Chapter Leadership Brief 12.13.24

by Carmel G. Napolitano
Vice President, Lindauer Global

Much of the bias we face in the workforce and in life is expressed in subtle ways. In recruiting, we constantly check our biases and work to acknowledge how it affects our decisions (and our clients’ decisions) about candidates.

One way to avoid bias in the hiring process is to favor a structured, competency-based interview. Often, organizations trust that their staff will prepare for candidate interviews on their own in advance. These interviews, however, tend to be added to what are already busy days for the interviewers. As a result, advance preparation can be difficult unless some structure and support is provided. When hiring organizations take a proactive, organized approach centered on competencies, they can prepare and align interviewers and promote better, more equitable assessments of candidates.

There is much prep work to be done before you even get to the interview questions. Here is an outline of a competency-focused structured interview process:

1. Have a well-thought-out job description. Throw out the laundry list. Determine the top three to five skills/competencies/experiences needed. AND make sure all involved in hiring agree on what they are. In my work, I often see job descriptions that are too expansive and not focused enough on what is more essential. Doing the work upfront to get a “tight” position profile is an essential part of the process.
    
2. Beware of “fit” and “culture.” If you hear the word “fit” over and over again from those involved in hiring, make sure you understand what they mean. The words “fit” and “culture” set off alarm bells for me because they are vague concepts that may not actually help you assess someone’s ability to do the job or bring value to your organization. Ask probing questions of staff: Is it fit about working style, time commitment or is it about liking the same sports teams or sports at all? Is culture about being from the same community or about commitment to the mission?
    
3. All interviewers should use the same questions. There can be nuance to the questions and to individual styles, but make sure you ask questions assessing the agreed-upon competencies for the job. Look to obtain actual data from the interviews and not just vague assessments or observations. For a frontline solicitation role, ask about specific dollar goals and how that was achieved; don’t just assume competency based on what is on a resume. What are the metrics that will be measured in the role? Probe to find out if the candidate has the ability to work within the framework of what your organization is going to measure.
    
4. Add behavioral and situational questions. Behavioral-based questions will elicit information about behaviors your organization values. Situational-based questions – i.e., questions that present hypothetical scenarios – can assess problem-solving and decision-making skills. It is important that these questions reflect ACTUAL behaviors and situations that occur in your organization and not vague or generalized conditions. No trick questions. Include questions such as, “How do you develop relationships with colleagues? With donors?”  and “Provide an example of how you dealt with a difficult donor situation.”
    
5. Take a data-driven approach to candidate assessments. It may seem impersonal to reduce the interview to data points, but the goal is to remove subjectivity. Create a form of scoring to the responses. I always set up a sheet with the five most important Key Performance Indicators and then rate candidates at each stage of the process (for example, on a simple 1 – 5 scale for each KPI). Having a system/rubric helps you qualify the information you’re receiving and compare and contrast candidates in a fair, equitable way. As discussions move along, the ratings often change as I obtain more information.
    
6. Timing. Assessments and notes MUST be done in the moment or soon after the interview. Don’t rely on faulty memory. It isn’t effective to wait until you see all candidates to do your assessments. It is best to do your assessment when the interview is fresh in your mind. It is not complicated to set up a Survey Monkey survey to have the hiring team to use.
    
7. Final Discussions – Try to review as a group and review the positives and negatives. Things that may at first appear to be negative may actually end up being qualities that the organization may need. When everything is positive, you may have a charming candidate – but remember: DON’T CONFUSE CHARM WITH COMPETENCY!”

There are challenges to this approach. It is time intensive. Interviewers must understand that they will need to prepare and that there is follow-up work involved. This approach can also overemphasize the interviewee’s performance in a single interview (or series of interviews). To form a more complete picture of the candidate, it is always a good idea to use other meetings/assessments to complement the structured interview, such as work samples and presentations.

Here are a variety of tools that will help you recognize and overcome bias in the hiring process.

• From Project Implicit -  https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html
• From McKinsey Diversity Matters Even More - The Case for Holistic Impact
• From TED Are you biased? I am | Kristen Pressner | TEDxBasel – This TED Talk is from 2917, but still relevant.
• From Harvard Business Review Actively Addressing Unconscious Bias In Recruiting
• From Google re:Work  Structured Interviewing
• From MIT Sloan Review Make Character Count In Hiring And Promoting –  While not about structured interviewing, I like this article on Character.

A recognized leader in retained executive search for the nonprofit sector, Carmel possesses a network that reaches from local to global. As a Vice President with Lindauer she conducts leadership searches with advocacy, arts/culture, economic development, educational, environmental, global health, human services, and other mission-driven organizations. She has been an AFP-Greater New York City board member since 2018.

Chapter Leadership Brief 11.27.24

by Sarah TeDesco
Chief Operating Officer and Co-Owner of DonorSearch

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the nonprofit landscape, offering new tools to engage donors, streamline operations, and boost fundraising outcomes. Understanding two key AI types—generative and predictive—is essential for organizations eager to stay ahead. These technologies, while interconnected, serve unique purposes and open doors to innovative strategies.

Generative AI: Creating Content with a Human Touch

Generative AI is designed to produce original outputs, such as text, visuals, and even music, based on learned patterns. By analyzing vast datasets, these systems create content that feels human-crafted. Familiar examples include text generators like ChatGPT and visual tools like DALL-E.

Nonprofit Applications of Generative AI

For nonprofits, generative AI provides creative solutions to everyday challenges, including:

1. Campaign Storytelling:
        - ​​​Crafting compelling narratives for campaigns is critical. Generative AI can develop blog posts, social media updates, or donor stories that resonate with audiences.
2. Engaging Visuals:
        - Custom images for event invitations, infographics, or presentations can be quickly generated, saving time and resources.
3. Volunteer and Donor Outreach:
        - AI-generated thank-you letters, newsletters, or invitations can personalize communications, building stronger stakeholder relationships.
4. Dynamic Fundraising Materials
        - Drafting unique appeals for targeted campaigns is easier with AI tools that adapt messaging to fit different audiences or donation levels.

Generative AI allows organizations to scale their content production while maintaining a personal touch, keeping their mission front and center.

