Nonprofit Gold; Moving

The Nonprofit Gold blog has been moved to http://npgold.wordpress.com. Check out the new location today!

Across the Country in a Kart

In the summer of 2008, Jeremy (the Powerball in the new Colorado Mega Millions commercials) and Andy, decided they would travel cross country to explore different forms of art. Instead of the traditional car trip, these two friends decided they would do it in a golf kart. Not just any golf kart but a piece of art which traveled at a top speed of 35... if they were lucky. Now you might ask what does any of this have to do with nonprofits?

Jeremy and Andy wanted to explore what makes people tick. They met artists who played music. They met artists who made political statements. They met artists who just thought they were artists but most of all, they wanted to showcase how art helps build community. In many of the cities, they found strangers who would open up their homes to them and allow them to stay the night for free just for the love of art.

In the beginning, Jeremy and Andy thought their trip would be one of a fun summer traveling across the county. After 108 days in the kart, they touched the lives of hundreds, got pulled over numerous times (no tickets), showed how art is at the heart of communities across the country and showed us that community begins with us. Without the strengths of us, many of our nonprofits would not even exist.

These two friends took a chance on their golf kart just as many of our executive directors took a chance on making a difference by forming our organizations. Take a chance and help create change in your community.

P.S. - Help Jeremy and Andy finish creating their documentary by supporting them at http://www.kickstarter.com.

Walking Away

When is it alright to just walk away from a struggling organization? How long can someone stay sane in an organization which is dying or treats its employees in a negative way? When does an organization have time to hire a new employee or read the numerous resumes which will be sent? How can the nonprofit sector prepare to walk away from an employee or when can an employee feel comfortable to walk away from a position.

The answers to these questions are causing waves in the nonprofit sector. Many employees are staying longer in a position they do not desire because of the small job market out there. Others are afraid if they walk away they will remain unemployed. On the other hand, organizations are staying with the their employees even if some are under performing. Many organizations are worried about their bottom lines and when an employee leaves, they are refocusing the duties of that position to other employees.

How does any of this benefit the employee or the organization? The employee feels negative when entering the work place and then is not as effective as they need to be. The organization could accomplish more with a new employee but to go through the hiring process now is a nightmare. What executive director wants to sift through 50-100 applications for an entry position? Employees who stay with a sinking ship (either financial or leadership problems) feel resentment for the added work when an employee leaves.

In this economy, individuals are being forced to continue working in a job they don't like. Imagine how efficient organizations would be if they had employees who loved what they were doing. In no way is it easy for anyone in this economy to walk away from a position (in my own situation, it took a year and a half to leave my prior organization). As a professional in a negative situation, it is your responsibility to get out. Would you stay with a partner who was treating you poorly? So why do we stay in organizations which treat us badly? Is it for the paycheck or the benefits? In the long run, it is important for us to be happy and if it means finding a different job which pays less than we must do it.

Take a chance and apply for that position which you might think is out of your reach. What's the worst thing that happens to you? You don't get the job. There are other places where you will be happier.

Sports and Nonprofits

How can a sports team be a nonprofit organization? This is the question I asked myself when one of my co-workers told me about the Memphis Redbirds and how they were a nonprofit organization. After doing some research, I found out they are the Triple A affiliate for the St. Louis Cardinals and they are completely run by a foundation.

The organization uses the money to revive baseball for inner city children. I am completely fascinated that an organization takes "America's Pastime" and uses it to help promote a very worthy cause. The thing which put it over the edge for me was the fact many of these players will then be sent to the major leagues where they will make millions of dollars for playing baseball. I hope these players carry on the tradition of giving back to the community when they strike it big. (I have many questions on how these players are paid and how the foundation really works but that is for another day.)

After reading about the Redbirds, I wanted to see if there were any other sports teams which are also nonprofits. I found out that the Green Bay Packers are community owned, elect a board of directors and act as a nonprofit but they are not recognized by the IRS as a nonprofit. I also found many community teams (youth leagues, adult leagues, etc.) which are nonprofit organizations. However the one which really caught my attention was the Colorado Vintage Base Ball Association. This is a group of people who get together and play baseball the way the game was played in the late 19th century. Rather than trying to make money, they try and raise awareness about how the game used to be played and show that the game isn't just about money.

While sports teams do give charity to many organizations, I would love to see more nonprofits look at the sporting industry and explore ways to improve our communities through sports. Our society gravitates and lives to watch sporting events. Imagine the potential for your organization to benefit from all this exposure. Bravo to the Memphis Redbirds for continuing to exist as a nonprofit organization and giving back to the community so future generations will continue loving baseball.

Bringing Faith Back into the Picture

For the last year, I have been a student at Regis University in the Masters of Nonprofit Management program. I have gained more knowledge about nonprofits in the 40 weeks I have been a student than the over 4 years which I have worked in the nonprofit world but something is missing. Where is the class about reaching into the faith-based communities?

