If you’ve read my blogs or consider me a friend or acquaintance, you quickly recognize that my passion lies within philanthropy…particularly building community strength. In a simple, single term, the word “giving” is central to the impact people can make within their communities (both locally and globally). And, while there are numerous definitions to this word, I personally view it as “growth”. Anyone, regardless of personal wealth, age, skill set, gender, physical condition, or cultural background, has the capacity to give time and/or dollar.

This particular blog addresses giving as it relates each of us as family and business leaders. The impact within the community is very similar, as are many of the benefits. The critical issue, quite frankly, are the many needs within our communities which need to be met…all driven at improving the quality of life of ourselves and our neighbors.

We can each give our time and/or financial resources for various reasons. Reasons can include:

• Making a difference;
• Greater community involvement;
• Making new friends and connections;
• Networking for business; creating leads;
• Learn about community needs;
• Generate corporate and community goodwill;
• Set an example;
• Follow the lead of those you admire;
• Recruiting and retaining employees, staff leaders;
• Support a personal passion;
• Helping others;
• Receive recognition;
• Seeking greater reward.

The list goes on and on. Rarely do I hear that donations are made for tax purposes. Most significantly, it’s the care, compassion and kindness of others.

During my brief 20 years as a non-profit professional and community leader, I see and encourage giving on a regular basis. I am continually impressed by the kindness of others. My hope is that many more people and businesses within our communities get involved by playing greater roles as financial supporters and volunteers. Perhaps more importantly, is how the giving is done, so that donors…and the causes or organizations they support…receive the desired tangible and intangible benefits.

I enjoyed reading Carla E. Dearing’s blog “Beyond Giving”, where she feels “there are a number of potential donors who are waiting to be inspired or challenged to give. Donors and charities can work together to find creative, new approaches to communicating their work and motivate these would-be givers to become philanthropists in their own right.” I found that her words give hope for the organizations which immediately drive the quality of life in our communities.

I believe that businesses and individuals can influence the “greater good” by developing effective giving strategies to achieve their charitable, community-engaging and direct (personal/corporate) goals. And, while the process can be extremely simple or in-depth, costly or complimentary, wise and effective personal/corporate giving follows a strategy that aligns charitable giving activities with objectives, vision…and undoubtedly, impact.

It’s time to prepare our Generation X & Y counterparts for community leadership.

I’ve read recent blogs addressing young leadership and their roles or, lack thereof, on non-profit boards. In Emily Heard’s “Why Don’t More Members of Gens X and Y Join Boards”, she reminds us that only 2% of board members were aged 30 or younger according to Board Source’s Nonprofit Governance Index 2007 study. Various reasons for the lack of young board leadership were listed, most predominantly (in my opinion) was “skepticism about the need to have various generations on boards”.

I’m a Gen Xer who has served on no less than 10 boards over the past five years. Despite my relative lack of board experience, I can share that boards can certainly use an infusion of fresh leadership. Though the “freshness” does not necessarily need to relate to age, there are certainly advantages of recruiting young leaders, including:

• Fresh perspectives
• Ease in orienting, training and mentoring
• Enthusiasm to serve on committees
• Knowledge of the ever-advancing technology
• Ability to network through social media channels
• Connection to young future leaders

 They also possess the characteristic of caring. I have seen many board members (perhaps myself included) lose the interest and passion they once held for certain causes and organizations, yet remain on boards. New leaders, particularly young activists, can pick up the load once carried by active board members and move it and the organization forward.

I found the following statement in Rosetta Thurman’s blog, “Do Nonprofit Boards Really Want Younger Members” particularly insightful…“The “under 30″ focus is really important to note because that age bracket encompasses all of Generation Y, the largest generational demographic behind the Baby Boomers at 80 million strong. Which means that there are a lot of young people out there who can be recruited for board service.”

It reminded me of the Meyer Foundation’s Ready to Lead report in 2008, which stated that “the nonprofit sector will undergo large-scale executive turnover in the near term and that it is uncertain if we have a workforce that is willing, prepared, and—not least of all—enthusiastically ready to assume leadership positions.” There are far more baby boomers than Gen Xers and Yers, potentially leaving a significant leadership void within our communities.

It is time to address the future strength, vision and impact of our community organizations. Thankfully, organizations such as the Points of Light Institute, HandsOn Network and local volunteer centers are in place and addressing community leadership on a daily basis.

Here in Northern Nevada, a solid group of leaders has chosen to propel the young leadership continuum forward. For the past two years, the Reno-Tahoe Young Professionals Network has focused its efforts on introducing young professionals to community and civic organizations. In fact, it launched a donor-funded campaign to educate and engage young leaders with organizations seeking key volunteers and board members. In its brief year of existence, The Pebble Project has linked 324 young professionals with 61 local community organizations.

