The first questions to ask instead are:

• Is this nonprofit really needed right now?
• Is there another, existing organization or multiple organizations offering these or similar services?
• Do I have the capital to start a nonprofit business?
• What do I need to know about running a nonprofit that I don’t know?

There are a lot of passionate people out there with the entrepreneurial spirit wanting to affect the world in a positive way – I applaud you! Before you start your organization make sure you have the right resources in place.

Many people consider hiring a legal professional to file their 501c3 documents, but that’s as far as the financial or legal planning goes.   Most people when they start nonprofits don’t have the expertise in fundraising, board development, financial management, operations, marketing, and program development and evaluation – just to name a few.

You’re going to need money to hire consultants, attend trainings, pay for basic supplies. These are things that frequently are forgotten and seem like a luxury. If you were to start a small business, what capital would you need to have to get started?

The truth is that there are people with significant expertise who can save any organization significant time in the short-term and long-term. You’ll want to plan financially to bring those people on.

While your mission might be the greatest cause in the world, there is a business side to running an organization that is often times not seen as sexy, but is crucial in long-term success. Anything is possible and knowing what you don’t know is the first step.

Before starting another nonprofit, investigate the landscape and see what’s already there. Learn about what you need to know. Ask for help and have a financial plan that makes sense so you can serve your mission and your goals effectively.

Hard copies of Fundraising and the Next Generation will be available at the Boulder Book Launch on March 22nd and online in March. You can pre-order your hard copy through Amazon and Wiley.

Many many thanks to everyone who have made this an exciting and successful endeavor in my first publication. I hope that the information included in Fundraising and the Next Generation will help nonprofit missions and fund organizations for many years to come!

Join in for an opportunity to celebrate the release of Fundraising and the Next Generation, purchase your copy, and chat with the author, Emily Davis.

• When: March 22^nd, 2012 from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.
• Where: Tangerine, 2777 Iris Ave., Boulder, CO
• RSVP to: info@edaconsulting.org or (720) 515-0581 or on Facebook no later than March 20. Limited space available.

Many thanks to the Boulder Launch Party co-hosts!

We look forward to seeing you on March 22nd!

About Fundraising and the Next Generation

Fundraising and the Next Generation brings readers up to date on cases, research, opportunities, and challenges regarding philanthropy’s next generation. Readers will learn practical strategies for cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of Gen X and Y philanthropists using new technologies and traditional tools. Fundraising and the Next Generation covers the behaviors, key characteristics, and approaches for working with philanthropists under the age of forty. In addition, other age cohorts will be discussed to provide perspective, comparison, and related strategies.

• Includes step-by-step tools for setting up next gen technology in your organization and engaging Gen X and Y as donors
• Features a glossary of social media terms, a list of academic resources for development and professional advancement, and an assessment toolkit
• Defines the key characteristics of the four current generations, their habits for charitable giving, and how every development office can successfully engage them in philanthropy
• Provides a website with additional information beyond the book

Savvy fundraising leaders understand that successful and sustained philanthropy is not just an issue for today. Long-term planning and diversified strategies allow fundraisers to access every prospective contribution possible. Timely and relevant, Fundraising and the Next Generation brings readers up to date on cases, research, opportunities, and challenges regarding philanthropy’s next generation.

Read more about the advance praise for Fundraising and the Next Generation here.

Below are highlights and a summary (not a word-for-word interview) from my conversation with Sharna Goldseker, Director of 21/64. Many thanks to Sharna and the 21/64 Team for helping to make this information available!

Please share your experiences with multigenerational family philanthropy.

With four generations of families over the age of 21, it is difficult to engage everyone.  The life span was much younger with previous generations; there was always one generation in a leadership role and the next generation in training to serve in leadership.  Today, the passing of the baton doesn’t happen in the same way; now every generation is trying to share the baton.

