Electric Philanthropy

Finding the Philanthropist Within

2011-11-14T19:21:00.001-05:00

What is your definition of a "philanthropist?" Do you conjure up thoughts of Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, billionaires committed to changing healthcare and poverty global-wide? Do you think of men like Rockefeller or Carnegie, industrialists who made so much money that it still goes to work today? How about the wife of McDonald's legend Ray Kroc who left millions upon millions in her estate to benefit education and other charities?

Do you ever think of the plumber who lives across the street? How about your mailman? Your hairdresser? Yourself?

WordNet defines "philanthropist" as someone who makes charitable donations intended to increase human well-being. The American Heritage Dictionary has a similar definition: The effort or inclination to increase the well-being of humankind, as by charitable aid or donations. Note: Neither definition describes how much one has to give to be considered a philanthropist. My favorite description is "the love of humankind in general."

Anyone can be a philanthropist. It simply means you give to help others, primarily because it is the right thing to do. You give because you care, not because you expect something back in return other than the satisfaction of knowing you are doing the right thing.

The Circle of Sisterhood Foundation is grateful to all of the philanthropists (you are more than just a donor!) that have made a choice to help girls and women get an education and gain an opportunity to escape a life of poverty and oppression. Some give a lot. Some give a little. The amount is not as important as that they simply give. And Circle of Sisterhood philanthropists give in a wide variety of ways.

Take for example our own leader, Ginny Carroll’s recent 50 for 50 campaign in which she asked her friends to give $50 in honor of her 50th birthday. In just a matter of days, Ginny raised $3,075 from her friends and family. Each one of these donors is a philanthropist. They gave because she asked. And they gave because they cared.

Similarly, friends responded when Sue Kraft Fussell conducted a Virtual Marathon for her own milestone birthday. Her generous friends donated money...and she never even ran a step! Each person gave at a level that was meaningful to her and suddenly, the Circle of Sisterhood Foundation was the beneficiary of $3,865.

Hilary Cessna’s has launched her own philanthropic journey on Crowdrise. She shares what motivates her to not only give but to also ask for others to join her in her effort to raise $1,000. She states:

“It is now our turn to rise up and give a voice to the voiceless. There is so much devastation happening in the world to women and girls. Regardless of where were born, where we went to college or what organization we affiliated with, we are one sisterhood. A sisterhood of women. It is now our turn to stand as one and unite for the rights of women and girls everywhere.”

Now, that is a wonderful philanthropic spirit!

Our collegiate sisters are learning about giving every day on our college campuses. These women are recognizing the incredible feeling of what giving provides. Take just a few examples: there is a Dance Marathon at UC San Diego, Miami University’s Panhellenic trip to see Wicked, the Circle of Sisterhood week of awareness activities at the University of Souther Florida. Every day there are new posts on the Circle of Sisterhood Foundation’s Facebook page of clever fundraisers that allow students to become philanthropists.

We have been blessed in this country to have the right to work, get an education, vote, travel by ourselves, drive, select a spouse, make decisions about our own bodies and so much more. We also know that many women around the world are not afforded these same rights. We can each become a philanthropist and help make change. Every gift, regardless of size, makes a difference. When we pool our resources and provide grants to schools or NGOs, we are opening doors for women to have a chance. We are giving to help the well-being of others. That’s what it means to be a philanthropist. That’s what happens when you choose to donate to the Circle of Sisterhood Foundation.

As we approach the holiday season, I invite you to become a philanthropist yourself. Make a donation to the Circle of Sisterhood because of your love for humankind. I guarantee you will feel proud of what you have achieved. And somewhere out there, a young girl will thank you.

Learn how you can support the Circle of Sisterhood at www.circleofsisterhood.org/donate.

10 Tips to Fundraise Like A Pro

2011-09-10T02:08:00.000-04:00

I am in a really cool new volunteer role for the Circle of Sisterhood Foundation. I am the chairman of the development committee. This Foundation has just celebrated its first year and it is such an interesting challenge to be at the very beginning of a non-profit start-up. This organization exists to help overcome the barriers for girls to get an education and as a result, provides opportunities to lift them out of poverty and oppression. It's a lofty goal but one I think most women, especially those of us who have benefitted from a quality education, have an obligation to help.

I recently wrote a blog article: 10 Tips to Fundraise Like a Pro. There's good suggestions for those participating with the Circle of Sisterhood Foundation but is really applicable to any kind of fundraising. Let me know your thoughts. What would you add?

Just so you know I follow my own advice, I'm doing my own individual fundraiser for the Circle of Sisterhood Foundation and am using a really fun platform at Crowdrise. It only takes one step to start a movement and that's what I intend to do. I hope you'll consider making a $25 gift and help me raise $1,000 in my Power of One initiative. Thank you!

The Fundraisers' Guide to Social Media

2011-05-25T16:40:00.000-04:00

I was honored to be one of the presenters for the AFP, Dayton Region National Fundraising Day. This presentation focuses on tools that fundraisers can use beyond the basics of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.

As I shared during the program, if there is one take-away it is this: Technology and tools are changing at a rapid pase but the fundamentals of fundraising techniques do not. Social media helps us engage with donors and constituents. At the core, social media helps us build relationships. We still need to listen, cultivate, connect interests and steward our donors. This simply gives us some innovative methods to do our jobs more effectively.

I would be very interested in hearing what tools you use to effectively raise money using social media. What do you recommend and why?

The Fundraisers’ Guide to Social Media

View more presentations from Bethany Deines

2010 K99.1FM Cares for Kids Radiothon

2011-01-31T15:15:00.000-05:00

Dayton Children's is fortunate to have a long-standing relationship with K99.1FM, the local country music radiostation. Every year, K99.1FM hosts a three-day Cares for Kids Radiothon to raise money for the hospital. During the 2010 Radiothon, Nancy Wilson and Frye Guy, co-hosts of the popular "Breakfast Club" morning show tireless volunteered their talents to share the Dayton Children's story on air. Through powerful "story songs" and live interviews with patients and families, they asked their listening community to pledge $10 per month for 12 months. More than $200,000 was raised, making this the most effective fundraising event for the hospital during the year.

As a thank you to K99.1FM and Cox Media Group, I put this video slideshow together as a tribute to their efforts and to give our donors a unique "behind the scenes" look at what happens during the live broadcast. This is a major team effort with the amazing staff at K99.1FM, the Dayton Daily News, the sponsors, volunteers, the Dayton Children's staff, and most importantly, our patients and families who generously share their incredible stories.

Dayton Children's is proud member of the Children's Miracle Network and recognize how fortunate we are to have such a strong partnership with Cox Media Group in Ohio.

The Online Giving Study: A Call To Reinvent Relationships

2011-01-12T22:31:00.000-05:00

I admit it...I'm a fan of Network for Good, but maybe not for the reasons you may think. Yes, it seems to be the leader of the online giving pack. However, what you may not know, is that NFG produces some of the best, most helpful resources on online fundraising and nonprofit best practices. I follow their blog posts religiously. I really read every word of their e-newsletters. I religiously tweet about things I learn from them. They have their fingers on the pulse of online giving. Don't believe me? Here's the proof:

Take the time to read the latest online giving study. It is well-researched, fascinating, and what I appreciate is that it emphasizes the need to continue to use strong fundraising fundamentals, such as focusing on donor relationships. I've advocated for the longest time that just because you raise money electronically, it's no reason to abandon the basic fundamentals of the profession. The statistics are impressive and the trends are spot-on.

Read the Online Giving Study. Bookmark it. Share it with others. You will be as impressed as I am. Follow the suggestions. You will be a better development professional.

A Master Philanthropist - Paul Newman Tribute

2010-11-27T14:55:00.000-05:00

There are role models in life and then there are people you can follow in their footsteps. When working as the Director of Development for the Phi Kappa Tau Foundation, one of my most exciting moments was to meet Paul Newman. I was excited not to meet a world-famous actor, but rather a world-famous philanthropist.

Mr. Newman was a member of Phi Kappa Tau and because of his leadership, Phi Kappa Tau adopted the Hole in the Wall Camps as the national philanthropy. These remarkable camps provide opportunities for children battling chronic and life-threatening illnesses to attend summer camp and have a normal experience yet still receive state-of-the-art medical care. I heard yesterday during an interview with Newman's best friend for 50+ years, AE Hotchner, that with the development of Newman's Own, more than $330 million has been contributed to various charities.

I had the privilege of volunteering at Camp Boggy Creek in Florida several times. I visited the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Connecticut and had the honor to attend both the ground breaking and the grand opening of the Victory Junction Gang Camp in North Carolina. With the support of Phi Kappa Tau's Foundation Board of Directors, I established a scholarship program for brothers who would work or volunteer their time to serve as counselors and activity specialists at one of the camps. I think the proudest moment of my career was learning that because of PKT's commitment to the camps, it quickly became the number one source of male volunteers, a need that was in great demand.

There were countless precious moments that the camps provided these young men. To say that it was life changing is not an understatement. These Phi Tau's went to camp as boys but returned as men, forever impacted by the experiences they had working with children. To know that I played a role in getting that program firmly established is one of the highlights of my career and certainly a legacy I am indeed proud to have left the Fraternity I loved as if I were a member of it myself.

I met Paul Newman on several occasions. He was a shy man and not one for special accolades. He told me how proud he was of the brothers who came to camp and was genuinely touched that Phi Tau was so involved with the camps he founded.

He was an incredible philanthropist. He gave because it was the right thing to do, not because he was getting anything in return. He embodied generosity, creativity, dedication and hard work. He made a difference for thousands of children and equally as many volunteers and staff members. I am forever grateful to have met him and to have been a part of the Hole in the Wall Camp experience.

This video was made by Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity as a tribute to one of their most distinguished alumni, Paul Newman, upon his death. I am blessed to have been associated with PKT and treasure the moments that I was part of the staff. Hoo Rah, my brothers!

2007-2010 Tri Sigma Triennial Achievements

2010-11-18T21:36:00.000-05:00

During the 2010 National Convention, I was asked to highlight Tri Sigma's accomplishments during the previous three years. This is typically a powerpoint presentation where each Council members gets up and shares a long (read: boring) bulleted list of achievements. I was given some license to present this information in a different format. I wanted to create something that would wake the crowd up, get them fired up and celebrate what turned out to be a remarkable triennium.

Many thanks to National President, Laura Sweet, and the other members of the Sigma Sigma Sigma Executive Council for giving me just enough rope to not hang myself.

So here it is...the 2007-2010 Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority Triennial Achievements. This is not your grandma's sorority!

Hospitals Increasingly Turning to Social Media to Communicate

2010-10-15T11:51:00.000-04:00

The Dayton Business Journal published an excellent feature on how hospitals are using social media as a way to communicate and build relationships with patients and families. I am proud that The Children's Medical Center was prominently featured in this article. There is excellent advice from Betsy Woods, public relations and marketing manager at Datyon Children's (not to mention a quick shout-out to yours truly). Read the article here. I would love to get your feedback. Do you follow any health care organizations? Why or why not?

If you are interested in seeing what Dayton Children's is sharing via social media, follow us at:
www.facebook.com/daytonchildrens
www.facebook.com/Wally.B.Bear
www.twitter.com/daytonchildrens
www.youtube.com/daytonchildrens
http://blog.childrensdayton.org/

Social Media Ninjas' (Bethany Deines and Betsy Woods) Podcast about Social Media in Healthcare

2010-10-14T09:36:00.001-04:00

Betsy Woods, Marketing/PR manager for Dayton Children's and I will be one of the featured break-out speakers at the upcoming SummitUp confab on October 19 at Sinclair Community College. We were recently interviewed by David Bowman, the Great and Powerful Oz behind the SummitUp social media conference, about social media in healthcare and more specifically about our experiences at Dayton Children's.

Listen to the podcast here and let us know your feedback. How are you using social media in your own field? What are your best practices? Pitfalls to avoid? What recommendations can you give us?

Listen Up - Good Social Media Experts to Follow

2010-09-03T21:43:00.000-04:00

A colleague and friend of mine, Todd Bolster, at The Basement Design + Motion, were IM'ing each other on Facebook yesterday. I was helping him brainstorm potential prospects and he jokingly referred to me as the Forbes Magazine of our industry. I think that industry spans some territory: the interfraternal community, nonprofit community, and knowledge about social media. I took that comment as a huge compliment, because if there is one thing I like to do is network with people and listen to what they have to say.

With that in mind, I thought I would share with you some good people to follow, network with, like, and above all...listen to what they have to say about social media, communication trends, nonprofit technology trends, and other things "tech." By no means is this an exhaustive list. This was just my off-the-top of my head list of recommendations to get you started.

On Facebook
NTEN: The Nonprofit Technology Network
TED
Fortune Magazine
Fast Company

On Twitter
@jeffbullas
@johnhaydon
@kanter
@newssocialmedia
@techcrunch
@dakshinamurti
@mashable
@davidebowman

You can easily go crazy with following people so I picked out my favorites that post the most relevant and useful content. I would be interested in hearing your recommendations. And in case you are so inclined, you can follow me on twitter at @bethanydeines.

Kickstarter - Coolest Idea to Fund Innovative Projects

2010-09-01T23:41:00.006-04:00

In the June 2010 issue of Fast Company, I read an short blurb about the 74th most innovative company: Kickstarter. It was founded by Perry Chen and Yancey Strickler. According to Fast Company, Kickstarter is a "...platform that lets users crowdsource funding for creative ventures." Interesting. I was sufficiently intrigued because I believe 115% in igniting passion and this sounded like a way for creative people to actually get their dreams funded. Afterall, nothing propels dreams into reality better than cold hard cash. So, time to learn more...

Here's how Kickstarter describes itself on the FAQ page:

Kickstarter is a new way to fund creative ideas and ambitious endeavors.

We believe that...

• A good idea, communicated well, can spread fast and wide.
• A large group of people can be a tremendous source of money and encouragement.

Kickstarter is powered by a unique all-or-nothing funding method where projects must be fully-funded or no money changes hands.

Here's how it works, according to Kickstarter:

Every project has a funding goal (any dollar amount) and a time limit (from 1 - 90 days) set by the project creator. When the deadline is reached, there are either of two results:

1. Funding Successful: If a project has met or surpassed its funding goal, all backers' credit cards are instantly charged and funds go directly to the project creator. Project creators are then responsible for completing the project and delivering rewards as promised.'

