By Susan Fields, CFRE

We have all heard stories of highly respected nonprofits—as well as for-profit businesses and corporations—facing the challenge of protecting their reputation during or in the aftermath of a scandal. This abrupt “fall from grace” can take the form of irresponsible, and often illegal, financial practices or questionable behavior of executive leadership, board, or employees. Although a crisis usually occurs suddenly and unexpectedly, these upheavals are most usually a symptom of dysfunction that has been silently brewing for years or possibly decades. This AFP-NYC Panel Discussion discussed the various steps nonprofits can take to minimize their organization’s vulnerability to crisis and avoid such events whenever possible.

Six Strategies for Managing or Avoiding an Organizational Crisis

1. A crisis is often made public before the nonprofit knows it occurred. Have plans and policies in place should your organization be faced with an unexpected public relations emergency.
    
2. Develop tools in advance for releasing communications for social, print, and television media. Target only the audience that has learned of potential crisis as opposed to “advertising” to those who might never learn about it.
    
3. Make sure that your closest supporters hear about the potential problem from your organization first. This allows you to explain what occurred as well as maintain trust should the crisis escalate to a wider audience.
    
4. Rather than answer all the questions asked by the media, explain what your organization is doing to resolve the situation in a timely fashion. Emphasize your nonprofit’s ongoing commitment to its mission and values. 
    
5. Make sure that your nonprofit’s financials are both clear and understandable. Bureaucracy and complexity can sometimes lead to lack of transparency which can erode the trust of your constituency.
    
6. Conflict of interest, breach of ethics, “mission drift”, and failure to keep commitments are the most common causes of a crisis. Once the problem has been abated, hold an intensive review to avoid a recurrence.

By Steve Paster of Alpine Creative Group, Steve Feder of CheckIn Tech, and Reed Baker of Text-To-Pledge

It’s the start of a new event season and you told yourself you wouldn’t overbook your calendar ever again –– but here you are, in a familiar situation needing solutions for event logistics in a flash. Don’t fret or break a sweat. Pulling together resources from within the event planning community is why we’re all in this together. Once you have the date and venue nailed down, it’s time to think about the guest experience. With overwhelming options and technologies, we put this article together to help give a simple 1-2-3 solution for the most common problems when planning an event. 

Step 1 - Design & Printing of Save The Dates & Invitations

Step 2 - Guest Check-In Technology and Services

Step 3 - Mobile Fundraising Technology

Step 1 - Alpine Creative 

Once your event details are confirmed, we all know how important it is to send out a save the date. These are generally done as postcards and can be mailed by themselves or inserted into an envelope. Save the dates do not have to match the theme of the event. They provide information content only and serve as a reminder to your potential attendees. Invitations, however, should match the theme of the event. This will add to the excitement and anticipation of your gala.

Invitations and the process involved around them can be daunting. There is design, paper stock, logos, ink color, etc. The decisions can be exhausting. Using a notable design team is key to ensure your invite speaks directly to the guest. Take this one step further by using a team who offer total vertical integration including all components of the invitation process, from concept to completion … AKA less weight on your shoulders! It is key to use a design team that understands both how to design for these aesthetics and still maintains the economical goals for the project. Alpine Creative Group fits this niche perfectly, because they specialize in custom invitations for non-profits. They produce these quickly and cost-effectively at their store and factory in Manhattan.

While Alpine offers total vertical integration – from concept to completion – they also do not charge a design fee, which saves non-profit organizations up to $5,000 depending on the complexity of the project. All clients are also provided with a fully printed invitation proof at no charge, prior to full production. Since the design department and manufacturing division are located on the same premises, there is total communication and coordination for production specs and timelines. Alpine can also serve as the fulfillment house and mail out the invitations as well. Talk about integration!

Step 2 – CheckIn Tech

Once the invitation plan is set, it’s now time to focus on guest registration. We’ve found that check-in and registration are often overlooked when the final steps are taking place prior to the event date. Do not put yourself or your staff in the position of scrambling to figure out a guest check-in plan. Instead, go with a company that allows clients to focus on the event and not be stuck sitting at the check-in tables. CheckIn Tech brings the iPads along with MiFi hotspots and uses a proprietary software application which checks in guests digitally and seamlessly creating zero inconveniences. Everything is easily installed using Microsoft Excel. A service like this also requires very little lift from your end. Each event package includes a dedicated on-site manager makes sure your volunteers are trained which ensures your guests have a pleasant guest experience. 

