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Some Things To Consider Before You Onboard Your Next Volunteers with Tobi Johnson.

#045 – Today I am speaking with Tobi Johnson. Tobi has 25 plus years of experience with nonprofits. Instead of simply moving to another job when she moved across the country 13 years ago, Tobi decided to start her own company where she could share her expertise and help organizations with volunteerism.

Tobi helps organizations of all shapes and sizes build their volunteer strategy by helping organizations replace old and ineffective approaches with new innovative and research-based practices.

One of her superpowers is showing organizations how to onboard new volunteers and make them feel like they are a part of something…

“This feeling of belongings ingrained in our nature as humans.”

“And when you are a volunteer and if you feel like you’re on the outside looking in, you’re just not going to engage and you’re actually gonna become not as productive.”

“The time that belonging matters most is the time when you’re onboarding new volunteers and welcoming people in to make sure that every single person feels like they belong.”

Through VolunteerPro, Tobi provides online volunteer management training, coaching & community to leaders of volunteers at all levels.

Be sure to stick around until the end to hear Tobi discuss using Bling for Belonging.

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4 Key Takeaways

#1 If your volunteers feel like outsiders, they are not going to engage and will not be as productive as they could be;

#2 Volunteers leave groups when they feel implicit promises are not kept;

#3 Make implicit expectations explicit by naming them;

#4 Giving informal recognition can much more powerful than formal recognition.

Show Notes

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[2:23] The feeling of belonging is a deeply human trait.
[5:43] When volunteers feel like outsiders, they're not going to engage and will be less productive.
[8:40] The new volunteer has expectations and they believe promises have been made.
[10:08] Make implicit promises explicit.
[12:53] Make sure new volunteers are connected to your mission.
[15:05] Six reasons why people volunteer
[19:33] Informal recognition is more powerful than explicit recognition
[21:56] Bling for Belonging

Linda Lysakowski shows us how small nonprofits can fundraise from local businesses by simply asking for advice.

#044 – Today I am speaking with Linda Lysakowski. In Linda’s thirty plus years as a philanthropic consultant, she has managed capital campaigns that have raised more than $50 million and has helped hundreds of nonprofit organizations achieve their development goals.

Today we talk about how to raise funds from your local business community. Linda shares great actionable steps on how to build relationships with your local business leaders. A great way to start a conversation is to simply ask for advice.

I might call that person and say, do you mind if I just take you to lunch one day? I’d like to talk to you about what we can do to improve the technology in our business or what we can do to improve the marketing or what we can do to improve our financial picture.

You could ask for advice in many, many different areas, but look at your needs and then try to find businesses that can help those needs.

Most business people are flattered by that. Who doesn’t love talking about themselves and giving advice? This simple ask can be the gateway to more financial support.

You know, the old saying that if you ask for money, a lot of times you get advice. And if you ask for advice, a lot of times you end up getting money.

Linda is a prolific writer and has authored more than 30 books.

Be sure to stick around until the end to hear how one of her clients went from $0 to a half million dollars in less than 1 year.

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4 Key Takeaways

#1 Hang out where the business leaders are;

#2 Invite them in so they can see what you are doing;

#3 You have to build relationships to understand what motivates each business to give;

#4 Your ask must show the economic and the social impact your organization is making on the community.

Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode

[2:20] First step is really obviously identifying what businesses are in your community
[3:14] Hang out where the business leaders are, which is usually the local chamber of commerce
[5:04] Ask businesses questions, like what's important to you about your corporate philanthropy
[6:10] Invite them in and let them see what you're doing
[12:45] So you have to understand what motivates the businesses to give
[16:16] Your case for support has show the economic and social impact your organization is making on the community
[17:09] Asking for advice is a GREAT way to start a conversation
[17:55] If you ask for money, a lot of times you get advice. if you ask for advice, a lot of times you end up getting money
[22:20] The Pandemic caused a lot of companies to re-think their special events
[25:05] Use a Cultivation event to start relationships
[30:16] From $0 to a half million dollars in 1 year

What You Need To Know About Philanthropy, Including Secrets On Increasing Your Return on Relationships With Jarrett Ransom.

#043 – Today I am speaking with Jarrett Ransom AKA “The Nonprofit Nerd”. Jarrett is the Founder & CEO of the Rayvan Group where her titles include Nonprofit Executive, Keynote Speaker, Emcee, Coach, Entrepreneur, Community Builder & Leader, and Philanthropy Thought Leader.

Jarrett helps nonprofits strategically plan for the future – extending 3, 5, 10 years and beyond. This includes developing a broader framework of philanthropy where we can all see ourselves as philanthropists – it is not simply about money.

