Tips on Staying Positive and Motivated

Working for a non-profit is a rewarding, but also very challenging experience. You must deal with critical social issues including poverty, hunger, education, race, and violence day in and day out, which can be very difficult to bear at times. And it’s inevitable that your non-profit work will spill over into your personal life.

When the going gets really tough, it’s important to find ways to stay positive and motivated. Here are some valuable lessons I’ve learned throughout my 30 years in the field that have helped me overcome obstacles both in my personal life and as a non-profit leader.

1. When you feel overwhelmed, try to stay in control. Take one step at a time. Put a small piece of the puzzle into place and then work on the next piece. Don’t try to tackle it all at once.
2. Listen to advice, but make the decision on your own. You should listen to advice but ultimately you have to make the decision by yourself and live with it.
3. All things that happen to you are learning opportunities. Don’t run away from challenges. Challenges allow you to understand and develop as a person and a leader. We learn more from adversity and crisis than we do from our success.
4. Don’t be happy when someone else fails! Why? Because tomorrow you may be the one who fails.
5. Look after yourself. If you don’t, you’ll have a hard time taking care of others. There’s a good reason why they tell you to put your oxygen mask on first and then put one on your child.
6. There is a positive to every situation. You just have to seek it out. When things are going bad, remember they WILL get better.
7. There is a spark of hope, optimism and power in all of us. Try to get in touch with that spark and make it glow.
8. Treat yourself kindly when you screw up. We all make mistakes. Mistakes help us learn and grow. So, try to be good to yourself when you mess something up and take it as a lesson learned.
9. Ready-Fire-Aim is a natural process. You don’t have to understand everything when you start a task or a new job. You just have to trust in the process and learn from doing.

Compassion and passion without competence creates a dysfunctional action. Empathy and compassion are wonderful traits, but to succeed in life and in the non-profit field you also need to develop concrete skills and competencies in order to win.

Legal Pitfalls: 10 Ways to Protect Your Non-profit

by Johanna Garton

There have been many changes to the IRS 990 forms in recent years and the U.S. Congress is beginning to look carefully at the policies and procedures non-profits have in place. So, it’s important to have a well-established governance policy for your non-profit so you don’t find yourself in legal hot water with the government.

I had a chance to talk with Johanna Garton, a fellow Regis University faculty member and lawyer who specializes in non-profit law, about some of the legal pitfalls non-profits might face.

This week, I’d like to share some items Garton suggested non-profits look at as part of a good governance policy. Some of these items are required by law but some are just important for the solid functioning of a non-profit organization.

1. Code of ethics. Developing a general statement of principles for your organization can be a worthwhile and enlightening exercise. Laying out in writing the values that are important to you, your donors, and your supporters will help you better understand your organization and the commitment you make to the community.
2. Conflict of interest policy. Does your non-profit make every effort to avoid not only conflicts of interest, but also the appearance of conflicts? If not, take the time to discuss this issue with staff and board members, and design an appropriate statement about such potential conflicts.
3. Document retention and destruction. How you handle critical and confidential documents is just as important as what is contained within those documents. Staff, board, and volunteers should be trained on a regular basis on how to handle and destroy both paper and electronic files.
4. Insurance issues. Your organization should regularly review your insurance for directors and officers (commonly called D and O insurance), as well as general liability coverage and, if needed, look at special event coverage or protection for any inventory you may have.
5. Whistleblower policy. To ensure that those reporting any wrongdoing by your organization not face retaliation, the implementation of a whistleblower policy is critical. In creating such a document, your organization also provides clarity on the steps to be taken should someone within your organization seek to report suspected bad acts.
6. Gift acceptance. With so many ways for individuals and organizations to give funds to your agency, it is useful and often fortuitous to have a gift acceptance policy in place. Work with your development staff and a financial advisor to adopt a policy that will allow for a wide variety of gifts to be evaluated before they are accepted or turned down.
7. General steps toward transparency. We have all heard the buzzword “transparency” in the past several years. But how can you really achieve this goal? A few simple steps, such as ensuring that visitors to your website have access to your most recent 990 and your annual report, are valuable first steps.
8. Nondiscrimination policies. Employment-related claims are by far the most common reason non-profits end up in court. This is an area in which extensive work needs to be done by most organizations. A good way to begin is by reviewing and updating your organization’s nondiscrimination policy. Also, many private foundations and funding sources are requiring a nondiscrimination policy.
9. Lobbying regulations. Non-profits have not only the opportunity, but also the responsibility to educate the public about their work through advocacy efforts. Don’t shy away from meaningful work in this area because you are unsure about lobbying regulations. Here’s another area where board, staff, and volunteers should be briefed annually.
10. Financial oversight and fundraising procedures. It should go without saying that non-profits should strive to maintain diligent accounting practices and maintain clarity around current fundraising procedures. Doing so will put your organization and your donors at ease.

