By Joyce Penland,

CFRE Studying trends in capital campaigns will help nonprofits plan their strategies accordingly and make sound decisions about what elements to include, what staffing challenges need to be faced, and what goals should be set.

1.) Consider a compressive campaign approach More and more nonprofits are considering comprehensive campaigns that include building projects, annual funds and endowment fundraising.  Rolling those elements into one focused campaign allows the organization to articulate its needs more concisely and to succinctly communicate the multi-pronged approach to donors and prospects, without additional appeals for funds.  This can help address the “donor fatigue” syndrome that plagues so many charities who commence campaigns shortly after the close of another.  As campaign goals become larger and the time between them lessens, the comprehensive campaign may be a worthwhile consideration for many groups.

2.) Staffing up focuses on the future A capital campaign provides an excellent opportunity to build the organization’s future development program.  For most development directors, a campaign is intense, concentrated fundraising,  and is very different from running a development program that generally focuses on annual giving and special events.  Staff members are frequently so intent on their daily tasks that they cannot take on the additional essential work of campaign management.

Adding a major gift officer, a grant writer, and a data manager are common moves by small development operations.  “Staffing up” is essential in order to address all of the elements of good campaign strategy:

• Creating case statements and preparing attractive and compelling materials;
• Conducting training for board members and campaign volunteers;
• Managing these volunteers and coaching them to make their “asks”; and
• Establishing reporting structures to track campaign gifts and maintain efficient and effective timelines.

The size and scope of the capital campaign will dictate how many staff members need to be hired.  This is generally the time to assess whether fundraising counsel should be brought on to partner with the development director and volunteers to help close the staffing gap.

3.) Rule of thirds still resonates

According to a recent AFP’s “hot topics” white paper, the traditional “Rule of Thirds” is still a realistic way to set campaign goals.  Fundraising guru Harold J.”Sy” Seymour outlined the Rule of Thirds in his classic book, Designs for Fund-Raising.

The Rule of Thirds states: A campaign is likely to reach its goal if the largest gift equals 10% or more of the goal and it, along with the next nine gifts, total one-third of the goal…AND the next 90 gifts equal one-third of the goal.  If these first two-thirds of the campaign are achieved in this way, it is most likely that the final one-third of the goal can be raised from all other gifts.

Stay tuned for more capital campaign trends and let us know what challenges YOU are facing that our team of capital campaign experts at Bacon Lee & Associates can help you solve.  Contact us today at www.baconlee.com.

By Alexis DeSela

Communicating effectively with your Staff members is one of the most important ways to retain them and provide greater job satisfaction.  In a time where headlines tell us that a large percentage of employees are dissatisfied and want to quit their jobs, it becomes even more important for today’s nonprofit leaders to become more engaged with and interested in their direct reports.

The cost of ignoring the problem is great.  The average cost of turnover for management, executive level and other key positions is 150% to 250% of their annual salary.  Add to this figure the cost of low morale, lost productivity, lost contacts and goodwill and the costs are even higher.

It’s been said that employees leave bosses, not organizations. Over the course of 22 years in the “people” business, I have found this to be true.  As I have talked with management and executive level Staff during exit interviews, some of most prevalent reasons for employee dissatisfaction have centered around a lack of clear and effective communication.

Here are five strategies to open the channels of communication with your direct reports to help boost mutual understanding and enhanced communication, which can dramatically and positively affect employee retention:

1.Set clear and specific expectations

2.Schedule regular one-on-one meetings

•The meetings don’t have to be long; use them as check-ins to review progress on    strategic goal and/or operational plan achievement, project or other work  completion, and to keep the communication channels open.

•Acknowledge goals met and extraordinary performance; celebrate accomplishment.  Yes, executives like to be acknowledged too!

•Address performance issues quickly and specifically. State your expectation for improvement and follow-up. Keep people accountable.

3.Meet with your team regularly

•Allow your team to discuss its issues and encourage collaboration and communication so everyone is on the same page.

4.Do quarterly reviews

•Review projects/goals and progress.

•Discuss areas of excellence and opportunities for development.

