As I’ve been coaching leaders during the coronavirus crisis and observing others, I’ve noticed that they tend to fall into one of three categories in terms of their response to the times:
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1. They’re taking a wait and see approach;
2. They’re taking a proactive approach; finding ways to continue their good work, articulating it appropriately to their community and still seeking support (but with respect to the unique economic environment); 
3. They’re not only going with option #2, they’re also using this time to learn, grow and develop...

It won’t surprise you that I’m a huge fan of #2 and love #3 even more!  The reason I love doing what I do is that I’m always amazed and inspired by the leaders I work with.  In fact, I thought I’d make this week’s an opportunity to inspire others by highlighting the actions and approaches I’ve noticed among the amazing leaders I work with over the past two months:

• Roll With It:  Michael Campbell is the Founder and Executive Director of the Street Smarts (www.thestreetsmarts.org). This growing organization helps aspiring students land their first post-college professional jobs in finance and accounting.  The Street Smarts had a major fundraising event scheduled for May and like so many others, it’s been cancelled. Michael has re-imagined the event to be virtual.  What’s impressed me is that 1) Michael is truly excited about the opportunity to re-imagine his event and has fully embraced the technology to do it. He’s even worked extra hard to develop a relationship with one of the biggest companies in his area to learn how to maximize the event for both the fundraising potential as well as community building.

• Going Deeper:  Jim Garden is a leader I work with that is incredibly reflective about himself as well as the value proposition and impact of his organization Good Karma Bikes (www.goodkarmabikes.org).  Fortunately, his nonprofit has been able to continue operations during the coronavirus.  In fact, they’ve re-tooled some of their resources to serve their community in a way that is both incredibly helpful while keeping well within their mission.  Beyond current operations however, this thoughtful leader is using this moment to consider longer term strategic questions including the clients they serve, the depth of impact and as well as partnerships and collaboration.

• Keep Moving Forward:  Katie Wyatt is an incredibly passionate leader that created incredible programs and the infrastructure of an organization prior to her move to the United States.  Her work provides self worth programs to women and children affected by trauma. She’s been incredibly determined to bring this vital work to the United States. While she’s needed to be mindful and sensitive to the times, she hasn’t let the current challenges stop her from moving forward in her quest to launch her organization No Rain No rainbows www.norainnorainbows.org.   She’s recruiting leadership and creating a sustainable model for change.

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I hope these quick stories serve as reminders that the work of you and your organization is important.  That was true before this crisis, even more critical while we’re in the midst of it and still will be when it’s over.   If I can help you and your organization navigate through these challenging times and plan for better ones ahead, please contact me at [email protected] 



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For the long holiday weekend, my wife and I went back to her hometown.   As is our longstanding arrangement, she was doing the driving (everyone is happier that way!)  I wasn't sure where we were headed and to my surprise, we pulled up to a newly built animal shelter.  I knew another pet for our household was off the table so I asked why we were here.  My wife explained that we had donated to the building.  An old friend of hers had been a member of the campaign leadership team that drove the fundraising to build the shelter.  She was eager to see how everything turned out.

As we stepped out of our car, I sensed some hesitancy on her part.  "Do you think we'll be allowed to take a look around?" she asked.   Her question seemed surprising to me.    I couldn't imagine a reason why we as donors wouldn't be  welcome to see how our support was being used.  I am happy to share that we stepped in and were warmly greeted by a team of friendly volunteers.  We spent the better part of an hour touring and visiting pets that were treated with dignity and compassion.  

This got me thinking back on my experiences with donor visits or what I often refer to as Show and Tell. I've worked with several organizations - particularly in major gifts and institutional fundraising roles - where donor visits, tours and learning opportunities were an assumed part of the cultivation strategy.  At the same time, I realized that too often individuals that didn't meet a predetermined threshold were rarely - if ever - encouraged to get an upfront look at how their donations were being put to work.  This is a missed opportunity on the part of the charity.     

