Category Archives: Uncategorized

Giving Institute and Giving USA Foundation Board Meeting, Spring 2013

Posted on by
1

by Jeffrey D. Byrne
President + CEO

At the Giving Institute and Giving USA Foundation Spring Board meeting (the publisher of the Giving USA annual report on philanthropic giving) where I am a Board member, we had the pleasure to engage with Dr. Una O. Osili, PhD, Director of Research for The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. Una’s presentation was around tax policy changes proposed in the U. S. Congress on itemized charitable giving.

As you may know, Congress enacted the charitable giving deduction in 1917, four years after instituting a federal income tax. Changes over the past 96 years have occurred in various ways, but the charitable deduction, as we know it, has not been in jeopardy of elimination until recent discussions by Congress.

Congress is currently debating a number of options to close “loopholes” in the tax code to raise revenues. Philanthropic Industry Leaders are watching closely these actions and are quickly reacting and mobilizing their constituencies to inform their Congressmen and Congresswomen and Senators about the impact that their votes can have on constituencies in their districts and states.

Recently, C. Eugene Steuerle, the Richard B. Fisher chair, an Institute Fellow at the Urban Institute, a cofounder of the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center and the Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy, in his testimony before the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives (2/14/13) said: a tax subsidy like that for charitable contributions should be treated like any other government program, examined regularly, and reformed to make it more effective. The good news is that the charitable deduction can be designed to strengthen the charitable sector and increase charitable giving at the same or even lower revenue cost.

Steuerle further stated that to increase giving, Congress can:

  • create a charitable contribution for all taxpayers, not just itemizers;
  • allow people to make contributions until the filing of their tax returns or April 15;
  • make it easier for people to donate from accumulated amounts, such as retirement accounts and lottery winnings; and
  • remove or reduce and certainly simplify the dysfunctional excise tax on foundations.

Congress can more than pay for these changes with little or no reduction in giving if it would:

  • put a floor under deductions, which would have little effect on giving incentives;
  • reform subsidies that tend to be highly ineffective and invite abuse, such as the deduction for household goods and clothing; and
  • provide a better information system for charitable giving.

Our responsibility is to participate and actively engage with our elected officials. The stakes are too high. Our elected representatives need our active involvement and expertise because they will use our input in their calculations on how to maneuver through the maze of policy options. Don’t be shy. Engage.

For more information on how to become involved, reach out to me directly through Jeffrey Byrne + Associates, Inc. at jbyrne@fundraisingjba.com.

Volunteers: Love’em … Or, Well, Love’em!

Posted on by
Reply

By John Marshall
Senior Vice President

We all have stories about favorite volunteers we have enjoyed over the years, and possibly some not so flattering recollections to share about those who might have made our jobs just a bit more challenging. Regardless, I think we all can agree that volunteers are absolutely indispensable human resources and can play an enormous role in the success of our organization.

A few years ago, I found a really terrific article written by none other than Erma Bombeck who shared her thoughts about what life in our country would be like if volunteerism did not exist. Listen to what she says in her article, “Without Volunteers, a Lost Civilization”:

“I had a dream the other night that every volunteer in this country, disillusioned with the lack of compassion, has set sail for another country. As I stood smiling on the pier, I shouted: ‘Good-bye, creamed chicken. Good-bye phone committees. So long Disease-of-the-Month. No more saving old egg cartons. No more getting out the vote. Au revoir, playground duty, bake sales and three hour meetings.’

As the boat got smaller and they could no longer hear my shouts, I reflected, ‘Serves them right. A bunch of yes people. All they had to do was to put their tongue firmly against the roof of their mouth and make an O sound. Nnnnoooo. Nnnnooo. No! It would certainly have spared them a lot of grief. Oh well, who needs them!’

The hospital was quiet when I passed it. Rooms were void of books, flowers and cheerful voices. The children’s wing held no clowns…no laughter. The reception desk was vacant. The health agencies had a sign in the window, ‘Cures for cancer, muscular dystrophy, birth defects, multiple sclerosis, heart diseases, etc., have been canceled due to lack of interest.’

The flowers on church altars withered and died. Children in day nurseries lifted their arms but there was no one to hold them in love. But the saddest part of the journey was the symphony hall, which was dark and would remain that way. So were the museums that had been built and stocked by volunteers with the art treasures of our times.

I fought in my sleep to regain a glimpse of the ship of volunteers just one more time. It was to be my last glimpse of civilization … as we were meant to be.”

