Q: How would you facilitate a meeting-of-the-minds between two competitive nonprofits? A: Very carefully. That was my challenge when I was asked to facilitate a special meeting of two organizations striving to enhance their impact in their community: one was a local affiliate of an established nonprofit and the other was a grass-roots start-up. Both
One serious consequence of the current pandemic is that many nonprofits are unable to rely on volunteers as a significant on-site resource. In Coronavirus & Volunteers: Your Guide for Managing Uncertainty, Tobi Johnson describes this challenging situation: “Leaders of volunteers must often balance competing priorities – the needs of volunteers, the needs of the organization, and the
July and August are a time to invest in sunscreen to avoid sunburn. For me, it’s also a time to invest in a break to avoid blogging burnout. I enjoy this special time to step back from the pressure of posting. But it’s not a total vacation as I’ll be working this summer to help
“Mission matters. The people behind the mission also matter, and their passion for the mission can never be taken for granted.” [from Share of Mind, Share of Heart: Marketing Tools of Engagement for Nonprofits.] This is why engaging
Public relations (PR) is an essential part of a nonprofit’s marketing function because it helps educate the public on the organization’s mission, increase donations, and find more volunteers. With nonprofits allocating an average of five percent or less of their budget on PR and marketing, team members have to rely on less expensive options such
“Volunteers … work not for money but because they want to give back, make a difference, change the world.” Sally Helgesen While the need to give of themselves may motivate volunteers to get involved, it doesn’t ensure their continuing commitment. What keeps them involved is the quality of their experience with an organization. The best
Whether providing relief after a natural disaster or rendering humanitarian aid to countries in need, we’re familiar with the importance of international medical missions. The inspirational stories told by returning volunteers describe the desperate and challenging needs of the people served and their deep gratitude in receiving medical aid. The volunteers, themselves, are forever changed
While anytime is a good time to acknowledge volunteers for their dedication to helping others, National Volunteer Week provides a special opportunity to celebrate their efforts. In support of National Volunteer Week, here are my favorite quotes on the tremendous value of volunteers. “Volunteering is so pervasive it’s invisible. We take for granted all the things that
In honor of National Volunteer Week and in preparation to participate in BlogPaws Conference, it’s fitting that I share this poignant description from a volunteer involved with animal rescue. Rescue explained The neglect changes you. The abuse hardens you. The suffering breaks you. The ignorance angers you. The indifference disturbs you. The injustice destroys you. On a
“Our current practices and approaches to employee engagement are failing. They are failing to achieve organizational results and most employees fail to experience the benefits of their own engagement.” Excerpt from David Zinger’s 21-Point Employee Engagement Manifesto. A disheartening statement, but not surprising as employee engagement gets more intention than action. In my workshops, I