While not every nonprofit may not be able to provide donors with opportunities to see, connect or even talk to those who benefit, if yours does, take full advantage of it.   Here are some suggestions for a good start:  

Make donors aware they can visit:  Sounds obvious doesn't it? But using our case as an example, we didn't know that we were 100% welcome and were concerned that we'd be interrupting the work. As it turned out, there were volunteers that were more than willing to provide guidance.  Remember, this is your chance to shine!  Be sure you're getting the word out that your volunteers, prospective donors and donors are welcome and encouraged to see your mission in action.  Make it part of your messaging on your collateral, social media and every part of your communication.  

Make sure the visit has a specific structure:  Ensure that your organization has a set structure for encouraging donor interaction and engagement when visiting.   Involve your volunteers, staff and (if appropriate) clients in designing a tour that introduces visitors to the core elements of your mission, best practices and most importantly, the impact of your work.

Make the visit inspiring:  In a recent post, I noted the "Johnny Can't Read" approach to introducing donors to the work of a charity. This is the classic tug-on-the-heartstrings approach and I'm not a fan.   You show the children that can't read, the family without a home or food on the table, the isolated at-risk teen...you get the point.  Do the opposite!  Use your visit to highlight the impact your donors have made possible through their donation.   Show them the children that now can read, the family that has a home and food on the table and the teens that are the first to graduate and go to college in their families.  Tell them stories of Inspiration - not tragedy.  

Make the visit actionable (with a range of options):  You've had a great visit, your donors are enthusiastic and inspired.  Now what?    Be sure donor visits conclude with a specific and timely call to action or better yet, several options for action.  Sure a donation is fantastic but there are other ways your donor might want to get further involved.  Maybe your organization has a need for in-kind contributions or services.  Let donors know that these are welcome.  Encourage donors to volunteer or even consider board service.   Think beyond dollars.  

If your donor has taken the time to visit, you're already doing something right.  Use the visit to educate, inspire and move them on to an even deeper level of connection with your organization.  . 

Exercise and fundraising.

What do these activities have in common?   At first glance, very little. 

But they take on a special meaning for a client of mine named Thea Wood, founder and President of Backstage Chats Foundation, a wonderful organization doing transformative work around music and gender equality. She groups them together as the activities she tackles first thing in the morning before moving on to the work that inspires her, drives her and what she’s most passionate about: amplifying the voices of women in music — both the entertainers as well as the industry itself.  
If you’re a leader for a small or a newer organization, taking a regimented approach to your fundraising
efforts (much like daily exercise) can be invaluable.

For example, blocking out an hour of your day for person-to-person fundraising activities can be transformational.

There’s an important distinction here: I’m not talking about fundraising-related activities, i.e. writing grants, managing social media, etc. While these are important activities, they don’t involve the definitive work of development: cultivating relationships and sharing your mission with others. Rather, this hour is dedicated to true one-on-one fundraising work with real people and where you’re speaking as opposed to emailing or texting.  To get started:

• Create a list of your most unlikely prospects: Yes, you read that correctly. Think of both your inner and outer circles. Who has no interest in your cause? Who has limited resources? You get the picture. You’re looking for those folks where there’s a pretty limited probability of a yes.  
• Create your pitch: Here’s the fun in this: It doesn’t have to be perfect (yet!) Enjoy being a beginner in figuring what you need to say to get prospective donors excited. This is your chance to articulate who your organization is, what you do, why you need funding to do it and of utmost importance, why you believe the individual or organization you’re speaking to would have an interest in supporting you.
• AND MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL…PRACTICE your pitch on them! Regardless of their potential for donating to your organization, these are still live beings that will give you real time response, questions and feedback on your pitch. And who knows? They may even surprise you with a donation, interest in volunteering or serving in another capacity.

This is an invaluable practice to start now. The cool thing is that by the time you’re starting to find high-quality prospects, you’ll be getting good, comfortable and articulate. The only difference would be that you may have a shorter transition from the lesser-quality to the higher-quality prospects.
And much like exercise, it gets easier over time.

​Give it a try, in just an hour a day! 