Want to create a great first impression for your guests? Skip the traditional 8 ft. registration tables and go for high top cocktail tables. They take up less room and more importantly your team can greet guests at eye level which is more welcoming.

Step 3 - Text-to Pledge

Now that the invites are out and the guest check-in plan is set, it’s time to focus on raising money. With all the technology out there promising to raise more money from your donors, it can certainly be a challenge to find the right fit for your event. Consider a service like Text-to Pledge® which is the top mobile fundraising platform in the nonprofit gala space. Guests are invited to text a number to donate with customized messages displaying live on a screen if desired. An option like this only enhances the overall event experience and maximizes participation and revenue in major donor environments. Text-to Pledge® offers a variety of model customizations to fit your budgetary needs, so that you can really profit from ease.

Keep in mind that many of your event attendees are likely unpaid guests of sponsors, with dramatic ranges in giving capacity. Even if you have used traditional onsite fundraising models (i.e., silent auctions, cash calls) you will likely leave money on the table without adding a platform like Text-to Pledge®, which allows people to give according to their personal preferences – as high or as low as they’d like, as publicly or as privately as they'd like. Offering attendees the choice for the "style" in which they'd like to give only maximizes participation and thereby revenue. 

So when you find yourself knee-deep in the web of logistics for your upcoming events, remember that there are solutions out there for you to utilize which don’t break the bank. Committing to companies who have a trusted model as well as non-profit experience such as Alpine Creative Group, CheckIn Tech, and Text-to Pledge® is the way to go.

Steve Paster is the founder of Alpine Creative Group, www.alpinecreativegroup.com

Steve Feder is the founder of CheckIn Tech, www.checkintech.com

Reed Baker is the founder of Sophist and creator of Text-To-Pledge, www.texttopledge.com

By Ryan Grosso, Orr Associates, Inc.

It can be challenging to stand up and speak in front of a crowd. Knowing what is at stake for your organization ramps the pressure up even more. Here are some tips to help you prepare to speak at any fundraising event, whether large or small. Use these best practices to win over a crowd and make new friends for your organization!

First, Know Your Audience

Make sure to answer these vital questions

• Whoare you addressing? What do they know about your organization? Are they current donors? Are they prospects? Tailor your remarks and your level of detail to the crowd.
• What is your goal? Why is everyone gathered together? What is the goal of the event? Make sure to confirm your expectations and review your talking points with your organization’s leadership or the person responsible for the event, to ensure everyone is one the same page.

Second, Make Sure You’re Prepared

Think about how you will connect with your audience

• Establish credibility and approachability. What is your story? Why is this cause important to you? Making it personal will enhance your audience’s sense of connection.
• How can you connect to your audience emotionally? Think about how your experience with an issue/cause could be similar to someone else’s experience.

Develop your speech’s flow

• Focus on 2-3 main concepts.Group your remarks into 2-3 overarching sections. This will help keep the audience focused and make it easy to follow along. For example: 1) My experience with this organization; 2) How the organization’s work has impacted me; 3) Why the audience’s involvement is important/meaningful.
• Transitions are key. Flowing seamlessly between sections helps keep the audience engaged.
• Include stories. Speak to your story or the story of someone in your life. Including personal references will draw the audience in and help them understand the importance of the cause.
• Avoid common pitfalls. Avoid using overly complex or specific descriptions; stick to the highlights instead. Try and avoid using too many numbers. Facts and figures can be compelling but adding too many can cause the audience to lose attention. Lastly, less is more. Stick to your talking points, as tangents can confuse a crowd and disengage listeners.
• The closing. Speak to why you choose to support this important cause. Communicate why your audience should act now.  

Third, Remember This While You Are Speaking

Commit to your remarks and engage with your audience

• Speak from the heart. Don’t just read your notes. Make eye contact with your audience and speak passionately and with vigor. Stand tall and proud. Body language is key!
• Let your passion flow. Don’t be afraid to show emotion and vulnerability; they help bring the subject to life!
• Take a deep breath and have fun with it!Your audience will be relaxed and engaged if you are.