“It really is by definition, the desire to promote the welfare of others. So it has nothing to do with the amount of zeros at the end of a number of a donation. It has everything to do with the most simplest act of giving. And for me, that’s time, talent or treasure. So it’s not just money. We could give philanthropically of our time. We can give philanthropically of our talents of volunteer efforts. So I really want everyone to feel this empowerment and an embodiment of being a philanthropist”.

Jarrett advises us that relationship building is the foundation of effective fundraising. We should be reaching out to our donors regularly and engaging them. What are their goals? What are their interests? What is their legacy? Our focus should be on listening to them so we can help them be better stewards of their philanthropic dollars.

“we should be listening to our donors. We should be listening to hear back to that mission alignment, where do they wanna make a difference in the community”.

You can find Jarrett co-hosting the American Nonprofit Academy’s daily Nonprofit Show with Julia Patrick on YouTube.

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4 Key Takeaways

#1 Philanthropy is about the most simplest act of giving, time, talent or treasure;

#2 Stop asking and start inviting;

#3 Small consistent monthly or quarterly donations are typically better than a single lump sum donation;

#4 Instead of only looking at a return on investment, we should focus on return on relationships

Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode

[2:34] Philanthropy has everything to do with the simple, the most simplest act of giving.
[4:10] Stop asking and start inviting.
[5:44] It is about building relationships.
[7:25] Get to know your donors.
[10:11] Smaller consistent donations can be more effective.
[12:40] Understand your donor's purpose.
[18:26] So it comes back to those relationships coming back to your data.
[21:12] Changes since pandemic.
[21:58] So instead of only looking at return on investment, we're starting to look at return on relationship.
[23:28] Ask open ended questions and allowing the person to fill in the gaps.

Rob Webb’s Fundraising Tips That Will Take Your Organization To The Next Level.

#042 Today I am speaking with Rob Webb, founder and Chief Inspiration Officer of Nonprofitcampaigns.com. He founded the company in 2020 to offer online training as a result of seeing nonprofits struggle in the pandemic. Rob is YMCA trained and has over 30 years of experience guiding volunteers and staff in creating High Impact Fundraising Campaigns. One of Rob’s specialties is creating a culture of philanthropy.

“…what we found is so many nonprofit leaders – they view fundraising as drudgery. And they take that paradigm with them when they’re talking with their volunteers and their board members. And they do things unconsciously that drive that culture of charity, versus what we all try to preach was developing a culture of philanthropy.”

Rob teaches his clients that fundraising is all about relationships. Create an active vs a passive relationship. You have to get your hands dirty – talk to your donors and potential donors, spend time with them, find out what is important to them. Start with your banker, insurance broker, your stock broker, people that you have a natural relationship with. Just meet with them and ask for advice, not money. Everybody loves to give advice.

The pandemic showed us how we were over reliant on “special events”. Rob says we should rethink these events and view them as relationship builders rather than money makers.

“Nonprofits gravitate towards thinking special events are fundraisers. Every nonprofit that really took it in the shorts during the pandemic was over reliant on special events. I look at special events as FRIENDRAISERS more than fundraisers.”

Be sure to stick around until the end to hear how to get Deborah to send you a copy of her book

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Resources

4 Key Takeaways

#1 Minimum levels of giving actually create maximum levels;

#2 Don’t become over reliant on grant funding;

#3 Don’t view fundraising as drudgery – be positive;

#4 Engage in ACTIVE not passive relationship building.

Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode

[2:45] Don't view fundraising as drudgery.
[4:10] That's really what fundraising is all about - relationships.
[5:44] Tell the story of why you support your organization.
[7:25] Over 80% is given by individuals.
[10:11] The person you least expect may be your biggest donor.
[13:30] Special events are FRIENDraisers NOT FUNDraisers
[16:43] Minimum levels of giving create maximum levels.
[20:02] If you're too reliant on grant funding, that can dry up.

Some Things To Consider Before You Onboard Your Next Volunteers with Tobi Johnson.

Resources

4 Key Takeaways

Show Notes

Linda Lysakowski shows us how small nonprofits can fundraise from local businesses by simply asking for advice.

Resources

4 Key Takeaways

Show Notes

What You Need To Know About Philanthropy, Including Secrets On Increasing Your Return on Relationships With Jarrett Ransom.

Resources

4 Key Takeaways

Show Notes

Rob Webb’s Fundraising Tips That Will Take Your Organization To The Next Level.

Resources

4 Key Takeaways

Show Notes

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Some Things To Consider Before You Onboard Your Next Volunteers with Tobi Johnson.

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Linda Lysakowski shows us how small nonprofits can fundraise from local businesses by simply asking for advice.

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What You Need To Know About Philanthropy, Including Secrets On Increasing Your Return on Relationships With Jarrett Ransom.

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Rob Webb’s Fundraising Tips That Will Take Your Organization To The Next Level.

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4 Key Takeaways

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