 

Predictive AI: Data-Driven Decision-Making

Predictive AI focuses on forecasting and recommendations by analyzing patterns in historical data. For nonprofits, it’s a powerful way to anticipate trends, understand donor behaviors, and optimize resources.

How Predictive AI Drives Nonprofit Strategy

Predictive AI offers nonprofits actionable insights, such as:

1. Donor Prioritization:
        - Identify donors most likely to give and predict optimal contribution levels, enabling focused outreach efforts.
2. Retention Analysis:
        - Spot early signs of donor disengagement and implement strategies to strengthen relationships before attrition occurs.
3. Program Impact Forecasting:
        - Evaluate how different initiatives might perform, helping nonprofits allocate resources to projects with the highest potential.
4. Optimizing Events:
        - Use predictive models to gauge attendance and donation likelihood at upcoming events, improving planning and ROI.

By turning data into actionable strategies, predictive AI empowers nonprofits to work smarter, not harder.

 

Integrating Generative and Predictive AI

The real magic happens when these two AI types work together. Generative AI can produce tailored messaging informed by predictive AI’s insights, creating a seamless synergy between creativity and strategy.

• Personalized Donor Communications: Predictive AI can identify donor preferences, while generative AI crafts personalized emails or appeals to align with those preferences.
• Tailored Marketing Campaigns: Combine predictive analytics on donor segments with generative AI to create unique content for each group.
• Optimized Resource Allocation: Use predictive insights to prioritize outreach while leveraging generative AI to create the necessary materials efficiently.

The integration of these tools enables nonprofits to maximize impact without overextending staff.

 

Ethical AI Use: Balancing Innovation with Responsibility

As with any technology, AI comes with ethical considerations. Nonprofits must remain vigilant about:

• Bias in Algorithms: Ensuring AI tools don’t perpetuate existing inequalities.
• Data Privacy: Safeguarding donor and beneficiary information.
• Transparency: Communicating AI’s role in donor and community engagement.

Developing policies for responsible AI use will protect nonprofit values while embracing innovation.

 

The Future of AI in Nonprofits

AI is not just a tool but a partner in achieving nonprofit goals. By combining the creative potential of generative AI with the analytical strength of predictive AI, organizations can unlock new levels of efficiency and donor engagement.

Visit donorsearch.net for more information about how to use AI in your fundraising.

Sarah TeDesco serves as the Chief Operating Officer and Co-Owner of DonorSearch, bringing over fifteen years of invaluable nonprofit expertise to the fundraising industry. Since 2007, she has worked to grow DonorSearch to become a nationally recognized and innovative technology leader in the nonprofit space. She continues to be inspired and motivated by nonprofits that work tirelessly to make the world a better place.

In her day-to-day role, Sarah focuses on company growth, operations, client success and marketing. Sarah has excelled and enjoyed partnering with organizations to craft strategic plans, introduce innovative products and systems, thought leadership and foster collaboration on transformative initiatives. Her commitment to the industry is driven by the opportunity to provide nonprofits with accurate and actionable information to increase funds. When it comes to the DonorSearch core values, two that drive her the most are Growth and Excellence. 

Sarah is a recognized speaker and educator for fundraising organizations such as AFP, Apra, AHP, The Giving Institute, Salesforce and more. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland where she earned her BA in English and Psychology, and MBA from the Robert H. Smith School of Business.

Favorite nonprofit: Nature Conservancy

Chapter Leadership Brief 11.27.24

by Melanie Buhrmaster
VP, Philanthropy, Food Bank for New York City

For the Food Bank For New York City, Giving Tuesday is much more than a single day of fundraising. It serves as a signature matching challenge day within our 40 Million Meals Campaign, a comprehensive holiday initiative to address the urgent food insecurity impacting 1.3 million New Yorkers. This annual campaign brings together the full force of our Marketing and Communications (MarComms), Fundraising Operations (Direct Response), and Major Gifts teams to create a seamless and far-reaching campaign that inspires new and existing supporters to give, amplifying their impact.

More Than a Day: Amplifying the 40 Million Meals Campaign

While Giving Tuesday is a global day of generosity, we use it as the springboard toward the highest volume of donations within our broader 40 Million Meals Campaign, which runs November-December. Rather than focusing only on a single day, our Giving Tuesday efforts begin the week before with a carefully timed promotion that encourages supporters to start their Giving Tuesday plans early. This approach allows us to build momentum and expand Giving Tuesday’s impact across the entire holiday season.

The 40 Million Meals Campaign is backed by a significant matching challenge—our goal is to secure $2 million in matching funds from generous donors and board members, a key tactic in inspiring giving across all levels. With this match in place, donors know that their contributions will go even further, motivating them to contribute and reinforcing the critical importance of their support.  Food Bank maximizes the $2 million matching pool by offering special multiplier days throughout the 40 Million Meals campaign, sometimes offering 1:1 opportunities, and on special days like Giving Tuesday, extending the match 2X, 3X, and even 4X to leverage gifts of all sizes.

Cross-Team Collaboration for Maximum Reach

Giving Tuesday at the Food Bank is a multi-faceted effort that requires collaboration across MarComms, Direct Response, and Major Gifts. Each team plays an essential role:

• MarComms crafts engaging stories, visuals, and messaging for social media, text, and email campaigns.
• Direct Response ensures targeted outreach, delivering personalized messages and updates that resonate with our broader donor base.
• Major Gifts works one-on-one with high-net-worth individuals, crafting custom appeals and priming them with a special link so they can see firsthand the power of their matched gift.

The result is a cohesive, omni-channel approach that includes social media, email, text messaging, and personal calls. This way, we connect with donors through their preferred channels, making it easy for them to engage.

Leveraging Donor Matches to Inspire More Giving

An essential part of our Giving Tuesday strategy is using matching funds as a tool to inspire greater generosity. Many of our major donors and board members step up to create a matching pool, effectively becoming the challenge that drives increased giving from other donors. By sharing stories of what these matching gifts achieve—such as providing nutritious meals for New Yorkers in need—we create an emotional connection that resonates with our supporters.

Our data shows that matching challenges are particularly effective. In fact, we know which donors are most motivated by matched giving, so we begin reaching out to them with a personalized link before Giving Tuesday even arrives. And by securing additional matching dollars, we often extend our match an extra day, encouraging sustained giving and maintaining the momentum beyond Tuesday.

