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Materials Wanted/Available	Free Stuff	Space Wanted/Available
Media Contacts	Tech Tips	Services Offered
Volunteers Needed	Other Resources & Articles	Nonprofit Boards

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MATERIALS WANTED 3/19/2012: Old and broken guns in any shape or form... shot guns, pistols for art project. Also need Old US American Flags. Also, NEED - US ARMY BOOTS IN ANY CONDITION. Please send to: ART RAT #1 | 773 Guilford Street | Brattleboro, Vermont 05301.

end 9/1/2012

9/1/2011 $20 ART LESSONS: $20 ART LESSONS with fine art instructor KAT B GOODE @ THE VILLAGE ARTIST gallery/studio located on 1109 east arlington rd. in East Arlington VERMONT ... supplies included... COME PAINT in oil or acrylic ... call 802-688-3335 to start YOU on your way to becoming a better artist ! All ages and levels are welcomed! Email Kat.

end 1/1/2013

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7/25/2011 FREE: Beautiful used sculpture material: boards,slabs, wood from the 1970s and 1980s, most of it very gorgeously painted, free to good homes and use, on my lawn in Norwich VT. Also, many many small tree roots (single person size), free to good home, in Randolph VT. Great for artists, classes, schools. Please contact Antoinette 802 649 2833

FREE! The Vermont Arts Council has copies of Fahrenheit 451 (full text), in addition to readers guides and audio guides. If you would like one or more copies of any of these materials, please contact Lindsey Carlson.

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Studio space available at The Firefly Collective - an established working studio collective with a gorgeous, sunny gallery space that keeps regular public hours of operation in a prime, downtown location right on Main Street at the bottom of Church St.

We have spaces starting at $300 per month including HS internet, insurance and all utilities. One months security deposit is due with first months rent. Access is 24/7 and members are free to host events as well as add their bios to our website. Photos and more about us can be found at: www.fireflycollectivevt.com
To schedule a consultation and or for further questions, please contact: Kimberley Hannaman Taylor @ 802.776.1063 (or) email: info@xxkht.com

The Firefly Collective is available for small events such as....

Baby or Bridal Showers
Classes
Business Meetings
Lectures
Intimate Music Shows (noise is not a problem) Birthday Parties (adults only) Book or CD Releases You tell us!

Let us help you plan a spectacular event in an elegant, well lit and comfortable space in a prime downtown Burlington location on Main St. between Church and Winooski. Event Planning and/or Marketing Assistance, Catering and Specialty Cakes are available. Rates are on a sliding scale - contact us to discuss the possibilities!

For more information or to schedule a consultation, please contact Kimberley Hannaman Taylor via email (or) phone: 802.766.1063 and/or visit our website at: www.fireflycollective.com

Space Available: Historic building fronting the edge of the property of a multi-million dollar renovation. One-Hundred River Street (Former Fellows Gear Shaper Factory complex). Springfield, VT. The space is approx 60 ft x 20 ft with 12 ft ceiling and exposed wood beams. Lots of natural light from almost floor to ceiling windows with eastern and western exposure. Shared bath with new Pottery Studio in ajoining wing. Wood pellet stove included. For entire space the rent is $900 per month. Can be shared or divided to suit. Utilities billed separately.

Contact Erik for more information: email or call 1-914-772-4496

Shelburne Pond Studios, a community of 16 artists has 2 studio spaces available. Working artist studios in a converted dairy barn in beautiful, quiet rural Shelburne with views of Mt. Mansfield, the Green Mountains, the Adirondacks and Shelburne Pond. Rents are affordable and spaces are large, 14' x 27'. Toilet, hot and cold water, DSL wireless. Utilities included. Studios open 24x7. Call for more info and to see. Email | Website | Call: 802-999-4394

end 3/31/2012

Studio space available in 53 room Queen Anne Victorian House with darkroom, weaving, ceramics, woodworking and office. Some studios can be shared. Starting at $200/month all included. Please call Kevin at 1-802-728-8912. Website | email

end 6/2012

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Click here to download an excel spreadsheet of Vermont media contacts.

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Great Blogs Worth Checking Out:

Cool Website: http://www.donorschoose.org/teachers/

What it is: A nonprofit that connects public school teachers with people who want to support classroom learning.

Online...5 items for measuring social media: Trying to enumerate all the social networking possibilities can become pretty useless in a hurry. As soon as somebody identifies one social media venue, or method, something new will pop up.

Still, social media offers nonprofits limitless possibilities to raise the awareness level of both the organization and the cause and to fundraise.
Speaking during the 47th annual Association of Fundraising Professionals’ international conference, James Young of Convio, Ken Cho of Social Agency and Carie Lewis of the Humane Society of the United States said that incorporating social media into an organization's operations requires not only good planning also but a way of measuring success. Just as organizations must be able to measure how well a fund drive or other project has succeeded, they must be able to do the same with social media.

They suggested the following in regard to measuring success:

Define your metrics. Which measurements mean success? Will it be in money only, or something like number of visits?
Establish your baseline. Where are you now?
Set your schedule. When are the right moments to measure?
Don’t forget feedback. What about qualitative data? Metrics will show you trends, and feedback will tell you why the trends happen. Mid-stream changes based on feedback can have a positive impact.
Grab your toolbox. Many of the measuring tools are also online.

Technology...A best practices checklist for software selection: When nonprofits are considering purchasing new software, the process can often be stressful and complicated. Managers responsible for the decisions should first identify software vendors at major tradeshows and go through their peer-to-peer networks for technology recommendations, according to Bob Alves, chairman and CEO of Advanced Solutions International (ASI).

Once a few software options have been selected, discovery sessions and overview demonstrations can help them determine if the technologies identified address specific needs. Each department should discuss two or three items that are most important to them, to select which vendor is the best fit, according to Alves.

While there will be obstacles for organizations to overcome, such as staff issues, lack of comfort with technology purchases, board mandates and lack of time, these issues can be resolved. It is important to bear in mind that choosing nonprofit technology is a business decision, which will benefit organizations’ causes in the long run. Although the process might be time consuming, it will take even more money and resources to repeat the process if nonprofits are not satisfied with their first choices.

It’s important to build a strategic plan with financials in place that suggests the scope of the software nonprofits really need to support their operational objectives, according to Alves. Managers need to define what the staff needs to accomplish to reach those goals.

Ask questions. Does the team need a more efficient way to reach prospective members? Will an events management tool help the organization launch events? Assigning each of these strategic functions a representative metric will be helpful throughout the decision process, he said.
Before starting the selection process, ask the various departments for their feedback. Assign a champion in each department who will be tasked with keeping the project on track. The champions will help refine the strategic vision and streamline the software conversion and implementation. Brief each champion on the organization’s operational objectives, and ask the person to brainstorm regarding what the departments need to reach their respective goals.
This information will help nonprofit managers decide which solution is needed. Staff will also feel more involved in the organization and accept responsibility for their pieces of the project, according to Alves.

When evaluating the software options, Gartner’s Project Decision and Evaluation Criteria suggests looking at the strength of the vendor, its support capabilities, relevant experience and references, product functionality, implementation track record and technology price. There are also several questions to ask vendors’ customers, to help with the software selection process. These include the number of staff and users in the organization, how the vendor approached the implementation, if it was on time and fell within budget, and if the process met their expectations.

It will be helpful to know how much customization was required, how the training was handled, what the support was like and if they have up-to-date manuals for all of their modules.

If a nonprofit chooses to make the selection independently, there are a number of benefits, such as no added expenses or delays. Nonprofits should develop mechanisms for a successful implementation, and acquire the organizational skills needed to handle sophisticated information technology for any future purchases.
The people within nonprofits know its operations better than anyone else and fully understand the technology needs. When selecting software, managers should engage with vendors, to determine fit and feasibility of the product and the competence of the people behind it. Following these best practices, will provide an opportunity to refine business practices with real, live software, while presenting boards with precise costs and timelines.

Online Social Networks, CyberRisk and Your Nonprofit: What You Need to Know, by Jeffrey S. Tenenbaum, Esq. and A.J. Zottola, Esq.

Free Service Keeps Your Website Healthy: At the RSA Security Conference today Qualys announced a new free service for small web sites. Now in beta, QualysGuard Malware Detection scans any web site for malware and reports in detail when any threats are found. If your family or small business web site gets hacked Qualys will sound the alarm.

Technology information from State Arts Advocacy Network:

Trading Power Report (Interviews with philanthropic leaders talking about what the next generation has to offer in exchange for what seasoned leaders can supply)
Replacing and Upgrading Technology from Philanthropy News Digest and TechSoup)
The Online Fundraiser's Checklist (from Network for Good)
Technology in the Arts Blog (good postings on the intersection of arts management and technology)
The Future of Philanthropy (blog post written by the director of the Kraft Foods Foundation as part of the Council on Foundations' 60th anniversary)
Membership Renewal and Retention (post from Nonprofit Conversation blog)
The Arts Ripple Effect: A Research-Based Strategy to Build Shared Responsibility for the Arts (new research from the Fine Arts Fund)
When Less is More: Shorter Email Messages May Go Far in 2010 (from Real Magnet's Real Insights blog)
Technology in the Arts Webinar Archive (recordings and videos from their webinar series on topics including mobile applications and social media use)

TECHNOLOGY...5 GOOD SOURCES FOR TECH BENCHMARKING: There is a saying that “The more you learn, the less you know,” but in the nonprofit sector it can be helpful to learn and know a lot.

In a chapter titled “Where Are Your Stakeholders, and What Are The Doing Online?,” appearing in the book “Managing Technology to Meet Your Mission” that is published by the Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN), Michael Cervino mentions the importance of benchmarking to stay abreast of nonprofit sector and Internet industry trends.

He lists several reliable sources for benchmarking studies.

NTEN. Stays current on reputable studies and is working to increase the frequency and visibility of research.
Other associations. Consistent publishers and promoters of relevant research include organizations like the American Marketing Association, the Direct Marketing Association and ASAE.
RSS Searches. By configuring a Google RSS search feed for nonprofit research and white papers, you can surface consultants’ white papers, vendors’ reports and other contributors’ analysis data. Do the same on a Technorati to monitor the blogs of nonprofit thought leaders.
Pew Internet & American Life Project. Found at www.pewinternet.org, this project of the Pew Charitable Trust regularly publishes reports on online behavior and technology adoption.
Applicable commercial sites. There is a proliferation of sites one could follow for online trends in user behavior.

TECHNOLOGY...GETTING YOUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT: As interest in nonprofit mergers grows, so do the myths surrounding them. Streetsmart nonprofit manager columnist Thomas McLaughlin reminds organizations that these shaky economic times provide a good time to examine some of the more persistent ideas about mergers within the sector.

The economy also provides for an increase in mergers. Although it is logical to associate the increase in mergers with an economic downturn, the fact is that nonprofit resources are often locked in outdated corporate structures and aging program models. While the downturn is making mergers seem like a logical choice, it is only a catalyzing agent for trends that were already underway.

We’ll save administrative costs. It is possible, but not always. It’s better to have a lofty strategic goal and be realistic about administrative savings.
There will be massive job cuts. This is largely a carry over from mergers in the for-profit sector. There might be incidental job losses, but any major level of job loss that occurs during a nonprofit merger was likely to happen anyway. A merger could actually reduce the amount of those job losses if it promotes more efficient service delivery models.
We’ll lose our identity. For practical purposes, “identity” means “brand,” and managing a brand is one of the things that the nonprofit sector is just beginning to master. The decision to merge corporate structures is not the same thing as the decision to merge brands.
Let’s figure out the structure first. Form should follow function. Decide what you want to accomplish and be clear about your shared desires and assessments of the merger.
Shhhh. Don’t tell anyone. In the case of for-profit mergers, secrecy is necessary, but not so for nonprofit mergers. It is best for nonprofit mergers to be decided from the top down and implemented from the bottom up.
Only failing organizations merge. The first wave of mergers in a given area tends to be stronger organizations taking over weaker ones. The most constructive use of a merger is not to rescue an organization, but to strengthen community capacity by building nonprofit organizational strength.

Mergers are just another leadership tool. It is time to lighten the baggage of mythology and move forward despite economic struggles.

4 IDEAS FOR IMPROVING YOUR SEARCH RANKING: Google has become so popular that the company has become a verb. You don’t conduct an online search, you Google a term.

And where your organization pops up on the search engine giant could make or break the number of your page views. With that in mind, it might be time to pay more attention to your search rankings.

