Snapshots

The ebbs and the flows

2010-09-01T17:52:00.000-07:00

The past year has been an interesting one for me professionally. I got the bug about storytelling. Twitter became a part of my life. I got simple. I tried to pay attention to the seasons in my work and how they impact the tone of what I do. I have stretched and grown and enjoyed the ride.

As of today I start a new chapter of my professional life as the Director of Development and Engagement at the Bay Area Open Space Council. I'm ecstatic to join this organization and the team because it's a beautiful blend of so many important things to me: preserving land in the Bay Area, connecting people to parks, convening and facilitating people and organizations with mutual goals, a very smart and conscientious group of people, and work that is meaningful and intellectually challenging. And the office is a short bike ride from my house. Ha!

If you'd like to follow along, I invite you to visit the Open Space Council's blog. I'm pouring all that I can into my new gig and there isn't much of a drop left when I'm done. So I'll post here on Snapshots when the stars align and the mood strikes.

Thank you for visiting.

2010-07-27T10:57:00.000-07:00

Learn from others

2010-07-14T12:42:00.000-07:00

Writing is a necessary part of fundraising. Whether it is an email, blog, newsletter or a grant proposal, crafting a story that draws your audience in is central to any fundraising effort.

Sometimes I feel like I'm writing in a black hole when I'm drafting a grant proposal. I'm not sure what the funder is looking for in terms of writing style and tone. That's why I found this public review of some letters of inquiry (LOIs) at the Stewardship Council so refreshing. It's fascinating to read the various LOIs and see the different styles and formats. Put on hold, if you can, the content and just focus on how they write. It has helped me be a better writer, I think, to learn from others.

Do you know of other foundations that have opened up their review process? Take a look around and see what you can learn. (and send a link to me because I want to learn too!)

Another source of inspiration and learning is this excellent blog about story telling. I also like Thaler's approach in her work (her Twitter feed is always interesting).

2010-06-21T21:54:00.001-07:00

The Predictability-Creativity Spectrum

2010-06-15T21:33:00.001-07:00

I like my chocolate chip cookies big and poofy and chewie. I like a little crunch on the outside but mostly a soft bite of yumminess. Specialities in San Francisco (and now Oakland!) and Levain Bakery in New York are two of my favorites. But the thing about chocolate chip cookies is that they're not very complicated or difficult to make.

Chocolate chip cookies aren't too dissimilar from nonprofit fundraising strategies. Raising money for a cause isn't complex - all ya gotta do is ask. There are year-end mailings, events, and grant proposals. There are e-newsletters, blogs, and Facebook. The fun is figuring out what kind of strategy works for your particular organization's mission, budget and culture.

And that's where the creativity comes in. What are your values? What is the change you want to see in the world? What kind of person (or foundation or corporation) will get what you do and care enough to support you financially? What are the strengths and assets of the group of people who work for your organization? These are some of the questions I ask when I consider a fundraising strategy for a nonprofit.

Here are some organizations that I'm inspired by, or curious about, and examples of their work. Take a look and identify what is predictable and what stands out.

Highline in New York: this and this

Charity Water: this and this

Trust for Public Land: this and this

What have you come across that stands out? What does it say about the organization that created it?

. Spring .

2010-05-18T23:34:00.001-07:00

Stories

2010-05-10T22:55:00.001-07:00

I love this time of year. The hills are still green, the plants bursting with energy, and the fog hasn’t found us yet. I’ve been very busy in the garden and in the hills and valleys, walking and exploring with my kids. Also I’ve been having a lot of fun in some open space. Unfortunately I haven’t found much time to write here.

I’m going to post a lazy post with two links that I think are worth reading. They both have shaped my work recently. Take a look.

Deborah Fleischer on bringing your communications to life.

Nicholas Kristof on using marketing for good.

What I liked:

Communications is fundraising. Fundraising is communications.
Tell stories!
Make connections.

How to implement:

Get creative and put yourself in your audience’s shoes.
Think aggressively, act gracefully.
Have fun.

. Spring .

