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Category: Ideas to help you ‘Change The Way You Think, Operate And Fund’

Campaign Seminar 4: A New Funding Model and Plan

Posted by: Tom Suddes August 15, 2008

In this seminar we break down how to leverage a holistic funding model (annual fund [old word], operations, endowment and special [campaign] projects). It offers examples and ‘how-to’ to help you maximize each relationship - maximizing all funding streams… leveraging the role of the board… and building your campaign plan.

MP3 File | Download Call Notes

Some of the feedback: how listeners described this session:

“This seminar presented a model for linking campaigns, planned giving and annual giving.”
“This seminar affirms that we’re on the right track. That alone is valuable, need and appreciated. Thanks!”
“I’ve been following all the Campaign Week seminars - this one gave more specifics to help us with the ‘holistic ask’!”
“Transformational… ”
“This is such a rich perspective on how to handle the board, the campaign committee and all the problems that can emerge with them. It is the contrary of :” go out and ask money to your friends” !!”

Campaign Week: Top 10 Campaign Questions

Posted by: Nick Fellers August 13, 2008

In this seminar we will work through the top 10 campaign challenges faced by every organization…

“How do we simplify our case for support?”
“How do we find and train our sales team?”
“How do we move from planning to dollars in the bank?”
“How do we identify and prioritize prospects?”
“How do we get visits?”
“How do we overcome call reluctance?”
“How do we close?”
“How do we measure and manage our campaign?”
“How do we actively engage our board and volunteer leaders?”
“How do we use our president/ED and senior staff?”

MP3 File | Download Call Notes

Some of the feedback: how listeners described this session:

“Top 10 campaign changes are really summed up in one word…FOCUS!! Focus on prospects, focus on priorities, focus on the campaign. Don’t become distracted!”
“Super focused experienced. Very clear message and strategies!”
“Had our entire board on. Very fired up and gives us much to move forward with… THANKS.”

Campaign Week: Pre-Campaign Innovations and Considerations

Posted by: Tom Suddes August 13, 2008

Seminar 2 from campaign week. Tom discusses some of the biggest innovations and considerations to look at BEFORE you start a campaign. This is intended to help you save time, dollars and energy.

MP3 File| Download Call Notes

Some of the feedback: how listeners described this session:

“This was an opportunity to apply a fresh perspective to a tired concept. Talking about what is really important to our school - what we actually do here and why it matters - is less daunting and more fun that writing case statements and devising strategic plans.”
“The entire session was fantastic. We’ve been stuck and we’re ready to bust out with these ideas!”
“This offers a new, refreshing and practical view of campaigns that abandons sacred cows and baggage. What’s more… we’ve been doing some of these ideas and they work!”

Campaign Week: How to Fund Your Vision

Posted by: Nick Fellers August 12, 2008

We started off campaign week yesterday with the first of our teleseminars - a campaign rendition of ‘How to Fund Your Vision’. See more teleseminars.

MP3 File | Download Call Notes

Some of the feedback: how listeners described this session:

“Gives you a new perspective on approaching funding for your organization that is direct, simple and takes the dread out of funding your cause. Helps create excitement for doing something that for too long has been seen almost as a necessary evil. Helps you focus on the good that you are doing in your organization and getting the story out to the community.”
“A good start to get into “campaign mode” - which, according to the seminar, should be ongoing. Motivational, makes you think about what you are currently doing and how and why you may need to change.”
“Great presentation! I am going to take the POV Guiding Principles and really concentrate on incorporating it into my organization.”
“This is an extremely useful clinic that employs a “no-nonsense” yet humorous approach to fund raising. For instance, Nick tells his audience “you’re in sales, people! Get over it!” I would recommend this clinic very highly to anyone looking to increase their organization’s impact.”
“I enjoyed the seminar, It has given me something to think about.I need to focus more on the relationships between my organisations and our friends, and keep up communications.”

Get Entrepreneurs ‘On Board’

Posted by: Nick Fellers July 25, 2008

You’ve seen or heard Tom and I talk a lot about the importance of ‘on board’ vs. ‘on the board’. In order to really make a transformational leap in your IMPACT and INCOME the kind of thinking and leadership you need will come from individuals that are ‘on board’ with your cause / case…not ‘the whole of the board’.

We’re always encouraging you to find three champions to drive your funding efforts. Again, could be on your board or not on your board but they are always on board.

The BEST on-board champions

Drive the vision
Will (read: brute force determination) your project to happen
See an obstacle as a challenge, not a sign of doom
Think big and leap head first with a positive ‘can–do’ attitude
Make this vision a self-fulfilling prophecy

The profile above is that of an ENTREPRENEUR. With all due respect to lawyers, bankers, doctors, etc. they usually don’t fit this profile. They can aid with some of the responsibilities of the board but they’re usually not drivers of the vision.

