I wanted to focus on face-to-face (or traditional) networking, because I believe we, as non-profit leaders, are spending more time in our offices than out making connections and sharing our message. Case in point, the vast majority of those in the Parasol audience “network” at similar, non-profit-based activities, where they “connect” with NPO leaders and not nearby professional, philanthropic and social leaders.

Though I’m not a big fan of Powerpoint, I used it to aid my presentation. Reason being, is that I spent some time on social media. This ever-growing networking opportunity has progressed since my February presentation to another group of non-profit leaders. The file is attached to this blog if you want to download the powerpoint presentation. If you can’t find nor open it, email me and I’ll send one directly to you.

networkingpresentation-parasol

I feel extraordinarily fortunate. I have a job, live in a nice home in a great city, share experiences with amazing people and am flexible enough to keep fit and donate my time to the community. Most importantly, I am the father of two very special children. They certainly got the best of their parent’s best attributes…intelligence (at least their mother’s!), courteous, caring, self-sufficient, athletic and healthy. Words cannot truly validate how fortunate we all are.

However, there are many children who are battling obstacles of varying natures and degrees. When I was executive director of the American Heart Association, I saw this on a daily basis…fighting to raise money to fund research. In my current role as Board President of the Angel Kiss Foundation, I learn of stories and family needs regularly. In my opinion, need is need and no dollar amount can truly be affixed to each family’s situation. They’re all scary, difficult and uncertain. What’s nice is that there’s hope.

The Angel Kiss Foundation, a 501c3 not-for-profit corporation, exists to provide funding and emotional support to families caring for children fighting cancer. We consider each of our “clients” as members of our own family, because we work together to provide support to each family.

Since our families travel to northern California for treatment, they’re forced to cover unexpected travel, lodging, meal and other costs. At the same time, they’re forced to take care of matters relating to their employment, schools, bills…everyday stuff. Having the Angel Kiss Foundation as a resource, our families can place a greater amount of focus on what’s really important…their children.

This summer marks my third year on the board. During that time, we’ve helped over 100 families and provided nearly $300,000 in financial assistance (overall: 211 families with $615,000). But, this is just the beginning. Despite the tough economy, our board is steadfast in our quest to increase our funding as much as we can. Angel Kiss is able to provide funding to families as a result of its own funding initiatives. These include annual giving, grantwriting and event fundraising.

Our annual event, now known as Angel Kiss’s Paddle for Pediatric Cancer is scheduled for Saturday, June 20 at Wingfield Park, located in downtown Reno. This unique event begins with a river rafting experience, where nearly 200 people will navigate in single, 2-man, 4-man and 8-man rafts along a 2.2 mile stretch of the Truckee River. Many dress in theme…all with special team names…and enjoy a non-competitive “race” experience. Upon arrival, the rafters and the entire community will enjoy a music festival featuring five live, local bands. Tantalizing their taste buds will be food provided by local vendors…at no cost to Angel Kiss. Guests may also visit our Garden of Hope, where they can participate in an auction and walk away with a handmade flower. All in all, it’s a great family experience and open to the entire community.

We’ve created a new giving vehicle this year and we’re calling it a Paddle-a-Thon. Similar to team pages associated with other organizations like Heart, Leukemia and others, individuals and raft teams…anyone…can create giving pages to help raise funds. I’ve created one and am reaching out to family and friends to help raise $1,000. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but it represents roughly four months of support to one of our families. To me, that’s a great amount of support. I would love to actually raise $3,000 to reach one year’s worth of support.

If you’re reading this, I encourage you to reach out to Angel Kiss Foundation and offer support…whether it’s as a volunteer, donor or festival participant. You’re certainly invited to contribute to Angel Kiss through my team page (seen below).

If you just want to have fun on a nice, warm Saturday afternoon (it’s the Summer Solstice!), just head downtown to our big party. We’ll welcome you with a smile, just as we’ll do with the other 1,000 people in attendance.

Lastly, if you’re the parent of a young person who’s being treated for cancer in Northern Nevada and their eastern Sierras, call the Angel Kiss Foundation today. We provide support to all families who have children in treatment…we don’t discriminate.

Here’s our contact information…

Angel Kiss Foundation

www.angelkissfoundation.org

Facebook

775-323-7721

Volunteerism…A Great Sport

Originally posted on 2/20/09 at http://parkerdevelopment.wordpress.com/2009/02/20/networking-for…profit-success/.

Networking for Non-Profit Success

I spearheaded my research by sending a survey to all those on the local AFP mailing list. I was curious to see if my hunches were correct. These included:

Originally posted on 12/8/08 at http://parkerdevelopment.wordpress.com/2008/12/08/charities-can-…economic-times/.

Charities can succeed during tough economic times

We find ourselves in the middle of very interesting and uncertain economic times. As with many businesses, the sluggish economy is showing its effects on the non-profit sector. Americans donated $306.4-billion in 2007, but fund raising is encountering challenges, especially as the auto, housing and financial-services industries continue to crumble, food costs rise, and the stock market’s volatility strains individuals and businesses.

Charitable organizations are beginning to report figures that are short of goals, many of which are due to delayed, reduced or discontinued contributions. Donors are keeping closer eyes on their financial portfolios and less about charitable giving.

Non-profit organizations are responding in different ways. A fair number are playing the “safe” card and maintaining a status-quo approach until the swells taper. Others are cutting staff, beginning with fundraising and marketing officers. Unfortunately, these organizations fail to see the opportunity that lies beneath the layer of uncertainty.