2. Funding Unsuccessful: If a project has NOT met its funding goal, all pledges are canceled.

There are certain Kickstarter guidelines, such as people can't use this for fundraising, charity projects, funding business expenses (i.e. payroll, rent) or asking people to fund personal needs (mortgage payments, travel, medical expenses, living expenses, etc.). I appreciate guidelines. I think it gives programs legitimacy and credibility. Always good to read the small print!

When a project gets listed, someone interested in making a pledge to fund it uses Amazon's payment system. Anonymous pledges are not allowed. You have to be okay with using your name and indicating what you are supporting. I like transparency. It adds authenticity.

Someone always asks, "What's in it for Kickstarter?" If a project is successfully funded, Kickstarter keeps 5% of the funds raised. What isn't completely clear is what the credit card transaction fees are and how those are covered. But perhaps I just didn't dig deep enough to figure that out. Nevertheless, if you are looking for capital to make a movie, create music, design something, write a book or do anything else creative and ambitious, this could be a wonderful place to start. There's very little risk but potentially great reward.

There are a lot of great answers to questions on the Kickstarter FAQ page. Be sure to spend some time on that page if you decide to try this out for your bringing your own dream to life.

Here's some of the projects that are popular this week:

Punk Mathmatics - part math book, part online event
Set Music Free - help purchase music that can be released without copyrights
Jamie and Jessie are Not Together - a queer lesbian feature film
Santa Bring the Funk - a "holidelic" holiday album

The site lists something that likely meets anyone's individual tastes. Take some time to explore this. It is such an exciting idea...and if you are looking for funding to bring that creative idea you've been tossing around in your head to life, this may just be the answer you are looking for.

Electric Philanthropy: Social Media What?#links

2010-09-01T17:05:00.000-04:00

Electric Philanthropy: Social Media What?#links
http://new.daytonmetrolibrary.org/non-profits-a-grants/207/8142

Social Media What?

2010-07-21T22:28:00.001-04:00

Here's the Social Media presentation I recently presented for the grant writing professional in Dayton.

Social Media What?

View more presentations from Bethany Deines.

Likes, Retweets and Tell-A-Woman: The Power of Personal Recommendations

2010-05-30T21:50:00.000-04:00

The modern version of word-of-mouth referrals is Facebook's "Likes." It's everywhere - you can like just about anything at any time on the internet and can then have your personal thumbs up broadcasted to your entire network of friends. We all learn that if someone doesn't like something, they will tell 10 people. If they like something, they generally don't say a thing. Facebook has changed all that. If you like something, Facebook will make sure everyone knows about it. Marketers are just beginning to harness what this means. As usual, nonprofits are lagging behind.

Here's the danger of not paying attention to who likes you: you are missing an entire audience of people championing your cause. Give your constituents the opportunity to like you. Have an up-to-date Facebook page. Use the new tools to embed into your website so people can share their support of your message and broadcast it to a far greater audience than you could reach independently. Encourage people to like your blog and then repost the message via their own Facebook page. It's a viral form of personal recommendations that has a really wide reach.

People trust other recommendations. Whenever I book a hotel room, purchase a product, or look for a service, I seek out the section on websites on references. That feedback is honest, often blunt, and generally spot on. Sites like Amazon, Hotels.com, Orbitz, CNet use these personal recommedations brilliantly. Don't buy a product before reading them. Better yet, take some time to give your own feedback and help others out. Your opinion is valuable; speak out.

Twitter's Retweet (RT) functionality is nothing more than someone say, "Hey, I like this...check it out." I am more likely going to read an article that I've seen RT'ed by friends that I trust. There is something very flattering to see a tweet you've posted get picked up and rebroadcasted to their own network. It gives credence that your message is important, worthy, and valuable.

In the May 31, 2010 issue of Time Magazine, there was an article entitled "Philanthropy Roundtable." It featured various philanthropists and nonprofit leaders and sought out their opinions on fundraising and the spirit of philanthropy. I was struck by a comment made by Sanjit "Bunker" Roy, founder of Barefoot College. His organization works in Africa training rural women to be solar energy engineers. He shared some thoughts on grassroots communication, "The best way to communicate is not a telephone or a telegraph. It's tell-a woman....Word of mouth really is the best way to communicate."

Why is word of mouth so effective? Because it comes from someone you trust. It provides opportunities for honest, unprovoked recommendations. It's organic and not created by a marketing firm or clever campaign. It comes from someone who has truly been impacted. Testimonials are a powerful way of getting your message to new donors, followers, fans, volunteers, clients, employees, etc. Are you giving people something positive to talk about? Do you encourage feedback on your Facebook page? Do you provide the ability for fans to like something on your website and share it with others? Are you creating forums for people to share their thoughts? Do you ask for honest feedback? Are you sharing valuable information that those already networked with you can share with those who are not?

Grassroots organizations need to provide grassroots methods of communication. The good news is that social media and the internet have made this simpler than ever. It's up to you to simply take advantage of it.

Undeterred by the Economy

2010-04-28T10:50:00.000-04:00

This article appeared in Monday's Hamilton Journal News and featured me as a Hamilton "Woman of Influence." Is it too arrogant to share this on my blog? Perhaps, but I am doing it anyhow on the suggestion of co-workers. Some of the details are not quite accurate (example, I don't supervise our entire development staff but rather our annual giving team) and the story about Nevin should be credited to the Dayton Children's amazing PR manager, Betsy Woods. But overall, it was very flattering to be featured as a Woman of Influence for what I do at Dayton Children's. I am blessed to work for an organization that does incredible things to provide the best possible pediatric healthcare for kids in the Miami Valley. Everyone at Dayton Children's is appreciative of every single gift we receive and every single donor who made it possible. I sincerely want to thank each and every one of them.

Great Content Isn't Enough

2010-04-28T10:41:00.000-04:00

Thousands of businesses have found the value in having a Facebook presence. They post all of great content, but pushing out content is not enough. Companies, nonprofits, organizations, etc. need to think of Facebook (or any other social media platform) as a conversation venue. Posting content is not enough; interaction is a requirement.

Think of social media as a two-way conversation with real human beings. Why? Because that is exactly what it is. The purpose and value of social media is building relationships. You don't walk into a room, announce the latest and greatest for your organization, and then walk out. You stick around, ask questions, respond to questions and generate interest. The same is true when using Facebook. Respond to the comments on your page. Pay attention to what is being said. Bring people to the conversation. Reference what others are doing. Don't let this be a one-side conversation. It turns people off. And turning people off is the death knoll to building a trusting relationship.

Here's an example of what not to do:

I am an avid reader of a particular magazine (that will remain nameless to I don't embarrass them to pieces publicly). They had an excellent feature in a recent issue that challenged their readers to participate. But the directions were vague. So I checked the website. Same vague directions for how to enter their contest, what to submit, and the rules for how the contest was going to be judged were unclear. The website gave no opportunity to pose a question. So I turned to Facebook.

Yes! They had a Facebook page. But, alas, they are failing at building relationships. They are posting articles, links and interesting content, yet they never respond to their fans questions. I certainly wasn't the only one confused about their messaging. Everyone had similar questions. No one was getting any answers. But new content kept getting added to the page.

Here's my thoughts: This company is selfish and one-sided. They are not interested in their readers/customers' feedback. They are missing the perfect opportunity to build a relationship and show they are concerned about the service they are providing.

Nonprofits can and should take a lesson from this. Responding to comments on Facebook shows you care in the same way responding to a question in person does. Does it take some extra time? Yes. Is it worth it? You better believe it. Donors want to be heard and recognized. That's fundraising 101. Using social media gives you the perfect vehicle for responding...for listening...for caring. Nothing builds donor loyalty more than caring about your constituents and taking time for them.

Believe me, there are plenty of organizations way off the mark here. Take the extra minute to respond when people post things on your page, if for no other reason than to say thank you. It will pay off -- literally and figuratively.

Nonprofits: How Not to Lose Your Mind Using Social Media

2010-03-01T15:13:00.000-05:00

The nonprofit hot topic seems to be whether or not to use social media. The very simple answer is "YES!" Having a social media presence is the newest and most interactive way to have a presence on the web. But don't let anyone fool you into thinking that it's as simple as adding water and stirring. It takes some time, energy and creativy to have an effective social media presence. And the vast majority of nonprofit organizations are not going to have the budget to outsource this project or hire staff members simply to be content managers. Most of us have to add this to our current job descriptions and find the time to actively add content.

So, how can this be done easily and still create results? Here's some initial thoughts:

1. Multi-task -- If you are creating content for your website, add a link to your Facebook page and Twitter page. Better yet, set up your Facebook page to automatically update Twitter. Adding a YouTube video? Link YouTube, Facebook and Twitter together. You post it one time and it gets distributed to other channels.

2. Keep The Sites Open -- Keep your social media sites open on your desk top. It only takes a minute to send out a Twitter update or Facebook update. Post content when you have a few extra minutes (like when you are on hold or when you only have 10 minutes before a meeting and don't have enough time to start a new project).

3. RT -- Not all of your content needs to be original. In fact, it's better if it isn't. Social media works best when it really is social, meaning you are part of a larger community. Share good information from others. Read an article that is informative? Retweet it or post a link giving credit to the original author. The favor will be returned in time.

4. Interns -- College students are looking for opportunities to gain experience. Give them an opportunity to work in your office and as part of their responsibilities, ask them to post content, shoot short videos using a simple webcam of things happening in your organization and posting to YouTube, and respond to content posted on your site.

5. Respond -- If someone sends you something on Facebook or Twitter or any other place, respond. Remember that social media is not static. It's interactive and your constituents want, expect and deserve a response. It's the best possible customer service. I read a blog article today on jobs that will be replaced by social media. The role of customer service agents will drastically change as a result of using social media. Not responding is the worst kind of service you can provide.

6. Make Sure Things Work -- If you are going to take the time to post content, please make sure the links, downloads or video work. Today I was very excited to download a white paper about social media trends from Sage Nonproft Solutions. I went to their site, completed a form with all of my contact information, and went to click on the "Download PDF" and nothing happened. I tried it a second time and it still didn't work. So, I then called their 800 number and was on hold for a solid five minutes with no response. I find it hard to believe there is such a demand that they could have a human being answer the phone. Everything was automated (and that, my friends, is a subject for another day on poor customer service). The bottom line: I never got the white paper, I ended up hanging up in frustration, and believe me, when I get added to their mailing list or get a sales call, I will not respond. If you post content, make sure everything works.

7. Job Share -- We share responsibilities at Dayton Children's between the marketing and development office. Each of us has a different angle for content so it keeps a variety of topics available. It works out between three people that when one person is busy, another person steps up to post information. We have found a balance over time that ensures we have a myriad of fresh content.

8. Don't Go Crazy -- Remember the old ad that claimed, "A little dab will do ya?" Same principle applies here. You only need to have a couple of new posts per day. Groups that update their Facebook status page 15-20 times per day are going way overboard. Post a few things on Twitter, respond to a few things and space it out throughout the day. It is easy to get consumed when you enter the social media world. Try not to lose sight of time and be judicious with what you post.

9. Pick Your Places -- Take time to know your audience. Find out where your constituents will be. If you have a small shop, or if you are the only person in the shop, you may only be able to pick a few places to be. I'd suggest Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. You don't need to be on Ning, Bebo, Myspace, and the zillion of other social networking outlets. Find a few that work effectively for your organization and stick with it. If you have time to add more sites, grow gradually. You may not need a Foursquare account yet.

I imagine there are dozens of great suggestions on how to effectively manage social media without losing your mind. Feel free to post your recommendations. What works for you?

The Power of a Greeting Card

2010-02-16T11:42:00.000-05:00

Do you love getting cards in the mail? Who doesn't? There's something about seeing a hand-addressed envelope with a real live stamp that makes your heart skip a beat. It's even better when you receive a card and it's not your birthday or a holiday but rather because someone simply cared enough to send you a note. (I think I now know where Hallmark came up with the slogan "When you care enough to send the very best.")

During the year-end direct mail frenzy, Dayton Children's opted to include a greeting card in our packet for donors to send a personalized holiday card for a patient. The response was outstanding and our response rate was improved and the average gift was about $10 more than usual. More importantly, however, were the thoughtful messages include in the cards wishing our patients well. For six weeks, we were able to deliver a card to a patient and his or her family every day. It was meaningful for families to know that complete strangers made the thoughtful gesture to think of the children in the hospital. If they knew that a donation accompanied those cards, I think they may have even smiled a bit wider.

Last week I featured a wonderful story from Dayton Children's about Nevin. Nevin has been an extended-stay patient at the hospital and was disappointed that he couldn't go out to play in the snow. What five year old wants to stay indoors when he could romp around outside in a foot of snow and build a snowman? His physical therapist, Janet Squires, in a very creative therapy session, brought a big bucket of snow into Nevin's room so he could play in the snow and build that snowman. Hats, gloves and boots were all a part of the experience. Take a moment to watch the video...I guarantee it will make you smile.

The response to Nevin's story has been wonderful. It has been viewed 700+, been featured on WDTN News, and shared on Facebook and Twitter. We didn't do this as some kind of social media experiment but I will admit, we are very pleased with the response. The response from the community has been positive and Janet came up with genius plan #2.

With the support of David Grimes, the local owner of Ace Handyman Hardware Stores, a mailbox was donated and installed on our hematology/oncology unit at Dayton Children's. Every day, Nevin and the other patients need to walk to the mailbox to check for their mail. While it is a good therapy exercise, the kids look forward to getting their cards and letters every day. Our marketing manager, Betsy Woods, prints out emails to deliver to the mailbox. And the emails have been coming daily.

If you watch the video or look at Nevin's photos on the Dayton Children's Facebook page, you will quickly realized that Nevin has something of an obsession with Spiderman. I've watched this boy grow up at the hospital and truth be told, I have never seen him out of a Spiderman costume. A note arrived on Friday from The Children's Miracle Network with a special Spiderman Valentine for Nevin. Brothers from Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity at Truman State University (in Missouri!) had visited Dayton Children's a few weeks prior for a national leadership conference. They visited Nevin and many other patients that day. TJ, the chapter president, wrote to me and asked if it was okay for them to send cards and letters to the kids and also inquired if they could send PlayStation2 video games. Oh, yes!!

This was just the tip of the iceberg. Emails, cards and letters are a welcome sight for kids in the hospital. If you want to help, you can send also to:
The Children's Medical Center of Dayton
Attn: Betsy Woods, Marketing
One Children's Plaza
Dayton, OH 45404-1815
woodsb@childrensdayton.org

Rest assured, they will arrive in the mailbox or on the meal trays of our kids every day.