“Because we have to chase him. Because he's the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now, so we'll hunt him. Because he can take it, because he's not a hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector, a Dark Knight.”
From “The Dark Knight” 

Maybe you’re wondering what this confusing yet oddly memorable quote from the Dark Knight has to do with Board Development for nonprofits.  Actually a lot. When you set aside all the hero and chase stuff and focus on the idea of needing vs. deserving, it’s quite simple and relevant…  Just like Gotham City in 2008, too often charities start with the board of directors they need at that moment. Yet, they now find themselves without the strong and effective one their admirable work deserves.

I was reminded of this recently when I was working with several new charities on maximizing the effectiveness of their board.  All were in the startup to growth phase and speaking with them, I identified three consistent trends: 

• The “starter” board was comprised of friends, family and contacts that didn’t necessarily have an interest in the mission; 
• Often these new members lacked capacity, commitment to, and understanding of the organization’s work; and 
• In most cases, these board members joined the organization with either a promise that they will not be called on to do anything including contribute and /or fundraise

These characteristics for new boards may be all too familiar to you.  To make matters more difficult, founders of these organizations are often reluctant to ask these new members to step up or step off.  This is understandable since often these members are part of their inner circle. 

Let’s face it – starting a nonprofit is hard enough.  It requires extraordinary commitment, passion and perhaps above all, perseverance (popularly known as Grit).  So, don’t go it alone. Here are three suggestions to organizations that find themselves in this place:

1. Start where you are:  Talking to founders of nonprofits, I’m always amazed  at how hard they can be on themselves. Hey, you started a nonprofit!! That in and of itself is fantastic! So, appreciate it and accept that where you are today is the best starting place.
2. Take a Breath and Assess (also known as Taking Inventory):  Once you’re legal and know what you want to achieve, time to figure out what skills, experience, networks and resources you’ll need to succeed.   The cool surprise is that when you look at your current board – even if you started with your inner circle – you probably have some of it. But you also need to figure out what you don’t have and where you can find it. 
3. Re-stock:  I’ll stick with the inventory metaphor.   Now that you know what you’ve got and what you need, time to build the powerhouse store.  How do you do it? BIG HINT: Very different than how you arrived here. Break out of your comfort zone.  Let people OUTSIDE your board know you’re looking. I”m suggesting OUTSIDE because depending on your current board will attract peers much like them. Seek out new and untried opportunities i.e. intermediaries like USA Boardnet or Linkedin’s Board matching service. It’s time for new blood, new ideas and a new pipeline.

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If you build it, they will come...We’ve gone from Batman to Field of Dreams!  If you need some help on this, feel free to reach out at [email protected] or 917-733-8569.  

I was recently coaching a new and very enthusiastic client that literally received her 501(c)(3) designation the day before our meeting.   I was also excited that she had just received her first donation as well - off to the races! She had gathered lots of research, had a multitude of tasks and she was ready to dive into all of them.  

As has become customary for me, I asked if she had a budget and could she tell me about the board of directors she had assembled.  The room got noticeably quieter. I hadn’t asked her to shame or embarrass her but it was clear that she hadn’t quite gotten to those.  I suggested that before anything else she focus on a Budget and her Board. I then joked that I wished I had a third B so I could suggest focusing on The Three B’s.    Without missing a beat, she suggested Branding!  Loved it!  

I’m guessing a few of you - or even many of you - may argue in favor of other areas besides Branding.   You may even question my other B’s. But in a world where simplicity can help, putting ideas and activity into short and memorable arrangements can help.  So perhaps you’ll find thinking of The Three B’s helpful in your work whether it’s launching and building a nonprofit or other businesses - here’s a bit more on all of them:

