Strategic Partnerships for Your Nonprofit

November 17, 2020November 17, 2020 Isabel Reed

Many hands make light work! We’ve all heard the saying before, but have you ever thought about applying that philosophy within your organization? Volunteer program – check – right idea. Now what other areas of your organization can be better supported and strengthened with that philosophy in mind?

Take a look around you. Specifically, take a look around your community. What are other businesses or organizations that are positioned with complementary missions, teams, or resources?

If your organization is seeking a partnership, chances are that your organization is not the only one! Even if it is, partnerships are usually formed to be win-win for everyone involved, meaning that people within your community will likely be happy to discuss your proposition.

Where should I start?

Already have ideas bubbling for a no-brainer partnership? Well good news, that’s exactly where you start! Outline a partnership proposal and get crystal clear on the benefits that both your organization and theirs would receive. Come up with “the pitch” so to speak.

Then, schedule a chat with the person you’d likely be collaborating with in the partner organization. Next steps will likely reveal themselves by the end of that initial call. Rinse and repeat for any other partners you have in mind.

For most, however, first steps might require a bit of reflection and brainstorming. You’ll need to asses where your organization shines and where it need extra support. This will reveal what benefits you could offer in a partnership and what you’ll need extra support with from partners.

To identify your organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, pull out the good old SWOT Analysis rubric! If your organization has already conducted a SWOT Analysis, ask for a copy. Otherwise, draft up a quick one yourself. Take your time, but there’s no need to spend more than 30 minutes on this speed draft.

When you’re done, compare your strengths and opportunities to your weaknesses and threats. Your strengths and opportunities will shed light on what you have to offer in a partnership, and your weaknesses and threats will suggest who to seek out in a partnership. Leverage their strengths to support your weaknesses.

Volunteer Programs

Would you consider your volunteer program well established, or does it need some help getting off the ground? If there is another organization that is known for their growing, highly engaged volunteer base, consider reaching out to their volunteer coordinator to explore a volunteer exchange initiative, where volunteers are somehow introduced to the other organization’s volunteer program, fostering more volunteer interest for both organizations. (Check out what Stoneleigh Natural Garden did!)

For example, you might organize a joint event between your organizations. When large gatherings are safe and permitted once again, a collaborative volunteer appreciation event could be a great idea for a handful of partner organizations. Volunteers would feel the love while also becoming more familiar with other volunteer programs (and fellow volunteers!) across the community. (Relevant: “How to Move Your Volunteer Appreciation Week Event Online“)

Most organization’s volunteer programs also come with volunteer coordinators, volunteer program supplies, volunteer management software, and more. Discover which resources could be shared between/among organizations, then bask in the efficiency of many hands making light work.

Services & Programming

Most likely, your organization has some kind of service or programming offered. Once you’ve mentally identified those services, think about other nonprofit and for-profit businesses that offer services complementary to the ones your organization offers. This is where the opportunity lies to collaborate.

Your respective programs could continue running independently, if that works best for all parties. In which case, you’d collaborate with marketing and raising awareness of said programs. This usually becomes what’s known as a “referral program“. Similarly, you can also tout each other’s services as an “expansion” of the services your organization already provides. Both organizations gain a stronger presence in the community as a result.

If there is more in common than not between the respective programs, consider weaving them together in a few small ways that make sense. This will help to reduce spending on resources and scale the impact of the program. Celebrate that saved spending!

Resources

Each organization is equipped with its own incredible resources. In some cases, resources are material goods: vehicles, food, gardens, space, etc. Other times, an organization’s best resource is its personnel: the well-connected founder, the savvy lawyer, or the wizardly grant-writer.

As part of your SWOT analysis, examine these resources. Are there any you could exchange? Are there any you could share? Sometimes an act of true goodwill goes even farther than a proposed partnership. So if your organization’s van is unused on weekends, consider sharing it with another organization that is active on weekends.

Brand Recognition & Credibility

This is less of a tangible tip and more of a rule of thumb. The more your name appears (in a positive light) across the community, the more it will be perceived as established and reputable. Community engagement starts at the front door of your organization, but it certainly doesn’t stop there! 🙂

Recruiting many hands to make light work starts with one hand reaching out in partnership. Get your plans ready, then take action! You’re sure to save money, better utilize resources, and raise organizational awareness across your community.

Remembering the Big Picture

November 13, 2020 Linh Ta

From the VolunteerLocal archives, an article in the spirit of raising spirits 🙂

As a volunteer coordinator, you’re juggling what feels like a million different tasks.

Your mind might be racing because you didn’t order enough t-shirts. Someone just told you they’ve got a food allergy and you’ll need to adjust the lunch menu. One of your volunteers just cancelled with less than 24-hours notice. With all of the things you’re working on, it’s easy to get preoccupied with the little details.

Take a breath.

Remember why you’re doing this important work.

At the end of the day, all of this energy is dedicated to making a difference in your community, in sometimes small and large ways. In this moment of desperation, I like to read quotes from leaders I admire, who navigated the weeds long enough to make change, and do good. I’ve transcribed a few of my favorites below. Enjoy.

“Do small things with great love.” -Mother Theresa

It’s easy to feel insignificant when there’s a mountain of work in front of you. But every task, every errand, every call you’re making is contributing to this cause. It’s important to remember that even those mundane tasks are critical to the long-term outcome that everyone on your team is working hard to realize. Each step you take, no matter how small, is a step forward for your community.

You may not be the only one feeling overwhelmed – some of your volunteers may also be feeling the drain, too. The clean-up crew are wondering whether their work matters. Those taking drinks tickets are gazing at the long-line before them and thinking, what’s all this for?

Everything adds up, particularly the things we put care and love into. Let your volunteers know that whatever task they’re doing, it’s making an impact. Every individual contributes in a significant way towards increasing awareness, raising funds, bringing people together and making our cities and towns more cultural, vibrant and fun.

“To move forward you have to give back.” -Oprah Winfrey

Giving your time helps others, and it helps you. It’s easy to give our money, or donate our old belongings to a local thrift store – but to give our time? Our effort, hard work and (l)earned skills? These opportunities to give that part of ourselves enables us to connect with others and the mission. We can grow in meaningful ways.