A simple greeting card or note to let a sick or injured child know you care. Does it get any easier than that? Getting kids to smile is priceless. It's a really worthwhile investment.

The Spark of Caring - Building a Snowman Inside

2010-02-10T14:39:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I wrote an article about the simple gesture of doing something just because it is the right thing to do and that is can bring a smile to someone else's heart.

In the midst of about a foot of snow, grown-ups can easily forget that kids love to play in the snow. But when you are hospitalized, battling cancer and not allowed to go outdoors, it can really get you down. Today, Dayton Children's put up photos about Nevin. Nevin experiences long hospital treatment stays. He has practically grown up at Dayton Children's, as we've all seen him in his Spiderman costumes since he was just a toddler.

Nevin wasn't having a good day. He wanted to be outside playing in the snow and to build a snowman. In a pure act of kindness and creativity, Janet Squires, our rehabilitation services manager, brought the snow in to Nevin. Be sure to click here to see all the photos. Better yet, take two minutes to watch the video. I guarantee this will warm your heart. This is what it means to ignite a spark of caring.

Igniting a Spark of Caring

2010-02-09T11:21:00.001-05:00

Unconditional kindness moves me. Random acts of sincere kindness with no ulterior motivation inspires me. I am fortunate to work at The Children's Medical Center of Dayton where acts of true caring and compassion are a daily occurrence. It is impossible to work here and not see something that encourages the heart. I think this is where nonprofit organizations shine their brightest light. The ability to do good simply because it is the right thing to do is what generates followers. Yes, I am a passionate advocate of social media, direct mail, digital story-telling, but when it comes right down to it, people support organizations they care about. Their caring often starts with just that one simple act of kindness that sticks with them forever. And in just about every case, that comes from a very real, sincere, unconditional demonstration of kindness between two people.

Yesterday, I witnessed something at Dayton Children's that just made me sit back and smile very proudly. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time to see one of those moments that is so meaningful and inspiring that I've not been able to get it out of my head. Dayton Children's has an extraordinary corps of volunteers. More than 600 men and women, from the ages of 15 to 95, come to work at the hospital because they care about this place and our children and their families. I want to share with you a story about one of our volunteers: Jamie Hanna.

To begin with, Jamie is one of those women you just like to be around. She lights up the room with her smile and her laugh. She makes people feel great all the time and she never has an unkind word to say. (Yes, folks, those people really do exist!). Jamie has been a long-time member of the TWIG Auxiliary and can always be counted on to step up and help. In fact, this year she is the co-chair of the Gem City Jam Golf Outing -- shameless plug here: the best golf outing in the Dayton area that takes place August 23. Jamie has volunteered for years in The Spot Shop, a wonderful gift shop at the hospital. She is well known at the hospital by our staff, primarily because she goes out of her way to just be an awesome person. We all love Jamie and appreciate her amazing spirit. Her photo is below with another amazing volunteer, Sue Labatsky. Jamie has the green boa on.

A few weeks ago, Jamie's husband, Jack had emergency quintuple bypass surgery. It was a fluke that they even found out about the heart blockages. Jack is just as special as Jamie. He works hard professionally and he's always there to back Jamie up. Jack has probably lugged more trees for Sugarplum Festival of Trees, sold more raffle tickets, toted silent auction packages, spotted hole-in-one-contests than any man I know. Jamie's the official volunteer but Jack is the extra bonus prize. We were all devastated to learn of Jack's heart attack but fortunately he is on the mend and he made a foray to Dayton Children's yesterday.

I was eating lunch with several development staff members when Jamie came over to our table to visit. We all had a good laugh and suddenly, Jamie's eyes just lit up even more so than usual. Up walked Renae Phillips, the Dayton Children's Vice President for Hospital Operations and Chief Nursing Executive. Renae is everything a pediatric nurse should be: kind, compassionate, capable, organized, friendly, hard working. She is a role model to our entire institution. When she saw Jamie, Renae just wrapped her arms around her in a huge hug and they embraced for what seemed like an eternity. I didn't know they knew each other that well but Renae knows Jamie and knew about Jack's heart attack. It was a really wonderful moment, just seeing these two embrace. It is an example of the kind of caring we see every day and it is why I love working here.

Renae then followed Jamie over to her table in the cafeteria and Renae gave that same genuine, loving hug to Jack. There is no doubt that Renae was happy that Jack was getting on his feet. You can't fake that kind of care and concern for people.

What I like is that just the week before at a TWIG event, I saw nearly the same episode but with David Kinsaul, the Dayton Children's CEO. As soon as he saw Jamie, he gave her a huge hug and immediately asked about Jack. For an institution that has more than 1,500 employees, 600+ volunteers and thousands of community supporters, I was immensely impressed that our CEO knew exactly what was happening to one of our volunteers and reached out to her in a genuine showing of compassion and care.

It's moments like this that makes me realize how special Dayton Children's is that our senior management team is fully aware of things happening in the lives of our "family" and that they reach out to show they care. That is perhaps one of the most important aspects of leadership and it what I believe ignites a chain reaction of caring. This was a simple act with no expectation of getting something in return. Genuine compassion can easily get lost in a cynical world. Fortunately, true care and concern beats cynicism every time. It's the Rock-Paper-Scissors game where you always come out on top if you do the right thing because it's the right thing to do.

What does this have to do with philanthropy? Everything! People want to support an organization they feel connected to. Strong connections come from people, opening their hearts and doing something that makes ad difference...even if that difference is simply giving someone a hug. Jamie Hanna is a life loyal volunteer. I can see why she is so attached. Then again, Jamie's spirit is what we have to be grateful for in the first place.

I am a lifelong member of Sigma Sigma Sigma and we have a phrase that every member learns from the day they join that helps guide our lives:

"To give much is to receive much."

Jamie, like so many others, gives 110% because that's who she is. It is part of her inherent nature. I know she will be the first to say she receives so much more in return. If we all adopted this attitude to do right by others and give because it is the right thing to do, imagine what kind of change could happen in the world.

Electric Philanthropy: Donor-Centered Thank You - Great Example from Best Friends Animal Society

2010-02-04T17:06:00.000-05:00

Electric Philanthropy: Donor-Centered Thank You - Great Example from Best Friends Animal Society

Donor-Centered Thank You - Great Example from Best Friends Animal Society

2010-02-02T11:56:00.001-05:00

I admit, I think Penelope Burk and her concept of donor-centered fundraising, is a gift to development officers. Her recommendations are based on quantifiable data, expertly researched and extremely valuable. I have had the privilege of hearing her speak at several conference and every time I come back inspired to focus more and more on what donors expect to hear from the charities they support.

In her book Donor-Centered Fundraising, Burk outlines 20 elements of a great letter thank you letter. Because I think it's important for you to buy and read this book, I won't outline all of those but what always stands out to me is that the letter needs to be personalized and that it acknowledges how the gift will be used in specific terms. It also arrives immediately and speaks directly to the donor.

I made a small gift via the Best Friends Animal Society yesterday to aid the rescue efforts for animals in Haiti. I was looking at their site for something else and saw the button to give for this special mission. I was familiar with what Best Friends did to rescue thousands of animals after Hurricane Katrina so I knew they would go out of their way to help the plight of animals lost and injured after the Haiti earthquakes. I immediately felt compelled to make a donation, even though I had already helped with several other Haiti relief efforts.

I was particularly pleased with the immediate thank you note I received in my email after making my gift. I have no problem with email thank yous. It saves postage and even though they are automatically generated (one of the few fouls per Burk's rules), I did like that it told me very specifically how the money was going to be used: to fund a mobile clinic in Port-au-Prince to deliver food and water to animals as well as provide vaccines to dogs to prevent the spread of rabies.

I was also impressed with how Best Friends leveraged social media in the thank you letter, providing me with a link to share with family and friends. They also included an opportunity to sign up to be a monthly donor so that resouces are available when the unexpected occurs.

Finally, I was impressed with the inclusion of the Charity Navigator Four Star Charity link. This lends the charity legitimacy, much like the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.

The thank you letter was concise and it made me feel like I was doing something important. Will I give again to Best Friends? I can't help myself. I think this organization does a remarkable job for helping animals and they do an equally fantastic job stewarding their donors. Best of all, this charity constantly educates its donors on how their gifts make a difference. Many nonprofits can follow their example on how to foster loyal repeated giving.

Here's a copy of the note I received.

If I could give development officers a couple of pieces of advice: 1) Read and use as a frequent resouce Donor-Centered Fundraising and 2) apply the principles for writing outstanding thank you letters. The positive response from your donors will be worth every bit of time and effort you put forth to change how you focus on your donors, particularly from a stewardship perspective.

Creating a Culture of Generosity

2010-02-01T14:16:00.000-05:00

I read a great blog article today on http://www.change.org/ entitled "Establishing a Culture of Generosity." It is part of a series on undergraduate social entrepreneurship. I was fascinated first by the inherent inclusion of charitable giving in the overall concept of social entrepreneurship. I very much like the idea that young people are philanthropically motivated and it appears that with the advent of social media, giving something back to the community, even the global community, is easier than ever.

The article implies that students are in an environment where they want to help one another. Greek organizations help each other and are duty-bound to give to charities. Student organizations have leveraged the desire to want to do something to make social change works well by mobilizing others to donate to a cause. Microgiving is the new trend, when a student simply needs to text in a code to make a $5 or $10 donation.

I am inspired by colleges and universities that encourage students to volunteer and to donate. In creating a culture of generosity, one needs to make sure to include all aspects of how someone can give. That includes gifts of manhours, skills, and money (the proverbial "time, talent and treasure"). I am inspired even more when parents begin to cultivate a philanthropic spirit in children. Parents can set an example by their own volunteer support, charitable attitude, and donations. My favorite gifts to receive at Dayton Children's are those from kids who saved their birthday money or asked for donations to help sick kids rather than ask for presents for themselves at birthday time.

Last year, we had an eight-year old girl, Allison, donate $250 to the NICU at Dayton Children's. She said, "I already have enough toys. I wanted to do something for the hospital because they saved my life when I was a baby." From a stewardship perspective, our NICU staff did everything right. When Allison came to make her donation, the entire staff came out to thank her and take pictures with her. They asked a new mom to bring her baby to the window so Allison could see how small she was at her own birth. The nurses presented Allison and her five-year old sister with tiny baby diapers for their dolls. We then invited the entire family to share their story on the annual Children's Miracle Network Telethon. There is little doubt in my mind that this made a positive impression on Allison and she'll likely donate again and again because it made her feel good and important. And she was.

The Peter Pan Children's Fund is an amazing organization that encourages children' to give to pediatric hospitals. By participating in the Peter Pan Birthday Fund Club and collecting donations, the Peter Pan Children's Fund will match those gifts with an additional $100.

Churches can teach children about generosity by having kids participate in offerings. When I was growing up, we had our own tiny offering envelopes. My brothers and sisters and I would put in a quarter of fifty cents and these donations would be collected during Sunday School.

I participated in Blue Birds and then Camp Fire USA growing up. These organizations, like Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, instilled a sense of importance for volunteering. My dad was extremely active as a founding member of his Lions Club and we went to dozens of fundraisers and community service projects. For years, my mom was the epitome of a community volunteer. She and a friend managed a Storytime Workshop at the local library (my mom is an artist and she would illustrate stories as her friend told them...magical!). She was active in the church, a professional sorority, SPURS, and our school PTA. I hope parents are setting the same kind of example mine did about the importance of volunteering and donating time and resources.

Microgiving is the rage now with the ability to text donations. Mobile applications are being developed at lightening speed. Facebook Causes offer all types of innovative ways to mobilize donations. There are hundreds of examples of how people have raised money using Twitter. Charitable giving is fun and a cool thing to do, especially for college students. Philanthropy is an affordable thing to do.

The definition of philanthropy means caring for mankind. It is a myth that philanthropists are wealthy individuals capable of giving millions. Yes, those wonderful people do exist, but millions of people became philanthropists during the last few weeks following the earthquake in Haiti. It's not so much the amount of the gift but rather that you made a gift at all that makes you a philanthropist.

The visibility of giving is helping create a culture of generosity. It has people asking themselves, "What can I do?" It is setting the example for children to understand they have a moral obligation to help others in need. I encourage parents to help their kids find a cause to believe in and then find a way for them to volunteer or save their allowance or holiday gift money to make a donation. Whether that is animal welfare, the environment, sick children, global hunger is irrelevant. Something touches children and their first instinct is to want to help. By fostering that caring nature, you'll be creating a culture of generosity that can only grow as kids mature. When they reach college, that attitude to want to help, to want to make a change, to want to make a diference for others should be well entrenched. Colleges won't have to establish a culture of generosity. It will be just a natural part of the experience.

Killer Brownie Bites and Social Media: You Can't Just Eat One

2010-01-26T09:59:00.000-05:00

Last week, I mentioned that I was being asked to do a social media presentation for the Dayton Children's Foundation Board and was given five minutes on the agenda. I decided to give the board just a delectable taste of what Dayton Children's is doing with social media, or as I liked to call it, the "Killer Brownie Bite" presentation.

Killer Brownie Bites are just about what they sound like -- a delicious, addicting nugget of a Dorothy Lane Market Killer Brownie. These melt in your mouth leaving you wanting more. It's impossible (really, I have tried) to eat just one Killer Brownie Bite. The are sinfully rich, but you can't help yourself to at least having two of them.

Without trying to sound too cocky, my presentation had a similar effect. I left the board wanting more. They were so intrigued by what we are doing that they asked exceptionally good questions. Our only problem was running out of time. Just like it's impossible to eat just one Killer Brownie Bite, it's impossible to do a five minute presentation without the audience wanting more. And that's a very good thing (and way less fattening).

The feedback was very positive. The board, while not at all familiar with social media, is excited to see the exposure our efforts are bringing to the hospital. They were particularly impressed that Dayton Children's had received national attention from our Twitter posts - @daytonchildren. Both our marketing manager and I have been invited to do presentations, speak on panels, conduct webinars and consult with other nonprofits and hospitals about using social media. Dayton Children's has been featured on national blogs, most noticeably a blog article by Beth Kanter and compared to the Mayo Clinic in outstanding use of social media.
The big hit of the meeting was using Eric Qualman's "Is Social Media a Fad" YouTube video to bring attention to how social media is revolutionizing how we communicate, branding and marketing efforts, fundraising, advocacy, and inter-connectedness.