2010-05-03T22:26:00.001-07:00

. Spring .

2010-05-03T22:25:00.001-07:00

. Play in the mud .

2010-04-23T10:15:00.001-07:00

I find the world of communications fascinating. How can we tell our story in a way that is meaningful, long lasting, and appropriate for the time, event or person? It’s a challenge and opportunity on so many levels and a fun puzzle to put together. And with all of the ways in which we can communicate these days – print, web, in person – there are infinite possibilities.

Ask any teacher about how people learn and he or she will say that some learn by listening, others by seeing, and all of us by doing.

So how can we create communications that engage on a tactical level and invite participation? Here’s an example from the US Green Building Council that is pretty interesting.

What I liked:

Interactive!
White space.
A nice balance of images, text and video.
(I didn’t like that most of the images are of white men, but that’s something for somewhere else).

How to implement:

Think about your audience. What is important to them? How do they get their information?
Start early. This takes time so take the time to plan.
Tell your story everywhere. The same story but in vehicle-appropriate ways. Repetition is good because it allows us to learn your story in the different ways we learn.

. Spring .

2010-04-14T22:16:00.001-07:00

. A dash of something else .

2010-04-11T14:16:00.001-07:00

I frequently reread Paul Hawken’s Commencement speech to the University of Portland last year. It gives me inspiration and hope and energy.

Thought you might enjoy. Read it here.

. Spring .

2010-04-08T00:16:00.001-07:00

. How to ask (part two) .

2010-04-03T11:55:00.001-07:00

Just ask. It’s really that simple.

As fundraising guru Kim Klein reports in her article Getting Major Gifts: The Basics, in studies asking people, “Why did you make your most recent donation?” 80% answered, “Because someone asked me.”

I think the hardest part is getting over all of the obstacles and fear in my own head. What if they say no? What if they think I’m pushy? What if they tell their friends what I slimy person I am? The ‘what if’s’ go on and on.

But.. what if they were honored that I asked? What if they feel better about themselves because they are contributing to my good cause? What if we develop a deeper sense of connection and friendship because of this ask and this opportunity to work together?

Just ask. You never know what might happen.

What I like:

The opportunity to make connections and generate the necessary resources for world-changing organizations.
How accessible Kim Klein’s writing is. She makes something that is seemingly hard seem easy.
Changing my mindset from scarcity to abundance.

How to implement this:

Build relationships and make connections.
Ask for guidance, input, ideas, and suggestions.
Ask for financial contributions. Call them gifts, investments, contributions, grants, or donations. Just ask.

How to learn more:

Spend $3 to buy Kim’s article The Fine Art of Asking for the Gift.
Sign up for Grassroots Fundraising’s monthly enewsletter.
Read Lynne Twist’s The Soul of Money. Or hear her speak. Or peruse her website.

###

Read part one of this How to Ask series here.

. How to ask (part one) .

2010-03-23T11:57:00.001-07:00

When I share with people that I help nonprofits raise money and awareness for their programs, one common response is, “how do you ask for money? Isn’t that hard?”

Yes, it can be hard. But it’s not complicated. I’ve written about how I apply the 6 questions of journalism to lots of things in my professional life. Here they are again.

So, how do you ask for a donation? First you create a strategy.

Why: What is your case for support? Why should anyone donate? Why should they believe in you?

What: Be specific. A donation of $100 can be used for a 1 hour job training workshop for one unemployed person. We need to raise $50,000 in order to launch our new program which will help 30 women get the tools they need to start their micro-businesses. Ask for a specific amount and be specific about what that money enables.

How: Boldly and gracefully. Somewhere in you there is a place to ask for what you need and to do it with a smile and a hug. More on what to say and how to say it will come in Part Two of this post.

Where: Everywhere. On your website and blog, in letters and emails, and with people face-to-face.

When: When the time is right.

Who: The people to ask for gifts are those with credibility, authority, and/or relationships with the donors. Volunteer Board members who donate (which all theoretically should) have a lot of credibility because they can say “I have and I invite you to, too.” Executive Directors can speak to the programs and overall operations and lend their authority to the ask. But relationships are the key: a relationship between “asker” and “askee” has to be there for it to work.

