What does the visionary nonprofit board look like? Learn the 5 key components along with 7 healthy board habits.
What does the visionary nonprofit board look like? Learn the 5 key components along with 7 healthy board habits.
Are you fine-tuning your annual fund plan regularly? Like strategic planning, good fund development planning builds unity and harmony across your organization and constituency. Practice makes perfect, so it’s helpful to begin by understanding the basics.
It’s closely partnered with your organization’s multi-year strategic plan. In fact, your annual fund plan is one of those sub-plans that rolls out of your strategic plan. The strategic plan provides the framework and foundation for your organization’s work. Then you create a fund development plan—guided by the organization’s strategic plan—to secure the financing to support that strategic plan.
Like institutional strategic planning, good fund development planning is a process that builds organization-wide understanding of and ownership for fund development. Like the process of institutional planning, the best fund development planning process generates learning and change, and produces alignment and shared accountability. And, just like institutional strategic planning, effective fund development planning also produces results.
A process devoted to developing a shared vision of the organization’s future.
A determination of the best way to make this vision happen.
A map that connects the dots between the vision of your organization and your fundraising efforts.
A two-fold plan; an annual plan based on needs and a long-range plan based on history.
Assess (or compose) your fund plan.
Synchronize your fund to your strategic plan.
Compile the key pieces in your fund plan.
Play to the right markets.
You can start right here! Below you will find an in-depth slide presentation, sample calendars, sample plans, graphics and more.
AFP-August_2020_Fine-Tuning-Your-Annual-Fund-Plan_Kent-Vanderwood_The-Timothy-Group Sample_Academy-3-Year-Annual-Fund-Plan-1 Sample_Annual-Financial-Development-Plan_The-Timothy-Group Sample_Annual-Development-Calendar-for-2021-2022 Sample_Ask-Piece_Immanuel-Schools_The-Timothy-Group Sample_Ask-Piece-Personalized_Immanuel-Schools Sample_Ask-Piece_Open-Door-Christian-Schools Sample_Ask-Piece_ World-Mission About the Author: Kent Vanderwood, ViceI am guessing that most of you either answer to a Board, serve on a Board, or at minimum, work for an organization that has a Board. Whether called directors, members, trustees, or governors, the bottom line is they are generally charged with providing the governance – legally, financially and ethically. Charged with seeing that the organization proves successful. Non-profit organizations or ministries are no exception.
But is that ALL they do? We hope not. The role of serving as a board member is way more important than that. These members are in a position to provide influence. They are asked to serve as a cheerleader and give their time, talent, and treasure. They are also tasked with persuading others to give, to volunteer, and more.
Many boards struggle from time to time to fulfill these roles effectively. A strong, functioning and supportive Board can be the CEO’s best friend. A poorly performing or disengaged board can be their greatest headache.
I was recently talking with a friend who serves as the executive director for a small non-profit organization. When referring to his ministry’s future plans, he said, “I’m more and more convinced that I cannot build core competencies within the organization and it does not reside at The Board level.”
What was he really saying? Most likely he’s saying, “My organization needs to grow. There are things we do well and things we don’t do well. I have gaps within my small team and we could do so much more if only______. I need help. One place I can look to is our board, but I don’t see the time, talent, or treasure there either.”
So, let’s look at the opposite scenario. If (some of) the needed “competencies” did exist at the board level, what would these look like? Here are 6 things that your board members should be doing to help their organization grow and flourish:
(1) Engaging donors on behalf of the organization.
VIEW MAJOR DONOR ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY REVEALED
(2) Cultivating relationships through invitations; soliciting their support at the right time.
(3) Utilizing specialized skills or experiences to benefit the organization (accounting, financial planning, legal advice, strategic planning, counseling, etc.).
(4) Making calls (virtual and phone) to thank donors especially at year-end.
(5) Presenting on behalf of the organization at churches, service clubs, and the like – serving as an “ambassador.”
(6) Writing and sharing content, resources, and invites as posted to their organization’s website and social media accounts.