Traditionalists are retiring into their philanthropy and volunteerism.  Boomers are staying in the field longer.  Gen X and Millenials are struggling to be included and be part of it all. The capacity to give for younger generations is going to look different than their parents or grandparents; the next generation sees giving as an investment.

For nonprofits it can be difficult to know where to put our resources with the generations, but if we don’t invest in younger generations now they won’t be around in ten to twenty years. Our investment in the next generation is a human capital investment for both the shorter term, such as volunteering and annual giving, and long-term investments including planned gifts.

21/64 intentionally conveys the message that family philanthropies and advisors working with them should not assume that the next generation is going to participate because they have been invited to participate in an existing system or infrastructure.  By inviting younger family philanthropists doesn’t mean that there will be young funders at the existing family philanthropy table; rather, the next generation have their own skills and experiences to integrate into the existing generations’ skills and experiences which changes the philanthropy.

What 21/64 often sees is that younger funders may expand the range of the board or decision-makers, but the leadership doesn’t take into account the different values and expectations around operating the philanthropy. What 21/64 is seeing is that next gen funders don’t join boards unless they are fully committed to service on those boards.

With so much transition happening in their personal lives, such as school, family, and homes, they are looking for more than name recognition. They want to serve on a board that will give them transparent access to information and how decisions are made.  Next gen funders expect orientation and training that will help them serve in the best way they can. Mentorship, coaching, or board buddies are all great ways to support next gen funders in board roles.

What dynamics in family philanthropies do fundraisers need to be aware of?

Most nonprofits have a relationship with a single member of a family and that person brings a generational lens to their passion for that nonprofit. A traditionalist family member might have a forty-year commitment to an organization that is local and mirrors his/her personal interest in creating opportunities for a particular program. The philanthropy s/he engages in may reflect that donor’s journey or understanding of his or her experience of living through generational experiences, such as The Great Depression.

It is important to remember that every generation is shaped by his or her experiences during a specific time in history. Succeeding generations will have a different experience and generational lens.  Nonprofits might be surprised to find that the family is not “homogeneous.” As nonprofit professionals, we need to spend time learning about unique family members and their various approaches to philanthropy.

What trends or changes are you seeing in the next generation of donors?

There was a Gen Y/Millennial funder who was the third generation involved in his family’s philanthropy.  His grandparents had given significantly to a particular organization and that organization approached him about his grandparents’ legacy.  The organization asked to meet with him in person to let him know about their organization and his family’s history with that organization.

The following day, the same Gen Y funder met with a different nonprofit who had conducted research on the funder himself and learned that he had an MBA.  In their meeting, the nonprofit presented him with a power point and connected to his business approach related to organizational performance (this analytical lens is not uncommon for younger donors).  What was unique about this is that the nonprofit did not assume that there would be a relationship between them and the Gen Y funder because of previous family connections; they treated him as a unique individual and appealed to his motivations.

It is critical that nonprofits not take for granted that because there is relationship with one family member there will be continued relationships with other family members.  Nonprofits need to see each family member as unique. Gifts made from the family may not be inherited values through the generation.

Do you see the communication styles and needs being different across generations? If so, how?

It is important to remember that there are actually two, distinct generations in the next generation.  Gen X and Gen Y/Millenials did have different experiences with technology growing up.  For Gen X, the greatest technology invention might have been the home video game, Atari.  Many Gen X folks didn’t get an email account until late in college or well  after. For Millenials, they are really the first generation to grow up with cell phones, emails, and personal computers.

Many nonprofits might focus on technology as ends itself rather than a means to an end.  Social media is not going to be effective unless you have built some kind of community. Technology is a great advantage because it gives us better access to individuals living in vast geographies, which is the case with many Millenials who are living all over the world.

Certainly, social networking and technology is no substitute for building relationships, but it allows nonprofits to make appointments quicker and confirm use tools like text messages.  We need to be very focused on continuing those in-person opportunities to build relationships with younger funders in conjunction with online cultivation and stewardship.