How to implement this:

Identify your potential donors. Look at your current list as well as people not yet in your database.
Segment them by the amount of their past donations. Also look at when they gave and why… were they all tickets for your last event? Is there some other really obvious way of understanding the patterns of why they gave?
Devise strategies based on the above why, what, how, where, when, & who for each donor. Make a plan and visit it each month to make sure some progress is being made.

. Spring .

2010-03-21T21:16:00.001-07:00

. Evidence-based simplicity .

2010-03-16T22:56:00.001-07:00

I’ve written about simplicity a bunch (like here, here and here). Today I found this article. And I’m happy.

. A dash of something else .

2010-03-11T23:14:00.001-08:00

One of my daily stops on the internet is Habit. The two creators along with monthly guests post a picture each day along with 36 words. The photography is always fun to see but I also really enjoy finding themes across the posts.

What I like:

The regularity of it. I mean both that it happens regularly and that the images and words are about regular life. There’s something simple about it.
It changes every day.
Where it leads me whether that’s to take different pictures, to a new blog, or to wondering what I’d photograph today.

How to implement it:

Stale websites are boring websites. How can you infuse your internet presence with change, newness, and intrigue?
What about your organization’s daily life could you blog about? How your staff gets to work, what people eat for lunch, where your colleagues travel for work, how you celebrate birthdays, etc could make for interesting reading.
What if you got in the habit of posting to Facebook, Twitter or a blog on a daily or weekly basis about what your organization is doing? I bet you could do it.

. Spring .

2010-03-11T23:00:00.001-08:00

. More than a great time .

2010-03-08T22:25:00.001-08:00

It’s spring. Maybe not officially, but close enough. Maybe not in Seattle yet. But it will be soon. I promise.

Spring in Nonprofit Land means events. It’s a great time to get people together now that the sun is shining (mostly) and the days are longer. But we need more than ‘a great time’ so let’s think about what makes a successful event.

Strategy. Why are you having this event? Be as specific as you can be. Is it for staff? To raise awareness? To generate net revenue? Just because you have always held it? Be clear, very very clear about this one.

Goals. What do you want to achieve? Your goals should be measureable like 5 major donations, 50 new names for our mailing list, or 100 new donors.

Values. What core values of our organization should be communicated at this event? What do we believe in? For example, if you believe in inclusivity don’t put on a event that is exclusive. If you value locally made food, find a caterer that serves locally made food.

If thoughtful and honest conversations are had about these three things, decisions about venue, day of the week, time of day, program, speakers, invitations and the rest can be made more easily. The up front investment in strategy, goals and values are well worth it in the end.

. A place to land .

2010-03-04T17:08:00.001-08:00

Something I hear a lot, both implicitly or explicitly, is what do we do with people once they are interested in our work? These people tell us that they want to help but we’re not sure how. Another challenge I observe, particularly in small nonprofits, is a need to show that people believe in us, that we’re legit, and that we have the smart people on our team. There’s an easy solution to these issues and that’s to create an Advisory Committee.

Many Advisory Committees are just in name only – they don’t meet regularly or at all. They don’t have any fiduciary or governance responsibility. But they do mean that these people can vouch for your organization (and you!) and that they can be called on for guidance. They can be a really useful place to land.

Here are some examples of nonprofits with Advisory Committees (or Councils or Boards):

Save the Bay
Kiva (they have several)
CEO Women
Trust for Public Land (they also have several)

Also, I found this ‘how to’ and while it’s directed towards businesses many of the ideas and suggestions hold true for nonprofits.

What have you found to be helpful about an Advisory Committee? What resources were helpful in creating one?

. Winter .

2010-03-04T13:42:00.001-08:00

Inspired by this.

. Questioning bigness .

2010-03-02T14:51:00.001-08:00

I read with great interest this article in the latest Orion Magazine. It questions our culture’s fascination with bigness which is something I’ve thought about a lot.