2023 Giving Tuesday Highlights: Record-Setting Results

Our strategic, collaborative approach has delivered incredible results last year:

• Total Dollars Raised: $442,673—a 3.4% increase over last year.
• Total Gifts: 2,211, reflecting a 50.6% increase over FY23.
• “Cover the Fee” Participation: 67%, which helped offset transaction costs and maximize impact.
• New Donors: 500, expanding our community of support.
• Additional Gifts from Current Donors: 416, showing that our engagement strategies motivate donors to give beyond their usual contributions.
• Renewed Donors: 914 donors from the previous year recommitted their support.
• Reactivated Donors: 552, including 250 who initially joined during the “COVID era” and were inspired to re-engage.
• Texting Campaign: $30K raised from 300+ donors, with 35% of text donors being recovered from previous email opt-outs, proving the power of a multi-channel strategy.

Creating a Season-Long Impact

Thanks to the dedicated work of our teams and the generosity of our community, Giving Tuesday isn’t just a day—it’s the nexus of a transformative campaign that carries on through the holiday season. By extending the matching challenge another day, we were able to deepen engagement, reach more supporters, and ultimately bring more resources to our mission. Each year, our results are shared with major donors as an example of the effectiveness of matched giving, inspiring them to contribute to the match for future campaigns and solidifying their commitment to our shared mission.

Building Lasting Change

With this collaborative approach, the Food Bank For New York City leverages Giving Tuesday to not only raise funds but to build community, strengthen connections, and secure sustained support for our 40 Million Meals Campaign. Every dollar raised, every new donor engaged, and every story shared brings us closer to ensuring that no New Yorker has to face hunger alone.

Melanie Buhrmaster is a highly accomplished non-profit leader with over 30 years of experience advancing mission-driven initiatives.. She currently serves as the Vice President, Philanthropy at the Food Bank for New York City, where she leads efforts to build meaningful, trust-based partnerships with donors and stakeholders.

Her career highlights include leading capital campaigns and major gift programs, securing transformative philanthropic investments through authentic, purpose-driven partnerships. Beyond fundraising, Melanie excels in designing sustainable programs that align resources with organizational goals, fostering collaboration, and mentoring the next generation of non-profit leaders.

A compassionate and strategic thinker, Melanie is dedicated to creating impactful donor experiences that shift the focus from giving to an organization to giving through an organization, ensuring lasting support and meaningful change.

Chapter Leadership Brief 11.15.24

By Terry Pearl
Founder & Chief Philanthropy Partner, 360 Philanthropy Partners

In honor of 360 Philanthropy Partners’ fifth anniversary this month, I’m excited to share our Top Five Strategies to help fundraisers overcome the unique challenges of the post-election season. Election cycles often disrupt philanthropy, as donors may feel fatigued, financially stretched, or distracted from their usual support for nonprofits. But with the right approach, you can re-engage donors, refresh your appeals, and stand out in this competitive landscape.

Here are five strategies to supercharge your fundraising efforts after election season:

1. Reconnect and Reengage with Your Donors

Election cycles often create donor fatigue, as people are inundated with appeals, campaign messages, and news. After such an intense season, donors may need a gentle reminder of your mission’s core values and the positive impact your organization delivers. Now is the perfect time to reset relationships by tailoring your outreach to express gratitude and renew connections.

Practical Tips:

• Segment and Personalize Outreach By Recent Engagement History:
  • For donors who paused giving, create messaging that empathizes with the financial demands of election season.
  • For consistently active donors, reinforce their commitment with specific impact stories to remind them why their contributions matter. “Your support has been a constant force for our community. Thanks to you, children are thriving in our literacy programs. Together, we can keep this momentum going.”
• Offer a “Welcome Back” Message: For lapsed or lower-frequency donors, consider a friendly “Welcome Back!” message that updates them on an exciting new program or upcoming initiative. For donors who haven’t given in over a year, launch a “Looking Forward Together” campaign, emphasizing the sustained impact of their past support and inviting them to play a meaningful role in 2025.

2. Highlight the Stability and Long-Term Impact of Your Mission

Election seasons can create uncertainty, and donors may be drawn to causes that offer a sense of stability and continuity. Position your organization as a consistent, reliable force for good with a mission that outlasts political trends.

Practical Tips:

• Create Messaging that Emphasizes Consistency: Consider a campaign series titled “Building a Future Beyond Politics,” focusing on the stability and relevance of your work regardless of the political climate. An email campaign could be sent as part of a “post-election reset,” re-centering around your mission’s timeless impact.
• Share a Three-Year Vision: Offer donors a glimpse of your organization’s long-term impact plan. Show them how their contributions today can make a lasting difference over the next three years, especially in areas they’ve previously supported.
• Showcase Organizational Resilience: Reinforce that your organization has weathered many seasons of change. Highlight past accomplishments and milestones to assure donors that their support contributes to a strong, enduring foundation.

3. Host a “Community Over Politics” Event to Reengage Your Audience

When people are often looking to move beyond the intensity of election season, hosting a virtual or in-person “post-election reflection” or “community forward” event allows your supporters to reconnect in a nonpartisan setting. This is an ideal platform for discussing the positive changes your organization brings to the community and inviting donors to share feedback.

Practical Tips:

• Include Interactive Engagements: Add a Q&A session with your leadership team, a “donor spotlight” where a loyal donor shares their reason for supporting your mission, or a roundtable discussion on upcoming projects.
• Offer a Glimpse of Future Goals: Use the event to highlight upcoming initiatives or your organization’s vision, demonstrating the forward-thinking nature of your work.
• Encourage Feedback: Create polls, breakout rooms, or feedback forms so supporters can express their feedback and passion for your mission, and feel a sense of shared ownership in your work.

4. Revamp Donor Engagement Based on Election-Driven Donor Behavior

Political giving seasons often shift donation patterns, making it a critical time to review and refresh your fundraising campaigns. By analyzing your data and segmenting donors who paused giving or altered their usual patterns, you can create targeted re-engagement strategies.