Following these tips will ensure your public speaking success and help you engage individuals in your organization’s mission. Now go out there and get them!

By Craig Shelley, CFRE

Fundraising Day in New York is right around the corner being held this year on Friday, June 22 at the New York Marriott Marquis.  This annual gathering of nearly 2,000 fundraisers, philanthropists, nonprofit leaders and service providers serves several purposes.  It’s the unofficial kick-off to summer.  It’s a great opportunity to connect with friends and former colleagues.  It is the place to pick up the latest tricks of the trade and trends while reinforcing best practices.  I’ll admit the first two purposes are what makes the event so much fun.  But I think what makes it so special is the opportunity to be reminded just how large our NYC community of fundraisers is.

I’ve had the opportunity to look out from the stage and from the balcony during lunch and it’s a powerful sight.  Nearly 2,000 people that do what I do.  People that are committed to the greater good of our community and work incredibly hard every day to ensure all of us collectively have a better tomorrow.  It’s easy as we toil away in our own corners of the world for this to feel like a lonely profession.  We often hear, “no.”  Many of us work literally alone as development offices of one and increasingly in our connected world are working from home, truly alone minus the occasional interruption from a roommate, partner, spouse or child.  But one day each year our community comes out in force providing an opportunity to learn and for camaraderie.  It’s powerful and I know I go home each year with my head held a bit higher and a bit of a skip in my step proud to be part of such a vibrant community.

As a chapter AFP NYC is proud to put on this special day and eager to infuse the rest of the year with similar opportunities.  Whether it’s a professional advancement session, a young professionals happy hour or one of our myriad other events, our intent is to mirror on a smaller scale the feeling of camaraderie and opportunity to learn and grow professionally that you’ll experience on June 22^nd.  I hope we’ll se you there.

If you have ideas or suggestions please always feel free to contact me directly at cshelley@oai-usa.com.  If you’re interested in my thoughts on fundraising and news in the sector, sprinkled with the occasional picture of my kids, please follow me on Twitter @craigshelley.

Thank you for everything you do.

By Pinky Vincent, Police Athletic League

Cecilia Clarke, President & CEO of Brooklyn Community Foundation, will be presenting at Fundraising Day in New York on a hot-button topic in philanthropy  – “The Double Bottom Line: Diversity, Inclusion and the Future of Grant Funding.”

Last year, Cecilia was also part of AFP-NYC’s panel titled Diversity Deadlock? – where she and other panelists discussed lack of diversity in nonprofits' internal structures and boards as well as ways to promote equity and inclusion.

In a wide-ranging interview with Pinky Vincent of Police Athletic League, Cecilia offered a glimpse of the topics that will be discussed at the FRDNY session on June 22nd.

From your vantage point, why is diversity and inclusion becoming so important to funders such as Brooklyn Community Foundation?

As a community foundation that represents the borough of Brooklyn – where 70 percent of residents are people of color – we need to have an understanding of racial justice in all the ways that it impacts our work. We are taking a holistic view - from staffing to how we write our RFP. It is a long journey and we are just at its beginning. We don’t necessarily have the solutions but we are working towards smarter grantmaking by supporting community groups that are closest to the ground and are closest to the solution. 

How can fundraisers demonstrate that their nonprofit is also beginning a journey towards diversity and inclusion as a core value – either through conversations with a program officer or through an RFP?

Sincerity and honesty always wins the day. I ran a nonprofit (Sadie Nash Leadership Project) and I am also a fundraiser. We are interested to hear that you are willing to have the imagination of what could be different.

Just because we have the money does not mean that we have the knowledge. This is a path that grantmakers and nonprofits can forge together. For example, the foundation’s Spark Prize is an opportunity for nonprofits to start thinking about racial justice and inclusiveness. And this grant is an opportunity for us to represent the values of Brooklyn. But it is a reciprocal relationship – we are also learning. Through this grant, someone out there may share a beautiful story about their journey toward racial justice that then shapes and informs our own work going forward.

One of the reasons often given for the lack of diversity on nonprofit boards is that members primarily have fiduciary and fundraising roles to accomplish. Does this current model need to change?

