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2011The Ten “Must” Agreements between Board and Executive Director
Post by James V. Toscano There must be agreement: 1. On Vision. Do all agree on the overall Vision, how it is articulated and explicated into program, or are there major differences? Do all agree that this Vision is still relevant and essential to social benefit? 2. On Mission. Is there agreement that the organization’s mission is still the critical pathway to achieve strategic goals? Is there consensus on the processes and/or programs that will achieve Vision? Do all participate in and agree on strategic plan or strategic priorities? Is there agreement that the organization is still viable should it…
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201110 Best Federal Government Revenue Sites
Post by James V. Toscano The federal government has made great strides in the past decade in clarifying the incredibly complex webs of funding streams emanating out of Washington. 1. The single best site is grants.gov. Managed by the Department of Health and Human Services it is an up-to-date repository of current sources of the fed’s largesse. The site helps you find opportunities and then helps you apply for them. There are many other features that make this a frequent stopover. Government benefits, loans funds and small business opportunities are covered elsewhere. 2. The Federal Register is the daily encyclopedic…
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201110 Basic Ideas About Fundraising
A post by James V. Toscano 1. Fundraising is not about Money. It’s about values, those of the Donor and those of the Organization. Getting alignment between donor values and organization values is the first task in developing a donor base. It’s the beginning of a lifelong relationship. 2. Don’t take the money and run. Fundraising is not one-way but about an exchange of values over time. The organization gets something– resources of the donor– and the donor gets something. Make sure you know what the donor needs if you want the relationship and the exchange to continue. 3. Results…
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2011The New Nonprofit
Post by James V. Toscano We often hear of Creation Myths. Genesis has two; most southwestern tribes’ creation involves turtles; and Asians attribute their origins to complex deities. In the U. S., we have creation and creator stories, such as presidents who can’t tell a lie, clearly ancient history. Mythologies of the American Dream, streets paved with gold, two chickens in every pot, and, more recently, high tides raising all boats motivate us to specific actions. Idealistically, we could frame “Destination Myths” about where we would like to go as a society. What does the future hold for us and…
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2011Networked Collaborative Community: The New Organization?
Post by James V. Toscano Leadership in organizations has traditionally been thought of as the ability to inspire, influence, motivate, persuade and/or compel behaviors and actions in others through decisions made by individuals at the top of the organization. Traditional leadership in nonprofits has been exercised in this model of power from the top down for many years. Yet, in today’s organization, where communication travels at the speed of light and all employees and those beyond are plugged in, everyone needs to be a leader on a scale appropriate for the best decisions to be made. Reams have been written about formal and informal leadership….
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2011Through The Eye Of The Needle
Post by James V. Toscano Through the Eye of the Needle Legions of nonprofit board members think of involvement in fundraising as an unnatural act, while development officers think of it as getting the camel through the eye of the needle. Hundreds of articles on boards and fundraising have been published in the last few years. Many admonish board members to do what they’re legally supposed to do. More helpful articles try teaching board members that they can help and lead in development efforts. Some of these pieces suggest steps to train board members. Here’s my compilation and thoughts on…
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2011Probabilities
Post by James V. Toscano Almost forty years ago, I was just settling in to the position of Vice President for Resource Development and Public Affairs at the Minneapolis Society of Fine Arts, then parent to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the College of Art and Design and the Children’s Theatre Company. An intercom from my secretary told me of my first visitor, whom she ushered politely into an office not quite furnished. As we stood among the packing cases, this older gentleman beamed as he handed me a check for $2.2 million, told me how happy he was to do so, and…
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2011Constituency: They May be Sitting Right in Front of You
Post by James V. Toscano As part of a group organizing a development office for The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra years ago, I ran a number of mailing lists by the committee. Certainly all agreed that season ticket holders were clearly a prime constituency. When we got to the single ticket buyer list, derisive comments emanated from staff about a “dog list.” “If they can’t even afford season tickets, they’re nowhere near giving us money” went up the dismissive cry. “Wait a minute.” chimed in the volunteer fundraising consultant, “Who’s to say that not buying a season ticket disqualifies them?…
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2011Give Something They CAN’T Throw Away
Post by James V. Toscano A number of years ago, we had a prospect interested in donating a significant piece of equipment to our healthcare organization. The prospect and his spouse had been long-time patients — grateful patients, who had established a solid history of generous giving. The husband was self-made, having risked all on a new business, which he built from scratch into a major player in his industry, then sold, with enough to make the couple secure and (not always the case with every such retired entrepreneur) very generous to the community. At the appointed hour at his…
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2011“Bah, Humbug!! — Ebenezer Scrooge May Have Been Right”
Post by James V. Toscano Just after he responded to those two proper gentlemen, asking for an end of year donation for the poor, with his classic, “Bah, Humbug !” Ebenezer Scrooge must have mumbled under his breath, “The only time I hear from them is when they need money.” How many of your donors might say the same thing? If the objective of our efforts is a long-term, productive relationship with our donors, then something more than the periodic appeal is required of us. We need to know and understand our constituents’ “visions,” their dreams. We need to reinforce…