• Branding: The Red Cross, McDonalds, CocaCola and the list goes on.  So do the number of books, experts, webinars and so much more related to branding.  Suffice to say that it’s critical that the impact of your nonprofit and its importance to the world is clear, concise and easy to understand.  Logic models, mission and vision and values statements are all wonderful tools that can live in your grant proposals, on your website and even presentations when you have an audience’s full attention. But in today’s age of limited attention spans, you need to be able to say, share and post what your charity stands for.   
• Budget: Have you created a real budget?  By the way, this is not to be confused with an equally important concept, a Realistic Budget.  What I’m referring to is a budget that encompasses all the true costs of running your nonprofit including expenses you may not presently pay in cash.  A prime example is Your Valuable Time. By the way, if you’re a founder who’s running the show, take extra notice! Consider what it would cost to replace you if (and I’m pretty sure you want to) keep your nonprofit as a going concern.  You’d need to go out to the market and find someone equally qualified to do what you’re doing. Another typical example: contributed work space. If whomever is donating the space sells the building or gets a killer offer for the rent, what will it cost you to go out and find a replacement space?  These items should be part of what you show as an external budget to funding partners. They represent the real costs of running your nonprofit.   
• Board: So now you’ve got a brand and a budget.  Now you’ll need to raise that budget and your board should be a key source of support.  How solid is your Board of Directors? Do they have the capacity to help you build out the infrastructure to create a long-term sustainable organization.  Do they have the connections to build a network of support? And finally, do they have the plain old cash to consistently make viable contributions to your nonprofit.  If you can answer yes to most of the aforementioned questions, awesome! If on the other hand you’ve either never considered them or come up with a hard no for most, you’re early enough in the game to do a board assessment so you’re not stuck with the board you have and can build the one you need.  

Hope you found these quick tips helpful.  If you need help building your Brand, Budget and Board, I’m happy to help.  You can reach me by phone at 917-733-8569 or my email [email protected] 

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My life as a stockbroker back in the 90s provided me with some of the best training ever.  One of the most important lessons came early on as I was struggling to build my book of business.    My job was simple: cold-call 300 prospective clients a day, grab their attention in 10 seconds or less, make a pitch, and CLOSE THE SALE.  Fortunately, that industry has evolved to cultivating relationships and understanding a client’s needs. There are in fact, some parallels to what we do in the charitable sector however we use kinder, gentler terms like outreach, engagement, presentation and securing the commitment.

Anyway, after three months and a degree of success, my sales manager asked me to do a presentation to the other trainees about what I did every day.  I was surprised as I didn't think I was particularly good at the job. I didn't fit the description of that mythical figure, the "born salesman." When I looked around the room, I saw infinitely better salespeople: smooth talkers, closers and pros - some of them were so good that I was ready to buy from them!    

I asked my manager why he wanted me to give that kind of talk.  I just did the same thing every day: I dialed the phone, tried my best to get someone on the line who would listen (preferably a decision maker), talked about a mutual fund I thought was cool and asked them to buy it over and over until they bought it - or hung up on me.     He said "Exactly! You're Boring! That's the key to success in this industry." 
As fundraisers, considering the myriad of ways we can distract ourselves from the core part of our job, I’m thinking we could all use a bit more "Boring" in our lives.   As I sit down at my desk each morning, I’m flooded with opportunities to NOT find new prospects and donors to talk to: podcasts, trainings, meetings, webinars and the list goes on and on.   Boring works - and I'll dare to say that it can even trump inbred talent and all of the aforementioned training tools - when applied consistently. Here's why
boring worked then and still does:

I had a plan to follow:   I started my career at Smith Barney, a big "white shoe" firm.  They crunched the numbers to be sure the right person was taking up a sales desk.  They knew what it took to be successful after years of experience and calculations.  It was simple - if you made 300 calls and presented to at least 10 prospects, you'd open one account. You just needed to do that X number of times to get your desired number of clients.   

I was passionate about my products:  I opened all my accounts with a mutual fund that leveraged the massive consolidation that, at the time, was going on in the banking industry.  I did this because I understood it, found it easy to explain and could describe it in about 15 seconds. It didn't matter if I was on the phone, at the deli, the gym or wherever - I loved talking about it and did so with anyone that would listen.

I did the same thing every day!   How many of us start each day with a plan?  How many of us just wing it and see what happens?  Unlike today where salespeople have tools to keep us on track (or create distractions depending on how you use them), there was only one approach to getting my business started:   finding prospects and converting them. No facebook or email to check, no tweeting or instagramming - just talking to people about what you’re passionate about. All the time, not just on the clock.