•Ask for feedback:  How can you better support your direct reports?  This should be a two-way appraisal.

5.Do an annual review, and do it thoughtfully and on time.

•Use the quarterly discussions and information to summarize the employee’s performance, goal achievement and developmental opportunities. Take the time to use specific examples.

•Set mutually agreed upon goals for the next performance period.

•Ask the employee to provide you a summary of your performance as their boss and make necessary changes to be a more effective leader.

Being an effective leader takes effort, but it’s well worth it.  When you take the time to communicate clearly and regularly, keep Staff accountable, recognize exceptional performance and allowstaff to provide you with constructive feedback on your performance as a leader, you will make positive strides in keeping your Staff engaged and satisfied.  The results are higher retention rates and a healthier bottom-line.  One large nonprofit where I worked saved more than one-and-a half-million dollars in one year after implementing these five suggestions.

Let us hear from you about the ways good communication is accomplished in your workplace.  Do you have an employee retention success story you’d like to share?  Email me at adesela@baconlee.com.

Bacon Lee & Associates bids a heartfelt and loving farewell to long-time associate Barbara Anne Stephens, who is retiring this month, after 13 years with the firm.  Barbara Anne was the first associate of Bacon Lee, joining Mike Bacon and Marion Lee in the early days of Bacon Lee’s consulting operation.

A graduate of Trinity University, Barbara Anne became a fundraising professional in 1988, following a career in teaching.  She was Director of Development for Mission Road Ministries from 1988 to 1997.  In January of 1997, she was named Vice President of Development for the Witte Museum.  In the fall of 1999, Barbara Anne became an independent fundraising consultant and joined Bacon Lee and Associates in 2000.

Her list of clients has included churches and statewide religious organizations, arts and cultural institutions, libraries, human service agencies and secondary schools.  She is a respected speaker and has led sessions for nonprofit organizations across the spectrum—from the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics to Meals on Wheels of Texas.

Marion Lee said, “Barbara Anne has been instrumental in Bacon Lee’s success since our founding.”  Mike Bacon said, “Her fundraising skills are matched by her heart for those we serve.  Our firm is better for her having been here.”

Jack Rodgers, Vice President of Development for Morningside Ministries, who has worked with Barbara Anne through the years said, “Barbara Anne is a wonderful friend, colleague, mentor and a great resource of knowledge about our community. She has been a major leader and guiding spirit in the fundraising community and leaves a profoundly inspiring legacy.”

Barbara Anne is former President of the Association of Fundraising Professionals San Antonio Chapter, was twice the President of the Trinity University Alumni Association and a former Advisory Trustee, is a member of the Trinity University Board of Visitors and is a Ruling Elder of First Presbyterian Church, San Antonio.   She was a board member of Morningside Ministries, Mission Road Ministries, and currently serves on the board of Cooperative Ministries in Higher Education at St. Philip’s College.   AFP San Antonio named Barbara Anne the Outstanding Fundraising Executive of 1999.

In her retirement, she and her husband Kenny plan to spend more time with their two sons and five grandchildren and to enjoy their second home on the Texas coast.

If you’ve worked with Barbara Anne and would like to share a short note with her, please send your emails to bstephens@baconlee.com

By Amy Phipps

If you’ve been around the nonprofit world for awhile, you remember when corporate giving was simpler.  You asked, they said yes (or no), you acknowledged the sponsorship in all the appropriate ways, and everyone was happy.  But with the advent of corporate citizenship (also called corporate responsibility and corporate social responsibility), much has changed.

You’ll still find the quick-handshake deal and companies “doing the right thing” but, increasingly, you’ll find that corporations are looking to leverage their nonprofit involvement with partnerships producing a “triple bottom line” benefiting not just the community, but business and employee interests as well.  Many companies now look to align their business strategies with their core business values and the broader expectations of society.

Savvy business leaders know that sound corporate citizenship practices positively influence an organization’s reputation and its company culture, which in turn can improve its financial performance.  Implemented with diligence and tracked for outcomes, the cycle feeds itself, benefiting the business, its stakeholders, and the community.

