To Grow, One Association Focused On Value Instead of Milestones: Associations Now

To Grow, One Association Focused On Value Instead of Milestones: Associations Now: "So how’d they do it? Three years ago, shortly after Stuart Binstock was tapped as CFMA’s new president and CEO, the organization made a significant change to its strategic plan: Leadership agreed to remove membership growth as a priority, deciding to focus instead on delivering greater member value."



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The Strategic Donor Relations Plan... Killing Me Softly | LinkedIn

Great material from Lynne Wester



The Strategic Donor Relations Plan... Killing Me Softly | LinkedIn: "Here's the answer- I can't give you someone's strategic plan. There is no Google keyword search that brings any of them up. I can give you samples of comprehensive plans, calendars of activities and as many other samples as you could ever imagine, if I don't have it posted, heck, I'll go find it for you. But I can't and won't give you a strategic plan I've created or another organization has created. I can teach you how to do a GAP analysis and determine your strategy based on the strategic goals of your leadership. I can show you how to survey your donors, gain feedback and build a program specific to your organization's needs. "



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Influential Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Eyes Strategic Shift – Philanthropy Today - Blogs - The Chronicle of Philanthropy

Influential Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Eyes Strategic Shift – Philanthropy Today - Blogs - The Chronicle of Philanthropy: Influential Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Eyes Strategic Shift

The Chronicle of Higher Education takes an in-depth look the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation’s grant-making and operations as the fund—which has been praised for steadfastly supporting the arts and humanities but criticized for its opacity and focus on elite academic institutions—prepares to release a new strategic plan.

The Third Deadly Sin of Nonprofit Strategy: Over-Emphasis on Fundraising | Nonprofit Community

The Third Deadly Sin of Nonprofit Strategy: Over-Emphasis on Fundraising | Nonprofit Community: Like so many sins, this one starts out innocently enough.

An organization has financial challenges and decides it needs a big new fundraising campaign—maybe even a capital campaign. Then someone remembers that a big fundraising effort will need to be explained as being part of a strategic plan. So they hasten to throw together a strategic plan that justifies the campaign. The final product says “Strategic Plan,” but it is essentially a fundraising plan.

Strategic Philanthropy: Who Wins and Loses? - NPQ – Nonprofit Quarterly - Promoting an active and engaged democracy.

Strategic Philanthropy: Who Wins and Loses? - NPQ – Nonprofit Quarterly - Promoting an active and engaged democracy.: I am beginning to believe that the notion of so-called “strategic philanthropy,” in all of its beguiling and shape-shifting forms, is a very powerful accomplice in transforming the funding ecology and structure of the nonprofit sector. Quite simply, it shifts the onus for creativity and decision making to those who have control of the finances and narrows, in many cases, the number of groups with whom philanthropists have to reciprocally communicate as they “focus” ever more acutely not just on the outcomes they hope for but on their preferred strategy for production of those outcomes. And this smaller number of grantees become the anointed—the chosen.

The balanced scorecard: From strategic plan to effective execution

The balanced scorecard: From strategic plan to effective execution: Sound strategic planning is critical for an organization’s success because it helps define and communicate what the organization wants to accomplish and the steps necessary to get there. Unfortunately, less than 10% of strategies are effectively executed according to Fortune Magazine. Further, success is often defined primarily in terms of dollars raised which can be a narrow and short-term outlook to measuring how well a strategic plan was executed.

Ready. Acquire. Aim. | Rebecca Davies | 101fundraising

Ready. Acquire. Aim. | Rebecca Davies | 101fundraising: Once, twelve days into a new fiscal year, we threw out the annual plan.

Fundraisers love – and should love – their strategic and annual plans. We need plans. Then sometimes we need new ones. This is a blog post about agile planning, and thinking less linearly about the planning cycle.

The Power of Strategic Thinking | Association of Governing Boards

The Power of Strategic Thinking | Association of Governing Boards: Indeed, one could argue that the institutional conservatism of colleges and universities and the different ways in which market incentives work in higher education motivate institutions to devote most of their resources and energy to the first box—doing even better what we already do. Certainly that is the goal of our strategic plan at Smith College, like the plans of many colleges and universities. Furthermore, the alumni support so vital to reputation and fundraising often depends on a certain cultivated nostalgia, the opposite of “selective forgetting.” Projects that represent a radical change in an institution’s business model, even when undertaken as pilot endeavors, are relatively rare at colleges and universities.

Duke Nonprofit Program Graduates Intensive Track Class | Duke Today

Duke Nonprofit Program Graduates Intensive Track Class | Duke Today: Kuniholm and 31 other students from around the country spent an intensive week of studying nonprofit organizations.

During the 8-day Nonprofit Management Intensive Track class, students explored the following key nonprofit areas: Sustainable Strategic Planning, Grant Writing, Board Development/Governance, Integrating Social Enterprise into Your Nonprofit Strategy, Human Resource Development, Basic Employment Law, Planning & Evaluation, Fundraising, and Financial Management.

