Adventures in Fundraising: Board Leadership

I recently joined my friend and colleague Janeal Ford of Fordable Fundraising for a Facebook live discussion on Adventures in Fundraising: Board Leadership in Challenging Times. Give it a watch!

GUEST POST: Five reasons your website is your best marketing tool right now

It seems like every nonprofit is asked to do more with less, year after year. With bad stereotypes out there around overhead expenses, the need to continue diversifying income streams, and running lean teams with sometimes few or no paid staff, marketing is often the first expense on the chopping block. 

And now, here in 2020 with the Coronavirus Pandemic changing almost every facet of our lives, marketing is a messy topic. To market or not to market? To ask or not to ask? Move our events online? Cancel everything? Beg for money? No one knows the right way to approach all of this because guess what, no one has done this before. I fear many nonprofits are going to let their marketing plans fall by the wayside in search of quick results and that will, I’m afraid, turn out to be a terrible decision in the long run. 

But, even if your nonprofit is planning to slash the marketing budget and cut back, your websites should remain in place and active (pay those renewals, no matter what!). And lucky for you, your biggest (and best) marketing asset is versatile and online, which is where everyone else is, too.

There are probably many more reasons I could add to this list but for now, here are five reasons your website is your best marketing tool right now.

1: You can update the content as much as needed and adapt quickly as things change.

Have you ever printed a brochure or traditional marketing piece and immediately found a mistake? With your website, you can update your content as often as needed so your visitors can find what they need, find something useful they didn’t know they needed, and send a big signal to Google that your website is the best place for people to find information on your topic or service area.

The current COVID-19 crisis is a perfect example of how your website can help you adapt and pivot when things change daily. No one is out printing brochures right now about their Coronavirus response (at least I hope they’re not). But before you go adding a ton of new information about the current situation, you need to make sure the standard content is on target and serving your audience. 

Take a look at your homepage with a fresh perspective. One of the biggest mistakes I see nonprofits make is focusing their website on what they do instead of why they do it. 

 For example, if your website tells me that you provide after school care for kids, great. That’s nice. But if your website tells me that you give kids a safe place to do homework, have a snack, and make friends instead of going home to an empty house….now that’s an impact. 

When we figure out how to talk about the why in our marketing messages, we naturally segue into talking about our impact instead of our programs and services, resulting in less confusion for those not in the trenches with us day-to-day.

To make your website the most effective marketing tool you have, showcase your impact through strategic wording and evidence, emotion-invoking photos, video, and testimonials (or social proof). 

So what does showcasing our impact look like? Here are a few examples of what you could include on your website to better demonstrate your impact: 

✅ Share impactful data (evidence) and include the people behind the numbers with strategic content. People aren’t motivated by stand-alone numbers or numbers they can’t relate to. But the combination of relevant data plus stories is magical. Give your audience a few interesting pieces of data about what you’ve accomplished and then provide a story that goes along with each data point. 

✅ Use emotion-invoking photos and meaningful captions to highlight impactful moments. Great photos that evoke emotion are key to keeping your website visitor reading. But photos by themselves aren’t much help. Ensure each photo has a meaningful caption and demonstrates a key component of your program. 

If you don’t have great photos to use, be sure to read this post about how to use stock photography well and check out the Nonprofit Resource Library for several links to great stock photography websites. 

✅ Make a video of your program in action. When you can demonstrate your program in action, you help the reader visualize how their support will be used. If you include a video on your website:

• Be sure it’s great quality and looks great on both desktop and mobile screens

• Caption the video if at all possible. Most people who watch a video (at least on a smartphone) do not use sound. YouTube offers a free service to caption your video once it’s uploaded! 

• Consider putting your video on YouTube where you can capitalize on the SEO with a great video description and link back to your website donation page. 