As someone who has worked for faith-based organizations for four years, I am surrounded by people who join together because of what they believe. These people give money to the organizations because of a religious connection. Many non-profit organizations are based on religious values or traditions but as a nonprofit sector, we do not do a good job reaching out to the faith-based leaders for support. Below are some areas where faith-based organizations could help your own organization.

Volunteers:
Imagine the number of volunteers your organization could get by reaching out to a synagogue or church. Yes, there are some organizations who have mastered reaching out to the faith-based organizations but many could improve. Recently, the synagogue I work at had over 70 volunteers help out with the 9HealthFair. The 9 Health Fair has found a way to break into the community and offer services where people are (churches, colleges, synagogues, etc.) Many of these people would not have volunteered on their own but did so because of the place where they worship.

Board Members:
Imagine if you could find one board member from each faith. Many churches and synagogues have boards with over 20 people and then they have committees which include another 20-40 people. Imagine if at the next board meeting for a synagogue, you came and talked about the work your organization was doing and that you were looking for someone from the synagogue board to join your board. You would be building a continuing relationship with the synagogue/church and they would know more about your organization.

Resources:
Faith-based organizations have many resources which can benefit your organization. They have people who have money and many of them like to give (in the Orthodox Jewish community, over 90% give money). These organizations also have people in every line of work who are always looking for ways to give back to the community. Utilize their skills by building a relationship with the rabbis, priests and lay leaders of these organizations. Many of these organizations also have space which can be rented or used for a lecture or discussion led by your organization.

Rather than avoiding the topic of religion for fear of being politically correct, I wish nonprofit professionals and educators would figure out a way to break into the faith-based communities. Lets push the boundaries and explore the volunteers, board members and resources we could gain from faith-based organizations.

Note: All new posts will now be written Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Special edition posts will be show up throughout the year.

Nonprofit Professionals: The Need to Join a Board

The time is now for nonprofit professionals to begin making changes on nonprofit boards across the country. For too long, these professionals have sat idly by and watched as many boards become too involved with an organization or too complacent. There are many boards who have board members in name only but many of these board members don't even attend a board meeting throughout the year.

This can be changed. Joining a board allows nonprofit professionals the chance to instill knowledge on the roles of the board in relationship with the organizations. Across the country, colleges and universities are beginning to put an emphasis on educating the future leaders of the nonprofit sector. Rather than just using these skills in a professional setting, these students/leaders need to join boards and begin making changes there also.

Many times, I hear my peers and classmates discuss how they don't know how to get on the board or feel that since they cannot provide large financial donations they will not be considered for a board position. Others feel they are too young to be considered for boards. All of these statements are false. There are numerous agencies and organizations who would love to have people who have knowledge of nonprofit organizations on their boards.

The time is now, what board are you going to join?

Below, I am including some steps when looking to join a board:

1. Do your research. Find an organization whose mission you believe in. If the financial commitment for an organization limits your involvement, find one which better fits your budget.

2. Get training. There are numerous organizations which provide training for board members (or future board members.) A national organization, Board Source, is a great resource on available training.

3. Volunteer. Many nonprofit boards look to their volunteers to become new board members. You can also volunteer with an organization first and see if it is a good fit for you and your values.
Check out www.metrovolunteers.org. (A Denver based organization which matches volunteers and organizations.) They have a great section on becoming a board member and can match you to an organization who is looking for board members.

Hands On, Fingers Out

"Hands On, Fingers Out." On a weekly basis my teacher, David Henninger, uses this phrase to describe one of the most important aspects of board governance. I never knew what he truly meant until I attended a recent board meeting for an organization I volunteer with. Nonprofit organizations are looking for a board to be hands on but doesn't want the board's fingers in every aspect of the day to day operation of the organization.

Many times, the board wants to come to the rescue of the organization and the issues facing the organization but the board hires an executive director to hire staff and to handle these situations with their best judgment. While I believe a board has every right in giving suggestions and acting as a sounding board for the staff (and executive director), I believe the action needs to come from the organization not from the board.

In the board meeting I attended, the board discussed a past program for over 45 minutes and how the board was going to handle the situation which arose from the program. As a younger board member, I felt silenced when I suggested coming up with policies and relationship building exercises which the organization could implement. In this situation, the board became emotionally attached to the situation and rather than guiding the executive director on a plan of action, the board wanted to handle the entire situation.

As a nonprofit professional and board member, I believe it is important for the nonprofit sector to start teaching the importance of being hands on, fingers out. With the help of educators like David, the future leaders of the nonprofit sector can start educating their boards and their staffs on the different roles which exist in organizations. I hope with more experience and knowledge I can begin changing the mentality many of our board members have towards their roles in the nonprofit sector.