I have been tremendously blessed throughout my career in having been associated with charitable organizations which were wonderfully “civilized” places due to the wealth of good friends who helped them become the warm and friendly place they had been for so many years. I always thanked God for the hundreds of volunteers who gave so freely of their time talent and treasure, doing so with little expectation of anything in return other than having the satisfaction of helping others.

There is no question that in addition to being a wonderfully rewarding experience, making certain that volunteers are both being fulfilled and accomplishing their volunteer tasks can often be like walking a tightrope: One must possess a great sense of balance. Some volunteers require little supervision, doing their jobs quietly and efficiently, while others can be more needy, requiring extra time and attention.

I firmly believe that the key to success when working with volunteers is in there being the presence of very clear EXPECTATIONS…..by volunteers of staff and by staff of volunteers. Let’s review a few of these expectations:

Volunteers will expect the Staff to:

  • Know the nonprofit and philanthropic business as a professional
  • Provide them with support and supervision
  • Assist them in making appropriate contacts and delivering appropriate messages
  • Recognize that work cannot be accomplished without them!
  • Represent your organization in a positive manner

Staff should expect Volunteers to:

  • Be dedicated and to fulfill their commitments
  • Work and expect that volunteers will complete their assigned tasks
  • Provide access, information and insight…..they can be terrific “door openers”
  • Be in attendance, to “show up”
  • Exhibit enthusiasm and passion in being a part of a solution
  • Develop a sense of loyalty to your organization and its mission and purpose

Lastly, don’t forget that you have many obligations to your volunteers:

  • Empower them
  • Lead while appearing to follow
  • Provide opportunities for meaningful work
  • Provide appropriate information so that Volunteers can do their jobs well
  • Provide adequate orientation and training
  • Provide a thorough job description
  • Conduct performance evaluations….Volunteers do want to know how they performed
  • Provide them with feedback
  • Provide appropriate and frequent appreciation and recognition

 I’m hoping that after you read Ms. Bombeck’s article you will bestow a great big hug on the next volunteer you come across. Lord knows, they deserve it.  And, I will bet you a buck that they will be most appreciative. Just Love ‘Em!

Free to a good nonprofit home

Posted on by
Reply

Copier/Printer/Fax/Scanner  -  Toshiba E-Studio 2500c

This deluxe machine is in perfect working order, we’ve just outgrown it. It can do everything that a small office wants, and it can do it in color. Below are the specs. Please contact Sandi at 816.237.1999 or SGrimm@FundraisingJBA.com  if you are interested. (Delivery not provided.)

30/35 Black & White Pages Per Minute
25/35 Color Pages Per minute
(2) 550 Sheet Paper Drawers
Auto Duplex (2 Sided Copying & Printing)
Auto Document Feeder (RADF)
Reduction and Enlargement 25% – 400%
600×600 dpi Copy Resolution
Electronic Sorting
Paper Size: 5-1/2 x 8-1/2/11 x 17
Network Print/Scan (Included)
Scan to Email/File/Folder (Included)
Color Scanning 600dpi (Included)
Fax (Included)
Stapler Finisher (Included)

Getting Your Board Onboard

Posted on by
Reply

Editors note:  Jeffrey Byrne & Associates, Inc. is a member of The Giving Institute (a member of the Nonprofit Research Collaborative) and a contributor to the annual Giving USA Report which is researched and written by The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University.

Judy Keller
Senior Vice President
Jeffrey Byrne & Associates, Inc.

Many of the calls we receive from staff we work with have a common theme. Regardless of the organization’s size or mission, its senior staff, at some point in the conversation—generally fairly early—express frustration or at best, curiosity, about board engagement among their peer organizations.

A new study by the Nonprofit Research Collaborative entitled, “Nonprofit Fundraising Study: Covering Charitable Receipts at US Nonprofit Organizations in 2011”, published April 2012 indicates most Boards now understand and accept an increased role in fundraising.  Here are ten highlights from the report:

  1. Forty percent of all boards have between 11 and 20 members.
  2. Sixty percent require board members to make a financial contribution to the organization.  The smallest organizations were least likely to make this requirement.
  3. Ninety percent of organizations that require a contribution report that they tell a prospective board member about that expectation at the time of recruitment.
  4. Only 35% set a minimum gift amount for board contributions
  5. The average annual board gift is just under $5,000 with education organizations reporting the highest at $12,520.
  6. Only 11% of responding organizations in the religion subsector reported a minimum gift amount, but their average gift is not lower than averages in most other subsectors.
  7. Sixty percent of organizations track the amount board members help raise.
  8. Board members are most likely to get involved by allowing use of their names (79%), asking friends or associates to attend events (78%), and making personal introductions (76%).
  9. Only 52% of board members will host events in their home or business.
  10. Board members are least likely to develop the fundraising plan, although 52% do, and rate prospective donors, although 42% do.