Following the meeting, the owner of the local Buffalo Wild Wings franchises, John Slaughenhaupt, came up to thank me for the presentation. He said our efforts inspired his own company's efforts to using social media. The Dayton Children's vice president of marketing and external relations, Vicki Giambrone, invited our social media team (Betsy Woods, Jessica Saunders and me) to do a similar presentation to the senior management and management team for the hospital. She felt is was important for the leaders of Dayton Children's to know how social media will play a role in our ongoing customer service efforts. She also, very kindly, sent me a nice note commending me on the presentation and cc'd my direct supervisor...a very first classs thing to do.

The vice chairman of the board asked if I do personal tutorials on how to use social media. She said, "I'm petrified of learning it but definitely want to get over that fear." This from a woman who teaches ski lessons all winter long in Colorado. Now, that is scary. This is not. I assured her that I would get her up and running and that she'd be hooked in no time.

This presentation was merely a snippet of what we do with social media but it served its purpose. It gave our Foundation board a taste for how we use social media and left them curious for wanting to learn more. Stay tuned when I serve up the full Killer Brownies!

As a very cool side note: when you shop at Dorothy Lane Market in Dayton and make a donation for the Haiti relief fund, they will match all donations for Oxfam International.

Where Hope for Haiti Now Failed: Blew It With Technology

2010-01-23T13:59:00.002-05:00

Like millions of others, I watched the Hope for Haiti Now on Friday, January 22. I was moved by the stories and the video clips from Haiti. I was inspired to help, as I have been since this tragedy struck. I don't care where the earthquake struck. Tragedy is tragedy. Politics at a time like this does not matter. I was pleased I had the resources to be able to do something. I believe this Telethon was a good thing. It was a little depressing. I would have loved to have seen some musicians carry forth a few more upbeat and optimistic songs that carried a message of hope, but nevertheless, the show was impressive.

Until you tried to make a donation.

I would like to know just how many more millions of dollars could have been made last night had Hope for Haiti Now been better prepared for the volume of phone calls. If tens of millions of people can successfully vote for American Idol contestants, why wasn't it easier to get through on the phone lines?

But it got worse. Did you try to make an online gift? Impossible. Whoever designed this website should be banished from the technology world forever. I bet the 16 year old boy that lives next to me could have a designed a better, and more importantly, a more functional website. I tried for hours to make a donation online only to be greeted by a message to try making a gift online later. What??? Are you kidding me? Were they so unprepared as not to imagine the volume of people that would try to make an online gift? That was the epitome of bad technology planning.

So, my next attempt to make a donation was to go to one of the featured charities. My next surprise was that not one of the charities was linked to this site. In the words of my favorite ESPN broadcasters before Monday Night Football, "Come on, man!" That is Web Design 101. Perhaps they didn't hot link these because they wanted people to make donations on the Hope for Haiti Now page. But really, that's just more bad management. I would presume other people besides me wanted to read up on what the charities were doing in the relief effort. No, that was impossible unless you had to navigate away from the site to search for these charities.

And that is exactly what I did. I navigated away from the Hope for Haiti Now webpage to seek out these charities and see what they were doing. They had fascinating stories, live blog posts, twitter feeds from Haiti, video messages, and detailed information about how gifts were to be used. I made my choice there to support one of the charities directly and made my gift to Oxfam America, as I was particularly impressed by their efforts to provide just the basic necessities of live: water, shelter, sanitation, and food. A pop up window comes up immediately when you go to the site to make a gift. It was a seamless way to make a gift and to feel like you were making a difference. I felt good about making my donation. I never needed to go back to the Hope for Haiti Now website.

Hope for Haiti Now: Good concept, ridiculously bad planning in regard to use of technology. And if you wanted to take it further, Hope for Haiti Now wasn't doing anything to promote the use of social media. No mention of where to follow the Telethon. No mention of which celebrities were tweeting. No mention of where to become a Facebook fan. Plain and simple, this Telethon missed the technology boat. The sin of that knowing that countless people probably didn't make a donation. What could have been a technology home run turned out to be a shanked foul ball.

Side note: I just checked on the Hope for Haiti Now website and it has markedly improved. The donation system works and there is information about the global conversation on Twitter about the relief efforts and a link to the Facebook Cause page to make a donation. There is still no hot link to any of the featured charities though. That's really a shame, as Hope for Haiti Now could have done a much better job promoting the extraordinary efforts of these organizations.

Here's what I hope: Those people moved to give did what I did. They sought out a place to make an online gift and gave as generously as possible. Whether it was to the Red Cross, the Clinton/Bush Haiti Fund, Oxfam, Project Hope, Children's Miracle Network or dozens of other reputable charities doing God's work. Giving was the right thing to do. I gave for the right reasons. I just gave through an alternate route. I didn't give up. And that's what I hope happens for the Haitian people -- that no one gives up.

Explaining Why Non-Profits Should Use Social Media in 5 Minutes: The Killer Brownie Bite

2010-01-21T09:39:00.000-05:00

My boss came to me last week and asked me to do a social media presentation for our Foundation Board the following week. I had been waiting for this opportunity, as I want our leadership team to understand why we are using social media and the positive results we are having. Most, if not all of them, are unfamiliar with social media. They have heard of Facebook or Twitter or LinkedIn but have never used them or taken the time to understand the value of being engaged in any kind of social media networking systems. I was excited and had some amazing ideas of what I could share. Then I was told,

"You have five minutes."

A five minute presentation. That's it. That was all the time I was allocated. There are day-long conferences on just using Twitter. There are dozens of hour long webinars that only graze the subject of social media. I've spoken at conferences and had the same hour long slot where you can only focus on one aspect of a particular platform. Five minutes?

There was no time to give a clinic on each form of social media that is out there. There wasn't even time to given an overview of the most used forms we use at the hospital such as Facebook, Twitter or YouTube. I did not want to lose this opportunity but I realized I needed to really focus in on some key reasons why we use social media and then show just an example of our pages. There would be no time for statistics, demonstrations or much background information. This was needing to be a snapshot...a nugget...a taste test...a Killer Brownie Bite.

For those of you not familiar with the Killer Brownies at the Dorothy Lane Market, these are without a doubt the most delicious, melt-in-your-mouth, leave you dying for more brownies. One full brownie could put you over the edge. One bite is all you need so in the infinite wisdom of the Dorothy Lane Market bakery staff, they have sliced up the Killer Brownies to make "Killer Brownie Bites." One bite is all you need to be hooked. That's what I needed to do...give our board a bite.

I decided to focus primarily on why Dayton Children's uses social media. The background of each network was not as important as the overall reasoning as to why our marketing and development offices decided to embark on using social media. The concepts are simple and this would be something the board could grasp.

Why Use Social Media?
Reach target audience: Our target audience is women, ages 18-49. The demographics for social media meet this head on.

Build supporters/constituents: Our goal is to build relationships, especially in a participatory method
Two-way communication: Social media gives our constituents, donors, families, supporters, etc. the opportunity to interact with us and tell their story. We can respond to their questions, comments, complaints, suggestions and most importantly, acknowledge that we have heard them.

Educate: This spans the range from sharing health and safety tips, parenting suggestions, safety recalls, news from the hospital.

Tell our story: Amazing stories and miracles happen here every day. We want to share that and let the public know that Dayton Children's is a wonderful place to take kids for health and healing.

Fundraise: We use Causes, viral campaigns, e-newsletters, special promotions and are constantly looking for creative ways to be generate new revenue to support the hospital.

Advocacy: There are few better ways to mobilize the community to be advocates for children's health. We have simple ways to allow friends and followers to send letters to legislators expressing their concerns.

Share video testimonials: If a picture tells a thousand words, a video must share a million. Our videos tell the stories of our patients. I dare you not to be moved by these kids.
Connect families, patients, friends, donors, employees: It's about building relationships with people who all care about the same thing--the health and well-being of children. Our community grows every day and our exposure nationally has developed in ways we never imagined. Dayton Children's is recognized nationally for the work that is done here and we attribute some of that new visibility to what we have accomplished by staying active with our use of social media.
My advice to our board will be to look, listen, and then jump in. I will lead them to the sources:

www.facebook.com/daytonchildrens
www.facebook.com/Wally.B.Bear
www.facebook.com/TWIGAux
www.facebook.com/WomensBoard
www.twitter.com/daytonchildrens or @daytonchildrens
www.youtube.com/daytonchildrens
http://daytonchildrens.blogspot.com/

It's a five minute presentation...just enough to give the board a Killer Brownie taste. I know they will be hooked. I bet they stay after to ask me more questions. It never fails.

32+ Webinars for Nonprofits - January 2010

2010-01-13T22:50:00.000-05:00

Professional courtesy and support is a beautiful thing. I saw on Twitter a post from Rebecca Leaman (@rjleaman) introducing 32 free webinars for nonprofits. It was posted at the Wild Apricot blog, a wonderful resource for nonprofits. I posted a note and asked her if I could repost and here was here response, "Sure, Bethany, go ahead and post on your blog : the more nonprofits who have access to information about free webinars, the more nonprofits will benefit, right?"

Right!

So here you go...a wonderful list of upcoming webinars:

Behind the Scenes: Scheduling in Performing Arts
Tuesday, 5 January 2010
11:00 a.m. (Mountain)
This free webinar from Dean Evans & Associates Inc. offers a quick, 15-minute introduction for Performing Arts facilities on what to look for in a scheduling solution, including reporting, capacity control, charging for space and resource scheduling.
Register

Grantseeking Basics
Tuesday, 5 January 2010
3:00 p.m. (Eastern)
This introductory course provides an overview of the funding research process for those seeking grants from foundations, corporations, and grantmaking public charities. Also available in Spanish.
Register

Grantseeking Basics for Individuals in the Arts
Wednesday, 6 January 2010
2:00 p.m. (Eastern)
This web-based course is geared towards individuals involved in the arts and looking to fund any type of arts-related project, but may be of interest to arts organizations in providing advice and guidance to their members.
Register

Gifts In Kind International 101 Webinar
Wednesday, 6 January 2010
3:30 p.m. (Eastern)
This free webinar provides an overview of Gifts In Kind International's services for charitable organizations. Participation in this session is recommended for newly registered charities, those considering registration, employees new to Gifts In Kind's services or others who simply want to hear about its latest offerings.
Register

Starting a Nonprofit
Tuesday, 12 January 2010
10:00 a.m. (Central)
Barry Silverberg of the Texas Association of Nonprofit Organizations explains how and why you should explore whether the creation of a nonprofit is the best way to achieve the goals or purposes you seek to achieve, and understand what it means to be a nonprofit legally and in management terms — before you start the paperwork.
Register

Thanks a Million: How to Thank Your Donors So They'll Come Back and Give More
Tuesday, 12 January 2010
1:00 p.m. (Eastern)
Are you maintaining and building your relationships with donors as well as you could be? Are you saying exactly what your supporters need to hear such that they'll become repeat donors? Network for Good's Katya Andresen and Care2's Jocelyn Harmon delve into effective donor cultivation and messaging in this free webinar, part of the NonProfit 911 training series on nonprofit marketing and online fundraising.
Register

Researching on the Social Web
Tuesday, 12 January 2010
11:00 a.m. (Pacific)
Debra Askanase of Community Organizer 2.0 will discuss how your organization can gain relevant, tangible knowledge from online social media research. Attendance at this webinar is free or by donation, your choice.
Register

What is Wild Apricot?
Tuesday, 12 January 2010
2:00 p.m. (Eastern)
This free webinar, led by Giuliano Valentino, introduces the Wild Apricot software for associations, nonprofits and other member-driven organizations, demonstrating its major features: membership management, web editing, event management, and fundraising.
Register

Proposal Writing Basics
Tuesday, 12 January 2010
2:00 p.m. (Eastern)
In this free webinar from the Foundation Center you will learn the basics of writing a proposal for your nonprofit organization. This course is also offered in Spanish.
Register

Jumpstart Your Job Search in 2010
Wednesday, 13 January 2010
12:00 p.m. (Eastern)
Hosted by NPAG’s Director of Candidate Services, Erin O’Connor Jones, this complimentary webinar from Idealist.org is aimed at nonprofit job seekers, encore careerists and sector switchers searching for their next, great nonprofit job in 2010.
Register

The Power of Social Networking Sites for People with Disabilities
Wednesday, 13 January 2010
1:00 p.m. (Central)
This free webinar will examine what social networking is all about and how it can be leveraged successfully to enhance communication and to break down barriers to full participation by everyone in the digital age. Part of the ADA Accessible Technology On-line Seminar Series to increase awareness on technology accessibility for people with disabilities.
Register

Effective Marketing Communications on a Shoestring
Wednesday, 13 January 2010
2:00 p.m. (Eastern)
Most nonprofit organizations have extremely limited marketing communication budgets, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create and execute effective marketing plans. This webinar from Synthesis Partnership, led by Michele Levy, aims to help nonprofit professionals do just that. Part of the "Wednesday Webinars" series of free one-hour sessions offered by experts in nonprofit management, aimed at providing professional development opportunities for senior staff and trustees of nonprofit organizations.
Register

Your Board and Fundraising: An Introductory Class
Wednesday, 13 January 2010
2:00 p.m. (Eastern)
The purpose of this webinar from the Foundation Center is to help you think systematically through the process of getting your board actively involved with your nonprofit's fundraising efforts.
Register

An Overview of Website Accessibility
Thursday, 14 January 2010
11:00 a.m. (Pacific)
The best practices for web accessibility dovetail with good overall usability, and are easy to implement. This session will cover topics such as understanding the difference between various accessibility guidelines, avoiding common accessibility errors, when — and when not — to rely on automatic accessibility checkers, and unexpected populations that benefit from accessible websites. Some knowledge of HTML coding would be beneficial to those attending this free webinar from TechSoup Talks.
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Creating Energy That Lasts
Thursday, 14 January 2010
2:00 p.m. (Eastern)
Barbara Talisman of Talisman Associates suggests methods to create and maintain positive energy, to keep yourself and your staff motivated. Full participation in the free webinar is applicable for 1.0 points in Category 1.B Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification.
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Introduction to Fundraising Planning
Thursday, 14 January 2010
3:00 p.m. (Eastern)
If your organization has never developed a fundraising plan or calendar, this session is for you. You'll learn how to conduct an assets inventory, develop a case statement, identify potential funding partners, and prepare a fundraising plan and calendar.
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From Recovery to Prosperity: The Power of Vision and Leadership
Tuesday, 19 January 2010
9:00 a.m. (Pacific)
Designed specifically for existing and aspiring executive leaders, this two-part Webex webinar deals with creating a clear and inspiring vision as one of the most critical ongoing roles of a successful leader.
Register

