Posted in NewsNotes Archive
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Issue 67 |
NEWSNOTES is a monthly email newsletter published by NEW. It covers resources available at NEW in Ann Arbor and Detroit as well as items of interest to the nonprofit community in southeastern Michigan. NEWSNOTES is proud to celebrate its sixth year of publication, with delivery to over 1,000 subscribers every month! We welcome your This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it !
NEW would like to recognize the generous support of its Community Partners: The Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation, the DTE Energy Foundation, The James A. & Faith Knight Foundation, Borders, The Lloyd and Mabel Johnson Foundation, Online Technologies Corporation, Pfizer Global Research and Development, The Power Foundation, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
IN THIS ISSUE
| NEWSNOTES Resource of the Month |
Effective Fundraising for Nonprofits:
Real-World Strategies that Work, by Ilona M. Bray
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LEAD STORY
Building Donor Loyalty
by Tony Poderis*
The Importance Of Being Donor Centric
An organization becomes donor centric when it recognizes donors as its lifeblood and makes their care a central aspect of its endeavors. Notice that I have said "a" central aspect, not "the" central aspect. It would be a sham nonprofit organization that centered its existence simply on raising money. The mission of all nonprofits should be to do good works in some way, shape, or form.
However, if an organization is to build donor loyalty and develop the strong donor relationships that will assure its long-term growth, it must make cultivating donors and managing its relationships with them a core organizational value. Donor cultivation must be embraced as an objective by every department, staff member, and board member.
If your organization is to be donor centric you must avoid isolating fundraising from the rest of the work the organization does. The organization must acknowledge that fundraising is a shared responsibility. If board chairs and executive directors recognize fundraising as one of their top three responsibilities, they will infuse their organization with a positive view of fundraising. If the boss says fundraising is "Job No. 1" or darn close to it and then walks the walk, others in the organization will buy into an inclusive fundraising culture. An organization whose staff and volunteers accept successful fundraising as a critical, shared objective is halfway to being donor centric. Think about it. If fundraising is so crucial that it must be a part of everyone's thinking, then so are donors.
We're not talking here about turning non-development staff into campaign solicitors. Their fundraising role is to help make friends for the organization -- to cultivate donors. Just as program staff and leadership have to recognize their roles in making the organization donor centric, development staff must be broadly involved in the organization. Don't allow development staff to adopt a "siege" mentality. Too often, development staff will self-isolate. A development staff that does not involve itself in the non-development activities of its organization can do little to influence and assist program and other staff in cultivating donors.
A donor-centric organization recognizes fundraising and program successes together. If a nonprofit wants its program staff to view fundraising and donor cultivation as an organization-wide responsibility, it needs to show that it sees programming and fundraising successes as equally valuable. Staff meetings, press releases, annual reports, and annual meetings, are places and events where fundraising efforts and programming success can be linked or recognized together.
Without donors, most nonprofit organizations would be unable to operate. Hard-pressed program staff may not always have that fact in the forefront of their minds at every moment of every day. A donor-centric organization encourages all staff members to appreciate the value of donors to the organization's mission - to realize the absolute necessity of donors to its daily operations. Donors are partners in fulfilling an organization's mission.
Lessons To Be Learned From For-Profit Businesses
In the for-profit world, customer relationships are the equivalent of donor relationships. In recent years, there has been an increased concentration on each employee of a company recognizing the importance of each and every customer and working to build customer loyalty.
Few companies have higher customer loyalty than L.L. Bean. Visit the headquarters of the catalog merchandiser and you will find a poster stating five customer imperatives displayed throughout the building. We in the nonprofit world would do well to adapt Bean's five customer imperatives to reflect how we should approach donors.
1. "A customer is the most important person ever in this office in person or by mail." What if we were to make that read: A donor is the most important person ever in contact with this organization.
2. "A customer is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him." How about: Donors do not need us. We need them.
3. "A customer is not an interruption of our work. He is the purpose of it." How about: Contact with donors is not an interruption of our work. Donors make our work possible.
