Philanthropy Front and Center-Atlanta

Questions to Ask for Planning a Successful Retreat

One of the perks of working at the Foundation Center is having access to hundreds of books aimed at grantseekers and grantmakers. The book Secrets of Successful Retreats recently caught my attention. Like most people, I am drawn to secrets out of curiosity.

Here are a few questions recommended in the book that you should ask when preparing to host a retreat:

• How much time will we need to announce the retreat before it takes place?


• Does the space fit what we need? Can we afford it? Does it have space for breakout sessions?


• What outcomes do we desire from the retreat? How will the retreat flow? When will we break? When and what meals will we provide?


• Who will facilitate the retreat?


• What materials, handouts, or equipment do we need to facilitate any exercises?


• What information do we need to collect prior to the retreat? Is there information we need to distribute in advance as pre-retreat 'homework'?

Secrets of Successful Retreats contains a plethora of tips from professionals in the nonprofit sector. This book is available for checkout from our library/learning center through our free lending program.

Asia Hadley, Training Coordinator, Foundation Center-Atlanta

Listen! David La Piana Discusses How Nonprofits Should Approach Strategic Restructuring

David La Piana, author of Strategic Restructuring: Mergers, Integrations and Alliances, recently sat down with Janet Camarena, Director, Foundation Center-San Francisco, to talk about best practices in how nonprofits should approach collaborations, mergers, and other types of partnerships. Listen>>

Using Social Media for Development: Flash in the Pan or Wave of the Future?

In case you missed this lively program presented earlier this month by Kelly Hornbuckle, Manager of Marketing & Communications, Georgia Restaurant Association, you can view her presentation. (We will also have a recording of this program available in the video event archives section of our web site in the near future.)

Kelly talked about how nonprofit organizations can leverage Web 2.0 tools and do more with less. The program discussed using social media to find creative ways to drive your organizations’ missions forward; to increase donations with applications and widgets and to use search functionality to attract new donors with similar interests; to raise mission awareness through the viral nature of web 2.0 with measurable web traffic; and to mobilize volunteers using technology that makes recruiting and volunteering easier than ever. She referred to a helpful webinar available from Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta on the “Legal Issues of Social Networking.” 

You may also want to look at The Case Foundation’s web site which has a resource page with links and tutorials on social media sites for nonprofits.

Another resource comes from the Foundation Center-Washington DC’s  program “Facebook, Twitter, and Causes -- Are They Right for Your Organization?” In this program, three speakers discussed social media and how nonprofits can use these outlets to connect with their constituents and raise awareness of their message. Panelists included:
• Dahna Goldstein, Founder of Philantech, LLC
• Jocelyn Harmon, Director of Business Development for Triplex Interactive and blogger at Marketing for Nonprofits 
• Evan C. Parker, Manager of Digital Membership for The Nature Conservancy

You can find the slides for Dahna and Jocelyn's presentation and for Evan's presentation online. Here are some highlights from the program:
• The Pew Internet and American Life Project has compelling statistics on Internet use that can be useful in planning a social media strategy.
• Panelists reinforced the reality that social media helps you engage new audiences rather than turn them into immediate donors.
• Panel members had different opinions on which social media tools were most effective, but all agreed that picking a social media tool  based on which would appeal to your organization's primary audience is critical.

In case you were wondering, most people agree that social media tools are the wave of the future and not a flash in the pan. Please share your thoughts and experiences with social media.

Joanne Kepics, Regional Training Coordinator, Foundation Center-Atlanta

From the Answer Desk. Contingency and Scenario Planning: What's the Difference and How Do Nonprofits Get Started?

A: Both are structured ways for organizations to think about the future. In the context of planning, the terms "contingency" and "scenario" are sometimes used interchangeably. In simple terms, a contingency plan can be described as your organization’s “Plan B” or "worst case scenario" and is often tied to something specific, like a natural disaster. They are also sometimes called business continuity plans or disaster recovery plans. Scenario planning, on the other hand, is a “strategic planning method expressly developed to test the viability of alternative strategies," according to Mal Warwick in his book, Fundraising When Money is Tight. Warwick suggests six steps for creating an effective scenario plan, starting with exploring answers to the question, "What keeps you awake at night?," to draw out fundamental issues, and concluding with testing your strategic choices using “what-if” reasoning. Warwick describes scenario planning in detail and goes on to suggest Peter Schwartz’s classic 1991 book, The Art of the Long View, for further reading. (Listen to our February 2009 podcast with Mal Warwick here.)