Johanna Garton is a trained attorney who has spent her career in the field of non-profit management. Her email address is: Johanna at missionworksconsulting dot com.

How to Lobby for Your Non-profit

As we all know, the United States is experiencing some tough economic times. Most states are running significant deficits that will likely force them to cut millions — in many cases billions — of dollars in services. Because of this, non-profits will probably see a decrease in government funding in the next year or so. Some states (Louisiana comes to mind) are even looking into taxing properties owned by non-profit groups as a way to generate needed revenue.

This summer I am teaching a graduate class at Regis University on non-profit public policy/advocacy. I must say, I find the reluctance of non-profits to get involved in public policy very damaging to this sector. Public policy and advocacy should be front and center on all non-profits’ agendas. The question is not whether non-profits should get involved in public policy but how FAST. If we do not get more involved, our sector as a whole and the 1.4 million non-profits in this country will lose billions of dollars of support, which will directly impact the millions of people non-profits are helping every day.

Let’s look at some of the key reasons why we must become involved in lobbying for our causes NOW.

1. We can make a difference in so many ways to help fulfill our mission regardless of whether it is in human services, arts and culture, health care, international affairs, etc.
2. Lobbying helps assure that we have a strong democratic system in America. Almost every social change issue in America has been championed by non-profit organizations. The non-profit sector acts as the guarantor that our democratic way of life continues.
3. The government allows and encourages tax exempt 501 (c) (3) organizations to get involved in lobbying for legislation, referendums, and initiatives. If you want to spend 20 percent of the first $500,000 of your budget on lobbying all you need to do is file an H Election form with the IRS.
4. The laws will change if people change the laws. There is a legacy of people and groups who fought to pass civil rights legislation, changes in women’s rights, etc. I was intimately involved in the passage of the Community Reinvestment Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. You too can get involved in making change happen at the government level.
5. Decision-makers need our opinions and views. Senators and representatives rely on non-profit organizations to provide the testimony and expertise that helps them make intelligent decisions. Non-profit organizations are close to the grassroots and generally understand the issues best.
6. Lobbyists can help find solutions to difficult problems. Most non-profits are very close to their issues and contingency and understand the solutions much better than politicians. Non-profits therefore need to be heard in order to effectively shape legislative initiatives.
7. Lobbying is simple and usually means making phone calls, sending e-mails, periodically testifying, and talking to your friends and neighbors. There are a few rules that you need to adhere to. (If you want the rules of what a non-profit can legally do in terms of lobbying email info@richardmale.com.
8. Lobbying is critical to the survival of the nonprofit sector. Approximately 75 percent of all dollars coming into the non-profit sector stem from public support. We need to make sure that these dollars support the organizations that are truly committed to helping. In addition, there are constant threats to the sector from for-profit corporations and government agencies that do not want to see non-profits succeed.
9. Lobbying is helpful to the people that we serve. Every strategy that you use as part of a public policy campaign (e.g., phone calls, e-mails, testifying, visits) will help you accomplish your mission.
10. Lobbying will help build trust between non-profits and the key decision makers in our communities. Every time we lobby we are helping to educate and inform decision makers. This is extremely helpful in building a trusting relationship with them.

How to Write a Good Fundraising Appeal Letter

Spring is the season when we feel optimistic about raising new money. And many organizations link their spring appeal letters to themes such as Mother’s Day or tax day.

