Board and staff members each have distinct core duties, and both share functions critical to the survival of the organization.  Specific to the board are duties of providing fiduciary oversight, setting policies, ensuring legal compliance and advising the organization.  Staff duties include the management of day-to-day operations, implementation of board policies, and program evaluation.  Board and staff share responsibility for fundraising, communications and marketing, and organizational accountability.  All serve as advocates and askers for the organization and are responsible for its continued success.

These are crucial tasks.  Dedicated, intelligent, mission-driven people are needed for nonprofit board service.  The process of identification, recruitment, orientation, continuing education and succession planning for the board is much like the asking and stewardship process for major donors.  Board and staff relationships are complex, respectful, and fused by common goals.  This is the strength of the organization and the reason why both board and staff can be effective advocates and askers.

How does your organization recruit and retain excellent board members?

Katrina Pierson, Partner and Principal at HBH Consultants, specializes in public relations, communications and fundraising.

 
Renae Shields, CEO of Core Value Consulting, brings a business education background to our organization.

Kathy Zenzen, Vice President of Operations and Resources at United Way of Central Minnesota, provides vital connections in the human services sector.

The Center for Nonprofit Excellence and Social Innovation engages, stimulates, and transforms nonprofit organizations by recognizing and supporting promising and innovative practices for greater community impact with a vision of a vibrant, effective, and innovative nonprofit sector or enhancing the well-being of the Greater St. Cloud area.

CNESI is planning its first Innovation Roundtable on May 9, 2012, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm, at the St. Cloud Public Library.  Brian Myres, Capital One/ING Direct, will kick off the session with his practical suggestions about organizational innovation.

The Roundtable will have a short presentation to encourage dialogue and conversation about organizational innovation and practical ways to encourage creativity in solving community issues and changing an organization’s culture.

More information can be found at www.cnesi.org.

I am collecting photographs from MCN member organizations that best represent nonprofits in our Central Chapter. The pictures I’m looking for may be used on a banner that MCN is creating, but could also be used down the road in our annual report, online, etc. While I can’t guarantee your nonprofit’s photo will be used, if you have something handy, I’d love to consider it.
Details:
• black/white OR color
• .jpeg, tiff or a PDF
• be sure to have all release information taken care of BEFORE sending the picture
• if MCN uses your photo, we’ll definitley let you know
• deadline: the sooner the better!
• email photos to Christa Otteson at cotteson@minnesotanonprofits.org

Thanks in advance — and thanks for being a member of MCN. Have a great day!

–Christa

In addition to her work with HBH, LaTresse orchestrates national and local corporate philanthropic efforts as the Community Relations Team Lead for Tastefully Simple, a $100 million-plus direct sales company based in Alexandria. (Can you say, “Beer Bread?!”) LaTresse is presently on the boards of West Central Initiative and the Minnesota Council on Foundations. She was honored as the 2011 Professional Woman of the Year by the Lakes Area Professional Women’s organization. LaTresse previously served as the State Executive Director for Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) in Georgia.

Over the past few years, we have partnered with LaTresse in developing and conducting the Board Leadership Academy. She is a visionary leader who will provide exceptional service for our clients in the areas of corporate giving and partnerships, community relations, board development and executive mentoring. Contact her at: LaTresse@HBHConsultants.com.

Storytelling has been a huge buzz word as of late, but as we all know, not everyone can weave together a story like Bill Shakespeare. However, we can all gather images that help to tell our story in a way that touches people and most importantly, demands their attention.

You’ve likely heard about Pinterest. Or perhaps you have several boards. Maybe you are even a full-fledged addict already. This latest social media darling hit 100 million unique visitors per month in March. In fact, according to Compete, unique visitors to the site increased by 429% from September through December 2011. And the platform already boasts 3.3 million users.

Charity: Water on Pinterest

So what is Pinterest? Simply put, Pinterest is a visual social media bulletin board that allows users to share and discover interests visually by “pinning” images to their board, and “re-pinning” images their Pinterest friends have shared. It is a source of inspiration. A creative community. Candy for the eye and fuel for the creative soul. And just plain fun.

