Archive for April, 2011

Why Have a Strategic Plan?

Tuesday, April 26th, 2011

The key elements of a strategic plan are

  1. A vision of what your organization could be doing to produce a lot more value
  2. The few key strategies that will enable your organization to realize that vision
  3. A commitment to mobilizing the resources needed to implement those key strategies
Bob Cryer

Bob Cryer

Creating a worthwhile strategic plan requires the authors to do a fair amount of research to learn what vision is compelling to their key constituencies, what strategies are most likely to realize the vision, and where they can get the resources needed to implement the strategies. A manager then has to get their organization to buy into the strategic plan. Even then, there is no assurance that the plan will get implemented or will get the desired result. Why bother?

An organization that does not have a strategic plan can maintain its existing operations, and can undertake tactical projects to make the operation more efficient, reliable or responsive. But it will always lack the insight and will to deliver anything other than what it has always delivered so well. They risk losing out to other organizations that have figured out how to deliver more value.

A manager that does not have a strategic plan cannot lead with purpose, because they have not invested the effort to find out what their organization can do to deliver more value and how it might invest its efforts to make that happen. They will probably be recognized as good operations managers that lack the vision and leadership skills needed to keep an organization in the forefront of its field.

If you would prefer to be known as a leader rather than an operations manager, you need to learn how to effectively invest effort in developing and implementing strategic plans. You might find our no-cost executive coaching services (www.ECofOC.org) helpful to your acquiring these skills.

Author: Bob Cryer, Executive Coaches of Orange County, www.ECofOC.org
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It’s always about the money, isn’t it?

Sunday, April 17th, 2011

Larry Tucker

Maybe it’s the recession. Perhaps it’s just the nonprofit clients I’ve been meeting with lately. It sure seems like “finding funding” to be sustainable in the future is on the top of nonprofit leaders’ minds these days. In a few strategic planning meetings with boards of directors, we found that the five-year strategy was taking a back seat to the fundraising strategy.

I probably can’t lend a new idea to the discourse on fundraising. Most organizations have brainstormed through virtually every idea seeking unique ways to raise money. (If you haven’t, it’s probably time to sit down and do that.)

But I do have one key thought to add to the dialog as a reminder to nonprofit leaders: For most organizations, fundraising requires a long-term plan and an ongoing effort. Probably knew that didn’t you? But, are you doing something about it?

To me, there is a parallel with running a small business. The business owner sells her product, she gets busy delivering her product and slows down her marketing efforts, then she has to hit the road again selling 24/7 to survive. Nonprofits often get so caught up in their mission (okay, they need to be caught up in their mission) that they let their fundraising strategy wither. In for-profit terminology, fundraising has a long “sales cycle”. That is, you know that you can’t just decide to raise money one day and it shows up on your doorstep next week.

An annual fundraising strategy isn’t strategic enough. Think 3 years or 5 years. Consider how long it takes to find and develop a relationship with a key donor. Double that number and that’s probably how far out your strategic fundraising plan should cover. In Nonprofit Fundraising De-mystified, Tony Poderis says, “You don’t decide today to raise money and then ask for it tomorrow; it takes time, patience, and planning to raise money.” By the way, Tony’s other myths and truths about fundraising are valuable reminders. 

So, today’s suggestion is that if you haven’t given much thought to your fundraising strategy lately, now is a good time to get started.

Author: Larry Tucker, Executive Coaches of Orange County, www.ECofOC.org
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ECofOC’s $2250 Management Award

Saturday, April 16th, 2011

John Benner-ECofOC, Sundaram Rama-Cambodian Family, Larry Tucker-ECofOC

Sundaram Rama, Executive Director, The Cambodian Family, Santa Ana has won the Executive Coaches of Orange County’s Management Award.

Rama has been with The Cambodian Family for over 15 years and is the first Cambodian refugee to assume the Executive Director position. The Cambodian Family provides opportunities for refugee and immigrant families to develop the knowledge, skills, and desires for creating health and well-being in their lives. The vision of The Cambodian Family is to serve families who will have good physical and mental health, satisfying jobs with good wages, kids who thrive in school, a sense of belonging to the larger community, and a comfortable community center of their own in which they take pride and feel strong support.

Rama has devoted himself to learning and growing into the extremely effective leader he is today. He searches for programs to increase his knowledge and his skills. With this ECofOC award there is a $2250 scholarship to be used for furthering his education either by attending school, seminars, or building up his management library.

