People often look at me skeptically when I talk about building community on the web. I’ll admit that I can be a bit cynical myself some days with all the silly Facebook apps and hoopla about the Old Spice guy on Twitter. But last week, an iPhone and a few social media apps changed how I felt about the city I’ve lived in for 18 years.

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The rain started around 5 pm and didn’t let up for hours. “Rain” isn’t really an adequate word, though, to describe the sheets of water that fell from the sky. Some parts of the city got 11 inches of rain in just a little over an hour. Streets became rivers and washed away cars. Foundations were washed out from under houses. And basements all over the greater Milwaukee area were flooded with rainwater and backed-up sewage.

Throughout the storm, Twitter was abuzz.  At first the remarks were of the “Gees, should we have built that ark?” variety.  Before long, we had our own hashtag: #brewcityflood. Some of us were blatant gawking at the spectacle of it all. (But how can the picture of a sinkhole that swallowed an Escalade whole and or the water outside AJBombers not make your jaw drop a little?)  By 10 pm, the tweets had taken on the decided tone of gallows humor.

As the evening wore on though, you couldn’t help but notice all the tweets that were, well, neighborly. People were checking in with each other. Even as the power went out, smart phones allowed people to share which roads were open, which were closed. Twitter was even faster than the local news (which was on air all evening) at reporting what was happening around the city.

Most of all, Twitter was a community looking out for each other. Offering moral support, offering information and even offering shelter.

We went from a group of people promoting our businesses, our blogs, our neuroses, to a community.

But the story doesn’t end there.

One of our own experienced terrible damage to their home.  And, in less than a week, people who only know each other through Twitter are now holding a fundraiser to help Tim and Jess and baby Clara.  They’re supporting his small business.  They’re providing support and encouragement and food and expertise.

In the past, I’ve often referred to Twitter as my water cooler. As someone who works at home, I use it for a quick break of humor, gossip or an interesting link. But you know what? Somewhere along the way, Twitter became part of my neighborhood.

There is nothing better than enjoying summer weather at an outdoor concert!  This summer, I got a chance to experience two of my favorite artists in concert – Kenny Loggins and Eric Clapton.

Both were great concerts and both men are accomplished musicians.  As different as these two artists are, however, I noticed something very similar.  Kenny and Eric were both totally immersed in their music.  It was like watching a jam session. Both artists were totally removed from their audiences.

You would think that this would be a real turn-off for the audience, but these men are such great artists that it was still a treat to watch. (OK I can hear some of you questioning this categorization of Kenny, but you’ve got a HUGE Kenny fan here.)  Anyway, it was like being a fly on the wall of their studio…  They were so into their music and so passionate about it.  They were creating art right before our eyes.

Afterward, I thought about why the lack of interaction with the audience did not feel like a turn-off.  I think maybe in these two cases, they had both “earned” the right to perform that way.  However, most artists could not do that and get away without great criticism.

I continue to be nagged with the thought that there is somehow a tie-in to what we may do at times within our own organizations.

Last week, the Y of the USA released the new logo and branding “voice.”  At the Ys we work with, everyone is so energized and renewed by this exciting new approach to the Ys mission.  And then it hit me… What if we are so excited about all of the new ways to talk about the Y, that we celebrate and develop our “voice” and forget to open up the energy to the outside world?  Right now the media has helped the Y by letting the “outsiders” in on what is going on, but they remain on the outside looking in.  What are we doing to turn around and open up our “jam session?”

The outsiders may want to play with us!

While stuck in construction traffic the other day, I saw a billboard that really caught my attention.  There in the midst of signs promoting fast food restaurants, financial services and half-price fireworks, was one celebrating the value of charity.

The billboard’s message reminded me that as fundraisers and not-for-profit professionals, we don’t just raise money to support our causes, we also teach and model very important values such as caring, compassion and charity.   By holding up examples of everyday people who reach out to help others, we let people know that everyone can make a difference. It is especially important that we provide youth with opportunities to put into practice the value of charity, so that they can make it a way of life long into the future.

A note about the billboard: It is sponsored by the Foundation for a Better Life.  The story behind the billboard is that every Tuesday and Thursday for the last 30 years, Albert Lexie has left his home at 5:50am to travel 90 minutes by bus to the Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh, so he can shine shoes in the hospital’s lobby.  He uses the very same shoeshine box he built in high school shop class when he was only 15 years old.  Albert charges $3 per shine and donates all his tips to the Children’s Free Care Fund, which ensures that all children receive medical care regardless of a family’s financial ability to pay for it.

Since 1981, Albert has donated over $100,000 of his hard-earned tips to the Children’s Hospital. His annual income is only about $10,000 and he donates approximately $10,000 a year to the hospital.