So how can your nonprofit tap into this resource?

•         First, learn as much as you can about the core business values of  your proposed corporate                  partner.

•         Find out what factors are necessary for its business success.

•         What are its challenges, and how can you help it?

Some partnerships are a natural – think grocery company and food bank.  Although their execution strategies are quite different, they share a mission to provide food.  So the synergies in that kind of partnership are substantial.

Forming partnerships where the fit is not readily apparent may require more research and more creativity.  What about a high-tech company and an organization offering literacy programs – or STEM education?  It’s a longer-term fix toward the corporation’s need for an educated workforce, but that doesn’t prevent you from developing your proposal and making your case for long-term sustainability.

It’s also essential that you’re speaking the same language.  Most corporations post their corporate citizenship strategies on their websites, and understanding those will help you understand what motivates your partner.  By making the connection between the corporation’s need and your services (the answer to its need), you have planted the seeds of a partnership.  For instance, could a provider of health and wellness services offer speakers and resources for employee wellness programs?  Keep an eye on your mission, and if the shoe fits, put it on!

Also, look for opportunities beyond the dollars.  Skills-based volunteer opportunities that transcend the frequent one-day painting and landscaping efforts can reap huge benefits for both partners, increasing employee engagement and morale.  Do you have technology or marketing needs?  A team of corporate professionals might be the answer.

Key to your success is taking the time to research and develop your plan.  Corporate community affairs professionals will appreciate your initiative in this regard.  Remember that they find their success by promoting the interests of the company.  You can help them to be successful by taking the time to develop the right fit.

To learn more about corporate citizenship, visit Boston College’s Center for Corporate Citizenship at www.bcccc.net.  It’s the premier resource in the field, and although some of their research reports are restricted to members only, many of them are available free to the public.   When you create a (free) account, you’ll be able to access even more information, sign up for e-newsletters, and may be able to access new research before it becomes restricted.

In fact, the current issue of The Corporate Citizen (available free online at www.bcccc.net/pdf/CorporateCitizenIssue8.pdf) is dedicated to partnerships.  In particular, check out “A Guide to Forming Effective Partnerships,” which details a very specific flowchart for the Corporate-NPO Collaboration Decision Path.

Remember that sustainable corporate partnerships, like any relationship in the nonprofit arena, take time to develop, to cultivate and to steward.  But, if you are among those who take the time to truly understand the world of corporate citizenship, you will have found a resource that can bear fruit for your organization not just now, but for years to come.

By Joyce Penland, CFRE

As we start a new year, the Bacon Lee & Associates team is sharing a compilation of the books we’re currently reading both for intellectual and spiritual stimulation.  We hope that our picks will inspire you to share your own current literary excursions.  Let us hear about the “great reads” you recommend.

Alexis DeSela

I’m currently reading Elizabeth Kostova’s The Historian for fun. This is a wonderfully entertaining book about Vampires–Vlad the Impaler in particular. It’s great story telling combined with a good dose of history. Waiting in the wings after I finish this one is Patricia Cornwell’s The Bone Bed, her latest Scarpetta novel.

For intellectual improvement I’ve been reading The Execution Premium by Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton. This book is about successfully executing strategy in the organization. So many times strategic plans end up sitting on a shelf–drives me crazy. This book talks about the importance of translating the vision to reality and discusses at length and in great detail different ways to implement strategy.

Amy Phipps~

I’m reading Gardening for a Lifetime: How to Garden Wiser as You Grow Older by Sydney Eddison.  Gardening and working in the yard have been a source of much pleasure for me, but I just can’t seem to pull off the 16-hour days I used to!  This little book is more than a “how-to”, though.  It’s quite reflective and philosophical in its approach, not just to gardening, but to life balance.  Anyone who enjoys gardening would enjoy the author’s ruminations on how to “right-size” your garden efforts to whatever limitations your life places on you.

It brings to mind the point that one should always be surveying the “landscape”, as there may come a point that the tools that worked in the past are no longer useful.  My only quibble is that she lives in Connecticut, so the many useful plant citations she gives may not transfer to the South Texas growing area.  Other than that, though, I’m having fun with it.

