Tactics for Building a "Value Network" for your Nonprofit
Release Date: 06/26/2024
How to Host the Best Board Development Retreat Ever! Winning Checklist – 17 Keys to Success
The Nonprofit Mentor -- Tips, Tools & Tactics from the Trenches for Nonprofit Leaders -- by Tom Iselin
Have you ever sat through a board retreat and thought, “What a waste of time!” You’re squished in a windowless room, squirming in a chair that feels like granite, and longing for the next break. Worse yet, the facilitator is boring, the content is useless, board members are texting, and the food is stale! If you’re in the process of planning a retreat, don’t settle! It’s possible to put together an amazing day that’s engaging, meaningful, memorable, and fun. All it takes is a little planning and ingenuity. Listen in to the following checklist to make sure you have all the...
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From Coffee to Commitment: Mastering Donor Meetings with Preparation
The Nonprofit Mentor -- Tips, Tools & Tactics from the Trenches for Nonprofit Leaders -- by Tom Iselin
In the world of nonprofit fundraising, meeting with a donor for coffee (or any in-person meeting), whether they are a potential supporter or a current contributor, is one of the most crucial interactions you’ll have. This isn’t just a casual coffee chat; it’s a pivotal meeting that can define a donor’s impression of you, your organization, and may determine whether they make moderate gift, a significant one, or none at all. The stakes are high and coming prepared can greatly increase the likelihood you’ll leave with a smile and the outcome you desired. To learn more about how to...
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Strategic Planning: What’s Better, A One-Year or Five-Year Plan?
The Nonprofit Mentor -- Tips, Tools & Tactics from the Trenches for Nonprofit Leaders -- by Tom Iselin
In today's rapidly changing world, clinging to the traditional five-year strategic plan is not just outdated—it's impractical. Organizations need to adapt quickly to survive, and a long-term plan often becomes a liability and burden rather than a guide and roadmap. Instead, a one-year strategic plan, monitored monthly and updated annually, proves to be a far more effective and cost-efficient approach to planning. To learn more, listen in!
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Tactics for Building a "Value Network" for your Nonprofit
The Nonprofit Mentor -- Tips, Tools & Tactics from the Trenches for Nonprofit Leaders -- by Tom Iselin
Tactics for Building a "Value Network" for your Nonprofit The nonprofit world is a quirky one. Many nonprofits are founded by passionate people with little or no nonprofit experience. Many board members have little or no nonprofit experience, and many staff members have little or no nonprofit or business experience. The result is often a lot of wasted time and effort. Mistakes are made, resources are poorly allocated, and problems are ignored. People get involved and things get done, but no one is sure what should be done, how it should be done, or who should be responsible to do what....
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7 Tips to Hiring "The Best Strategic Planning Facilitator Near Me."
The Nonprofit Mentor -- Tips, Tools & Tactics from the Trenches for Nonprofit Leaders -- by Tom Iselin
Here's a list of 7 uncommon factors to look for! Strategic planning is the backbone of any successful nonprofit organization, providing a roadmap for future growth and impact. However, navigating the strategic planning process can be challenging, requiring skilled guidance to ensure clarity, collaboration, and actionable outcomes. When seeking to hire the best strategic planning facilitator for your nonprofit, there are several key factors to consider. Here are seven essential (but uncommon) considerations for CEOs and Board Chairs to keep in mind when searching “Near Me” for the...
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Disengaged Board Members? – Tolerate it NO More! 8 Steps to Engagement and a “Get it Done!” Culture. Here’s how . . .
The Nonprofit Mentor -- Tips, Tools & Tactics from the Trenches for Nonprofit Leaders -- by Tom Iselin
Let’s be honest Do you have board members that . . . Blow off meetings? Don’t read meeting materials? Don’t make a personal donation? Are nowhere to be found to help organize events? Can’t recite the mission or vision? Don’t help steward donors? Rarely see your programming? Don’t personally know the staff? Say they’re “just volunteers” or “too busy” to participate? Couldn’t share any institutional knowledge to save their life? Believe that the ED and staff are getting paid so they should do all the work? Well, if we had the courage, here’s what we’d like to say...