4. "A customer is not someone to argue or match wits with. Nobody ever won an argument with a customer." How about. Donors are not people from whom we demand support. No organization is entitled to its donors' money.
5. "A customer is a person who brings us his wants. It is our job to handle them profitably to him and ourselves." How about: Donors bring us their resources and philanthropic desires. It is our job to use those resources and meet those philanthropic desires efficiently, effectively, and as we have promised.
L.L. Bean's five customer imperatives, after a little editing, make fine trail markers for the donor-centric path. The path is blazed by the development director, executive director, and board chair. It is then walked by department heads and board members until finally, it becomes a road to organizational success well traveled by all staff and volunteers. Our job as development professionals is to show our organization where the path can take it.
*Tony Poderis writes extensively on fundraising for the nonprofit sector and generously shares his wealth of information and advice through his website . This article is a reprint of chapter 4 in Mr. Poderis’ online book Building Donor Loyalty .
FEATURED ITEMS
New Economy Initiative for Southeast Michigan
The New Economy Initiative for Southeast Michigan is a unique philanthropic initiative aimed at helping to restore the region to a position of leadership in the new global economy. Ten national and local foundations have committed $100 million to this eight-year initiative to accelerate the transition of metro Detroit to an innovation-based economy. The initiative will work with other partners in the region (the seven-county area of Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, St. Clair, Livingston, Lapeer and Washtenaw Counties) and the state to sponsor and support activities that prepare, attract and retain talented workers.
You are encouraged to get involved. The website provides links to
- Sign up to receive future updates and announcements
- Share your ideas for moving the region forward
- Apply for a grant
More information is available through This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (313) 887-6117.
Corporate Awards Programs
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MetLife Foundation: Community-Police Partnership Awards
The Community-Police Partnership Awards, sponsored by the MetLife Foundation and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), identify innovative partnerships between community groups and police to promote neighborhood safety and revitalization. Six Neighborhood Revitalization Awards, ranging from $10,000-$25,000, will recognize exemplary collaboration between community groups and police that yield crime reduction as well as economic development outcomes. Five Special Strategy Awards of $15,000 each recognize exemplary collaboration between community groups and police that yield significant public safety outcomes in seven specific categories. Public agencies (including police departments and public schools) must apply in conjunction with at least one nonprofit organization. The preliminary application deadline is February 29. Find the RFP and preliminary application form online. -
Achieving Excellence Awards — DTE
DTE Energy Foundation encourages 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in the DTE service area to apply for the 2008 Achieving Excellence Awards Program. The deadline is January 31. This is Michigan's largest corporate grant competition for nonprofits. Grants range from $25,000 to $100,000 and will be presented in five categories: innovation, merger, leadership, collaboration and sustainability.
Find applications and more information online.
Michigan Nonprofit SuperConference
Save the dates of May 13 and 14 for this year's SuperConference at the Lansing Center in Lansing. Neeta Delaney, this year's conference chair, says, "This year’s theme, Teaming Up for Community Success, was carefully selected to address the need for Michigan nonprofits and nonprofit leaders to collaborate and to encourage our sector to think about how we can work together to support our missions and create community change." Attendees will find a diverse array of plenary sessions, workshops and networking opportunities. An Early Bird rate applies for registrations on or before April 18.
Nonprofit Congress 2008 — Register Now!
On June 1-4, 2008, hundreds of nonprofit professionals will converge on our nation’s capital to act collectively for positive change in our sector and in our communities. Will you be one of them? Convene in our nation’s capital, connect with peers across the country and commit to creating positive change at the Nonprofit Congress National Meeting!
The Michigan Nonprofit Association will be represented and they would love to see your organization as part of a Michigan delegation. Register now to take take advantage of the Early Bird registration rate of $100 off the regular rate (available until February 14)! View the full event schedule and registration information online.