Michael DelChiaro, president of My1Stop, a printing company based in Fort Scott, Kan, discussed leveraging analytics to guide your online marketing strategy at the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) Conference and Exhibition in San Diego, Calif.

Here are some tips:

Sponsored search. Search engines, such as Google, have two types of search terms that pop up -- paid search and organic. You can pay for sponsored searches, which are usually on the right-hand column on the search results page and at the very top of the search results. Organic terms come up based on page ranking.
Focus on organic. My1Stop wanted to increase organic positions but faced limited content in a highly competitive industry. Your nonprofit might face the same problem. How many search results come up when searching for your mission instead of your proper name? Pay attention of where you land in the mass of search terms.
Keeping up with the statistics. Google Analytics is a free program that allows you to track your Web site traffic. Run a non-paid keyword search report to see what search terms translate to the most hits on your site.
Use what you learned. Take what you learned in the keywords report to integrate in your new content. You can also integrate these keywords into your meta tags in the HTML coding to your Web site, which will increase your search results.

57 CHANNELS AND NOTHIN' ON: Direct mail or email. Direct response television or YouTube. Twitter or Facebook. The number of channels to reach donors is growing, but it’s still all about clear communication, according to Geoff Peters, president and CEO of CDR Fundraising Group in Bowie, Md.

Peters talked about multi-channel fundraising, from snail mail to PURLs (personalized URLs), during the recent National Catholic Development Conference in Arlington, Va.

The sheer volume of channels available might scare off some people, but using these channels strategically could end up helping your organization’s communication efforts, according to Peters.

Here are his thoughts:

It’s about the math. Integrating communications across multiple channels should work positively, increasing your donor numbers. You aren’t subtracting anything – so you only have room to gain.
One size does not fit all. People respond differently to various channels. The person who may answer your email campaign might never respond to your Facebook account or your direct mail.
Small organizations have an advantage online. Social networks and email campaigns can be implemented with little or no cost. But these channels still require time, especially social networks that need time dedicated to building relationships.
Direct mail is not dead. People have bemoaned the death of direct mail since the Internet took off. Peters reminded that people said the same thing about the fax machine taking over for direct mail – and look how that turned out. The average nonprofit makes 5 percent of their revenue online, which has increased substantially in the last 10 years but still doesn’t beat the donation juggernaut of direct mail at most organizations.
Have one hand help the other. If you are looking to grow your email list, look no further than your direct mail house file. These names represent people who love your organization. Try an email append to get their email and build another relationship online.
Integrate across channels. Keep your branding consistent with all channels so you don’t confuse the donor. If you send out a direct mail piece about puppy mills, don’t make dog fighting the prominent theme in your telemarketing follow-ups or email. Stick with one issue at a time and see if you can segment donors by their responses.
Each organization is different. Ask yourself what is the return on investment for anything that you do and make sure it works for the organization. Test everything so you know exactly how the communication integration works.

TECHNOLOGY CONVERSATION WITHOUT THE HEARTACHE: In the movie “Desk Set,” the employees in an information reference office headed by Katherine Hepburn felt threatened when Spencer Tracy was brought in to computerize the department. Kate's girls, thinking they were going to lose their jobs, resisted the new approach, and Spencer couldn't understand their lack of cooperation. In the end, humans and computers learned to work together and everyone was happy. Kate and Spencer even fell in love.

It makes a good movie scenario, but in fact, introducing new or updated technology can ruffle feathers in any organization. To read the complete article click here.

FIVE [MORE] FUN AND FABULOUS TWITTER TOOLS FOR NONPROFITS:

1. Trottr - The site allows you to record brief audio messages with your cell phone that are then hosted on the Trottr website. After you record the message, you are given a URL for the message that you can post on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, etc. All future Trottr messages are then hosted on your organization's own Trotter profile.

2. @2gov - This new tool is a great way to launch advocacy campaigns on Twitter. Simply include @2gov in Tweets related to advocacy and it will automatically indentify specific representatives and sends them Tweet reports.

3. Qui.tw - The service allows you to pin point a location on a world map and generates a short URL that you can use on social networking sites and online invitations to designate a specific place.

4. 12seconds - The site allows users to easily record videos with your laptop camera or cell phone, which you then upload to the 12seconds video channel.

5. TwitCause - TwitCause recently expanded to over 130,000 users in less than a month. The process for an organization begins by nominating your organization as a Cause and then promoting it through a series of votes. Nonprofits that win the battle are given primary placement on the TwitCause homepage with links to their donation pages.

TECH SOUP DISCOUNTS: If you or your member groups are registered as 501(c)3 organizations with the Internal Revenue Service, TechSoup Stock may be able to offer you reduced-price computer equipment through its Refurbished Computer Initiative Program.

TechSoup Stock offers only high-quality computers formerly used by large corporations. These are machines that are typically phased out after two to three years of use and are in very good condition. Each one is loaded with a new operating system and comes with a 90-day swap warranty.

The group's donor partners donate their used computers, which are then refurbished by refurbisher partners. The refurbisher partners also acquire computers from their own sources, and TechSoup Stock distributes all of them to qualified nonprofits for a low administrative fee currently ranging from $146 to $308 for a laptop computer.

Not only can organizations save money, but it can also help them become a little bit more green, too!

FIVE WAYS TO FIND NEW CONSTITUENTS ONLINE: Is your neck stiff from staring too long at the same source of constituents? The cure is to stretch and strengthen your skills for finding new online destinations related to your cause. Such Web sites and communities can be great sources of new constituents if targeted with tailored marketing.

Look behind you. Your Web traffic statistics report what Web sites your visitors were on before they came to yours. Look beyond the top 10. The next 11 to 200 might be richer sources.
Look under. Dig deeper into those statistics. What keywords are used to find you? What other places do you find when you search those words?
Look left, then right. Use Google’s “linkto:” search and see who links to you. Then use this search on each of the resulting sites. Who is linking to these places that should be talking about and linking to you?
Look up. Search beyond your lexicon. There are conversations about what you care about that may be using a different set of terms. Get involved in those dialogues.
Look ahead. Schedule time every month to exercise your “looking” muscles.

And every so often, remember to reach around and pat yourself on the back for your progress.

INDEPENDENT SECTOR RELEASES FREE WORKBOOK FOR GOVERNANCE, ETHICS: Independent Sector has released a new tool to help nonprofits, foundations, and corporate philanthropy programs examine and improve their governance practices. The Principles Workbook: Steering Your Board Toward Good Governance and Ethical Practice is designed to help the nonprofit community meet its commitment to upholding the highest standards of accountability, and do so in a cost-effective way.

Independent Sector developed the Workbook in partnership with BoardSource, both in Washington, D.C., to expand and elucidate the Principles for Good Governance and Ethical Practice: A Guide for Charities and Foundations. The principles, which were developed by the Panel on the Nonprofit Sector in 2007, provide a list of 33 recommendations that organizations can use to analyze their practices. The Panel has been dedicated to finding ways to strengthen governance, transparency, and ethical standards at nonprofits and foundations since it was convened by Independent Sector in October 2004.

The Panel on the Nonprofit Sector initially brought together leaders from across the nonprofit community in order to develop more than 150 thoughtful recommendations, contained in its Final and Supplemental Reports, for improving government oversight and strengthening practices at organizations of all sizes and missions. It then focused on how the nonprofit community could advance the state of governance and self-regulation in its organizations, a process that led to the creation of the principles.

Download the workbook here for free.

DO YOU HAVE YOUR STOP-WATCH HANDY?: Some studies show you have less than one minute to convince an online reader that your piece is worth reading, according to Roger Burks, senior writer at Portland-Ore.-based Mercy Corps.

So you need an online story that can create a strong emotional connection as quickly as possible, according to Burks during NTEN’s 2009 Nonprofit Technology Conference.

Here are some questions to ask while creating a story:

Is this a story that I want to tell? Can you remember details without looking at your notes? Is this a story you would tell your friends? If you don’t have a passion for the story, it will show when someone reads it.
Does the story have a heartbeat? Most stories need a human focus to breathe life into the text. Readers want to have someone they can cheer for in the story.
Is the story transformative? Your sixth-grade English teacher was right -- you need an introduction, conflict and resolution to make a good story. Make sure your character’s challenges are clear. And if there isn’t a happy ending don’t sugar coat it, according to Burks. It might spur-on your readers to take further action.
Does it sound like my organization? Understand your audience and what they are looking for. Make sure the story’s tone fits with your organization. For example, Burks said Mercy Corps never uses the word “victim” in a story; instead, they use the word “survivor.”
Does it have an expiration date? Are there parts of the story that will lose urgency as time goes on?
Will it make the reader want to do something? Creating an inspirational story is tough enough. But remember to include a call-to-action after the story so your motivated readers can take part in the organization.

FREE COMPLETE TOOLKIT FOR BOARDS: Authenticity Consulting, LLC created a website called the Free Management Library, which offers a Free Complete Toolkit for Boards. The toolkit breaks down information into two main categories—board operations and board governance.

Under the operations category, you can find information ranging from tips on staffing the board, training, committee structures, and best practices for ensuring productive meetings. Under board governance, you can find links to financial planning resources, fundraising, strategic planning, capacity building, and organizational change.

Although every board culture is different, this website can lead you in the right direction on almost any topic related to dealings with the stewards of your organization.

OBJECTIONS TO SOCIAL MEDIA - QUASHED!: Here are five answers to the naysayers in your organization who say you can't (or shouldn't) raise your profile through social media. Read more.

TEN COMMON WEBSITE BRANDING MISTAKES: Pitfalls to avoid when building your online brand In my job I have the wonderful opportunity to see many of the great things small businesses are doing online. I also have the opportunity to see, and learn from, what hasn't worked for some of our small business customers. Here's my own Top 10 list of small business website pitfalls...Read more.

EMAIL DESIGN NO-NO'S GUIDE FOR NON-DESIGNERS: How do you make your email marketing stand out in an Inbox full of competing messages? Even the savviest of marketing professionals asks themselves this question. And while a great subject line and offer certainly broadens the appeal of your email, design plays a critical role as well. But the quirks and limitations of email mean that sometimes a beautiful visual design can work against your objective. Click here to download the article.

BROADWAY GOES GREEN: One excellent example of promoting the greening of an arts group comes from the Broadway Goes Green program. The website for the endeavor highlights current best practices, features an archive for the campaign's newsletters, provides a forum for shared ideas, and additional links and resources for organizations to use. Working with greenNYC, they even produced a flyer that gives patrons "Ten Things You Can Do to Protect the Earth" including using environmentally-friendly cleaning products, using public transportation or carpools to get to the venue, and changing the three most-used bulbs in your house to flourescents.

In addition, they also highlight their own work by posting press releases and any press coverage the campaign or the individual theaters have received, keeping that green message alive for those outside of the Broadway scene.

BUILDING AND CULTIVATING YOUR EMAIL LIST: Your email list (also known as your email housefile) is one of your organization’s most important assets because it enables you to reach out to your constituents online in a timely, efficient, and cost-effective way. As a critical component of your organization’s success, your email housefile needs to be built and cultivated on an ongoing basis. Click here to read the rest of this article.

TECHSOUP SOFTWARE DONATIONS: Nonprofit TechSoup.org offers software donations to nonprofits from 35 major technology providers, including Microsoft, Cisco, Symantec, Intuit, and Adobe (for an administrative fee as little as 5% of retail cost). To qualify, organizations must be a 501(c)3 or a library. Their Refurbished Computer Initiative gives nonprofits a chance to get low-cost, high-quality computers with a new operating system and up-to-date software (covered by a 90-day warranty). To learn more about the program, contact Glenn Hirsch at 415-633-9403.

GOOGLE DATA SEARCH: Google's data search gives users the ability to create and customize an interactive graph to help you visualize data, and easily share your graph with others. So far, the public data search feature only applies if you are looking for population or unemployment data for U.S. states or counties, but that is a tool that could prove to be useful in your "arts = jobs" advocacy efforts. More data to map or graph will be released soon.

DEEPDYVE RESEARCH ENGINE: DeepDyve is a specialized search tool for finding "high quality information from trusted sources" in databases, documents, journals, and subscriber-only archives that are not normally indexed by conventional search engines. It allows users to copy and paste entire sentences, paragraphs, or articles that it will use to comb the internet for information.