✅ Share testimonials and offer social proof. We can tell potential donors over and over again how great our programs are but when they hear it from those who are actually benefitting, it takes it to a whole other level. Be intentional about asking for testimonials whenever you can. Add a form to your website where you can collect them easily. (Check out this YouTube video for help creating a form in Squarespace) 

Testimonials can be from different points of view and it’s okay to change names, where needed. Ask your clients, volunteers, family members of those you serve, and even collaborators to share the impact your nonprofit has on the greater community you serve. Spread those testimonials throughout your website and be sure to add the best one on your donate page!

Once you have really great content on your website that works for any situation, you can start to adapt and update the content based on what’s changing for your organization during this time by adding announcements, new blog post updates, or pop-ups that alert visitors to the changes. 

2: You can bring your traditional marketing materials (and message) online and carry your audience from one platform to the next.

When we coordinate between channels with one specific message, a unified goal, and cohesive branding to pull it all together, our constituents will take notice and we’ll start to set ourselves apart from the crowd. Remember, we’re not just asking for money all the time — we’re asking for someone to come alongside us and help us solve a problem.

✅Make a list of all the current marketing materials you use that are not online. This could be brochures, annual reports, newsletters, etc. This should also include events you host or produce. 

✅Now, how can you incorporate those (or some part of them) into your website? 

• Can you use the text from your brochure to update your website? 

• Can you post the annual report on your website and write a few short paragraphs that talk about the highlights of the report? 

• Can you turn your print newsletters into blog posts? 

• What parts of your event can you bring online? Can you add online registration? Can you post an event recap on your website? Can you collect emails at the event and send a link to the recap page after the event?  

This is the easiest way to create website content - simply reuse what you have already done and adapt it to fit the online space! Don’t forget to provide users with a great online experience by uploading documents in a PDF for easy viewing. And, use as much actual text on the website as you can (versus posting a link to the document or a photo of something) so Google can read all those keywords!

3: You can leverage your social media outreach to move followers from social media to your website (and fix the relationship once and for all).

I bet you didn’t know you were going to get relationship advice here, huh? This is one of the questions I get asked the most -- should we put our social media feeds on our website? 

My answer: Social media feeds?  No. Social media links? Yes. 

Right now, social media is crowded. I’ve never seen this much content from people. It’s great that we have these tools when information is king but it also gets really hard to get your own message across when you’re competing with everyone else. 

In digital marketing, the goal of our social media accounts is typically very different than the goal of our website. We want our social media channels to help us spread awareness of our nonprofits, to recognize key players in our success (volunteers, donors, staff, etc.) and to have a two-way conversation with our people. That’s why we hear so much about social media engagement -- it’s not designed to be a one-way conversation. I also see nonprofits getting caught up in the “like and follow” game where they put a big emphasis on how many likes their page has. And while yes, more likes can mean more people see our message (algorithms be damned), those likes do not necessarily translate into results for our nonprofit. We don’t know for sure that those likes are from people most likely to help us with time or money. 

But with our websites, the goal is very different. This is where we want our audience to do something that moves our mission forward. We want them to donate. We want them to sign up to volunteer. We want them to commit to something. So if we’re using our precious website real estate to show them a social media feed and distract them from the reason they came to the site in the first place, we’re not making any progress toward our goal. 

The idea here is to use our social media to drive people to our website. Once they are there, we can give them even more great information. Continue a story we started on a Facebook post, lead them to an event registration page we posted on Twitter, or help them get directly to our online giving page where they can donate securely (and through our own platform). 

Don’t forget to consider how those links you post on social media appear! You can read this post about social media link previews to help.

4: You can use analytics to better understand your audience and give them more of what they want.

If you have ever advertised on a billboard, radio, or television, you know it’s really hard to track the return on that investment. Sure, the company can give you some demographic information about viewers, traffic, and what they think people are watching and listening to but it’s pretty difficult to know for sure. With social media, we can get really quick statistics on how many saw our posts, who reacted, who followed a link, etc. and switch gears pretty fast. 