For example, my beloved Elephant Pharmacy presumably closed because they grew too fast (well, and the economy started to tank). One of my favorite slow-growth stories is that of Zachary’s Pizza which has grown very slowly – 3 stores in 27 years – despite packed restaurants and overwhelmed phone lines. Then I saw that one of the biggest people of all time, figuratively if not literally, curated and just opened an art exhibit about bigness in New York City (pictures here).

As it relates to nonprofits, I have a few thoughts:

We all too often have a scarcity mentality. We think we have to fight over few charitable dollars, skimp on necessary supplies, and protect information that others might steal (and they’ll get rich! very rich!). I believe that there are plenty of resources for programs, services and products that are well designed and addressing a real need. Lynne Twist and her book Soul of Money is a great read on this.
Like so many other aspects of our culture, we think that bigger is better. What if that’s not true? What if we wrote grant proposals that described how we intend to deepen our impact instead of growing for growing’s sake?
There is a balance to strike that is unique for each organization. We certainly need a certain amount of resources to do our work in an effective way. What is that right number? Where is that happy place where we have what we need to do what we want?

How to implement this:

Know that there is enough.
Challenge yourself and your organization to think hard about size. What is too small for your organization? What is too big?
Subscribe to Orion Magazine. It’s smart and a joy to explore and absorb.

. Winter .

2010-02-26T21:44:00.001-08:00

. Connection .

2010-02-23T20:52:00.001-08:00

I’ve been thinking a lot about connection lately. Do we need to spend time with someone in order to feel connected? How do we connection to one another through these computers we’re staring at? What does the chemistry of connection consist of?

Connection is critical when we think about fundraising. In order for me to donate to your organization I need to feel connected to you, the mission, the way you work, who/what you serve, where you operate, or some combination of these. I need to see myself in your world.

So how can you make these connections for your donors and potential donors? There are, of course, many ways to create connection. Here are some that I think are more art than science:

Provide transparency. Tell us about you and your organization and by this I mean more than a standard website. See this from Charity Water. Or this from Aspen Baker of Exhale. Tell us about what is working and what is challenging. Tell us about the laughs and the tears.

Seek guidance. It feels good to have someone ask for our opinion. Are you struggling with your Board of Directors? Ask a donor who has experience with Boards what he or she would do. To expand or not to expand, that is your question? Ask a potential donor who has related experience. It’s not only flattering for the donor, but you get the guidance you need.

Time it well. Know when to ask, when to share, and when to invite. Know when the timing is right to have the conversations you need to have. We don’t want to push too hard or not push at all. Connections are a dance and timing is everything.

Be curious. What is it that makes your potential donor excited? What is interesting about your work from their perspective? Be curious about who they are, what they dream of, and what they want to grow. You never know where your curiosity might take you.

Some ways to implement this:

Pick up the phone.
Create a blog.
Go out to lunch.
Use Twitter.
Pick up the phone again.

. Winter .

2010-02-18T12:57:00.001-08:00

. Why What When Where Who and How .

2010-02-17T06:55:00.001-08:00

Mrs. Baker, my 5th grade teacher, was an incredible teacher. I can still feel her passion, energy, curiosity and compassion. One of the themes of her class was the news… we read a lot of newspapers in 5th grade and did a lot of reports on news articles. Our weekly homework was to cut an article out of the newspaper, bring it in, and give a report about it to the class. We really got into it… rules about what articles were ‘real’ articles were created, themes emerged, many questions were asked and assumptions challenged.

One of the many things I learned that year was the 6 questions of journalism: why, what, when, where, who, and how. And I’d be hard pressed to count how many times I use these questions in my professional life today. From client proposals to grant LOIs to project plans and marketing materials, these questions guide my thinking, shape my conversations and organize my deliverables.

Which leads me to this post by Michael Margolis on his blog Get Storied.

What I liked:

The challenge to think critically about your story and to write a good one.
While he encourages us to not to focus on the ‘how,’ I like the attention he brings to it.
The questions he proposes are great extensions of the 6 questions.