In an example of one community foundation, the foundation was having a hard time attracting younger members to participate in the foundation.  Their assumption was that if they created online invitations for younger donors, then those next gen givers would show up for the organization at events and programs. The problem was that these invitations were still coming from strangers in the minds of the younger donors.

The foundation hired someone from the targeted peer group that conducted 200 personal interviews as well as organized a retreat to gather next gen donors.  From these interviews, the foundation was able to build a community of 50 young donors.  The foundation hosted open sessions, which resulted in five specific activities they could engage in to take their efforts to the next level.

What are some ways that you have see nonprofit organizations engage family philanthropists of all ages?

In one family’s philanthropy, they had three generations involved in their giving; “G3” were the parents and “G4” included their children from Gen X and Y.  At age 18, the children were invited into the foundation where they collaboratively participated in the giving process.

The family was intentional about their commitment to multigenerational philanthropy and hired an outside philanthropic advisor to help guide them through building trust across all generations. They recognized that their children needed to feel trusted and vice versa for effective and rewarding philanthropy to occur.

One of the G4 family members was invited on a donor trip to Africa with an international organization as a representative of his family foundation. As a result of the amazing experience this family member had, the family provided a collective grant to the organization. This is just one example of the kinds of entry points nonprofits can use to engage donors of all ages.

What are some tools that 21/64 uses in the multi-generational conversation, both in philanthropy and nonprofits?

21/64 uses “Motivational Values” cards and “Picture Your Legacy” cards to help individuals identify their specific values and visions in their lives and in the specific philanthropy in which they want to engage. There are foundations that have used these cards within grant making committees to ensure alignment with the grant making vision. Foundations are certainly not the only ones who can use these tools; nonprofit boards, fundraisers and advisors to families have used the cards and exercises to help bridge generational gaps as well.

21/64 has been invited by nonprofits to facilitate the organizational legacy using the Values and/or Vision Cards. One nonprofit has even used the cards to use with their donors.  When they are pitching to new donors, they use the cards to help the family learn about their own values before determining of their nonprofit is a good fit for the family’s giving. This is a great way to give to a donor before the donor gives to the organization.

Volunteers running fundraising campaigns have also taken the cards to use them during one-on-one cultivation opportunities to help the prospective donors articulate their vision rather than simply asking the individual for a gift. These cards can be an excellent way to arm your volunteers with the tools they need to help you fund raise for your mission.

About Sharna Goldseker

Sharna Goldseker has fourteen years of experience in the non-profit sector including eleven in the philanthropic field as a grant maker and as a consultant to families, foundations and advisors on next generation and multigenerational philanthropy.

Sharna is currently Vice President of the Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies where she directs 21/64, a non-profit consulting division specializing in next generation and multigenerational strategic philanthropy. In that capacity, Sharna facilitates Grand Street, a network of ninety 18-28 year olds who are or will be involved in their family’s philanthropy; speaks and consults on generational transitions using 21/64′s uniquely developed tools such as the Grandparent Legacy Project and Picture Your Legacy; and, trains other grantmakers and advisors on 21/64′s approach to multigenerational philanthropy.

Previous to ACBP, Sharna was a program officer at Philanthropy Advisors, a multi-family foundation office in New York, where she managed grantmaking in the areas of legal rights, reproductive health, social justice and the environment. Sharna was also a project coordinator for Enterprise Homes, a subsidiary of The Enterprise Foundation, where she developed affordable rental and for-sale housing in Maryland.

Sharna graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania with majors in Urban Studies and Religious Studies. She has a Masters in Public Administration in Non-Profit Management from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service where she was the inaugural Charles H. Tenney Fellow. She also has training in organizational development and group dynamics.

Sharna currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Council on Foundations and the Goldseker Foundation, as well as the Advisory Board of Strategic Philanthropy Ltd.

