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Strategies to Improve Your Memorial (aka Tribute) Giving Program

Daniela Mead — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 18:04:42 +0000

Charitable organizations know that memorial giving (aka tribute giving) is an effective fundraising channel. In most cases, tribute gifts simply come in the door with little or no effort on the part of the recipient organization. Yet there are three simple things organizations can take to maximize these contributions: enable online tribute giving, educate donors [...]

The Fuel Needed to Grow Organizations, Part III: Fundraising Policies, Tools, and Legal Requirements

admin — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:51:26 +0000

This is the third in our series of posts about the basic steps that *all* organizations must take to ensure they are positioned for success and growth. Click here to access the original post that introduced our topic. Anyone in the nonprofit world will tell you that turnover among development staff is high and that [...]

PANO

Daniela Mead — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:55:38 +0000

The Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations (PANO) is a statewide membership organization serving and advancing the charitable nonprofit sector through leadership, advocacy, education and services in order to improve the quality of life in Pennsylvania. PANO lobbies and advocates on behalf of the charitable sector and offers educational seminars and technical assistance to members. PANO [...]

Dispelling Misnomers and Myths About “Policy and Procedure Guides”

admin — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:02:48 +0000

There’s been a lot of talk on the Raiser’s Edge Power Users forum on Facebook of late about “Policy and Procedure Guides.” It’s very common to rattle off the phrase “Policy and Procedure Guides” without actually acknowledging or perhaps understanding that they are two very different things. For the sake of clarity, we should really [...]

You May Be Committed to Protecting Your Constituent’s Privacy But Your Website Isn’t!

admin — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 14:41:02 +0000

Virtually all nonprofits I’ve ever come in contact with take their constituents’ privacy very seriously. They maintain privacy through the use of confidentiality policies, policies and procedures about data entry, document destruction policies, and by complying with the Donor Bill of Rights. Those are all critical mechanisms for protecting your organization’s constituents. But, have you [...]

The Fuel Needed to Grow Organizations, Part II: Governance Documents, Policies, and Legal Requirements

admin — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 21:31:21 +0000

This is the second in our series of posts about the basic steps that *all* organizations must take to ensure they are positioned for success and growth. Click here to access the original post that introduced our topic. Good governance separates the strong organizations from those who end up suffering from negative front-page publicity. Perhaps [...]

The Fuel Needed to Grow a Small Organization From Infancy to Toddlerhood

admin — Thu, 27 May 2010 15:56:52 +0000

I recently spoke with an acquaintance, Yolande, who co-founded Yacoli.org with her husband in 2008. Yolande wanted my advice on how to grow her organization. Yacoli had registered as a nonprofit organization under California law and successfully obtained 501(c)(3) status, so the organization had bylaws and articles of incorporation, but not much more in the way of [...]

Speak Softly or However Befits Your Leadership Style

admin — Wed, 26 May 2010 13:41:18 +0000

It is true that different leadership styles may be appropriate and effective in different situations, but the common denominator among successful leaders is that they are self-reflective: they know their own strengths and they use them to their advantage. Mother Theresa and Theodore Roosevelt were two vastly different types of leaders, but each knew how to capitalize on his or her strengths. Successful leaders are also highly contemplative; they reflect on their teams, the situations they encounter, successes, and failures. They focus on how to position their teams for success, how to leverage each teammate’s existing skills, and how to develop and support their teams.

Document Retention and Other Key Policies Your Organization Needs

admin — Thu, 06 May 2010 00:45:58 +0000

In the aftermath of nonprofit scandals, the passing of Sarbanes-Oxley, and increasing public scrutiny of the independent sector, it is important that your organization clearly document and follow policies and procedures for all facets of business operations. At a bare minimum, your organization should have the following types of policies: Compensation & Performance Review Conflict [...]

SEO Is Important – But Don’t Overlook The Basics of Website Promotion!

admin — Wed, 05 May 2010 10:43:53 +0000

Promoting your online presence is undoubtedly critical. Web gurus, techies, and even perhaps a few fundraisers and nonprofit execs spend considerable time learning about Search Engine Optimization (SEO). You can find well documented recommendations on the internet for structuring your website so that it’s easily indexed by search engines like Google and Yahoo, which, in [...]