“A lion chased me up a tree and I greatly enjoyed the view from the top.” -Confuscius

It’s that time of night when the spreadsheet in front of you is starting to blur. You have a giant detailed list of seemingly endless things to do. You’re tired, exasperated and just over it.

Step away from the glow of your computer screen and remember the big picture. There will always be challenges before you, and opportunities to overcome them, individually or with the collaboration of those you trust and can depend on to help see you through. If you find yourself at the top of that tree, take a look around. The view is unbelievable.

5 Strategies for Smarter Fundraising While Working from Home

November 6, 2020November 16, 2020 Salsa Labs

Traditionally, the idea of working from home conjured images of lounging in sweatpants and less-than-stellar productivity. But as we’ve learned since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s possible to still accomplish key goals and drive missions forward outside the office.

With the right tools and processes, all kinds of organizations have been able to adapt to the work-from-home (WFH) environment with great success, and the nonprofit sector is no exception. Fundraising professionals have navigated uncharted territory to engage supporters, raise critical funds, and conduct day-to-day operations all from the comfort of home offices.

As the year draws to a close, it’s time to take stock of your WFH plans and make adjustments to align with best practices. After all, the end of social distancing isn’t on the horizon anytime soon, and you don’t want to lose momentum. With powerful technology and data-informed strategies, you can still achieve your online fundraising goals while working from home.

At SalsaLabs, we specialize in helping nonprofits leverage technology to work more efficiently and boost their fundraising potential. We’ve seen how nonprofits in the field incorporate innovative tools into their WFH routines with great success. So, we’ve compiled a list of tips to help drive your virtual fundraising efforts forward:

Use data to drive more effective communications.
Explore diverse revenue streams.
Host engaging virtual events.
Leverage machine learning technology.
Make use of marketing automation.

While a remote work environment may not facilitate in-person conversations, there are still plenty of opportunities to connect with supporters through virtual means. Technology can help you build on your existing donor data for time-saving and informed outreach, which can create even more effective fundraising processes. Let’s jump in.

1. Use data to drive more effective communications.

When you can’t connect with your community in person, your online communications are even more critical. If a donor’s primary touchpoint with your nonprofit this year is via email, your messaging needs to make each individual feel recognized, appreciated, and capable of making an impact.

The best way to accomplish these goals is to leverage supporter data when crafting your campaigns. Instead of sending impersonal emails to everyone on your mailing list, you can target groups or even individuals for a more relevant and personalized message.

You can use available donor data to:

Create segments of donors. Create segments, or groups, based on key characteristics, then use these groups to send targeted messages. Studies show that segmentation can lead to up to a 760% increase in revenue! While the options for categorizing donors are nearly endless, you can sort groups by engagement type, giving preferences, or demographic information. For instance, you could start a campaign specifically targeting Gen Z supporters, or craft separate end-of-year thank-you emails to address volunteers, major donors, event attendees, and first-time donors in different ways.
Personalize messages to individuals. Adding a personal touch to outgoing messages can help your supporters feel seen and recognized. While adding the donor’s name to the subject line or greeting is a great start, you can go even further. Try incorporating details like a recent donation amount, event attendance history, or information specific to your mission (like a pet’s name if you work with an animal shelter). Marketing automation tools (which we’ll discuss in further detail later in this article) allow you to address each individual supporter without anyone needing to manually write in the information on individual messages.

These strategies allow you to take advantage of the valuable information in your donor database software for more engaging messaging and fundraising appeals. However, make sure you’re only using clean and well-organized data to execute these tasks. An email subject line addressed to the wrong supporter is worse than a generic one!

2. Explore diverse revenue streams.

This era of social distancing and economic uncertainty has proven the importance of diversifying your nonprofit’s revenue streams.

If you only rely on one fundraising platform, like an in-person event or a handful of major donors, you’ll be more vulnerable to unexpected changes.

A diverse range of revenue streams will help ensure your fundraising strategy is resilient, sustainable, and less susceptible to risks.

A few creative options worth exploring are:

Recurring gift campaign. Encouraging supporters to schedule recurring gifts can help you create a predictable stream of revenue. You may even consider providing branded items as a thank-you for their ongoing support as part of a membership program.

Grant opportunities. In the wake of COVID-19, grant-seeking institutions and corporations have both pledged to make funds more readily available to nonprofits. You can conduct research to look for opportunities in your area or look for large-scale programs by national funders.
Corporate philanthropy. Matching gifts programs are a remote-friendly way to maximize revenue from your supporters. According to this Double the Donation roundup of matching gift statistics, between $4 and $7 million dollars in eligible matching gifts go unclaimed every year! By focusing your efforts on matching gifts, you’ll unlock new opportunities for funding without much extra work for your team. To do this, you can create a campaign to spread awareness about matching gifts among your supporters, manually screen donations for matching gift eligibility, or use a comprehensive matching gift automation platform to streamline the process.
Peer-to-peer fundraising. Even though you can’t get together in person, your supporters can still use virtual strategies to share your organization with family and friends. This strategy allows you to leverage the networks of your supporters and reach an even larger audience.

By incorporating one or more of these strategies alongside your current fundraising efforts, you’ll be more prepared to survive if one of the streams dries up.

3. Host engaging virtual events.

While you may not be able to gather donors together in person, you can still create an exciting and community-focused virtual event.

Not only can virtual events be powerful fundraisers, but they’re also opportunities to share your work with supporters, foster connections between supporters and your mission, and encourage supporters to form bonds amongst themselves.

As this guide discusses, virtual events are often more economically feasible and widely accessible. Therefore, your organization will be able to engage even more attendees for a lower cost, boosting your profit.

You can host a fundraising-focused event like an online auction or virtual walk, or you can host virtual stewardship events. Any kind of virtual event can be used for stewardship if you don’t charge an admission fee—consider a virtual happy hour, book club, or dinner party as a few potential ideas.

While the primary goal of a stewardship event won’t be to raise money, it’s still an important component of a relationship-based fundraising strategy. Forming deeper connections now will prepare you for making more effective asks in the future.

If you decide to host a virtual event, be sure to plan ahead for potential technical issues. Share connection information with supporters well in advance, provide plenty of tech support for potential questions, and troubleshoot your virtual event platform ahead of time.

4. Make use of marketing automation.

Marketing automation has been a growing nonprofit trend in recent years, and for good reason: it enables teams to work more effectively with limited resources. Marketing automation can help you level-up your remote fundraising efforts.