The same organization has voted to start a board matching program, aimed at educating board members-to-be on all aspects of board leadership…and connecting each participant with a community organization.

These two projects are sure to ignite a spark of philanthropy in the Reno/Sparks area, creating a legacy of leadership for years to come.

I encourage organizational leaders (board and staff) to assess their leadership structures and personnel and seriously consider filling voids and creating opportunities for young leadership. We are eager to lead (especially if there’s direction), excited to serve and passionate about our communities. Plus, just imagine the skills we can learn and hone…then apply in our respective workplaces.

The future is here, the future is now.

Pete Parker is a consultant striving to enhance the level of philanthropy in communities.

This week alone, I’ve presented the topic of volunteerism to three different groups of people. In all, I spoke to over 100 new “friends” on a topic very close to my heart…a topic which directly answers community concerns. The energy I get from preparing these presentations, I hope, is obvious when I share my message.

Volunteerism, particularly to a newbie, can be tough to approach, thus intimidating. There are many people who say they want to volunteer, but have a hard time stepping outside their comfort zone and offering the help. There are others who have no problem offering, but have a tough time finding an organization that fits them. Don’t get disgruntled…you’re wanted and needed!

In a presentation to 25 young professional women, I equated finding the right volunteer opportunity or organization for them, to dating. “Sometimes you need to weed through the crap before you find the one”, was my exact statement. Thankfully, I didn’t scare any of them away. The fact remains, the beauty behind this path is that you learn a great deal, so when you find a suitable organization, the puzzle piece fits even better.

Having been a volunteer for over half my life (yes, I’m an X’er), I’m still trying to find my way through many volunteer opportunities. Perhaps I serve too much, but it’s an incredibly special and huge part of my life. Thinking about it today at a volunteer workshop, I guesstimated that I work an average 75 hours a week and serve an additional 40-50; the rest is applied to my kids, running and sleeping (hardly). That’s MY balance; which I truly value, cherish and accept.

Living in Reno, Nevada, I find that volunteerism is lower than allowable. Digging around a bit, I learned that the state of Nevada ranks last in volunteerism at a 17.7% rate…thanks only to 25% of residents in Reno/Sparks. Even then, only 26.2% of our nation’s residents volunteer their time. I’m not satisfied …shouldn’t we all try to do something? Sure, perhaps it’s our tracking mechanism, of which can be challenged (and improved), but it’s an indication that we can do more.

Generally speaking, communities do not have efforts embracing volunteer matching or introductions. There are many volunteer centers, but most manage more than seek. When you have a large community need to recruit key volunteers, yet no mechanism in place to meet the need, nothing happens. This can easily lead to board stagnation and apathy, organizational breakdown or misdirection and loss of beneficiary impact.

I’m always asked why someone would volunteer. Though the list is long, here’s a basic summary:

• Help others
• Make a difference
• Find purpose
• Enjoy a meaningful conversation
• Connect with your community
• Find purpose
• Enjoy a meaningful conversation
• Connect with your community
• Feel involved
• Contribute to a cause that you care about
• Use your skills in a productive way
• Develop new skills
• Promote your business
• Meet new people
• Explore new areas of interest
• Meet good people
• Learn how to interact with others
• Impress your mom
• Impress yourself
• Expand your horizons
• Help find a new job or career
• Get out of the house
• Make new friends
• Strengthen your resume
• Feel better about yourself
• Develop business leads

I admit that I found this list…and added a few, but my personal favorite isn’t on there. I love my community, wherever that community happens to be. Right now, it’s in Northern Nevada. Regardless, the ultimate reason I volunteer is to see a smile. Might sound hokey to some, but if someone’s hoisting a smile, it likely means that the person is enjoying the moment and/or quite possibly has a job, home, healthy diet, circle of family and friends, and positive outlook. That’s all it takes for me.

I’m also frequently asked how someone can volunteer their time. While it seems easy (and it is), it can be unnerving. I usually dig deeper and ask about their interests, skill sets, passions, family histories, wishes and time availability. From here, I can usually identify a handful of organizations and volunteer roles they can pursue. As you can imagine, I’m actively seeking volunteer opportunities for a handful of people as we speak. Fortunately, I have a set of criteria with which to work. With over 2,000 non-profit organizations in Northern Nevada, this can prove to be quite a search.

Naturally, I point everyone to www.volunteermatch.org as a starting point. In some areas, like Northern California, VolunteerMatch is a huge resource. As for Northern Nevada, we’re just getting it built (but keep checking!). Another source of information can come through friends, family, employers, co-workers, media; heck, the nearby grocery clerk. If this doesn’t work, they can always contact me. I’ll drop everything to make a connection. Hooking the right person with the right organization can really be another gift that keeps giving!