But with our website, we hit the jackpot in terms of having solid data to better understand our audience, what they want, and what they’re doing once they land on our website. For example, I can tell you that the majority of my website traffic right now comes into my free Resource Library page, clicks on an average of 2.5 links, and then checks out my About page. 

What do I do with that information? I make sure my most important information for new visitors is on both of those pages. There’s no sense for me to be spending hours updating my services page when those get very little action most of the time. I’m using hard data to make business decisions that impact my bottom line. 

Nonprofits need to be doing the same thing. Google Analytics is free (watch my tutorial video for how to set it up on your site) so there’s no reason not to use it. While the dashboard can be a little daunting at first, it’s important to focus on the following metrics and insights regardless of your overall website goals:

✅Conversion rates -- how many people perform the action you want them to compared to your total number of unique visitors. For example, if your primary goal on your website is to raise more money via online gifts, your conversion rate will track online donations vs. unique visitors. 

✅Unique visitors -- how many unique visitors do you have for a specific time period. 

✅Time spent on site -- one of the big factors Google uses to decide where you land on the search results page is how long visitors have spent on your website. When this number steadily increases, Google knows your visitors are finding valuable content from you and answers to their questions. 

If your website objectives center around raising more money via online donations, other metrics to measure might include:

• Increase referral traffic

• Decrease bounce rates

• Increase email subscribers

• Achieve higher SEO rankings for your top keywords

If your website objectives center around building credibility, awareness of your programs, increasing efficiencies, or simply providing information, other metrics to measure might include: 

• Growing traffic to your blog

• Increasing the number of backlinks to your website

• Increasing the time spent on your site

Setting goals and tracking your progress doesn't have to be difficult or scary - it just has to be intentional. And, you have to start in the right place, which means having the right goals from the very beginning.

You can use my free goal-setting guide to get you started. The guide will walk you through 

• Four questions to ask before you set your goals

• How to choose specific goals

• Important terms to know

• Setting your first goals and planning how to measure them

Before you know it, you'll be on pace to blowing those goals away and setting new ones! Best of all, you'll be maximizing your reach and impact and sharing what you do with those who need it most.

5: You can use your website to grow your email list and benefit from more targeted outreach.

Email has been around since the early to mid-90s and although we’ve come a long way since that “you’ve got mail” time period, email remains one of the primary ways we communicate every single day. 

Did you know?

• 99% of us check email every day

• Emails reach most of the people they’re intended for (unlike many other tools we have available to use)

• ROI of email marketing is 28.5% better than direct mail

 But, it’s not all great news! 53% of consumers say they get too many irrelevant emails from brands. And, our email platforms make it easy to get rid of emails fast (swipe to delete, unsubscribe, report as spam, etc.)

So how do we get more emails to take advantage of this marketing tool? We use our website to build the case as to why someone should trust us enough to let us in their inbox.  And this goes beyond asking people to subscribe to our newsletter (which is very ineffective, by the way). We need to give them a reason to subscribe -- what will we deliver that’s of value to them? 

One way is to create something free you can give away in exchange for their email address. This is easier for businesses (hello promo codes and free shipping offers) but it’s not impossible for nonprofits. I have a free resource you can download with opt-in ideas right here >>> Opt-In Ideas for nonprofits

Or, you can use your opt-in form to make the case as to why someone should trust you and subscribe. If you go back to my home page, you’ll see how I’ve done this right at the top of the page. (Did you get this awesome guide by the way?) 

Many nonprofits hold back on using email because they don’t think their list is big enough to matter. I wholeheartedly disagree. It’s better to have a smaller email list full of people who want to hear from you regularly than a big list of people who are not engaged and have no intention of supporting your organization. Plus, I bet if you start with adding your board members, regular volunteers, staff, corporate partners, etc. you have a pretty decent list already (be sure to always ask permission before adding someone to your list). 