About 21/64

At 21/64, they understand the unique skills and perspectives the next generation can bring to the philanthropic community. However, the prospect of engaging the next generation can be daunting. Next-generation family members have grown up with access to broader opportunities fueled by information technology, increased diversity and global connectedness. The questions they ask, language they use, and even their values and priorities change the way the family communicates. The more a family is able to see that “involving the kids” does not only mean adding children to an existing system, but rather shifting the family paradigm to become multigenerational–embracing what each generation brings to the table–the better prepared they will be for the next phase of the foundation’s evolution, and for meeting the needs of the 21st century.

21/64 offers two-day trainings for professionals interested in incorporating the multigenerational lens into their consulting. The training they offer is not a quick fix or silver bullet, but rather incorporates how cultural understanding and changes can happen across generations involved in family philanthropy.

What are your experiences in multigenerational family philanthropy?  What do nonprofits need to know? What are some great lessons you have learned?

On July 1, I had the opportunity to have a dynamic conversation with Robert Egger, truly an innovator in the nonprofit arena. Below you can read a summary of the interview with Robert and check out his new projects!

Robert sees himself as a kind of “futurist” in that he watches trends and anticipates basic patterns that will affect the way we live in the future. He has taken his straight-talk approach and futurist perspective and applied it to what philanthropy looks like with the “now” generation; the generations, X and Y, that we many people continue to refer to as the next generation.  Here are highlights from that conversation. Read more about Robert through DC Central Kitchen and his new nonprofit political action committee—Cfoward.

According to U.S. Census data, there are 90 million people under the age of 25 that the country and the nonprofit sector are trying to understand. Their behavior seems unpredictable to many.  This was the same thing with the Boomer generation in that there was no way to determine how they would behave and act.  In the nonprofit sector we need to respond and embrace the innovation and openness that this generation is using to demonstrate their commitment to causes.

The economy has had a strong, negative impact on this generation unique from other generations. This generation doesn’t have the same kind of dispensable income that existed in previous generations.  The 1960s were a time of “extra” – including food, clothes, and more. In 1968, less than 100,000 nonprofit organizations existed and today there are nearly 1.5 million.  The concept of philanthropy was built in and on the era of “extra” and the economics of our time requires philanthropy to evolve.  We cannot serve the growing number of nonprofits with the same ability that existed in the 60s with the changing economic climate; the next generation is adapting and responding to these shifting circumstances.

Today philanthropy exists beyond a check – it is in the way individuals live their lives and how they spend their money. It’s how one makes his or her money and the ways one lives his or her life every day. Spending is seen as philanthropy and power in of itself. Individuals and communities can influence activities through “buy-cotting,” in not spending money in specific places and rewarding ethical businesses. Consumers are taking the reigns of capitalism through researching companies and looking at which companies have the most progressive policies, and investing their dollars there. Robert quotes Fugazi, “It isn’t want they’re selling; it’s what you’re buying”. The Carnegie-Rockefeller model of raising large sums of money and donating a portion back before dying to offset the damage” it is gone.

The new wave of business management, including nonprofits, asks everyone to serve as an ambassador and open the gates to others.  Smart fundraisers will invite this kind of community into their organization. Fundraisers can combine service learning with entrepreneurialism to bring next gen donors to their organizations. Volunteer development is becoming more important than ever as volunteerism is seen as philanthropy in and of itself, changing the definition of fundraising forever.  Word of mouth has gone virtual – there are new places that the next gen is sharing their experiences and interactions.

When Twitter started it was an experiment in “flocking” – getting people to move as a unit in an organic way and using an online platform.  This was a test in innovation with clear goals. Nonprofits can go beyond email and use 140 characters to flock people to their organizations by keeping up with and anticipating trends, asking for input, and engaging volunteer donors. In Robert’s words, “if you are chasing the money, you are going to run forever.” Nonprofit fundraisers need to innovate in ways like Twitter has to become proactive rather than reactive in philanthropy.

