This is my second quarterly update for 2021. I've got seven quick updates for you this time:
- If you have a podcast, may I be a guest on your show? Send me a note, and let’s set it up.
Fundraising vs. Development
What’s the difference between fundraising and development? Some people say it’s just a matter of semantics. They may be right. But I think there’s a distinction that’s worth noting.
Fundraising vs. Development
Fundraising is transactional. It is the transaction of asking for and receiving a gift. Fundraising asks tend to happen on a timeline determined by the organization.
Development is relational. It is the process of developing relationships with donors for long-term, organizational benefit. Gifts may bind the donor to your organization over the entire span of the relationship. This timeline is defined by the donor.
Diversity is quite the hot-button issue these days. But diversity is much more than an overused buzz-word, and diversifying your board is an all-hands-on-deck endeavor.
All the research unanimously suggests that diverse boards make smarter decisions, diversify their donor base, and better serve their communities. The research also shows that the majority of board leadership tends to be homogeneous in composition--over eighty percent white--and more than twenty-five percent of boards lack any people of color.
The game of leadership is played with many moving variables. When looking for board members, it is essential to include people of different backgrounds--differing life experiences that are shaped by race, sex, disability, socioeconomic status, industry experience, and even age. Including those voices on your board is critically important. All those individual perspectives, life experiences, and professional contacts are important for enriching your board’s decision making, and creating a generational impact for your nonprofit.
So how then do you go about diversifying your board? I've got eight steps / suggestions for you:
The Nonprofit SnapCast podcast seeks guests.
We're always looking for philanthropic and nonprofit professionals to share their wisdom on the program. This time, we're keenly looking for people who can talk with me about:
- Setting the stage for 2021 - How should nonprofits be planning?
- Going Mobile (anything related to mobile technologies for nonprofits)
- Effectively using social media
- Staying Virtual (should we go back to in-person working?)
- How funding pressure shapes competition within the organization.
- How to keep staff cooperative, conflict management skills, etc.
If you or someone you know would care to participate, please drop me a line via the Nonprofit SnapCast webpage:
http://nonprofitsnapcast.org/contact-us/
Thank you!
An anonymous benefactor is making a $250 contribution towards (almost) any of the consulting work the Nonprofit Snapshot offers. If we can help your nonprofit with the services we offer in partnership with consultants across the country, please send us a note via our Contact Us form, or via our Nonprofit Snapshot facebook page. This benefit may be applied to any of the work the Nonprofit Snapshot provides, with the exception of "Social Media Shuffling." This is a good opportunity to make use of Nonprofit Snapshot services to help you keep your organization poised for 2021. We originally designed this slate of offerings to help nonprofits get affordable help to weather the storm that is upon us. We remain committed to helping you and your board navigate whatever challenges are ahead. This benefit will expire on October 15, 2020.
I founded The Nonprofit Snapshot with the intention of providing a high-quality, quickly deliverable organizational assessment to nonprofit organizations. It serves as a perfect forerunner to any strategic planning session, board meeting, or in-depth consulting engagement. The Nonprofit Snapshot helps nonprofit organizations examine their overall management practices, and establish their own priorities for growth, sustainability, and risk-management.
I am very happy to announce that the first round of testing of the Nonprofit Snapshot App is at hand. We are looking for a handful of consultants across the country to help us test the tool and make improvements for general release.