While I recognize this approach may be nostalgic (it was the 90's - remember them?), I think much of this still applies to our work in the charitable industry.  You still need a game plan for meeting new donors and that should be part of your work every day. In terms of passion, it's pretty simple - find yours! If you're working with a nonprofit that doesn't get you excited every day, there are thousands of others that would welcome your support.   We work in an industry where we get to change the world - one of the best ways to do it is be wonderfully "Boring."

​If you want some help figuring out to be at least a little bit boring, let’s talk!   You can reach me by email at [email protected] or phone at 9177-733-8569.

I recently wrote about the challenge nonprofits face around the ever growing demand for metrics.  In Are Nonprofits Hitting Goals or Creating Results I highlighted the fact that today’s organizations are forced to be hyper-focused on gathering data points and meeting metrics.   Beyond that, I’ve been in situations where I’ve genuinely questioned whether there is real learning going on. Is all that gathering of data the means to an end or is it really being used to increase the impact of an organization with a social mission? 

When something like the above is on your mind, you become acutely aware of it.   That’s what happened to me as I was working with a new client that has programs that provide a series of interventions in underserved school systems.  One of their top funders, a foundation, had stipulated that not only did they want to see their donation partially matched by the board, they required reporting on the number of students participating in their programs, whether these students had attended a set number of workshops and produced a clear deliverable - a demonstration project.  The end goal was that the nonprofit would be in a position to report back that both the match was raised and the agreed upon metrics had been gathered and reached. 

The situation above isn’t inherently good or bad.  In fact, this relationship dynamic between nonprofits and those that fund them - individuals or institutions - plays out every day.   Yet, it speaks volumes. Or should I say the lack of reporting on the actual impact and results speaks volumes. I was left wondering why the foundation didn’t want to know more about the impact on the young people going through the nonprofit’s programs.  Did they have a more positive attitude towards learning? Had their perspectives shifted on how they saw themselves and others? Ultimately, had their lives been changed in some way? 

The challenge we face in today’s world whether we’re talking about nonprofit work, business or just about anything else is that we’re obsessed with measurement.  Even worse, too often our criteria for measurement is woefully narrow or simply inadequate to gauge the success or impact of the work.  We look at numbers but exclude the value of learning.  We study metrics but discount the impact of our actions.  Since I consider myself a realist, I realize and to a certain extent even appreciate that metrics and measurement aren’t going away.  At the same time, here are a few tips for operating in our increasingly measurement happy environment. 
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• FLEXIBILITY Are you allowing for creativity and flexibility in your approach to measurement and metrics?  The key question when looking at metrics, whether its for internal purposes or in response to a funder requirement, should be What can we learn - or even change - by getting this information?  If there’s a clear answer and it’s putting you on a path, AWESOME!.  If not, what can you change or shift to make the data more purposeful?  
• UNIQUENESS  Just as nonprofits have a wide range of missions and related work, so should their methodology for measuring their impact.    While attendance, test scores and graduations are clear and understandable markers in education, indicators for reducing homelessness, alleviating hunger and recidivism (to name just a few) will be dramatically different.  Ensure that you’re using the right measuring tools. 
• IMMEASURABILITY Recognize that despite our measurement mindset, we need to accept that some things cannot and shouldn’t be quantified.  It still brings a smile to my face when a company surveys me and asks “On a scale of 1 to 5, how happy were you with our service?”.  Inevitably people provide answers but how much can an organization learn and/or what changes can be implemented if the score comes back averaging 3.65.  Or 4.25. Or whatever. Objective areas like social and emotional learning, motivations and tenacity may need to be explored through one or one discussions, observations and stories.  

What is your organization measuring or gathering data for that could use some alternatives to standard and narrow measures?   This is a conversation worth having not just internally but with your partners - and yes, even your funders. Looking for more ideas on making your nonprofit more impactful?  Let’s have a conversation. You can reach me at [email protected] or 917-733-8569.