Despite these economic uncertainties non-profit leaders may want to consider taking closer looks at their organizations and acting proactively. The answers to organizational success may be closer than they think. Here are a few suggestions to inspire thought and action to steer organizations in the right direction.

Reach out to leadership. It’s vital that organizations be led by strong leaders. This person or group of people will guide charitable organizations through a clear plan, which includes enhancing the board, integrating comprehensive marketing and fundraising strategies and focusing on funding opportunities.

Enhance the level of board involvement. Make it a point to share information and invite increased participation from the organization’s board of directions. The board should become more of a resource and help increase giving and create opportunities.

Continue managing annual and major giving campaigns. The important thing is to keep on task and continue managing major gift cultivation and fundraising. When the recession ends, these organizations will be further ahead of the curve than most others.

Build strong relationships with donors. Whether they’re past or current donors, take some time to truly cultivate their financial and voluntary participation. These people will be ready to step to the plate when they’re financially ready. Don’t lose sight on regularly seeking new supporters.

Plan for donors to be savvy about giving and the use of their funds. Accountability will be the watchword and the use and impact of donations will be regularly reviewed. Many will be more strategic with their giving, thus guiding them to create structured giving plans and develop relationships with targeted organizations.

Communicate regularly. Keep constituents informed of the organization’s health, programs and needs. Use both traditional and the growing social media avenues to share news, invite participation, and challenge the interest and involvement of constituents.

By making the right choices, such as reinforcing core values and mission, personally connecting with contributors and leveraging new opportunities, success can be achieved. Simply “playing it safe” could easily create more harm, thus distancing organizations further away from their missions. Moving forward, organizational leaders may want to consider the following questions…and more:

• Are there ways to improve operations?
• What is the state of our finances, including investments?
• Which programs/activities truly connect to your mission?
• How are these programs/activities managed and assessed?
• Are we managing our most important relationships?
• Are we involving our board members and using them appropriately?

How often do we connect with our funders?  

We can do it! Organizational leaders have an opportunity to publicly show the strength of the non-profit community. Making a difference in our communities is an incredible profession. Whether we’re leading organizations, raising funds or managing programs, serving our community is incredibly meaningful experience. Though times are scary, our obligation is to maintain positive frames of mind and show our strengths. This requires tapping into the basics of non-profit management, working harder and building relationships.

Charitable Giving…A Wise Investment

As business leaders, we’re often asked to donate to charity. Whether it’s in the form of personal contributions, direct corporate giving or corporate sponsorship, we receive requests on a regular basis.

Having served the non-profit sector for 18 years, I’m continually involved with corporate giving, either as a business owner or charitable staff/volunteer. I’m frequently asked why businesses are called upon as often as they are. What I’ve grown to understand are two primary reasons:
1. Business leaders have direct access to marketing, advertising and charitable budget line items.
2. Business leaders understand non-profits and, in many cases, serve on non-profit boards.

As a result of recent economic pressures, business leaders are taking a closer look at their charitable giving activities. Some are decreasing their contributions and some aren’t giving at all. Interestingly, a growing number are developing strategic giving plans as a means of showing strength, representing goodwill and leveraging their giving to increase business.

In a report issued by The Economist in January 2008, 56% of global corporate leaders ranked corporate responsibility as a priority, an increase from 34% in 2005. The same survey revealed that 54% agreed that corporate responsibility is a necessary cost of doing business. Further research found through a 2006 NYU study reported “consistent evidence that, for firms in industries that are highly sensitive to consumer perception, corporate giving is associated with subsequent sales growth.” In fact, these same businesses realized a return of six dollars for every dollar contributed to non-profit organizations.

There are many reasons why corporate leaders invest in charitable organizations. During these difficult economic times, it makes even more sense. Businesses have an opportunity to make a difference and a dollar. Strong corporations invest in not-for-profit efforts to:
· recognize and celebrate its corporate values
· emphasize the importance of ethical business practices
· provide positive public relations
· build customer confidence
· enhance employee morale
· maintain philanthropic goodwill
· increase sales leads and transactions
· strengthen the community
· And, of course, it’s the right thing to do.

All of this points to responsibility…a responsibility of businesses to increase revenues and a responsibility to help others.

Positioning corporate giving to be effective for both the business and the supported organizations is not a difficult process. It can be easily blended with existing marketing strategies or function separately from existing plans. Regardless of its official capacity within your business, here are suggestions to maximize your corporate giving.
1) Assess current giving. Take a good, hard look at your past and current giving practices. What percentage of pre-tax profits is allocated for charitable pursuits? Review the organizations, purposes and methods of giving; then evaluate the benefits received. Can you identify a relationship to your corporate mission, marketing plan and staff connections?
2) Design a strategy. As you plan your giving, consider your charitable budget. Identify the projects, organizations or sectors you wish to support. Determine the benefits, particularly outreach, sales leads, visibility and impact you wish to gain.
3) Monitor contributions. Maintain relationships with the beneficiaries of your charitable investment to ensure proper delivery of benefits, use of funds and public awareness.
4) Assess and plan. Evaluate the effectiveness of the giving strategy and its execution. Make changes, design a new strategy, identify new beneficiaries; all are actions you will likely address to strengthen your charitable giving plan.

Corporate leaders recognize the difficulty in giving away money, particularly marked by a lack of information, guidance and tools required to make wise decisions. Being able to identify the best for-profit investments is a hugely valuable talent and a massive industry has grown up around it. Solid nonprofit analysis is just as valuable.

No matter what strategy you use to make your charitable giving decisions, it makes good business sense to ensure effectiveness, both to the beneficiary and your corporation. A properly executed giving program will generate tremendous value through community impact and revenue generation.