6 TIPS TO MAKE YOUR EMAIL SOCIAL: Email by itself is kind of like… a one legged stool. It can’t stand on its own. To be effective and useful, combine email marketing with search, social marketing and blogging. Most Business-to-Business (B2B) marketers are still trying to figure our how to apply social marketing techniques to their business. Here are 5 tips to get started. We’ll dive into more detail on each of these in coming weeks. Best tip? Just start! Don’t worry if you don’t have a ton of content for a blog, or bzillions of prospective subscribers. Read more.

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I am a professional photographer, designer and digital marketer servicing small and medium sized organizations in Vermont. Clients include automotive retailers, outdoor sports retailers, HVAC, gyms, and non profit organizations. Services offered include: Outdoor Photography, Event Photography, Graphic Design, Web Design and Digital Marketing Services. Affordable Rates.

Contact John Cisar by calling 802-578-5179 | email

end 4/30/2012

Are you ready to move into action on a creative project but are feeling overwhelmed, blocked or unsure? Are you ready to seize new opportunities for your creative business or unleash your creative potential? You are invited to a free Cultivate Your Creative Dreams Strategy Session with certified creativity coach, Marianne Mullen.

In 60 minutes you will get inspired and motivated to push past feeling stuck and have a plan of action for your creative work and goals. This FREE complimentary phone session will have you use your creativity to find sustainable solutions but also help you determine if coaching would support you reaching your goals.

Special offer to VT Arts Council members:
** 3 coaching sessions plus first complimentary session for the price of two. This offers expires May 1st.

Contact Marianne online | via email | or call 802-371-4071

end May 2, 2012

SCULPTOR KERRY O. FURLANI - I am a sculptor who has been experimenting with the local slate in this region for the past decade. My specialty is hand-carved slate relief panels and lettering. I welcome custom private and public commissions (both exterior and interior of buildings). Please visit my website for samples of my relief work and my utube for samples of my lettering and a glimpse of my recent training in Wales with master carver John Neilson.

Contact Kerry for more infomration via email or call 802-855-7501

end January 2013

DESIGN & EDITING SERVICES for CUSTOM BUMPER STICKERS, RUBBER STAMPS, & CHRISTMAS ADVENT CALENDARS by Vermont illustrator, Kate Lanxner. Let me help you dream up the perfect slogan for a sticker for your team, your organization, or your own personal philosophy! Unlimited colors, created with a Vermont design team. Return address stamps with ink drawings to celebrate your home, and advent calendar windows of family and pet photos make one-of-a-kind gifts. Website content writing for entrepreneurs;testimonials available.

Contact Kate for more information (802.860.7401) or visit www.ExpressionsLane.com

end October 2012

EXPERIENCED GRANT WRITER recently returned to Vermont, looking for clients: Over the last 30 years I have written and secured arts grants for a variety of organizations, including many grants from the NEA ((7), the New York State Council on the Arts (10+), the Illinois Arts Council (7) and the Vermont Council for the Arts. Private foundations that I have secured grants from include the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Prince Charitable Trust. I specialize in grants for Arts Education Partnerships, Presentation, and General Operations for Arts Organizations, also in mulit-year grants and challenge grants. Scope of work includes reports and grants management. Contact David Schein, dafschein@gmail.com | 716-640-4639 | website

end 03/31/12

WEB AND GRAPHIC DESIGN: Outstanding web and graphic design to showcase your art. I am committed to offering personal one-on-one service that fits your budget. I speak your language ... I have a fine art background, too.

WEB DESIGN:
• Professional-grade web design • Search engine optimization • Google Analytics • Image slideshows, expert image editing • Update your website in WordPress • It's easy to get a website up and running; no tech talk; I love building sites for artists.

GRAPHIC DESIGN:
• Postcards, biz cards, brochures, stationery, advertising, etc.

Visit my website to see completed projects and learn more.

Anne McKinsey | AMCK Web & Print Design www.amckwebandprint.com anne@amckwebandprint.com
614 Village Road, East Corinth, VT 05040
802-439-6472

end 1/1/2013

Development, Research, Writing and Editing skills are offered to both Individuals (Artists) and Non-Profit Organizations - Do you need help visualizing or articulating your idea? How about potential funding sources – local, state, national, private individual and foundation possibilities – have they been fully considered? I can help you develop a clear and articulate proposal and assist/advise or research on your be-half, possible sources of support. Identifying and Cultivation of potential funders is critical to successful programming outcomes.

As a Creative Thinker and Problem-Solver, I have an excellent track-record of planning and executing a broad range of successful Development activities for not-for-profits over a 30 year period.

Assuming various positions including Trustee on the Board of Directors, Program Consultant, Education Director and Executive Director appointments has given me insight into the workings of successful not-for-profit entities. Most recently I served as a Professor of Art, responsible for both undergraduate/graduate curriculums for professional degree granting programs.

Whether you seek funds for strategic planning, general operations, short or long term projects, endowments, facilities improvement or development, I can help present your proposal in your own voice with clarity and enthusiasm. Feel free to contact me to discuss your ideas! Contact Mary Roehm for more information.

end 12/31/2012

CHRISTINE HARTMAN ART: Custom painted acrylic Pet Portraits from your photograph. Fun and colorful representations of your favorite animal. An 11 x 14 painting on canvas: $185, a 16 x 20: $240. Larger works or multiple pets priced individually. Visit http://christinehartmanart.com for more information, or call 802-223-2800. You can also email Christine here.

NEW COOPERATIVE GALLERY SEEKS MEMBERS: Grand Isle Art Works: A Vermont Artisan Gallery will open July 10 in the Lake Champlain Islands. The gallery is cooperatively owned and operated by local and regional Vermont artists and artisans. Membership Requires juried admission and Vermont residency.

The cooperative welcomes new applicants. For more information and a membership application packet, please contact the cooperative by email at info@grandisleartworks.com.

CANVAS STRETCHER FRAMES: custom made, any size, any quantity, by a local Vermont artist. I have been making these frames for schools and professional artists for 5 years. They are a great alternative to typical stretcher bars: Economical, strong, stable, and fully assembled. Save on bulk quantities. Professional delivery service available | www.CanvasStretcherFrames.com

A New Electronic Venue for Vermont Artists to Stay Connected: In what's a remarkable example of a collaborative volunteer initiative, artists Marc Awodey and Janet Van Fleet, have teamed up to create the "Vermont Art Zine." It is a blog aimed to host "Vermont visual arts reviews, essays, and resources." Check it out! It already is filled with lots of great content. To this effect, the blog's creators write: "to provide a "commons" site for the visual arts. We feel that Vermont needs more visual arts writing, and on a state-wide basis!" Visit the blog.

The Vermont Campaign for Health Care Security is a non profit organization. Our goal is to educate Vermonters about eligibility and options through the Green Mountain Care programs. We have implemented an outreach project, the first in the nation, to help enroll Vermonters in these programs (Catamount Health, VHAP, and Dr. Dynasuar). If you are interested in learning more about these programs please contact our helpline: (866) 482-4723 or go to our web site: www.catamounthealth.org. Remember---don't assume you are not eligible for these programs. Please call (866) 482-4723 to discuss your specific situation with our organization.

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FIRST NIGHT MONTPELIER: Do you want to contribute to the success of another great First Night? If you are interested in volunteering this year, please let me know what venue you would be interested in helping with and the general time that you would most prefer. You can find the First Night schedule at the bottom of this page: http://www.montpelieralive.org/firstnight

Wagon Rides through Montpelier are back for the holiday shopping season! Please consider volunteering on Flannel Friday, which is on November 25 (Montpelier's cozier version of post-Thanksgiving Black Friday shopping downtown; for more information click here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=175012435845027). The wagon will also be running on Saturday, December 3, 10 and 17, from 11:00-3:00. We are asking volunteers to commit to two hour shifts, helping people on and off the wagon. It will be a fun and easy way to contribute to our vibrant downtown.

Please contact volunteer@montpelieralive.org for more information or to sign up for any of these great events!

SUMMIT SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS: The Summit School of Folk Music seeks dedicated volunteers to help with event coordination and programming. Trade for music classes available. Volunteer positions available include: Event Ticketing and Set Up/Take Down, Summer Camp Assistants, Office Interns, Grant Seeking and Writing, Fundraising, Accounting and Tax Help, plus more...visit our website: www.summit-school.org to see what our fabulous music school is all about. Call 802-917-1186 for more info, or send an email.

YOUTUBE VIDEO VOLUNTEERS: This new program allows nonprofit organizations to post video volunteer opportunities on one of the three sites including idealist.org, serve.org and Volunteer Match using the words “video volunteer” in postings. In turn, the opportunities for video help will automatically show up in the All for Good feed on YouTube’s Video Volunteers page, in an effort to All for Good’s mission of allowing citizens to take small actions to add up to a big difference a reality.

Find Out More!

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4/22/2011 STUDIO PROTECTOR: The Artist's Guide to Emergencies - The Studio Protector Online Guide is the source for emergency preparedness and recovery information for artists.

Small measures taken in advance of an emergency, and the right sequence of emergency response actions, can make a huge difference in reducing loss and in the time it takes to rebound from a setback.

1/13/11: Simple Ideas to Get Press Coverage - Your organization is small and there's nothing quite newsworthy enough to warrant hosting a weekly press conference. So how do you get your nonprofit in the spotlight without a big announcement brewing?

In her book, “Publicity for nonprofits: Generating media exposure that leads to awareness, growth and contributions,” Sandra Beckwith offers up several simple ideas that can help get your organization publicity for the right reasons:

Write and distribute a tip sheet. A form of news release that offers tips or advice in a bulleted or numbered format and shares your organizations specialized knowing about a subject.
Comment on national headlines. Local media outlets are always searching for a local angle on a national item and if you can act quickly, you might just find an opportunity to build awareness and credibility for your nonprofit and its leaders.
Tap into television storylines. NBC's The West Wing singled out Heifer International, a charity that promotes sustainable development to end world hunger, and it addressed Oregon's assistance suicide law after it came under attack by then-U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, according to Beckwith.
Take advantage of seasons or holidays. Whether it's Christmas, Memorial Day or the Fourth of July, there must be something that fits. Maybe it's the first snowfall of the winter or the heat and sun of summer. Whatever it might be, your organization should be able to find some time of year with which to connect.
Do a survey. Survey results can be used to pitch stories about trends in your local communities. The topic should relate to your organization's cause or mission. Beckwith cites a survey by Home Depot from several years ago where parents were asked which celebrities they would like to have tutor their children. A similar effort could be made to promote reading among children.
Create a list. People love lists. Lists are easy to absorb and grab attention while letting a credible source get its views out. They're also flexible; lists can be serious or fun, or promote how to do something right or how to do something wrong.

1/12/11: 8 Elements of Planning Social Media - Just like any other aspect of making nonprofit operations a success, utilization of social media requires planning.

Convio, a provider of software and services for nonprofits, published a booklet titled “Going Social: Tapping into Social Media for Nonprofit Success” to provide basic information about social media. The booklet gives the following advice for planning to use social media:

Identify your objectives: The main ones are building awareness, driving action and advancing engagement.
Evaluate your objectives. After outlining your social media objectives, confirm that these goals align with your organization's overall goals.
Evaluate your audience. To properly learn about the audience(s) you hope to reach, start by asking the right questions. The questions should focus on discovering the following about your audience: engagement with the organization, activities, that is, how does the target audience use social media; and tools, or which specific forms of social media does the audience use.
Evaluate your organization. To make social media successful, an organization must be committed to achieving the goals it set out to achieve. This means an objective and dispassionate of culture and capacity. Talk to stakeholders, make lists of concerns, put together an agreed-upon response protocol and share examples of what works elsewhere.
Experiment with the tools, tone of voice and frequency of communications and assign a small group to do the work until you refine policies and procedures.

12/17/10 Blog by John Killacky: Censorshop Alive & Well at the Smithsonian - I visited the National Portrait Gallery’s Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture exhibition featuring painting, drawing, photography, installation, and media images of Lesbian and Gay identity. Missing was David Wojnarowicz’s A Fire in My Belly video excerpt which museum director Martin Sullivan had pulled when assailed by William Donohue of the Catholic League and conservative Republican Representatives John Boehner and Eric Cantor. They deemed it inappropriate for a federal institution; none had seen the show.