D Brand Summit
Friday, February 1, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
The Henry Ford
The way cities are thinking about themselves is changing. The way companies and not-for-profit organizations are using cities for their own competitive advantage is changing, too. And Detroit — and Detroit-based organizations — are at the forefront of both.
The D Brand Summit is a groundbreaking one-day event hosted by The Henry Ford to share cutting-edge brand-building skills, tools and insights that can make a real difference to the success of your organization — and the future of Detroit.
At the D Brand summit you'll gain a firsthand understanding of how the D Brand — Detroit's official tourism and community development brand — can support your own brand and business initiatives while at the same time helping to create a unified and positive perception of the city and region.
Download a conference agenda and register online .
Don’t Throw Away Your Tax-Exempt Status
Beginning in 2008, small tax-exempt organizations will have a new filing requirement. It’s short, easy and electronic – it’s the new e-Postcard. If you are a tax-exempt organization that normally has annual gross receipts of $25,000 or less and does not have to file Form 990 or 990-EZ, you must file the e-Postcard. The e-Postcard is due by the 15th day of the fifth month after the close of your tax year. For example, if your tax period ended on December 31, 2007, the annual electronic notice is due May 15, 2008.
The IRS is developing an electronic filing system for the e-Postcard, and will publicize the filing procedures when the system is completed and ready for use.
What happens if you don’t file? You risk losing your tax-exempt status! If you think this new filing requirement may apply to your organization, go to the IRS website for complete details and while you’re there sign up for Exempt Organization’s free email newsletter, EO Update, to receive up-to-date information posted on the charity pages of irs.gov.
Less Hassle, Less Paperwork. File 990 Online
Larger variety nonprofits can now file IRS From 990 or 990-EZ electronically through the Michigan Attorney General's Office. For instructions and more information visit the Michigan Attorney General's website and click on "charities" in the right column. Go green! Call 517-373-1152 for more information.
Free Team-Building Opportunities for Nonprofits
The University of Michigan Challenge Program is offering a limited number of free programs to the boards and/or staff of nonprofit organizations. This program offers a unique experience and opportunity for groups, teams and organizations to improve their group dynamics through a series of interactive challenges which require cooperation on many levels
Typical programs take place at a scenic wooded site just minutes from the University of Michigan campus. Programs are custom designed and last from 2 to 5 hours, depending on group goals and the type of program selected. Visit the website or contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (734-998-6766) for more information.
Money Back in Michigan
The Michigan League for Human Services has compiled a packet of information, Money Back in Michigan, to promote awareness of various federal and state tax credits available to low and moderate income households. It is designed to assist organizations that serve low-income individuals and families by providing timely information about credits for which they may qualify.
Salary Survey Deadline Extended
The 2008 Michigan Nonprofit Compensation and Benefit Survey is currently being conducted and nearly 600 nonprofits have already responded. The hard working team compiling the data wants the report to be representative of all regions of the state as well as size and type of organization . The goal is to exceed 700 respondents. Your organization can play a role in making that happen and resulting in the most useful survey ever!
Participants will receive a free report in May. Information on comparable compensation and benefit information has proven to be useful in preparing budgets, determining pay increases, and establishing pay ranges for a wide range of nonprofit positions.
To take part, go to the on-line survey page , click on "I do not have an authorization code", and complete the survey by January 31.
Publicize Your Events
GreatStuff, your guide for what to do in Southeast Michigan, wants to help you get the word out about your public happenings. Submit specifics on upcoming events, and the public will be able to find that information on the website and in the GreatStuff weekly e-newsletter and special editions. GreatStuff is produced through a partnership between ArtServe Michigan, the Detroit Free Press and WWJ Newsradio 950.
You may want to be part of the 2008 Spring Planner that will be published on Tuesday, March 11, featuring major happenings in April and May. Just upload basic information on the event submissions page and it will be shared with 200,000 GreatStuff readers.