The next generation is looking for transparency in everything that organizations do.  They will access the tools they need to find out about salaries, programs, and impact.  The more your organization hides or leaves out, the worse your organization will look. This generation wants to know exactly what organizations are doing so they can determine the level and type of involvement they desire. They’ll search online and talk with others to find it – what is the message you want them to know?

They are also sharing their experiences with organizations, advocating for, and sharing disappointment in these organizations.  There is an entire generation that is potentially ready to make reviews on the sector.  Nonprofits needs offer experiences for volunteers and donor to rate their experiences as an effort in transparency.

Robert shares a warning though that the next generation needs to be wary of repeating patterns from previous generations engaged in philanthropy. As the nonprofit sector became more formalized, women were primarily involved with charity work outside the home because it was seen as a “safe” and respectable activity for women. White men managed these foundations and distributed donations to the white, educated women who were fundraising for the charities, therefore reinforcing the inequitable power dynamic.

When women started taking leadership in philanthropic foundations, they repeated the same power dynamic between grantor and grantee, much like a learned behavior.  Robert shares concern that while collective philanthropy, such as donor circles are becoming popular among generations, the giving circles will mimic the behavior of foundations in the past.  His hope is that the next generation will use their philanthropy to create longer, sustainable impact and sees the microcredit concept as a powerful opportunity to share power and innovate.

The next generation is here now, transforming decades of philanthropic behaviors as a result of the economic climate, a need for greater transparency, and virtual community.  Like the past and present, the future will bring unpredictable changes, but the change itself can be relied upon.  Philanthropy needs to be prepared to change and evolve as the donors shaping the work we do evolve themselves.

Learn more about Robert Egger by visiting his blog, DC Central Kitchen, V3 Campaign, C-Forward.

Retention begins with culture and leadership.  What I mean by that is ask yourself is leadership (staff and volunteer) has intentionally created a culture that is welcoming and values all of its employees and volunteers?  Is is a culture where, if your staff doesn’t follow all the rules just as they are set they can walk right out the door?  Maybe everyone feels really appreciated. How would you describe the culture in which you work?

But why?

I prefer to work in and lead organizations that value leadership over management, which means balancing the organizational needs with how those needs are met. I hate being micromanaged and micromanaging others.  I like to know why decisions are made and how they are made – not because I am nosy, but because I want to learn.  To me leadership encourages these kinds of questions rather than a traditional, hierarchical approach – you’ll do it because I said so.  Frankly, I have parents who can get away with that mentality, but it isn’t going to work for me in a professional environment for very long.

Teach me how to be a better leader for your organization and we can grow together.

Flex it Up

Knowing that the next generation wants more flexibility in their work schedules and location, what do I care if someone works from a coffee shop?  Of course, if you have an office it is helpful to make sure people are actually meeting in person and available for other important conversations.  I do think that there is something to be said for personal contact that email and social media cannot replace.  However, if your best work is done on Fridays from your house or coffee shop and the work is getting done, I say go for it!

Every person has a different way that s/he needs to recharge. Personally, I want people to take a reasonable amount of time to do what they need to do for themselves so they have good energy to dedicate to the work.  That’s not to say there aren’t people who will take advantage of that, but I am willing to take that risk.

Movin’ on Up

We know that in development departments staff turn over can be very high – up to every 2-3 years staff are turning over.  In some cases, there aren’t opportunities for upward mobility and therefore, a trend is to go between various organizations to develop the necessary skills.  Sometimes people even return to their first organization with new abilities that will serve the mission. Just know that if there isn’t room to grow at your organization, folks might need to find a professional challenge elsewhere. Boredom is the worst.

Evaluation, Evaluation, Evaluation

In other cases staff are not feeling supported or heard.  Are there ways in your organization for staff to give safe, anonymous feedback to their supervisors.  Frequently, I have been evaluated, but rarely have I been able to evaluate those who manage me.  I feel the assumption here is that the “higher-ups” don’t have anything to learn or change. Well, now that I am in an executive director role, I know that’s not true.  I want feedback from our donors, staff, stakeholders, board members, and more.  It’s the only way I can do anything to fix problems and improve my work. As I say, if I don’t know there is a problem there isn’t much I can do to fix it.