Here we go again…. Twenty years ago, the right wing waved its lighting rod of hysteria around National Endowment for the Arts support of cinema mavericks Marlon Riggs, Cheryl Dunye, Todd Haynes, and others, as well as San Francisco’s Frameline LGBT festival. The mere thought of reel-ness became fundraising fodder for indignant malformed outrage. Media makers were not the only targets in the Culture Wars of the 1990s; political artists of all disciplines were vilified and institutions supporting their work terrorized. Conservative critics were very clear about their moral imperative. Read more.

12/20/2010: Small Tax-Exempt Organizations may qualify for the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit. The Internal Revenue Service announced yesterday that it has released final guidance for small employers eligible to claim the new small business health care tax credit for the 2010 tax year. The IRS issued Notice 2010-82, which expands upon Notice 2010-44, and is designed to help small employers correctly figure and claim the credit and provide guidance on additional issues relating to the credit. Tax-exempt organizations will use Form 8941, Credit for Small Employer Health Insurance Premiums, and its instructions, to figure their refundable credit for the 2010 tax year, and then claim the credit on Line 44F of Form 990-T, now available in draft form on IRS.gov. Though primarily filed by organizations liable for the tax on unrelated business income, Form 990-T will also be used by any eligible 501(c) tax-exempt organizations to claim the credit, regardless of whether they are subject to this tax. Other small employers without tax-exempt status will also use Form 8941 to compute their credit.

12/1/2010: To Merge or Not to Merge by Kathryn R. Martin

Whether in good times or during economic downturns, the merger of nonprofit arts and cultural organizations can seem like a logical and attractive move to many people. Combining artistic, cultural, and educational programming, boards, management, and legal entities can appear to be a sensible mechanism to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of two or more organizations. Boards or donors may suggest the option of merger as a way to reduce competition for scarce funding, consolidate overlapping missions and programs, combine “back office operations,” or winnow out weaker organizations. Although these goals and other outcomes may be the result of a successful merger, they are not always the best place to begin the conversation.

The successful merger of nonprofit arts and cultural organizations is neither a foregone conclusion nor the result of a sudden decision or quick action. More times than not an attempted merger fails not because it isn’t the best “business decision,” but because organizational cultures and people are not in alignment or can’t embrace the concept. Undertaking merger “process” discussions between multiple organizations may actually be the best way to answer the ultimate questions regarding whether to merge or to determine if other strategic collaboration options might be available.

Whether faced with challenges or new opportunities, arts and cultural organizations that are exploring ways to collaborate and potentially join forces require a formalized process. A systematic approach is essential for gathering information, establishing relationships and trust, building consensus, defining deal breakers, and making informed, objective, and strategic decisions with other organizations who share similar missions, artistic goals, or operational resources. The process can be a unique opportunity to explore why a merger might be (or not be) the best solution and, if so, how it can be done successfully.

PREPARATION STAGE
If your organization is considering a merger, the first question to consider is: “Is a merger the right choice for your organization?” Of course the deeper question behind this becomes: “Is a merger the best way to ensure the organization can best serve its community: audiences and visitors, artists and other programming personnel, the board and other volunteers, management, administrative, and operating staff, and the general public?”

Before considering any kind of collaborative partnership with others, your board and staff should complete a thorough and up-to-date organizational assessment. They must come to the table with a clear understanding and consensus about your organization’s current mission and vision, current financial status, and the organization’s strengths, opportunities, weaknesses, and threats. There should an initial sense of the pros and cons of merging with other organization(s). A few additional questions to be answered include:

What is the problem that needs to be solved and what is the catalyst for asking whether or not a merger is the best option? Is it because of an organizational weakness or a new opportunity?

Is a shared vision/mission in alignment with another organization and thus could remove duplication of services?
Is there an expressed need or desire from the community for the programming being offered?
Do you have a belief that there are real and ongoing cost-savings to be achieved by combining forces?
Has a funder suggested merger as a possible option? If that’s the case, what motive is driving that suggestion and what priority should be placed on that suggestion? What happens to this or any funder’s long-term grants or gifts that are legally tied to one organization?
What are the end-game options? Will one organization survive and the other cease to exist? Are two organizations keeping separate identities but sharing resources, or are two or more organizations coming together to create a new entity?

Each organization involved can answer these and many other pivotal questions through a formalized process of rigorous and objective assessment, respectful negotiation, and timed decision-making with strategic and consistent communication to stakeholders throughout. The result may or may not be a merger, but the organization will know that it has made the decision with objective data that will resonate with its stakeholders. The outcomes of the process may result in a new organization, a new partnership or collaboration, or sharing of certain resources. In the end, however, it may simply provide a better understanding and affirmation of the strengths and direction of the current organizations as they continue to operate independently. Whatever the outcome, such an effort will have been valuable and worthwhile.

BUILDING THE RIGHT COLLABORATIVE TEAM
Create a small and equally balanced Joint Committee to formalize the process, starting with the working hypothesis about the merger option. Explore the initial information-gathering phase with the idea of making a recommendation on whether or not to merge. Continue this study and consideration through to the possible implementation phase and the creation of a new organization. This Committee of board members, key staff, and stakeholders from each organization guides the process on a day-to-day basis and creates the plans and recommendations for each organization’s Board to consider.

Selection of the appropriate Joint Committee participants is critical. This merger process will require a big time commitment. Board and community members who are respected by their organizations, are committed to the process, are visionary thinkers, and understand the importance for confidentiality and coordinated communication will help ensure success. Through this process, leaders from both organizations create the foundation for successfully working together at the earliest stages where trust and consensus are most critical and often tenuous.

Work with a neutral facilitator who understands the unique dynamics of mission-driven, non-profit organizations. To achieve success at the end – merger or independence or something in between - the process must establish rules of engagement and help the Joint Committee keep itself on track and moving forward. An independent voice can help maintain boundaries, keep passionate egos in check, ensure stakeholders’ needs are met, and cultivate trust and respect. A neutral facilitator allows each organization to advocate strongly for its own needs while building excitement through a shared vision and emerging synergies.

DREAM ABOUT THE IMPACT A NEW ORGANIZATION WILL HAVE
Begin working together through a formalized process of sharing information, defining what success might look like, and gathering information to determine whether or not a merger is the right thing to do. Openly share the current challenges and opportunities each organization is facing. Identify the potential barriers/challenges to joining together – what information or action is needed to fully assess whether or not they can be overcome or will prevent a merger? And, perhaps most importantly at the initial meetings, begin to brainstorm the anticipated long- and short-term positive outcomes that a successful merger could create.

Find areas of common ground. Do our organizations have shared goals, challenges, or opportunities? Does an exciting artistic or programmatic opportunity exist? Will a combined organization provide greater impact to our combined audiences, stakeholders, or the community? In what ways can this happen? With new programming? Increased artistic quality? Expanded education programs? Or indirectly, by creating cost savings in operating budgets, thus freeing up new funds for programming? Would these opportunities be compelling to current and new supporters?

Keep the larger vision constantly in view, with frequent reminders of why you’re in these discussions. Spending time to jointly articulate the anticipated positive impact is important to the process and must be done early on, and then recalled at every subsequent meeting. Being excited about how joining together will positively impact the community provides much-needed inspiration throughout the merger process. This is especially so as the joint Committee begins addressing complex operational, governance, artistic, financial and legal details of a merger.

Interview stakeholders - jointly. Do your organizations know what your community wants and needs from a combined organization? How do you know this? Together, the merger candidates should investigate the central issues that are important. Similar to a feasibility study or community engagement process, interviewing stakeholders in a variety of ways not only provides important information. Joint stakeholder interviews provide the organizations an effective method of creating unified and positive messages. They announce the investigatory phase of the process and convey possibilities for the future, uncover values shared by each organization’s stakeholders, and identify potential barriers to overcome. In-person meetings, supplemented by electronic surveys, can create a sense of excitement and community engagement. They help mitigate possible stakeholder feelings of worry, concern, and even anxiety over a potential merger.

NAVIGATING TOWARD A SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME
Create a decision-making and communications plan and timeline. The agreed-upon plan lists checkpoints along the way to mark when key decisions need to be made, who will make them, who will be informed, when, and how. Detailed joint communication plans for different internal and external stakeholders are key and often provide the first opportunity for the organizations to work together on creating a unified message, case statements, joint press releases, web content, electronic surveys, speeches for community events, and the logistics of coordinating the carefully planned release of information. Transparency while balancing confidentiality ensures that no one is blindsided or embarrassed. Announcing “the merger” before the deal is finalized can be a tragic mistake that damages credibility for all organizations and people involved.

From the earliest point, the way in which the participants describe and communicate the process and potential collaboration will set the stage for acceptance – or challenges to acceptance. Stakeholders need confidence that all questions, caveats, due diligence, and scenarios have been deeply considered. The choice of words is also critical. Are you “joining together” to create a new organization with increased impact? Or is one organization “taking over” another since they are struggling financially? The facilitator may hear comments from one side like: “We don’t want to be absorbed. We have a long legacy of doing good work in the community and a sense of responsibility to our stakeholders.” A proper process enables the organizations to address these issues with sensitivity and objectivity, acknowledge what is important to each organization, and create messages and policies that resonate and honor them both.

Begin to create the building blocks for the merged organization. Create the blueprint for a new organizational structure starting with a new, draft mission and vision statement, informed by the data gathered from the stakeholder interviews and surveys. Then begin to outline the specific organizational structure and budget needed to support the new goals. Where are the strengths, the talent, the expertise, the resources, and the leadership going to come from? How will the new board, staff, and artistic leadership be selected? How will each organization feel represented? Is it important for each of the existing organizations to have equal representation moving forward? Why?

Looking together into the future, will Year 1 need a different approach and structure from Year 2, and beyond? What is the resulting multi-year operating budget? Where will the offices be housed? What will the new by-laws include? How will donor benefits be transitioned and honored? How will all these decisions be made and communicated? Will an interim or transitional structure be needed?

Keeping all these conversations based in objectivity helps to maintain the discussions on a professional level. Shaping the new organization’s performance or exhibition season will entail great mutual sensitivity and respect. Instead of discussing which people will fill new roles, the Joint Committee defines the characteristics of the organization’s new positions and structure. Guided by the context of the new vision and mission, the Committee’s decision-making becomes much easier and more focused.

Complete the initial due diligence phase of the process. Review the findings gained from the Joint Committee’s work, assess the current health of each organization, and analyze the consolidated results of the community and stakeholders surveys. The Committee is now able to address the heart of the matter: IS a merger the best solution? What will it take to do it? And, can we do it?

After reaching consensus on whether or not to proceed with the merger, the Joint Committee makes a formal recommendation to the respective boards along with a detailed action plan and timelines. The goal is to have the boards make an objective decision and be able to articulate the reasons for that decision. It allows them to maintain good standing in the community with each respective organization and its stakeholders, no matter what the outcome.

There will still be hurdles to overcome, but now you’re moving as a united team with a common goal!

THE FINAL STAGE
Implementation Begins! With the approval of both boards now secured, the Committee’s work focuses on implementing the action plan. The result of an effective process is that the “hard” part, the unpredictable and emotional part, should be over for the Committee. Their task now is to help others see the vision, so the Committee works to maintain its momentum and leadership during the “merger transition” period. Although the Committee will have all put in many hours leading up to this point, the implementation phase calls for careful planning and management to ensure success.

Depending on the situation, some organizations find it impossible for the same board leadership and management to be responsible not only for running their current organizations but also for getting the new, combined organization off the ground. Each merger is different. Some are accomplished with existing leadership and staff. Others benefit from an outside “Transition Manager” whose job it is to prepare the new organization for its new structure. In either case, the process continues as the Committee and new joint sub-committees finalize all the details identified during development of the recommended structure.

The transition involves the implementation timeline and action plan, new vision/mission, budgets, artistic and administrative staffing, season planning, operations, governance structure and policies, new by-laws, and development and marketing plans. Not least is the consideration of the name change. In some cases, organizations create a new “doing business as” name while keeping one of the existing legal names for continuity and grant eligibility. Choosing a new name presents a golden, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for community involvement and messaging through contests, surveys, announcements, and more.

The newly formed organization can strategically leverage and maximize development and marketing opportunities throughout the entire process. Look for ways to celebrate and acknowledge the legacies each organization has in the community, special donor listings in the new programs, and special recognition events surrounding the Inaugural Season. Seize the moment!

GROUP DYNAMICS ALONG THE WAY
Frustration with the formal process itself can occur early and at any stage along the way. Passionate leaders may want to “just DO it!” without going through the lengthy discovery and due-diligence phase. However, these steps are critical not only to ensure that the organizations uncover all the potential risks, but they also build consensus and develop trust as a new culture arises and a group of ambassadors for the new organization emerges.