Memorial Day - Honoring All Our Volunteers

When thinking about Memorial Day and the soldiers who have served the USA, all of them have something in common...they volunteered. We are lucky to be currently living in a country where no one is forced to join the armed services. Every single man and woman who serves is signing up as a volunteer (in the end they get paid) but they are volunteering to protect our basic rights. Imagine what our military would look like if these people did not volunteer.

Without the volunteers in our society, imagine where many of the nonprofit organizations, schools, parent groups and military would be. There would be many nonprofit organizations which would have to fold if they had no volunteers. Having a strong volunteer corps allows an organization to begin trusting larger projects to these volunteers and allows the staff to continue working on the day to day operations of the organizations. Volunteers also serve as future committee members and board members and even sometimes employees. By showing strengths as a volunteer, an individual can be seen as a strong asset to the organization.

The impact volunteers have on an organization can also be shown in a monetary viewpoint. According to The Independent Sector, the average value of volunteer time in 2009 was $20.85 per hour. (http://www.independentsector.org/volunteer_time) In my home state of Colorado, this average is $21.47. With one volunteer volunteering an average of 10 hours a week, this would equal over $11,000 to an organization.

On this Memorial Day, I will remember all those soldiers who have volunteered their lives to protect the United States. I will also recognize those volunteers which have helped make my job in the nonprofit sector so much better. Over the last three weeks, I have witnessed a volunteer get recognized for over 34 years of volunteer work at my organization, a teenager get awarded as an Eagle Scout after redesigning an outdoor structure for my organization (this student also left for basic training today) and attended the funeral of a volunteer at my synagogue for the last four decades. This Memorial Day, I will honor all the volunteers who have impacted my life and I hope all nonprofit organizations, schools and the military recognize the strength of the volunteers in our community.

Thank you to those that serve in the military and those that serve in all the nonprofit organizations.

This post is written in recognition of my friend and new soldier Spencer Jonscher and in memory of an amazing volunteer and friend, Rose Saper.

Leadership Not Micromanagement

Nonprofits are full of managers... micro managers. How many times does an e-mail go out where staff is carbon copied and then a staff member complains about the words used in the e-mail? Or have you ever dealt with a supervisor who asks you to do something but then asks another employee to work on the same project? What about the times where you write an article for the newsletter but it has to be handed off to three different employees before the final copy looks like someone else wrote it? And then there is the micro managing board who has to have their hands on every single project and program done by the staff.

Rather than building on the strengths of an organization's employees, these employees are always checking and double checking each others work and looking over their shoulders. In a time where nonprofit organizations are cutting their budgets and forcing furlough days on their staff, how can micromanaging be beneficial to the organization? Imagine how efficient nonprofit organizations would be if the staff, board of directors and volunteers rallied around each other.

In a recent class at Regis University, my teacher talked about his organization's collective discussion on what constitutes as a snow day for the organization's employees. The staff sat down and had an open discussion about what they felt was reasonable and came up with a policy they could all buy into. Imagine if the staff was told what the policy was going to be from the executive director or the board of directors.

By opening up the lines of communication, a nonprofit organization's leadership can show they value the opinions of the staff members. The staff will begin feeling like they are being heard and will buy into the vision and mission of the organization's ED or CEO. All it takes is different approach to leadership and much less micromanaging. Let the staff members flourish as individuals and they will become stronger and more motivated employees.

Transparency: Not Only for External Shareholders

When viewing the nonprofit sector, one of the biggest weaknesses discussed for most nonprofit organizations is lack of transparency. Most people (including my six teachers at Regis University) describe being transparent as being open to the outside shareholders. This includes future donors, clients and board members but the one group of shareholders which is consistently left out is the staff.

While it is imperative for organizations to provide financial statements, hold open board meetings and be available to answer questions from external shareholders, without staff transparency (and communication) these organizations will continue to fail. In discussing issues which impact many of the nonprofit organizations where my peers work, the number one issue is financial constraints. As nonprofit workers, we are told to cut our budgets or to take some furlough time but then we watch as it seems money flies out the door for executive directors or CEOs or watch as the organization hires a part time employee. Rumors start and people start questioning their own jobs.

What if the executive director was transparent with the rest of the staff about the reasoning for bringing on the part time employee? Why are there external newsletters to show clients how successful the organization is but there aren't any internal communications for the staff to see their work is still appreciated? What would happen if nonprofit organizations worked on being transparent across the organization's entire mission rather than just one sided? How can organizations (specifically faith based) become transparent after so many years of being quiet about the finances and health of the organization?

Next time a nonprofit professional talks about transparency, why not challenge them to look at how they are being transparent on the inside. If we hold each organization accountable, real change can happen for the nonprofit sector.