While marketing automation isn’t a substitute for a solid foundation of data, it unlocks the ability to contact the right person with the right message at the right time—without a staff member needing to hover over the send button. As long as you start with a solid understanding of your supporter base, automation can help you accelerate your outreach.

You can automate many aspects of your marketing strategy, including posting to social media, capturing leads via your website landing pages, or sending emails. One of the most popular ways to utilize automation technology is through an email stream, also known as a drip campaign.

Here’s how an email stream would work, with the example of a potential donor named Jack:

Jack lands on your nonprofit’s website and signs up for your email newsletter.
Jack receives a “welcome series” of emails once per week with more information about your nonprofit’s mission, current programs, ways to get involved, and how to donate.
The series runs at a specified cadence until Jack completes the desired action (making a donation) or until a certain period of time has elapsed.

Your series could be just a few emails or it can be 10 emails over the course of a few months. All of those messages are sent without anyone on your staff actually pressing the send button, and, if crafted in a compelling way, can generate significant funds for your organization.

Beware, automation can’t fix a message that’s not relevant or interesting to your audience! Make sure each element of your automated campaign is based on the data you have available. Incorporating some of the other tips on this list (like personalization and segmentation) will help you do this.

5. Leverage machine learning technology.

Another powerful way tech can boost your fundraising while working from home is through machine learning. Essentially, machine learning allows computers to make sense of large data sets (like the information in your donor database) to find patterns and make predictions.

For example, machine learning can help you to:

Identify potential major donors.
Tailor ask amounts to a donor’s giving history.

One of the most advantageous aspects of machine learning is that it continues to improve over time. As more data is available, the analysis and predictions become more accurate. After all, it’s called machine learning for a reason!

To consider a specific example, Salsa’s SmartEngagement technology uses machine learning to power predictive analytics for donation pages. By taking into account all of the historical data you have on a supporter, the program can display optimized ask amounts on your donation form. This helps to increase conversion rates and to avoid the risk of missing out on funds from an ask that was too low.

If you have a large quantity of supporter data to sift through, consider looking for a CRM that offers machine learning capabilities so you can draw insights more efficiently.

This year, nonprofit fundraisers have needed to adjust their plans and reinvent traditional strategies. While normal in-person fundraising is unlikely to resume for the time being, there are still plenty of ways you can raise money for your mission while staying safe. With these tech-savvy tips, your fundraising staff will be well-positioned for success. Good luck!

4 Tips for Choosing Your Nonprofit Donor Database

October 27, 2020November 17, 2020 Gerard Tonti

Choosing a donor database is a lot like hunting for the right romantic partner with online dating tools.

You are likely working from a long list of characteristics and browsing potential matches from brief descriptions and a few images. If you find something (or someone) that checks many of your boxes, you may schedule a demo—kind of like a first date. If the date goes well and the conditions are right, it could lead to wedding bells and a happy union between your sustainable nonprofit and a powerful CRM.

While choosing a donor management solution may not be an “until death do you part” level of commitment, but it’s still the first step in a long and successful relationship.

At SalsaLabs, we take on the role of matchmaker by helping nonprofits leverage powerful technology to meet their goals. To help you find a donor database that can be your team’s “other half,” we’ve compiled the following list of tips:

Create a project team, plan, and timeline.
Evaluate core functionality.
Consider compatibility with the rest of your tech stack.
Determine what additional features are essential for your organization.

The right donor database will support many aspects of your organization, from fundraising to volunteer management. So before tying the knot, make sure it’s meant to be!

Create a project team, plan, and timeline.

Selecting a software solution is no small undertaking. This is true for any type of software, but considering the immense impact that your supporter database has on your organization and mission, it’s especially important to follow an organized procedure.

Before diving into the decision-making process, you’ll probably have a general idea of the features your nonprofit is looking for—after all, there’s a reason you’re in the market for a donor database!

Establishing a plan upfront will give you clearer guidelines for evaluating the available databases and ultimately narrowing down your options to a few top contenders.

Assemble a team. Make sure you have all of the right people on board to make the decision. Depending on the size of your organization, you’ll want to invite anywhere from 2 to 10 people to weigh in on the decision. You’ll want to include the individuals who are directly impacted by the new system, the biggest consumers of information from the system, and anyone else who will have valuable input. The team reviewing the software will also help determine who will be using the software, which, depending on the system you choose, may factor into the budget decision.

Set a budget. Donor databases are built with a range of organizations in mind. Consider data like your number of donors, annual fundraising capacity, and major gift revenue to come up with a price point that makes sense for you. Be sure to establish this financial metric early on so you don’t waste time considering tools that are out of reach. However, if you’re a small nonprofit, you should choose a donor database that can scale up as your organization grows. Finally, it’s important to look for any additional customization or implementation costs when evaluating the price tag of each option.

Create a requirements document. You’ll want to develop a list of major functions and features that the donor database needs. As you create this document, try to limit yourself to the essentials and stay away from hyper-specific items. In general, it’s best practice to focus on what you need to accomplish rather than exactly how. The rest of this article will outline some characteristics you may want to consider.

As you go through this process, insist on defining your project plan in writing. This will ensure you stay on track and find a donor database that meets your needs and expectations.

Evaluate core functionality.

When considering expectations for your potential donor database, there are some core features you should look for.

You’ll want to keep the following core features in the back of your mind throughout the process, even if your primary focus is more specific:

Donor profiles and contact information. In addition to standard fields like name, address, and geographic location, look for a system that allows for custom fields. This will ensure you can record details that are specific to your organization’s audience; for instance, if you’re looking for a donor database for an animal shelter, you may want to record whether each supporter is a dog or cat person as well as the names of their current pets.

Analytics and reporting. The goal of your donor management software is to be able to store and use data effectively. While virtually all CRMs will offer reporting and visualization features, the complexity and flexibility of these can vary. This one place where your project team will have invaluable input since the people who need to access these reports should be represented.

Both of these functions will come standard in most of the donor databases available on the market, but with a wide range of variation. The size of your organization and the required detail level of your donor profiles will help you determine how you need these features to operate. Consider what your organization needs to accomplish to decide the scope of features you need from a solution.

Consider compatibility with the rest of your tech stack.