Once you have a solid email list (remember, small is fine), you’ll need to 

✅Understand and plan for how emails fit into your overall marketing strategy

✅Carefully plan your email messages and schedule them to stay consistent

✅Decide which metrics matter and measure them regularly

And keep in mind, an unsubscribe is not the worst thing in the world. If someone unsubscribes, don’t sweat it. You can check out the Free Resource Library for more email-related resources, too.

My biggest advice to nonprofits right now is to not panic. I know that’s easier said than done but it’s critical that we take the long-view in this situation. Your community needs you and the work you do, and if you panic and make rash decisions, you’re likely to jeopardize your sustainability. Do what you know how to do. Reach out personally to your loyal donors and have conversations about what you need and how they can help. Be strategic about what you do now - not everything that was canceled has to be replaced. And of course, use that beautiful website of yours to keep sharing the incredible work you’re doing.

Until next time, keep making a great first impression online,

Andrea

P.S. One way you can save time and eliminate some stress is by using the templates in my Nonprofit Template Shop. If you’re a nonprofit and need help creating marketing materials that will set your nonprofit apart but lack the time or design skills, there’s a template to help you. Plus, you can use the promo code BLOG to save $5 on any purchase of $19 or more.

Guest author bio:

Andrea Shirey is a nonprofit executive and experienced fundraiser turned website designer and online marketing guru for nonprofits. She helps nonprofits grow their impact and reach more people without breaking the budget. And, she teaches clients big and small about how to use digital marketing tools without being intimidated by technology. Andrea recently launched the Nonprofit Template Shop to help nonprofits create affordable marketing materials with less stress! You can see more of what Andrea has to offer nonprofits at oneninedesign.net

FREE Webinar: Managing the Virtual Board Meeting

Do you want to improve the effectiveness and productivity of your team's next virtual Board meeting? Join me on April 30 at 1pm for a FREE webinar in partnership with Dennis C Miller entitled

"Managing the Virtual Board Meeting: Board Leadership During a Time of Crisis."

Register below and join the discussion!

Nonprofit Leadership During Times of Crisis

I recently joined host Sabrina Sciscente on her podcast Fundraising Superheroes. We had a great discussion about nonprofit leadership during times of crisis, including action planning, relationship building, and the importance of maintaining a healthy mentality. Give it a listen!

4 Lessons Learned From the Paycheck Protection Program (So Far!)

Over the past few weeks, I have advised many nonprofit leaders as they considered and applied for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) created by the CARES Act. As a newly created forgivable loan program, we have all learned a great deal during this process. With the announcement from the Small Business Administration (SBA) that appropriated funds for the program have been exhausted, I thought it would be a good time to pause and reflect on lessons learned so far from the PPP process that might help nonprofits if and when the program reopens.

1 Prepare.

The single most important factor in getting nonprofits approved under the PPP in a timely fashion is preparation. While the PPP application itself is straightforward, and can be completed online in a matter of minutes, preparing to file the application requires the gathering of appropriate documentation, and attention to detail. Nonprofit leaders should ensure they have the following supporting documentation when applying (where available):

• Salary and Wage Information:

  • Company w-2s, quarterly form 941 filings, or payroll company reports

  • Employer Tax Contributions: Forms or payroll reports documenting employer state and local tax contributions

  • Employer Benefit Contributions: Group health insurance plan invoices Retirement plan contribution reports

2. Obtain Board Approval.

At its most basic level, the PPP is a loan program from the federal government administered through individual banks. While the program provides opportunities for all or a portion of the loan amount to be forgiven, nonprofits must understand and accept that any portion not forgiven will be treated as a loan that must be repaid. It is recommended that nonprofit leaders secure Board approval to apply for the loan, and some banks may even request proof through a Board resolution.