Ideally, the Joint Committee will bond through a shared vision and commitment to the process during the earliest stages of merger planning. At first, Committee members may be the only ones who will understand the merger’s potential and believe that it CAN actually work and work well. If the merger is ultimately approved after a multi-month process, their responsibility moves from “protecting” their respective organizations to advocating for a strong, unified, new organization. Other constituents, out of lack of understanding or old (and new) fears, may try to pull the process backwards in order create obstacles. Committee members can help reverse the naysayers with consistent and mutually agreed upon talking points at the end of each meeting and must do so unequivocally in order for success to occur.

One never knows, however, where emotional surprises will occur. Conversations can be moving forward about which organization’s equipment to keep, for example, when suddenly that minor discussion becomes a trigger for deeper feelings of loss of the old organization, worry about the future, perceived power struggles, or worse. Keeping all eyes on a clearly defined “Why” for the merger can make all the difference during these moments of doubt.

Considering a merger is BIG NEWS, and the outcomes will potentially impact many constituencies. Human beings are curious, and arts stakeholders in particular are passionate about their organizations and community. Given the evolving nature of these discussions, and the fact that only a few people will have the benefit of the full context of the meetings, the potential for misunderstandings is sizable.

CONCLUSION
With so much at stake, a systemic process is the only way to ensure that a successful merger occurs OR that the end of the due diligence process results in a deeper understanding of the reasons why NOT to merge. In either situation, the goal should be to leave relationships intact and strengthened rather than weakened. Whether your organization is considering merging, collaborating, or forming another type of strategic alliance, investing in a formalized process will help objectively identify risks, challenges, and opportunities. Within the context of positively impacting the community your organization(s) serve, this kind of process will take time and money, both being particularly scarce resource for many organizations. But there are few times when short-circuiting the process with the hope of saving time or money will result in success. No matter what the result, the journey is ultimately beneficial to all involved, as it builds strong consensus, renews brand identity, creates value, and validates the focus within an organization and for the entire community it serves.

11/30/2010: Does Your Nonprofit Have a Rainy-Day Fund?

No? You're not alone, which concerns the Nonprofit Operating Reserves Initiative Workgroup. "The fact is," the workgroup notes in its new Operating Reserve Policy Toolkit, "that numerous nonprofits have negative operating reserves and are already at risk. The current economic crisis or any crisis (e.g., fire, natural disaster, acts of terrorism, war, civil unrest, etc.) can threaten the very existence of thousands of nonprofit organizations."

You say your nonprofit does have a rainy-day fund? Is it the right size? How do you determine how much is too little, too much, or just right?

The Operating Reserve Policy Toolkit is a free resource to help nonprofits establish operating reserves, i.e., rainy-day funds, or, if they already have them, determine if they are saving enough, too little, or too much. The toolkit is an outgrowth of work by the Nonprofit Operating Reserves Initiative Workgroup, which comprises representatives from more than 50 nonprofit and for-profit organizations, including GuideStar. It contains background information on operating reserves and concrete guidance for developing an operating reserve policy; determining how much to keep in reserve; investment considerations; and legal, tax, and accounting implications.

The toolkit's authors acknowledge that promoting operating reserves may seem odd when many organizations are reeling from the recession's impact. Yet they firmly believe that nonprofits need to address this issue now:

At a time when nonprofit organizations may be focused on survival, the thought of building operating reserves may seem a distant priority. But for those organizations that survive these difficult economic times, fortifying their position before the next crisis must include re-establishing or creating operating reserves. Organizations which review their policies now and begin to devise plans for replenishing their operating reserves to an agreed upon adequate level will emerge from this current economic crisis in a stronger financial position, positioned to withstand the next challenge that arises.

Thus, the real question is "Can we afford not to have an Operating Reserve?" Learn more

10/12/2010: The Internal Revenue Service has issued guidance to make it easier for small businesses to determine whether they are eligible for the new health care tax credit under the Affordable Care Act and how large a credit they will receive. According to the department, the credit is available to small employers that pay at least half the cost of single coverage for their employees in 2010, and is specifically targeted to help small businesses and tax-exempt organizations that primarily employ moderate- and lower-income workers. Read more.

Tell Your Story With Simple Tools: Content is king these days and keeping up with a 24-hour news cycle is no easy task for nonprofits of any size. Enter viral video -- a quick and easy tactic to employ to get your organization on the map and keep it there.

During the 2010 National Conference on Volunteering and Service in New York City, Laura Norvig, resource specialist for the Corporation for National and Community Service in Washington, D.C., and Michael Hoffman, CEO of See3 Communications in Chicago, Ill., presented the session “Mission Video Storytelling,” and explained just how easy it is to keep content new and fresh on a budget.

Going viral is easier than many organizations might believe, with technology getting simpler by the minute. Hoffman said the primary way to ensure a video is well received is to make sure it is culturally relevant.

“Right now, everyone is talking about the oil spill,” he said. “So if I’m talking about something else, it is not going to go into their minds. Connect the video to what people are interested in, and place it in front of the right influencers.”

Getting the job done is easy too, by shooting a lot of footage and even holding onto extra footage that can be repurposed if your organization chooses to hire a company to create a video. Taking footage at events is always worthwhile because many people are in one place and the backdrop is lively, he said. This can also include B-roll footage, which is scenery or background footage that plays while the subject speaks but is not on screen. Read the full article.

THE NONPROFIT SOCIAL MEDIA DECISION GUIDE: After almost a year of preparation, and six months of research, it's finally here! Idealware's free Nonprofit Social Media Decision Guide walks you through a step-by-step process to decide what social media channels make sense for your organization via a workbook, guide, and the results of more than six months of research. And through the included Consultant Directory, you can find a professional to help define and implement your strategy.

Created in partnership with the New Organizing Institute, and with the support of Trellon, The Decision Guide focuses on the tangible results that nonprofits are seeing from Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, Photo Sharing Sites, Video Sharing Sites and other social media channels, and helps you to decide how they fit within your own communication mix.

View the report (free registration required)

The State Department's Foreign Service Institute has posted all its language courses online. Click here for a complete listing.

READINESS PLANNING FOR ORGANIZATIONS: Readiness planning can be easier than you think. What’s important is to take the first step – determine what’s most important for your organization to protect, back-up and be prepared for. Browse these resources and sample plans to identify steps you can take today to Be ArtsReady.

VERMONT LITERARY REVIEW: Support the written arts in Vermont as well as the visual arts. Copies of the 2009 Vermont Literary Review are available for only $8--shipping included. VLR publishes work about New England or by New England authors and includes poetry, fiction, and essays. Copies are available from: Flo Keyes, editor, Vermont Literary Review, Castleton State College, 6 Alumni Drive, Castleton, VT 05735. The 2010 edition will be available in August.
Additional information is available on our weblink on the Castleton State College webpage.

WATCH THIS: SOCIAL MEDIA & SOCIAL NETWORKING BEST PRACTICES - Panel Discussion Moderated by Nick Carter with Drew Hudson of We Also Herd Cats Consulting, Val Vass of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, Carmen George of Good News Garage, and Joe Soloman of the Vermont Workers Center. Watch it here.

10 BIG MYTHS ABOUT COPYRIGHT EXPLAINED - Note that this is an essay about copyright myths. It assumes you know at least what copyright is -- basically the legal exclusive right of the author of a creative work to control the copying of that work. If you didn't know that, check out my own brief introduction to copyright for more information. Feel free to link to this document, no need to ask me. Really, NO need to ask. Click here to read the rest of this article.

NONPROFIT VIDEO - 9 STEPS TO SUCCESS: In the age of YouTube, everyone knows there’s nothing like great video to grab someone’s attention. In the past two years, we’ve seen more and more for-profit and nonprofit organizations putting online video to work to reach out and engage their networks to build loyalty and motivate action.

So I thought I should put together a list of key things to think about, if you are considering a video production. I’m putting this together for our clients, but I think it can be useful for anyone thinking about making a video. The more you consider these issues before beginning, the smoother your project will advance. Click here to read the rest of this article.

GRANTS...8 DETAILS OF A GRANT PROPOSAL'S BUDGET: One of the crucial factors in a grant proposal can be the budget. This can be a crucial factor when those who disperse the money have to make a hard decision.

In her book “How To Say It: Grant Writing” Deborah S. Koch offers advice on what grant proposal budgets should be.

Transparent. There should be no mysteries about what each activity will cost or what each figure represents.
Clear. The reader should be able to find information easily and understand what he or she is seeing.
Detailed. Apply the assume-nothing rule to budgets and budget narratives. Explain the basis for determining the cost for each lien item.
Concise. While you need enough detail to explain everything so as to be understood, you do not need to explain down to every last paper clip.
Complete. Show all sources of income for the project and all expenditures, expressed in broad terms, for the budget.
Reasonable. Do not ask for money for something that is not essential to the project, but neither should you short-change yourself.
Realistic. Likewise, if you under budget, you might be seen as inexperienced, as not understanding the true costs of things or how long a task might take.
Documentable. For every cost you claim, you should be able to prove that it is the true cost.

VERMONT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION WORKSHOP: Christopher Kaufman-Ilstrup of the Vermont Community Foundation explains changes in the Foundation's Community Fund grant making, eligibility guidelines, and how to apply online for general operating support. Watch it online at your convenience!

NEW MUSIC EDUCATION ONLINE LEARNING COMMUNITY: The Choral Arts Society of Washington, D.C., has created an Online Learning Community for teachers and learners working to integrate music into a core curriculum, and membership is free. Click here for more information.

FUNDRAISING...YOU CAN'T MAKE A GOAL UNLESS YOU SET ONE: The recession has put many development professionals on edge, feeling helpless to change their current fundraising environment.

Instead of feeling paralyzed by circumstances, nonprofit professionals should hit the ground running, according to Margaret Cuccinello, planned giving and major gifts officer at the Province of St. Mary of the Capuchin Order in New York. Cuccinello gave some of her ready-to-use suggestions at the National Catholic Development Conference in Arlington, Va.

Here are some tips:

Set goals. Establish some real goals your organization wants to accomplish every year. Don’t just think about the dollar amount to put on a thermometer cardboard cutout. Create some non-revenue specific goals, such as a 5 percent increase in volunteer hours.
Enlist board and leadership. Don’t let your leadership and board members take a backseat in the organization. Find out where their influence and expertise would be most useful for the organization. See if board members or even the organization’s president will accompany a development officer to a major donor meeting.
Create a gift acceptance policy. A policy could protect you, the organization and your donors. Think about the level of difficulty with each gift type, such as real estate or annuities. Decide if your organization can properly handle the gifts. Reevaluate the acceptance policy terms every six months to make sure you are on point with your gift direction.
Know your prospects. Take a look at your marketing strategies for planned giving. Figure out which donors you need to speak with one-on-one and which donors can be cultivated even further through major or planned gifts. Cuccinello explained that with bequests, 97 percent of donors put a charity in their will because they were asked and had faith in the organization.

CREATIVE...5 TIPS FOR DEVELOPING MORE IDEAS: Do you have a great idea for your organization, but don’t know who to tell? Join the group. Creative ideas sometimes have no outlet in organizations, explained Joel Zimmerman, director of consulting services at CDR Fundraising Group in Bowie, Md.

Employees either don’t know where to go or are stopped in their tracks by what the organization has always done. Zimmerman explained that creativity could catapult innovation at the recent National Catholic Development Conference (NCDC) in Crystal City, Md. But first organizations have to encourage the creativity.

Here are some tips for your office:

Create a positive environment. A constant storm cloud over the office can darken any positive ideas. Try to maintain an environment where ideas are encouraged and accepted by all your employees.
Let go of bad attitudes. Don’t let your organization kill ideas before they are even mentioned. Sayings such as “we’ve always done it this way” or “we don’t have time now to try something new” are just rehearsed excuses used to squelch innovation.
Tripped up by red tape. Zimmerman explained that too often policies and standards could constrict creativity. Your organization should rethink procedures if an idea requires a board vote or a process approval.
Work on it. Your employees can be trained to think about creativity and innovation. It just takes encouragement and a little practice. Think about implementing a creativity workshop to persuade employees to bring their ideas to the table.
Creativity free time. Develop some time to set aside for creativity. That doesn’t mean allow three hours in every workday for employees to sketch. Some people feel too stuck in job constrictions that they aren’t able to see the creative problem solving right in front of them. Allow for productive creativity by initiating cross-group interactions for a fresh set of eyes. Also, you should invite questions and allow anonymous inputs on creative ideas.