Barbara Anne Stephens~

I’m currently reading Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner, a Pulitzer Prize winner who lived primarily in the western USA and who established the Creative Writing school at Stanford University.  The story follows the development of relationships between two couples who meet when the husbands are “first year” associate professors at a university.   I’m already caught in the author’s web of life experiences, joys and sorrows, and the maturation process.

For intellectual challenge, I recently completed Ernest Hemingway’s In Our Time, a collection of vignettes and short stories that propelled him into literary prominence.  The collection is indeed a snapshot of life from WWI and into the jazz age of the 1920s.  Hemingway’s writing style is uniquely his and eventually led to his winning the Nobel Prize for literature.  Critics credit Hemingway with developing a style that reflected a male viewpoint.  I found the collection intriguing and insightful.

For spiritual growth, I am reading Discipleship Essentials:  A Guide to Building Your Life in Christ by Greg Ogden. Ogden presents four themes:  Growing Up in Christ, Understanding the Message of Christ, Becoming Like Christ, and Serving Christ.  Interestingly, Ogden includes a bonus section on money.  How perfect for a fundraising professional!

Beverly Seffel~

I’m reading Incredible Business, offering expert advice to accelerate your success, written by individuals specializing in an area within each chapter.  It shares ideas on increasing workplace productivity, personal enhancement and focus on the client.  I felt this would be helpful as we continue to look for ways to improve service to our clients and meet their needs.

Karen Kegg~

I’m currently reading The Blessing Way by Tony Hillerman.  It is a fictional novel about the Native American culture in New Mexico in current time. It’s a murder mystery and suspense thriller that conveys the line between The People and the White man’s way.

Marion Lee~

I am an eclectic reader from cookbooks to history.  I read for enlightenment, entertainment, comfort and peace.  I have always found a centering of myself in reading.  In fact, my way of transitioning from work to home, is to sit for a few minutes and read a book that has nothing to do with my job!  Currently, I am reading:

J.R.R. Tolkien’s Letter from Father Christmas – That a man would take the time to write a letter to each of his three children at Christmas, for 20 years, is wonderful.  That it is Tolkien creating another world just for himself and his children is delightful.

Cary Clack’s Clown’s and Rats Scare Me.  I do not always agree with Cary’s point of view, but over the years found that he could write some of the most moving, funny and compassionate articles.  I think he is a master of the poignant in a small space.

H. W. Brands’ The Man Who Saved the Union: Ulysses Grant in War and Peace.  I am a Civil War buff and realized I had never read anything on Grant; Lee-yes, Grant – No.

Sarah Waters’ Fingersmith – A mystery, romance and terrific gift of descriptive language.

Mike Bacon~

I’m reading A Sense of Direction: Pilgrimage for the Restless and the Hopeful by Gideon Lewis-Kraus.  It’s an interesting story by a 20-something who, as he tries to find his way in life, decides to seek answers on the Camino de Santiago.  This ancient pilgrimage walk over hundreds of miles in Spain gives him time to think about his life as he wanders the countywide.  I’m enjoying it because it’s a perspective on the younger (20’s) mindset and an honest attempt to figure out a spiritual journey.  He’s a bit angry, a bit arrogant and quite lost.

I’m also listening to Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs as I spend a lot of time traveling, usually in the car.  This adventure story is complete with snarling animals from deepest Africa to the challenges young Tarzan faces being a child of two cultures (ape and man).  It tells the story of how the legend of Tarzan came to be and I’m at the part where he is just starting to interact with humans again.  It’s good enough that I have a hard time leaving the car when Tarzan is in the middle of another battle.

Mike Patterson~

I’m an admitted eclectic reader, hopping from fiction to non-fiction, history to current events, arts to science, travel to biography.  I’m either currently reading or highly recommend Looking at Ansel Adams: The Photographs and the Man by Andrea G. Stillman.  It examines some 20 of his most famous photographs, showing how Adams took them (and even including reprints of the actual negatives with his crop marks), and weaving together anecdotes and observations from and about his fellow artists. I’ve admired Ansel Adams’ photography since I was in high school (and yes, there was photography when I was in high school, though it was film, not digital!). His iconic photographs of people, places and things, principally in black and white, helped elevate photography from merely snapshots to art.