Engaging Pro Bono and Skilled Volunteers
Tuesday, 19 January 2010
11:00 a.m. (Pacific)
If you're thinking about adding skilled volunteers to your program, or if you've just started, this seminar from VolunteerMatch.org can help you make the experience successful for both the volunteer and the organization. Topics to be covered include navigating the introduction of the idea into your organization, developing projects, the art of delegating work to volunteers, and setting achievable outcomes.
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Proposal Budgeting Basics
Tuesday, 19 January 2010
2:00 p.m. (Eastern)
This free webinar is geared towards the novice grantseeker. Prior attendance at the free Proposal Writing Basics webinar is recommended but not a prerequisite.
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Finding the Perfect Social Media and Communication Blend: How to Break Down Walls and Strike a Balance Between All of Your Online Lives
Tuesday, 19 January 2010
3:00 p.m. (Eastern)
While not specifically directed at the nonprofit sector, this free public relations webinar sponsored by PRSA is an opportunity for marketing and communications professionals working with nonprofits to learn how to harmonize your personal and professional lives online; how different types of social media are looking more and more alike; the best practices for sharing content; how public relations, marketing and customer service can operate symbiotically on the social Web; and how to identify future trends.
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Cultivating Stakeholders: A Strategy of Inclusion for Challenging Times
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
1:00 p.m. (Eastern)
Sam Frank of Synthesis Partnership leads this free one-hour session, part of the "Wednesday Webinars" series of professional development opportunities for nonprofit management professionals. Participants will gain an understanding of the basic structure of an effective planning process, ways of adapting it for individual organizations, the roles of various stakeholders and how to engage them, and some specific tools to use in planning.
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Before You Seek a Grant: A Checklist for New Nonprofits
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
1:00 p.m. (Eastern)
This webinar will provide you with a step-by-step checklist approach to help increase your organization's readiness for foundation fundraising.
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Successful Volunteer Interview Strategies
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
11:00 a.m. (Pacific)
VolunteerMatch.org introduces a variety of question types used in volunteer interviews and offers strategies for honing your interview skills. Materials will be provided to help you implement this process in your organization, as well as a training syllabus so you can learn how to recruit and train a volunteer staff to assist with prospective volunteer interviews.
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Are There Alternatives to Starting a Nonprofit?
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
2:00 p.m. (Eastern)
Is setting up a nonprofit organization the only way to accomplish your charitable goals? In this free live Q & A session, attorney and Nonprofit Law Blog publisher Gene Takagi will share information and answer your questions about alternatives to starting a nonprofit organization.
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Getting it Right! - Grant Research & Writing
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
2:00 p.m. (Eastern)
Successful grant writing requires great research, listening and writing skills, as well as time management. This interactive webcast by Barbara Talisman, President of Talisman Associates, will present best practices for writing successful grants and provide you with tools for great grant writing. Full participation in the free webinar is applicable for 1.0 points in Category 1.B Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification.
Register

How to Approach a Foundation
Thursday, 21 January 2010
2:00 p.m. (Eastern)
This webinar from the Foundation Center covers strategies for effective communications with grantmakers, taking you through initial contact to what happens after you receive funding.
Register

How Your School Can Utilize Social Media
22 January 2010
2:00 p.m. (Eastern)
In this free seminar from Blackbaud, Steve Morrill from Loyola Blakefield High School will share his school's success incorporating Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social media networks into their marketing and communications strategy.
Register

The New Volunteer Manager's Toolkit
Tuesday, 26 January 2010
11:00 a.m. (Pacific)
New to volunteer management? Looking for a refresher on the basics? This webinar from VolunteerMatch.org walks you through the three Rs of recruitment, retention and recognition. Topics for discussion include interviews, orientations, volunteer handbooks, etc., as well as the importance of managing risk for your program and your organization. All attendees will also receive a sample packet with examples and program assessment checklists to help you evaluate your existing program.
Register

Introduction to Corporate Giviing
Tuesday, 26 January 2010
3:00 p.m. (Eastern)
This free webinar introduces the world of corporate support for nonprofits and the effective utilization of the Foundation Center's resources on corporate giving. Prior attendance at the Grantseeking Basics webinar (5 January) is strongly recommended.
Register

How to Find Local Grant Funding in Your Area
Tuesday, 26 January 2010
9:00 p.m. (Eastern)
This free teleconference, hosted by the faith-based 501(c)3 organization Urban Awareness USA, is intended to teach urban church administrators how to locate and utilize local grant opportunities.
Register

Grantseeking Basics
Wednesday, 27 January 2010
1:00 p.m. (Eastern)
This introductory course provides an overview of the funding research process for those seeking grants from foundations, corporations, and grantmaking public charities. Also available in Spanish.
Register

The Science of Social Media Marketing
Thursday, 28 January 2010
10:00 a.m. (Pacific)
O'Reilly Media presents an hour-long free webinar with Dan Zarrella, author of The Social Media Marketing Book, including plenty of time for Q&A. Learn what drives people to share information and opinions online and learn scientifically proven best practices for spreading your content virally through social media.
Register

Some additional webinars were added in the comments section so I wanted to include those as well:

Social Business: Taking 'social' to the core of your organization

Date: Thursday, 14 January 2010
Time: 10:00 a.m. (Pacific)

"Join leading thinkers Stowe Boyd, Peter Kim and Jeremiah Owyang in a discussion with Radar's Joshua-Michéle Ross on the concept of Social Business. We will cover:

* What is the definition of Social Business?
* Who are the best exemplars?
* How does the concept of Social Business challenge larger institutions

This will be a fast-paced, structured conversation that will leave plenty of time for audience questions."

Read more about it or register (free) at http://post.oreilly.com/rd/9z1zomnu2pkl4567tfuqjkn4es925hjg19st6q8sosg

GuideStar Exchange: How to Give Donors and Funders the Information They Need and Want
Wednesday, 13 January 2010
1:00 p.m. Eastern
Register: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/715956323
Guest speaker is Karen Rayzor the Director of Nonprofit Relations at GuideStar. During this webinar Karen will provide an overview of the GuideStar Exchange and help nonprofits to understand the benefits of leveraging the GuideStar Exchange and how to get started. This webinar is presented by CharityHowTo.com.

Stay Ahead of the Eight Ball in 2010: Tips from the Experts
Wednesday, 20 January, 2010
1:00p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Eastern
Presenters: Katya Andresen, COO, Network for Good, and author of Robin Hood Marketing; Larry Checco, author of Branding for Success: A Roadmap for Raising the Visibility and Value of Your Nonprofit Organization; and Terry Axelrod, founder of Benevon Axelrod.
Register: https://guidestarusa.webex.com/guidestarusa/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=649289537

There are a myriad of excellent resources out there and if you learn of others, I encourage you to let Rebecca Leaman know via the Wild Apricot blog. I appreciate the time, energy and effort she put into compiling this list and her generosity in allowing me to repost the information.

Great News for Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago

2010-01-10T19:30:00.000-05:00

When I hear great news for charitable organizations, I like to share it. Today I read that Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago received a $16 million gift from the Kenneth and Anne Griffin Foundation to establish an emergency care center at its new facility, the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago.

Per the article that appeared on the Philanthropy News Digest:

The funds will be used to create the Kenneth and Anne Griffin Emergency Care Center, which will open on the campus of Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine in the summer of 2012. The new facility will include additional examination rooms, major trauma/resuscitation beds, and an expanded triage area to allow rapid assessment of arriving patients — substantially increasing the hospital's emergency care capacity and improving patient response times. The facility also will feature state-of-the-art technology, including dedicated diagnostic radiology suites and a CT scanner.

This is a good example of what passionate board members can do. Anne Griffin has been a member of the Children's Memorial Medical Center and Children's Memorial Foundation board of directors since 2005. She and her husband, both successful business people in Chicago, fully understand the value of a the pediatric emergency care provided to more than 65,000 children treated there annually. There is additional detail about the gift in the Children's Memorial Hospital press release.

Congratulations to Children's Memorial Hospital, the city of Chicago and the thousands of children that will benefit from this family's exceptional generosity!

On a side note, this hospital has a great tagline that no doubt serves as a powerful daily reminder as to its mission: "Where kids comes first." It reminds me of the excellent mission that is visible at every entrance at Primary Children's Medica Centerl in Salt Lake City: "The child first and always." Both of these are excellent statements of the hospital's purpose and what drives everything from clinical care to customer service. They are simple, powerful, effective and leaves no question as to what the number one priority is for every person that comes through their doors.

13,000 Nonprofit Twitterers

2010-01-07T13:23:00.000-05:00

Big or small, nonprofits are finding their place on Twitter. Today, @nonprofitorgs reported that it was following 13,000 nonprofits. I've watched this account grow exponentially during the last few months and have been impressed with the number of nonprofits dipping their toe in the Twitter pool. That's the way to do it...just get started. Listen, follow others and put some tweets out there that are relevant and interesting and you are on your way.

I am frequently asked what we could possibly tweet about at The Children's Medical Center of Dayton. My first response is always that someone should follow us @daytonchildrens and see for themselves. But I'll share with you some of our key topics:

pediatric health information
health tips
H1NI or other health news
children's safety information (safety tips, product recalls, etc)
upcoming events at the hospital
hospital news (awards, recognitions, etc.)
physician news (awards, discoveries, accomplishments, etc.)
fundraising events
fundraising news/results
pediatric healthcare best practices
patient and family testimonials
links to the Dayton Children's blog
safety checks (bike helmets, car seats, etc.)
healthy living tips

You get the idea...

But we are also listening to what others say that we find relevant. We RT (retweet) information relevant to the topics listed below along with social media tips, news in Dayton, news from our corporate sponsors, school information, interesting blog articles, news about other charitable organizations, news from other hospitals, fundraising success stories, and the list goes on and on.

Dayton Children's twitter account has nearly 1900 followers and the list grows daily. We use Twitter as a positive new way to build relationships. When @daytonchildrens launched, we didn't anticipate the national following we received but it has been a wonderful bonus. Fans from all over the country follow us because we put out content that is relevant and valuable to a variety of constituencies. We strive to be an institution that earns the trust of our followers and one that anyone could contact for help about pediatric healthcare. I hope those 13,000 nonprofits do the same.

What is our ROI? We can measure the number of followers, those we follow, number of direct messages, number of retweets, how many times a particular message gets retweeted, etc. What isn't as measurable is the positive relationships that have been established, the trust that has been created, the information that has impacted someone's life, or the care and concern we can show our patients and families. While there is no specific metric, you can be assured that is the most valuable return on investment we could ask for.

Is it of value for nonprofits to be on Twitter? Yes, of course. But don't take my word for it. Take a look for yourself. A great place to start is @nonprofitorgs.

No Shortage of Americans Willing to Help

2010-01-05T17:57:00.000-05:00

Have you ever been doing something and the TV is just on in the background. You aren't really paying attention, it's just there in the background. Then, suddenly, you hear something that just makes you stop, if only for a few seconds? That happened to me yesterday. I was writing my blog, checking Facebook and Twitter, responding to emails, and watching something mindless (may I remind you that The Bachelor premiered last night on ABC but clearly I was watching another channel). There was some kind of ad promoting NBC Nightly News, I think. I heard Brian Williams say, "There's no shortage of Americans willing to help." I have no idea what this was in reference to but it made me pause and and think if this was true.

By and large, my answer, was "Yes, that's true." I started thinking about the thousands of wonderful people in the Miami Valley that help Dayton Children's. We are blessed to have thousands of people make donations every year, whether that gift was $10 or $100,000, people care. Tonight, I am meeting with members of our TWIG (Terrific Women in Giving) Auxiliary. Here's 350+ dedicated women who raise money for the hospital because they truly care about this place and want the very best for the children we serve. They have fun doing their fundraisers because they care.

In just one day, I was contacted by the Infinity Day Spa wanting to arrange a day to give moms a free mini manicure and mini pedicure. I'm sure our staff will be disappointed that it's not for them but rather for the weary mothers who spend countless hours waiting patiently for their kids to heal. The Centerville Noon Optimist Club, which raises $8,000 every year for our Comprehensive Cancer Care Center, has the ball rolling for their July "Tee Off for Youth Golf Outing." The coordinators for Nativity The Pop Opera dropped off a check for $4,500 for our Needy Patient Fund and a framed poster signed by their entire cast. Our 36-member Women's Board is working diligently on its 2011 CHA-CHA event. PlayStation2 games arrived from anonymous supporters for our patients. And four retired doctors came back to have lunch together and tour our Soin Pediatric Trauma and Emergency Center renovation project. Every day, there's a new phone call, a new request to do a fundraiser, a special visit, a tour, a gift...only because Americans care.

My job inspires me. There are days when I'm hopping from project to project because there is so much happening. That certainly is not a complaint. It happens because our community cares about Dayton Children's, our patients, and the families we serve. I am fortunate to see the side of humanity that truly does care and I'm honored to work for an institution that makes a difference for the health and healing of little ones. It's a good day because, as Brian Williams said, there is no shortage of people who care.

Is Social Media a Fad?

2010-01-04T21:40:00.001-05:00

Do You Give a Tweet?

2010-01-04T21:35:00.000-05:00

Nonprofit Tech 2.0 posted an interesting blog article today about "Three Reasons Why Nonprofits Should Give a Tweet." Be sure to read that article so this blog post makes a lot more sense. I'm not sure what the potential is for this but I spent some time checking it out the new "GiveATweet" feature. I did a search for Dayton Children's and quickly found it and "claimed" it. I have seemingly linked myself to it as my charity of choice and I received a very quick twitter message from @GiveaTweet saying the following:

(via @BethanyDeines) @DaytonChildrens You hv been #giveatweeted http://www.giveatweet.com/charities/c4d9c3954e1f63a3f7512d600bf9f49c752ed202.

Things get pretty cool from here. Or at least they should. There still looks to be some glitches to work out. Theoretically, I should be able to make a donation. But when I tried that, I kept getting redirected back to an Invite Me page. Businesses should be able to sign up to match donations, which is a good concept but also doesn't seem to be working yet.

If this works out, there may be some potential for those charities with real evangelists out there to drive traffic to us GiveaTweet to make donations. Some charities really lend themselves well to this kind of promotion. I will likely play around with this feature to see how it benefits Dayton Children's but still believe we'll get better results by driving traffic to our website for an online donation. At least for now...I'm always open to see how things change. Different audiences will respond to different opportunities. It's best to keep all options open!