The key here is that not only can board members provide a level of expertise, but they can save their organizations precious dollars otherwise spent on hiring or outsourcing. This creates a “win-win” for both the board member and the organization being served.
You may want to consider inviting leadership and board members to participate in a shared book review or group study using “Ask For A Fish” by Ron Haas. It was written with board members in mind. Click here to review and order our copies today.
Author: Pat McLaughlin. Learn more about Pat and his published books.
Jesus quoted Isaiah 61 in his first sermon, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor” (Luke 4:18). As followers of Jesus, you are the “they” of this passage because God has called you to a ministry of reconciliation (see 2 Cor. 5:18). Whether it’s sheltering and feeding a homeless family, saving an unborn child, rescuing a woman trapped in abuse, or training a student in God’s word; you have a high calling.
Your fundraising efforts must provide adequate resources so your ministry can reach its greatest impact. Unfortunately, many development departments have fallen into disrepair and need serious renovations.
Consider these three strategies to revitalize your fundraising efforts:
The more you know about the people who support your ministry, the better you can share the right ministry story that will capture hearts. Your success will rise and fall on how well you populate and access your database. Start with good information.
It’s difficult to fix everything at once, but your top priority must be to reconnect with your key donors. Schedule personal visits with your Top10/Next 20 and ask why they have not given in a while. Listen to their concerns and seek to restore their confidence. Sometimes, it’s giving an overdue “thank you”; sometimes you may need to be a peacemaker.
Renew your donor relationships by sharing a compelling reason to give again. What’s changed? If the old has passed, what is the new creation that has come? How are you thinking innovatively about your ministry? What are you doing to creatively meet the needs of those you serve? Is your messaging fresh? Do you have a new story to tell?
Isaiah prophesied about the positive things God’s people would accomplish. “Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings” (Isaiah 58:12). Rebuild, restore, and renew with joy. You may need to change your business card.
Have a Spirit-led fundraising week,
Ron
Ron Haas has served the Lord as a pastor, the vice president of advancement of a Bible college, a Christian foundation director, a board member and a fundraising consultant. He’s authored two books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising and Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for At the Center magazine and Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.
President John F. Kennedy inspired a generation with his Inaugural Address on January 20, 1961, “Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.” Kennedy shifted the focus from receiving to giving and, in doing so, motivated hundreds of thousands of volunteers to give their lives in public service to make the world a better place.
Nonprofits should apply this famous quote to their donor relationships, “Ask not what your donors can do for you – ask what you can do for your donors.” Too often we fixate on meeting our needs and asking donors to help us achieve our goals. In so doing, we become too one-sided in our approach to donors.
Let’s be honest though – there is a practical side to fundraising.
We must meet our budget or risk going out of business. But this organizational self-focus overlooks the mutual benefit donors can share by partnering with your ministry – helping them thrive!
Donors thrive when you include them in your mission to change lives for eternity. Paul referred to his relationship to the Philippian church as a “partnership in the gospel” (Phil. 1:5). They were partners because they gave generously time and time again to share in his troubles (Phil. 4:14-16). They saw themselves as coworkers. Here are three ways to treat your donors like full partners.
It’s easy to share the good news about growing enrollment, an unexpected gift, or a positive answer from the zoning commission, but our donor communications tend to be guarded, and almost cautious, when we have to share bad news.
Recently a ministry sent a cryptic letter explaining why the executive director was fired. One donor reacted, “The letter said something without saying anything.” Open and transparent communication will strengthen your bond with your donors. We coached this ministry to over communicate with their ministry partners by calling key stakeholders to answer any questions they might have about the situation.
Paul was authentic about the many ministry challenges he faced. “We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself” (2 Corinthians 1:8). He was imprisoned, beaten, stoned, left for dead, and shipwrecked. “I have labored and toiled and often gone without sleep, I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides all this, I face the daily pressure of my concern for all the churches” (2 Corinthians 11:27,28). As Paul’s readers experienced his story, their hearts joined his.