MARKETING...GOOGLE RANKING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN CREDIT SCORES: Google has become so popular that the company has become a verb. You don’t conduct an online search, you Google a term.

And where your organization pops up on the search engine giant could make or break the number of your page views. With that in mind, it might be time to pay more attention to your search rankings.

Michael DelChiaro, president of My1Stop, a printing company based in Fort Scott, Kan, discussed leveraging analytics to guide your online marketing strategy at the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) Conference and Exhibition in San Diego, Calif.

Here are some tips:

Sponsored search. Search engines, such as Google, have two kinds of search terms that pop up – paid search and organic. You can pay for sponsored searches, which are usually on the right-hand column on the search results page and at the very top of the search results. Organic terms come up based on page ranking.
Focus on organic. My1Stop wanted to increase organic positions but faced limited content in a highly competitive industry. Your nonprofit may face the same problem. How many search results come up when searching for your mission instead of your proper name? Pay attention of where you land in the mass of search terms.
Keeping up with the statistics. Google Analytics is a free program that allows you to track your Web site traffic. Run a non-paid keyword search report to see what search terms translate to the most hits on your site.
Use what you learned. Take what you learned in the keywords report to integrate in your new content. You can also integrate these keywords into your meta tags in the HTML coding to your Web site, which will increase your search results.

BOARDS...9 MYTHS ABOUT MOST BOARDS: Assembling and keeping a great board is a challenge, but June Bradham, founder and president of consultant Corporate DevelopMint, has discovered nine myths that can hamper either the makeup or operations of a board. She presents those myths in her book "The Truth About What Nonprofit Boards Want" and follows with myth-busting truths.

It’s the cause, not the company. Current board makeup is the number one reason a top-flight candidate will consider board service.
A great board member is a great board member. Period. The board member who doesn't feel the cause passionately can't compete with one who does.
The board alone is responsible for success or failure. Without a dedicated, smart, visible and vocal CEO, a board will not totally engage.
CEO and board members are colleagues, nothing more. Engaged boards have an inspired CEO who forms a partnership with board members and demonstrates a passion for the mission.
It’s about the work, not about the party. All work and no play makes Jack an unhappy board member.
What the Executive Committee shares is its business. The chair and CEO must build trust with the entire board.
Great board members = big check writers. That's all. Board giving is directly correlated to the board experience.
No one cares about gift expectations two years out. Tell the board in advance what is expected all of it.
Boards get a lot from training. Board members hate anything labeled "training".

CAUSE MARKETING...PARTNERSHIPS WITH BUSINESSES ARE STILL OUT THERE: Despite the country’s economic woes, many for-profit companies in the United States want to contribute to charitable causes. They just might have to find innovative ways of doing so.

Speaking during the Bridge to Integrated Marketing and Fundraising Conference in National Harbor, Md., over the summer, Laura Goodman, strategist and practice leader at Social Capital Partnerships, and Lynn Cronenberger, vice president of development at Reading is Fundamental, offered their views on how engaging corporate employees can be very helpful to an organization.

Sponsorship gifts. Nonprofits should foster relationships with companies beyond sponsoring a golf tournament or other event.
Employee mind-set changes. First a company will encourage event participation, such a walkathon. Then employees might want to volunteer.
Cultivate those volunteers. Get them to become activists and donors to the organization, creating relationships separate from their workplace.
Individual giving. According to Giving USA, giving by individuals makes up 75 percent of donations, compared to 5 percent for corporations. See that the power is in the people.
Acquisition. Working with a company will give an organization access to people who might not have engaged with the organization on their own.
Leverage the company’s money. See if the partnering company will make a match to encourage employees to give.

Set goals. Establish some real goals your organization wants to accomplish every year. Don’t just think about a dollar amount to put on a thermometer cardboard cutout. Create some non-revenue specific goals, such as a 5 percent increase in volunteer hours.
Enlist board and leadership. Don’t let your leadership and board members take a backseat in the organization. Find out where their influence and expertise would be most useful. See if board members or even the organization’s president will accompany a development officer to a major donor meeting.
Create a gift acceptance policy. A policy could protect you, the organization and your donors. Think about the level of difficulty with each gift type, such as real estate or annuities. Decide if your organization can properly handle the gifts. Reevaluate the acceptance policy terms every six months to make sure you are on point with your gift direction.
Know your prospects. Take a look at your marketing strategies for planned giving. Figure out which donors you need to speak with one-on-one and which donors can be cultivated even further through major or planned gifts. Cuccinello explained that with bequests, 97 percent of donors put a charity in their will because they were asked and had faith in the organization.

NAMP ON THE AIR: NAMP Radio, the signature podcast of ArtsMarketing.org, goes on air today. If you can’t get enough of arts marketing and fundraising, this podcast is for you. Each month, our team of panelists will discuss a particular issue in arts marketing and fundraising, and share their experienced tips and tactics for overcoming obstacles. The panelists are:

Ron Evans of Groupofminds.com, an audience development specialist based in Sunnyvale, CA
Matt Campbell of Stanford Lively Arts, who knows how to make marketing and fundraising work together, based in Stanford, CA
Maris Smith of Situation Interactive, an interactive marketing maven based in New York, NY

These dynamic discussions are another way to catch up on marketing trends in the field. And they will be looking for your input as well! This month’s episode features guest host Steven Roth of The Pricing Institute. Steven talks about making measurement real, with easy ways to track results of your marketing efforts. After enjoying his podcast appearance, see him in person at the 2009 National Arts Marketing Project Conference! Find out more and subscribe to the podcast via iTunes/RSS here.

CRAFT EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND RELEASES THE STUDIO PROTECTOR: Craft Emergency Relief Fund’s (CERF) Studio Protector is an easy-to-use disaster readiness and response resource with checklists to help artists protect and save their art, workspace, and career in case of a disaster. CERF will celebrate the national release of the Studio Protector in New Orleans at the annual conference of the Alliance for Artists Communities in November. CERF staff members will lead a discussion with artists about how their post-Katrina experiences helped to inspire the creation of the Studio Protector, the first-ever disaster readiness and survival kit for artists. Visit the website to explore the project, learn more about disaster readiness, and purchase the kit.

3 LESSONS FOR HOOKING PEOPLE ONLINE WITH YOUR EMAIL: Every online communication you send out is a battle to keep people interested and encourage them to interact with your organization, whether it’s donating or signing up for a newsletter.

Brian Dill, director of public support for Earthjustice in Oakland, Calif., outlined three simple lessons that he has learned from the online trenches at NTEN’s Nonprofit Technology Conference:

You can ask more often. Dill explained that nonprofits have to go beyond the general campaigns. Relevant and urgent campaigns can give you a reason to ask donors for a gift again. You could also include another ask in program updates, special times of the year that fit with your mission and any deadline reminders.

Subscribe to a few e-newsletters of peer organizations to see their frequency. And if an e-newsletter works, you might be able to send it again after a few days and still see comparable results to the first one.

Engagement pays. Don’t just send supporters your annual report. Send them opportunities that will engage them with the organization. Engagement pieces, such as opinion polls, surveys and advocacy actions, can drive growth and push for conversion.

See if you can segment your engaged population by what they have responded to before and send them targeted asks based on that information.

Test, test and then test again. Before you test your email campaigns or e-newsletters, ask yourself what you hope to learn from the test. Think about how you could apply test results in your campaigns and if that will lead to changes. Some things Earthjustice tested, for example, included customized email headers, premium offers and landing page optimization techniques.

DIRECT MAIL...THINK LIKE YOUR DONORS WHEN WRITING: While it isn’t a crime to ignore your direct mail, direct mailers should think more like their donors to optimize their pieces, according to Mal Warwick, founder and chairman of Mal Warwick Associates, based in Berkeley, Calif. Warwick explained how you can get into the minds of donors at the at the recent Bridge to Integrated Marketing & Fundraising Conference, in National Harbor, Md.

Here are some of his thoughts:

Why do donors give? Your organization may be amazing, but is that why donors decide to make a gift? Their hearts, minds and spirit can motivate donors to give. Your copy should change when you are trying to appeal to a donor’s logical side, emotional side or spiritual side.
Your donors are multidimensional. Each donor could many facets of their organizational engagement. One donor may want to participate in the bike-a-thon and make monthly donations while another can be an activist willing to make a bequest. Talk to your donors about the many ways they can connect to your organization and let them make the choices.
What your donors really want. To be treated like human beings. Doesn’t sound too hard, right? That includes kindness in all contacts, recognition of their support, appreciation of their contributions and access to information that will inspire them to continue the relationship.

By focusing on the donor relationship you can minimize attrition and build long-lasting relationships.

Look at what your donor sees. When you put together a mail piece, you may put blood, sweat and tears in the copy and make sure the response piece leads the donor to a higher gift. But, none of that matters if the donor doesn’t open the envelope.

Actively think about sequence of what the donor will see with the mail piece -- from outer envelope, contents, lead paragraph to response device. Make sure that your donor will want to continue to the end.

PLANNED GIVING...OVERCOMING POTENTIAL OBJECTIONS TO BEQUESTS: People always have excuses for anything. Your significant other just forgot the dishes were in the sink. Your coworker always hits traffic Monday mornings. And your teenagers didn’t know 200 people would show up to a “small party” they threw the weekend you went away.

And some donors will always have excuses for putting off their estate planning, according to David Whitehead, chief development officer at AARP Foundation, and Jay Steenhuysen, partner at Covenant Calls.

Whitehead and Steenhuysen talked through some of the excuses at the recent Bridge to Integrated Marketing & Fundraising Conference, in National Harbor, Md. Once you know the upcoming excuses, you can talk your donors through and show the barriers are all in their head.

Here’s some tips:

Avoid the thought of death. No one wants to think about their own mortality. Explain that estate planning is about the donor’s life and legacy, not their death. The donor is making the choice about how they are remembered before they pass.
Not enough money for a plan. Some donors might think they don’t have enough money to think about estate planning. But it’s not about the money -- it’s about exerting control and choosing personal representatives for medical choices, guardianship for any minor children and an executor who will protect the donor’s wishes.
Overwhelmed by detail. Whitehead and Steenhuysen recommended focusing on goals instead of tasks. Divide the estate planning into several manageable parts. Sometimes donors should hire advisors to help with the details.
Never hired professional help. Just because you never hired a plumber doesn’t mean you will allow your house to fill with water from a broken pipe. Explain to donors what the roles professionals, such as attorneys or financial advisors, can play in getting estate planning in order.
I have an old plan. Ask your donors if their plans are older than 24 months. Two years can be a long time for estate plans – there can be births, deaths, inheritances or donors could have moved. Donors should be aware that some circumstances render plans ineffective. It may be time to take a second look.

MAJOR DONORS...6 IDEAS FOR CONNECTING WITH BIG DONORS: Your major donors have always been important to your organization. You should be cultivating major donors to stay with the mission and make their feel secure about their major gifts, according to Sarah Burdi, assistant vice president of Falls Church, Va. based InovaHealth System Foundation, the largest nonprofit healthcare system in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

Burdi gave some tips about reaching out to major and planned gift donors at the recent Bridge to Integrated Marketing & Fundraising Conference, in National Harbor, Md.

Identify the donors. For InovaHealth System Foundation, a major gift donor is classified as $25,000 or more. Define what a major donor is for you and cultivate those relationships accordingly.
Develop your message. Your communications should tell donors who you are and what makes your nonprofit stand out. Highlight why you are the organization they should be donating to and never underestimate the power of stories.
New ways to connect. Direct mail and e-newsletters are dynamic outreach pieces in your communications. But think about developing stewardship activities. For example, InovaHealth has a lecture series that donors can attend. Reach out to your donors often and deliberately.
Customize the major donor experience. Burdi explained that your focus should be on individual patients, not your list. Lumping all donors together doesn’t allow for personal relationships that blossom into philanthropic efforts.
Engage major donors based on interests. Some donors would like to know more about the organization’s leadership. Some might be interested in your facility or operations. For example, Inova has President’s series and physician tours. Tailor those special touch points for the donor.
Talk to the major donors. Don’t just communicate out. Ask your major donors how they are doing and what they feel about their relationship with the organization. Seek their opinions about how to enhance the relationship or ideas for the organization.