Staff Retreats on a Shoestring: For the typically cash-strapped nonprofit, a staff retreat can seem like a luxury, reserved for private companies with revenue to spare. But organizing a staff retreat on a budget is not only feasible, some executive directors argue it's a necessary and integral component of long-term strategic planning. Dave Kranenburg, executive director of Toronto-based Meal Exchange and Ben Peterson, co-founder and executive director of Journalists for Human Rights, maintain that nonprofit retreats o

How the Downturn Changes Strategy Work - Good Advice - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

How the Downturn Changes Strategy Work - Good Advice - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: "Over the past three years, my thinking, like that of many of my colleagues, has changed radically.

First, strategy now seems to be as much about good decision making as good planning. Rather than thinking of myself as the expert architect of a process that will eventually yield strategy, I now work with executives to make good decisions in real time.

In arriving at those decisions, we draw on some of the tools in a typical strategic-planning process, but a decision-making orientation changes the consulting arrangement—for the better."

Alternatives to Strategic Planning, by Jan Masaoka

Alternatives to Strategic Planning, by Jan Masaoka

Living Into Your Strategic Plan: A Guide to Implementation That Gets Results

Living Into Your Strategic Plan: A Guide to Implementation That Gets Results

BYU's Grantwell program makes an impact | Mormon Times

BYU's Grantwell program makes an impact | Mormon Times: "rantwell works for foundations and other large donors, offering grantmaking recommendations and assisting in strategic planning. Grantwell also provides opportunities to network with philanthropists, community leaders and other professional contacts. Ultimately, it prepares students for future work and service in the nonprofit sector.

Case in point: last year seven BYU MPA students, myself included, facilitated the distribution of $10,000 from the Peery Foundation to a nonprofit organization called Real Victory. This beneficial experience for the foundation, the nonprofit and the students took place because of this new, cutting-edge, student-run program. Grantwell bridges the gap between education and philanthropy, students and foundations."

Use it Today - The Alternative to RFPs

Use it Today - The Alternative to RFPs: "The Alternative to RFPs
by Hildy Gottlieb

You are about to embark on a major project - a board development initiative, a fund development plan, a strategic planning session, a capital campaign.

You are not an expert in these areas, so you decide to find a consultant to help. Your board suggests creating a Request for Proposals - an RFP - to have consultants bid on the work. In that way, you will be able to compare all their ideas and approaches, and get the best price."

Signs indicate nonprofit sector recovering from recession - News 8

Signs indicate nonprofit sector recovering from recession - News 8: "Since the recession began, nonprofits nationwide have suffered. While overall giving is down, some area leaders will tell you loyal donors are opening their wallets more than ever, because they recognize the increased demand for their services.

Those at the Center for Community-Based & Nonprofit Organizations at Austin Community College coach nonprofit leaders to always be looking to the future, predicting trends, strategic in their planning and have a solid board."

Strategic philanthropy plays big role in Minnesota - Finance and Commerce

Strategic philanthropy plays big role in Minnesota - Finance and Commerce: "Strategic philanthropy plays big role in Minnesota
by Betsy Sundquist Staff Writer

Minnesota foundations that make grants to nonprofit organizations in the state had a $2.28 billion impact from 2004 to 2008, according to a new report from the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP)."

Getting Clients To Focus On Philanthropic Goals - Forbes.com

Getting Clients To Focus On Philanthropic Goals - Forbes.com: "Philanthropy has evolved from simply supporting your college alma mater and church to being a strategic way for clients to positively influence the world they and their children will live in. Through informal and formal structures, such as family foundations, donor-advised funds and giving circles, clients are becoming more highly engaged in philanthropy. As advisers, we can provide valuable insight and planning advice to help our clients become more strategic and focused in their philanthropy, and to help us forge deeper relationships that get at the heart of our clients' long term goals."

Corporate Giving: Best of the Basics : By Kerri Cleghorn : FundRaising Success

Corporate Giving: Best of the Basics : By Kerri Cleghorn : FundRaising Success: "Corporate Giving: Best of the Basics
By Kerri Cleghorn
Jan 27, 2009


The key to successful corporate-giving partnerships lies in thoughtful planning, strategic execution and responsible stewardship.

Here are some tips on best practices for developing each phase of a corporate-giving partnership."

Investment Executive : Demand for advice on charitable giving set to soar, advisors told

Investment Executive : Demand for advice on charitable giving set to soar, advisors told: "Philanthropic giving is beginning to play a growing role in financial planning in Canada, and advisors should be prepared to discuss the topic with their clients, experts told financial advisors at a conference in Oakville, Ont. on Thursday.

In fact, charitable donations are expected to double in the next decade, and more Canadians are discussing their giving practices with their financial advisors, according to Brad Offman, vice-president of strategic philanthropy for Mackenzie Financial Corp.

“It’s very important in the overall context of an advisor’s professional practice,” he said, adding that a vast majority of charitable donors expect financial advisors to have the knowledge and capabilities to facilitate charitable giving."