3. Select your bank wisely.

There is no way to sugarcoat this -- the bank applicants choose to apply through unquestionably matters. Countless nonprofit leaders have experienced the frustration of broken online portals, lack of responsiveness, repeated requests for the same information already provided. Though it may be an overgeneralization, I have found that smaller, local banks have fared far better in submitting applications in a times fashion, securing approval, and disbursing funds than large mega-banks. Also, while many banks require the organization to have an existing banking relationship in order to apply, that is not universally the case. Banks accepting applications from non-account holders include:

• https://www.fundera.com/

• https://www.fountainheadcc.com/ppp

Nonprofits may also consider applying through Paypal, Intuit, Square, and others.

4. Be meticulous in recordkeeping.

As mentioned earlier, the loan obtained under the PPP may be forgiven if specific conditions are met. While we know what the law says about the amounts that can be forgiven, the rules regarding the forgiveness process have yet to be published. Nevertheless, just as preparation was a key to a successful application, I fully expect meticulous recordkeeping to be a key to a successful request for loan forgiveness. Nonprofits should keep all receipts for amounts paid using loan funds, write hard checks where possible, keep all invoices, and be prepared to produce accurate payroll reports substantiating the use of the loan funds.

While we all await Congressional action relative to funding the PPP, it is my hope these tips provide guidance for you and your organization if and when the PPP again begins funding nonprofits. As always, Nielsen Training & Consulting is here to keep you informed, answer your questions, and partner with you.

Board Leadership in Challenging Times

Highly effective Boards remain informed and engaged throughout the year. However, the need for Board leaders to be appropriately engaged and active is heightened during challenging times. This webinar explores the ways in which nonprofit Boards should respond in times of crisis, such as many are experiencing now with the COVID-19 outbreak.

I recently led a free webinar entitled “Board Leadership in Challenging Times.” I am making the video recording of the webinar available below. If you have questions or would like to discuss ways to deepen the engagement and performance of your Board, let’s connect!

FREE Webinar: Board Leadership in Challenging Times

DATE: Thursday April 9, 2020

TIME: 1pm - 2pm eastern time

PRESENTER: Gregory Nielsen

DESCRIPTION:

• Highly effective Boards remain informed and engaged throughout the year. However, the need for Board leaders to be appropriately engaged and active is heightened during challenging times. This webinar explores the ways in which nonprofit Boards should respond in times of crisis, such as many are experiencing now with the COVID-19 outbreak. Emphasis will be placed on the duties of Board members, and vital role in communications, financial management, staff safety, and governance during times of crisis.

Nonprofits and the CARES Act

This afternoon I spoke with local ABC affiliate WHAS11 News about the impact of COVID-19 on nonprofits and the potential benefits for nonprofits afforded by the CARES Act.

COVID-19: Resources for Nonprofit Leaders: March 27 2020

Nonprofit leaders, Board and staff members, and volunteers — you inspire me with your leadership and sacrifice each day. The survival of nonprofits is about far more than the ability of organizations to continue existing. It is about the survival of communities, the survival of the most vulnerable, the survival of compassion, and the survival of our values.

You are not alone. We are in this together. Below please find a new collection of resources for you this week on a variety of topics. I have also created a webinar on “Board Leadership in Challenging Times.” It provides a roadmap for your Board with actionable steps in the areas of risk management, financial assessment, business continuity and communication planning, and tips for fostering Board involvement in challenging times. If this information and webinar would be helpful for your Board, let’s connect and give your Board the tools and support to lead. I am available to serve as a thought partner, facilitator, or sounding board.