How to implement it:

He’s offering a Telecourse on story telling. Sign up!
Ask yourself the 6 questions on a regular basis. Which one(s) do you tend to focus on?

As a side dish here, I offer you this chart to help you decide which social network (Buzz, Twitter and Facebook) is the right ‘how’ (or is it ‘where’?) for you. Enjoy.

. Apropos of hope .

2010-02-15T13:35:00.001-08:00

My grandfather used to sit in his rocking chair with his hands doing this:

And say something like, “Apropos of our conversation the other day I saw a fascinating article in today’s paper about these nonprofit organizations…” and he’d go on about how different nonprofits were from the banks for which he spent his whole career working. He was a bit confused by my choice to work for nonprofits, but always supportive.

I think of him now because apropos of previous comments and posts about hope, I found this video and Julia’s point about positivity very interesting.

What I liked:

Ask for what you want and/or need and you shall receive it. Or in California lingo, set the intention and the universe will answer. It seems to be true on personal and professional levels, why not global levels too?
This is a simple video with a powerful message.

How to implement it:

What message of hope do you want to tell your members, supporters, potential supporters, friends, etc? Grab a Flip camera, choose a simple background, and talk. Post it to YouTube and include a link on your website. Simple, right?

. Winter .

2010-02-10T21:14:00.001-08:00

. A dash of something else .

2010-02-09T09:54:00.001-08:00

I like simplicity. I think there’s real power in something that is easy to grasp. 350.org’s mission is an example.

There’s potential for depth and meaning when something is clear of clutter and distraction. That’s what struck me when I saw Jon Huck’s Breakfast.

It’s simple, right? Two pictures: one of the eater and one of what they ate. But when I scrolled through the pictures I wanted to know more. Is that what they ate every day? Was this breakfast special to them or just something they had to do? What does what we eat tell us about ourselves? Shoot… what did I have for breakfast today?

What I liked:

Simplicity and meaning at the same time.
It’s engaging.
The natural light.

How to implement this:

Ask yourself, What does my organization do that is simple?
Ask yourself, How can I present what I do in such a way that our potential supporters can relate to it on a very personal level?
Talk and write in plain language. Use short sentences. They are much easier to read, and much more likely to be read, than ones with complex structures and really long words like plethora and lots of commas, but I’m sure you know what I mean.

. Winter .

2010-02-05T14:29:00.001-08:00

. Finding hope .

2010-02-04T11:14:00.001-08:00

My friend Aglae commented on my first post about how frustrating the nonprofit world can be. It’s true, there is a lot to be frustrated about. I can totally understand where she’s coming from.

We have to look above the frustration and find hope. Our kids need us to have hope for their futures. The owls and whales need us to have hope in order to do what we can to protect their homes, food, and livelihoods. We need to have hope for people of all walks of life in order to do what we can to give them what they need. And our society needs hope in order to realize a better, more sustainable future.

So I share four organizations that give me hope. What gives you hope? Where do you find inspiration to change the world? Share in the comments.

Exhale … Aspen Baker and her team could have limited themselves and their mission to be just about a talkline. But no. Not Aspen. She’s highly motivated, very focused and super creative in her pursuit for real change in how we all experience and understand abortions. Their website. Her blog. On Twitter.

Charity : Water … They are raising fantastic amounts of money so to get clean water in the hands of people who need it. Their mission is so simple – a sign of a good mission – and how they’re using the internet is so creative and ambitious. I’ve already written about them so I won’t belabor the point. Their website. Their blog. On Twitter.

Women’s Earth Alliance … What impresses me most about them is their inclusivity. They don’t frame their work as “us - them” and mainly because of this they have grown exponentially in the past 2 years. They are graceful and bold in their fundraising efforts – a tricky balance. Oh, and they’re raising up women environmental leaders… I’m all for that. Their website. Their blog. On Twitter.

