Jennifer E Goldman, Nonprofit Consultant

When I started doing strategic planning work with my nonprofit clients, I would tell them that it's just a business plan, but for a nonprofit. But something felt ‘off’ in that statement. It was a great way to get my clients to comprehend the need to have such a plan and the types of things that would go into a plan, though, so I continued to use that analogy for a while. Until one day I decided that I, personally, needed a strategic plan. It seemed a bit silly, but there were things in my life that I wanted to work toward. I wanted a clear roadmap to help me determine what types of things I would need to do to help me achieve these goals and when I should do them for maximum impact. And, of course, I also wanted to know how long it would take me to reach such achievement. (Yes, this is me in my personal life. I’m the life of the party with my spreadsheets and budgets!) That’s when it hit me – strategic plans aren’t just for nonprofits. Everyone should have a strategic plan! Ok, may...

The holiday season is upon us, and we know what that means, every mailbox and email box will be filled with nonprofit pleas for donations. So many worthy causes and only so much money you’re willing to part with in the name of charity. But what if you’re the leader of one of those direct-mail-dropping organizations? How do you make your mission stand out? How do you show your shine and become THE ONE people select from a dozen other cries for contributions? My first piece of advice is to be realistic; not EVERY prospective donor is going to become a sure-thing-donor and even those who will, may not contribute to your organization during the holidays. Next, consider if your organization would be better served by soliciting contributions at another, less popular, time of year? If your organizational mission is strongly tied to the holidays (like, say, Toys for Tots or the Salvation Army) then definitely this is YOUR time of year. If, however, your mission is no more critical in December ...

The end of the year holidays are a busy time for everyone, personally. But while some businesses are doing double-time to keep up with the hustle and bustle of the holidays, others are woefully slow. Regardless of which type of business you own, there are several ways that you can capitalize on your time during the season that will benefit your business. I’ve compiled a list of ideas to share with you – some will be perfect for your business and others will be perfect for someone else. Increasing sales 1. Give away a gift with each minimum purchase or signed contract 2. Create a digital marketing campaign around a competition or drawing 3. Donate a portion of sales to a charity of your choice For your current customers 4. Send hand-written thank you/holiday cards 5. Create and share holiday gratitude videos 6. Share your personal 2021 story in an email Just for fun 7. Decorate your storefront. Extra bonus points if you get your neighbors to do the same. Super ext...

The most common question I get from nonprofit leaders when they hear about my business is “Do you do grant writing?” I used to say yes, but then the conversation typically continued like this: Nonprofit: Great! There’s a grant we’d like to go after and applications are due in two weeks. Me: Ok. Tell me about the program this grant will be funding. Nonprofit: {crickets} Me: Ok. Then tell me what you’d like to use the grant money for. Nonprofit: General operations. Me: Did you read through the grant to see if they allow for their funds to be used that way? Most don’t allow for use of funds to pay for payroll, rent and other operational expenses. Nonprofit: {crickets} Me: I could help you try to find funding to help with specific programs that you have, or even see if we can find a funder who has a particular interest in helping nonprofits with a mission like yours who will allow funds to be used for operational funds. What is your budget? Nonprofit: How much can you get us? And it’s ok i...

  ...you really can't have one without the other. I was asked to submit a guest blog to th e Connecticut Main Street Center about finding board members. During the process of ripping apart an old article on working boards ...and trying to piece it together again sans tongue in cheek...I realized that I have a LOT to say on the topic of board development. Part of it is old trauma still rearing its ugly head after having spent the better part of five years trying to get a dysfunctional board to actually work . One of the most dreaded lines I’d heard as an executive director from board members (and I heard it many, many times. Grrrrr) was, “I don’t have time for this, I have a full-time job!” And in the back of my mind, I answered the same way every time, “Yes, but you also have a part-time job. Here. In this organization. You signed up for this. You VOLUNTEERED.” Simply put no one puts a gun to the heads of working board members and forces them to fill a vacant seat in an organizati...

