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Every time you start a class you, you always have to review the beginning. And so it is with your Board.

I’m delighted that Susan Zinder, a nonprofit attorney, has joined me to review the basics of the Board from a legal perspective. I suggest you share this with your board members for them to be oriented and reoriented to their duties. It can be an opportunity for discussion and engagement. As we all know an engaged Board is a productive one.

After watching, did you identify the 4 personalities on your Board? Knowing this can help you move forward in working with them.

You can reach Susan Zinder at szinder@zinderlaw.com. Her website is zinderlaw.com.

Until next time.

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” ― Leonardo da Vinci

What if you can get the Board involved in fundraising without them asking for the money? Sometimes we try so hard to make them understand their role in fundraising and still they don’t get it. As we all know there are several steps to fundraising besides asking.

In this video there are 3 ways the Board can fundraise without asking. It helps them to begin to feel comfortable with the process. It takes them out of the “begging” syndrome. I’ve done this with clients and they begin to shift their perspective and begin to see it as a helpful role. After all they did join the Board to be helpful. It also helps them connect deeper to the organization.

After you’ve done this, let me know how your Board feels about participating in the process.

P.S. Share with anyone complaining about Board not fundraising. They will thank you for making a difference in their process.

“It is understanding that there is an alignment between who you are and what you do, is what authentic empowerment is.” –Oprah Winfrey

Have you ever thought of yourself as a success? Or do you wait for someone else to
acknowledge you? And then sometimes you’re still not a success.

This was a secret fear of mine; will I ever be a success? Success was such a loaded word for me.
it was a heavy weight on me most my professional career. Yes, I’ve won awards and yes, I’ve
been recognized but still was I a success? Maybe you have asked this question of yourself too.

What shifted for me, was when I realized I was using the wrong measurements for success.
In this video I give you a few ways to shift your measurement of success.

I now know that I have been a success, and what I want to do to keep being a success.

After watching this video let me know if it created a new measurement for you.

PS If you know of anyone questioning their own success, share this with them. They will thank
you for helping them to feel better about themselves.

If you haven’t met Jim Sheehan, Chief of NY Charities Bureau, listen in where we focus on Cause Marketing. He’s a man with a sense of humor and filled with information.

Some of the highlights of what you’ll learn:

• Queen Elizabeth from 1602 is involved with regulating NY Charities today
• Impact NY Charities have on our economy
• The 3 advantages of cause marketing
• The risks of cause marketing
• Choosing cause marketing partners

After watching this video, let me know if it has helped you move more in the direction of cause marketing or helped you decide that this isn’t the right time. For more details from the NY Charities Bureau on this topic:  Cause Marketing. The NY Charities Bureau is filled with information; here is their site www.charitiesnys.com.

P.S. If you know of a colleague considering cause marketing, share this with them, they will thank you for it.

“Handle them carefully, for words have more power than atom bombs.” –Pearl Strachan Hurd

We know the power of words both as the speaker and the listener. There are certain words that we use repeatedly, which actually hold us back. This particular word not only holds you back, it also turns the listener into ignoring you. Once you say it the listener “hears” this isn’t happening, and your intention loses its power. It deflates the impact you want to have on both yourself and the listener, who can be your team, staff, or Board (and even your family).

Work on eliminating it, because it diminishes your opportunity to accomplish your goals. I’ve become aware of how and when I use it, and I really haven’t found a need for this word. Although being human, I catch myself saying it out of habit. When that happens, I rephrase my statement.

After you watch the video and learn what this word is, drop me a note to let me know if there are other words you hear which have an impact, either positive or negative. Thank you for watching!

P.S. Feel free to share this video with those who you notice use it consistently. You’ll be doing
them a favor.

“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” –Jane Goodall

Recently an Executive Director asked, “Why doesn’t anyone care about dying children?” He had been approaching various potential donors and kept getting NO. So frustrating and discouraging.

There can be many reasons why he kept getting No but what happened afterwards? How did the potential donor feel?

What if he turned it around so the potential donor walked away feeling fortunate that they had this exchange and will remember both him and the organization and may eventually want to do something for him or the organization.

In this video I show you how to change the NO into a mutually rewarding meeting that can make you and your organization memorable. It’s the kind of difference you want to make, even if it’s a NO.

Let me know what happens once you try this. As always feel free to share it with those you think might benefit.

In its 2016 Data Book the IRS reported that there are 1.8 million registered nonprofit organizations. And, that number just keeps growing. 86,915 were added in 2015; another 79,545 were added in 2016. This means more nonprofits are needing donor dollars. Every nonprofit leader is doing everything they can to optimize their organization’s revenue by differentiating themselves from the competition increasing.

Let me introduce you to Peter Miragliotta, Jr., he has a unique occupation in the nonprofit world, a specialist in understanding how nonprofits can attract more donors through Charity Watchdog profiles. Many nonprofits are missing this way to attract and retain donor support, optimizing their Charity Watchdog profiles.

“52% of donors said the presence of a charity watchdog seal would greatly or moderately increase their likelihood of giving; 84% said the absence of a seal would decrease their giving.” (July 2014 The Able Altruist newsletter survey of 3,861 randomly selected donors)

In this video Peter takes us through the various watchdogs, which ones you qualify for and how to apply.

After you’ve had a chance to watch, I’d love to know if this has motivated you to getting a seal for your organization. It’s another way to connect with donors.

If you want to connect with Peter for more information, pmirag@masstassoc.com

Excited to see your comments and thank you so much for reading, watching and sharing.

“Happiness, true happiness, is an inner quality. It is a state of mind. If your mind is at peace, you are happy. If your mind is at peace, but you have nothing else, you can be happy. If you have everything the world can give but lack peace of mind, you can never be happy.” –Dada Vaswani

In the nonprofit world, you are doing so many things at one time and can easily get discouraged. This fun video is about the value of a pleasure box. It can simply make your day brighter or it can get you through blocks, or more extreme situations. Recently I learned the value of having one, after going through a personal tragedy, it helped me find ways to get things done and keep moving forward.

The most important thing is that the Pleasure Toolbox is unique to you. In this short video, I give you suggestions on how to create one and what to put in it.

As always, feel free to email me your comments and questions. It’s always a pleasure receiving them.

We all get nervous no matter how many times we meet donors. I’m guessing that sometimes you feel a little insecure. No matter how experienced or accomplished you are, it’s next to impossible to completely eradicate feelings of self-doubt. Many people avoid speaking to donors because they are afraid of the response. While you have no control over their response you do have a choice of how you approach your donor.

Of course, the most important thing is to always speak from the heart. Yet sometimes we can say too much or too little or feel we haven’t covered all our points. Building self-confidence is a practice.

I invite you to watch this video of my 3 simple steps will reduce the jitters and keep you focused.

I know you can do this and reduce the jitters. Remember you have no control over their response, so just ask.

Gail Koelln, is my guest. She answers the many questions I get asked about grant writing. What’s unique about Gail is that she’s also co-director of a nonprofit, One Earth Conservation. Gail has more than 20 years’ experience as a grant writer in New York. Her ability to wear both hats gives her a distinct perspective and insight into grant writing.

After watching the interview, Gail and I want to know if there are any further questions we can answer for you on grant writing.

Knowing that I can support nonprofit professionals by bringing other experts into the conversation is very satisfying. I hope you enjoy it because I want to bring you more experts with various specialties. Suggestions on topics are not only welcome but encouraged.