350.org … Here is some big thinking. BIG thinking. They are mobilizing thousands of people around the world for solutions to the climate crisis. The clear focus on a number – 350 parts per million of CO2 – speaks to one side of our brains while the message of connection and interrelatedness reaches for our hearts. Their organizational model is fascinating and their mission critical. Their website. On Twitter.

What I like:

Simplicity.
Blending of personal and professional, but not too personal (TMI) and not too boring/professional.
BIG thinking! We’re talking movements, paradigm shifts, major multi-faceted campaigns, and the internet.

How to implement it:

Find inspiration. There’s a lot of amazing things happening out there, find someone, something or somewhere that gets your juices flowing.
Baby steps. It took years and many conversations to build these 4 organizations above.
Think positive. This earth, and our fragile existence on it, desperately needs hope.

. How to fundraise in February .

2010-02-01T09:29:00.001-08:00

February is quiet. For most of us it’s period of relative stillness without the mania of major appeal letters, gala events or online campaigns. We’re still catching our breath after a busy end-of-year push. The weather outside encourages us to go inside, to huddle, to reflect.

February is a perfect time for some hot tea, honest conversations and big dreams. Fundraising in February is all about creating your plan for the rest of the year.

Here are some questions to ponder, discuss and incorporate into your planning process:

What are your goals? Think about your financial goal, of course, as well as number of supporters, number of online followers/friends, number of major donors, etc. By setting the clear intention you’re more likely to realize you’re goals.
Who is going to be involved? What skills and personalities do you need? Think about the role of your Board, any Advisory Committees, volunteers, staff, friends, etc. The more people you have involved, the more you will accomplish.
What do you do well? Think about what your organization’s strengths are and play to them. If you’re good at parties, throw parties. If you’re good at writing, start a blog or focus on foundation proposals.
How are you going to use social media? This isn’t a ‘nice to have’ anymore. Just like we all needed websites 10 years ago, we now need to use the new online tools for communicating with our supporters.
What is the story you want to tell? What is the key message you want to share with everyone this year? Think about what you’re trying to achieve, the change you want to create, the feelings you want to convey. If you had to write a short story about your organization in 2010, what would it be about?

What questions do you ask yourself? What process works for you? I’d love to hear.

. Winter .

2010-01-27T13:58:00.001-08:00

. A dose of something else .

2010-01-25T22:48:00.001-08:00

Sometimes I come across something on the computer screen that I can feel in my bones. It’s not often. Most times the images on the screen feel flat and lifeless. Interesting perhaps, but not visceral. Sometimes what I see is more than that and can actually be felt and experienced.

Days with my father is one such experience.

No, this doesn’t have much to do with nonprofits. It’s just cool. But what if we could make nonprofits cool?

What I liked:

How you navigate the site. It takes a few minutes to figure it out but I kinda like that. It’s like wearing your watch on the other arm just to feel the change.
The images are stunning. (am i getting predictable or what?)

How to implement it:

Think outside of these four corners of your screen. Engage with your supporters in different ways.
Hire a really creative person to work with you on marketing collateral. Someone who thinks outside these four corners.

. Winter .

2010-01-22T22:28:00.001-08:00

. What’s in a blog? .

2010-01-19T13:56:00.001-08:00

It seems that people have a range of perceptions about blogs. Cool. Daunting. Engrossing. Overwhelming. Trendy. Geeky. A what?

I invite you to take a tour with me. Not of the blogosphere because that will take too long. Instead let’s take a look at what kind of blog posts there are. Blogs can be used for lots of different reasons by nonprofits and so let’s look at a few of them.