To see more inspirational billboards, TV commercials and much more, go to values.com.

Recently, the YMCA announced a change in its brand identity. Much has been made in the press about the organization referring to itself as simply “the Y” and the updated logo it will use going forward.

But more interesting is the work the organization has done to articulate what it does. Their market research indicated that most people (members, donors, neighbors) did not know the full depth and breadth of the services provided by the Y. So, along with the name and logo change, the organization simplified how it talks about the programs and services it provides. Essentially, how it talks about itself. The Y is for youth development, for healthy living and for social responsibility.

Does your organization have a similar issue? Do you do so many different (and good and important and unique) things, that your constituents might be confused as to what you’re really about? How can you simplify the language you use to describe your purpose – and thereby make the decision to give even easier for prospective donors?

PS – We know a lot of our readers are actually from Ys. Join us for a free webinar Thursday, August 26, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern/10:00 a.m. Central to learn how you can use the Y brand architecture to strengthen your case for support.  Contact us to register!

Looking at life from the dark side of 40, I have come to learn some things about myself:  I don’t bounce like I used to, I will never be accused of being “fashionable” and I really like to build stuff!  Let me take that last point a bit further, not only do I like to build stuff, but I NEED to build stuff!

This past weekend while my wife was away, I set out to put the finishing touches on our ongoing landscaping plan for our home.  Armed with great enthusiasm, good advice from “friends” on the internet (a shout out to ThisOldHouse.com), and the basic skills and coordination to dig a hole, I planned to lay a cobble stone edge to my driveway.  I am proud to say that after 3,040 lbs. of concrete, 210 cobble stones (5,250 lbs.) and massive doses of Advil, I headed off to the airport on Sunday afternoon to pick up my wife admiring a fully edged driveway in my rear view mirror.

I enjoy building stuff as much for the process as the product.  I like doing the work just as much as I like getting the job done.  I like the reward of seeing the fruits of my labors and knowing that I have created something tangible and hopefully long-lasting. On about my seventh trip to Lowes last weekend, it occurred to me that I am not alone. Lots of people enjoy building stuff. (And they all happened to be standing ahead of me at the one register that was attended by a real human being.)

Now that the tools are put away and the dust has settled on my most recent project, I am sitting in my office (with a great view of my driveway) doing my “real” job!  As the Advil and portable back massager do their magic, I am reminded that we are blessed in the field of fund development to be building every day. We are building a future of hope for children and families, we are building communities filled with love, health and inclusion, and we are building the capacity of caring adults as they strive to create a better world.

Although not as easily noticed as a row of carefully placed stones, we need to keep our eyes open and appreciate the true fruits of our labors!

After years of working with non-profits around the country, I’ve come to realize that most major campaigns have a few key moments that will make or break them.  There is that moment when the right leaders step forward. There is the moment when the vision coalesces.  And there is the moment where everyone begins to worry if anything will happen with this campaign.

After months of friendraising and painting a picture of the vision for your project, you might be wondering why the money isn’t pouring in. Don’t the donors understand how important your project is?  Do you need to ask them in a different way?

This is the moment to trust in the power of your vision and stay the course. In a lot of ways, it’s like making popcorn on a stove.

Stick with me for this analogy.  Have you ever made popcorn on a stovetop?  You get out a pan and put a little oil in the bottom. You heat up the oil, add the popcorn kernels, put on the lid… and wait.

And wait…

You might be tempted to peak under the cover, but that will just let the heat out.  You might be tempted to crank up the heat, but that will just burn the kernels.  You have to be patient, which is not easy to do. (Especially if you’re hungry for popcorn!)

Eventually you hear a pop.  You wait a few seconds, and then another pop.  It is as if those first few pops were all it took to wake up the rest of the batch and suddenly the whole pot is shaking as kernel after kernel explodes.

Fundraising campaigns are a lot like that.  Getting those first few gifts takes a lot of time and patience, but with each gift momentum grows and suddenly the whole campaign takes off.

The next time you reach this juncture in a campaign, remember to trust the process and have a little patience.  Don’t let the steam out by “lifting the lid” or asking too soon.  And don’t burn out your volunteers by cranking up the heat too high.  Put the right ingredients together in the right conditions and success will follow.

Now who’s hungry for popcorn?

We all need it.  Some days we have a little more of it than others.

What is it?

Inspiration.

Or, perhaps I should say INSPIRATION!

Whether you are looking for a new fundraising strategy, wondering if anyone else is going through what you are, or are simply in need of a little motivation, the Donor By Design team is here to help!

