Can we have some real talk for a minute? Not the kind of real talk that you want to have, the kind of real talk that we NEED to have…about Boards.  Chances are, if you are deep into the non-profit world you’ve had some experiences with Boards. Whether it was your own Board, or you watched another ED toil away at dashboards and reports and executive sessions and those secret meetings that happen, but don’t happen (that DO happen).  Or perhaps you have a really great experience with your Board. Let me be the first to say, congratulations! Now give us your secrets!!

Boards can be a dicey subject. We all need them, but are we really clear about what their roles are? Boards can be working, governing, fundraising, or some combinations of all of these, or grow into some of these depending on what is dictated by the trajectory of your mission.

But do they WORK? Well, you tell me? Is your working board doing what is necessary to make your agency launch? Are the policies, procedures and programs being put into place that would allow for growth and eventually, a staff? Are they monitoring themselves in the work, making sure that they are mission focused? Is your governing board in the weeds on the day to day things (hint, if you are feeling micro-managed, then they probably are)? Are your hands tied when you need to make a programmatic decision or when you want to give your staff an extra day off? Do you have to ask for permission to take time off or are you just giving a courtesy notice? Does your Board not raise funds or support you raising funds? There is a great debate about boards that are required to be 100% giving and I believe that this is not necessary. Financial contribution requirements can continue to perpetuate boards that are exclusionary of people who have wonderful talents, but not wealth. We as a sector need to think about moving away from the policy that our boards have to make financial contributions because they are certainly giving to us in many other ways…but I digress… Your board should support you in seeking grants, offer their expertise if they have any, and not hamper you in securing funds. They should also be willing to open up their contacts to you. We want our boards to bring their time, talent AND treasure. This can come in the form of a contact that might make a donation, or perhaps be a lead on another board member.

But do they WORK?  Well, is your board diverse? I know that the term “diverse board” can mean many things, and here, I mean all of them. Is your board diverse in talent? How many lawyers do you actually need on your board? Are they representative of the community you are in? Think about the optics, and don’t be out of reach for your community. Are they reflective of the people you serve? If you run an agency serving people experiencing homelessness is there anyone on your board with lived experience? Similarly, if you are serving victims of human trafficking, or victims of child abuse, or those experiencing mental health concerns, make sure your board is representative and reflective of your service area!! It might be hard to find someone willing to self identify, and perhaps a better choice is someone not actively receiving services but be willing to hold space for that board member and be intentional about that recruitment. your agency will be better for it (and so will you).

But really…do they WORK? Board recruitment and training are essential in answering this question, too. Make sure you regularly review by-laws, HAVE TERM LIMITS (seriously, I cannot stress this enough) and a robust Board member onboarding. Think about the ways you train new employees. While Board members may not need to know how to answer your hotline, we are asking them to be fiscally responsible for our team, our agency and our mission. We can’t just hand that responsibility over without being intentional about how we would like them to be stewards of our mission.

So YES, they do work. but you have to work at it. Boards can easily bring you up, or bring you down. Ask your fellow EDs, they bring challenges and joys, frustration and relief, tears and wine. If done right, they can step in during a crisis, and seamlessly work behind the scenes of major projects. Train them up and take your time. Board service is an integral part of your mission and really will be a good source of chocolate and wine!

There are so many things our donors can bring to the table for our missions. How can we be sure that we are getting exactly what we need when we need it? It all comes down to donor engagement. Not sure what that looks like for you and your agency? Let’s explore…

We engage donors everyday whether we realize it or not. Some of the people who are closest to us in our daily lives will be our best donors ( *think* partners, parents, children, care workers, the barista that knows your name). We engage them through conversation. HOW we have that conversation is what varies from day to day. How that conversation is received varies from person to person. The key is to figure out what works for them. Let’s start with social media. It is not the only strategy, but it literally stares us in the face for many more hours than I think we like to acknowledge.

Social media feels like the go to these days. With Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter, ads and stories and tweets and videos, it can be overwhelming and time consuming. Be not afraid!! There are great tools available to help you schedule your posts ahead of time, like Hootsuite (you just have to actually use them…which will always be a personal challenge for me). And I promise, that intern that you have that you aren’t quite sure what to do with all the time, they are probably the most socially savvy person on your team. Give direction, curate a message, approve and let them post for you. And while you’re at it, learn from them. Learn the how and the why. Learn about the platforms they are most engaged in and what it is they are looking at that. Learn who they are donating to, who their friends are donating to and what their socials look like. Do they tell stories or one-off posts related to a specific event? Are they randomly generated when something exciting happens? Can we see faces? Do we hear voices? Spend time really listening to the stories you hear on your own social. Follow the people you respect most, other agencies in other parts of the country that share your mission, or fellow ED’s in your area. Many aspects of donor engagement are personal to your own style.

Donor engagement is not just social media based. Let’s talk about materials. What do you have in print? Rack cards? Business cards? appeal letters? There are so many people who truly appreciate getting a card in the mail, and handwritten notes can go a long way with others. What does your print material look and feel like?  What do the images say about your mission and your brand? Have your print materials been updated recently and are they easy to read and access? Most importantly, how are they connected to your agency and how often do they get used, given out and referred to?

But wait, there’s more! One of the most important aspects of donor engagement are you and your team. The people you lead and who lead you. Make sure you are all clear on the mission. In fact, ASK your team what your mission is, and I don’t mean ask them what it is you do, ask them to tell you your ACTUAL mission statement. IF they can’t clearly articulate it (and I promise you, many won’t be able to) maybe it’s time for a review.  Your mission is your best asset in donor engagement. See if your team members have an elevator speech, see if they have different ones for the different people they know. Maybe sit around one day (I know, that sounds dreamy…sitting around) and swap stories. Tell your team about the wins, tell them about the donors, tell them who you want to get to know and ask them who THEY want to get to know. Maybe there is some intersection there and wouldn’t that just be delightful?    I’m still dreaming about sitting around.

PK

We’ve all been there. Something comes across our desks, or worse, brought to our attention on our social media and your first thought is “oh,.. S*#T!!”  I’ve been there many times, reaching for the filing cabinet bourbon and getting ready for a long day (or week). But what should you do when something like this happens to your organization? It’s important to first, take the time to breathe and then do all of the assessments.

1. Who or what does this event impact?  Is it a poorly timed eviction letter, or the discovery that a donor is perhaps someone you wouldn’t want to take funds from? Does it impact a specific program, or is it a reflection of your agency as a whole?  When you untangle these things, you can move to the next phase, getting the right people notified.
2. Who DO you need to tell? Does your Board of Directors need to be notified? Any local elected officials? What about your team members and other leaders in your organization? Many people can be decision makers with you as you move through the issue, but some people may just need to know. Equally important, some people just need to know who to forward phone inquiries and emails to.
3. Now what? You’ve told all the right people, you’ve looked at program impact and you’ve received some feedback. Now it’s time for you to act. It’s time for you to make a statement, if one is required. It’s time for you to be prepared to answer a lot of questions, and it’s time for you to make sure that everyone is on the same page with a message that is clear and calibrated. Prepare a brief written personal statement, and a detailed agency one. Do your asset inventory and find out who can help you get your message out.

Here at Naked, we’ve seen a disaster or 2.  We’ve walked through dumpster fires, and even just strolled through a few press releases. From major successes to minor setbacks, we’ve seen enough to say, you’re not alone and there will be a sea of support to get you through (oh, and we’ll bring the bourbon)

PK