Our Inclusion Journey is Just Beginning 

Our Inclusion Journey is Just Beginning, November 13, 2013, eJP, by Alan Gill

Meet Rachel and Dana. These Israeli women, both in their late twenties, experienced a life passage recently that for many occurs at a much earlier age: they signed leases to move into their first apartments all on their own. The twist? Rachel and Dana both have severe physical disabilities that at one time might have consigned them for life to state institutions. But today, that is not their destiny. Read more about inclusion efforts in the Jewish community.

Caring for older adults in need is a core value in the Jewish community.  We know that serving seniors with care and dignity is a key service area to many AJFCA member agencies. But what about aging seniors who are caregivers for their adult children with disabilities? These clients have an additional layer of concern beyond their own care. Who will care for their adult children with physical and developmental disabilities when they are not able to? How can the aging parents ensure their disabled children are taken care of while also seeking increasing assistance with daily living themselves? A potential funder recently asked Lee about this issue. We feel sure that our member agencies are addressing the critical issue of caregiver transition planning in your communities, and we would love to hear what you are doing. Maybe you have healthy senior volunteers helping care for the adult children. Or you may be providing life coaching and training to the adult children to help them manage some of their own care. Potentially you are providing assistance to the aging parent in planning for the future. 

Which strategies are the most successful? Please email Lee your effective strategies for addressing this growing crisis in our communities, including programs you are currently operating as well as any new programs you are planning to launch to address the issue. We would be keenly interested as well in ideas for how AJFCA can become involved in supporting your efforts. We are looking forward to making a difference to these aging seniors and their children with disabilities together. 

A Simple Question but So Hard to Answer: What Is Success?

A Simple Question but So Hard to Answer: What Is Success? November 13, 2013, Chronicle of Philanthropy, by Bill Shore

There are many good ideas to help nonprofits become more effective in solving complex social problems. They include capacity building, social enterprise, and public-private partnerships, just to name a few. But they are all just means to an end, and the more important issue is what does the end look like. It may be the most important question that usually doesn't get asked or answered: What is success? 

The Long-Term Proposition of

 Strategy Development

Strategy, When It Isn't, Huffington Post, November 6, 2013, Irv Katz
While having a strategic plan has become de rigueur for large nonprofit organizations and typical for smaller ones, how many examine the purpose of their strategy development before they jump in. Continue reading here. 

AJFCA Volunteer Professional Compensation Survey - Deadline Today

In response to the interest of network professionals in the "industry standard" for compensation in the volunteer field, AJFCA has launched a volunteer professional compensation survey.

Many of the survey questions used were based on the 2012 Jewish Communal Professional Compensation Survey, a summary of which can be found in "Toward Transparency."   

Member agency volunteer professionals are encouraged to complete this survey by Friday, November 15th.  

A link to the survey and more information regarding AJFCA's Volunteer Initiative can be found here. Please contact Jennie Gates Beckman at 410-843-7449 with questions. 

What Your Year-End Appeal Is Missing

What Your Year-End Appeal Is Missing, November 6, 2013, Network for Good, by Caryn Stein

At Network for Good, it's the season for fundraising appeal reviews. As part of Fundraising Fundamentals premium training, Network for Good looks at year-end fundraising appeals for hundreds of nonprofits to help them be the best they can be for the busy giving season ahead. All too often, these appeals fall short of packing the emotional punch they need to have to spur donors to act. Read more here.  

Keep Calm and Write It Down: How Reflective Practice Leads To Better Results for Nonprofits

Keep Calm and Write It Down: How Reflective Practice Leads To Better Results for Nonprofits, November 6, 2013, Beth's Blog, by Beth Kanter