Practical Tips:

• Focus on Data-Driven Insights: Review recent donor behavior to identify metrics like average gift size, response rates, and retention among various segments. For example, identify lapsed donors and reach out with a “we’ve missed you” campaign, which emphasizes both impact and gratitude.
• Test New Campaigns: Experiment with formats like peer-to-peer challenges, video storytelling, or donor-led “micro-campaigns.” These approaches add variety to your appeals and can capture attention in a crowded landscape.
• Leverage Technology for Donor Engagement: Make it easy for donors to give and stay informed. Consider using digital engagement tools like QR codes, AI-created personalized email journeys, or dedicated campaign landing pages that simplify the donation process.

5. Double Down on Stewardship to Anchor Long-Term Relationships

After an election cycle, donors need to feel appreciated and valued. Developing or refining your stewardship program now will not only foster goodwill but also help turn single donations into lifetime commitments.

Practical Tips:

• Create a Year-Round Gratitude Plan: Map out gratitude touchpoints throughout the year, like thank-you emails, milestone updates, and special recognitions.
  • For example, establish a “donor appreciation month” with exclusive impact stories or thank-you videos: “This Donor Appreciation Month, we want to celebrate you! Thanks to your support, over 200 students accessed our scholarship fund this year.”
• Offer Insider Access for Major Donors: Major donors often appreciate behind-the-scenes insights. Send a quarterly email from your leadership or host insider sessions, creating a sense of exclusivity.
• Celebrate Milestones Together: Use your organization’s anniversaries, such as our own five-year mark at 360 Philanthropy, to thank your supporters and recognize their contributions. Acknowledging milestones together fosters a sense of shared journey and achievement.

Honoring Our Five-Year Anniversary with Lasting Impact

As 360 Philanthropy Partners celebrates five years of partnering with nonprofits to build sustainable, community-driven fundraising strategies, we’re reminded that successful fundraising goes beyond individual campaigns. It’s about building resilient relationships that empower organizations to thrive and achieve long-term impact.

By focusing on thoughtful donor engagement, embracing community-centered approaches, and nurturing genuine appreciation, your organization can move forward from the election season into 2025 with renewed strength and a clear vision for the future.

Ready to turn post-election challenges into fundraising strengths? Connect with 360 Philanthropy to discuss how these strategies can work for your organization and help you exceed your goals. Let’s build a thriving future for your mission and the communities you serve.

After working in the nonprofit sector for more than 20 years, Terry Pearl became the Founder & Chief Philanthropy Partner of 360 Philanthropy Partners to help nonprofit leaders and board members shift from a state of financial uncertainty and strategic ambiguity to one of abundance, fundraising confidence, and strategic clarity. Throughout her career in fundraising, strategic planning, and board development, she has raised over $200 million for various global nonprofits. Terry's consulting work has supported a wide range of partner organizations, such as HousingPlus, the College Completion Innovation Fund at CUNY, the Society for Nuclear Medicine, the American Society of the University of Haifa, the Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies, Cohen Veterans Bioscience, Children's Tumor Foundation, and the Green Beret Foundation, among others.

Chapter Leadership Brief 11.15.24

By David Langton
President, Langton Creative Group

My grandfather ran a flower shop in Woonsocket, RI, that was founded in 1948. My mother recalls that he was often asked to post signs from local politicians in the store, but he always refused. He reasoned it was better to sell flowers to both sides. When we worked on the promotional campaign for the Rescue Dinner, the $16 million fundraiser for the International Rescue Committee we needed to avoid the extremes of the immigration debate. Melissa Meredith, Director of strategic events, set the tone by saying, “We were looking for a fresh way to convey our values and communicate a message of hope to counter the divisive rhetoric in the marketplace.” We needed to convey that the refugee and displaced people crisis is not just about “them” it is about “us.” Our theme was, “We’re all in this together.”

It’s not always easy to see the other side and make peace with the great divide in our country. There’s so much at stake for both sides. Yet, it’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how we treat each other after the fact. Building a communication plan for your organization that brings people together from both sides is a tall order that requires us to be open to other people’s perspectives. We need to be curious instead of hostile to views that don’t necessarily align with our own. To do that, we should look at some of the root causes of our separation and examine how we act towards one another. According to Anu Gupta, the root cause of our conflicts in “bias.” Gupta is a human rights lawyer and author of Breaking Bias: Where Stereotypes and Prejudices Come from and the Science-Backed Method to Unravel Them. [Link to https://hbr.org/2024/10/a-simple-exercise-to-help-you-check-your-biases ] He tells us that just as unconscious biases can be learned, they can also be unlearned. He identifies five habits that impact our ability to communicate with those who are different from us.

1. Mindfulness: First we have to be aware that there is a problem. When the election is won by a couple of percentage points we have a winner, but half of the country is disappointed. We may choose to operate in a winner-take-all fashion, but we risk alienating the other half. Our mission should be to attract as many people as possible. As David Foster Wallace says in his parable about the fish who doesn’t realize he is living in water, “It is about simple awareness — awareness of what is so real and essential, so hidden in plain sight all around us, that we have to keep reminding ourselves, over and over: ‘This is water, this is water.’ It is unimaginably hard to do this, to stay conscious and alive, day in and day out.

2. Stereotype Replacement. When we have a pre-conceived notion that “if they aren’t with us they’re against us,” we are reinforcing the conflict. Gupta argues that we need to replace these knee-jerk impressions with healthier alternates that are fact-based. “This practice supports leaders in building alternative mental models around particular identities that over time weaken the hold of stereotypes to reduce unconscious bias.” We need to be curious and open to the idea that not all members of an ethnic groups think the same way. Not all LGBTQ+ people have the same agenda. When I was younger I joined a theater group because I wanted to design posters for shows. I never was much of a sports fan, and found common cause with the theater geeks. On the weekends I would escape to the rehearsals and help out backstage. I met a gay couple who were very involved in the theater but did not show up on Sundays. I was asked to go to their apartment to share my latest show poster sketches and found them whooping and screaming as they watched the Giants game on tv. I thought, “Gay people aren’t supposed to like football!” I couldn’t believe that I was the straight guy who had to interrupt a football game to get them interested in my theater artwork. This shattered my stereotype about what it meant to be gay.