Nonprofit Buzz
The Nonprofit Buzz airs the last Thursday of each month on MetroChick Radio at 9 a.m. Diana Kern, Director of BoardConnect® at NEW , will host a program on fundraising on January 31. Guests will be Carol Pence, a certified instructor for the Indiana School of Fundraising and Angeline Smith, local expert in grantwriting and capacity building. Tune in online for tips, insights and inspiration!
GuideStar Exchange
GuideStar is in a beta testing phase of its new GuideStar Exchange — an enhanced database that will allow nonprofits to share customized reports including annual reports, photos, video and more. Any organization that has (a) an IRS letter of determination and (b) an annual independent audited financial statement is invited to apply to be listed on the Exchange. GuideStar’s vision is that sharing information builds trust, enables better decision making, and encourages giving. Advantages of joining the Exchange:
- If you act before January 31, 2008 and your form is approved by GuideStar customer service, you will receive a free one-year subscription to GuideStar Premium.
- The first 1,000 organizations that sign up will be entered in a drawing to win $1,000!
Live Website Evaluations: Branding, Message, Content, and Usability
Wednesday, January 30, 2008, 6 p.m. - 8:30 pm.
Livonia, MI
The Michigan Usability Professionals' Association, Refresh Detroit and Perficient, Inc. invite you to an exciting and engaging evening of focus and improvements to website design. Come and experience live evaluations of a number of websites that have been submitted by attendees. This session provides you with a rare opportunity to experience interactions with the stakeholders and designers and discuss YOUR site directly. To register send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . If you would like your nonprofit's website to be considered for this session, please state this in a separate This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Learning Opportunities
See NEW's comprehensive Training Calendar to find classroom workshops and conferences in Michigan, as well as online seminars and audio conferences dealing with all aspects of nonprofit management. A sample of upcoming classes:
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BoardConnect®: Building Your Board
Tuesday, February 12, 9 a.m. - noon
Community House, Birmingham, $55
Learn important aspects of recruiting new members and how BoardConnect's® matching services can help you connect with people willing and able to serve. -
Website Demonstration Workshop
Thursday, February 7, 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.
City Connect , 163 Madison Ave., Detroit, Free
Learn how to use City Connect's website to find funding for your organization. Join a network of hundreds of metropolitan Detroit nonprofits.Please call This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (313-887-6510) to reserve your spot. -
Peer Learning Workshop
Wednesday, February 20, 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Nonprofit Alliance, WMU Kendall Center, Battle Creek, $45/NPA member or $65/non-member
Carter McNamara is a nationally recognized expert in using peer coaching groups (Action Learning) methods to facilitate learning and organizational change. This workshop is worth the trip to learn why peer learning is so popular and why it works.. To register, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (269-565-2190)
Reminders
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Legislative Breakfast meetings
Talk with your representatives about challenges and opportunities facing the nonprofit community in your area. - ResourceConnect® at NEW provides personalized guidance on all aspects of nonprofit management. Take advantage of our subscription to The Foundation Directory Online to find potential funders. Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (734-998-0160 x 218) for an appointment at either our Ann Arbor or Detroit office.
REGULAR FEATURES
Fund$raiser Cyberzine; "An online magazine bringing fundraisers how-to, hands-on ideas in fundraising." The January 23 issue includes "How to Write a Donation Thank-you Letter."
Bulletin Board
- Office space available for rent at the NEW Center, Ann Arbor, for 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (734-998-0160 ext.209).
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Free office equipment offered to a good nonprofit home.
- PRINTER - hp officejet 6110 all-in-one Excellent, used condition. Operates as a printer, scanner and fax machine. Installation CD, instruction guide and newer ink cartridges included. Please contact Karen at 734-213-7704.
- FAX MACHINE – Canon Faxphone B95 Like new condition. Operates as both a phone and a fax machine. User’s guide and black ink cartridge included. Please contact Karen at 734-213-7704.
- MeetUp.com. Whatever your interest, wherever you are. Find like-minded people to share ideas.
- Michigan Computer Supply Company in Ann Arbor wants to donate paper to nonprofits. Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (734-213-5400).