Your donor database should integrate with the other tools your nonprofit relies on. If it’s incompatible with the other elements in your existing nonprofit technology ecosystem, it may not be a good fit for your organization.

Your donor database should track every engagement metric you have with supporters. As such, you’ll want to consider the systems that track different types of engagement opportunities. For instance, if a supporter signs up to attend an event and donates to your most recent event, you’ll want to be sure all of these metrics are recorded and analyzed by your nonprofit. While some databases may have one or more of these functions built-in, others will require separate solutions.

Consider whether your organization uses the following tools, and if they are compatible with the donor database of your choice:

Fundraising software. Since one of the core purposes of your donor database is to inform your fundraising strategy, you’ll want a software solution that integrates seamlessly with your fundraising software. As this article explains, some fundraising systems pair well with CRMs, and some don’t, so you’ll need to consider the capabilities of your fundraising software as well.

Volunteer management software. If a supporter volunteers regularly with your nonprofit, you want to record that information alongside your other donor data. To avoid manual input, look for a donor database that syncs with your existing VMS.

Matching gift software. Corporate matching gifts can be a huge source of revenue for your organization if you know how to take advantage of the programs. According to Double the Donation, an estimated $4 – $7 billion in matching gift funds goes unclaimed every year. If you connect your donor database with matching gifts software, you’ll be better able to identify supporters who are eligible for matched contributions.

Event registration tools. Whether you’re hosting in-person, online, or hybrid events, you’ll want accurate records of every attendee. It’s helpful to have CRM and event solutions that are well-integrated. Then, you’ll be able to segment and target supporters more specifically based on whether or not they attended a past event.

Communications technology. Make sure your CRM can integrate with the tech you’re using to connect with supporters. This includes more traditional methods like email marketing as well as newer practices such as texting and social media outreach. If your communications platform and CRM are well-integrated, you’ll be able to automate outreach based on other interactions in the database, ultimately increasing supporter engagement.

When all of your supporter data can flow freely throughout your tech stack, you’ll be equipped to build well-rounded relationships with each donor. Take stock of your existing software systems and find a donor database that pairs well with each, then add that information to your requirements document.

Determine what additional features are essential for your organization.

Once you move past core features and software integrations, you’ll want to start on a list of features that are critical to your nonprofit’s operations. This list will be the most important part of your search, but it will also take the most thought to develop.

Consider what processes you have in place that are a drain on your team’s time, then look for a donor database that allows you to automate them or even skip steps completely.

Here are a few examples of tools from Salsa’s nonprofit CRM to give you some ideas of additional features that may save your team time:

Communication tools. Fundraising campaigns and other outreach efforts are more efficient when they can be accomplished directly from your donor database.

Automation and scheduling. Automated marketing tools allow you to contact the right supporter, with the right message, at the right time.

Comprehensive donation tracking. You’ll likely want a donor database that can manage both online and offline donations, avoiding manual input.

Smarter engagement strategies. Based on the interaction data you have available, your CRM can recommend optimized engagement methods. These can even be queued up automatically with automation tools.

Of course, your organization’s needs are unique, so your project team should brainstorm and collaborate to determine your must-have features and add them to your requirements document.

With so many options available, choosing a donor database to meet your needs can feel like an arduous and overwhelming process. A CRM solution will help you get organized and better engage your supporters, so it’s wise to invest the time and energy upfront so you can reap the benefits for years to come. With these strategies in mind, you and your donor management software will be able to live happily ever after. Good luck!

About the Author: Gerard Tonti

Gerard Tonti is the Senior Creative Developer at Salsa Labs, the premier fundraising software company for growth-focused nonprofits.

Gerard’s marketing focus on content creation, conversion optimization and modern marketing technology helps him coach nonprofit development teams on digital fundraising best practices.

First Millennials, Now Gen Z: A Recap for Those Trying to Keep Up

October 20, 2020October 20, 2020 Isabel Reed

Now that they are all of-age, Millennials have joined the workforce (and volunteer force) with full steam ahead. The introduction of this generation to the workforce came as a jolt to many, as the values and motivations of this generation were unprecedented. Now, just as we’ve finally wrapped our minds around the nature of Millennials, another generation is cropping up behind them – Gen Z – and what a fascinating generation it is!

Reviewing the two, it helps to start with simple comparisons. Comparing Millennials to Gen Z, there are many similarities with subtle differences. For example…

Millennials are tech-savy, introduced to technology at a young age with home computers, laptops, cell phones, etc. In contrast, Gen Z are tech natives, born and raised with cell phones, iPads, smart watches, etc.

Millennials are motivated to engage in justice work (social, environmental, etc.) due to the dissonance between what they were raised to believe vs what they eventually learned over time due to self-educating resources. Gen Z are being born and raised with discussions of justice, and therefore have an intuition and familiarity with such topics. While millennials often drift into justice work, Gen Z root themselves in it.

There are also a handful of areas that are rather uniform in both generations:

Both generations are value and mission driven in their actions, beliefs, career choices, purchases, and philanthropic behaviors (including volunteering and donating).

Both generations are laser-focused on the positive and negative impacts of the companies and organizations they support or are affiliated with. They are no stranger to thorough research or accountability.

Finally, both generations appreciate the art, innovation, and creativity that comes with problem-solving — hence the warm embrace of “viral” culture in both generations.

How Millennials Pushed the Needle

Millennials began pushing the needle with their notably increased interest in careers in the nonprofit sector. Rather than climbing corporate ladders, Millennials want to do work that matters. This motivation, in combination with the 2000’s cultural surge in entrepreneurship, cultivated a brand new industry intersection that is quintessentially Millennial: social entrepreneurship.

If you think about it, social entrepreneurship leverages Millennial strengths perfectly: mission-driven work, technology-based solutions, creative branding, and digital social marketing.

Millennials are the generation that brought corporate social responsibility to the table — to the executive table, to be exact. Before, it was much more rare to observe corporate responsibility in action. Many corporations shared a common goal — to make more revenue. Until recently, corporate social responsibility made little impact on revenue.

However, Millennials leveraged their widespread digital presence and collective purchasing power to force corporations to care. There seemed to be a gradual realization: in order to appeal to the growing generation of Millennial workers and consumers, businesses needed to prove their values and measure impact.

