HSC Insight / June 29, 2012 a monthly e-publication for the nonprofit community / the Human Services Coalition of Prince George's County |
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From Your HSC | |
Building an Effective Board
July 18
HSC Affinity Group
August 8
Nonprofit Incubator Classes Begin
September 11
Ideas&Info Luncheon
September 12
HSC Member Training: Grantwriting
September 27
Nonprofit Awareness Week
October 8-12
Ideas&Info Luncheon
October 10
Nonprofit Incubator Alumni Meeting
October 11
HSC Member Training:
Connect Your Clients to County Services
October 12 |
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In Our Community | |
HSC MEMBER RECOMMENDATIONS:
Pinterest An online space to organize and share things you love!
A groundbreaking book by Wilford Welch offering hope and inspiration to move from concern to passion and action to make a difference in the world.
Your Part-Time Controller Nonprofit accounting specialists offering everything from basic bookkeeping, to accounting, to controllership and CFO support.
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| Are We THERE Yet? | |
Has your nonprofit reached its' full potential?
Discover your nonprofit's stage of organizational development by taking the HSC Nonproft Incubator Program (NIP) Organizational Assessment.
Fax, email or mail your results to HSC and let us help you gauge your strengths, growth areas and find the resources right for you.
You'll be glad you did!
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Greetings! | |
Bright Ideas...Brilliant Tomorrows!
"Good ideas are common. What's uncommon are people who'll work hard enough to bring them about." -- Ashleigh Brilliant
 I am so passionate about this work: strengthening the capacity of nonprofits. This means changing lives and helping others. Every morning, I get up and I push myself to be better than the day before. Experience something that I never have.
As I step down as Board President, I look forward to watching new energy and ideas emerge.
I think that is what I brought to Human Services Coalition (HSC): a bright idea. The notion that I should push this organization to become all it can be for nonprofits in Prince George's County. I now challenge you to open your minds to all the future can hold for HSC. Don't allow those around you to limit this organization's potential. Push yourselves to do what you have never done.
If you are going to grow as leaders and professionals, you have to go places you haven't been and not be afraid of the journey. It is that tenacious sense of adventure and the collective wisdom of the HSC membership helped us do great things in FY2012, including (but certainly not limited to):
* Successfully plan and execute the transition of HSC's Executive Director as well as changes in leadership with the Board
* Advocate and restore $2 million in discretionary funds to the County's Human Services Budget
* Graduate five local nonprofit leaders from HSC's Nonprofit Incubator Program (NIP) and offer ongoing Technical Assistance
* Receive funding from Freddie Mac to work with 52 organizations to develop a "Ten Year Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness" on behalf of the Prince George's County Homeless Services Partnership
* Create HSC's monthly newsletter, INSIGHT, to be a resource of useful tools and timely information
As your outgoing President, I encourage you to be the change that you want to see. Vision it. Plan for it. Claim it. Growing and improving our work in the nonprofit sector is our collective responsibility. We must continue to work together to make it happen. The residents of Prince George's County deserve our best.
In This Issue of Insight...
Take advantage of the tremendous nonprofit growth opportunities gathered from this event. Help us celebrate the service of retiring Board members and welcome ttheir successors. And, mark your calendar for the first Prince George's "Nonprofit Awareness Week"--designed to promote exemplary nonprofits and nonprofit leaders in our County. Enjoy!
Share your ideas for INSIGHT at insight@hscofpgc.org.
Yours in Excellence,
Maggie Holmes
Proud HSC Member
Service Organization: The Write Group, LLC |
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HSC ANNUAL MEETING & EMPOWERMENT DAY! | |
"Bright Ideas: New Financial and Human Resources"
In conjunction with our Annual Meeting, the Human Services Coalition (HSC) presented Empowerment Day on June 13th at the Prince George's Ballroom in Landover, MD. Some incredible highlights:
ONLINE FUNDRAISING
Lead presenter Geoff Livingston, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships for Razoo, championed the potentially huge benefits-to people and to organizational profits-of running a successful online  funding campaign.
He should know. Livingston and the Razoo team coordinated the "2011 Give to the Max," which raised more than $2 million and became the 8th largest day of giving in the United States.
"Contests like this (Give to the Max)--even if you don't 'win'--with the right attitude (to build skills with donors and supporters) become worth the effort for nonprofits," said Livingston.
Coordinators say the success of "Max" is due to marketing (tons of advertising, social media and word of mouth), training (tons of tools to help all levels of users to do well), and a 'contest' structure (people love the drama of competing to win).