COVID-19: RESOURCES FOR NONPROFIT LEADERS: March 27, 2020

Leadership:

• Two Principles for Leading Your Organization Through the COVID-19 Crisis

  • Source:  Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University

• That Discomfort You’re Feeling Is Grief

  • Source:  Harvard Business Review

Self Care:

• TEN SELF-CARE REQUIREMENTS FOR SUPERVISORS IN THE AGE OF CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)

  • Source: Joe Duffy

Board Role/Governance:

• PODCAST: Board Leadership in Challenging Times

  • Source:  Nonprofit Vision with Gregory Nielsen

Human Resources:

• My Advice On Working From Home – After 10 Years of Doing It Successfully

  • Source: Julia Campbell

Legislation and Advocacy:

• Initial Analysis of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) (S. 748)

  • Source: National Council of Nonprofits

• How Nonprofits Can Utilize the New Federal Laws Dealing with COVID-19

  • Source: Nonprofit Quarterly

Philanthropy:

• Global philanthropic response to COVID-19 approaches $3 billion

  • Source: Candid.org

• It’s Not Torah From Sinai: Historicizing The 5% Payout Orthodoxy In The Midst Of The Covid-19 Crisis

  • Source: HistPhil

Board Leadership in Challenging Times

Board leadership and engagement is vital in challenging times, and there are tangible steps Boards can and should take. Enjoyed leading a webinar today on Board Leadership in Challenging Times. We discussed risk management, financial assessment, business continuity and communication planning, and tips for fostering Board involvement in challenging times. If this information and webinar would be helpful for your Board, let’s connect and give your Board the tools and support to lead.

COVID-19: Resources for Nonprofit Leaders: March 20, 2020

At a time of extraordinary challenge and uncertainty, nonprofit leaders continue to shine brightly, serving their communities in countless ways. I see your commitment and your sacrifice and am grateful. Last week, I shared resources in the areas of leadership, human resources, governance, and philanthropy that many found helpful, and I am doing so again today.

I reiterate to all the amazing nonprofit leaders out there, you are not alone. We are in this together. We may be physically distant, but we are not socially distant. Together we can continue to build and preserve community as servant leaders. I am available to serve as a thought partner, facilitator, or sounding board. By supporting one another and sharing information and ideas, we will get through this together.

COVID-19: RESOURCES FOR NONPROFIT LEADERS: March 20, 2020

Leadership:

• How to Lead Through a Crisis

  • Source:  Center for Creative Leadership

• From Sustainability to Survivability: 5 Steps Nonprofits Must Take to Survive the Coronavirus Pandemic

  • Source:  Steve Zimmerman; Spectrum Nonprofit Services; Nonprofit Leadership Center

• No Business Continuity Plan? Take These 4 Steps

  • Source:  Nonprofit Risk Management Center

Self Care:

• Resources for anxiety and your mental health in a global climate of uncertainty

  • Source: Shine

Board Role/Governance:

• What Nonprofit Board Members Should Be Doing Right Now to Address the COVID-19 Situation

  • Source:  BoardSource

Human Resources:

• A Quick Summary of the New Emergency Leave Law

  • Source: Civitas Strategies

• PODCAST: Developing an Effective Work-From-Home Program

  • Source: Nonprofit Vision

Legislation and Advocacy:

• Nonprofits Seek $60 Billion Federal Aid Package

  • Source: The Chronicle of Philanthropy

Philanthropy:

• A Call to Action: Philanthropy’s Commitment During Covid-19

  • Source: Council on Foundations

Board Orientation Excellence

I recently had the privilege of joining Janeal Ford of Fordable Fundraising for a Facebook Live conversation on developing a Board orientation program for excellence. Take a listen as I talk with Janeal about tangible ways in which you and your Board can develop an orientation program that sets Board members and the Board team up for success.

COVID-19: Resources for Nonprofit Leaders

This is a time of uncertainty, a time of fear, and a time when the challenges of the moment can seem overwhelming. A nonprofit Executive I spoke with yesterday captured the feelings of many when she said, "It feels as though my Board, staff, donors, and volunteers are all looking to me to be a pandemic expert and know exactly how to respond." As nonprofits around the country navigate new and rapidly changing realities, leaders are discussing:

• Operational contingencies

• Loss of funding

• Potential shifts in Board meetings

• Policy changes to address the wellbeing of staff members and those served by the mission

• Status of upcoming events

To all the amazing nonprofit leaders out there, you are not alone. We are in this together. Helpful resources are being created to provide guidance during these uncertain times and I have pulled some of them together in one place for you as links below. As we navigate these choppy waters together, I am available to serve as a thought partner, facilitator, or sounding board. By supporting one another and sharing information and ideas, we will get through this together.