This insight became important for industries of all kinds, including the nonprofit industry. Although the nonprofit industry was already values-driven and mission-driven, Millennials applied more pressure to nonprofit accountability. The idea being, “Your heart might be in the right place, but what are the true impacts and consequences to which you must remain accountable?” (For example, the issues surrounding voluntourism and White savior complexes.)

This question of accountability has bled into the decision-making process of Gen Z as well, which we will discuss next.

How Gen Z Is Pushing the Needle

Millennials started widespread conversations about justice, responsibility, and accountability in a way that forced corporations and nonprofit organizations to care and respond. In a way, Millennials built the foundation for the work that Gen Z would carry on (and is carrying on).

Let’s take the generationally shared question: “Your heart might be in the right place, but what are the true impacts and consequences to which you must remain accountable?”

As said in the Philanthropy Journal at NC State University, “The task of the nonprofit is to prove beyond reasonable doubt that they are who they profess to be, and that their impact is tangible.”

Gen Z does not only ask the tough questions — they find the answers, make decisions, and apply pressure accordingly. Meaning, for example, that they will not only decline a job offer from a corporation that is not aligned with their values; Gen Z will take it a step further to communicate the misalignment to those they are responding to, encouraging — at times urging — others to do the same.

After all, one of the major ways Gen Z has moved the needle is through the immeasurable surge and value of social influence.

Although it is more difficult for companies and organizations to truly earn this generation’s trust, the value of this trust is worth the effort of earning it. Gen Z relies on the trusted feedback of those they choose to follow on social platforms — whether those people are friends and family, internet friends, or celebrities and influencers.

Therefore, it becomes in the best interest of corporations and organizations to appeal to the interests of those influencers, as word will spread quickly, cost-effectively, and exponentially. If customer or constituent trust and feedback was important before, it’s even more important now.

Gen Z works as a collective, in many ways, rather than as an individual (as is more commonly observed in Millennials). Gen Z is more diverse than any of the generations before, and interestingly, that diversity inspires a much deeper generational understanding and commitment to advocacy for themselves and their peers. Although most of Gen Z is currently underage, it is safe to predict that the collective purchasing power of Gen Z will be far greater than even Millennial purchasing power. The thorough, thoughtful decision of one will much more effectively influence the decisions of their peers.

The majority of Gen Z is still quite young, so we have to watch our predictions over time. Here are a few predictions that are a safe bet:

As tech natives, Gen Z will request and require more technology solutions at worksites, volunteer sites, homes, and communities.

Eventually, the world will care about what this generation cares about — whether due to genuine interest and influence, or commercial/economic pressure.

Just as values-based and responsibility-focused careers were created or expanded for Millennials joining the workforce, new and prominent roles will likely be created for Gen Z as well. Workplaces will be restructured to include more roles relating to workplace justice and community impact, as well as roles that enforce systematic checks and balances, ensuring measured impact is followed closely by actionable accountability.

Stay tuned as the youngest generation grows up and joins the workforce. They are likely to bring great change to the world we live in, just as generations before have done in their own unique way.

Get the Grant! Your Competitive Edge with SMART Metrics

October 13, 2020 Isabel Reed

Amidst a challenging year, nonprofits are zeroing in on the grants that will help them continue to deliver on their mission. As calendars are marked with application dates and deadlines, grant writers have the opportunity (and challenge) of completing a compelling grant proposal – one that will make their nonprofit shine even more brilliantly than the competition.

Although nonprofit teams are stereotypically not the most competitive personalities, the fact of the matter is that financial resources are in high demand, requiring a bit more magic from grant writers to land the grants their organization is relying on. Now, of all times, is the time to boast! Show off the incredible work of your nonprofit team.

Here’s the magic that I urge you to keep in mind as you get to work: tell a story of your past, present, and dream-scenario future. Then, explain with numbers why your numbers back the story of your past/present, and why (with numbers) your dream-scenario future is well within reason.

Nothing beats a grant application that displays both the head (pragmatism), heart (mission focus), and muscle (execution) of your nonprofit. Sounds like a winner to me!

Now the big tip – remember “SMART Goals”?

By this point, you may already have your SMART goals outlined. For example: “In 2021, we will launch 2 new programs across 15 county schools, reaching 15,000 students ages 13-19.”

Amazing! Now implement the same SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely) strategy to share metrics that prove you’re able to accomplish said goal.

SMART Metrics to Prove Your Salt

Specific

Show specifically what actions have been taken (or been maintained) and what impacts have resulted. This will be a foundational step to the work ahead, so take your time, and don’t be overly-critical of the first thoughts that come to mind.

Get the ball rolling by simply making a list! Jot down all initiatives and changes your nonprofit has made in the last year (or other relevant time period) in efforts to pursue the mission.

It can help to do this part as a team. Gather a think-tank team consisting of all departmental leaders in your organization. Everyone can chime in on the actions and accomplishments of their respective programs. (Bless the grant writer, who will likely be jotting all of this down and making order of this light chaos.)

Remember: not everything that will be said/thought at this stage will be kept! You’ll need to first identify which contributions are relevant to the grant itself, then workshop each contribution until it is, in fact, SMART.

That said, it’s alright if people start chiming in with general actions and impacts such as “Our clients are much happier with our programs!” – that example won’t make the final cut, but it will get the juices flowing for the team.

By the end, you’ll workshop these ideas to be more specific, such as, “We hired our first full-time event coordinator, which resulted in 3 more programs this year, and 25% better attendance.” (Ok…I’m jumping ahead. Let’s move on to “measurable” now.)

Measurable

Any metric needs to be measurable. How much, how many, what percentage, what ratio? You can make even the broadest statement measurable if you ask the right questions and do the appropriate data collection.

Let’s revisit the previous example and make it measurable: “Our clients are much happier with our programs!” Get started with questions like these:

How is happiness being measured? Attendance? Repeat attendance? Referrals? Survey results?
Are you tracking this data? (If not, start now! You’ll have the data at the ready for next year.)
Don’t forget the specificity – which clients and how many? Which programs and how many?