His accomplishments to date include:  providing more structure for the agency which includes developing a Procedures Manual; working with staff and the board to develop a Strategic Plan; recruiting new board members and encouraging them to take a more active role in board development and fundraising; successfully overseeing the purchase of a 11,000 square foot facility funded by receiving a grant from the Santa Ana Federal Empowerment Zone; obtaining a 3 year Federal Grant for the expansion of Community Health Services; and, is now developing a fundraising plan to find new funding sources for unrestricted funds with the goal of those funds being 30% of the budget.  

Rama’s next goal is to be a spokesperson for The Cambodian Family and for the partner agencies that serve the Cambodian, Vietnamese, Latino and refugee clients in their Santa Ana service area. The award he receives from ECofOC is going to help achieve this goal.

Congratulations Sundaram Rama!

Author: Judy Combs, Executive Coaches of Orange County, www.ECofOC.org
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What Information Should Your Board Members Have

Tuesday, April 12th, 2011

Adrianne DuMond

Most non-profit Boards function by consensus. Webster says that consensus is the judgment arrived at by most of those concerned. This is a healthy, practical way to operate. But being successful with a consensus mode requires two (2) conditions: that the Board is properly informed, and that there are ways to handle disagreements about decisions.

This article will address what information Board members should have. I will tackle the disagreement issues in the next article I write.

There are basically three kinds of information the Board should have:

1)       Compliance, financial and legal oversight

2)       Strategic information, and

3)       Information that supports cohesiveness on the Board.

I recommend reading Jan Masaoka’ articles in blueavocado.org about these topics for a complete coverage of the details. However, here is a brief outline of what her articles recommend.

Compliance, financial and legal oversight

* Federal Form 990, what it says about the organization, annually reviewed by the President, and then submitted to the Board.

* Audit, if the Board has one, available to the whole Board.

• Monthly or quarterly financial statements.

• Salaries, benefits, and perks for the top staff, a salary rate chart for the range of salaries for each category of employee.

• Directors and Officers liability insurance, proof of purchase.

 Strategic Information

 • Occasional articles about the industry, how the industry is changing, and new approaches to the field.

• Articles about the funding and political environment.

• Annual updates on number of clients, utilization of resources, client satisfaction.

Supporting Board Cohesiveness

 • Public acknowledgement and praise for Board member recognition elsewhere (work, volunteering, promotion, etc.)

 • Brief bios available and published on Board members – especially when a new member joins.

 • Praise and recognition for exceptional completion of a project – fundraiser, committee assignment, etc.

I welcome any questions or input to my article. Having served on Boards, I don’t remember all of this information being available, so I welcome your comments.

Author: Adrianne DuMond, Executive Coaches of Orange County, www.ECofOC.org
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Fundraising in Challenging Times

Monday, April 4th, 2011

Robin Noah

Looking at today’s challenges for nonprofits is not a fun exercise. Most everyone is a bit unsteady with the economic environment. The government is facing financial challenges, foundation and corporate giving is down and so is individual donorship.  Yet the demand for service is growing.  This is the basic message I encounter as I coach leaders in the nonprofit arena. 

In March 2009 The Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits conducted a Fundraising Outlook for Fiscal Year 2009 study. In part they reported that 23% of nonprofits in the study reported that individual giving had decreased more than 20% over the previous year.

These facts may have changed since the report was conducted.  However, the situation gives rise to the question of “What do we do?”  This may sound simplistic and unreal but my recommendation is to put on your running shoes and get set for the race. Start by:

        I.            Giving your organization higher visibility.  Consider promoting your outcomes and achievements.   It is nice to mention what you are planning to do; however, it’s what you achieve that captures interest.

      II.            Showing that your services are in demand.  When was the last time you surveyed your clients to ensure that you are providing services related to their needs and demands? 

    III.            Being flexible – be willing to make the necessary changes to meet your client’s current needs and demands.

   IV.            Review your programs for efficiency and effectiveness. An organization that is willing to do things differently in order to accomplish its mission demonstrates that it takes its stewardship seriously.  It gets the attention of donors.  Helps them make decisions as to where their donor dollars will go

I liked this comment from an article in a GuideStar article (Feb 2010) re challenges facing nonprofit boards:  Re-fueling board energy, staff energy, and brand energy. It’s more important than ever for a nonprofit to tell its stories of success in ways that are both consistent and compelling. Board and staff energy fuel the excitement and participation levels of everyone involved. Take time to celebrate the difference you are making.

Do take time to celebrate.  It’s OK to pat yourself on the back when you do the extra ordinary things you do.

Author: Robin Noah, Executive Coaches of Orange County, www.ECofOC.org
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