Key Takeaway: There is nothing to hide. Be honest, open, and forthright with your ministry partners.
Too often we ask our donors to support us as we do the work . When Paul sat chained in prison, in a real sense those Philippian believers were right there with him. When he floated to shore during his shipwreck (Acts 27), they were also bobbing up and down in the waves with him. When he preached the gospel and men, women and children came to faith, the Philippians shared in his harvest because they had invested in planting the seed.
Help them see their value by placing them on the front lines of ministry. Recently at a donor event the executive director of a relief and development agency made his appeal extremely personal. “Next week you will be serving food to refugees in Syria providing a warm meal and hope. You will be in Thailand rescuing young women trapped in sex-trafficking. You will be in Iraq sharing Bibles with people who have never seen a Bible. And you will be in India meeting the most urgent needs of a child in poverty.” These phrases transported donors from being spectators to becoming participants. It helped them thrive.
Key Takeaway: People learn best not by watching from the sideline but by playing in the game! Help your donors engage an “in-game” experience.
Who really benefits from a donor’s gift? You do, because you can raise the funds to stay in business. The people you serve benefit, because you can continue ministering to them. Your donors also benefit because they will receive eternal rewards. Paul responded to the Philippians’ generosity, “Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account (Phil 4:17).
Donor partnership is not just a one-way street. It should be a genuine partnership mutually beneficial to both your ministry and your donors. As a Christian ministry, you give your donors the unique opportunity of laying up treasures in heaven.
In all your donor communication you must tell great stories of changed lives. It’s not about your buildings, but what happens inside your buildings. It’s not about your staff; it’s how they impact your service recipients. It’s really not about your ministry at all; it’s about helping your donors fulfill their God-given responsibility to be good stewards. Give them compelling reasons to partner with you to impact eternity. Help them thrive!
Key Takeaway: Your ministry partners are not investing in a program or a product; they are investing in changed lives. Treat them as full partners in the gospel.
Authors: Pat McLaughin and Ron Haas. Check out their published books.
Learn more about Pat here.
Ron has served the Lord as a pastor, the vice president of advancement of a Bible college, a Christian foundation director, a board member and a fundraising consultant. He’s authored two books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising and Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for At the Center magazine and Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.
Do you bemoan the fact that your development team is understaffed? It’s easy to become jealous of larger organizations that have the resources and personnel to raise millions of dollars. Huge public universities have an army of major gift officers identifying, cultivating, and soliciting donors. In fact, each of the colleges beneath the university umbrella also have a strong team focused on their specific subset of donors e.g. athletics, business, law, nursing, etc. They also have researchers, grant writers, event planners, plus all the latest computers and software to track every gift and every gift officer’s next move.
How can you compete with fundraising juggernauts like this? You can’t. The good news is you don’t have to. God promised the children of Israel that he would fight for them; that makes all the difference. He tipped the balance of power in favor of Moses and Joshua. “Five will chase a hundred.” That’s pretty great odds. But it gets better, “one hundred of you will chase ten thousand!” You may not have the budget or staff of other organizations, but you have the Holy Spirit to strengthen you and direct your path.
So how do you handle your disadvantages? Paul instructed, “Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else” (Galatians 6:4). Focus on what you can do with the resources God has given you. Test your own actions. Make sure you are doing everything you can to Research, Romance, Request, Recognize, Recruit and Report to your donors. Don’t worry about what you could do if only you had something you don’t. Grab your sword and start chasing.
Have a Spirit-led fundraising week!
Ron Haas, Vice President of The Timothy Group, has also served the Lord as a pastor, the vice president of advancement of a Bible college, a Christian foundation director, a board member and a fundraising consultant. He’s authored two books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising and Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for At the Center magazine and Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.