It’s a great question. That’s why I used the word “journey.” Dismantling power structures is hard work. We have a business model that is functioning but we also have to take ownership of the values we want to have – that’s where you start thinking differently about the board, our fundraising. This binary view that a “white” board is a fundraising board and that a “non-white” board is a non-fundraising board is anachronistic. It also demonstrates a lack of imagination which is astounding in 2018. We need to be questioning and finding solutions when things are not working.

At the AFP-NYC panel last year, tokenism came up several times during discussions. When nonprofits take on diversity and inclusion initiatives, how do they avoid tokenism?

When we are still talking about tokenism then I guess we are quite far away from change. It is not enough to say that a person of color is on a board. It has to be a board that is welcoming to all different viewpoints and welcoming to a person who is representative of a group. In some instances, while doing the work of diversity and inclusion things might superficially look as tokenism but it is actually a road to fairness and integration. Because the alternative could be that we don’t even include a person of color on the board for fear that it will appear as tokenism.

What about diversity and inclusion initiatives within a nonprofit’s staffing structure? How is this influencing foundations such as Brooklyn Community Foundation?

It is incumbent on a nonprofit organization to create a space that is welcoming to all kinds of diversity, and investing in the leadership of people from traditionally marginalized groups. We should question certain structures – such as why are development salaries higher than that of program staff, traditionally staffed by people of color?

Even businesses such as Rent the Runway are questioning such power structures.

As a nonprofit, we are obligated to do more work. If we want to improve the world, let’s start at home.

By Pinky Vincent, Police Athletic League

How to create an effective annual plan after a nonprofit develops a strategic plan? At Fundraising Day in New York, Jennifer Flowers, Founder and CEO, Accreditation Guru, Inc., will respond to this question at her session aptly titled: What’s the Plan?

In an interview with Pinky Vincent of the Police Athletic League, Jennifer shared several tips and tactics on developing an annual plan.

For new fundraisers, what is the difference between a strategic plan and an annual plan?

The strategic plan is an organization-wide roadmap for the future. It includes competitive analyses and specific goals for the next three to five years.

There are two types of annual plans: First is an agency-wide annual plan that breaks down longer-term strategic plan as goals to accomplish over the next 12 months and then there’s the annual planning by the development department, which specifies goals and strategies that the fundraising team has been tasked with.  

At Fundraising Day New York, I will speak about why every organization should take part in strategic planning and who should be involved in that process. We will also look at development’s role in strategic planning and then discuss the agency-wide annual plan. I will also cover ways that the development team can work as an advocate during the strategic planning process.

How much time should an agency dedicate to creating an agency-wide annual plan?

That is a good question. Often, the strategic plan can take six to nine months. It typically takes about a month to create the annual plan, including assigning tasks and writing the plan.

Staffing wise, the agency-wide strategic plan is ideally led by the strategic planning steering committee comprising board and staff members. When creating the agency-wide annual plan, staff members from the steering committee will assist in leading the annual planning process. Of course, department heads will be involved in the annual planning process, as necessary.

What are your tips on how fundraisers can add value to the agency-wide annual plan?

Be sure to have a seat at the table so that when goals are being made, the development department can provide input. It helps to keep fundraising goals slightly aggressive, but also realistic. The development team should also determine if they have enough staff and resources to achieve the goals they set and give recommendations when certain activities need to be outsourced.

What information needs to be in an annual plan, at the minimum?

The first is SMART goals, which is an acronym for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timely. Next should be key campaign activities and due dates. Then comes a compilation of the internal and external resources required and last, clear directives regarding who is responsible for each task.

Once the annual plan is completed, how do we incorporate unexpected grants or restricted gifts from major donors that a nonprofit may receive mid-year?

There should be a regular review of progress against goals. I would say every six months or even quarterly, so if significant changes must be made, these new funds can be taken into consideration.

Is an annual plan relevant for very small nonprofits?

Every nonprofit organization that is involved in development should have an annual plan and an organization-wide strategic plan. Only by setting long-term strategic goals and related annual goals can an organization track and monitor its progress, which in turn helps support mission fulfillment.