Cool Blog Articles Today about Nonprofits Using Social Media

2010-01-03T20:08:00.001-05:00

Just doing some browsing around and found some cool articles today about charitable giving that I think are worth sharing.

Beth Kanter posted on Twitter today a cool article from @Mashable: "How to: Do Good on Twitter." There are some great suggestions here including following your favorite charities, participating in Twitter fund drives, and using Twollars. Check out the article to learn what "Twollars" are. It was new to me but will be something I'm going to explore in greater depth. I also want to see if there is some way Dayton Children's can participate in a Twestival this year.

One of the most informative blogs out in the blogosphere is Nonprofit Tech 2.0: A Social Media Guide for Nonprofits. There is always something informative here for nonprofits using social media to share their message. Subscribe to this blog...it's worth the time. Today I found an interesting article listing 11 TwtPoll Results Nonprofits Can Use to Plan Communication Strategies. One interesting fact is that 73% of those polled said they would rather donate online than send in a check. Now, given that those who responded to a TwtPoll are probably those very comportable with doing everything online, it does bring attention to the fact that there is an entire audience nonprofits need to reach that they may not be identifying if they are not using social media.

Based on this TwtPoll, 25% of charities have a presence on Facebook and Twitter. I know in 2010 this number will grow and the next thing we will want to know is which charities are using these social media networks most effectively to share their message and engage friends and followers. Conversion may be the most important word for 2010. Nonprofits may have launched themselves into the social media fray in 2009 but the winners will come out on top by converting friends and followers into loyal donors.

Another excellent blog to follow is Jeff Bullas' Blog. He always has concrete recommendations for using social media for nonprofits. This is another one worth subscribing to and reviewing regularly. He just posted an article about "7 Great Resources on Using Facebook for Nonprofits". His recommendations are spot-on. If you are just getting started with social media or even for those of you using it but looking for more creative ways to take things to the next step, check out this Blog.

I could probably do this all night but I'm starving so I'll take a break. Stay tuned...there's some brilliant minds out there and I hope to introduce you to them.

NPR Commentary on Advice on Making the Most of Your Charitable Dollar

2010-01-02T12:52:00.001-05:00

Here's an interesting commentary that played on NPR on December 29, 2009 about making the most of your charitable dollar. One of the featured speakers is Daniel Borochoff, president of the American Institute of Philanthropy. His organization is a watchdog group and he certainly puts a slam on Larry Jones' Feed the Children, a charity known to mislead their donors. Read their review here on this being the "Most Outrageous Charity in America."

There are some excellent suggestions on what to look for when making charitable donations. There is an excellent list of tips when considering charities. They rate charities on an A-F scale. Their suggestions are:

1. Know Your Charity -- Read the annual report and the literature. I would add that it never hurts to peruse a charity's 990.

2. Find Out Where Your Dollars Go -- Be sure to know what percentage of your gift is used for the organizations programs versus what is used for administrative costs and fundraising expenses.

3. Do Not Respond to Pressure -- Legitimate charities will give you time to consider a gift as well as send you additional information. Don't fall prey to the high pressure of telemarketers.

4. Keep Records of Your Donations -- Don't give cash; don't provide a credit card number over the phone to a charity you are unfamiliar with. Direct from this site is advice on what to keep for tax records:

"For tax purposes, you will need to keep a record of all your contributions of any amount. For contributions under $250, records may be in the form of a bank record, cancelled check, or written communication from the charity. The written communication may be in the form of receipt or letter that must contain the charity's name and the amount and date of the contribution.

For all tax-deductible contributions of $250 or more, the IRS requires that you obtain a receipt from the charity (a cancelled check will not suffice)."

5. Remember "Tax Exempt" Does Not Mean "Tax Deductible" -- Request a copy of the charity's tax exempt letter if you question whether they are a legitimate 501(c )(3) organization that allows you to deduct the gift from your taxes.

6. Do Not be Misled by a Charity's Familiar Name -- Some questionable organizations will use a name that closely resembles a more well-known charity.

7. Do Not be Enticed by Emotional Appeals -- Know the facts by reviewing the literature about the organization.

8. Ask if the Charity is Registered by Federal/State/Local Authorities --Non-church charities with more than $25,000 in income must file financial information with the IRS.

9. Beware of Charities Offering Gifts -- Don't feel compelled to give because you receive address labels, calendars, greeting cards or other gifts. Note that these gifts may increase the organization's fundraising expenses.

10. Consider Giving Generously -- If you are satisfied with the charity and determine it to be worthwhile, give generously.

There are several other good suggestions listed. I found this to be a solid resource, especially for anyone who continually gets approached by charities that you may have never heard of before. Mr. Borochoff mentioned in the broadcast that there are a number of organizations claiming to benefit veterans. Review this information carefully, as many of these are not ranked favorable and practice questionable fundraising procedures.

If I Had a Million Dollars

2010-01-01T11:52:00.000-05:00

I love that song by the Bare Naked Ladies "If I Had a Million Dollars." It always gets me to think about what I would do if I had a million dollars to give away. I can think of dozens of charities worthy of that kind of support. I know which organizations I would support. But my purpose here is to pose the question: Who would you support and why? What charity drives your passion? What would you want to transform with that kind of donation?

I posed a similar question on the Tri Sigma Facebook page and within two minutes, there were dozens of responses as to what members would do if they could give $1 million to Tri Sigma. I am impressed with the answers. Our membership is far more aware of the pressing needs of the organization than our leadership realizes. Now, the goal is to find those sisters who really could donate a sizable gift to benefit our Sorority.

As development professionals, we are constantly seeking donations that make a transformation to our organization. We know what the needs are. We are not always as effective at sharing that message. But how many of us stop to ask what a donor would do if they could give us a million bucks? What inspires them? What would make them feel great about giving? Do we offer them the options to fuel their passions? Do we spend the time listening to donors about what their interests are or how they desire to make a difference and then work hard to find a fit for them?

What if the donation were less than $1 million? Shouldn't we give donors the opportunity to select what is most fulfilling to them, regardless of the dollar amount? Yes, we all have priorities and it is our responsibility to market those and share the need. We will find donors who believe in helping those. But for those who are not supporting us, could it be that we aren't asking the right questions? Shouldn't we ask more questions about what they want to help and why they want to help in a particular area? I think we would be impressed with the answers and we may find more loyal, devoted donors who give in one area...but then realize how many other ways they step up.

If the experience of giving is personal, powerful, fulfilling, exciting, and allows the donor to feel like they are making a change in an area of great importance to them, won't they in turn remain more loyal contributors and continue to help in other areas? I believe that answer is yes. It starts with asking the initial questions and then taking a step back to listen to their answers, not your own.

My Fav Charities

2009-12-31T21:04:00.001-05:00

It's December 31, 2009. What better date to relaunch the Electric Philanthropy blog? If you are still making last minute choices on charities to support, I thought I would suggest some remarkable organizations for your consideration.

Best Friends
The Best Friends Animal Society is quite possibly the most remarkable organization working on behalf of animals today. They accept all kinds of animals: injured, abused, neglected, abandoned, elderly and those needing special care and treat every one of them like a long-lost pet. Their direct mail program is second to none (and believe me, I've seen just about every kind of direct mail package known to man) with each story more compelling than the next. I can't say enough about them and they deserve every single penny they receive.

The Children's Miracle Network
Ok, so I may be slightly biased about CMN because I work at a children's hospital, but even if I didn't work at Dayton Children's, I'd still think this is a remarkable charity. CMN supports 170 non-profit pediatric hospitals. The best thing they do is ensure that money raised locally benefits the local pediatric hospital. This organization is committed to bringing the best healthcare possible to children in the US, Canada and now parts of Europe. No one wants to think of sick or injured children and with the state of pediatric healthcare reimbursements, these hospitals desperately need every bit of support they can get.

The Hole in the Wall Camps
Paul Newman founded the Hole in the Wall Camps to give children battling chronic and life threatening illnesses a normal summer camp experience. To say these camps are magical is an understatement. I have volunteered several times at Camp Boggy Creek in Florida and have visited the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Connecticut and the Victory Junction Gang Camp in North Carolina. I will do anything I can to help support all of the others, including the Flying Horse Farms Camp that will open in Mount Gilead, Ohio in the near future. These camps allow kids to soar in every way, all the while ensuring they receive state-of-the-art medical care at the same time. Remarkable.

Donors Choose
Brilliant concept here and I still believe one of the most unique charitable organizations in existence today. Teachers list their needs, donors pick where they want to help. It's the best possible kind of donor-directed support.

There are thousands of worthy charities out there. What matters most is you finding what matters most to you. I have my personal reasons for always supporting the Sigma Sigma Sigma Foundation Tri Sigma has helped sculpt the person I am today. But that's a more personal individual choice, like supporting a church, University or civic organization. The suggestions for this blog are more broad-based. I'll keep listing organizations I believe are doing remarkable things. I'd like to hear from you...who do you recommend and why?

Columbus Foundation Launches PowerPhilanthropy

2008-03-31T15:36:00.003-04:00

From time to time, you'll see organizations doing amazing things to provide great services to the community. The Columbus Foundation recently launched a new program that provides an excellent, user-friendly opportunity for community donors: Power Philanthropy

The following information comes from the Columbus Foundation website: www.columbusfoundation.org.

What is PowerPhilanthropy?
As someone who cares about charitable giving, you want to know that your efforts will make a difference. You understand that supporting a nonprofit organization is more than check-writing—it’s an investment in your community.

At The Columbus Foundation, we want to help build your understanding of nonprofits and topics that interest you, so you can give wisely. PowerPhilanthropy, a new online tool, was developed with you in mind.

As a simple, searchable database, PowerPhilanthropy:
Connects you with nonprofit organizations and programs that strengthen the community;
Enriches your knowledge of the nonprofit sector by delivering in-depth portraits of hundreds of local organizations. These comprehensive portraits tell stories and offer vital information about programs, finances, management, and services.

You’ll be able to easily manage your giving, safely and securely online, from anywhere at anytime. Start connecting to the nonprofit of your choice. Find out how you can experience the power of philanthropy.

This website highlights types of giving; how to make a gift; has information for professional advisors; has an outstanding knowledge center where you can download PDFs on anything from strategic planning to nonprofit governance; includes an event calendar; and has resources on grant making. And that's just in section 1 on "Find Information."

In the next section, "Connect with Idea and People", you can create a user profile and gain access to the following:

PowerPhilanthropy Projects that have been reviewed and vetted for inclusion into our nonprofit database;
Call to Action Projects that feature high performing programs that have received support from the Foundation; and
Current Initiatives that have been cultivated by the Foundation to address broad community issues.

The final section, "Give Wisely" is the prize and not only educates donors on how to make a gift, but links them up to support various community charities.

This is a terrific "one stop shop" and an excellent example of using a website as a very useful tool to support the community. Kudos to the Columbus (OH - of course) Foundation for their thoughtful establishment of a digital tool that makes giving a simple task and for giving the community easy access to key information on charitable giving.

YouTube Welcomes Non-Profits

2007-12-17T13:21:00.001-05:00

It's been far too long since my last post. No excuses except that a job change had me wrapped up in my own professional world getting adjusted to a new position. I've returned to the world of fundraising and am the new Director of Annual Giving for the Children's Medical Center of Dayton. But have no fear, my interest in utilizing emerging technology for fundraising has not diminished and I am returning back to the Electric Philanthropy blog.

And all in good time to learn that YouTube has set up a special program for non-profits. Check out the website: www.youtube.com/nonprofits.

This is a perfect scenario for those who want to launch an electric outreach campaign but may not have the resources to hire a company to create their materials. This gives your non-profit the chance to tell a compelling story without having to spend big bucks to do it.

YouTube allows non-profits to create their own "channel." It is your job to promote that to donors and constituents but it certainly provides a simple way to broadcast you messages and post videos with a strong message. Here's how they explain what is offered:

Your Nonprofit channel includes:
*Premium branding capabilities and increased uploading capacity
*Rotation of your videos in the "Promoted Videos" areas throughout the site
* The option to drive fundraising through a Google Checkout "Donate" button

As an incentive, the first 300 non-profits to sign up will receive a video camera from Casio. You'll need to rush to it to quality. Join groups like the American Cancer Society, Autism Speaks, Friends of the Earth and several others that have jumped in and been an early adapter of this program.

Be adventurous and put your message out there in a new way. You may be surprised by who is watching your channel and can reach a whole new target audience.

No Time to Distribute News?

2007-08-30T13:21:00.000-04:00

A continual challenge in communicating with donors is the time it takes to develop news stories, formating the newsletter, and distributing it. The labor intensive project consumes just as much time sending an e-newsletter as a print newsletter. If time is an issue, consider a different alternative: a formated news microsite.

I worked this year with Delta Zeta Sorority's national headquarters staff in creating a news bulletin board. They needed a way to post immediate news that could be accessible to members, parents, prospective members and the media. However, the logistics in sending out a newsletter was a concern. As an alternative, a news microsite was developed.

The microsite is essentially a one-page website with full back-end administrative functionality. Staff members log into the microsite and can news articles and relevant photographs in four main areas: news about the National organization, updates from the National Council, news for collegiate chapters and members, and news for alumnae members. Additionally, a media player was established for Delta Zeta to upload videos on a regular basis.

The videos are a great feature in and of themselves. PowerPoint presentations are developed and through our good friends at Apple, can be saved as Quicktime videos on a Mac. This allows for a simple and very fast option to produce basic videos.

The microsite also features the following:

Link to the Sorority's main home page
Links for additional news articles
Link for members to update their contact information
Link to make a donation to the Foundation
Link for user to submit their own news and photos

Graphically, the site is contemporary, uplifting, and fun. The response from members has been outstanding and thanks to a screen shot and link on the home page, it is one of the most frequently visited section of the website. Take a look at: http://newsboard.deltazeta.org.

If considering a similar microsite, I would recommend one additional step to aid with news distribution. Add an RSS feed for your constituents to automatically subscribe to the site. As new updates are posted, the material is pushed out to members who receive an update in their RSS reader or email box.

The microsite provides an efficient and timely way to post news articles and updates for your organization. Overall, the cost for development is less expensive than printing newsletters. And unlike a traditional newsletter, a news microsite is available 24/7. The key is still to update on a regular basis to continue to draw viewers and to be effective for those using an RSS.