Our friends at Mashable have put together some tips on how a nonprofit can use the power of Pinterest to tell their story. Here are a few tips we can definitely agree with:

• Reveal Yourself: Give your followers a look at your non-profit from behind the scenes. Pin images that show staff and volunteers working with your organization, as well as those who benefit from that work. It’s a good idea to show supporters the human faces behind your logo.
• Re-Pin/Highlight Other Nonprofits: Like all forms of social media, Pinterest isn’t a place to over-promote. Avoid this is by mixing original pinning with repins of images from other non-profits within your sphere of influence. Users receive an email notification when their images are repinned and they are credited on your repin, which can increase their following. The non-profit you repin may return the favor, allowing Pinterest to become a channel for valuable, non-disruptive cross-promotion.
• Add Pinterest to your Website/Project Pages: This may seem obvious, but it’s often overlooked with new networks. You can add various Pinterest “goodies” (a “pin it” button, follow button, logos, etc.) not only to your homepage, but also to project pages for more exposure.
• Pin Videos: Videos aren’t very common on Pinterest, but they’re on the rise. YouTube videos are especially easy to add, and Pinterest even has a special section for pinned videos.
• Be Inviting: Pinning can sometimes seem like an individualized, solitary action, but it’s important to interact with others and keep community in mind. For non-profits, Pinterest is more than just posting interesting visuals — if used properly, it can be an extension of your organization and, when applicable, a support system.

Of course, the best way to design a Pinterest strategy that works for your organization is to take a look at how others are embracing the platform. Check out Charity: Water, The SanFransisco Ballet and Operation Smile.

But watch out, Pinterest, like other popular social media sites, can suck you in like a black hole. Set limits on your social media time. And as always, before jumping on another social media “craze,” make sure it makes sense for your organization.

For practical information on how to get started with Pinterest, check out this article by USA Today.

How have you used Pinterest either professionally or personally?

HAPPY PINNING!

~Katrina

* Thanks to Matt Petronzio over at Mashable, for your excellent insights referenced above.

According to MCN’s website, “The 2012 Nonprofit Technology & Communications Conference is the place to go to stay up to speed with tools and trends now and looking into the future. You’ll dive into nonprofit strategies for everything from mobile marketing to cloud computing, from digital inclusion, to website design and much more.”

Additionally, new to the conference this year are:

We are also excited to announce that as of March 1, 2012, Katrina Pierson has become a Partner & Principal with HBH Consultants.

“We are delighted for Katrina to become a shareholder with HBH,” said Bob Bunger, Founding Partner & Principal. “She is a remarkably talented professional who has played a significant role in helping our clients since joining the firm. Her insights, vision and passion are invaluable for clients and HBH.”

Dianne Hennes, HBH Founding Partner & Principal added, “I am thrilled that Katrina has accepted our offer to become a Partner and Principal. She brings unique talents in the areas of both communications and fund development and a highly-contagious enthusiasm and energy to our firm and to our clients.”

HBH’s new brand is multi-faceted and includes an updated logo, colors, website and print materials. The transformation represents the growth of our company and the ever-evolving not-for-profit environment.

This year also marks HBH’s 15th anniversary of helping our clients reach new heights in philanthropy, capacity building and communications. We are grateful to have worked with a wide array of exceptional not-for-profit organizations since 1997 and look forward to continuing to evolve and enhance our services.

Special thanks to The Grenwoods design team for creating our new visual identity and to the talented folks at Swim Creative for integrating it into the freshly redesigned HBH website.

 Interested in re-branding for your organization? HBH and our creative partners can help. Contact us to learn more about our services.

Nonprofit organizations must follow certain regulations for gift acknowledgment, of course.  But if your acknowledgement is memorable, it will build an understanding of your mission and generate friends who may be inclined to spread that information widely, as well as to give again in the future.

A personal letter might tell the story of a person who has benefitted from your service.  Change the name to protect confidentiality.  Consider embedding photos within the letter.  Send an e-mail acknowledgement with a link to a video or photo collage.  Be creative in choosing powerful images that represent the outcomes for your organization, and avoid images that stereotype.

After your initial acknowledgement, say “thank-you” again with a second message a few months later telling the donor how the gift was used.  Although foundations have specific reporting requirements, other donors might like a short friendly note with a photo demonstrating the use of the gift.  And please don’t ask for another gift yet.  Just say thanks.

What are some creative ways you use to thank your donors?

-Dianne