Nonprofit

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Abundant professional development opportunities in Australia

Having just attended the Fundraising Institute Australia (FIA) conference in Melbourne, I am reminded of the abundance of professional development opportunities we have available as fundraisers in this market. Here are a few upcoming conferences and learning opportunities available in Asia-Pacific.

National Conferences

FIA Conference

The FIA Conference happens annually in February or March and attracts more than 800 fundraisers, volunteers, and suppliers. Rich with content and networking opportunities, FIA Conference is the leading conference of its type in Asia Pacific. The 2016 conference offered 8 masterclasses, dozens of sessions across 6 tracks, and a wide range of networking over breakfast, lunch and cocktail receptions. FIA also hold the annual awards gala on the second night of conference. The 2017 Conference is scheduled for 22-24 Feb in the Gold Coast. Mark your schedule today.

Fundraising & Philanthropy Australasia Magazine (F&P)

In Sept or Oct of each year, F&P Magazine offer a conference, which is a two-day conference with rapid and sequential presentations. Rather than a track format, F&P offer everyone the same presenters with all participants gathered in one room. This format ensures you do not miss a single presentation. F&P also offer a host of other conference events throughout the year.

Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)

Focused on higher education, the CASE APAC is said to be the annual signature event in Asia-Pacific for advancement professionals from educational institutions working in alumni relations, fundraising, marketing and communications. This four-day conference is designed to equip delegates with knowledge, resources, best practices and to foster networking among like-minded professionals, exhibitors and sponsors in the educational industry. APAC is scheduled for 11-14 April in Hong Kong.

Fundraising Institute New Zealand (FINZ)

Quite similar to the FIA Conference, FINZ offer New Zealanders with opportunities to hear international and domestic speakers. The FINZ Conference is scheduled for 13-15 April in Auckland.

EducatePlus

There’s something for everyone who works in educational advancement in this Conference. Whether you work on our own, as part of a large team, or as a volunteer on a fundraising committee, this Conference is designed to open your eyes, inspire and guide you.

  • Fundraisers – School/Tertiary
  • Alumni Relations Professionals – School/Tertiary
  • Marketing & Communications Professionals – School/Tertiary
  • Enrolment/Admissions Officers – School
  • Community Engagement Professionals – School/Tertiary
  • Senior Leaders, Board Members and Foundation Committee members – School/Tertiary

The EducatePlus Conference will take place on 7-9 Sept in the Gold Coast.

Blackbaud Conference (BBCON)

Blackbaud have been holding conferences in Australia for a decade now. Many people believe BBCON is Blackbaud solely product focused. This is actually not the case. While one can certainly hear a lot about Blackbaud product at their conference, topics range from management, to fundraising, to data-focused. The Blackbaud Conference is scheduled for 1 and 2 August in Sydney.

Webinars

Webinars are a terrific and cost-effective means to gain knowledge on a topic without having to travel to another city or even leave your office or home. ConnectingUp and FIA offer regular webinars on a variety of topics and presented by international and Australian presenters.

State-based Professional Development

FIA

Each state FIA hold a plethora of professional development sessions. Most states have monthly events, which include breakfasts, lunches or evening networking events. These events are volunteer-driven and offer a wealth of content in 90 minutes.

Special Interest Groups

FIA and other organisations have special interest groups, which are fundraising area focused and offer an opportunity for fundraising specialists to gather to discuss successes and challenges in their area of the sector. Special interest groups focus on: Direct marketing, regular giving, major gifts, bequests, corporate partnerships, trusts and foundations, events, amongst other topic areas. You don’t see a special interest group focused on your focus area? Contact FIA and suggest one is started in your state.

Get out there! There are plenty of fundraising professional development opportunities to absorb and enjoy.

_MG_6056Stephen Mally, FundraisingForce, will be presenting in the following locations in 2016:

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Ensuring your CRM supplier knows their business is a non-negotiable

Teamwork Team Together Collaboration Diversity People Friends Concept

FundraisingForce works with many nonprofit organisations throughout the year to implement new CRM solutions. One of the things which make or break a CRM implementation is the level of expertise of the staff of your CRM supplier. FundraisingForce call this their bench strength.