We’ve all heard the expression, “Third time’s the charm,” and I’m confident that sometimes, that is the case. The giving figures for 2019 were release on Tuesday. Once again, giving in America eclipsed all other nations, no one else was even close. There is generosity and philanthropic DNA in America. Across the board, giving was $449 Billion. Yes, that is the “B” word! This is up from $427 Billion in 2018. Where will we land in 2020? Wowzer, none of us seem to know. I can’t predict the future, but I do know who holds the future.
Three items are having an impact on donors and giving here in America:
By now most of us are tired of COVID-19 information. Many of us are burned out on FaceTime, Google Duo and, of course, Zoom. We would love to get together in person but that still seems to be somewhere in the future, the near future, hopefully. It is a serious virus and we must all continue to be diligent. I know a major donor couple in the UK in their 70’s that have not been out of their home in over 100 days. This whole adventure has had an impact on your donors and ministry partners.
We have globally been rocked by the shutdown of businesses and corporations, large and small. The GDP is down and frankly there is some gloom and doom in many people who are deeply concerned about their investments, their occupation, their business, and their pocketbook. Our donors, large and small, who previously supported us generously may be asking the question, “If I give, will I have enough to meet my own needs?” Needless to say, we are in an economic crisis. We are all asking the question what kind of an impact this will have as our ministries head toward the 4 best fund-raising months (September-December) this year.
It has captured the news everywhere in America. Racial injustice, police brutality, social profiling, and discrimination is causing all of us to search our hearts for answers and has driven up to our knees. There are times we seem to be a divided nation. A year ago, we were all getting ready to celebrate Father’s Day and planning our 4th of July celebrations. Today, we are at home because of state mandates or briefly out in public with a mask on trying to figure all of this out. Can someone say, “6 blocks in Seattle?”
I could add another potential impact on donors as we head toward the Fall. This is a Presidential election year, and that almost always seems to impact giving. Will we exceed 2019 giving numbers? I don’t know. But there is one thing I DO know – God has got this! Yes, He is concerned about you, your family and friends, your church, and your ministry. Here is a three fold approach to combating this Pandemic with the acts of God!
(1) “Pray Without Ceasing.” Paul the Apostle had it right, stay in a constant season of prayer. Our world, our nation, our cities, our communities our neighborhoods, and our families need it!
(2) Communicate with every ministry partner and tell them you love them, and that you need them. See them electronically, of course, for now, hear them by listening to their personal stories and learn how they’re responding to our circumstances here in 2020, and value them as the lifeblood of nearly every ministry as our prayer warriors and our ministry partners/donors. Share your ministry value propositions with them.
(3) Holy Boldness as you reopen, reboot, and increase your ministry outreach. Do not be afraid to share with boldness the needs you see in your centers of influence and how your ministry addresses them. Share boldly your mission, vision, and core values as well as the human needs you are addressing with your services and how you will share the Gospel for an eternal impact.
Three is a charm. We can address the real and felt needs of your ministry partners/donors head on with grace, love, and hope. These are the three good ones.
Remember these words of wisdom, “Say your prayers and wash your hands, because Jesus and germs are everywhere.”
Godspeed in this incredible journey.
Article submitted by Pat McLaughlin, Founder/CEO of The Timothy Group.
PDP (Professional DynaMetric Programs®) is an effective tool that we use at The Timothy Group to attract and hire advancement superstars in all things having to do with people in the workplace. PDP developed their ProScan Survey and Reports to help people understand themselves and others. The PDP components are ProScan, JobScan, and TeamScan. They define and measure strengths, providing an accurate description of a person’s style of behavior. Organizations are using the ProScan results to help them know and develop their people, to hire and place the right persons in positions, and to develop strong teams. See current research studies and published case studies.
ProScan, the core of the PDP process, is a non-threatening, quick, easy, and reliable tool that is one of the most advanced people measurement instruments available. Statistical research of working adults enables the ProScan Survey to produce reliable results to accurately assess a person’s basic and preferred work styles. The survey examines combinations of specific traits that affect how the person works most effectively and reacts under stress. ProScan focuses on strengths and motivators and is an EEOC approved hiring and workplace tool. ProScan reports measure how a person functions most naturally, the role a person feels they need to play, how a person predictably comes across to others, energy resources, satisfaction index, stress levels, energy drain, and decision-making style.