3. Individuation. Find out what makes each person tick. Be curious and cultivate interest in the people you see. Trabian Shorters [Link to; https://trabianshorters.com/] says, "You can't lift people up by putting them down.” Shorters calls this “asset framing.” When you meet people you want to start by acknowledging their achievements and aspirations. You don’t want to use labels that stigmatize and alienate. First you learn about who they aspire to be, then you can talk about the opportunities and challenges that they may be encountering. Too often we start with the mindset of negativity. We do this by trivializing the beneficiaries that our organization are built to support. We do this with elitist attitudes and know-it-all solutions. Shorter warns, “Philanthropy has a responsibility to not reinforce that. In fact, we must reinforce a narrative that says that we actually all have shared interests.” Otherwise, your organization — and the way you communicate — becomes the real problem.

4. Prosocial Behavior. A smile is not a trivial expression. There was a missionary supported by a church where I used to attend who told us this real life story of what happened after she had been robbed. She said she was quite distraught, as a volunteer working in a poor country she felt betrayed. She was there to help, and yet she was robbed. She said the worst part was that for days and weeks later everyone she passed in the streets was glaring at her. She felt alone and abandoned. Why was everyone looking at her that way? Then she realized that she was the one with the sad and terrified face. The passersby were just reflecting her face and she understood the impact that her expression had on everyone else. Once she started smiling, people would respond with a smile. I think of this all the time when I’m on the subway or in a public space, when you catch the eye of another person and smile, they smile back. We always say that a brand is the reflection of what other people think about your organization. Your brand lives in the hearts and souls of the people who know you and see you. How can your organization proactively produce the attitude you want to see in everyone else?

5. Perspective-Taking. This is the idea that if you can walk in someone else’s shoes you can begin to empathize with them. Invest your time in trying to understand why they think and act as they do. We use “consumer personas” to build personalities for the audiences that we want to attract to our organizations and campaigns. We strive to understand the details of what people do and learn about their priorities. Details matter. How do they spend their money? What are their challenges? Where do they shop? What tv shows do they watch? Ultimately, we want to gather information so we can learn what’s important to them and can take on their perspective. David Blankenstein is the president of Braver Angels, [Link to: https://braverangels.org/] an organization that is working to bridge the partisan divide through workshops and conversations. He wrote in a recent letter to the New York Times, “The greatest problem we face is a nation where rancor and mistrust are riding high and each half of the country increasingly detest the other.” We need more places and spaces where open dialogue can exist, and that can begin in nonprofits where a common goal can unite those who are not ideologically aligned.

My wife, Shelley, always reminds me that when people feel safe and are financially secure, they are more likely to be generous on social issues and support others. We need to build a community that respects others. We need to acknowledge that people are not feeling safe today, and that’s when anger and retribution grow. We need to be the curious ones. Address the issues and communicate clearly that we are ready to listen.

David Langton - I believe in using the power of design to promote, educate, entertain, and inform — especially in the nonprofit space with a clear need for effective communication. We launched a national wellness program for Pfizer and managed it for ten years. Nonprofits can benefit significantly from the power of design as a transformative tool in promoting change in our world. We’ve worked with leading advocacy and cause-related organizations, including Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, Children's Aid, The International Rescue Committee, and The Legal Aid Society.  I recently spoke at AFP Icon in Toronto. I am the president of Langton Creative Group, a New York design and branding firm, and author of Visual Marketing (Wiley). For over 12 years, I have taught communication design and media studies courses at Hostos College/CUNY in the Bronx.

Chapter Leadership Brief 11.01.24

By Jennifer Mignarri
Customer Success Manager, RelPro

Nonprofit organizations are driven to serve a particular community or cause. In order to execute their mission effectively and grow their organization’s impact, nonprofit professionals must prioritize relationship building that supports their organization’s development and fundraising efforts. A nonprofit’s success hinges on its ability to reach its existing donor base, identify new leads for donations and corporate sponsorship and pursue members for boards and committees.

To do this, nonprofit professionals need access to accurate and relevant information on their contacts and their relationship network. Bad data can trip up even the best fundraising campaigns. Working with inaccurate or insufficient information – incorrect addresses and phone numbers, inactive email addresses, outdated employment or affiliation information – can result in lost opportunities with potential prospects and donors while wasting precious time and money on outreach that is lost in the mail.

Leveraging clean, enriched contact data enables fundraising and development professionals to save time and add efficiency to their workflows. With accurate contact intelligence, company and executive alerts and in-depth research capabilities, RelPro’s easy-to-use platform helps nonprofits identify new opportunities, build deeper relationships and grow their impact.

Clean Data for Efficient Processes
For nonprofit professionals, accurate data is an essential piece to any strategy. Donor contact information, giving history, employment history and professional networks comprise some of the key elements of donor outreach. Access to similar intelligence for prospective donors can enhance outreach and boost fundraising efforts.  Having a complete and accurate database with this intelligence is invaluable. 

RelPro’s API and Webhook capabilities enable nonprofit professionals to enrich and cleanse their CRMs with accurate, reliable contact intelligence. With the right contact information, you can make targeted outreach directly to the right individuals, whether they are existing donors, new prospects, potential corporate sponsors or board and committee candidates.

Deepen Relationships
Accurate contact intelligence instills confidence that your outreach efforts are reaching their intended audience. But how do you find that audience and what do you say to them to make a meaningful connection?

Leveraging technology and data analytics can streamline your approach to identifying and researching both companies and people for expanded development opportunities. Searching for companies based on specific criteria such as location or industry can provide a target list for outreach. RelPro saves you time, helping you refine your search and providing access to accurate contact information for the key decision-makers at target companies, as well as integrated research tools to help you prepare for your calls.

You can also leverage your existing contacts, board members and donors to identify connections and uncover additional growth opportunities. With warm leads for introduction and the availability of research, fundraisers can achieve more effective outreach, going beyond merely soliciting donations to developing deeper, more productive relationships.

With RelPro, you can save these prospect lists, both companies and people, and set up alerts for when a prospect is in the news. These timely updates can be your reminder to reach out, or an icebreaker when you make a call, adding efficiency to your outreach, whether or not you’re engaged in a specific fundraising campaign.