If you are new to annual planning, Jennifer’s article on this topic is helpful: https://accreditationguru.com/annual-plan-in-strategic-plans-greatest-tool-for-success/

By Nicole Carrea, Development Director at National Kidney Foundation

It’s June and that means Fundraising Day in New York is just around the corner. One session on my radar is Plan Now for a Successful Year-End Giving Campaign. I recently had the opportunity to sit down with one of the session speakers, John Mix. John is a Senior Director of Marketing at the Human Rights Watch and he kindly gave us a sneak peak of what’s to be expected in this highly anticipated session.

Attendees of this session will walk away with immediately actionable best practices that will have a direct impact on the success of their year-end campaign. Simple enough. Yet difficult none the less when you consider that November always feels very far away, until it’s here, and you’re scrambling. That’s precisely why John suggests starting your planning process in July. More specifically “Right after the 4^th of July come back to the office, pour yourself a cup of coffee and by lunch time you should have sketched out the basics of your year-end plan.” You don’t need to have it completely locked in at this point but identify the key dates and thematic ideas. Hooking into that holiday makes perfect sense to me. Opening the door to the second half of your calendar year and knowing that you have a plan in place for this critical piece of your revenue puzzle, well that must feel really good!  

We all have so much going on throughout the year, our own designated awareness months and special moment’s aligned with our missions. Those are our organization’s unique time to shine but once year-end rolls around, we’re all jumping into the same pool. John asked me a trick question (which he assured me everybody answers incorrectly) and it was, who do you think your organization’s biggest competition is? His answer: the big guys. “At year end especially, in digital marketing, you are competing with Proctor and Gamble. With Amazon. There is no special space for nonprofits to advertise digitally.” Well, John you have a point there! “You are going up against Tide and when you consider P&G spends billions in digital advertising, you can’t afford to mess around.”

It’s imperative that you separate yourselves from the noise during a time when both the email and postal mailboxes are overflowing. “When you show up with your little handful of money, your creative better be on point and your copy better be on point. Don’t underestimate the importance of those things because good enough is not enough at year end. It all comes back to that preplanning.” I reminded John that not all organizations are fortunate enough to have an expert like himself on staff to curate such a seamless end of year campaign but he is adamant that any shop, at any size, can do it. “There’s just best practices and adhering to best practices is free.”

Plan Now for a Successful Year-End Giving Campaign is unique in that it will incorporate project management (John is also a certified PMP). He will be co-hosting the session with Steve Abrahamson, Director, Direct Response Marketing at the National Audubon Society. John and Steve will assist you in project managing your year-end campaign by breaking the process into three phases, the first being 4^th of July through Memorial Day which is time they suggest spent cultivating your donors, preparing them for the “ask” that will come at year-end.

For John, it’s all about playing the long game. It’s true that you only have one year-end campaign each year, but you have 10 campaigns in a decade, a hundred every century. “There’s this panic to solve world problems based on your year-end campaign. It seems like everything is fine in July then come December you’re watching the money flow in and people go crazy.” Set a plan, stick to it, and measure the results. Don’t forget to check your success against your peers in the industry and yourself year over year, there’s always room for improvement. 

Plan Now for a Successful Year-End Giving Campaign covers all parts of year-end campaign, including digital and direct mail. You’ll move from conception through execution, ensuring that your organization is set up for success to win your share of the year’s most competitive donor dollars. Mark your calendar for June 22 at the New York Marriott Marquis and don’t miss this and other educational sessions at the 2018 Fundraising Day in New York!

By Joel Weingarten, Doing4Others

Montgomery Alabama 1957, Martin Luther King Jr gave a speech in which he challenged those in attendance to ask themselves “What are you doing for others?”

Fast-forward 60 years; I think this generation's youth is rising to MLK Jr’s challenge. Despite popular sediment, this generation is not a generation of apathy, but instead of action and impact (just look at recent events).  So much so that 84% of young people consider it their duty to make the world a better place; and an overwhelming number, over 90%, of them want to make this impact by volunteering!

The fact is, it’s not the world’s youth that is failing society but a society that is failing today’s youth! Just look at what Barack Obama choose to talk about in his foundation’s inaugural speech. He recognized the energy and desire of this generation to take action and make an impact but then challenged society to build the tools and provide the resources necessary to help this generation make the biggest impact possible.

What was clear to Obama was the same thing that is clear to us at doing4others- that philanthropy needs to evolve to help this generation of giver.