I've become a big fan of the #virtual meeting, especially when #meeting in person means preparation, a lengthy drive, finding parking, "settling in" time, etc. Virtual meetings save so much time. On the other hand, being in the same room with people has so much benefit. So how do I plan for future meetings? Which is better for one-on-ones? For groups? Here are the questions I’m asking myself as I plan meetings or receive invitations to meetings: 1)   What is the purpose of this meeting? So many people request meetings with no defined purpose, discussion points, or agenda. If the meeting seems to lack an objective, I’ll suggest a phone call instead or request an agenda. 2)   Is this a person I already know, or someone who’s new to me? If it’s someone I don’t know, do I want to know them? What do they have to offer me and/or what do I have to offer them? This may seem like a selfish or even arrogant question, but I’ve learned that if you don’t respect your ti...

By Jennifer E. Goldman, President of Resonance, LLC   When I was the Executive Director of a Main Street community organization, I put together a black tie gala fundraiser every September. It was the most fun I’ve ever had! I loved planning that event – everything from snail mailing out the invitations and selling tickets, to driving a truck to pick up rental tables and chairs, to dashing up and down Main Street in my evening gown and heels to make sure all was well at both ends of the event. BUT I would never have called it a fundraiser. Yes, it was a successful event that hundreds of community members enjoyed and looked forward to every year. Yes, it made us more money than any other fundraiser or event throughout the year. Until you factored in my time. It was such a huge undertaking that I spent, on average, three solid months of my time (spread over nine months though). That’s one-quarter of the year. To make the math easy, let’s say my salary as ED was $48k for the year. One-...

By Jennifer E. Goldman, President Resonance, LLC   If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that even the best of plans can go up in flames in an instant. Rewind the calendar to 2019 and even at that point I was counseling my clients to NOT ask me to create a five-year strategic plan for them. Many didn’t understand. Mostly because many consultants were all gung-ho about making five-year plans. I am an advocate of planning ahead and having a long-term plan, but I’m a bigger advocate of being flexible, of understanding that “we plan, God laughs”. What I tell people is that it’s great to have long-term goals and strategies for getting from where you are to where you want to be, but when you put it all in writing too many people chain themselves to the plan; believing that there’s only ONE way to get from A to B, or that point B is the only destination to work toward. But what if you fall behind? What if you forge further ahead than expected? What if your goals change? What if...pandemic?...

By Jennifer E. Goldman, President of Resonance, LLC As a nonprofit consultant with a degree in business management, I am constantly looking for ways in which organizations can improve their processes to align more closely to those of a small business. An overwhelming majority of smaller nonprofits overlook the need to prove their value, thereby seeming unimpressive or even unimportant to potential donors and volunteers. One of the first things required of a startup business is to create a plan. This plan includes exhibiting, in fine detail, the products or services the business will offer and making a case for the value of those products or services. This is often lacking in the planning stages of a nonprofit, or is overlooked later on and never re-evaluated and restated. Without proving the value of the services your nonprofit offers, why should a donor invest any money? Why should a volunteer invest any time? To get you started, here’s a list of ways to measure the effectiveness of...

By Jennifer E. Goldman, President of Resonance, LLC       Very few nonprofit organizations get years down the road and decide to change their mission, but sometimes it’s a great idea to change your mission statement. And while you’re at it, take a hard look at your vision statement, too.   Here’s why: Did the board that set up the organization know the difference between a Vision Statement and a Mission Statement? The vision statement should exhibit what the world would look like if your organization accomplished its mission. (Think “In a perfect world...”) The Mission Statement should say HOW you plan to accomplish your vision. How old are these statements? After many years a Vision and Mission Statement can get old, stale, dated. Your organization my seek to accomplish the same thing, but the language may need a refresh. How old is your board? Not the ages of your members; the length of time the members have been with ...