News related to your program like this one. I think these are the most powerful and perhaps the most tricky to create. You can become a trusted source of news and therefore larger than just the programs you provide. Cool.
Organizational updates like this one. I would venture to guess that people who care about your programs also care about the overall organization and how it’s run, who’s doing what, etc. Share this stuff on your blog and you’re bringing your readers along with you. That’s a good thing.
Essays / thought pieces like this one that is long, detailed and nuanced. It’s something to read when you’re comfortable and have a full mug of tea.
Asks and calls-to-action like this one. These can be asks for donations, call your Senator, or buy a product. These should be used sparingly.
Program updates like this one. Blogs are a great way to share updates on new programs, reports from the field, success stories, new partnerships, and the like. Think about this kind of blog post like you are answering the question, “so what’s new with ABC program?” Short = good.
Voices of your staff like this one. I think this might be scary for some leaders, but there is great power in this kind of post. The benefits are for both the author and the reader.
Images and videos like this one. Blogs aren’t and shouldn’t be all words. My love for images isn’t a secret, though, so I won’t belabor the point. Videos deserve their own post here so stay tuned for that.

How to implement it:

Think about what you want to achieve with your blog.
Discuss openly and honestly about what is realistic with the resources you have.
Create a blog plan that includes your goals, style guide, content categories, publishing schedule, and wild dreams. Wild dreams are a must!

. Telling your story on Twitter .

2010-01-13T22:28:00.001-08:00

Are you dubious about Twitter? I was too. I thought it was yet another social media trend that I should sit out. But a client was using it and then I signed up and then I started following people and then I started using the verb ‘tweet.’ It’s a slippery slope.

And now I’m here to say that Twitter can help you. Because of Twitter I have received emails in the last week from Seattle and South Africa wanting my services. Um, hello?!

I also read this article with interest. I’m not in the business to predict what will happen to Twitter, but I can tell you that there’s a lot of action there now. It’s a fascinating place and you should be there too.

What I like:

People are connecting on Twitter over ideas and information. It’s a dynamic conversation.
It’s like a news service for your interests. You like to cook Vietnamese food? Follow some Vietnamese chefs and restaurateurs and you’ll learn a lot about what’s happening in the world of pho and banh xeo.
It’s not Facebook. I guess it depends on who you follow, but this isn’t the place for posts like “Putting my kids to bed!” There’s real information, real news, real action here.

How to implement it:

Sign up! If you’re an instruction-booklet kind of person, here’s a video and here’s a detailed guide.
Customize your Profile so that it looks and feels like your other marketing materials.
Write posts about what you’re working on, articles that you find interesting, and messages of thanks for funders & donors.
Put a link to your Twitter account on your website, email signature, blog, etc.
Have fun with it!

. Winter .

2010-01-12T17:17:00.001-08:00

. A blog to love (and learn from) .

2010-01-10T22:14:00.001-08:00

I have kids and I want to support their imagination and so it’s not surprising that I love Imagine Childhood. They have beautiful things that are so simple, full of creativity, and fun to explore and use. I share them here, though, because I visit their blog daily and it offers great lessons on how to blog for your nonprofit.

What I like:

How their blog supports their business without hitting you over the head with “BUY! BUY! BUY!”
Their brand identity is consistent across their website, blog and Twitter. They have a look and feel that is recognizable wherever you find them.
Everything they sell!

How to implement it:

Think about your blog as a conversation with your supporters. It’s not static, it’s not one way. It’s an opportunity to build relationships.
Think about what interests your supporters and build content (i.e., stories, information, action items) around it. For example, if your organization protects natural areas, you can give your supporters information about hiking trails, tell stories about groups that use the areas you protect, and invite them to get involved by cleaning up litter. And pictures too!
Make sure that everything you put out to the world looks like it was created by the same person. Or at least by the same team of people. At the very least like it was created in the same city or state. Consistency is huge – it builds trust.

. The What’s, How’s and Why’s of Social Media for Nonprofits .

2010-01-06T22:03:00.001-08:00

Whether you’re new to social media (aren’t we all, really?) or an old hand who needs some ideas, this is a great resource on the whats, whys, and hows of social media for nonprofits.

It’s the Case Foundation’s Gear Up for Giving, Social Media Tutorials for Nonprofits and it’s full of good stuff. The Case Foundation, started by Steve and Jean Case as in this Steve Case, leads a bunch of initiatives that somehow blend social change and technology in some innovative way. Figures, right?

What I like:

A lot of organization organized in a way that’s easy to access
Lots of ideas! There’s a lot to mull over here.