To add your own newsboard to your website, contact:
Mediasauce
317-218-0500
www.mediasauce.com

Web 2.0 Seminar - You Won't Want to Miss This

2007-07-30T09:55:00.000-04:00

MediaSauce Web 2.0 Seminar
Web 2.0 For Business:Revealing the Best Kept Secret

When:Friday, August 10, 20078:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Where:IUPUIInformatics & CommunicationsTechnology Complex
535 West Michigan St.Room IT 152
Indianapolis, IN 46202

Join MediaSauce on Friday, August 10, from 8:30-11:30 a.m. for a complimentary seminar, led by our very own Director of Emerging Technologies, Sarah "Intellagirl" Robbins.
This seminar will dive into Web 2.0 and explain how it's impacting businesses around the world. It will cover Social, Immersive and Participatory Media and how you can leverage Web 2.0 technologies including Facebook, Second Life, Flickr and Google for your own business.

Agenda:
8:30 - 9:00 a.m. - Registration and Breakfast
9:00 - 9:15 a.m. - Introduction
9:15 - 10:15 a.m. - Defining Social, Immersive and Participatory Media
10:15 - 10:30 a.m. - Break
10:30 - 11:30 a.m. - Applying Web 2.0 Technologies to Your Business

RSVP Now!
Parking passes will be provided. More details will be sent to you when you RSVP.
Special thanks to the IUPUI School of Informatics for hosting this event!
This email was sent to: beth.deines@mediasauce.com.

Electric Philanthropy - Live and In Person

2007-07-30T09:50:00.000-04:00

I will be giving a presentation at THE Foundations Seminar, hosted by the North-American Interfraternity Conference on August 24. This program, designed for inter/national fraternal organizations' development officers, will offer a number of sessions that you won't want to miss...especially mine!

Here's a teaser of what is to come:

Broadband technology has ushered in a new era of communication. Fundraisers have a wealth of tools never before available for donor cultivation, solicitation and stewardship. This session will explore how emerging technology can help you tell your story in new and powerful ways. See examples of how Web 2.0 can enhance and impact your development efforts. Learn if social networks, videos, blogs, interactive websites, email appeal campaigns, email stewardship programs, widgets, and virtual communities will work for your organization. Explore the value of building relationships through user-submitted content and viral marketing. You are guaranteed to see new things in this session and to take away ideas to grow your donor base of support.

If you are interested in having me speak at your conference, just say the word!

An Easy Way to be a Philanthropist

2007-05-28T21:06:00.000-04:00

What is your definition of a "philanthropist?" Do you conjure up thoughts of Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, billionairres committed to changing healthcare and poverty global-wide? Do you think of men like Rockefeller or Carnegie, industrialists who made so much money that it still goes to work today? How about the wife of McDonald's legend Ray Kroc who left millions upon millions in her estate to benefit education and other charities?

Do you ever think of the plumber who lives across the street? How about your mailman? Your hairdresser? Yourself?

WordNet defines "philanthropist" as someone who makes charitable donations intentended to increase human well-being. The American Heritage Dictionary has a similar definition: The effort or inclination to increase the well-being of humankind, as by charitable aid or donations. Note: Neither definition describes how much one has to give to be considered a philanthropist. My favorite description is "the love of humankind in general."

Anyone can be a philanthropist. It simply means you give to help others, primarily because it is the right thing to do.

I was recently watching a news show and it profiled an innovative charitable organization that is nearly entirely web-based called www.DonorsChoose.org. that allows teachers to post needed items for their classrooms. In an era of substantial educational budget cuts, many teachers are in need of equipment and educational resources for their classrooms. This is particularly true in poverty-stricken areas, inner cities, and areas hit by disasters such as school districts in Louisiana and Mississippi.

The items posted are for things any philanthropically-minded person could support on any budget. Donors can search for projects to support based on geographic region, subject, special needs, amount needed for funding, or type of program. Donors can donate any amount that can fully fund a program or partially support a program. When doing a search, one can see what percentage is needed to complete a grant request.

The theory is simple: Teachers Ask. Donors Choose. Students Learn.

There are hundreds of requests to browse through. And making a donation to support an interesting project does not require a major gift. This is an extremely easy way for someone to make an online tax-deductible gift that can truly make a difference, even if the gift is small. Many of the projects can be fully funded with a donation for less than $200. Any project can be funded in part by donating $10 or $20.

Be on the lookout for a thank you note and a photo from the children you supported. Teachers are encouraged to communicate the results with donors of how your gift was put to use.

Have kids? Consider introducing them to the idea of charitable giving by having them select a project to fund with their allowance once a month. Make a gift to support these programs in honor or memory of someone. Want a creative way to recognize a special teacher? Donate to a project in that teacher's name.

DonorsChoose.org is one of the easiest ways I've seen for someone to make a gift in an amount comfortable for themself but have the opportunity to target it to a special program. Many charities would prefer unrestricted gifts, so if giving for a specific purpose to help children with their education is something of value, check out the website. Better yet, play around and actually make a donation. Not only will you feel good about your gift, you may be inspired by the creativity American teachers are demonstrating in an effort to help this country's most challenged students become interested and engaged in their learning. To date, nearly $13 million has been donated to 568,670 students just through www.DonorsChoose.org.

If you are building your own charitable giving website, give some thought to:

Posting specific needs
Allowing donors to restrict their gift to fund a specific project
Allowing donors to make full or partial donations
Display how much is needed to fully complete a project (take the % one step further and use a flash-based gauge to visually demonstrate progress)
Browse projects
Set up a gift registry so people may select projects they want to fund and friends can make a gift to support those favorite projects
Establish a giving blog that allows donors to spread your charity's message to their own personal readers
Make online giving simple with easy to follow steps
Make it personal; have the beneficiaries write personal thank you notes
Offer your donors a widget to download from your website; You can send updates via the widget to show how much money has been raised, send gift giving reminders, share a great story and keep people in touch with your message and organization
Allow your donors to interact with you and help spread your message virally
Create a MySpace page where donors committed to your organization can have your organization as a friend
Provide donors with items (i.e. your logo with a key message, wallpaper, etc.) that they can copy the coding for their own MySpace page

There are endless ways you can create opportunities to interact with your donors and constituents. Find your favorite charities online and look at what they do to keep you engaged. Then look for ways your own organization can replicate the concepts. Be innovative and creative. Try to make charitable giving something fun for people of all means to become philanthropists and help humankind.

What Every Foundation Needs

2007-05-02T20:28:00.000-04:00

I should make that headline a recurring title. Or a book someday. Today's recommendation comes from a little known item that the Stelter Company provides. If you don't have this on your website as a planned giving tool, shame on you. This is a fantastic utility...and I get no residual benefits for promoting it!

At one point, I was interviewing with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. A wonderful organization that provides incredible services for critically ill children. It is hard not to become fascinated by the work they do. And believe me, their development officers love that about the organization and they have a website that makes giving simple. But they take it one step further. They make planned giving simple. How?

The Make-A-Wish Foundation allows donors to build their own planned gift right on the website using a very easy to follow interactive decision tree. It is likely built on something like PG Calc and is a service that Stelter provides. It walks donors through a series of easy to understand questions and literally builds the best planned giving option for them based on the answers. How great would it be for a donor to build this gift and then print it off and have it ready to be used. Instant planned giving opportunity that takes about 15 minutes or less.

The Build Your Own Planned Gift while powered and supported by Stelter, is designed to look like the remainder of your organization's website. No link to another site, no confusing questions, no hard language to figure out. I saw it as the Turbo Tax of planned giving. So easy (and actually pretty interesting) to use.

A little extra benefit...any tool like this can be measured and tracked. From the backend, staff can see who visited this section and used the tool. They can see where a donor completed the process or stopped midway. In either case, that is the perfect opportunity for a development officer to pick up phone and find out what questions the donor had and how you could count on them to join your prestigious planned giving site.

I will give the Make-A-Wish Foundation a flunking grade because I used the tool and stopped right before signing the dotted line. No one followed up with me. In fact, I even called them to ask some questions and still no one ever bothered to follow up with me. Guess what organization missed out on the chance to be included in my will?

Here's where I would emphasize my usual point: Just because you have an interactive website and great technology does not mean you skip the fundamentals of fundraising. Fundraising will always depend on personal relationships. Planned giving officers need to do their job and not rely on tools to do it for them. Tools simply help with the engagement process and opens a door for further conversation. Don't cheat the process!

All that being said, this is a great tool to educate donors, introduce concepts, provide a non-threatening and easy to use utility, use the tracking functions to learn about the behavior of your prospects, and take another positive step in building relationships and ultimately securing valuable resources for your future.

To learn more about the Gift Planning Tools, check out www.stelter.com.

To build a dynamic website and use the most cutting edge information and technology, contact Mediasauce at www.mediasauce.com or 317-218-0500.

Cool Kiosk Concept

2007-04-16T21:31:00.000-04:00

I don't carry cash. I don't carry my checkbook. I do carry my credit/debit card that deducts money only from my checking account. It functions like a credit card, but I don't amass debt. I think it is one of the best concepts ever. One card. Easy to put in a pocket. Easy to use everywhere.

Except church.

I just read in the March/April edition of AFP's Advancing Philanthropy about churches installing kiosks that allow parishoners to make their weekly offering by swiping their debit card. They only allow debit cards because they don't want the congregation going into debt. It's a convenience to their worshippers to make their tithe as simple as possible.

Why not install these kiosks in central areas for donors to give to their favorite cause? This would be something that could be in every shopping mall in the country for people to give when the spirit moved them (like during the holiday shopping season). Organizations with annual conventions, meetings and conferences could install them for donors to make a contribution when they are the most motivated about the purpose of the charity. The use of a touch screen that guided people to make their gift would be simple service to donors.

Yes, donors can make their gifts online at any time. But a visible kiosk with the novelty of giving at an opportune time, may be a new way to acquire new donors. Bank ATM machines ought to consider giving their customers the opportunity to make a donation either to a selected charity or to select from a list of registered non-profit agencies.

This would be an ideal concept for United Ways to utilize. They could install kiosks in company lobbies for employees to make their donations. Perhaps these are only installed during peak "drive" times so the novelty remains fresh. (Consider this the old "Girl Scout Cookie" fundraising technique: offer the ability to make a donation only during a very specific time.)

Making gift-giving a simple and convenient opportunity should be the goal of all development officers. Watch for kiosks to start popping up all over the place. If you are the first to try something new, all the better!

Blog Your Way to Donor Relationships

2007-04-05T22:55:00.000-04:00

Just the other day, I read on the collegewebeditors.com blog a recommendation for University alumni associations to offer a blog opportunity. The value of establishing a blog was to create an interactive relationship with alumni and give them a place to reflect on favorite college memories, locations, friends, and experiences. I would suggest Foundations consider the same basic concept.

Take a leap of faith and create a blog on your webpage for your donors -- or prospective donors -- to offer their thoughts. People choose to donate to causes they believe in. Every development officer in the country will likely tell you that while the number of donors they have every year decreases, the amount of dollars raised increases. There is a simple reason for that. People are being more selective in the causes they give to, but they give significantly larger amounts to those charities.

You want to be sure you are one of those charities that keeps donors engaged! A very simple way to provide an interactive relationship is to create a blog. Provide your donors with the ability to share why they are passionate about your organization. Let them explain why they think you are a worthy organization to support. Testimonials are a positive force. Imagine someone looking at your website and considering a gift. If that individual reads impassioned notes about what your organization stands for, why a gift is valuable to them, and why others should support the cause there is no better case for support. A blog creates a grassroots bandwagon.

Yes, there is a risk that someone could post something negative. But consider that an opportunity to address a problem. That person is asking for attention from you to address a concern. Do it! If you impress that person, chances are he will write back in and explain the results of how you addressed an issue. Better yet, other supporters may address the situation and provide their own viewpoint on why that blogger had it wrong. In any case, you have provided a forum for a dialog. It's risky to say this, but sometimes a little negative publicity provides a wonderful platform to make improvements and counteract that negativity.

Blogs give donors opportunities to share their experiences. Fundraisers ought to love the donor who feels such a compulsion to support an organization to write about it. Let the donors...or even better yet...the beneficiaries of support tell your story. You may see such a moving response that it would be worth expanding in a magazine or video testimonial for non-donors to see.

It is important for Foundation websites to be more than a brochure on the internet. Find ways for donors to build a relationship with you. Give them a forum to share their experiences. Respond to them. Call them and thank them for their thoughts. Engage them in conversation and continue fostering that relationship. Broadband technology has created an unbelievable new mechanism for building relationships. Just make sure that you don't leave it between computer screens. Reach out. Take that relationship to the next level. Create more opportunities for on-going connections.

Good fundraisers understand the value of "linkage." A blog may be a simple link that leads to many other opportunities. Don't miss the chance to develop that connection simply because you don't understand the technology. Your donors will and if your charity is one that has meaning and you are finding ways to engage them through multiple venues, you are creating a steady donor. And as that relationship grows and develops, so will the gifts to your organization. How can that be a bad thing? Give it a try.

Social Networking and Giving

2007-03-29T16:03:00.000-04:00

One of the great things to see at successful fundraising events is the energy and enthusiasm when everyone gets involved. Word of mouth giving, prompted by friends asking friends and encouraging participation, is a great way of getting new donors involved. Go to any national sorority event and there will be the Foundation asking for a donation so that sisters can honor other sisters. A small sticker is presented for the recipients nametag. It is one of the most contagious methods of fundraising. Everyone loves to get a sticker...and it nearly always leads to the recipient "passing it forward" by making a gift to honor someone else.

Event fundraising is a form of social networking. I am surprised that more development officers haven't thought to use social networking sites as a way to generate donations. Friends honoring friends. Non-profit organizations ought to set up a MySpace account. Invite members of the organization to become a "friend" and be listed on the page. You will then appear on their own list of friends. Their friends can read your profile and through the simple act of viral marketing, you are increasing awareness and education about your organization. Have a compelling case and you can increase the number of new donors. Post a calendar of upcoming events, post bulletins of important news, provide a "donate now" link, share what your organization stands for, and provide guest blogs. These are all just simple existing MySpace tools available to create an interactive relationships with your constituents.

On a recent blog for higher education professionals, Collegewebeditor.com, the author encouraged organizations to not only establish a MySpace presence, but to hire professional companies to develop those sites for them.

"...get your MySpace profile professionally designed. First impressions are everything on MySpace. MySpace design is a new field and the really good designers are charging a small fortune ($5-20K) and designing mostly for bands and musicians."

MySpace and other social networking sites are having great success reaching an audience that most development officers crave: the under 40 crowd. Young donors are looking for ways to have an interactive relationship. Non-profit organizations, colleges and universities, and membership organizations have the ability to be ahead of the curve. Give donors or potential donors a method to relate to other like-minded people about a cause they believe in provides a hotbed for fundraising success.