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand is the book to read if you think you’ve had a bad day!  If the first two pages of the Preface don’t make the hair stand on your neck and capture your attention, then nothing will.  Three airmen shot down over the Pacific Ocean in WW II, adrift on a raft for 27 days, strafed by Japanese fighter pilots, fighting off sharks literally jumping into the raft, and then captured by the Japanese. The story centers on the life of Louis Zamperini in the unbelievably harsh conditions of a Japanese POW camp.  What I find especially admirable about the book is Laura Hillenbrand (author of Seabiscuit), who  has suffered from such a severe case of chronic fatigue syndrome that she rarely leaves her apartment.  Though she spent countless hours interviewing him over the phone, she never met Zamperini himself.  She sometimes goes months at a time unable to write, and when she does, it is often just a few sentences at a time.  “I’m looking for a way out of here,” she once said.  “I can’t have it physically, so I’m going to have it intellectually.”  Now that’s inspiration!

Joyce Penland~

I’m currently reading Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier about the discovery of dinosaur bones.  Set in Southwest England in the 19th century, the discoveries of fossils on the cliffs and beaches rocked the world and opened the minds of scientists to the planet’s age and the extinction of species. The first finds were made by a poor working-class family—and their young daughter, Mary. Chevalier tells of the friendship between Mary and Elizabeth Philpot, an English gentlewoman also fascinated by these remarkable creatures of stone, in a time when women were thought to be incapable of understanding the extent of their finds.  It’s truly a great revelation to me about the fortitude of women of another age!

For spiritual growth, I’m reading Seven: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker.  It’s the true story of an Austin preacher’s wife who took seven months working through seven areas of excess:  Food. Clothes. Spending. Media. Possessions. Waste. Stress.  She addresses excess this way:  Only eat seven foods, wear seven articles of clothing, spend money in seven places, eliminate use of seven media types, give away seven things each day for one month, adopt seven green habits, and observe “seven sacred pauses.”  The payoff from this reduced living, according to Hatmaker, is the discovery of a greatly increased God—a call toward Christ-like simplicity and generosity. The book definitely has me thinking about ways to eliminate excesses in my life.

By Barbara Anne Stephens

Tis the season indeed!  In many households throughout the United States, children are lighting menorahs, stockings are being hung on mantels, cookies are baking, and mailboxes are overflowing with requests for year-end gifts from nonprofit organizations.

But the sounds of the season are not the same this year for our brothers and sisters impacted by Hurricane Sandy.  The tinkle of silver bells has been replaced with the roar of front loaders.  A cot in a gymnasium is a poor substitute for the warmth of the family hearth.  Business owners who had high hopes for a strong retail season may be resigned to reopening next summer.  And once again, our colleagues at the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army are helping to provide much needed disaster relief services to our fellow citizens.

These circumstances call us to reflect on the privilege we have as nonprofit professionals to help ease the pain and suffering of others both daily and in times of crisis.  Televised news reports include the faces of our first responders followed immediately by the nonprofit community–the volunteers and staff of the American Red Cross.  Salvation Army trucks filled with supplies arrive on the scene.  Celebrities lend their talents to raising awareness and money, but the nonprofit organizations whose missions are disaster relief are those who bring food, clothing, shelter and comfort to those who are hurting.  And they stay the course until the work is done!

Below is a short list of nonprofit organizations that are providing “ministering angels” in this holy season.  The team at Bacon Lee & Associates is grateful for these outstanding organizations and we know that there are countless other organizations that are and will be involved in this massive cleanup effort.

We invite you to use these links to visit the websites of these organizations and to consider a year-end gift to rebuild lives in New York and New Jersey.