BOARDS...TALKING TO YOUR MEMBERS TO GO GET CASH: Board members usually aren’t born fundraisers. They might have different reasons for accepting a board position, such as a personal connection to the cause, but board members should realize fundraising comes with the territory.

But development staff can help board members navigate the fundraising landscape by charting a course for the ask, according to philanthropic consultant Carol Weisman from Board Builders. Weisman outlined what board members should know before going in for a solicitation at the recent Bridge to Integrated Marketing & Fundraising Conference, in National Harbor, Md.

The pyramid of solicitation. The most effective ask usually happens face-to-face with the donor with individual contact or get a group of potential donors together, then online or direct mail.
Set an example. Board members should write out their own checks before asking for donations.
Know the talking points. Some donors may argue why they shouldn’t give. Your board member needs to be prepared with counter points to persuade the donor to give. Arm them with the information and prep them before any solicitation meeting.
Tag team. Your board members usually aren't professional fundraisers. Try to set up a meeting with a donor that includes a person from the development department and the board member. That way the professional can step in if the board member is drowning.
Sharing is caring. Why should the donor be interested in the campaign? Sometime personal stories can help generate interest and emotional connections. See if a board member will share a story with a group of donors. It may sway a donor to give a gift.
No means not right now. Some donors will tell you no. But that doesn’t mean you should never solicit them again. Find out why they said no and try to develop a better donation fit for a future solicitation.

FUNDRAISING...7 IDEAS FOR MID-LEVEL DONORS: Creating a mid-level donor club can cultivate highly reliable donors who aren’t at the major gift level, according to Lynn Edmonds, president, and Bryan Terpstra, fundraising vice president, both of L.W. Robbins Associates in Holliston, Mass. The duo explained that a mid-level donor club can positively impact your organization at Blackbaud’s 2008 Conference for Nonprofits, and shared these seven steps to grow a mid-level donor club:

Create a distinctive brand. Every club offers some sort of distinction, and your mid-level donor club should be no different. A special name that incorporates your mission can make your donors feel appreciated. Carry that distinction into any special appeals you send to just club members.
Determine donation levels. Recognize different giving levels and brand the donations into categories. Make sure the gifts are within reach, but always encourage donors to increase their gifts.
Create club benefits. Benefits can be tangible, such as a decal, or intangible, such as recognition in the newsletter, or a combination of both.
Develop an invitation series. Cultivate donors who are close to reaching the mid-level club donation target for the club, or invite higher mid-level donors to the major gifts program.
Special acknowledgement. Thank your mid-level donors for their gifts, either in a mailed thank-you note or personal phone call.
Promote the giving club. Make sure that the club is mentioned on the Web site, renewal mailings and any other communication channel.
Maintain and grow the program. Constantly try to initiate donors into the mid-level club and promote some people who are already in the club into the major gifts program.

REGULATION...A CHECKLIST OF FINANCIAL AND GOVERNANCE CONCERNS: As public suspicion of nonprofits grows and political grandstanding intensifies, organizations find that they can get help in the form of watchdog organizations, those that monitor and rate entities in the sector.

The good news is that watchdogs and philanthropies are generally on the same side -- they want to ensure both the integrity and the efficiency of the sector, thus ensuring that its image as a collection of people interested in doing good is also its reality.

A good rating can serve as an organization-wide morale booster and draw in more money. A bad rating, well, it can do the opposite.

At an AICPA Not-For-Profit Executives Forum in Anaheim, Calif., Frank L. Kurre, national managing partner of the Not-for-Profit Industry Practice of Grant Thornton, and Bob Mims, controller and director of investments at Duck Unlimited Inc., spoke about the concerns that are generally on the minds of watchdog organizations. Financial issues:

Transparency.
Program expense as percentage of total expense.
Fundraising cost as percentage of fundraising achievement.
Reserves, working capital or net assets sufficient to cover some amount of annual operating costs.
Independent audit.
Fundraising practices and donor privacy.

Governance issues:

Conflict of interest policies.
Evidence of adequate board oversight.
Compensation practices,
Number of outside directors.
Number of board meetings.
Evidence of assessment/evaluation of program effectiveness.

MAJOR GIFTS...4 TIPS FOR NAILING THE GIFT: A face-to-face solicitation of any major gift can be nerve-wracking. Add in the current state of the economy and you have a recipe for stomach butterflies, intense sweats and babbling.

Preparing before the meeting can reduce your worry and increase your chances of landing that major gift, according to Barbara Ciconte, senior vice president of consulting services at Donor Strategies, Inc., in Chevy Chase, Md., and Jeanne Jacob, executive director of Goodwin House Foundation in Alexandria, Va., during the recent Bridge to Integrated Marketing & Fundraising Conference, in National Harbor, Md.

Here are their tips:

Make sure everything is just “right.” Face-to-face solicitations for major gifts should be carefully planned to work best with the prospect, from the right gift amount to the right setting. Ciconte and Jacob said that you should spend 80 percent of your time planning and just 20 percent of your time asking.
Know why they want to give. Analyze why your prospect would want to make a gift. Do they have a personal experience with the mission? Do they care about their public image in the community? This could help you develop your strategy.
Put everything on the table. Map out why the program is important, what plan will be in place, cost efficiencies and your successful track record. The donor is willing to make a bet on your mission with their money. Make sure they know it isn’t a gamble.
Provide easily accessible information. Give donors something they can take home and look at when they think about your informational points. That can include a detailed case of support, brochures, newsletters or appeal letters. Foster a personal relationship by inviting the donor to special events, site visits and meetings with high-level staff.

COMMUNICATIONS...7 IDEAS FOR GETTING TO THE DONOR'S HEART: Fundraisers have more communications channels than ever – direct mail, your homepage, direct response television, Facebook. The options can make your head spin. But you have to ask yourself, how do you make your messages count?

Sarah Burdi, assistant vice president of Falls Church, Va. based InovaHealth System Foundation; Bruce Wenger, vice president of client services and senior consultant for Henderson, Nev.-based IDC, Ltd.; and Jessica Harrington, vice president of Philadelphia headquartered Schultz & Williams, outlined some key messaging strategies at the recent Bridge to Integrated Marketing & Fundraising Conference, in National Harbor, Md.

Here’s how to start getting the most out of your messages:

Focus on core mission. When you drift away from your mission, donors get confused and might think you aren’t utilizing the donations. Make your donation messages strong and relate back to your true mission.
Tell a story. The messages get lost in a sea of statistics. Drive your message down into a story for your donor to make an emotional connection.
Find your unique voice. Messages from individuals, such as your organization’s CEO, could drive response higher than the faceless organization. Make it someone your donors would respect and want to hear from.
Be thankful. Let your donors know that your organization is grateful for their contribution. Try to include where the gift helped or include information about the overall campaign, so donors know they were a part of a larger movement.
Listen to donors and report back. Communication shouldn’t be a one-way street. Ask donors to give their opinions about what the organization is doing. Then, thank them for their input and write what will happen with those results.
Be specific. Give donors choices, such as different donation amounts, to focus their attention.
Create urgency whenever possible. It can get donors to react fast. But don’t slap “urgent” on every communication -- it could desensitize your donors for when you really have a crisis.

MARKETING...YOU NEED YOUR OWN SLOGAN THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND: Bill Clinton’s 1992 slogan “It’s the economy, stupid” was a simple statement that represented a complex problem. Nonprofits should adopt their own slogan – “It’s the awareness, stupid.”

People know the issues are out there -- poverty, war, discrimination, natural disasters, abuse. But do they understand the need? And you can’t build a following of people volunteering, donating, and advocating if they’ve never heard of you.

The Alzheimer’s Association faced those problems – nearly 90 percent of Americans know someone with Alzheimer’s, but most don’t realize the disease’s scale, according to Angela Geiger, a vice president at an American Marketing Association Nonprofit Marketing Conference. The association garnered 90 million impressions and was covered by USA Today, U.S. News & World Report, and CNN when releasing a fact and figures report last year about the disease. Geiger shares how to bring the attention to your cause:

It’s worth their attention. The Chicago-based organization dropped an informational bomb on the front cover of its facts and figures report – 10 million U.S. baby boomers will develop Alzheimer’s disease.
Make facts available to everyone. That helped solidify the organization as the expert voice on the disease.
Celebrity champions. The organization worked with celebrities like David Hyde Pierce, Wayne Brady, Vivica A. Fox and Jean Smart, to speak out about Alzheimer’s. “Almost all of our celebrities have a personal connection” to the disease, said Geiger.
Provide information. People want to know more – and might turn to your organization. The Alzheimer’s Association Web site became a haven for people and families affected, providing information on the stages, warning signs, legal issues and more.
Different strokes for different folks. The Association segmented some information for children, African Americans, Latinos, and even providing information in Chinese.

BRANDING...10 ESSENTIALS TO ENHANCING BRAND POWER: A solid brand identity can tell an important story, setting expectations, gaining attention and fostering relationships, according to Cone, a Boston-based strategy and communication agency. Since a brand valuation can help transform an intangible idea into a concrete asset, Cone offers 10 essentials to enhancing brand power:

Engage fresh constituencies: Creating tailored programs for different demographics, through relevant connecting of sub-brands, helps define what an organization offers.
Adopt new currencies: When financial resources dwindle, savvy nonprofits recognized the value in more "creative tender," including skills-based volunteerism, in-kind gifts of products and services, or diversifying their fundraising sources.
Modernize fundraising: Be aware of the changing dynamics of your donors' needs and where they get their information. Nonprofits and their corporate partners are turning to digital fundraising, micro-philanthropy and online communities to reach their donors.
Deliver crisp communications: Make it easy for audiences, on the first impression, to understand who you are and what you do.
Establish, and adhere to, brand guidelines: Ensure consistent use by staff, volunteers, partners, media and others and make sure everyone in the organization has a clear understanding of what you stand for and how to state it accurately and succinctly.
Build brand stewards: Leading brands continuously express mission, vision and values through the actions of staff, volunteers and board members who share the organization's story. Evangelizing the purpose and brand meaning is the responsibility of the leader and leadership team.
Develop quick reflexes: Give people opportunities to engage with your brand in relation to events in the world around them, from natural disasters to economic realities to the nationwide call to service.
Build corporate partnerships: Identify and recruit companies that share your values to become catalysts to broaden your mission and become stewards.
Create a dialogue with brand ambassadors: External stakeholders hold the brand in their hands; actively communicate your mission, goals and results and solicit their feedback.
Issue a rallying cry: Develop branded cause-related initiatives that will rally new audiences and re-energize existing brand ambassadors.

BOARDS...TEACHING MEMBERS TO ACTUALLY FUNDRAISE: Telling your board members to go out and fundraise is comparable to telling them to walk off a cliff. It doesn’t do any good for your fundraising and it’s not the best situation for your board either.

Give them a parachute by preparing them for fundraising and donors ahead, according to Barbara Ciconte, senior vice president of consulting services at Chevy Chase, Md-based Donor Strategies, Inc., and Lee MacVaugh, director of development and fundraising at The Character Education Partnership in Washington, D.C.

Ciconte and MacVaugh explained what it takes to get your board members ready for fundraising at the recent Bridge to Integrated Marketing & Fundraising Conference, in National Harbor, Md.

Here are their ideas:

What you need from board members, besides a sunny disposition? Have each board member sign confidentiality and conflict of interest policies. Also have your board members write down their interests – it may help matching them to donation asks.

What board members need from you. Each board member should be given an outline of role descriptions and responsibilities. That will ensure they know what is expected of them.
Create board ambassadors. Board members should be coached on the organization’s facts and messages. They should know how to describe the organization and what it does in just a few sentences.
Advocate for the cause. Try to develop your board member into an activist that can take the organization’s mission to leaders. Prepare them for debates, questions and objections that may come up when talking about your organization.
Fundraise for the mission. Your board members may know the case statement inside and out, but make sure they still think about the ask. Team up development staff with a board member the in the beginning to prevent a freeze up once donations come up.
Pack a survival kit. Give your board members any material or information they would need to solicit. Make up a packet that the board members could use and leave with prospective donors, which may include brochures, fact sheets, a development office contact list and pledge cards.

PLANNED GIVING: DON'T LET DONORS DROWN: Volatility in the stock market might make individuals looking for security more open to charitable gift annuities (CGA). But, at the same time the market might be wreaking havoc on a charity’s annuity reserves, a portion of which are usually invested in equities.