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10 Tips to Avoid Hiring a Dud Strategic Planning Facilitator
The Nonprofit Mentor -- Tips, Tools & Tactics from the Trenches for Nonprofit Leaders -- by Tom Iselin
Hosting a strategic planning session can be costly and time-consuming. You can spend hours and hours trying to find a suitable venue, hire caterers, organize pre-work, and wrangle all the attendees. But often times, the biggest cost is the one you spend on hiring the facilitator. Then, the big day arrives. Everyone is prepared and excited to roll up their sleeves, grapple with pressing issues, and create a roadmap for the future. They have high expectations the day will be a huge success and that the facilitator will be outstanding. But when the day turns out to be a huge belly flop...
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Next Level Donor Relations – Make Their Experience “Unexpectedly Pleasurable!”
The Nonprofit Mentor -- Tips, Tools & Tactics from the Trenches for Nonprofit Leaders -- by Tom Iselin
Next Level Donor Relations – Make Their Experience “Unexpectedly Pleasurable!” In today’s fundraising world, with dozens of nonprofits competing for donors’ hearts and wallets, it’s important to stand out and differentiate. Otherwise, no matter how noble your mission, you’ll be left with your hand out as other fundraisers hit their goals. To inspire donor generosity and loyalty year after year, you must stop sending stale thank-you letters and having hollow donor experiences, and start thinking of creative ways to go above and beyond to provide donor service and experiences...
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Are You a One-Percenter? Here’s a List of Dos and Don’ts of Top Performers. How do you rate?
The Nonprofit Mentor -- Tips, Tools & Tactics from the Trenches for Nonprofit Leaders -- by Tom Iselin
Are You a One-Percenter? Here’s a List of Dos and Don’ts of Top Performers. How do you rate? There is a reason why the top performers – the One-Percenters – consistently do so well in business and life . . . it’s because they do the things, big and small, that set themselves apart from others. There is nothing wrong with “average.” Average is good. It’s acceptable. Do you feel you’re an average worker? Are you better than average? How much better? Would you like to be a One-Percenter? Do you want to be the type of person who gets frequent promotions and big raises? Do you...
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How Star Wars Can Help You Raise More Money – Say What?
The Nonprofit Mentor -- Tips, Tools & Tactics from the Trenches for Nonprofit Leaders -- by Tom Iselin
Movies and Sound Imagine watching a movie like Star Wars, Jaws, or Top Gun with no sound. They would be dry, listless, and yes, dull. In many movies, the sound makes the movie. It elicits emotional responses that can lift us up, make us cry, and give us goosebumps. Some music scores are so meaningful to us, they stir up emotions and memories decades after watching the movies. Think of movies like “The Sound of Music,” “Titanic,” and “The Good, Bad, and the Ugly.” As a fundraiser, I recently came to heightened realization just how important sound is in our efforts to raise money....
info_outlineTactics for Building a "Value Network" for your Nonprofit
The nonprofit world is a quirky one. Many nonprofits are founded by passionate people with little or no nonprofit experience. Many board members have little or no nonprofit experience, and many staff members have little or no nonprofit or business experience.
The result is often a lot of wasted time and effort. Mistakes are made, resources are poorly allocated, and problems are ignored. People get involved and things get done, but no one is sure what should be done, how it should be done, or who should be responsible to do what.
A nonprofit can avoid many of these common pitfalls by building a "value network.” A value network is nothing more than a network of people, organizations, and resources that can help a nonprofit run more efficiently and effectively—and build capacity—by providing information, knowledge, skills, experience, influence, and money.
This podcast will help your board and team build its value network and increase the organization's impact along the way.