Some of us at gWc will be attending Community Media Workshop's Making Media Connections Conference on June 14, and one thing that has us excited is the keynote speaker; Bryan Breckenridge.  Breckenridge is the Nonprofit Success Enabler at LinkedIn and will be presenting on how nonprofits can best utilize the tools LinkedIn provides.  Not only an Account Executive at LinkedIn, but he is also a Conversation Facilitator at Belief Energy, LLC and sits on the Board of Directors for Bay Area Community Resources (BACR) as well.

Before coming to the conference, it's helpful to check out his 8 LinkedIn Tips for Nonprofits video:

For those with a tight schedule, here are the 8 tips:

1.  Establish your individual presence.
2.  Establish your organizational presence.
3.  Spread the word via network sharing
4.  Encourage Staff & Board to spread the word
5.  Spread the word using "Groups"
6.  Spread the word to Followers
7.  Use LinkedIn's free API's and Plug-Ins
8.  Grow your organization via social recruiting.

The conference is shaping up to be a great one, and we invite you to join us on June 14th. 

For more information or to register click here.

This week on LinkedIn we asked the question,

  "What fundraisers have you discovered to be the most effective or clever?"  

Bert Gray, Executive Director for Macon County CASA shared with us a great idea that we wanted to pass along!  Here's what he told us:

We live in a great era for fundraising!  Technology has made donating to an organization easy, and fun!  We recently read a great blog by Rich Aberman in which he lists the top 9 creative fundraisers.  The 9 campaigns were by: Habitat for Humanity, Bricks, We are the World,     St. Baldrick’s, Trick or Treat for UNICEF, Locks of Love, Livestrong, Save the Ta-Tas, and Girl Scout Cookies.  We encourage you to read the blog for more information on what each group did!

It is important to remember that every organization is unique!  Before deciding on a campaign you should consider Sarah Mackey's advice:

Do you have a great fundraising idea you would be willing to share with the community?  Well, click the LinkedIn button and join the conversation!

We Hope To See You There!

This week we are discussing creative new fundraisers that have been proven to be effective in our LinkedIn discussion group.  The rise of social media has provided organizations with a plethora of new ideas on how to generate funds but many don’t know where to start.  One thing that for certain is that donors who give through multiple channels give the most money and by adding an online component you are providing those important channels.

So when considering new avenues, it is vital that the campaign have more than one way to donate.  Each organization is beautifully unique, and knowing your stakeholders helps Before implementing any new strategy, there needs to be a great deal of testing.  Katya Andresen, Mark Rovner & Alia McKee discovered 4 important steps when testing a new fundraiser. 

1.        Be clear in your goals. 

2.       Outline a testable hypothesis

3.       Outline your testing methodology.

4.       Outline the metrics you will measure.

If you have had a great experience with a specific fundraiser and would love to help others achieve similar success, please share your ideas with the community!

Here’s an example of a great fundraiser by Opportunity International:

They needed to raise funds to help support their mission which is providing small loans to poor women overseas.  Mother’s day was coming up, and they decided to let donors create an online quilt honoring mothers. 

Donors purchased a customizable digital square that was then added to the quilt.  Donor's were able then to post their tribute as well on Pinterest.  We thought this was an awesome idea for a great cause!  If you are still little nervous about bringing your fundraiser’s online, consider these findings highlighted in Beth Kanter's blog:

·         Online engagement improves the retention of traditional offline direct response donors

·         Adding digital channels does not materially cannibalize revenue from direct mail.

·         There is no discernable downside to cultivating direct mail donors via email.

Spending time in and around nonprofits, you develop a unique vocabulary.  Particular methods and missions differ.  Each nonprofit has it's niche, but there are things we all have in common.  For a lighthearted Friday update, lets celebrate our similarity!

The ever clever BlueAvocado.org put together this list of stuff people say when they hear you work for a nonprofit:

• So, do you get paid for that?
• I work for a nonprofit too . . . United Airlines . . . ha ha!
• The problem I have with nonprofits is that not everybody deserves to be helped.
• You know I've always wondered: why do nonprofit people people get paid so much?
• Are there any nonprofits here in (insert town)?
• Yeah, you know, I volunteered once at a nonprofit, but they were really screwed up.
• I have a great idea for a nonprofit I'm going to start someday!
• The problem with nonprofits is that they don't run themselves like businesses . . . where do I work? Oh, at Exxon (or Bain Capital, or Solyndra, or . . . .)
• I wish I had your job . . . I work too hard.
• I have a friend who works for a nonprofit in San Diego! Maybe you know her!
• So . . . do you get paid for that?
• I could never ask anybody for money. Hey, can you help me move on Saturday?

Here is a video (nonprofit meme!) that may hit even closer to home '(Stuff) Nonprofit People Say':

“Our Similarities bring us to a common ground; Our Differences allow us to be fascinated by each other”

~Tom Robbins

We know May has just started...but we want to make sure you know about and are registered for the great nonprofit conference opportunities next month.

Here's the roundup of local conferences in June:

Monday-Tuesday, June 4 & 5
2012 Axelson Symposium, Chicago 

Keynote: Robert Egger, Founder and President, DC Central Kitchen

Aaron Hurst, President and Founder,Taproot Foundation

 Wednesday, June 6

Illinois Leadership Conference, Effingham

Workshop Leader: Milan Wall, Co-Director, Heartland Center for Leadership Development

Keynote: Dr. James E. Painter, Chair of the School of Family and Consumer Sciences, Eastern Illinois University 

Thursday, June 7

East Central Illinois Volunteerism Conference, Mattoon 
 Keynote: Laura Huth, Do Good Consulting  

Thursday, June 14
Making Media Connections Annual Conference, Chicago

Keynote: Bryan Breckenridge, LinkedIN Nonprofit Solutions

(goodWORKSconnect members get 20% off using discount code: GWC2012)

We look forward to seeing you there!