Our work is important!  As nonprofit managers, development professionals and board members, we are part of a growing sector of the US economy.  We are responsible for the encouragement of, management of and conscientious stewardship of more than $300 billion in charitable giving each year.   We also represent an ever-increasing area for job growth.  This is the perfect time of year to fine-tune our mission message, to revisit our strategic plans and to spend some time dreaming big about the future of our organizations.  The quality of life in our communities depends on our achieving our missions.

For four decades at the end of Christmas Eve services at First Presbyterian Church, San Antonio, after the dimming of lights and the lighting of candles, worshippers make their way into the street while singing “Silent Night.”  Our service ends as we recite together words written by Howard Thurman, mentor to Martin Luther King, Jr.  Thurman was an African-American pastor and professor who wrote and spoke extensively on the connection between spiritual values and a call to action to transform our world.

The great blessing we have as members of the nonprofit community is to participate daily in transforming our world.  Consider the words of Howard Thurman from his poem, “The Work of Christmas.”

When the song of the angels is stilled,

When the star in the sky is gone,

When the kings and princes are home,

When the shepherds are back with their flock,

The work of Christmas begins:

To find the lost,

To heal the broken,

To feed the hungry,

To release the prisoner,

To rebuild the nations,

To bring peace among brothers,

To make music in the heart.

The team at Bacon Lee & Associates wishes you the joys of the season and a new year of health and good purpose.

By Joyce Penland

Bacon Lee & Associates conducts numerous job searches for nonprofits throughout the state of Texas.  We’ve seen job candidates come to the interview well informed about the positions for which they are applying and all too many who come ill prepared for the interview. This month, the Bacon Lee team focuses on knowing the organization in which you’re seeking employment, preparing yourself for the interview experience, asking appropriate questions, and looking the part.

Do your homework

Our team was unanimous in recommending that candidates need to know the organization in which they’re seeking a job.  All too often applicants come to the interview without knowing much about the nonprofit they presumably want to work for.  The interview is not the time to “wing it” and try to bluff your way through the process.  Instead, take the time to learn as much as you can about the position you’re applying for as well as the mission and culture of the nonprofit.

Estela Avery says, “Find out what the non-profit does, its history and purpose.”   And Beverly Seffel recommends doing research.  “Look at the organization’s website and 990.”

Rehearse for the interview

It’s also important to “rehearse” for the interview and be prepared to answer questions about your “fit” for the organization.  Says Karen Kegg,  “The candidate should give good tangible reasons why their skill sets would benefit the organization.  It’s wise to know your own accomplishments and how they would translate to the position.  Many times people come to the table as generalists but can’t define their specific strengths and expertise.”

Exhibiting enthusiasm for the nonprofit’s work is also a plus.  Says Alexis DeSela, “Be prepared to answer what you know about the organization and why you want to be part of it. Show us and clearly articulate your passion for the mission and how your experience and past accomplishments will translate into success for the organization.”

A job interview can be intimidating even for the most confident person.  Says Barbara Anne Stephens, “Develop skills to deal with your nerves and to calm your fears.  Answer questions directly.  For example, if the interviewer says, “Tell me about a time when you made a personal “ask” for a six figure gift,” begin your reply with, “I will never forget the first time I asked for a six figure gift.”  Be direct and as succinct as possible.”

Ask appropriate questions

It’s important to come to the interview with questions of your own.  Marion Lee says, “Ask thoughtful questions.  You are interviewing the organization as well being interviewed.  What you ask is as important as how you answer.  It makes a difference.”

According to Mike Bacon, “This is your chance to impress with astute questions based on the research you did. “  Mikes’ tips for good questions include:

• If this is a new position, ask about the reasoning behind creating it.
• Ask what the interviewer sees as the greatest challenges for the person who gets the job.
• Why is the organization so dependent upon events versus individual gifts?
• Does the interviewer have any sense of what it would be like to work for the person will be your supervisor?
• How engaged is the Board in true fundraising?

Mike says, “All of these questions give you valuable information and show that you are savvy enough to know the right questions to ask.”