In the July 2, 2009 Chronicle of Philanthropy article “Worst Case Scenarios,” author Ben Gose advocates that forming a contingency plan can help a nonprofit navigate the recession more successfully. Offering tips ranging from setting priorities and identifying "trip wires" (actions to take when revenues drop, for example), Gose cautions that organizations must come to terms with the fact that “painful decisions will still have to be made.” However, Mr. Gose goes on to note that during contingency planning “a charity may find that a program it considered cutting is in fact worth saving, and that finding can make a compelling story for donors.”

Additional resources:

Financial Scenario Planning for an Uncertain Future
Slides from a presentation made by Emil Angelica at the June 2009 annual conference of Dance USA.

Nonprofits Assistance Fund Scenario Planning Worksheet
A "step by step guide to nonprofit contingency planning."

ScenarioThinking.org
Open community on scenario thinking and scenario planning where you can publish scenarios, reflect on the planning processes and share online resources about scenario planning in a democratic and inclusive manner.

Do you have a question? Ask Us!

(This post is from Rob Bruno, Foundation Center librarian.)

Young Professional Groups: Creating Next Generation Donors and Organizational Evangelists

Getting involved in your community is not only good for your career, it’s good for your health. According to a 2007 research study by the Corporation for National & Community Service, “those who engage in volunteer activities are less likely to suffer from ill health later in life and may be introduced into a positive reinforcing cycle of good health and future volunteering.”

It’s not only good for the health of volunteers, but for the health of organizations as well. By establishing a young professionals group, nonprofits can capitalize on eager young talent ready and willing to serve. These talented emerging leaders share their passion with their peers. They give their time, talent, and treasure. As these young leaders mature professionally, they are often able to contribute at higher levels financially. Therefore, it is advantageous for organizations to cultivate these future major donors now.
 
Authors Ben McConnell and Jackie Huba conducted a year-long research project that led to "Creating Customer Evangelists,” a framework to create communities of influencers who drive sales or membership for a company or organization.
 
In the case of nonprofits, staff and volunteers sell a vision and program impact in the community. Young professionals often become organizational evangelists, sharing success stories about nonprofits with their peers and community. Here are some local organizations that are benefiting from having a young professionals group: 

• The Atlanta Opera
• Atlanta Urban League
• Boys and Girls Club of Metro Atlanta
• The Civic League for Regional Atlanta

We welcome your additions to this list.

Asia M. Hadley, Training Coordinator, Foundation Center-Atlanta

Big Oops!

We’re human; we make mistakes.  The July/August 2009 issue of Advancing Philanthropy is devoted to this topic.  If you are a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, you get this periodical as part of your membership.  If not a member, you can subscribe online or come to the Foundation Center and read the articles here. 

The main article in this issue, “Uh Oh! How to Turn Mistakes into Valuable Learning Opportunities” by Mary Ellen Collins and Paul Lagasse, features eight lessons, stating the problem as a case study and analyzing the result. You’ll read them with one of two thoughts going through your mind, “Thank goodness that has never happened here,” or “Oh how I relate; we did the same thing last year.”  Two points from this article stand out in my mind:  (1) When dealing with donors and their money, any interaction has the potential to be an accident; and (2) The saddest mistake is the one you repeat; learn from each oops.

Don’t have time to read the 10-page article?  At least take a look at the sidebars, particularly “What to Do – and What Not to Do When a Crisis Happens.” In addition to actual quotes from experts from a variety of highly regarded consulting firms, there is a summary list of Dos and Don’ts.   

 Pattie Johnson, Director, Foundation Center – Atlanta

The IRS and Tax-Exempt Organizations

The Internal Revenue Service regularly publishes “Tax Tips” at their web site.  Back in the spring, they issued Tax Tip 2009-60, “Six Important Facts about Tax-Exempt Organizations.”

Taxpayers donate millions of dollars every year to charitable organizations. In this publication, the IRS lists six things you should know about the tax treatment of tax-exempt organizations:
 
1. Tax returns for tax-exempt organizations are available to the public, as are their applications for exemption.
2. The list of donors to a tax-exempt organization filed with the Form 990 is excluded from the information available for public inspection.
3. The easiest way to determine if an organization is tax-exempt or not is to ask them. You can also search in IRS Publication 78.
4. Not all exempt organizations are eligible to accept tax-deductible charitable donations.
5. Exempt organizations that are not eligible to accept tax-deductible donations are required to disclose that to potential donors.
6. You can report inappropriate activities by charities to the Exempt Organizations Examination Division . 

Looking for more information about the tax returns of foundations and nonprofits?  See our free online course, Demystifying the 990-PF, or How to Read the IRS Form 990 & Find Out What It Means, a helpful guide from the Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York.