Why is CRM staff expertise so critical?

The fact is the product might be amongst the most effective solutions in the market. If the bench strength is weak, your implementation of the solution will be sub-par. Before you purchase any CRM, understand the following:

  • What is make up of the parent company leadership?
    • The make up of the leadership will often times speak volumes about the line staff.
  • What is the financial strength of the parent company?
    • By acquiring the new product, you are entering into a 7-10 year relationship. You want to ensure the parent company will be around for the long-term relationship.
  • Who are the staff who will be assigned to your project?
    • Meet the staff before you agree to the relationship.
  • What is the background of each staff person?
    • How well do they know the nonprofit industry?
      • You likely do not want your organisation to be the nonprofit training ground for the team.
    • How well do the staff know the product they are implementing?
      • While not everyone will have a PhD in the product, you certainly do not want to be product training ground for the team. Ensure someone on the team has at least one year of experience implementing the CRM
    • Understand the succession plan should someone from the team leave the organisation.
      • What transitioning will be done should someone leave the team?
        • There is a high level of turnover on these teams – nearly as much as nonprofit organisations face. Understand the transition plan should someone exit the stage.
      • What sort of on-boarding processes exist?
        • While there are no guarantees your nonprofit will still have the same team across the project, you will want to understand what processes are in place should a transition occur. This on-boarding process should be in place at your organisation and at the CRM parent organisation.

Purchasing a new CRM is the single largest investment for most nonprofit organisations. You are not only purchasing product, but you are purchasing the expertise of the consultants who will implement the CRM. The product part of the decision is 65% of the decision while the consultant aspect is 35%. Organisations spend 90-100% of the time studying product functionality and 0-10% of the time focused on the expertise on the bench. This split needs to closer match the product/consultancy ratio. Spend 35% of the search time studying and interviewing the staff. This will be time well invested.

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Qantas asked me to complete my transaction

Snip20160228_3On Sunday I booked a last minute trip on Qantas. I did not complete the reservation and went to other airline sites to shop around for a better deal. Moments after I closed out of the Qantas website, Qantas sent me an email asking me to complete the transaction.

Why did I think this was so interesting? What can nonprofit organisations learn from this experience?

Clearly one has to be logged into a Website in order for the site owner to send a reminder similar to the one I received by Qantas. Yet, Qantas is taking the added step to ask me to purchase the airline ticket rather than lose me to another air carrier. There are plenty of charity sites where the donor may be logged in and where this functionality could be repeated for donors who do not finish the donation transaction. It is clever for Qantas or, in your case, your nonprofit organisation to put the transaction on hold and to send a reminder to the person to complete the transaction.

I wonder what Qantas’ rate of recovery is for such transactions? I also wonder if any nonprofit organisations are using similar technology to recapture donations which would otherwise be lost?

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Why must CRM searches include requirements gathering?

FundraisingForce receives about one call every seven to ten days from nonprofits asking for assistance to search for a customer relationship management (CRM) system. These nonprofit organisations are typically seeking our expertise to find the best CRM available in the marketplace.

Some charitable organisations want to expedite the process, skip the homework and due diligence to be done, and simply want to have FundraisingForce tell them which CRM to purchase. As a firm, we decline to advise on a purchase until we gather the requirements of the charitable organisation and assist them to match those requirements to the available product in the market.

Why must CRM searches include requirements gathering?

Nonprofit organisations need to understand their own requirements. Your organisation’s requirements might be vastly different than those of another nonprofit organisation. Sure, some requirements will be the same across nonprofit organisations. Nonetheless, your organisation likely has a set of unique requirements which need to be addressed in any CRM solution. It is critical these requirements are understood, from within and by FundraisingForce, before we can take your organisation to market. The market needs to be able to respond to your requirements and state why their product(s) are a match for your organisation. To go to the market without a full understanding of your requirements is a little like looking for a spouse before you know the type of person you are interested in dating.