Dress the part

Looking as if you’re ready to assume the role for which you’re applying is of great importance.  A wise applicant will dress for the interview the way you would dress for your first day on the job. For male candidates applying for leadership positions in a nonprofit organization, that still means a suit and tie, and for female applicants that means a suit or a business dress and appropriate footwear, and jewelry.

Says Alexis, “Dress professionally: don’t let your attire, jewelry or fragrance become a distraction.”  Another tip from Alexis is good for all job applicants:  “Leave your phone in the car!”

The Bacon Lee & Associates team believes applicants can make a positive impressions throughout the interview process by simply following these tips for success.

By Mike Bacon, CFRE

I constantly recommend to clients and fellow fundraising professionals the work of fundraising guru Penelope Burk, author of Donor-Centered Fundraising.  It is safe to say it’s one of the best and most instructive books in our field in the last decade.

In addition, I seek out opportunities to hear Penelope present.  She was a keynote speaker at the recent Texas Nonprofit Summit 2012 and here are a few important points she shared:

It’s not about donor quantity, it’s about donor loyalty.

Over time, donors become increasingly generous in their gifts.  Nonprofits that can speed up the period of time in which donors upgrade (increase) their gifts are those that will be sustainable.  We do that by thanking them in a timely and meaningful way.

Prompt acknowledgement of gifts is critically important.

Two to three days is becoming the standard.  Do you know how long it takes for your thank you letter to reach your donor?

Donors really do read the acknowledgement letter… in particular, the first 15 words.  Those are the most important words in the entire letter.

• Good acknowledgement letters are personalized.
• Good acknowledgement letters do not start out “On behalf of the Board of  ABC Nonprofit, I want to thank you for your generous gift…”
• Good acknowledgement letters tell the donor how the gift will be used, NOT how it has been used already since the charity has only had the gift for a period of a few days by that point.
• The letters should be hand signed.
• Letters are especially effective when leadership volunteers hand sign them.

95% of donors surveyed by Penelope want a call from a Board member.

They feel it’s easier to write a check to support the cause than to be out front, asking others to support.  They believe that the leadership volunteer is the one with the hard job!

Thank you calls can mitigate or slow down donor drop off right from the start of a relationship.  More than 85% of donors drop off through the next five asks.

Donors want us to report on how we used their gift in a meaningful way before we ask them for another gift.

• We are all struggling to shift a donor from that first gift to becoming a true investor in our mission and program.
• The second gift depends upon the measurable results of the last gift the   donor made.
• The only recognition some donors want is a well-written and meaningful thank you note and thank you telephone call.
• Recognition is appreciated because of the people who give it, not because of the item being given.

Keep an eye out for Penelope’s new book called Donor-Centered Leadership.  It should be coming out soon.

By Joyce Penland, CFRE

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” – Benjamin Franklin

At Bacon Lee & Associates we conduct job searches for a variety of nonprofits from large universities to small human service organizations to animal protection groups to art museums.  The thread that ties these groups together is their hope to attract qualified, energetic, experienced fundraising professionals who can move their organizations forward.

Knowing this, the Bacon Lee team is sharing some important tips for job applicants so that you can be prepared for the interview process, from start to finish.   Our focus this month is creating a winning résumé and cover letter.

The résumé

The first step in preparing for the job interview is to write or rewrite your résumé.

Mike Bacon says, “I’m always amazed at how few job candidates share the results of their work in their résumés.”  His advice?  Look hard at your résumé and consider the following information:

• Does it have the right “numbers” in it?
• Do you specifically state how much money you raised?
• What’s the largest gift you have closed?
• How many prospects have you managed in your portfolio of contacts?
• Do you identify how many people you managed?
• How large was your budget?

Mike says, “All these numbers give an interviewer a sense of comparison.  Numbers help determine if you are ready to tackle the challenges of the next opportunity.”  Beverly Seffel reminds job seekers to use care in crafting your résumé.  “Don’t send in résumés with cute objects or fonts that are hard to read.”

Barbara Anne Stephens says that wise job applicants will prepare by being specific.  “Update your résumé and make it specific to the job that you are seeking.  Including a generalized objective that is not part of the job description is a negative, particularly in a tight job market.”