If you’re looking for your first or next volunteer opportunity, check your local volunteer center, go to VolunteerMatch or simply contact me. Volunteerism is a ton of fun and provides tremendous value to you and the organization or, more importantly, the end beneficiary.

Now, I love to network. With each person I meet or get connected to, a new possibility or opportunity emerges. Because I’m on a personal (and now, professional) mission to enhance the level of philanthropy and community action in our community, I’m constantly participating in networking activities. However, difficulties arose when I began to prepare for my presentation.

I tend to put all my effort into everything I do, whether it relates to a client, a volunteer activity or program or my friends and family. So, when I began to think about my presentation, considerable stress insued. See, networking is all about connecting with others, sharing stories and creating opportunities. This is just as important for the corporate sector as it is the non-profit community. Problem is, I was limited to time on a subject that I absolutely love and find incredibly valuable.

I spearheaded my research by sending a survey to all those on the local AFP mailing list. I was curious to see if my hunches were correct. These included:

• very few non-profit leaders actively participate in network opportunities, particularly those of the “traditional” sense
• very few non-profit executives knew about social media
• many non-profit professionals were hesitant to participate in both

It was a very simple survey and only completed by 30% of our membership, but it proved my thoughts.  If you’re interested, here’s the link to the survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=VBd1q7956Y9WzFg9dTY1UQ_3d_3d. In fact, go ahead and complete it (90 seconds of your life). I’ll present the results soon.

Since they asked me, one of their own, to present on networking, I was destined to provide considerable information, as opposed to making it an open forum for Q & A. I did, however, conduct a “speed networking” exercise (my original demand).

This was required for three specific reasons. First, networking can be a bit frightening if you either don’t know how to start a conversation or are afraid to step outside your “comfort zone.” Second, I only see four or five other non-profit professionals on the local networking circuit. While this benefits the small group of us, it doesn’t speak well to our local non-profit community. And lastly, NPOs can easily apply the method, internally, at donor receptions, volunteer trainings and new staff orientations. I think the exercise went well.

I allocated half of my presentation on “traditional” networking, as just described, as well as social media. I’ve been using social media for some time now, but was amazed at the amount of information regarding social networking. Holy cow did I find a lot. Making matters worse (and stress), I couldn’t stop researching the topic.

I hadn’t planned on using Powerpoint with my presentation but, since I’m a stat and info freak, I decided to use it. I prefer speaking, person to person (individual and group), rather than using a display. I prefer eyes on me and for people to truly listen to me almost as much as I listen to them. I think using Powerpoint was very effective, given that most people in the room hadn’t seen any social media stats.

Rather than going into great detail about the networking presentation, take a look at it for yourself.

It’s also located on my website at  http://www.parkerdevelopment.com/networkingpresentation-mini.ppt. If it doesn’t load properly, then drop me an email at petep (at) parkerdevelopment.com.

Make it a great day.

Charitable organizations are beginning to report figures that are short of goals, many of which are due to delayed, reduced or discontinued contributions. Donors are keeping closer eyes on their financial portfolios and less about charitable giving.

Non-profit organizations are responding in different ways. A fair number are playing the “safe” card and maintaining a status-quo approach until the swells taper. Others are cutting staff, beginning with fundraising and marketing officers. Unfortunately, these organizations fail to see the opportunity that lies beneath the layer of uncertainty.

Despite these economic uncertainties non-profit leaders may want to consider taking closer looks at their organizations and acting proactively. The answers to organizational success may be closer than they think. Here are a few suggestions to inspire thought and action to steer organizations in the right direction.

Reach out to leadership. It’s vital that organizations be led by strong leaders. This person or group of people will guide charitable organizations through a clear plan, which includes enhancing the board, integrating comprehensive marketing and fundraising strategies and focusing on funding opportunities.

Enhance the level of board involvement. Make it a point to share information and invite increased participation from the organization’s board of directions. The board should become more of a resource and help increase giving and create opportunities.

Continue managing annual and major giving campaigns. The important thing is to keep on task and continue managing major gift cultivation and fundraising. When the recession ends, these organizations will be further ahead of the curve than most others.

Build strong relationships with donors. Whether they’re past or current donors, take some time to truly cultivate their financial and voluntary participation. These people will be ready to step to the plate when they’re financially ready. Don’t lose sight on regularly seeking new supporters.

Plan for donors to be savvy about giving and the use of their funds. Accountability will be the watchword and the use and impact of donations will be regularly reviewed. Many will be more strategic with their giving, thus guiding them to create structured giving plans and develop relationships with targeted organizations.