By asking the right questions and collecting the right data, you will end up with much stronger metrics, a much more compelling narrative, and an easy setup for a SMART goal. For example:

“Last year, we held 45 programs, of which 70% of attendees had attended at least 1 other program in the last 3 months, indicating strong community confidence in our programs. In the last year, we also welcomed a 12% increase in program attendance. Of first-time attendees, a whopping 80% were referred by someone who had previously attended a program. Word of mouth is powerful, but with a grant-funded community outreach and marketing budget, we will achieve…[insert the corresponding SMART Goal here; now that you’ve built the case for your SMART metrics, your SMART Goal will be a slam dunk].”

Achievable

These specific, measurable metrics will have already been achieved, which naturally bodes well for your ability to execute on your proposed SMART goals. If you’ve done the work before this step, you’ll easily check the box for “achievable”.

It boils down to the idea, “We’ve done it before and we can do it again even better.”

Relevant

Now that you have the most amazing data, telling the most amazing story about how you’ve done amazing things and can do many more amazing things if you just had the funding…it’s time to zero in on what (in this mountain of amazing-ness) actually matters to those reviewing your proposal.

It’s time to thoroughly trim the fluff. If you are applying for a grant that is focused on certain communities or outcomes, only use the data that correlates and speaks to those points.

Remember – nothing that you’ve done up to this point will go to waste. Data reports can be powerfully repurposed and recycled. Use the data for outreach to the community, volunteers, sponsors, or donors.

Timely

This will be another easy check mark, if you’ve done the above work already. Timebox your achievements into quarters, years, decades — whatever is most relevant to your organization and the grant it is applying for. Otherwise, you risk boasting incredible numbers with no context. Without context, the data itself is much less valuable.

Final thoughts

Some of your competition will apply for a grant using SMART goals, forgetting to intentionally comb through the SMART metrics that serve as a foundation for those goals. Use metrics to give yourself the best shot at an easy layup.

It’s possible that your organization is very small or brand new, making it difficult to gather historical data on your organization’s performance. That’s no problem – every organization must start somewhere! Here are some areas you can start collecting data on right away, that will give you more to work with next time you apply for a grant:

Number of community served (what is your reach?)
Demographics of community served (who are you reaching?)
Number of volunteers and volunteer hours contributed
Community/client satisfaction (collected via periodic surveys, or by number of returning individuals)
^All of the above tracked within consistent time periods (so that you can measure change, progress, growth.)

Best of luck to you as you prepare to apply for upcoming grants. It can be a tedious process the first time around, but rest assured that the data will build on itself gradually over time, so long as you keep a data management system in place. With time, a data management strategy, and a keen eye, you’ll reveal even more compelling (and SMART) stories about your organization, and funds surely will follow.

10 Myths About Managing Volunteers

October 9, 2020 Brianne Sanchez

A popular favorite from the VolunteerLocal Blog Archives.

Volunteer coordination is hard work, and there are a lot of misconceptions about what the role entails (and how to be successful along the way). We’re here today to de-bunk some of the most common myths we hear about volunteer management.

You’re on call, 24-7. If you’re passionate about your job, managing volunteers could turn into an all-day, every-day gig. But with established communication protocols and an active team, you can (and should!) unplug.
You can’t solicit volunteers for donations. Many volunteers see their time as their primary contribution to an organization, but if there are costs associated with onboarding (background checks, etc.) asking them to cover those fees is a good path into the donor pipeline.
Volunteer trainings need to involve slides and manuals. Sure, you should cover compliance and protocols in an onboarding, but bring the mission to life with role-playing, behind-the-scenes tours or other activities that engage and inspire volunteers.
You should be happy with whoever you get. That old “beggars can’t be choosers” philosophy could really disrupt your organization. Screening volunteers is critical. They should be a right match for the organization, and placed in a role that maximizes their skills.
There’s no professional development for volunteer managers. So many people fall into this line of work. Seek out a support system of other volunteer managers who can share best practices through your local United Way, nonprofit professionals network or online forums. They can also recommend conferences and webinars to grow your skills.
Volunteer programs are free. While a volunteer program can bring great value to your organization, they’re like a garden that needs attention and investment to yield the best results. Don’t forget to build recognition materials, management software and other supplies into your budget.
Your organization should jump on every Day of Service opportunity or group volunteer request. Saying ‘no’ to someone (or lots of someones) who want to contribute to your organization can seem crazy. But if the activity is out of scope for your organization, a ‘yes’ can lead to confusion and cause more harm than good.
You’re the only one recruiting volunteers for your cause. Partnerships – with corporations, colleges and universities and other civic organizations – can create productive volunteer pipelines.
Liability and insurance isn’t your territory. Make sure you are working closely with your organizations’ compliance arm to ensure both volunteers and the organization are not putting each other at risk.
Measuring volunteer impact is impossible. With proper tracking of volunteer hours and assignments, your organization can put a relative dollar value on volunteer power. And by collecting stories of volunteer initiatives and outcomes, your leveraging powerful anecdotes to support your cause.

4 Core Traits to Look for in a New Volunteer Coordinator

September 29, 2020September 29, 2020 Isabel Reed

There are many reasons why you might find yourself reading this article now. It could be that your previous volunteer coordinator moved away, leaving an empty seat at the team table. Or, perhaps your nonprofit has never hired a volunteer coordinator before and is now in a position to make that advancement.

Whatever the reason, there will be certain qualities and qualifications to look out for as you begin interacting with applicants. Let’s break it down.

What’s their “why”?

We’ve all heard this question in interviews: “Why are you applying for this position?” True, the question is an old one. However, in mission-driven work, it’s critical to understand a volunteer coordinator’s “why”.

There is no right answer, but at the very minimum, the position must mean more than a paycheck. For example, maybe they thrive in fast-paced work settings, or they love organizing groups of people to make a difference.

Volunteer management is hard work, and if there isn’t a value-packed reason why the person is showing up to work every day…they may one day not show up. Ask around, and I’m sure someone on your team will have some kind of insight into volunteer coordinator burnout. Which reminds me – once you find the perfect fit for the role, do your best to support and appreciate their work.

Communication skills

A volunteer coordinator will be in constant communication. The role requires close collaboration with the rest of the team, as well as with the volunteer base.

When interviewing an applicant, pay attention to how the conversation flows. Do they seem to follow the conversation easily, understanding your questions and engaging with them? Can you easily understand the heart of what they are saying when they speak with you? How personable do they seem? (We’ll get to that in just a moment.)

