Jennifer E Goldman, Nonprofit Consultant

Have you ever been invited to an event coordinated by a nonprofit organization and thought, "That's strange. Why would  they  be hosting something like  this?"  If so, then chances are that the organization didn't think about their mission when they planned the event. There's no alignment there.  The main concern with events that don’t align with an organization’s mission is that it dilutes the understanding of what that nonprofit was set up to do. It’s Branding 101 – be consistent in your messaging. Always. I’ve seen private schools who boast instilling education, values, and citizenship for its students and then hosts a Monte Carlo Night with cigars, booze and gambling. I’ve seen historic preservation organizations coordinating Halloween parades for children. I’ve seen community small business support organizations create a haunted forest event out in the middle of nowhere. The allure for nonprofits is the idea that creating super big, fun events will give the...

Everybody likes free stuff, right? Well...maybe. It depends on the stuff. If I were to give you the choice: a free new car or a free mud pie, which one would you choose? What if I never offered you the car, just the mud pie? Would that seem like an awesome gift to you? Maybe if you’re three. But as a nonprofit leader, what are you going to do with a mud pie? Ok, so all of that is me being silly and playing devil’s advocate, but how many of you have given consideration to the value of in-kind contributions offered to your organization? Not the stated monetary value of the item; the value of that item to YOU. When is a gift not a gift? In consideration of the in-kind contributions you’re being offered, ask yourself (or your board if you need additional input): Is the service or item you’re being offered of benefit to your organization? Is this something you would have sought out and paid for even if it hadn’t been offered? Is this something you know exactly what to do with, or will it ta...