Creating your résumé with your reader in mind is sage advice from Alexis DeSela.

“Make it easy for the recruiter to understand your job experience, progression and accomplishments, and explain any significant gaps in employment.  But don’t include personal items, birthdates, hobbies or pictures in your résumé.”

Most importantly, says Marion Lee, your résumé should reflect who you really are.  “Be honest and sincere because we can tell.  Apply for jobs that you really want, not just any job just to have one because it shows.”

The cover letter

Crafting a winning cover letter can make the difference in getting invited for an interview.  Wise applicants will take great care in creating a unique cover letter for each job for which you’re applying.

“A powerful, well-crafted cover letter is key to getting an interview.  The cover letter allows job seekers to say things about themselves that don’t appear in the résumé.  I’m particularly interested in people who include a personal story that shows they are passionate about the mission of the nonprofit that is hiring,” says Barbara Anne.

Alexis adds that a thoughtful cover letter that is well written and accurately presents your professional “essence” is the key.  “I’ve seen cover letters submitted for jobs with a different recruiter’s name and organization–and for a different job than the one we are recruiting for. Pay attention to the details. This is your first impression with the recruiter, so make it count.”

As the Bacon Lee & Associates team reads and reviews applicant résumés and cover letters for job searches we are conducting, we hope these tips will prepare you to be among those who will move to the interview stage.  Stay tuned for more tips on preparing for the interview—knowing your future organization, asking appropriate questions, and looking the part.

By Alexis De Sela

After several conversations with small nonprofits around the topic of organizational effectiveness, I felt compelled to write about strategic planning for two reasons: first, I’m surprised at how many organizations do not have a strategic plan, and second, of those who do have a plan, when asked about it, readily admit it has not been reviewed for years.

A strategic plan helps the organization set strategic, vision and mission-centered goals and create a road map for effective operations and growth. In a nonprofit, the Board has the responsibility of creating the overarching goals for the organization. The Executive Director, along with the organization’s key staff, is tasked with operationalizing the plan: the conversion of strategic goals into execution, which includes: 1) creating objectives that support the goals, 2) defining outcomes, 3) defining action steps and 4) developing a budget.

There are several approaches to, and models for, strategic planning. I like to use a hybrid version that incorporates the Drucker model, which asks the following questions:

• What is our mission?
• Who is our customer?
• What does our customer value?
• What are our results?
• What is our plan?

The hybrid part involves the addition of conducting PESTEL (macro environmental factors), Operations (internal factors) and SWOT analyses.

PESTEL is an acronym that stands for Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal (it can also be referred to as an environmental scan). The analysis asks organizations to consider and explore what is occurring in these environments that could potentially affect their operations.

An operational analysis looks at the following internal factors: Structure, Systems, Programs, Processes, Finances/Budget and People (staff, volunteers and Board). Organizations are asked to consider these factors and how they currently and  potentially could affect operations.

The SWOT analysis, which defines and summarizes the organization’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats helps synthesize the PESTEL and Operational analyses. Taking the information derived from answering the first four Drucker questions and the resulting SWOT analysis, you define priorities, create goals, objectives, outcomes and action steps.

The answer to the final question in the Drucker model, “what is our plan?” encompasses a restatement of vision and mission, and the goals, objectives, outcomes and action steps (tasks, timelines and teams) that will bring the vision to reality.  The written Strategic Plan is the end result.

Once the Strategic Plan is finalized, the budgeting process should be undertaken to make sure the Plan can be implemented as presented. With Board approval of the budget and strategic plan, implementation can begin. The outcomes and action steps (tasks, timelines and teams) guide implementation.

The final steps in the process are to report outcome progress periodically and reassess objectives and action steps as extenuating external and internal factors dictate.

Having and implementing a strategic plan is vitally important to reach optimum operational effectiveness for your organization. Without a plan and clear mission-centered goals, fulfilling your vision may not become a reality!

Bacon Lee and Associates offers Strategic Planning workshops tailored to your organization’s needs. Please call us for more information.