This is important because your team will need to convey short term and long term goals to the volunteer coordinator. Then, the volunteer coordinator will need to efficiently communicate those goals to the volunteers, synthesized through meaningful tasks, projects, and volunteer roles.

If an applicant has experience in teaching, tutoring, coaching, or some other kind of instruction, that is a great sign of their communication skills. Remember – their experiences in previous, seemingly unrelated jobs are relevant as long as they gained transferable skills from those experiences.

An authentic, inviting personality

We all want to work with a team of complementary personalities – hello amazing work banter! But in some positions, an amiable personality goes a longer way than in other positions.

Think of it this way – a volunteer donates their time and effort into furthering your cause. Volunteers are motivated by the joy of the work and the collective impact of volunteer efforts. Volunteers who are intrinsically motivated will be very much turned off by an unpleasant coordinator.

Personality traits to be cautious of include passive aggressiveness, a quick temper, inconsistency between what they say and what they do, and tendencies toward blame rather than accountability.

It can be difficult to spot any of these qualities during an interview, when they are (hopefully) at their most behaved. This is where references come in handy. As previous employers how this person behaved under pressure or in stressful environments.

On the flip side, look for strengths and skills that shine through in their personality. Are they welcoming and understanding, yet firm when needed? How well do they listen?

All this said, give your volunteer coordinator room to have an authentic personality – their own, beautiful, unique magic! Speaking from experience, I’ve personally continued volunteering at organizations much longer than intended, just because my volunteer coordinator was the glowing sun personified.

Well-Organized

A volunteer coordinator can be perfect in every way, but if they are not organized, they might soon be overwhelmed by the commotion of the job.

Generally, volunteer coordinators are responsible for creating programs for volunteers, recruiting volunteers, orientation schedules, applicant tracking, shift scheduling, on-site leadership, and more.

With so many moving parts to the job, it’s important to look for signs of orderliness in behaviors. Do they keep a personal calendar? Do they show up promptly and on-time when expected? How are their email exchanges – sporadic or reliable? What is their familiarity with basic data management (not necessarily a requirement, but a huge perk!). Do they enjoy multi-tasking, or do they prefer to focus on one priority at a time? (There are no right answers to that question, but pay attention to their reasoning behind their answer.)

As mentioned before, volunteer coordinators are a critical team member of any growing, volunteer-powered nonprofit. Pull all the stops to keep them happy, well supported, and doing their best work. Sometimes, that means giving them the right tools and resources (and coffee…don’t forget the coffee).

So, full disclosure, this is where I recommend VolunteerLocal for easy, intuitive, organized volunteer management. For the peace of my own conscience, I should explain that my recommendation is more than just a plug.

At VolunteerLocal, we work with numerous clients transitioning from mega-monster spreadsheets and folders to our streamlined, web-based platform. My recommendation stems from the favorite part of my job – when I hear a volunteer coordinator’s sigh of relief (followed fast by celebration). Request a free 1:1 demo any time you like. We’ll be glad to share the magic with your team.

There are many other qualities you might be looking for in a new team member, but these four are what many organizations consider “core” to the new volunteer coordinator’s success in the role. I wish you the very best of luck finding that new team member. They’re sure to be a dynamic addition to the organization.

7 Categories of Online Nonprofit Courses + Why You Need Them

September 24, 2020 Matt Hugg

Working for a nonprofit, whether as a staff member or a volunteer, opens a wide variety of opportunities. You can make a meaningful difference in the world in an area you love. To make the most effective impact, however, you need effective training and education in a wide range of areas. To see the bigger picture and where your important work fits in, consider education in these seven areas:

Mission.

Nonprofits are all about their missions. As a volunteer or staff member, you’re likely there because of the mission. But it’s not good enough to say, “I want to stop cancer because my grandmother had it,” or “I enjoy music and I want others to, too.” That’s good. It’s well-intended. But it’s not what the people who benefit from your mission deserve. They deserve expertise.

Becoming expert in your mission’s discipline enables you and your colleagues to see beyond the obvious benefits of your nonprofit’s role. You work for a concert hall and enjoy music. Great, but why? Are there psychological benefits? What determines your audience’s preferred genre? How does the business of music impact what you can offer and when?

It’s a good idea to direct your nonprofit team (both paid staff and volunteers) toward any online courses relating to your nonprofit mission so that each individual has a solid foundation of knowledge to build from. The more expertise you build, the better you can offer exactly what your clients want and need.

Empathy.

And speaking of clients, what are their lives like? It’s essential to see your mission from your client’s point-of-view. If you work in a home for people with spinal cord injuries, can you work a day in a wheelchair? Now you see the physical barriers and emotional obstacles in their life from their point-of-view. You may not be able to see everything, but you get a taste of what you need to do to serve them better. Your empathy will give power to your advocacy.

That being said, you might want to invest in some high-quality online courses to better educate your team on your client base.

Revenue

Nonprofits run on revenue. Don’t be afraid of this. There’s a revenue-earning method for every nonprofit, and every personality. Start with knowing your options, and determine what makes an option best for you. Do you have volunteers who love to go to parties? Consider events – whether in person or virtual. How about entrepreneurs? Maybe your nonprofit should consider a business venture, like a thrift shop? Are you writing geeks? Then grants.

And don’t be afraid to volunteer to help raise money. Consider that in the worst-case scenario, you might have to ask. But how long does it take to say, “can you help our mission with a gift….?” And for your prospect to respond? Ten seconds, tops. But you even don’t have to do that to help. Can you provide an introduction? Can you give a tour? Can you write a thank-you note? There are LOTS of ways to help raise money that has nothing to do with asking.By providing access to powerful online resources about fundraising and revenue-building to educate your team, you can ensure everyone knows how they can help most effectively.

Accounting

You have money from all that great revenue generation. Now it’s time to spend it, right? Not so fast. You have a budget, and maybe that’s a pledge over time, so there’s cash flow to worry about. It’s essential to grasp the basics of how money moves through your organization. But it doesn’t end there. For a nonprofit, accounting is about more than budgets and cash flow. It’s about transparency.

If world peace was declared on the same day someone accused your nonprofit of misspending funds, which would take the headline? Peace would wait.