Share your experiences with the IRS; you can use the comment box below.

Kayron Bearden, Reference Librarian, Atlanta

For-profit Ventures for Nonprofit Organizations

I came across a really interesting article the other day about how some nonprofit organizations are setting up for-profit subsidiaries to help generate additional revenue and to further their mission.

You can find the article, "Safety Line", in the June 2009 issue of Fundraising Success Magazine.  The author gives several examples of nonprofits that have set up for-profit subsidiaries, including Open Hand, based here in Atlanta.  This local organization delivers meals and nutritional information to low-income people with chronic diseases.  In 2005, they began a for-profit arm, Good Measure Meals, in response to a demand for nutritious meals for people who could afford to pay for them.  Although it wasn’t initially set up as a fundraising venture, Good Measure Meals contributed $430,000 to Open Hand in 2008.

The article stresses the importance of mission fit—aligning the work of the for-profit subsidiary with the mission of the nonprofit.  This will help at tax time when the nonprofit doesn’t have to pay unrelated business income tax (UBIT) on the revenue that comes from the for-profit venture. 

Another key point discussed is that starting a revenue-generating venture may not be right for every organization.  Along with profits can come risks, but those risks can be lowered through proper planning.  A nonprofit considering starting a for-profit subsidiary should consider 3 important characteristics to make sure doing so is right for them:

• Organizational assets: brand or reputation, skills and expertise
• Market opportunity: potential customer base
• Organizational capacity: able to handle checks, process invoices, manage customer service; appropriate managerial talent in place

For additional information on earned income, look in our Catalog of Nonprofit Literature using the search terms “Nonprofit organizations-entrepreneurship” or “Social entrepreneurship”.

Has your nonprofit set up a for-profit subsidiary?  Share your story with us.

Kayron Bearden, Reference Library, Foundation Center-Atlanta

 

Getting the Best from Telemeetings

Have you ever participated in a teleconference or webinar and dozed off? Do you join calls, but find yourself muting your phone to handle other business? If you answered yes to these questions, you are not alone.

According to The Goodman Center’s newly released report Dialing In, Logging On, Nodding Off: The True Costs of Teleconferences, Videoconferences and Webinars, these behaviors make participating in such meetings more demanding than face-to-face meetings.

While the communication mediums are different, the report indicates the challenges with telemeetings are basically the same. Technical problems, poor leader facilitation, and disengaged attendees negatively impact meeting quality.

So before your next telemeeting, consider the following suggestions from The Goodman Center:

Know the technology: Managers need to ensure that all users, particularly facilitators, are knowledgable about the technology. Take time to rehearse and give participants clear instructions on how to use the functions.

Prepare and practice: That means having an agenda, navigating through the various screens and applications, and being clear about what will take place. As those who have held meetings or conducted trainings using telemeeting technologies can attest, meeting face-to-face versus over the phone requires special preparation.

Don’t just attend, participate: Be prepared to share your ideas and contribute to the conversation. Invest in a quality headset to enable you to walk around so that you won’t have to leave during the meeting.

We all have a responsibility to help make these advanced technologies work for, instead of against, us and our organizations. Let us know how you are making your telemeetings work better.

Asia Hadley, Training Coordinator, Foundation Center-Atlanta

Reinventing Mississippi Conference

I attended the Mississippi Center for Nonprofit’s “Reinventing Mississippi” conference last week and found there were several valuable sessions for the nonprofits in attendance.  Here are just a few of the topics covered: “More than Money: Tapping the Corporate Pool” which had practical ideas on how to effectively ask for and use corporate volunteers; “Telling Your Story through Outcomes Measurement” which covered learning how to measure changes in clients' lives in a meaningful way; and  “Nontraditional Marketing Alternatives in Today's High-tech Environment” to learn how to make your marketing message stand out from the many messages received by your potential clients and funders.  

State associations of nonprofits, such as the Mississippi Center for Nonprofits and the Georgia Center for Nonprofits, are great resources for nonprofits.  According to the National Council of Nonprofits these state groups represent all types and sizes of charitable organizations and work with state and national partners to help local nonprofits:

• Manage and lead more effectively.
• Collaborate and exchange solutions.
• Save money through group buying opportunities.
• Engage in critical policy issues affecting the sector.
• Achieve greater impact in their communities.

You may want to find out about the state association of nonprofits in your state; there is a list of those in the southeast at the Community Resources area of our web site. For other states, you can check the locator at the National Council of Nonprofits web site.

Joanne Kepics, Regional Training Coordinator, Foundation Center-Atlanta