There is no longer an excuse for board members not to be engaged in fundraising in some capacity for your organization. It is now accepted best practice that strong organizations have board members who are actively engaged in supporting the organization. Serving as wise counsel is no longer sufficient.

For more information about board giving and how to energize your board around giving, go to http://www.FundraisingJBA.com/ or attend our workshop in Kansas City on June 8 to learn about engaging your board in capital campaigns.

Now Is The Time To Assess Your Fundraising Strength

Posted on by
Reply

26 Questions You Should Ask

By John F. Marshall, Senior Vice President, Midwest Region 

Just how well is your organization’s fundraising program doing? “I think we are doing pretty well, thank you very much,” may be your response.  But how do you really know? Do you take the time on annual basis to review your fundraising programs to determine just how effective they are? Every other year? Every five years? Not at all?

Effective fund development depends upon a number of critical elements:

  • A clear understanding of your various constituencies, their needs and how your organization meets their needs;
  • Clear institutional direction and ongoing strategic planning;
  • Shared expectations of staff and volunteers (especially with the Board);
  • And a management structure which fully supports the fundraising and development process

Regardless of how long your organization has had a functioning fundraising program – and regardless of its degree of sophistication – you should be conducting regular evaluations of its effectiveness. If it’s been awhile since you’ve done this, now is the time to put it on the agenda for the first half of 2012. 

I found the following assessment tool a number of years ago and have put it to good use many times, either as the head of an organization’s development operation or, more recently, has become particularly helpful when trying to create a shared picture of your fund development performance. It goes a long way in getting volunteers and staff to communicate in a manner which can help take your best practices to a whole new level. I assure you that you will discover a number of areas which are either “just OK” or in need of wholesale improvement.                                                

The following assessment tool is designed for use by each member of your board and leadership staff, primarily the executive director and the chief development officer.  While the questions stand alone as important areas of inquiry as you evaluate the effectiveness of your fundraising, it is the discussion that is generated by these questions – among your staff, and among your staff and board – that will add real value to improving your fundraising program.      

Does Your Organization Have? Yes No Don’t Know Needs Help

1. A justifiable reason, recognized by the community to raise public and private contributions?                                        

        

2. Services and programs that are viewed as worthy by your constituents and the community?      

        

3. A mission statement that can be accurately summarized in a few sentences?                                                                               

        

4. Is the mission statement reviewed regularly by the board?     

        

5. A strategic long-range plan, and a process to review this plan by the board on a regular basis?                                           

        

6. A positive public image?  

        

7. An accurate record of donors, volunteers and clients?             

        

8. On-going strategies to build your constituent base and cultivate relationships?                                                                   

        

9. Organizational evaluation systems which assess program and board effectiveness, and a commitment to intervene as needed?                                                                                        

        

10. Plans already in place for programs and projects before fundraising begins?                                                                         

        

11. A process to identify, cultivate and recruit new board members?                                                                                          

        

12. A process to evaluate board members and remove ineffective members?                                                                     

        

13. An active and committed board whose members are willing to fundraise on your behalf?                                            

        

14. Fundraising expertise and community influence on the board?                                                                                               

        

15. Annual financial contributions to the organization by 100% of the board members?                                                       

        

16. Annual financial contributions to the organization by the Executive Director and the Chief Development Officer?    

        

17. A strong board committee structure including a fundraising/development committee to support fundraising initiatives?                                                                                       

        

18. Discussion of fundraising progress at every board meeting?                                                                                         

        

19. Commitment to pursue/secure a diversified fundraising base (individual, corporate and foundation gifts)?                                                                                               

        

20. A process to regularly research and cultivate individual, corporate and foundation gifts?                             

        

21. A board willingness to budget funds needed to support  fundraising?                                                                

        

22. Clerical/administrative support for the fundraising function?                         

        

23. Availability of professional fundraising counsel  on an as-needed basis?                                                                           

        

24. An accurate record of all fundraising projects and results for past years?                                                                  

        

25.  Systems in place to acknowledge all gifts within 48 hours of receipt?                                                                                    

        

26. A program to recognize donors and their gifts?