The American Council on Gift Annuities (ACGA) recommends a portfolio be invested 40 percent in equities and 55 percent in bonds, with 5 percent cash.

To read the complete article click here.

MANAGEMENT...7 STYLES FOR A RANGE OF LEADERSHIP: An integral part of good leadership is good communication. At the AICPA Not-for-Profit Industry Conference, Joan Pastor, president of JPA International, identified a range of leadership communication styles.

Those styles, from least effective to most effective, are:

Laissez-faire leadership. Necessary decisions are not made, actions are delayed, responsibilities are ignored or abdicated and authority remains unused.
Transactional leadership -- management-by-exception (MBE). Focuses on what is missing or not in place and tries to correct it. Looks to deviations from standards. Has a negative quality in interactions with others.
Transactional leadership -- contingent reward (CR). The leader assigns and gets agreement on what needs to be done and promises specific rewards, possibly praise.
Transformational leadership -- individualized consideration. Has good listening skills so people feel heard, recognizes individual differences, creates new learning opportunities.
Transformational leadership -- intellectual stimulation. Achievement oriented, people oriented, empirically "here and now" oriented, and idealistically oriented.
Transformational leadership -- inspirational motivation. Appeals to followers’ feelings, sentiments and emotions, communicates vision clearly, considers ways to make the environment more supportive and inviting.
Transformational leadership -- idealized influence. Has the ability to communicate so others listen. Puts the needs of others before their own, demonstrates high standards of ethical conduct and consistently looks for and focuses on areas of agreement, creative solutions and solutions of mutual benefit.

(From The Non-Profit Times)

BOARDS...DON'T JUMP OVER MEMBERS' STRENGTHS: It might be a different kind of board game, but philanthropic consultant Carol Weisman from Board Builders still compared board management strategies to either checkers or chess during the recent Bridge to Integrated Marketing & Fundraising Conference, in National Harbor, Md.

Weisman said some organizations think of board members as checker pieces with equal strengths. But she advised that nonprofits should use board members as chess pieces, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.

Here’s how to get in the game with your board management strategy:

Board members don’t join to raise money. Some have a personal affiliation to the organization and are honored to be a part of the board. Make sure members know that some level of fundraising is necessary before accepting the position.
Time isn’t money. Weisman explained that a board member dedicating time to the organization doesn’t translate into dollars to pay staff and keep doors open. Fundraising needs to happen.
Rejection will not kill the board. At least in the fundraising world, she explained. Getting a “no” is tough, but your board member will survive. Make sure you encourage successes by bringing them up in board meetings to boost morale.
Staff and board members are partners. Development staff can pinpoint prospects while board members can make the ask. The strength of one relies on the other.
Board members have their kryptonite. Ask board members about areas where they thrive or take a dive. You should respect the fact that not every board member will be the life of the special event. Play to a member’s strengths and you will see fundraising results and ultimately a happier, more effective board member.

(From The Non-Profit Times)

HOW TO WRITE THE PERFECT PRESS RELEASE: Whether you think there's a better alternative or you'd rather receive PR pitches by Twitter, press releases are still a popular format for public relations and communications teams when contacting journalists. But how can these releases become as popular with the journalists receiving and reading them? Click here to read the rest of this article.

FILE FORMS 990 ELECTRONICALLY: Developed by NCCS, 990 Online© is a web-based application that allows nonprofit organizations and nonprofit accountants to electronically prepare and submit IRS Forms 990, 990-EZ and 8868 (Extension Request). The service is free for small organizations. Read more.

Accessing Stimulus Funds for Arts Education offers details about each program that was funded through the ARRA stimulus legislation, details of arts education’s fit within each program, and guidance on accessing the funds. Click here to view the report.

NEW FREE SERVICES FOR DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING: If your nonprofit or library works with supporters or community members who have difficulty hearing or are deaf, there's a cool new freebie out there to help ensure that people can communicate well by phone with you and everybody else. Please feel free to share this info with your networks, local community centers, or health care facilities.

As of January 2009, American Network has "been approved by the Federal Communications Commission to provide IP Relay, Video Relay Services (VRS) and Internet Protocol Caption Telephone Service (IPCTS)." This phone captioning service is free because it is funded by the Federal Communications Commission.

PhoneCaption.com provides free captioning for telephone calls to help those who are hard of hearing. PhoneCaption.com supports normal phones to IP phones and sends voice dialogue via text through the Internet or your IP phone screen. The non-hearing party receives captions to read of what is being said, via the web or a Cisco 79XX IP phone screen display for example.

In addition to the phone captioning, they also provide FreeRelay.com, a text or instant messaging relay service where calls are relayed through a live "Communication Assistant" 24 hours a day.

There are an estimated 1 million deaf people and nearly 10 million hard of hearing in the U.S. This service can provide new methods of communicating for many of these people who may not have special relay equipment and would prefer to use their phone, Internet connection, or VoIP to make calls.

A SAMPLE ONLINE OUTREACH PLAN: From the always helpful Colin Delany, this is an example outreach plan that he put together for a client.

Close Move

9 Ways of Getting Board Members to Want to Give: Board members volunteer their time and donate their money, but are they just going through the motions?

According to June Bradham, founder and president of Corporate Developmint, a fundraising and strategic planning consulting firm, using generative thinking will help the process of finding out how to get board members to want to give.

Bradham gives personal examples on how to get the best out of your board members by giving some tips from her book, “The Truth about What Nonprofit Boards Want: The Nine Little Things That Matter Most.”

Nine things Bradham thinks nonprofits and board members should look out for are:

Stellar board makeup. If fellow board members have different skill sets you will be able to scrub an issue and get something done.
Passion for the cause. If your not committed say no or you will hate going to the meetings and be a horrible board member.
Dedicated, smart, visible CEO. They have to be able to articulate their vision in a way people will find exciting and credible.
An inspiring CEO who engages board members. The organization needs to feel it really needs the board member and needs to engage them in a really meaningful way.
Plenty of time for board members to socialize. Formal no-talk board meetings quickly become unrewarding.
Trust and transparency. If you are on a board and not getting the full picture of financials or HR issues, you need to leave the board or take action with the CEO.
Asks that follow a great experience, not just a sense of obligation. Just being asked to be on a board is no longer the honor it was when you were younger. Spend your time and money where you feel it can make the biggest difference.
Plenty of opportunities for board members to get their hands dirty. When considering a board interview them to see if they want your engagement not just your money.
Meaningful lessons that complement current skill sets -- not training. For example, for some to be able to connect with a donor they need to learn how to tell a story, which will take training.

BOARDS...THE INCONVENIENT TRUTH ABOUT MEMBERS: Many nonprofit managers, beset with a mountain of issues even before they get to work, regard the board of directors as a necessary inconvenience. The truth, however, is that a dynamic board can do wonders for the mission of an organization.

Speaking at the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy 43rd Annual International Conference, Jason Chandler of the Gwinnett Medical Center Foundation, June Bradham of Corporate Development and Greg Pope of the St. Thomas Health Services Foundation highlighted the importance of a good board, as well as the necessity of a board working well with paid staff.
Some considerations include:

The relationship of foundation board work and institutional priorities should be transparent, believable and aligned.
Board members give to organizations where their personal satisfaction is high and their respect for and like of the CEO is significant.
The satisfaction of the board is the responsibility of the CEO.
Further, they suggest that nonprofit managers take action steps by asking the following questions:
What is your relationship with the board?
Who is driving the case for support?
Are your board meetings coming early and staying late for meetings?
Do you watch for the gleam in the eye of potential board members? Are you looking in their eyes during recruitment?
Does each board meeting include meaty discussion? What about decision?
Is everything, really everything, open to the entire board?

BOARDS..."Lucky 13" BOARD TRUTHS: Making sure that managers don’t get bored with boards, or that boards don’t get bored is an important part of ensuring success.

Speaking at the recent Association of Fundraising Professionals’ international conference, June Bradham, president of DevelopMint, and an expert on board makeup and operations, offered her insights into getting the best out of boards.

Bradham, who has received numerous awards and widespread recognition for her work with nonprofit boards, said that her observations, work with, and on, boards and discussions she has had with people who have served on boards has led her to draw the following conclusions about getting the best from boards.
Board success, then, comes from the following components:

Stellar board makeup.
Passion for the cause.
A dedicated, smart and visible CEO.
An inspiring CEO who engages board members.
Plenty of time for board members to socialize.
Trust and transparency.
Asks that follow a great experience, not just a sense of obligation.
Plenty of opportunities for board members to get their hands dirty.
Meaningful lessons that complement current skill sets, not training sessions.

Bradham also suggested the following action steps:

Revisit board recruitment. Are you asking the right questions and meeting several times?
Examine board meetings. Is there time for socializing and is there active discussion?
Arrange for the chair and CEO to meet with board members individually.
Start more informal CEO-board interactions, in and out of meetings.

BOARDS...9 ACTION STEPS FOR A DYNAMIC BOARD: Many nonprofit managers, beset with a mountain of issues even before they get to work, regard the board of directors as a necessary inconvenience. The truth, however, is that a dynamic board can do wonders for the mission of an organization.

Speaking at the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy 43rd Annual International Conference, Jason Chandler of the Gwinnett Medical Center Foundation, June Bradham of Corporate Development and Greg Pope of the St. Thomas Health Services Foundation highlighted the importance of a good board, as well as the necessity of a board working well with paid staff.

Some considerations include:

The relationship of foundation board work and institutional priorities should be transparent, believable and aligned.
Board members give to organizations where their personal satisfaction is high and their respect for and like of the CEO is significant.
The satisfaction of the board is the responsibility of the CEO.

Further, they suggest that nonprofit managers take action steps by asking the following questions:

What is your relationship with the board?
Who is driving the case for support?
Are your board meetings coming early and staying late for meetings?
Do you watch for the gleam in the eye of potential board members? Are you looking in their eyes during recruitment?
Does each board meeting include meaty discussion? What about decision?
Is everything, really everything, open to the entire board?

It’s the cause, not the company. Current board makeup is the number one reason a top-flight candidate will consider board service.
A great board member is a great board member. Period. The board member who doesn't feel the cause passionately can't compete with one who does.
The board alone is responsible for success or failure. Without a dedicated, smart, visible and vocal CEO, a board will not totally engage.
CEO and board members are colleagues, nothing more. Engaged boards have an inspired CEO who forms a partnership with board members and demonstrates a passion for the mission.
It’s about the work, not about the party. All work and no play makes Jack an unhappy board member.
What the Executive Committee shares is its business. The chair and CEO must build trust with the entire board.
Great board members = big check writers. That's all. Board giving is directly correlated to the board experience.
No one cares about gift expectations two years out. Tell the board in advance what is expected all of it.
Boards get a lot from training. Board members hate anything labeled "training".

The pyramid of solicitation. The most effective ask usually happens face-to-face with the donor with individual contact or get a group of potential donors together, then online or direct mail.
Set an example. Board members should write out their own checks before asking for donations.
Know the talking points. Some donors may argue why they shouldn’t give. Your board member needs to be prepared with counter points to persuade the donor to give. Arm them with the information and prep them before any solicitation meeting.
Tag team. Your board members usually aren't professional fundraisers. Try to set up a meeting with a donor that includes a person from the development department and the board member. That way the professional can step in if the board member is drowning.
Sharing is caring. Why should the donor be interested in the campaign? Sometime personal stories can help generate interest and emotional connections. See if a board member will share a story with a group of donors. It may sway a donor to give a gift.
No means not right now. Some donors will tell you no. But that doesn’t mean you should never solicit them again. Find out why they said no and try to develop a better donation fit for a future solicitation.

Board members don’t join to raise money. Some have a personal affiliation to the organization and are honored to be a part of the board. Make sure members know that some level of fundraising is necessary before accepting the position.
Time isn’t money. Weisman explained that a board member dedicating time to the organization doesn’t translate into dollars to pay staff and keep doors open. Fundraising needs to happen.
Rejection will not kill the board. At least in the fundraising world, she explained. Getting a “no” is tough, but your board member will survive. Make sure you encourage successes by bringing them up in board meetings to boost morale.
Staff and board members are partners. Development staff can pinpoint prospects while board members can make the ask. The strength of one relies on the other.
Board members have their kryptonite. Ask board members about areas where they thrive or take a dive. You should respect the fact that not every board member will be the life of the special event. Play to a member’s strengths and you will see fundraising results and ultimately a happier, more effective board member.

(From The Non-Profit Times)

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