Grow Your Impact
Fundraising may not be the primary mission of a nonprofit. However, it is an integral component to any successful nonprofit initiative. To maximize their impact, nonprofit organizations need to build and nurture their existing donor relationships while also identifying new development and growth opportunities. To do this efficiently and effectively, it is critical that they have access to clean, rich, accurate data. With advanced search capabilities, accurate contact intelligence and integrated research in its easy-to-use solution, RelPro helps nonprofits efficiently identify new funding sources, build deeper relationships and grow - and sustain - their impact.

Visit RelPro.com to discover how our Relationship Intelligence can support your development initiatives.

Jennifer Mignarri is a Customer Success Manager at RelPro, bringing experience in Sales, Marketing, and Relationship Management.

Prior to joining RelPro, Jennifer worked as a Salesforce Recruitment Consultant where she specialized in business development, and sourcing quality candidates for clients across several industries. Jennifer also consulted clients on best practices relating to Salesforce implementations and integrations. Prior to Jennifer working within the recruitment industry, she was involved in the marketing and production of large scale global conferences during her time working for Quality Event Management.

Jennifer received a Bachelors of the Arts in Communication Studies from the University of Rhode Island.

Chapter Leadership Brief 11.01.24

By Susan Madon, CFRE
CEO and Founder, Minerva Nonprofit Management Consulting

We've all been there. The board meeting where one trustee insists on reading every line item of the 27-page financial statement aloud while another trustee quietly plays Wordle on their phone. Or perhaps you've experienced the famous "strategic planning session" where the conversation somehow devolves into a 45-minute debate about the color scheme of next year's gala invitations. One of my personal favorites was the board chair who consistently referred to our "annual giving campaign" as our "annual giving champagne" – though in retrospect, maybe he was onto something about making fundraising more festive.

But here's the thing: even our most cringe-worthy board moments serve as valuable lessons in how to evolve and improve. That trustee obsessed with financial statements? They helped us develop a more efficient dashboard reporting system. The invitation color debate? It led to the creation of a proper event committee structure. And yes, even the "champagne campaign" chair inspired us to inject more celebration and donor appreciation into our fundraising efforts.

As we look ahead to National Philanthropy Day 2024, the landscape of giving and nonprofit governance has evolved dramatically. The convergence of global challenges – from economic uncertainty to climate change, and from public health concerns to social justice imperatives – has fundamentally transformed how nonprofit boards approach their vital work of stewarding organizations and mobilizing resources for community impact.

The future of philanthropy depends on boards that can navigate complexity while staying true to their organizations' missions. As we gather on November 15th to celebrate National Philanthropy Day, we recognize that effective board leadership is more crucial than ever – and yes, maybe we'll even raise a glass of champagne to those annual giving campaigns.

The Evolution of Board Leadership
Today's nonprofit boards are reimagining their roles as strategic partners and community connectors. Gone are the days when board service primarily meant attending quarterly meetings and making annual donations or just being a name on the letterhead. The modern nonprofit board member must be an active ambassador, strategic innovator, and collaborative partner in advancing mission-driven work.

Emerging Trends in Board-Driven Philanthropy
Several key trends have emerged as boards adapt to new realities:

Embracing Participatory Governance
Forward-thinking boards are incorporating community voices into their decision-making processes. Organizations are increasingly using advisory councils that bring program participants and community leaders into strategic conversations, ensuring that those most impacted by their work have a seat at the table. Savvy organizations are also finding ways to include key participants as full members of the board by changing Giving Policies from a flat rate to offering the opportunity to give a personally meaningful gift.

Impact-First Funding Strategies
Boards are moving beyond traditional fundraising metrics to embrace more nuanced approaches to measuring and communicating impact. This includes:

• Developing comprehensive impact measurement frameworks
• Investing in data collection and analysis capabilities
• Creating more transparent reporting mechanisms for stakeholders
• Aligning fundraising strategies with specific impact goals

Innovation in Giving Vehicles
Board members are leveraging their networks and expertise to diversify funding streams through:

• Corporate partnership programs
• Donor-advised funds
• Impact investing opportunities
• Foundation engagement
• Planned giving initiatives
• Cryptocurrency donations

Meeting the Moment: A Call to Action
As we navigate these transformative times, nonprofit boards must continue to evolve and adapt. Here are key priorities for board members to consider:

Strengthen Digital Competency

• Boards must invest in technological infrastructure and digital literacy to:
  • Enable hybrid engagement models
  • Enhance donor relationship management
  • Improve program delivery and impact measurement
  • Foster innovative fundraising approaches
  • Protect data integrity from malware and hacking

Advance IDEA Initiatives

• Meaningful progress on diversity, equity, inclusion and access (IDEA) requires boards to:
  • Recruit diverse leadership that reflects the communities served
  • Implement inclusive governance practices
  • Address systemic barriers in philanthropic giving – for example, The San Diego Foundation created the El Camino Fund to meaningfully engage Latinx donors.
  • Support equitable grantmaking practices

Build Resilient Organizations

• Boards must focus on organizational sustainability through
  • Developing robust reserve funds
  • Creating crisis management protocols
  • Investing in staff development and well-being
  • Strengthening stakeholder relationships
  • Overseeing the executive director in a thoughtful and effective manner.

Looking Ahead
The future of philanthropy depends on boards that can navigate complexity while staying true to their organizations' missions. As we gather on November 15th to celebrate National Philanthropy Day, we recognize that effective board leadership is more crucial than ever.

Success in this new era requires boards to:

• Embrace adaptive leadership practices
• Foster authentic community engagement
• Drive innovative funding approaches
• Champion transparency and accountability
• Build sustainable organizational capacity

The Association of Fundraising Professionals NYC Chapter remains committed to supporting board members and nonprofit leaders in this vital work. Through our professional development programs, networking opportunities, and thought leadership initiatives, we continue to advance the cause of ethical and effective philanthropy in our city.

Join us on November 15th as we gather to celebrate Philanthropy Day and recommit to the transformative power of strategic board leadership and collective action. Together, we can build a more equitable and sustainable future for all New Yorkers. REGISTER HERE

Susan is the founder of Minerva Nonprofit Management Consulting, a generalist firm which helps small to mid-sized nonprofits gain the resources, they needed to ensure stability. Key clients include Champions for Quality Education, The YWCA of the City of New York, Cathedral High School, The Sheen Center for Thought and Culture, The HOPE Program, and IMPACCT Brooklyn.