If your organization doesn’t have a way for people to share their experiences in a safe environment (without fear of any kind of retribution or political impact) how can you learn what you need to do to keep quality staff?

I know some organizations conduct an exit interview, but I have to say I see this as a pointless gesture the majority of the time. If I am on my way out the door, why would I complain about what has happened?  Especially, knowing that the nonprofit community is small and that it will probably damage future relationships.  There has to be a better way and I think annual or semi-annual evaluations are the way to go. Even better, encouraging an organizational culture where there is safe, open and honest communication where dissension and challenge is encouraged, not squashed. It is actually possible.

Investment it a Two Way Street

Often when I am coaching people coming into or looking for a new job I prep them with questions for their interviews in organizations.  There are the obvious questions, but then there are the ones that people tend to ignore ahead of time and then complain about later.  The biggie is asking what the budget and/or opportunities for professional development are in an organization.

If I am going to stay with an organization I want to know what opportunities the organization is going to provide for my professional growth – is it conferences, workshops, coaching, professional association membership?  In the nonprofit sector we don’t get great pay or benefits most of the time, but there are lots of ways to reward staff and invest – they are your best asset.  Consider time off or staff fun days.  Be creative.

I always tell people – the organization should be investing in you as much as you are investing in them. What is your organization doing to make this a true statement?

Life Stages

Another important point about young professionals is that they are in transitional stages in their 20s and 30s for the most part.  They might be focusing on education, finding a life partner, buying a home, starting a family.  This list goes on.  Because their are so many personal changes, that may reflect professional changes.

I hear complaints from time to time that young people are too focused on money and that they are money-hungry compared to their Boomer counterparts.  Here’s my opinion – the cost of living and education is higher than ever.  Gen X and Y aren’t given the education and housing incentives of previous generations. What’s more, philanthropy and nonprofits are making it hard to stay in jobs with low pay and low incentives.  Sometimes it’s just not possible to make ends meet in that world – not everyone wants to live on canned beans.  I don’t. Paying your dues gets really old real fast when you are working up to three jobs at a time and being told that you are greedy.

Like everything I say, this isn’t true across the board, but it is something to consider before jumping to conclusions, making assumptions, or buying into stereotypes. We all have them, but we need to also put experiences into context.

Take a Look in the Mirror

If a staff member leaves your organization within 2 – 3 years of coming on, are you asking yourself as a staff or a leader what YOU could have done differently?  Maybe there were very good reasons that the person left that were underlying and not the actual reason s/he left.

If I look back at the reasons I left past jobs, it did not have much to do with my lack of passion for the cause or the people with whom I worked, or even the work itself.  Most of the time it came down to poor leadership.  There wasn’t an investment in me – and that includes telling me and teaching me when I was wrong.

Hey Philanthropy…

Oh, philanthropists, by the way, the only way nonprofits are going to best serve their missions is if they invest in quality staff that they can retain. Turn over is more expensive that paying for some additional workshops.  Foundations and other donors need to know that the only way nonprofits are really going to achieve their goals and meet your requirements is if they have the PEOPLE to help them do so.  Give some unrestricted dollars already or help nonprofit leaders understand that you actually care about this issue.  It is as much a nonprofit issue as it is philanthropy.

In Summary

I feel your organization is going to have much more success if you:

• Focus on leadership rather than management
• Answer the question how and why in decision-making
• Offer two-way evaluations
• Encourage and support professional development
• Understand trends in turn over
• Consider life stages and economics
• Sustain your staff through making sure they have time for themselves
• Invest in your staff as much as they invest in you
• Engage in self-reflection.