That may seem like a slam on lawyers, banker and doctors — it’s not. I’ve worked with some very committed and passionate people in those industries. They’re GREAT people and they’ll often tell me, “We just don’t think that way.”

We can spend months and years hoping people will become ENTREPRENEURIAL. It’s a way of thinking that’s either there or not. Don’t try to change people. If they don’t fit this profile keep moving…put your energy and effort into finding someone that does.

Another litmus: You want people that will say ‘this will work because’ not ‘what if?’ or ‘I think we need to worry about”.

The action: Find three people that are ‘on board’ [as champions]… start by looking for ENTREPRENEURS that get your cause. You want people that see the vision, not the obstacles. One great ENTREPRENEURIAL CHAMPION ON BOARD will help ‘outperform’ 20 committed people that don’t fit that profile.

I’ve also included Tom’s ‘ideal profile’ from The Qualified Prospect Guidebook – (Available in it’s entirety to Members of the For Impact Support Network).

Tom’s Ideal Profile (for every org, for every situation)

Someone who is ready to move from SUCCESS to SIGNIFICANCE!

Someone who has had the ‘Bill Gates-in-the-shower’ epiphany
(“I can’t take all of this with me”).

Somebody who has been very “successful” financially in the
business world and who is now committed to making an IMPACT
on the world.

He or she has already taken care of their family and their own “needs”, as well as their “wants”. There is still plenty left.

Special Note: Taking this a little deeper, my very best Ideal Prospect is someone who has actually moved from STRUGGLE to SUCCESS to SIGNIFICANCE!
For me, that means a Wealthy ENTREPRENEUR!
They know what it’s like to start things… to overcome obstacles… to make a difference. Plus, there’s no “committees”! (They can make a decision.)
This is my “favorite” prospect!

Begging For Change

Posted by: Tom Suddes July 14, 2008

I’m just finishing up a Monograph on change called CHANGE (THE) RULES.

There is no way for me to pull together some radical, transformative ideas around CHANGE without talking about Robert Egger’s wonderful book called BEGGING FOR CHANGE. (Harper 2004)

Egger is a living, (fire) breathing Social Entrepreneur who runs the D.C. Central Kitchen.
20 years ago, he asked a simple question: “Why aren’t there more RESULTS from 84 million people contributing $200B to good causes?” (1988 Figures)

His answer and basic message is simply another way of reinforcing our IMPACT DRIVES INCOME insight, epiphany and point of view.

“Nonprofits must stop CHASING MONEY… and start focusing on the TRUE WORK AT HAND.”

He goes on to say that most “nonprofits” have “veered away from their original missions and are now caught up in the maddening cycle of CHASING after (BEGGING) for MONEY… instead of fomenting CHANGES that could radically transform communities.”

Boulder Dam… “CHANGES that could RADICALLY TRANSFORM COMMUNITIES.”!!!

I wish people had taken Mr. Egger up on his challenge in the introduction to call a “NATIONAL TIMEOUT”… so that everyone around the country could ask themselves what the hell they’ve been doing and why.

I wanted to share some nuggets on CHANGE from this powerful book and this powerful thought leader. (I wish I could just give you the book. If you’re reading this online, you can order right here. Just read the prologue, the intro, the epilogue and Robert’s Rules and you’ll be WOW’d.)

Here are some ‘nuggets’ that seem particularly appropriate around this whole idea of CHANGE (the) RULES, as well as my sometimes feeble attempt to help you CHANGE the way you THINK, TALK and ACT.

“We need to … demand more and expect more from our nonprofits. We need to seek out and reward organizations that exemplify leadership unity, responsibility and accountability.” (CHANGE!)
“In the last of the 20th century, nonprofits began to use a language and display an attitude that almost excused their performance. (’What do you expect, we’re just nonprofits?’) …
      Rather than winning the war on poverty, we focused on containing the       enemy.

      Rather than looking for a solution, we found it easier to blame either a       cause, political party or an economic system.