If your organization is ready to try online fundraising, here are some ways to get to campaign greatness:
1. Make sure your campaign platform offers lots of great training and tools to help you get started
2. Shop around for the best rates, distribution cycles and fees (to keep as much money as possible)
3. Look for "downloadable" content, e.g. databases (take every opportunity to "build your house files")
4. Try to create "good tension" to drive your campaign (everyone loves meeting a goal or beating a deadline)
5. Participate under the umbrella of the event (use the leverage the Campaign gives you -- don't try to create "new" campaigns)
6. Set realistic "stretch" (a little more than what you've already done) goals!
The top earning Prince George's County nonprofit in last year's "Max" event was Ivy Community Charities. Executive Director Cheryl Petty Garnette used Razoo tools--and, a few ideas of her own--to help her nonprofit take the top spot
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Cheryl Garnette of Ivy Community Charities with Geoff Livingston of Razoo. |
Said Garnette, "This was our first online effort. We'd never done anything like this before.
Our goal was $5,000.
We used the tools Geoff talked about. We also did a lot of donor recognition (e-blasts). During the campaign we did two specific 'asks' for a particular program need.
Our highest donation of $500 went to that. Our average gift was $25. Now, that we know what to do, we will use this in other fundraising efforts.
Learn more about Razoo, here.
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HSC ANNUAL MEETING & EMPOWERMENT DAY! | |
"Bright Ideas: New Financial and Human Resources"
STAFFING SUPPORT
ReServe Maryland, an affiliate of ReServe National, in partnership with the University of Maryland's School of Social Work, is a new workforce option that connects seasoned professionals in fields like IT, grant writing and education, with nonprofits or other agencies seeking part-time support. Unlike similar programs, ReServe is known as an SOS (service opportunity with a stipend), something organizers believe has tremendous potential to increase service delivery in areas with growing demand-like Prince George's County.
 | | Branden McLeod, ReServe Maryland |
According to ReServe Maryland Director Branden McLeod, "In Maryland alone, there are 1.4 million baby boomers, which is 24% of the population. We don't currently have partner organizations in Prince George's County, but we're looking forward to growing them soon."
HSC plans to be a big part of making that happen.
"HSC is committed to helping ReServists be successful in Prince George's County," said HSC Executive Director Donna Crocker Mason. "(Because of the program's close affiliation with the University of Maryland's School of Social Work - Social Work Community Outreach Service [SWCOS])This is a great option of nonprofits of all kinds, but especially for those offering clinical services but may not have a Clinical Supervisor on staf. We'll do whatever we can to get the word out.
While ReServe Maryland fills a specific need for experienced professionals at a low cost and will likely be very attractive to funders that encourage creative problem-solving, McLeod cautions against program abuse. He said, "While we want to fill a real need in the community, we don't want to create job displacement. ReServists typically serve from 8 to 20 hours per week. If your need gets closer to 35 hours, you might want to consider hiring a full-time staffer."
Learn more about ReServe Maryland, here.
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HSC ANNUAL MEETING & EMPOWERMENT DAY! | |
"Bright Ideas: New Financial and Human Resources"
 | | Amy Kincaid, ChangeMatters |
SOCIAL ENTERPRISE
"It's not inexpensive to create social change. It's not inexpensive to provide social services. If we're going to promote social services, we need all kinds of resources - including cash."
These are the words of Amy Kincaid, Principal and Founder of ChangeMatters, LLC, the first social benefits limited liability company in Maryland.
Kincaid works with individuals and nonprofits nationally to create or enhance sustainable for-profit ventures to specifically meet the needs of under-served populations. In her work, she helps organizations to identify what she calls their "super powers" -- those unique qualities or assets they can leverage for 'mission-driven' profit. She also helps nonprofit leaders work through the required shift in thinking and the often emotional reactions that come with what is thought of in some nonprofit circles as a new and dynamic way of operating.
While the development of such an enterprise may be time-consuming, depending upon the type of organization and the revenue generator they have in mind, Kincaid says there are some key steps that are always essential:
"ASK YOURSELF..."
1. Does generating revenue really fit our stated mission?
2. Does our profit-making idea make sound business sense?
3. What can we build upon that we already do?
4. What would it mean if our nonprofit were to succeed...or, fail?
5. What percentage of our total funding plan would/could this social enterprise become?
Something of a pioneer in this arena, Kincaid is buoyed by the current national climate that supports these ventures and the increased conversation and action of nonprofits like those at the recent HSC Empowerment Day. In a White House briefing earlier this month, Kincaid was thrilled to hear Special Assistant for Social Innovation Jonathan Greenblatt encourage nonprofit to seriously consider earned revenue as a funding option. In part, she see that the pace of growth will be dictated by the need for careful planning.
Said Kincaid, "This does not have to be done in a way that dishonors or distracts from mission. We're not like Silicon Valley, which has the luxury of throwing things against the wall to see what sticks. In this sector, it's plan...plan...plan...and, then do. Because with nonprofits, the risk is too high."
To help nonprofit in the Washington region better understand and prepare for social enterprise opportunities, Kincaid with be facilitating several workshops hosted by HSC, next fall.
In the meantime, learn more about ChangeMatters, here.