At doing4others we made it our mission to take up President Obama's challenge to build a new kind of nonprofit- an innovative 501(c)(3) that would provide this generation the tools and resources necessary to amplify their impact.

We brought together technologists, with marketing, and education experts who asked how could we help youth make an even bigger impact.

And together our team built a FREE social impact platform that anyone can jump on in minutes and start to make their biggest impact possible

The first thing we did was combined fundraising with volunteerism to empower each of students, young people and Millenials  to raise money for every hour they volunteer. This means activists no longer have to choose between volunteering in their local community and fundraising to make an impact- they are now combined. No more bake sales, no more selling candy bars, etc. - just impact by having service hours sponsored.

The second thing we did is created an infrastructure where each of volunteer has their own digital visual history of their volunteerism.

What’s really unique about doing4others is we take advantage of social media and allow everyone to upload pictures of their volunteerism and build a volunteering journey that can be shared on their college or job applications.

Lastly, we wanted to help change the perception of this generation. So we asked how we can help students showcase the good they are doing in your community? doing4others provides the infrastructure to share socially, resulting in meaningful content that schools, nonprofits, or volunteers can use it to gain recognition and awareness for the social good user are doing.

We know how underfunded non-profits and schools are. Imagine the impact we can make together if every hour of volunteerism raised $1 or $5 or $10.  Now multiply that number by the millions of young people who are committed to doing service.

Joel is one of the speakers at FRDNY's panel "How Millennials Really Think and Work". Sign up for FRDNY here.

By Gary Laermer, AFP-NYC President

This is an exciting and interesting time for philanthropy professionals. Charitable giving is changing rapidly—donor decision making is becoming more sophisticated; new giving platforms are growing in number and use and retention rates are moving both up and down in wide bands.

Every professional I speak with feels increasing pressure to find the “silver bullet” solution to achieve new levels of support for their organization. While working to identify the strategies, volunteer leadership, and tactics that will be the game changers for your organization, I would urge you to remember a few important points.

Philanthropy professionals can’t dream small—they must dream big and be prepared to find the answers. We know that nonprofits are the first line of defense for so many New Yorkers in need. Our agencies and organizations are our city’s greatest incubator for solutions to the challenges New Yorkers face every day.

While taking on these significant responsibilities, please know that you’re not alone on this journey. There are nearly 1,000 members of our chapter, many of whom are facing the same challenges as you. In fact, many would welcome the chance to meet you and share what they have learned, the mistakes they’ve overcome, and the solutions they’ve developed.

We must also recognize that learning should never end, and the schedule of AFP professional advancement (PA) presentations are here to help. Please be sure to share AFP’s PA calendar and announcements with your supervisor and agency. Be prepared to help them understand the importance of making this investment in you and your development program’s growth. 

I look forward to seeing many of you on June 22nd at AFP’s Fundraising Day in New York and learning and achieving together.

By Gary Laermer, AFP-NYC President

VP of Development and Alumni Relations, Pace University

This is an exciting and interesting time for philanthropy professionals. Charitable giving is changing rapidly—donor decision making is becoming more sophisticated; new giving platforms are growing in number and use and retention rates are moving both up and down in wide bands.

Every professional I speak with feels increasing pressure to find the “silver bullet” solution to achieve new levels of support for their organization. While working to identify the strategies, volunteer leadership, and tactics that will be the game changers for your organization, I would urge you to remember a few important points.

Philanthropy professionals can’t dream small—they must dream big and be prepared to find the answers. We know that nonprofits are the first line of defense for so many New Yorkers in need. Our agencies and organizations are our city’s greatest incubator for solutions to the challenges New Yorkers face every day.

While taking on these significant responsibilities, please know that you’re not alone on this journey. There are nearly 1,000 members of our chapter, many of whom are facing the same challenges as you. In fact, many would welcome the chance to meet you and share what they have learned, the mistakes they’ve overcome, and the solutions they’ve developed.

We must also recognize that learning should never end, and the schedule of AFP professional advancement (PA) presentations are here to help. Please be sure to share AFP’s PA calendar and announcements with your supervisor and agency. Be prepared to help them understand the importance of making this investment in you and your development program’s growth. 

I look forward to seeing many of you on June 22nd at AFP’s Fundraising Day in New York and learning and achieving together.