How to implement it:

Click through!
Subscribe to their blog
Follow them on Twitter

. A heaping dose of creativity .

2010-01-04T22:27:00.001-08:00

Sometimes I need to get out of my own head. I need to think differently, to see things through a different lens.

When this happens I either go outside or, if I can’t do that for some reason, I go to Wish Jar.

What I like:

It’s inspiring and wacky and true.
This post is a good one to read periodically. Personality = good!
I feel better afterwards.

How to implement it:

Visit and subscribe to her blog
Get one of her books

. Winter .

2010-01-04T21:37:00.001-08:00

. Charity Water .

2010-01-03T20:00:00.001-08:00

This organization is just plain impressive. If you don’t know them yet, read their website, follow them on Twitter and anywhere else you can find them, and pay attention to what they’re doing. They’re leading the way to the future and raising incredible amounts of money on the way there.

I particularly love this 2009 year-in-review.

What I liked:

It’s clean and bold.
It’s something I can read and quickly get it.
That picture is awesome!

How to implement it:

Edit, edit, edit. Online media is not the place for complex sentences. Grant proposals, maybe. Websites, no.
Use words and graphics. People spend very little time on your site – make it count.
Talk about what you did programmatically and organizationally. Educate your audience about what it takes to do your work (see earlier post about this)

. Marketing for nonprofits? .

2010-01-02T22:34:00.001-08:00

Yes!

Marketing has such a negative connotation and for good reason perhaps. But there is a lot to learn – and gain – from marketing a nonprofit’s mission and programs.

Nicholas Kristof, journalist and author from the New York Times and the recently published book Half the Sky, wrote an excellent piece in Outside magazine about this.

What I liked:

Our world needs us to think differently about how we do our work. This article outlines one way to do that.
I love how he writes. It’s easy to read and profound at the same time.
The message of hope. We could really use more positive energy around here!

How to implement it:

Tell your story! Spend the time and money you need to tell it well.
Tell stories about individuals, not groups.
Give hope. Depressing news doesn’t motivate like optimism.

. A Year in Pictures at The High Line .

2009-12-30T23:25:00.001-08:00

There are a lot of ways to tell people about the work we do. I liked this email from The High Line in New York. They certainly had an amazing year and to show that in pictures was such a great idea.

What I liked:

Pictures! I love pictures!
They sent it in an email and posted it to their blog.

How to implement it:

Hire a photographer or find a photographer who wants to donate his/her time. Photography students want subjects and experience – give them some!
Include photos in every communication to your supporters. They add color – both literal and figurative – to your messages.

. It costs money to change the world .

2009-12-30T23:16:00.001-08:00

I’m going to start this blog with an article about how nonprofits work - or have a hard time working as the case might be. There are so many opportunities for creativity and innovation for nonprofits, but first we have to acknowledge the environment within which we’re working.

The article is The Nonprofit Starvation Cycle by Ann Goggins Gregory & Don Howard in the Stanford Social Innovation Review (Fall 2009). It’s long, but worth the read.

What I liked:

Acknowledgment that spending money on running a nonprofit actually affects program outcomes. If people have the tools, training and tools they need to do their job, they will perform better. Makes sense, right?
Analysis of what they call the “low pay, make do, and do without” culture of nonprofits. It’s so pervasive that we don’t talk about it. Shouldn’t people who are making the world a better place be adequately compensated and have the resources they need? Isn’t there enough for everyone?
Proposal that the responsibility for this problem lies with both funders and nonprofits. We’re all doing this dance together and we need to choreograph new moves together.

How to implement it:

Honest conversations with ourselves about how much it costs to do our work. The authors suggest asking ourselves these three questions:

“What does this organization really need to succeed?”
“Where are we underinvesting?” and
“What are the risks we’re taking by underinvesting in these areas?”

Start having honest conversations with funders. This means writing grant proposals that ask for what exactly we need. Do it with authenticity, openness and grace.
Ask for unrestricted grants and donations. This is the dreamiest kind of money – ask for it!