February 2003

Get to work finding volunteers. Employed Americans are more likely to volunteer than those who do not work or are unemployed. More women than men volunteer. And those ages 35 to 54 volunteer more than seniors or those in their early 20s.

59 million Americans volunteer each year -- 27.6% of the civilian population over age 16. They put in an average of 52 volunteer hours annually, and are most likely to volunteer for religious, educational, and youth-service groups.

For more information, see the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics report, "Volunteering in the United States," available for free download.

[Source: "Study Says 59 Million Did Volunteer Work," The Associated Press, December 30, 2002.]

Every successful organization needs "enablers." Who are enablers? They are people who respect and trust others, and are trustworthy themselves. They welcome divergent opinions, and are flexible and comfortable with change.

Enablers are proficient teachers and learners. They communicate effectively, think critically, and know how to strategize. They are effective motivators, and manage people well.

What value do enablers bring to your organization? They transmit your values, engage volunteers, provide direction, articulate expectations, and ensure quality decision-making.

To identify enablers in your organization and teach your staff to be enablers, see "Strategic Fund Development: Building Profitable Relationships That Last," by Simone P. Joyaux, ACFRE, published by Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

Count quality, not quantity. More not-for-profits than ever are evaluating their programs --85% of secular groups and 72% of religious organizations. But too many still focus on the number of services they provide, rather than how good they are.

65% of religious charities and 76% of non-religious groups track the changes their programs make in clients lives. But many need to improve their computer technology to collect and analyze data, and involve staff in determining what information should be looked at to measure effectiveness.

For more information, see "Balancing the Scales: Measuring the Roles and Contributions of Nonprofit Organizations and Religious Congregations," published by Independent Sector. Highlights are available on the group's website; the full version of the report is $28 for members and $38 for nonmembers, and can be ordered by calling 888-860-8118.

Also, the Urban Institute has published "Making Use of Outcome Information for Improving Services: Recommendations for Nonprofit Organizations." The report is available free online or for $5 by calling 877-847-7377.

[Source: "Most Charities and Religious Groups Evaluate Programs, Report Says," Ian Wilhelm, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, October 31, 2002. P.O. Box 1989, Marion, OH 43305; 800-728-2819.]

Have you adopted a code of ethics? With public faith in not-for-profits faltering, it's more important than ever to ensure that your board and staff act ethically at all times. You need to adopt an organizational code of ethical practices, conduct an annual ethics audit, abide by ethical standards, and involve constituents in the ethics process.

"Obedience to the Unenforceable: Ethics and the Nation's Voluntary and Philanthropic Community," published by Independent Sector, includes sample language for an organizational code of ethics and tools for solving ethical dilemmas.

The document can be viewed free online; print copies are $10 for members and $15 for nonmembers and can be ordered by calling 888-860-8118.

[Source: Independent Sector press release, November 11, 2002.]

Should your group have an advisory board? The answer may be "yes" if your board of directors is built around fundraising. Such boards may be disconnected from the populations you serve, making a community advisory board critical.

For groups that legally cannot have a board of directors (such as those sponsored by a larger organization), an advisory board can perform many of the functions of a board of directors.

And large organizations can benefit from having an advisory board that focuses on a single facet of their overall mission.

If you establish an advisory board:

• Draft a written description of the responsibilities, activities, and limitations of the board. Include job descriptions, meeting schedules, term limits, and rules for appointing a chairperson.
• Establish a formal relationship between the advisory board and the board of directors, detailing their respective responsibilities.
• Ensure that advisory-board membership is meaningful and rewarding, not just "for show."
• Consider asking a community leader to chair the advisory board and act as a spokesperson for your group within the community.

Bang the gavel on a successful auction. Charity auctions can be successful fundraisers: more than 100,000 are held annually.

To ensure that your auction goes smoothly:

• Plan early -- up to a year ahead to secure a venue, recruit volunteers, procure auction items, and publicize your event. Advance planning will help you determine how much you need to raise to make your auction pay off.
• Line up a volunteer committee to oversee tasks like procurement, running the silent and live auctions, setup and decor, entertainment, invitations, publicity, registration, item pickup, and cleanup. On the night of the auction, plan to have at least one volunteer for every 10 guests.
• Seek attention-grabbing auction items. Match goods to the demographics and interests of your supporters. Find items, experiences, and activities that are not easily purchased. To find auction items, encourage volunteer networking and outreach to local restaurants, hotels, etc.
• Use event-management software to simplify logistics.
• Publicize your event well in advance. Send a "save-the-date" card to supporters six months in advance. Invitations should go out six to eight weeks before the auction. Advertise in media that target your key audience.
• Thank your volunteers and staff when its all over.

Are you responding to new demands for accountability? Donor confidence is down. Scrutiny is up. And not-for-profits are expected to be more efficient and open about their finances than ever.

Today's donors demand more than feel-good stories. They want to know how many people you help, and what the outcomes of your work are.

Fallout from controversy over Sept. 11 donations hurt all charities. To rebuild public confidence, not-for-profits must:

• do a better job of explaining your work to the public
• be ready to defend yourself when controversy hits
• better measure the impact of your work
• address poor performance wherever it exists

For more information, see the report, "Trust in Charitable Organizations," available online from the Brookings Center for Public Service.