Many organisations have a difficult time expressing their own requirements. We believe this is because no one has ever taken the time to articulate the business requirements for the organisation and documented those requirements in a clear and cohesive manner.

Understanding yourselves before finding the CRM partner is the first step in a successful CRM marriage.

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Two surprise charity telemarketing calls

Illustration depicting a phone with a cold caller concept.

Life is full of surprises – some of them pleasant and some a disappointment. I was both surprised and disappointed by two telemarketing calls I received on Friday of last week. Disappointed because the calls came hours apart, from the same telemarketing firm calling on behalf of two different charities.

Both calls came to my mobile phone. I am not a donor to either nonprofit organisation. I am usually happy to take telemarketing calls. I certainly do not frown upon charities using telemarketing to raise money, acquire new donors, or to sell raffle tickets. I also respect the work of most telemarketing agencies in Australia.

I told the second caller I had just received a telemarketing call a few hours earlier from their firm for another nonprofit organisation. The caller responding by telling me the firm was conducting campaigns for about 12-14 charities and I am likely to get more than these two calls in the coming days. This response both shocked me and added to the issue at hand.

These two calls raised questions or concerns:

  • Why wouldn’t the telemarketing firm run a match on all call lists to ensure multiple calls do not occur to the same person or household in the same day.
  • Are the charities who have contracted with this firm aware multiple calls are occurring to the same people and/or household in the same day? Are these charities aware of the other campaigns running parallel?
  • Do multiple calls from the same firm in the same day make the charities look badly?

I believe both the telemarketing firm and the charities owe it to those being called to coordinate the campaigns, calls, and asks.

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Nonprofit technology transitions face many risks

Risks exist in every project and may be managed through a coordinated effort. Nonprofit CRM projects are no exception and can contain a multitude of risks. Mitigating risks is paramount as part of any CRM project. I recently was asked to surface the top reasons Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) project fail. I came up with hundreds of reasons, but I narrowed them to a list of 10 “theme” areas.

Investing in a new CRM solution is exactly that – a large investment of funding and of time. It may be the single largest investment for a non profit organisation. Imagine investing a lot of money and energy into a CRM project and the outcome is not what you had hoped to achieve. Or, imagine the project fails. It’s a terrible shame when CRM projects go off the rail. And, they do not need to. Solid management on the part of the charitable organisation and the supplier ensures a successful outcome.

Why do CRM projects fail?