Communicate regularly. Keep constituents informed of the organization’s health, programs and needs. Use both traditional and the growing social media avenues to share news, invite participation, and challenge the interest and involvement of constituents.

By making the right choices, such as reinforcing core values and mission, personally connecting with contributors and leveraging new opportunities, success can be achieved. Simply “playing it safe” could easily create more harm, thus distancing organizations further away from their missions. Moving forward, organizational leaders may want to consider the following questions…and more:

·         Are there ways to improve operations?

·         What is the state of our finances, including investments?

·         Which programs/activities truly connect to your mission?

·         How are these programs/activities managed and assessed?

·         Are we managing our most important relationships?

·         Are we involving our board members and using them appropriately?

·         How often do we connect with our funders?

We can do it! Organizational leaders have an opportunity to publicly show the strength of the non-profit community. Making a difference in our communities is an incredible profession. Whether we’re leading organizations, raising funds or managing programs, serving our community is incredibly meaningful experience. Though times are scary, our obligation is to maintain positive frames of mind and show our strengths. This requires tapping into the basics of non-profit management, working harder and building relationships.

Having served the non-profit sector for 18 years, I’m continually involved with corporate giving, either as a business owner or charitable staff/volunteer. I’m frequently asked why businesses are called upon as often as they are. What I’ve grown to understand are two primary reasons:

1.       Business leaders have direct access to marketing, advertising and charitable budget line items.

2.       Business leaders understand non-profits and, in many cases, serve on non-profit boards.

As a result of recent economic pressures, business leaders are taking a closer look at their charitable giving activities. Some are decreasing their contributions and some aren’t giving at all. Interestingly, a growing number are developing strategic giving plans as a means of showing strength, representing goodwill and leveraging their giving to increase business.

In a report issued by The Economist in January 2008, 56% of global corporate leaders ranked corporate responsibility as a priority, an increase from 34% in 2005. The same survey revealed that 54% agreed that corporate responsibility is a necessary cost of doing business. Further research found through a 2006 NYU study reported “consistent evidence that, for firms in industries that are highly sensitive to consumer perception, corporate giving is associated with subsequent sales growth.” In fact, these same businesses realized a return of six dollars for every dollar contributed to non-profit organizations.

There are many reasons why corporate leaders invest in charitable organizations. During these difficult economic times, it makes even more sense. Businesses have an opportunity to make a difference and a dollar. Strong corporations invest in not-for-profit efforts to:

·         recognize and celebrate its corporate values

·         emphasize the importance of ethical business practices

·         provide positive public relations

·         build customer confidence

·         enhance employee morale

·         maintain philanthropic goodwill

·         increase sales leads and transactions

·         strengthen the community

·         And, of course, it’s the right thing to do.

All of this points to responsibility…a responsibility of businesses to increase revenues and a responsibility to help others.

Positioning corporate giving to be effective for both the business and the supported organizations is not a difficult process. It can be easily blended with existing marketing strategies or function separately from existing plans. Regardless of its official capacity within your business, here are suggestions to maximize your corporate giving.

1)       Assess current giving. Take a good, hard look at your past and current giving practices. What percentage of pre-tax profits is allocated for charitable pursuits? Review the organizations, purposes and methods of giving; then evaluate the benefits received. Can you identify a relationship to your corporate mission, marketing plan and staff connections?

2)       Design a strategy. As you plan your giving, consider your charitable budget. Identify the projects, organizations or sectors you wish to support. Determine the benefits, particularly outreach, sales leads, visibility and impact you wish to gain.

3)       Monitor contributions. Maintain relationships with the beneficiaries of your charitable investment to ensure proper delivery of benefits, use of funds and public awareness.

4)       Assess and plan. Evaluate the effectiveness of the giving strategy and its execution. Make changes, design a new strategy, identify new beneficiaries; all are actions you will likely address to strengthen your charitable giving plan.

Corporate leaders recognize the difficulty in giving away money, particularly marked by a lack of information, guidance and tools required to make wise decisions. Being able to identify the best for-profit investments is a hugely valuable talent and a massive industry has grown up around it. Solid nonprofit analysis is just as valuable.

No matter what strategy you use to make your charitable giving decisions, it makes good business sense to ensure effectiveness, both to the beneficiary and your corporation. A properly executed giving program will generate tremendous value through community impact and revenue generation.

My blog will contain articles I’ve written, information about events and organizations I serve and thoughts about overall philanthropy. I hope I’m able to educate, inform and engage each visitor. I invite you to share your thoughts and make this blog as beneficial to others as possible.