COVID-19: RESOURCES FOR NONPROFIT LEADERS

Leadership:

• Leading in a Pandemic

  • Source:  Civitas Strategies

• How To Quickly Set Up A Work-From-Home Program

  • Source:  Skye HR Consulting

• Running Effective Virtual #Nonprofit Meetings: 9 Best Practices for Facilitating Engagement

  • Source:  Beth Kanter

Board Role/Governance:

• Nonprofit Governance: Coronavirus and COVID-19

  • Source:  Nonprofit Law Blog

Legislation and Advocacy:

• An Appeal to Congress to Include Nonprofits in Packages for Relief and Stimulus

  • Source: Nonprofit Quarterly

Role of Funders and Philanthropic Response:

• 6 Steps for Grant Makers to Take Now to Ensure Nonprofits Recover From Coronavirus Spread

  • Source: The Chronicle of Philanthropy

• Coronavirus ‘Rapid Response’ Funds Proliferate as Threat Grows

  • Source:  The Chronicle of Philanthropy

Board and Executive Leadership: Coronavirus and COVID-19

The integral role of the Board in leading and partnering with the Executive and staff is heightened and magnified in times of crisis and uncertainty. As nonprofits around the country navigate new and rapidly changing realities, Board members must be active and engaged leaders. Boards should partner with the Executive to discuss:

• Operational contingencies

• Potential shifts in Board meetings

• Policy changes to address the wellbeing of staff members and those served by the mission

• Status of upcoming events

The article below from Gene Takagi of NEO Law Group highlights many of these issues and provides solid tips for Boards to consider. As we navigate these choppy waters together, we are available to serve as a thought partner, facilitator, or sounding board to discuss the unique needs of your organization.

*NEW* Signature Program: Mission Ambassadors

What if your Board and staff members embraced their role as advocates and ambassadors for the mission? Imagine the enhanced awareness of your mission and impact!

Excited to announce the launch of a NEW Signature Program — Mission Ambassadors. This engaging and highly interactive workshop hones effective speaking techniques while empowering Board and staff members to develop their personal meaningful message and gain skills to serve as excited and effective ambassadors for your mission. Mission Ambassadors can be delivered in a variety of lengths and formats, and is highly customizable for your needs. Click below to discuss bringing Mission Ambassadors to your organization!

Board Ambassadors

What if your Board members embraced their role as advocates and ambassadors for the mission? Enjoying a great day with the talented Board and Staff leaders of Evergreen Life Services leading a workshop on “Developing Board Ambassadors.”

CASA Day at the Capitol -- Strategy in Action!

Last year, I was honored to facilitate the strategic planning process for Kentucky CASA Network. The talented Board and Staff leaders set a bold goal to develop and host a “CASA Day at the Capitol” to build relationships and advocate for the vital mission of CASA. Yesterday, that vision and planning became reality, as more than 120 CASA leaders and volunteers engaged in meetings with legislators and raised awareness. Love seeing leaders embrace a bold, thoughtful strategic plan and translate that vision into reality. Well done Kentucky CASA Network!

Tips for a Successful Board Orientation

Imagine for a moment that two employees begin similar jobs on the same day. One employee receives a book, and instructions to read it in order to learn about the job responsibilities and company. The other employee meets with the CEO and key individuals within the organization who provide information, address questions, and provide a pathway for future conversations. Which employee would you expect to be more effective in their new endeavor? Most would agree that the employee who enjoyed a more personalized experience will be better equipped to thrive. Introducing new members to your nonprofit board team is no different.