Your Turn

What do you think? Am I way off base or do you agree?  Share ideas of things your organization has done to support you that you really appreciate or share suggestions on what could be done better.

learnforeverblog.blogspot.com

Today the world of web 2.0 and social media technologies are a great way to keep us as nonprofit leaders, staff, and volunteers with our learning.  One of the greatest lessons I took on from my graduate school program was the idea of the Learning Organization form Peter Senge – it’s helped me stay open to new opportunities in everything I do.

I’ve incorporated the idea of the Learning Organization in just about everything I have done from consulting to serving as an executive director. The concept of ongoing, never-ending learning in a nonprofit is a perfect for my tendency as a “cusper” Gen X/Gen “Why.”  I want to ask why we do what we do in nonprofits and how I can learn more. I want others to do the same.  Never settle for “this is how we have always done it.”  Not good enough.  Asking why, helps us to continue to learn – both about the past and about the future. This is also how we connect organizational history and improve upon old, outdated systems.

On the flip side, I spend as much time as I can explaining why I make the decisions I make so that others can have more investment in the direction in which I am going and learn more about leadership. I want others to learn and I want others to have an opportunity to challenge me so that I can learn as well. Taking the extra time to explain can feel unnecessary, but it is a valuable strategy in elevating an organization.

Social media keeps us on our toes – we are constantly having to learn new strategies and asking ourselves why and how we are using those tools. To me, it is the perfect example of being a learning organization.  How can we continue to move forward? Keep learning! Watch trends, ask questions, and explore.

There is always something new around the social media corner and we are challenged to learn one tool and then something brand new comes along… just like learning how to run and lead a nonprofit.  Personally, I am constantly learning about how  to improve my fundraising skills, engage board members, and identify new leadership strategies.  It ain’t easy to keep up, but it’s worth it!

As nonprofits are learning to communicate across generations – with donors, staff, volunteers, board members – we have to constantly be learning about others, new leadership strategies, and so on.  It can be tough to find the time, but absolutely worth it in the end.

To me, excellent leaders never stop learning or asking why.  Ask why in your social media too and keep an eye out for the next great tool – we’re all learning together.

Share your experiences of being in a learning organization, using social media, or how you see the two connected (or not!)…

I’m thrilled to share that I am going to be heading to San Diego in a couple of weeks for a workshop with YNPN San Diego on Fundraising and the Next Generation!  The workshop, on August 18th from 6 – 8 p.m., will be a great opportunity to learn about and discuss strategies for engaging the next generation of philanthropists. Read more details here…

REGISTER TODAY!

About the Workshop

Do you have strategies to recruit donors to your cause from every generation? You better! For the first time in history, four generations of philanthropists are involved in philanthropy. Do you know how to reach each one? This amazing session will identify the key characteristics of each generation and their habits for charitable giving. Nonprofit professionals will learn how important it is to create lifetime givers by reaching out to the younger generations (under 40) today, how to successfully engage each generation, and turn today’s annual donors into tomorrow’s major donors! Let’s start cultivating!

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this workshop participants will:

• Find out how and where to find and cultivate young philanthropists
• Identify myths and realities of multigenerational philanthropy
• Learn what your organization needs to be aware of to manage a multi-generational development office.

About the Presenter

Emily Davis has been working in the nonprofit sector as a staff member, consultant, founder, board member, and volunteer for over 15 years. She currently serves as the Executive Director of The Colorado Chapter of the National Hemophilia Foundation. She trains and consults on a number of different areas including board development, online communications, multi-generational philanthropy, and fundraising. She has served as the Founder and Board Chair for YNPN San Diego in addition to numerous other board and committee roles. She is currently authoring an AFP publication on Fundraising and the Next Generation. Her passion for effective leadership has garnered numerous awards and nominations including the most recent, 35 Under 35 Community Leaders by San Diego News Network. Find Emily online @edaconsulting.

What is an L3C? from Westaway Law on Vimeo.