Susan holds an M.B.A. from Columbia University, a B.A. in Theatre from Jacksonville University and maintains the Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) designation. She is a member of the board of The Association of Fundraising Professionals, NYC Chapter where she serves on The Government Relations and Ethics Committee and serves as a mentor. She is also on the board of Champions for Quality Education. She recently published her first book, a suspense novel on fundraising best practices entitled, “The Disappearing Donor” and serves on the faculty of Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy where she teaches fundamentals of philanthropy.

Chapter Leadership Brief 10.18.24

By Mary Witrow
Content Marketing Manager, Kindsight

Many of us feel overwhelmed and out of the loop when it comes to the use of AI in our organizations. Targets are often unreasonable, and we feel overworked. AI has advanced so much in recent years that it seems to be an inevitable part of the evolution of fundraising.

So whether you are an employee trying to figure out how to be more productive (do more with less) or an Executive Director trying to ensure the security of your donor and organizational information, there are many hurdles to overcome along the way in your journey to using AI. In this blog, we will discuss the challenges facing us with AI in the nonprofit sector and the possible opportunities when using AI properly.

Challenges

Lack of AI Policies
The world of AI feels like uncharted territory. Most of us feel behind and don’t even know where to start. Because of this, many nonprofits lack formal AI policies, leading to inconsistent and potentially risky usage by staff. It is not uncommon for staff to use AI without their supervisor's knowledge. Using AI is not the issue (in fact, it is probably one of the most useful tools you can use to modernize your fundraising), but using it without the proper oversight and transparency IS a problem. When AI use is unaudited or not trackable, it can be very difficult to ensure it is used responsibly and in line with your values and policies. 

This lack of oversight can lead to security vulnerabilities and ethical concerns. As you can expect, with the tools being so ubiquitous and accessible, the number of incidents will also likely increase.

Data Security and Privacy
Using AI, particularly open-source tools, raises data security and donor privacy concerns. Inadvertently exposing personally identifiable information (PII) during data transmission or storage in AI tools can have serious consequences for nonprofits. Organizations need to be clear about what information they are putting into AI tools and how the content generated is being audited.

For example, a staff member could use an open AI tool under a personal account and accidentally share private information. There is no way to know if there has been a breach and no way to monitor the content that the tool is providing to the staff member. Since the account is personal, all the content and institutional knowledge gathered in their account becomes inaccessible to the organization when that employee moves on.

Staff Anxiety and Training
The introduction of AI can create anxiety among fundraisers worried about their jobs being replaced. This is within the context of many nonprofit professionals being burnt out, overworked, and underpaid, all while fundraising goals continue to increase.

It's important to be transparent about your organization's view and use of AI with your staff. The truth is that AI's role is to augment, not replace, human skills. You have to have clear communication that these tools are there to support staff and relieve some of their workload. It’s important to return to the organizational goals, mission, and vision; you have to explain what technology can help your team accomplish within those parameters.

Furthermore, nonprofits must invest in ongoing staff training and development to ensure responsible and effective AI adoption. Everyone in every nonprofit organization needs to have foundational training on security, as well as advanced training for IT and fundraising professionals on AI tools.

Opportunities

Enhanced Operational Efficiency
Once you have a policy in place, it is critical to identify areas where AI can enhance your operations. AI can automate repetitive tasks, such as note-taking, report generation, and drafting content, freeing up fundraisers to focus on higher-level strategy and donor engagement.

Something to note: AI can play a part in a workflow, but it usually cannot accomplish the entirety of a workflow on its own. Remember that AI is not a magic genie. The human, lived and learned experience of team members can not be replaced by AI. But AI can take away work that they don’t want to do so that they can focus on the things only they can do. 

For example, many meeting note tools can take minutes and assign tasks for you in meetings, allowing you to be fully present in the conversation.

Improved Scalability and Adaptability
AI tools can help nonprofits analyze data, segment donors, and personalize communications, enabling them to scale their fundraising efforts more effectively and adapt to changing conditions.

For example, if you are creating an outreach campaign, does a human need to do the first draft of the content? Or would it be more time efficient if AI built out the first draft (based on the information you give it) and then you could just edit? It is faster to have a draft written with a beginning, middle, and end and then go back in and revise for your brand and revise for your talking points than to start from a blank screen.

The next level of productivity is when AI enables you to create versions of that content for different segments. Then, the process can be scaled, building systems and workflows that allow you to grow with your organization's needs.

Of course, as mentioned before, it is important to know that you should not use AI-created content that has not been reviewed. The point is not to remove all human contact but to put the human into a role of editor instead of starting from scratch.

Stronger Donor Relationships
By leveraging AI insights, nonprofits can better understand donor preferences and tailor their engagement strategies accordingly, fostering deeper connections and increasing long-term support.

If you use technology to find data on your donors, the process is much faster and more thorough than if you did it on your own without support. You can easily bring data points in, verify, and have AI put together insights to give you a better, bigger view of your donor. If you have evidence of their giving history, their financial situation, their professional connections, plus YOUR knowledge, you can find ways to connect with them. You will understand how they might want to be spoken to, how often, and how much they may be willing to give.

The reality is that donors now expect personalization, and they expect you to know the changes that are happening in their lives. Being up-to-date lets you go into a conversation with clarity and confidence, and the donor will see how well-prepared you are.

Increased Transparency and Trust

Openly communicating about AI usage and involving stakeholders in developing AI policies can build trust and demonstrate a commitment to ethical and responsible AI practices.

In a recent research study by Cherian Koshy and Nathan Chappell, 1006 donors who had donated to a nonprofit organization in the last twelve months were asked a series of questions:

How important is it for you as a donor for organizations to be transparent about using AI?

• Very important: 57.4% (578 respondents)
• Somewhat important: 28.9% (291 respondents)
• Not very important: 8.6% (87 respondents)
• Not at all important: 5.1% (51 respondents)

The majority of donors want AI transparency from the nonprofit sector. A great place to start is to clearly explain your AI usage on your website, confirming that there is always human review of anything AI has created and showing evidence that it improves efficiency or impact for your organization. Another option is to establish a committee to oversee the ethical use of AI in your organization, conduct regular audits, and provide avenues for feedback.