The Timothy Group takes the interpretation of the ProScan profile a step further as we use our experience in the advancement/development arena to relate these individual strengths and behaviors specifically to development activities, and provide the tools needed to ensure success.
JobScan uses a specifically designed JDA (Job Dynamics Analysis) survey to help organizations develop customized Job Models for specific positions. By defining and measuring strengths and work styles necessary for success, Job Models provide objective criteria for hiring and placement decisions.
TeamScan graphs a composite of the individuals in a group, using their individual ProScans, showing likely group work styles and preferences. TeamScan predicts group interactions, and measures group characteristics such as communication styles and team perceptions.
All PDP surveys are delivered and completed electronically and can be completed in fifteen minutes or less and provide a wealth of information:
(1) We send an invitation link to you via email
(2) You complete the survey online .
(3) We are notified that the survey has been returned.
(4) We process the report and then send it to you electronically.
After you receive the report and have a chance to read it, we are available to discuss the results with you. Whether virtually or by cell, this phone conversation generally ranges from 30 minutes to one hour.
We would love to be of assistance to you through the use of PDP. Please download our brochure and let us know if you have questions about the process.
Article submitted by Jane McLaughlin. Jane started The Timothy Group, along with her husband Pat, in 1990. She is the Chief Financial Officer as well as the company’s certified Professional DynaMetric Programs® Administrator.
A humorous Chinese proverb says, “He who thinks he leads, but has no one following him is only taking a walk.” Leading and following sound like simple concepts, but they are incredibly complex. It’s beautiful when it works, but all too often leaders and followers don’t work well together. Peter Drucker noted, “Managing professionals is similar to managing volunteers because they both want the same thing: interesting, meaningful work that is a good use of their time.”
Deborah faced the same challenges today’s leaders face—building a team you can trust. God appointed her as a Judge to lead the Children of Israel through a desperate time. Deborah understood the value of alignment, “When the princes in Israel take the lead, when the people willingly offer themselves—praise the Lord!” (Judges 5:1). She wrote a song about six types of people she recruited to join her army. Your board members and volunteers fall into these six categories.
Woody Allen is credited with the quote, “Showing up is 80 percent of life.” Deborah praised five tribes who joined her and General Barak as they marched against the King of Sisera. Faithfulness is a prime quality for each volunteer – groundskeepers who mow the lawn and shovel snow, board members who set the strategic vision, and donors who give sacrificially. Showing up is 80 percent of volunteering. How can someone serve effectively if they only attend half the time?
“Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful” (1 Cor. 4:2). The Apostle Paul recognized faithfulness in several of his co-workers: Timothy, Tychicus, Epaphras, Onesimus and the faithful brothers and sisters in Ephesus and Colossae. Do you honor the faithful volunteers who serve the Lord in your organization? Just a little appreciation will go a long way in motivating your team to keep fighting the good fight.
Deborah called out the tribe of Reuben for “much searching of heart.” They must have labored over their decision to help Deborah because she mentions it twice. In the end they couldn’t make a decision; indecision was their decision. Salespeople can easily read buying signals of potential customers. One type of buyer questions everything to find reasons for delaying their decision. To delay is to deny. Possibly, the buyer knows they will say “no,” but don’t want to say it, so they string along the conversation.
No doubt, those who serve this type of customer want to scream, “Make a decision already!” Volunteer recruitment is similar. Asking questions about the job description is healthy. You want your volunteers to know and agree with your expectations. However, some people get stuck in “analysis paralysis” and never decide. Like Reuben, there is “much searching of heart.” When you encounter this person, it’s best just to move on to your next candidate.