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It may seem obvious that the best way to understand the lessons learned from the past – past campaigns, past fiscal years, past special events – is to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses from the last event. You might call it a debriefing or a “postmortem,” but it’s good to review what worked and what didn’t.

However, this is an incomplete process if we do not take things a step further and assess the opportunities and threats facing us in the future. Although many books have been written on formal S.W.O.T. analysis, I am suggesting a more direct “down & dirty” process for you.

My challenge to you is to ask your staff, board and key volunteers to fill out a simple four-block grid to help develop your own S.W.O.T. report.  Whether on-line, on paper, or using flip charts and markers, challenge each of your key folks to fill out the grid and identify Strengths (What went well?), Weaknesses (What didn’t go well?), Opportunities (Are there ideas to improve the campaign for next year?) and Threats (What could get in the way of us being successful again in 2011?).  Once you have responses back, combine everything into one big grid and assess the content looking for themes and trends.  Your team then should ask:  How do we build on our strengths?  How do we correct or minimize our weaknesses?  How do we capitalize and implement strategies to take advantage of new opportunities?  How do we minimize the impact of potential threats?

This deceptively simple exercise will be extremely helpful as you plan for any upcoming campaign or event.  It not only helps you identify strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities, it also helps you identify where staff or volunteers need more education or information.  It’s a great process to test staff and volunteer engagement as well. Go for it!

Earlier this month, the Fond du Lac Family YMCA opened its new facility. We’ve chronicled the amazing journey of this YMCA before, so it was our great joy as a team to get a tour last week from Greg Giles, the YMCA’s CEO.

Greg was proud to show off his new facility and afterward we had a great conversation about what made a difference for his volunteers and staff while raising money during one of worst recessions in memory.

Greg’s Three Keys to Capital Campaign Success

1. Leadership – you have to have the right people on board. Take the time you need during this step because rushing the leadership decision will just mean more work to finish the campaign.
2. Vision – when people are taking potshots at the time it’s taking to raise the money or construction delays, stick to your vision. If you know what your outcome is, you can steer toward it.
3. Wait to Ask – once volunteers are psyched up, they want to rush right out and make the ask. But taking the time to raise a prospective donor’s interest is critical. Do your “friendraising” and don’t rush to fundraising.

The volunteers of the Fond Du Lac Family YMCA knew they needed to capture the imagination of the community. They did this by creating an “Imagine Room” and painting a clear picture of the new YMCA. Now, the entire downtown district of Fond du Lac is slated for more development and improvements. The success of the YMCA has inspired an entire community to grow!

In the end though, Greg reflected about what’s really important. “The building is beautiful,” he said, “But thirty years from now, you won’t remember how beautiful the building was. You’ll remember the joy in your son’s face as he learned to swim or the determination of your daughter as she learned to do a lay up. The experience has to be as beautiful as the facility.”

There seems to be a lot of discussion lately about these darn kids nowadays and if they have the communication skills (as in talking, not texting) to work with clients and members of our organizations and agencies. While I have seen a lot of wonderful young folks who seem very engaged, I too have wondered about this young workforce. That is until recently, when I had an “a-ha” experience.

My mom and dad moved into a senior housing complex a couple of years ago as my father’s Alzheimer’s was worsening. It’s a nice place and my parents have appreciated the helpfulness and friendliness of the staff. While in the dinning room having dinner with them, I noticed that the serving staff was young – mostly high school aged. I also noticed that while my patience with my father was a challenge for me, the staff spoke to him by name and calmly waited as Dad tried to question Mom’s choices from the dinner menu. (Mom, of course, prevailed).

In passing, Mom mentioned that she had attended the high school graduation party of one of the staff named Alex. I was a bit surprised and wondered to myself if maybe the invitation had to do with an expectation of a present. Mom then mentioned that she wishes she could have gotten Alex a gift, but the center doesn’t allow it. (No tipping.) I later noticed a graduation picture in their apartment of Alex proudly set amongst their grandchildren’s pictures.

As Mom was talking about Alex and details about the lives of some of the other young staff, I noticed a couple in their early twenties walk in. I asked Mom who they were and she said they used to work there. Later I found out they both had been employed there in high school and had just finished their junior year in college. As I continued to watch them, I saw their eyes light up as they recognized and were recognized by many of the elderly folks in the room. They went table to table, remembering folks by name and engaging in very enjoyable conversations. Their faces and the faces of the diners were filled with joy and connection.

All I could think about was that if I had just returned from college, I wouldn’t be spending my first Friday night home hanging out with a bunch of old folks. (Yes, I am including myself in that category.)

My take away? Maybe we aren’t in such bad shape with these young folks. In fact, maybe we are in better hands than ever.