Fundraising processes and methods have evolved over the years. In the not-so-distant past, many of us were using note cards stored in a filing cabinet or housing prospect lists on CD ROMs. Can a nonprofit do more now because it has a website and a CRM? Yes. We can have a greater impact today because of the advancements in technology we have adopted.

All in all, AI is not a magic solution but rather a tool that can enhance the work of nonprofit fundraisers. It’s not just about adding more tech; it's about using it to further your mission.

By carefully considering AI's challenges and opportunities, nonprofits can harness its power to create a more sustainable future.

Content is adapted from the webinar Securing the Future: AI Strategies for Sustainable Fundraising.

Mary Witrow is a Content Marketing Manager at Kindsight. She has a business degree and brings a multitude of experience in marketing, education, writing, and editing to her role. Mary is committed to producing content that serves and uplifts nonprofit organizations, and she has a genuine passion for making a positive impact in the nonprofit industry.

Chapter Leadership Brief 10.18.24

By Melissa Gomez
Vice President of Philanthropy at the NY Hall of Science

Starting a new job is never easy.  After six years at my last organization, the thought of leaving gave me mixed emotions. The excitement of new challenges and higher pay and title were enticing, but the anxious feelings of having to make new work friends, learning new systems and operating procedures (including using a Mac as my work laptop after a lifetime of PC?!), and the general questions of “Will I like it there...” made my job search remain a thought for almost a year before I committed to a job search.

Saying goodbye to the people who helped me survive the pandemic was also hard. In 2020 I was single and lived alone. The isolation I experienced was unlike anything I ever encountered in my life. My few lifelines existed in my work, where at least I could Zoom call my colleagues, have regular meetings, and get through as best I could during working hours. And they were there for me— from bringing me groceries and masks when they were scarce during my own bout with COVID during the first week of the shutdown, to running our first virtual gala and virtual summer camp— we harnessed our creativity to meet both program participants and donors where they were.  And we were successful on several fronts.

I’m not sure if it’s even healthy for work to play this significant of a role in your life, but for me, my employer and the people I worked with were the center of my universe. 

And then, pretty unexpectedly, I met my husband in the fall of 2021. 

Our relationship was a whirlwind and we were engaged after only 6 months! And suddenly working late more often than not wasn’t my cup of tea. Sacrificing the opportunity to make more money out of some pseudo sense of loyalty didn’t make sense either. I wanted to travel, build a life, and look to the future with him… my job was a means to that end and no longer needed to be the center of my life.

And that’s when the shift began. I knew that I wanted to grow not just in title but in salary and responsibilities; I wanted a new challenge and most importantly, I wanted to feel good about my work, but also to be able to hang it up at the end of my work day and go home to my husband. I could no longer work somewhere that consumed more of me than I wished to give.

It was finally time to start looking!

It didn’t take long for me to source opportunities, and I found myself on a few interviews until I finally connected with my new organization. From the folks I met throughout the interview process, I could tell that they were passionate about the organization and its mission.  I could also tell that this was a place where I could do great work, build new relationships, and make a difference, and still have enough left in my cup to pour into myself and my husband.

So, two weeks in is a short amount of time to assess whether this feeling will remain, but it’s not necessarily about my current employer, it’s about me. Now that my priorities have changed, regardless of the employer, I know who and what I want to exist in the center of my universe.  And after a long time, I think I’m finally starting to get the work/life balance thing right.

Melissa was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, and holds a bachelor's in Sports/Entertainment/Event Management from Johnson & Wales University, and a master's in Public Administration with a concentration in nonprofit management from Long Island University-Brooklyn Campus.  She has been a successful fundraiser for seventeen years and currently is the Vice President of Philanthropy at the NY Hall of Science.  She is an alum of Youth Inc's Rise Academy for Leaders of Color, an award-winning ten-month-long program for BIPOC leaders in the nonprofit sector.  She currently serves as a board member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals NYC Chapter where she co-chairs the Professional Advancement Committee, and is a member of the Audit and IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access) Committees.

In her spare time, Melissa is a long-suffering NY Knicks fan and enjoys music, travel, writing, watching WWE & AEW wrestling, and is a proud member of the Bey-Hive. She currently resides in the northeast Bronx with her husband, Cecilio.

AFP-NYC Partner Webinar

What's the big deal about fundraising, it's just asking people for money/professional begging/sales/why-don't-you-ask-Oprah . . . How often have you heard comments like this and responded with something like "it's about relationships."  While that's true, what does it really mean to be a fundraiser?  Especially in the world we're working in now with so much pressure, declining retention rates, fewer households giving, and economic challenges making our work even harder. 

In this session we're going to dig deep into what it means to be a fundraiser, why our work matters so much, and how fundraising isn't just generating revenue but is actually part of your organization's mission.  You'll walk out of here not just rejuvenated and inspired - and laughing a bit - but with applicable knowledge of key trends in our profession, how to tackle them head-on, and the confidence that what you do as a fundraiser actually does change the world. 

DATE:
Thursday, October 10, 2024

TIME:
12:00 PM Noon - 1:00 PM ET

LOCATION:
Zoom Webinar

SPEAKER:

T. Clay Buck
Founder and Principle, TCB Fundraising
Creator, The Fundraiser’s Planner
Co-Host, Fundraising is Funny Podcast

Clay (the “T.” is silent) has been developing organizations and advancing missions for over thirty years. He’s held just about every position in nonprofit fundraising and communications from Grant Writer to Chief Development Officer and everything in between. He’s a wide-eyed optimist about the power of generosity to change the world and focuses primarily on individual giving, strategic planning, teaching and training, storytelling, and building systems that support and empower successful, ethical fundraising. Clay is the founder and principal of TCB Fundraising, creator of the Fundraiser’s Planner, and co-host of the #1 ranked fundraising podcast “Fundraising is Funny.”

Clay holds a BA from the University of Georgia and a Master of Fine Arts from Michigan State University. He has been a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) for over 10 year and is a certified Master Trainer and Coach. He teaches fundraising, storytelling, and strategic planning at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas where he was recognized with the Outstanding Faculty award and was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from AFP Las Vegas. He makes his home in Southern Nevada where he is owned by two Golden Retrievers who have mastered the art of the ask, especially at mealtimes.

 

Presented by AFP-NYC Annual Partner