In the end, nonprofit accounting is about the public’s trust. It’s never enough to say you spent your money right. You have to prove it through proper nonprofit accounting. And to avoid mistakes and scandals like these, it’s a good idea to make sure your whole team has a basic knowledge of key accounting basics such as through educational online resources.

Technology

Technology isn’t about big information systems anymore. It’s about having the skills to express your nonprofit’s mission through a PowerPoint, or sending out a short video about your nonprofit’s latest accomplishment on Facebook. Can you leverage the latest program to ask for donations through a text message, or hold a committee meeting on video?

These aren’t optional skills anymore. Luckily, there’s an online course or two available for pretty much any tech skill you might need to learn!

Marketing

It annoys a lot of people to think that everything is about marketing, but it is. How you answer the phone. The signature line on your email. What you tell your neighbor about your nonprofit. The furniture in your waiting room. They all form an impression of your mission and your competence to deliver that mission – whether your phone-answering skills have anything to do with your mission or not!

But nonprofits carry a special burden in their marketing. While in most businesses, the person or company who pays for your service or product is the same one who uses it, chances are in a nonprofit, they’re different. The “customer” using the service, whether you call that person a client, patient, student, constituent, or something else, pays at most just a part of the service provided. Others tend to pay the rest.

For example, a homeless person probably won’t be asked to pay for their night’s lodging in the shelter. The nonprofit would ask a donor or earn the money through their annual holiday ball. Even students at nonprofit-backed universities or patients at nonprofit hospitals don’t pay the full cost of the services provided. Donors, bookstores, gift shops, food service, and insurance, and donors all pick up some of the tab.

So, it’s not just that a nonprofit does marketing, it’s important to consider to whom they are marketing – the one who uses the service, or the one who pays for it. The right online resources can help you make those distinctions and learn more about implementing an effective marketing strategy.

Leadership

By their nature, nonprofits are about leadership. All nonprofits exist to address, and take leadership, in some area that either government or businesses don’t. Was there a disaster? The Red Cross is on the ground. Is pollution running into a neighborhood creek? Look for your local watershed association to take the lead. Does your school need a playground? How about the parent-teacher organization?

There’s also leadership within your nonprofit. Nonprofits are known for being very “flat” organizationally. In other words, when compared to business and government, there tend to be fewer people in the hierarchy. Why? There’s great pressure to put as much as possible into the mission itself.

What’s that have to do with leadership? Ever hear a nonprofit worker say, “I wear many hats”? Nonprofit staff and volunteers are asked to take on many more responsibilities than the equivalent person in other organizations. Therefore, in some form or another, everyone is a leader in some aspect of their work. They may not be standing at the head of the organization, shouting “charge!” but they could be one volunteer leading a team of others, or a staff person leading a team of staff and volunteers on a special project. In nonprofits, there’s leadership room for everyone.

And what encourages nonprofit volunteers and staff members to take the next step to becoming nonprofit leaders? You guessed it—online courses.

So here’s the big question: can you run, work or volunteer for a nonprofit without the above? It’s possible, but as you get to know your clients and their needs, you’ll want to serve them more effectively.

You’ll want more expertise in your mission, to see things through your community’s eyes, find money to do more, build the public’s trust in your work, use technology more efficiently, communicate your mission farther and wider, and better lead your team.

It won’t happen all at once, but it can happen by embracing ongoing education for you, your friends, and your colleagues.

About the Author: Matt Hugg

Matt Hugg is an author and instructor in nonprofit management in the US and abroad. He is president and founder of Nonprofit.Courses (https://nonprofit.courses), an on-demand, eLearning educational resource for nonprofit leaders, staff, board members and volunteers, with hundreds of courses in nearly every aspect of nonprofit work.

VolunteerLocal Product Updates: 5 New Features to Support Your Work

September 17, 2020September 17, 2020 kaylee@volunteerlocal.com

What a year this has been.

Our team at VolunteerLocal has been hard at work, enhancing our product to better serve our customers during this unique time and for years to come. The last six months have brought a slew of new features and functions, many of which are included at all plan levels.

I’ve outlined these new features below and encourage you to reach out via the form below with questions, feedback or to schedule a video call with someone on our team.

Volunteer Applications

You can now build a centralized application that all volunteers complete as a part of your sign-up process.

The application can include unlimited questions of varying formats, including file uploads and profile pictures.
Volunteers who are approved can self-schedule into events using their first name and email address. Yes, we are a still a password-less platform!
Existing volunteer records can be imported directly into an applicant-pool.

Application Status

Applicants can be assigned a status value to be used for tracking and limiting access to shifts. We call this an “application status.”

Volunteer statuses drive later eligibility. For example, a profile status of “Approved” can be required for volunteers to register for events.
A volunteer’s status value can be used to allow or deny the volunteer’s ability to schedule a shift. For example, a status of “Denied” would keep a volunteer from seeing an event’s shifts.
Available statuses can be customized to fit your workflow: Approved, Denied, Pending, etc.

Background Checks

We know that many volunteer positions require a background check, and we’ve partnered with a company called Verified First to provide affordable, integrated background checks through VolunteerLocal.

Verified First has a Chrome extension (download it here) that integrates directly into your VolunteerLocal Report.
Volunteers’ background check results are visible within the report, and will automatically “expire” after a specific time-frame (1-3 years, depending on your state requirements).

Qualifications

Volunteers can indicate their special skills, interests or certifications at the time of application, or this data can be maintained exclusively by administrators. Qualifications can be used to determine which jobs are visible to a volunteer.

Qualifications can be unique to your organization. For example, electrical work, a CDL driver’s license, or a massage therapist.
Jobs can require one or more qualification(s) – those positions are only visible to volunteers who are eligible/qualified to do them.

Template Messaging – Emails and Texts

You can now create (and save) template messages, for both email and SMS.

Template messages can be sent to individual volunteers from within their profiles.
These templates can include smart-tags: first name, last name, job info, volunteer profile link, etc.
Templates can be visible to other administrative users, but the ability to edit a template can be restricted to just the primary administrators.

These are just some of the changes we’ve rolled out in the last few months, but by far the most significant. Each offers unique benefits and we hope you can take advantage of them!

If you want to learn more about these features on your own time, check out our FAQ and YouTube Channel.

Did you know we have a weekly newsletter that specifically highlights our product? Subscribe to our Friday Tips Series newsletter here.

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