So many visual options... image src 123rf.com

Way back in 2009 (in internet years, that is a long time!), Cameron Champan wrote an article for Smashing Magazine on 'Best Practices for Nonprofit Web Design'.  In it, she cited 8 keys:

    1. Make Your Site Donor-Friendly
    2. Make Your Site Media-Friendly
    3. Make Your Site Volunteer-Friendly
    4. Make Sure Your Organization’s Purpose is Immediately Apparent
    5. Make Sure Your Content Takes Center Stage
    6. Make Sure Your Website is Consistent with Your Other Promotional Materials
    7. Know Your Site’s Purpose Up Front
    8. Include a News Section or Blog

More recently, Stepmanie Hamilton, of The Daily Egg, shared her 8 with: 'How to Design a Non-Profit Website That Engages Donors and Volunteers'.

    1. Making it easy for site visitors to learn about the non-profit’s cause  (see above 4, 6, 7)
    2. Incorporating primary calls-to-action such as “Donate” or “Volunteer” (see above 1, 2)
    3. Allowing media contacts to find the information they need quickly and easily (see above 2)
    4. Including quick links to more information about the non-profit and key figures in the non-profit (see above 1, 2)
    5. Using a blog to get the word out and add your voice to the cause (see above 8)
    6. Using an email newsletter to keep interested parties informed (see above 8)
    7. Using text, video and images on your website that indicates that positive action is taking place (see above 5)
    8. Incorporating social media prominently into the design (related to above 5... but also NEW IDEA!)

It is interesting how over time these ideas have not changed very much!  The wording is different per author, but the spirit is fairly similar.  The advent of social media and ever growing cloud technology does not discredit, but rather, enriches the best practices listed in 2009.  Both of their articles are worth reading, as you consider your own presence online.  Your website is a special place for you to build stronger stakeholder relationships by inviting them to learn more about your organization.  Check out some awesome examples compiled by SpyreStudios here.  

In case you are already a web design guru, or know someone who is, we're seeking proposals for a redesign of this very site!  Pass it on.  The deadline to submit is May 28.  Looking forward to hearing from you and your web design friends!  More 

Congratulations to the recipients of this round of capacity building micro-grants!  We look forward to seeing your progress. Listed below are the micrograntees by region:   

YMCA was granted $923 to support attendance at the NAYDO conference.

Catholic Charities was granted $1,200 to support attendance NARTS 25th Anniversary Conference.     

Barclay Public Library was granted $1,200 to support attendance at the 2012 ARSL conference.

Heritage Behavioral Health was granted $1,200 for board of director's training at the National Mental Health and Addictions Conference.

Generations of Hope was granted $516 to support grant writing classes at Parkland Community College.

Eastern Illinois Foodbank was granted $1,500 to support attendance at the Feeding America Summit.

Homestead Corportation was granted $56 for HUD certified technical assistance writing.

TAP in Leadership Academy was granted $1,500 for a consultant on board formation and training.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Vermilion County was granted $1,500 for attendance at the Taking the Hill workshop.  

Children's Advocacy Centers of Illinois was granted $1,390 for training on National Children's Alliance accreditation.

Prevent Child Abuse Illinois was granted $1,500 for attendance at the the 12th International Conference on SBS/AHT.

Primed For Life was granted $960 for workshop attendance, focusing on on grant writing, the grant procurement process and project development.

CEFS Economic Opportunity Corporation was granted $500 for attendance of the National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs conference.

Strasburg Community Action Network was granted 670 for attendance to the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs.

Coles County Habitat for Humanity was granted $125 for attendance at a grant writing seminar.

Mid Illinois Big Brothers Big Sisterswas granted $1500 for attendance at the Leadership Summit.

Thanks to everyone who contributed in this round of grants!  Round 2 is just around the corner. Microgrants are up to $1,500 granted for attendance by nonprofit staff and board members at trainings and professional development programs of their own choosing.  More.

The submission deadlines for the next round of microgrants are:

Region 1: September 1

Region 2: June 15

Region 3: September 1

Region 4: September 15   

There were so many great take-aways from our Community Convening last Thursday.  Major thanks to our presenters and attendees.  While every nonprofit is different, there are some things we have in common: financial rules fall in this category.  It's time to fall in love with your 990.  Embrace it, share it. 

Think of your 990 as marketing material.  Use your website as a portal to share this information.  Considering your additional audience, the importance of transparency is much more apparent.  Extra information is your friend.  This is your marketing now, it is your story, tell it to its fullest.  That being said, this is a good time to note: the treasurer doesn't have to be a CPA; however, for the best of your organization, this MUST be someone who knows financials.  Be kind to your treasurer and communicate well.  As everyone hoped, the recommendation our presenters gave: don’t do an audit unless you have to!  When taking in $300,000 or more, you have to-what a good problem to have.  Reframing your thinking about what the 990 is can help to make this process a smoother one for the board, director, treasurer and future of your organization. 

(this does not have to be a scary image)

We're talking in depth this week about non-profit board financial concerns.  Invite your board members to join our discussion on LinkedIN.  For full convening notes, check out the forum.

click button to discuss

We hope to see everyone at the gWc Community Convening tomorrow!

Make sure to take great notes, as there will be a follow-up discussion in our LinkedIn group next week.