[Source: "Charities Face More Pressure to Be Accountable," Mark O'Keefe, San Francisco Chronicle, Jan. 29, 2003.]

Layoffs and firing employees is a sad fact of work life. And so is fear of retaliation.

To protect your organization:

• Act quickly to avoid rumors and deny employees time to plot retaliation.
• Notify security after employees have worked their last shift, but before they return to work to receive news of their termination.
• Don't let employees back into their former work area. Have security bring their belongings to a private waiting room for retrieval.
• Deactivate the employee's access codes or passwords for company intranets, client and donor lists, e-mail, human-resources information, in-house communication, and libraries.
• Retrieve employee's ID cards, and equipment like cell phones and laptop computers, at time of termination interview.
• Keep termination interviews private and compassionate.

Don't get "clipped" by negative press coverage. Hire a clipping service to keep you up-to-date on what the media is saying about your organization. Rates range from $40 to $280 per month; clips are sent to you twice a week.

Major clipping services include Bacon's Clipping Bureau: 800-621-0561; Burrelle's: 800-631-1160; Luce Press Clippings: 800-628-0376; and the New England Newsclip Agency: 508-879-4460.

[Source: Kahn, Litwin, Renza & Co., Ltd., CPAs and Business Consultants.]

Tap into donors' sense of obligation. 60% of donors say they give because they feel that they owe something to the community. 86% of givers believe they have the power to improve the welfare of others, compared to just 73% of non-givers.

Who mines this vein of commitment best? Religious groups, which receive support from 69% of households. 43% of households give to healthcare organizations, 39% give to human-services groups, and 38% support youth services.

For more information, see the report, "Giving and Volunteering in the United States," available from Independent Sector.

[Source: Independent Sector press release, October 28, 2002.]

Considering taking a loan from a board member? Be sure to:

• Have your lawyer draft legal documents for the loan.
• Get approval from your board (excluding those making the loan, who should recuse themselves from the vote).
• Inform lenders that if your group goes bankrupt or gets liquidated, as "insiders" they could be last in line for repayment.

Loans from board members can be risky. They should only be considered in the event of an emergency, such as a temporary cash shortage. Such loans should be repaid as quickly as possible.

[Source: "Loans from Board Members," Board Cafe, January 2003.]

Raising money online? Share your successes and failures with the National Survey on ePhilanthropy.

Giving USA, the American Association of fundraising Counsel Trust, and the ePhilanthropy Foundation are conducting the survey. To take part, log on to http://www.ephilanthropyfoundation.org

[Source: eTapestry, January 2003.]

Charities need to cope with the changing face of philanthropy. The donor population is shrinking -- down to 69% of adults. Worse, donor confidence is at an all-time low. Job #1 for not-for-profits: restoring public confidence.

The U.S. population is growing. But the country is getting less White, and more Black, Hispanic, and Asian. That poses challenges for fundraisers: per-capita giving among these ethnic groups tend to be lower. Charities must carefully tailor their marketing and communications to meet their needs. Cultural relevance is critical.

For more information, see "The 21st Century Donor: Emerging Trends in a Changing Market," available free from the customer-relationship marketing firm Epsilon, Inc.

[Source: The Chronicle of Philanthropy, November 14, 2002. P.O. Box 1989, Marion, OH 43305; 800-728-2819.]

INTERNET ...

If you're raising money for women's programs, check out the website for the Women's Fund of Rhode Island. The site includes information on issues affecting women and girls, proposal-writing tips, and data on women and giving.

http://www.rifoundation.org/wfri/html/index.htm

Consulting firm Bentz Whaley Flessner offers a wealth of annual-giving tips on its website, including appeal letters, phone scripts, and surveys.

http://www.bwf.com/resources/sharedResrcs_service.cfm

Fundraising software firm Campagne Associates' Gift Range Chart helps not-for-profits figure out how many donations they need at each giving level to meet their capital-campaign goals. The Gift Range Chart can be accessed free at the company's website.

http://www.campagne.com/giftrange/default.asp

Looking for news on Canadian charity, eh? Charity Village has 3,000 pages of news, jobs, information and resources for executives, staffers, donors, and volunteers. And the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy has a searchable database of 1,700 Canadian foundations, research tools, and reports on giving.

www.charityvillage.com

www.ccp.ca

RESOURCES

"Love Thy Reader." Subscribe to this free e-newsletter on not-for-profit marketing and communications from expert Tom Ahern. To subscribe, send an e-mail to a2bmail@aol.com; put the word "subscribe" in the subject line of your e-mail.

"Women and Philanthropy: Understanding and Engaging a High-Potential Audience." Research on tapping into the emerging world of women's philanthropy. Report available for free download from the Council of Michigan Foundation's website.

"When Good Work Makes Good Sense: Social Purpose Business Case Studies." Overview of the growing field of not-for-profit social enterprises. Available for free download or $7.50 for a hard-copy version from Seedco.

***

Simone P. Joyaux, ACFRE, Joyaux Associates, 10 Johnson Road, Foster, RI 02825 ¥ Voice 401-397-2534Ê Fax 401-397-6793; e-mail: spjoyaux@aol.com.