      As competition among nonprofits got ferocious, we tapped into       advertising and public service announcements to raise money.”
“We managed to convince our donors to focus on measurements like ‘FUNDRAISING EFFICIENCY’ and charitable commitment because these were easy numbers to present. Yet we knew they didn’t reflect the true IMPACT, EFFICIENCY or EFFECTIVENESS …"

(Here’s one of my favorite nuggets, albeit painful for many organizations and bureaucracies.)
” … over the past 50 years the structure of nonprofits has evolved for optimum SURVIVAL not optimum RESULTS.” (Adapt or Die? Change to Live?)
If you’re not already on overload, think about this one: “Leaders and researchers in the nonprofit sector want the public to believe that our lack of progress in the sector is caused by INSUFFICIENT MONEY and RESOURCES, and that we could do more if we could build bigger entities and more nonprofits. THEY’RE TOTALLY WRONG.”
“We don’t have a shortage of funding or volunteerism. We’re the most generous and caring people in the world.”
“It’s not that we have to say ‘yes’ more often or reach deeper into our pockets. We have to do the opposite. We have to learn to say no. We have to ask tough questions of organizations who are asking for a grant or a contribution.”
“It’s no longer about dollars raised, or percentage of money that goes to the cause.

It’s about effectiveness and results … but it’s also about fewer programs getting more of the money.” (!!!)

If these ‘words’ don’t help you CHANGE your THINKING… on IMPACT and INCOME…

RE-READ!

What Would It Mean To Maximize This Relationship?

Posted by: Nick Fellers June 20, 2008

What would it mean to maximize this relationship?

Think about this question.
Use this question to gather information.
Use this question to drive strategy.

It is very different from these questions:

What do you think the prospect will give?
How much should we ask for?

These second questions lead to short-sighted prospect information, under-asking and engagement at the wrong level. We want engagement at the highest possible level.

If you ask your team, “How much do you think Mr. X will give?”
You might get an answer like, “$50,000.”

If you ask, “What would it mean to maximize this relationship? What could Mr. X give if he understood our impact? What could Mr. X give if he loved this vision? What would Mr. X do if he woke up in the morning driven to make this vision happen? If it were his number one priority?”

You might get an answer like, “Anything he wanted to.”

The point? It may not be about a $50,000 gift (think: transaction). Think big. It’s about maximizing the relationship. It’s about that $1M or $5M investment in the vision. These are two different dynamics all together.

We Learn By Going Where We Have To Go

Posted by: Tom Suddes June 11, 2008

Theodore Roethke
(via Julia Cameron)

Julia is without question one of my favorite authors, thinkers, writers. (The Artist’s Way, The Right to Write.) I’ve read this really powerful quote in a number of her works.

I believe it has meaning for us as INDIVIDUALS and for our INVESTORS.

First, for YOU. You learn by going where you have to go. If you want to learn to sell… then sell. If you want to learn to present opportunities… then present opportunities. If you want to learn to surf or ski or box… then you must surf, ski, box.

Robin Williams told Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting that he had never "done” anything. He only read books. He hadn’t “smelled the paint in the Sistine Chapel, etc.”

I’m sure you get the point.

As for your INVESTORS, if you really want them to LEARN about your IMPACT… then they need to “GO WHERE THEY HAVE TO GO“… which is WHERE YOU DELIVER YOUR SERVICES (IMPACT)!!!

In our ROADMAP (SALES PROCESS), one of the most important components is PREDISPOSITION.

What is the absolute PERFECT PREDISPOSITION??? It’s bringing the Qualified Prospect or potential/current investor TO YOU!!!

It’s about the ‘HOME COURT ADVANTAGE’. It’s also about you controlling the environment, the flow, the agenda, the tour (which is 100x than at their office or their home; and a 1,000x better than a ‘restaurant’!)

At Colorado College and Ohio Wesleyan University, we call this GTC: GET TO CAMPUS!

If… “A picture is worth a 1,000 words“…

Then… “A live Memorable Experience is worth a million words“.

Special Note: Please, please don’t tell me you can’t get people to come and visit you. I didn’t say this was easy. I said it will significantly increase the magnitude of the commitment!

If they SEE and FEEL and TOUCH and SMELL what you do… they will INVEST with a COMMENSURATE COMMITMENT!

Closing Story. This “LEARN BY GOING WHERE WE HAVE TO GO” idea is in play this week.

I’ve been involved as a boxer and now the boxing coach at Notre Dame for 40+ of 78 years it’s been around. The proceeds ($75,000 to $100,000) from the annual five-day Bengal Bout tournament go to the Holy Cross Missions in Bangladesh (formerly Bengal).

This week, five of the current Captains of the Boxing Club are IN Bangladesh… working with the Missionaries, helping teach English, visiting the villages, seeing what happens at the school, the orphanage and the infirmary.

Obviously, this will be a life-changing experience for them. They are also doing a DOCUMENTARY with a professor and professional videographers so that these young men can bring the Missions ‘BACK’ to show to those people (boxers, former boxers, etc.) who can’t “go where they have to go“.

Pretty cool.