent.  Make sure to read the other findings over at The NonProfit Times. 

Nonprofit Mailers Ask USPS To Drop Rate Increase

The United States Postal Service (USPS) submitted another request to the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) last month for a 5.6-percent exigent postal rate increase after its initial appeal was rejected.  Nonprofit mailers have a message for the USPS: Give it up.

In the latest update on this issue from The NonProfit Times, we learn that four nonprofit mailing organizations have sent a letter to Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe requesting that they drop their continued appeal for an exigent rate increase.  Postal officials have publicly stated that they do not want an increase, and the mailers want them to act on those words.  "If you do not want an exigent increase and you do not want mailers to plan for one," they wrote, "withdraw the case. Actions speak louder than words.”  They also argue that even the possibility that mailers may face an above-Consumer Price Index increase has cast "a pall of uncertainty" over the industry, making budgeting and mailing plans difficult.

The letter was signed by Jerry Cerasale, senior vice president of the Direct Marketing Association (DMA); Tony Conway, executive director of the Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers; Jim Cregan, executive vice president, government affairs, for The Association of Magazine Media, and Gene Del Polito, president of the Association for Postal Commerce.  To read the full story, head over to NPT's website.

Ideas For Your Major Gift Ask

Every nonprofit fundraiser's dream is to have a conversation with a major donor that goes so well, that the person writes you a check immediately.  Too bad it's rarely that easy.

Yes, the major gift ask is one of those things that gets even experienced fundraisers a little antsy.  It's all too easy for nerves to lead you to a critical error that can ruin the whole process.  And then there's the second guessing.  Did you ask too much?  Too little?  You'll drive yourself crazy if you allow these thoughts to take control.  The reality is it's totally natural to have a little fear before prospecting for a major gift.

According to Rachel Muir, client strategy executive at Austin, Texas-based Convio, how you handle that fear will determine your success.  She let The NonProfit Times in on some tips on how to better prepare for major gift asks:

• Make sure the prospect in question has been properly cultivated before asking for a major commitment.  Think of it this way: You could ask someone to marry you on the first date, but it would be creepy and desperate.  The same applies with your donors.  You should be stewarding your donors with seven unique touches annually: a visit, a tour, prompt thank you’s, personal stories about your successes, newsletter, annual report, personal calls, etc.  It's all about the courtship!
• Find out everything you can about your prospects.  What are their interests?  Where did they go to school?  What are their giving patterns?
• Re-connect with your organization's mission.  Why are you asking for money in the first place?  Having a strong passion and commitment for your cause is a major selling point for donors.
• Consider doing your asks in pairs.  Two is better than one, right?
• When it's time to make the ask, make sure it's in a setting where there will be minimal interruptions.  You will want 20 to 30 minutes of the prospect's undivided attention.  Suggestions for meetings spots could be their office or somewhere at your organization.  Whatever you do, do not ask at a restaurant.  This will guarantee you multiple interruptions.
• Describe the impact of your organization through the use of personal anecdotes.  Focus on the benefit, impact, and vision.
• Do not use acronyms.
• Here's the most important thing to remember: After you make your ask, be silent.  Give the prospect time to think.  Continuing to talk after making your ask is a great way to talk yourself out of a gift.

What happens next is hard to say.  They'll either say yes, no, or ask for more time to think.  If that's the case, make sure you make a return appointment, and thank them for their time.  If they say yes, make sure to thank them for their generosity.  If they say no, ask if it is the amount of the gift or the timing. You can offer to stretch their gift out over time. If that doesn’t work ask them if they will renew at their current gift level.

We hope you have found these tips useful for your organization's prospecting efforts.  Head to The NonProfit Times for more articles like this.

Holiday Giving A Challenge For Some Nonprofits

It may be the season of giving, but that doesn't mean nonprofits will be seeing a lot of that this year.

The holidays have traditionally been a major source of revenue for organizations and, in recent years, holiday giving has actually done fairly well.  Yet giving suffered during the summer according to the most recent Blackbaud Index of Giving and, The Durango Herald, many La Planta County, Colorado nonprofits are already facing major challenges for the winter holidays.

Many of the nonprofits in this county make a big portion of their budget during this time of the year.  Their success during the holidays could determine a years worth of work.  And with donors' wallets shrinking because of the economic downturn, nonprofits in the area are competing for dollars.   The situation has grown even more dire as the demand for the services of these organizations have increased.  For example, the Southwest Chapter of the American Red Cross has seen holiday giving decrease significantly during the last few years.  This is despite the fact that house fires erupt more frequently during the holidays due to candles and other lightings.

Despite all of this turmoil, some charities have collaborated.  For example, Music in the Mountains raffled off 25-year ski passes to Durango Mountain Resort.  So while it looks like this holiday season may be tough for some Colorado nonprofits, they are hopeful they will be able to get through the season intact.  Make sure to read the full article on this subject in The Durango Herald.

Five Important Hiring Tips

Cross Posted From The Nonprofit Job Seeker

Although jobs may be scarce in this economy, this doesn't mean that job candidates are going to take the first position that is offered to them. This economy could make people more picky than normal. Because times are tough, they are going to not only want a position that pays well, but also one in which they feel comfortable. If you are going to attract the best candidates for your nonprofit job, you would do well to follow these five hiring tips:

• As I have mentioned in the past, make sure the description in your job listing is informative yet concise. This is a hard balance to strike, but it can be done. The key to reaching this balance is to use specifics. The more the applicant knows about the position, the less chance you will get resumes from unqualified candidates.
• When you conduct an interview, make sure you allow time for the person to say what they want out of the position. It's all well and good to explain what you are looking for in an ideal employee, but you should make sure that the candidate can express their expectations as well. This is helpful because it establishes that this will be a job where the employee's views are important. And that is an important factor when people decide where they want to work.
• Just because someone performs well in an interview doesn't mean they will be the right fit for your organization. Test your applicant's skills to see if they are up to the task. How you do this depends on the type of job you are looking to fill. If you are looking to hire a web content editor, for example, you can have them take a writing test after the interview. If you mention that you will be performing writing tests in your application, this has the added benefit of weeding out less serious candidates.
• Your office should be tidy at all times, but make sure it is especially presentable during the interview. And I'm not just referring to your desk; the entire office should look as impressive as possible. A relaxing workplace makes for a better working environment, and that will be on the top of the list of things top candidates will be looking for.

Interviews can be very tiresome, especially if you have already been through many that day. Still, you are going to have to find some way to remain engaging to your prospective employee. There is no bigger turn off than an interviewer who seems uninterested. So even if you have to take an extra shot of coffee, make sure you are friendly and lively when you interview a job candidate.