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HSC ANNUAL MEETING & EMPOWERMENT DAY! | |
"Bright Ideas: New Financial and Human Resources"
HSC ANNUAL MEETING
On June 13th, as HSCs fiscal year drew to a close, outgoing Board Develoment Chair Louisa Montero (MD Multicultural Youth Center; 6 years) honored her fellow retirees--outgoing Board President Maggie Holmes (The Write Group; 3 years) and outgoing Treasurer Scott Birdsong (GUIDE Program; 6 years)--and, made an impassioned plea for new nonprofit leaders to both join HSC and serve at the executive level.
"Involvement in a group like HSC is about personal and organizational maturity. It's an opportunity to look outside the walls of our own organizations." Said Montera. "There's a lot on our plates, but this involvement is invaluable to our missions and to the greater mission of the nonprofit sector in Prince George's County."
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Scott Birdsong, Maggie Holmes, Louisa Montero: Outgoing HSC Board. |
After receiving a rousing round of applause for the tenure and exemplary service, each of the trio received an engraved clock from Executive Director Donna Crocker Mason, commemorating their time of service and the enduring impact it will have on HSC and all County nonprofits.
HSC membership elected Gwendolyn Ferguson (UCAP) the new Board President, and Jonathon Rondeau (Melwood), Vice President. Colette Gingles (coProductions LLC), who currently serves as Communications Committee Co-Chair, was also elected to a 2nd term.
And, just in time.
Mason announced several changes in the coming year, including a return to Affinity Group sessions (where agencies and leaders in like/similar service areas can more directly connect and support each other), several new training courses (including Social Entrepreneurship) and, the first annual Prince George's Nonprofit Awareness Week, October 8-12, to promote the stellar work of County nonprofits and their leaders!
Learn more about HSC, here. |
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| MEMBERSHIP MATTERS | "Joe's Movement Emporium" | |
SPARKING DONOR INTEREST IN ONLINE GIVING
Brooke Kidd, Executive Director of Joe's Movement Emporium, had the pleasure of seeing her organization receive the 2nd highest earnings from the 2011 "Give to the Max" DC event and watched her online communities' desire to give spread like wildfire!
"We had an urgent need for licensure for our arts educators in the after-school program," said Kidd. "So, we created a $15,000 campaign reach the goal on our existing Razoo profile.
We asked our students and parents to participate. Three of our parents created their own campaign 'within' our campaign. One parent, who had a goal of $500, has already raised $2,100 and has attracted 50 new donors to us. It's just blowing us away!"
Simple Steps to Keep Your Online Gifts Moving in the Right Direction:
1. Have clear, achievable goals
2. Paint a picture for your donors of what their money will really do
3. Give lots of recognition and a personalized 'thank you' to your donors!
Share your thoughts or questions on the topic with us at insight@hscofpgc.org. |
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7 Lessons Nonprofit Can Learn From "Give to the Max" Day | |
by John Haydon
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Photo: Geoff Livingston |
Give to the Max Day: Greater Washington was the first giving day event for the D.C area. And because it was the first year, there were three primary goals for the event:
1. Strengthen the fundraising capacity of the nonprofit community
2. Develop and nurture the bonds among D.C. nonprofits
3. Help these orgs deepen donor-nonprofit relationships
Give to the Max Day Strategy
Their strategy was to use a contest structure that put a higher priority on donor participation instead of just dollars.
They did this by providing fundraising training so that orgs could get the most of of Give to the Max Day, unify their messaging across all channels, and conduct a comprehensive marketing campaign prior to Give to the Max Day to encourage organizations to participate, and also provide "ask leverage" for organizations.
Read more...
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Social Enterprise in ACTION! | 
Latin American Youth Center
In 2004, Latin American Youth Center's (LAYC) social entrepreneur activities expand to include two Ben & Jerry's PartnerShops, in the Chevy Chase and Eastern Market neighborhoods of Washington DC. The goal was to offer self-sustaining and supportive employment opportunities to 70 youth.
While the social enterprises proved financially viable for a time--and, created public awareness and community goodwill for LAYC--their venture had some drawbacks. LAYC staff said one challenge was the seasonal nature of the sales production (i.e., highest in the summer and around the holidays) which decreased the number of students they could train and hire. Eventually, overhead costs became an issue and forced the agency to sell their shops.
Although they didn't get everything they hoped for (long term revenue stream), they don't regret the experience. It provided short-term financial support, it changed the culture of the nonprofit to be more forward-thinking and willing to take calculated risks, and it created massive exposure for the organization and its programs (although the shops were sold several years ago, people still recognize LAYC as the "Ben & Jerry's" nonprofit)!
Learn more about LAYC and other innovative HSC members, here.
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Copyright © 2012 - Human Services Coalition. All rights reserved. Insight is published monthly by Human Services Coalition of Prince George's County, Inc. E-mail: insight@hscofpgc.org, Web site: www.hscofpgc.org. Phone: 301-429-0414. Writer & Editor: Dawn Goodman Washington. Contributors: Maggie Holmes, Brooke Dunn, Cheryl Petty Garnette. Executive Director: Donna Crocker Mason. |
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