This year, with the economy in a downturn, you need to be extra strategic and focused when writing and developing your fundraising appeal letter. Now, more than ever, it’s important that the letter speaks to the organization’s passion and impact as well as the desires and motivations of the donors.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at how you can create an extra special and very successful fundraising appeal letter this year.

1. Understand the audience that you are writing for and make a distinction between existing donors and ones that you are prospecting. With existing donors you’ll want to emphasize their past support and how critical their future support is. With new donors spend more time introducing the organization and how they can make an impact.
2. Explain the benefits to the donor, don’t just appeal for money. Most donors will contribute because it makes them feel good to help others, but sometimes they expect to receive a gift as part of their gift (such as a free book or a hand-made card).
3. Make the letter exciting and passionate. Tell stories and/or include quotes from the people you’re helping to elicit the donor’s emotions. Make the letter interesting by underlining or highlighting key words.
4. Look at the whole package and not just the appeal letter. Make sure the envelope looks enticing so the donor will WANT to open it. And, if possible, handwrite the envelopes and include a REAL stamp. Include a return envelope and reply form.
5. Don’t worry about the length of the letter. If the donor is interested, she will read it no matter how long it is. Write the letter as long as you think it takes to really tell your story.
6. Always portray a sense of urgency without crisis when asking for money. The competition is too stiff not to tell the reader the critical needs you have and the impact their money will make NOW.
7. Proofread, Proofread, and Proofread. Always have an editor or two review your letter. Remember to avoid the use of abbreviations and acronyms.
8. Personalize the letter. Do not address the letter “Dear Sir.” Make sure you address the letter to a specific person and write a little note on top of the first page of the letter that says something like “Thanks for your previous support”, “or “Have a great spring.”
9. Follow up the direct mail appeal letter with a phone call from your board members and/or volunteers. This will greatly increase the success rate of the mailing and if the donor or prospect knows the person making the call then your success rate will increase even more.

Make sure you follow up within 48 hours of a gift with a thank-you note or phone call to show your appreciation.

How to Engage Board Members to Raise Money

People do not join non-profit boards of directors to raise funds. They join to “change the world” and make a difference in something in their community.

But one of the most important functions of the board of directors is to raise money for the non-profit organization. And since most boards abdicate this responsibility and delegate it to the executive director, the next most important aspect of their position is to make sure that the executive director is motivated and skilled in the process of raising money. However, the executive director cannot do this alone and needs to work in partnership with the board to effectively increase the visibility and outreach of the organization and to bring in money and resources to develop services.

This week, let’s look at some strategies and approaches to engaging board members to raise funds.

1. Ground the board solidly in the vision and mission of the organization as a prerequisite to raising money. Make sure the board members fully understand, appreciate and can present the “30 second elevator speech” of the organization.
2. Role playing with the board will reduce the level of anxiety and fear that people have in asking others for money. Practice in teams of two and go out the first few times in these teams to ask for money.
3. Have the most well-respected member of the board give the board members a pep talk. The board needs to know that by raising money for the organization they create opportunities to change the world.
4. It’s NOT ABOUT THE MONEY. This is really important for people to realize. Obviously it is about the money but you are not just raising money you are giving people an opportunity to participate in a critical program that will make a difference in people’s lives.
5. Have each board member provide three names of people that they will be cultivating throughout the year. When it comes time to do the “ask” have the executive director ask for the money with the board member at the meeting. This is an entirely effective strategy.
6. Don’t forget to ask your vendors, suppliers, and contractors to make business or personal contributions to your organization. These are people that benefit from your organization and they should give a percentage back to your organization. Don’t forget to ask your bank, your insurance agency, office supply store, travel agent, etc.
7. Provide a tool kit for each board member that includes a business card with their name on it, marketing materials, a fact sheet about the organization, “talking points,” and a list of how their donation will be used broken down by a specific dollar amount.
8. The board chair and officers need to set a good example by making the initial contributions.
9. Don’t encourage tough sells that may turn donors off. Try to convince donors that the organization is a tremendous investment that will return significant dividends to the community.

Make every board member a donor and encourage every donor to become a fundraiser for the organization. Once the person becomes a donor try to help them understand the importance of opening up doors for you to meet their associates and friends who might become future donors.