The tribes of Gilead, Dan and Ashur were distracted with life. Deborah questioned, “Why did Dan linger by the ships and why did Asher remain on the coast?” Don’t get the image that these tribes were lounging on the French Riviera, rather they were focused on work. In the parable of the four types of soil, Jesus taught about the seed that fell among the thorns, “the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful” (Matt. 13:22).
There are many cares of this world that distract volunteers from focusing on your ministry: kids, school, work, church, marriage, bills, health, in-laws, outlaws – the list of concerns goes on and on. Perhaps the biggest thorn is the deceitfulness of wealth. Some are too busy climbing the corporate ladder or growing their small business to devote any time serving the Lord with you.
Thankfully, Deborah had a few tribes who not only showed up for work but excelled. “The people of Zebulun risked their very lives; so did Naphtali on the terraced fields” (Judges 5:18). It’s rare to find followers who will risk their lives for your organization. King David relied on his thirty mighty warriors. On one occasion, he faced the Philistines near Bethlehem and commented how much he longed for a drink of water from the well in his hometown. Three of his elite soldiers heard his words and devised a black ops mission to break through the Philistine lines just to retrieve some water for David. David was so moved by their bravery to risk their lives for him that he offered the water to the Lord in worship.
Paul wrote a stellar recommendation to the church in Philippi about Epaphroditus, “welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me” (Phil. 2:29-30). Every organization needs people who are willing to risk life and limb to advance its cause.
It would be wonderful if everyone in your army was a Zebulun or Naphtali, but unfortunately that’s not the case. In Deborah’s victory song, she wrote a scathing rebuke against some volunteers who didn’t even show up. “Curse Meroz,’ said the angel of the Lord. ‘Curse its people bitterly, because they did not come to help the Lord, to help the Lord against the mighty’” (Judges 5:23). You’ve probably cursed a few people under your breath who said they were coming but didn’t. This is the only time Meroz is mentioned in the Bible and the only thing we know about them is they didn’t help — not the way you want to be remembered for eternity.
Solomon warns about putting your confidence in someone who cannot be trusted, “Depending on an unreliable person in a crisis is like trying to chew with a loose tooth or walk with a crippled foot” (Prov. 25:19, GNT).
Deborah won the battle through the efforts of an unlikely hero. Jael wasn’t a skilled archer or a mighty warrior, she was just a willing volunteer who used what she had to make an impact. The King of Sisera fled the battlefield and came to Jael’s tent looking for a place to hide and rest. Jael welcomed him in, gave him some warm milk to help him sleep, and proceeded to drive a tent stake through his skull into the ground. What a powerful scene! We focus on this incredible victory but forget that it took a lot of courage and grit for Jael to take matters into her own hands. Every organization needs a few core people who believe so passionately in the mission and vision that they will do anything and everything within their power to advance its cause.
Your ministry needs a Jael fighting for you. You need volunteers — groundskeepers to board members — who will look creatively at your problems, work toward solutions, and push through all the obstacles to victory. Most of all, you need donors who believe in your cause and give sacrificially to promote your mission and vision. You are writing lyrics to your ministry song every day. Years from now what people sing about your organization will be based upon the quality of team members you recruit today. Recruit volunteers who will nail it!
Peter Drucker, “Management’s New Paradigms” Forbes Oct 5, 1998, 152-177.
Featured article post submitted by Ron Haas.
Ron has served the Lord as a pastor, the vice president of advancement of a Bible college, a Christian foundation director, a board member and a fundraising consultant. He’s authored two books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising and Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for At the Center magazine and Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.
View the live recording of this crucial discussion “Visualizing A Season Of Recovery” led by top development experts with 120 participants across the US! Panelists include:
Ali Crotts, Executive Director of Advancement, Carmel Christian School, Matthews, NC
Jay Riemersma, Senior Director of Development, Family Research Council, Washington, D.C.
Norman D. Hall, Ed.D., President, Simpson University, Redding, CA
Lars Carlson,President & CEO, Youth Haven, Inc., Rives Junction, MI
Amy Carlson, Director of Marketing & Communications, Youth Haven, Inc., Rives Junction, MI