Board orientation is an important but overlooked component of the overall effort to develop “Board Champions.” We often spend a lot of time discussing our expectations of board members and where we will look to recruit these leaders, but far less time on how we will ensure that they are put in a position to excel once they join the team. Offering a new board member a comprehensive introduction is essential and invaluable to an organization. A thoughtful approach to nonprofit board orientation provides a thorough understanding of the mission of the nonprofit and individual roles and responsibilities.

Do all board members need an orientation, even the seasoned ones?

Knowing how to be an effective nonprofit board member is a learning experience. No one is born with this gift. It requires an investment of time and effort from the organization, existing board leaders, and the new board member. The benefit to new board members is obvious. However, even the most seasoned board members, who have served on nonprofit boards in the past, need to become familiar with the lay of the land to ensure they understand the objectives of the organization and the role they will play. There is also value in board members sharing a common experience through the orientation process, as it becomes part of the board culture and way of welcoming and introducing members to the team so they might be successful.

What should we include in our nonprofit board orientation?

Effective orientations include:

• History of the organization

• Organizational structure

• Current programs/projects

• Strategic direction

• Financial overview

• Goals and expectations

• Housekeeping (e.g., how often does the board meet? When? Where? Committees?)

Any other tips for an effective nonprofit board orientation program?

• There is no replacement for in-person communication. Effective orientation for a new board member includes time spent with the CEO, board and staff leaders.

• A thoughtful orientation session should also include and highlight the organization’s compelling plans and vision for the future. This is a golden opportunity to inspire the passion and imagination of the new board member, one that will serve to inspire rather than impose commitment. Your board members are ambassadors for the organization – give them the tools to inspire others!

• Consider creating a mentoring program that will pair the new board member with an existing, effective board member who can instill confidence, provide insight and share experience. This can be a powerful tool and can go a long way in developing meaningful relationships and cohesion among board members.

Developing a highly effective board doesn’t happen overnight, but is the product of intentionality, engagement, and effort. That’s why I created Board Champions — a customizable board development program designed to partner with you in building a board team capable of translating bold vision into reality. If you’d like to learn more about nonprofit board orientation or other aspects of building and leading a dynamic board, let’s connect!

Upcoming Events: Week of February 17

Excited to share that I will be participating in 2 FREE web events this week!

• On Tuesday, February 18 from 7 - 7:30 PM eastern time, I will be joining host Janeal Ford on “Adventures in Fundraising.” The topic will be Building a Board Orientation Program for Excellence. Learn strategies for developing an orientation program that places your Board members in the best position to succeed in advancing your mission. We will cover the roles of Board and staff in the process, questions and topics to address, and learn a vastly underutilized orientation strategy to elevate the performance and engagement of your Board members. You can participate on Facebook Live HERE.

• On Thursday, February 20 from 2-3 PM eastern time, I will be leading a FREE live webinar for Bloomerang entitled “Demystifying Donor Advised Funds.” This workshop discusses donor advised funds, how they differ from private foundations, tips for engagement, critiques and potential reforms. This webinar will be recorded for future viewing. If you can't make it, go ahead and register anyway. You'll receive the recording a little later. Click below to register for this FREE webinar!

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Upcoming FREE Webinar: Demystifying Donor Advised Funds

Excited to share that on February 20 from 2-3pm eastern time, I will be leading a FREE live webinar for Bloomerang entitled “Demystifying Donor Advised Funds.”

A Donor Advised Fund (DAF) is a giving vehicle established at a public charity. It allows donors to make a charitable contribution, receive an immediate tax deduction and then recommend grants from the fund over time. Today, they are philanthropy’s fastest growing vehicle, accounting for 3% of all giving. This workshop discusses donor advised funds, how they differ from private foundations, tips for engagement, critiques and potential reforms.

This webinar will be recorded for future viewing. If you can't make it, go ahead and register anyway. You'll receive the recording a little later. Click below to register for this FREE webinar!