As a philanthropic-minded person, I would happily have linked to my MySpace page all the organizations I feel passionate about. I would check frequently to see who else is interested in that organization. Perhaps I will see someone I know. Or want to know. Perhaps I'd consider attending an event because I received a bulletin announcement. I would definitely be more up-to-date on the organization's news, especially if the organization was proactive in sending material out to their "friends." And never underestimate the power of a good word. If I see something compelling about an organization I believe it, I'll will forward it to my friends. Your list of interested members will rapidly grow. And the investment is minimal.

If you don't believe me, spend some time on MySpace. Like the author stated about, bands have tens of thousands of fans linked to their site. Celebrities have equally if not more friends that they can interact with. And there's something pretty fun about having the hottest new celebrity on your friends list.

Two of my MediaSauce co-workers, Ryan Hupfer and Mitch Maxson, are the authors of MySpace for Dummies. If this is a new concept for you, order the book on Amazon.com and start learning about the extraordinary potential social networking can offer to your organization. And if you do want to have an innovative company involved with designing your page, let me know. We just designed a MySpace page for Kirk Douglas. Kirk, well into his 90s, realizes the potential of broadening his fan base and promoting his books to a different generation. Fundraisers ought to be considering the same thing.

MySpace is a popular site. There is also Facebook, geared more towards the college students and Eons.com, designed specifically to appeal to the Baby Boomer generation in their 50s and above. LinkedIn is a good professional networking site (good way for development officers to stay in contact with each other) and there are dozens of other options. Pick one where you feel you have a strong target audience. And then watch your network grow, your donors get more involved, and your partnerships become interactive and mutually beneficial.

Ponder Relationship Building

2007-03-14T17:05:00.000-04:00

The genesis of good fundraising is really building strong relationships. Donors need to have a linkage to your organization, but without someone continually building a relationship, the donor may turn his or her sights elsewhere. The concept is not much different than what businesses must do to build relationships with customers.

Today a thought-provoking question was posed by MediaSauce Creative Director, Mitch Maxson. Every Wednesday at 5:15 p.m., staff members gather on the "dance floor" (Woot! Woot!) to discuss new ideas, concepts, and issues. I wanted to share the question of the day for the discussion. I can't be there for the dance floor discussion, but instead thought I'd put it out to you to share your thoughts.

The following quote comes from Jim Stengel, the CEO of Proctor and Gamble. Consider how this relates to how we approach fundraising:

"Building relationships through our brands is the future of marketing. It's not about new media models and new tools. It's about engaging with people in two-way relationships."

"It's about seeking to understand the other person rather than trying to control their actions...Building honest relationships between us and our consumers is not only a smart business decision; it is the right thing for us as marketers to do."

If it is the right thing for marketers to do, it is definitely the right thing for development officers to do. Personal meetings, special events, regional activities, focus groups, are all ways to build relationships. Utilizing multi-media tools such as personal video messages can also create a more realistic relationship. And the opportunities to build relationships through social networking sites such as MySpace and LinkedIn seem to be endless.

What are the best ways for you to build personal relationships? What works? What is innovative? How are you engaging in two-way relationships? How can you better understand who your donors are and what they value? How will you measure that level of engagement (here's a hint: study giving history and patterns)?

How will you achieve greater results if donors better understood who you are and who you represent? How are you providing opportunities for donors -- or potential donors -- to develop a relationship with you?

Perhaps that last concept is what we overlook the most. People successful at building relationships and networks are putting themselves out there for other like-minded individuals to find them. How accessible are you? How and when can people reach you? Are you approachable? One of the simplest tools I use at MediaSauce is a "MailWire." It's simply a frame around my initial email message and it contains the MediaSauce logo, my photo and contact information, and key links to the MediaSauce website. It is one very easy way to let people know who I am, who I work for, and how to reach me. It is an easy way to put a name with a face and make a personal connection, often the very easiest first step to building a new relationship.

Take some time and assess how you are building relationships with others and how you are allowing others to connect with you. And then share your success stories and bring Electric Philanthropy to life!

Web Communication Trends

2007-03-09T13:19:00.000-05:00

In my position at MediaSauce, we are consistently asked to give presentations on the future of technology, web trends, and digital communication efforts. If you are reading anything in the news about the future of communication, you are seeing references to Web 2.0. The advances by Google, YouTube, social networking sites, streaming technology, RSS, Wikipedia, and many others are changing the way we communicate.

It won't be long until our communication vehicles all come with a screen. I recently read a blurb from Bill Gates indicating that text books will become a thing of the past. Students of all ages will have some type of personal gadget that will allow them to get everything online. Television as we know it today will probably become extinct and instead, tens of thousands of TV-like "channels" will be available on line. Billboards in Cincinnati are now digital. It won't be long until every car comes with a GPS and it will be able to target advertising specific to your interests. What will vary the most is the size of your screen.

As soon as one dares to post trends or best practices, things will be different. But for right now, give some thought to these suggestions as you develop your websites and digital communication messages.

Image

Clean, simple design -- Don't clutter up every inch of space. Think about the value of white space just as you would in print materials
Strong, bold brand image -- Let the world know who you are.
Use graphics -- A picture can tell a thousand words. Let it. Don't list 1000 words of text.
Easy navigation -- Direct the user where to go. Don't make them guess where something is on your page. Spend the time developing an organized site map. Make the site map avialable so if someone has a specific need, he can find it immediately
Utilize a search engine -- A must!
Provide accessible resources -- As a link. Resist the urge to post every single thing about your organization. If someone needs to find something with greater detail, let them know how or provide ways for them to delve into deeper information.
Design material for the web -- Spend the time and money to develop things for the web and avoid putting things in PDFs.

Honest/Transparent

Be Realistic
Engage the user -- Have the user be a participant by viewing videos, downloading widgets, listening to podcasts, etc.
Tell a compelling story -- No one wants to be bored!
Change information frequently -- No one wants to come back and see the same information is there weeks/months/years later.
Call the user to action to experience more -- Provide contact forms, blogs, response devises. Allow the user to interact.
Feature real people -- Provide video testimonials, use candid photos rather than stock photos, use bloggers to post realistic experiences, etc.

Face-to-Face Connections

Find a way for users to connect with other like-minde people
Provide social networking opportunities
Feature audio and video podcasts
Provide streaming video
Use blogs
Develop virtual learning opportunities
Develop a public site and a private password protected site
Create community!

The web has really become a new community. Everyone can find other people they relate to and share things in common. Your website can be an extension of your organization but make it inviting and engaging. It should be more than a source for information. It should provide value and benefit for participants.

Take a look at websites that you like. Pay attention to those you don't like. Compare the two. Was one more interesting to look at? Was key information easy to locate? Did the search engine provide the results you were looking for? Did you get involved with the site? Would you go back? Did it provide useful tools?

Here's a few sites worth taking a look at:

Angie's List at www.angieslist.com is a membership-based site for you to get valuable information on home repair services. There is outstanding animated explanation of how Angie's List works, clear navigation, and extremely useful content, especially for those who are willing to pay the membership fee. And why wouldn't you? It is a good value.

Butler University's College of Business wanted to provide a realistic look at college life. They profiled two first-year students for their first semester at college through a 12-part "vodcast" (video podcast) series. It is fun, engaging, educational, interactive, and provies a realistic view of the first-year experience. Check out www.butler.edu/vodcast.

Educating young people about peer pressure is an important goal. Above the Influence provides a great, creative website that truly engages the user. There is a lot of ways for participants to interact: quizzes, games, downloads, podcasts, dynamic flash content, photo galleries with the opportunity to send in photos, and useful educational material. Take a look at www.abovetheinfluence.com.

If you don't know where or how to start, just ask people, particularly those who use your site. Measure the performance through a system such as Google Analytics to track the traffic, to assess which pages people are using, to determine what is the most useful content. If no one ever links to something, then why have it on the site? Clean it up.

Looking to take the next step? MediaSauce can help. We help businesses and organizations communicate their message in a powerful and effective way. We specialize in the use of emerging technology. Our creative and technical staff members are the best at what they do. And best of all, MediaSauce will be your partner. We will be as committed to your success as you are. For more information, go to www.mediasauce.com and let us help you.

What's Fun in Fundraising?

2007-03-07T22:17:00.000-05:00

My oldest brother could not find a job when he came back from the war in Vietnam. So he took a year off to be a ski bum. That year turned out to be the rest of his life. He found something he loved to do and made a successful career for himself. He lived his passion.

I started a fundraising career at Arizona State University quite by accident. I needed a job, preferably on campus. I received letter recruiting Dean's List students to call alumni. I thought I would check it out. It turned out to be a lot of fun! I talked with alumni about the University, the new developments on campus (of which there were plenty) and had the chance to be a positive ambassador for the school. What I liked best was that every call was different, every call was a chance to share good news, and every call was the opportunity to reengage alumni and trigger positive memories. After a year, I became a student supervisor and my job was to train and motivate other students to make those kinds of calls. Finding incentives, creating competitions, and getting my peers excited about representing ASU was a great college job.

Like my brother hitting the ski resort for a season, I had no idea my college job was lead into a really fun career in fundraising.

What's fun about fundraising? Here's just a taste:

You can represent a cause you are passionate about
You can meet other like minded people who share that passion
There are endless ways to be creative--writing, presentations, special events, new appeals, new ways to share your message
Getting someone to say "yes" is an envigorating feeling
Finding new and effective ways to overcome objections can be a personal challenge
You help people
You make people feel good about how they are helping a worthwhile cause
You see smiles
No two days are ever the same
You can set goals and measure your performance on key benchmarks; you always know where you stand
You can convince people to think in new ways
You meet people from all walks of life

I suppose if you are a person that doesn't like other people, this may not be the best career route. But if you are a creative person that looks for new challenges, I assure you, you'll have fun in a development position.

Now, I won't be so naive as to say that every day is a party. But if you spend a career in advancement work, it's not hard to look at the time you've spent fundraising and realize there were far more good days than bad. Remembering the good moments when you provided a grant that truly changed someone's life is an incredible feeling. Helping a donor realize the impact his or her gift can make in changing lives is empowering--for everyone involved. Getting to say a sincere thank you or recognizing someone else is like handing someone a present. It's more fun to give than to receive. Watching someone's face light up because you've taken the time to acknowledge them will make you feel good. And if you feel good, you'll stay motivated.

There's plenty of fun in fundraising. It's hard work but the benefits far out weigh any costs. If you are new to the development field, give yourself time to enjoy the process. If you are veteran, think back to how your hard work helped make a difference for a cause or issue you passionately believed in. I guarantee you'll agree that it has been a fun ride.

Dare Devils Master Fundamentals

2007-03-04T19:32:00.000-05:00

Think about dare devils for a minute...freestyle skiiers, hang gliders, bungee jumpers, motorcycle stuntmen, trapeze artists. They take risks every day to amaze their audiences. They live on the edge. They try new things in innovative and dangerous ways. Their skills are so finely honed that they have the ability to take their sport to an entirely new level.

What you may not realize is that these dare devils are also master tacticians. They are pros at the fundamentals of their sport. Those fundamentals are the building blocks that allow them to excel at trying new things and taking new risks.

Creative fundraisers need to remember to practice the fundamentals. Utilizing broadband technology to deliver compelling fundraising campaigns via email are exciting new ventures for many fundraisers. It is fun and exciting to try new things and the initial response is generally positive. Additional fundraising appeals are emailed to donors but after the novelty wears off, development officers frequently see diminishing returns.

Here's why:

Raising money over the internet is new, fresh and allows you to share an engaging, interactive message. However, if done over and over again, it loses effectiveness because the novelty is gone. Donors will simply begin to ignore your messages if they think you are only asking for money. If you neglect the fundamentals of cultivation and stewardship, the results become neglible over time. Internet fundraising is no different than traditional fundraising. In a face to face visit, you don't ask for a donation in the first 90 seconds of meeting someone. You should not do that via email, either.

In launching an e-fundraising strategy, consider the basics of fundraising. You need to cultivate your prospects by sharing your story, explaining the mission and importance of your programs, enticing prospective donors about the value of their support, and providing the education about your needs. There are a myriad of ways to do that electronically and to build your case for support. Create a series of educational messages. Share testimonials from others. Show through video who is benefitting and how. Establish a relationship.

Then ask for a gift. Let the appeal come after you have successfully measured who has opened and read your cultivation messages. Look for those who have forwarded the piece on to others. Study the behavior of the prospects over a designated period of time. Target your appeal to their interests.

And then say thank you. Say thank you in as many ways as possible. You can do all kinds of electronic stewardship pieces, such as birthday greetings or holiday touch emails. But don't overlook the power of a hand-written note or a simple phone call to say thank you.

Mastering fundraising fundamentals is the root to your success. By all means, use innovative methods. Take risks. Try something new. Do not, however, fail to recognize that your risks will be far more effective if you use solid fundraising practices during the process. Take a leap of faith and start an electronic fundraising campaign. But remember to educate your donors first to engage them in your mission...and above all, say "Thank You" for their support.

Creating a New Fundraising Buzz

2007-03-04T15:31:00.000-05:00

Fundraising as we've known it before is changing by the minute. The advent of new technologies will allow development officers to reach audiences we've never reached before. The cost of donor acquisition can no longer be an excuse for fundraising. Building the foundation of new donors is more critical today than ever before, as donors are giving more but to fewer charities. How can you be sure to be one of those selected as a favorite charity?

Electric philanthropy is a new blog I've developed to discuss new fundraising methods, new media opportunities to cultivate, solicit and steward donors, and recommendations on putting your message forward in innovative ways. My theories, ideas, and thoughts can be tested to see if they can ignite your fundraising initiatives. You are welcome to share your own creative suggestions. Let's see what works!

Blog topics will include powerful messages, media usage, approaching target audiences, direct mail vs. telemarketing vs. e-solicitiation (or all three), donor cultivation, prospect research and qualification, the value and importance of on-going stewardship, and making the actual ask. And I suspect, a whole lot of other topics will creep in there. If you have a question, feel free to post it and see what kinds of responses you receive.

I believe in the synergy of great minds working together to develop creative solutions. Electric Philanthropy is a forum for all brilliant advancement professionals and volunteers to take their fundraising efforts to the next level.

Tune in to Electric Philanthropy from time to time. I guarantee you'll pick up a nugget or two of useful information that will change how you raise money. And if you do that, just think of the ways we can change the world!