  1. Purchasing the new toy. Implementing technology for the sake of something new. People within your organisation may believe your non profit organisation has to have brand name solution X because it is the newest technology or because the CRM parent company has a convincing and aggressive marketing campaign.
    • Big deal. You did not buy an iPad the minute the device hit the market, right? Instead you took time to understand the product and to let others test the product before you adopted it. Do the same with any CRM solution and the associated supplier.
  2. Senior level engagement team members are not engaged.
    • Project sponsors are critical to any CRM project. Project sponsors are the project “owners” and ought to sit at the highest level of your organisational hierarchy. These should be the individuals who control the purse strings and the strategic direction of the organisation. Project sponsors are not project managers. They are part of the steering committee, are well informed, and have oversight at the 36,000 foot level.
  3. Timing is everything. Is your non profit ready for a new CRM? Is this the right time to change something as large as the CRM? Is the entire organisation ready to make a change.
    • Change management is not only about bringing people from point A to point Z, but it is also about understanding whether your organisation has an appetite for change at the outside of the project.
  4. A lack of strategic direction.
    • Ensure you agree on the strategic goals for the CRM. For example, is your mandate to find a CRM to fit the entire organisation or simply the fundraising department?
  5. Business understanding. Understanding your business and the requirements of your departments begins well before the implementation of any CRM.
    • Requirements gathering start well before deciding the “right” solution for the charity. In fact, requirements gathering happen at step one. Always understand your business before even going out to market to examine solutions to fit. I call this the homework stage. Do your homework and you will pass the exam. Learning requirements after signing to purchase a CRM or during the implementation is too late.
  6. Organisation-wide means organisation wide.
    • There are plenty of CRM solutions in the market focusing on fundraising operations. There are not many with an organisation-wide focus. Sure, you can create workarounds and try to put a square peg in a round hole. But, you want to find a solution, which may be used by your services arm just as easy as it may be used by fundraising. Creating one source of truth, organisation-wide, ought to be a goal at the outset.
  7. Lack of process change.
    • Documenting your AS IS business processes at the outset becomes a necessary exercise for your orgnaisation and for any supplier to ensure you understand how business occurs in your existing CRM and so you understand the potential for change. Thereafter, keeping an eye on the AS IS processes, or the origination, helps you understand the TO BE state, or the destination.
  8. Budgeting for human capital. Do you have the right people in the right positions budgeted for the right amount of time for the course of the project?
    • You likely need to supplement existing staff so you may continue business as usual and accomplish the CRM project at the same time. Plan for staff absences, staff departures, and other issues to come along the way. This is a long project and things happen over the course of 6-12+ months.
  9. Product does not meet requirements.
    • No product is perfect, even though a supplier’s sales team might lead you to believe their product could power the next space shuttle. Hopefully you performed due diligence in searching for a product and you are entering the relationship knowing the products benefits and deficiencies. Why didn’t you know this before you got married to the supplier? Think of this as dating. We date people for a reason – to get to know them and to determine if they are the “right fit”. If we marry the person, we know their strengths and weaknesses prior to marriage (and they know ours!). Likewise, you should know the supplier’s gaps and the product’s gaps prior to signing any agreement. There will be surprises, which surface in the implementation. Lessen the surprises by doing your homework in advance.
  10. Scope creep/waste. There is a risk when no one is keeping an eye on the finances.
    • Your supplier will likely have a bank of hours to spend on the project. You need a project manager who will monitor the spend and ensure your dollars are spent on the tasks which matter most and which gain you the outcome you desire.

Keeping your eye on this top list and others will ensure you have a successful outcome with your CRM project. These are your responsibility, not the responsibility of the suppliers in the market. As non profit managers we should own them.

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Best practice moment – Bobby Goldsmith Foundation

Does your non profit organisation have a solid process in place to encourage supporters to update their contact details? Is the process multi-channel?

Snip20160131_13I received an email from Bobby Goldsmith Foundation on Friday and I was pleased to have the opportunity to update my details. The piece is best practice and I want to share it with you.

When creating opportunities for supporters to update their contact details, the following are essential components:

  • Create a process to allow for online/Email, phone, and post responses.
  • Ensure online responses land in your constituent relationship management (CRM) system to eliminate the need for rekeying of information.
  • Always allow for the donor to give an additional donation. If you do not, you’ve missed an opportunity.
    • Donors often times will realise they failed to keep you posted of their movements and realise they are not current in their support of your organisation.
  • Ask for more information than you currently hold on the supporter. Lack a person’s mobile or home numbers? Lack their email address?
    • Remember, this is about enhancing their contact record as much as it is editing their record. Show the lack of information on their form.

It’s the time of the year when all charities should be reviewing, strengthening, and, in some cases, developing internal processes. Take a moment and look at your contact details update process.

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Feel good moment while at a client site

Farewell

A supervisor once told me, “how you say goodbye to an employee is just as important as how you welcome them into our organisation”.

How many times have you resigned a job and your supervisor has barely said a word during your notice period? Did you feel like you were in the process of a divorce and forced to sleep on the sofa for 30 days?

I witnessed a really well done goodbye on Friday while working with a nonprofit organisation in Melbourne.

The organisation held a farewell afternoon tea for a staff member who is moving to a new charity. I was invited to join in the tea and what I witnessed moved me. Instead of saying goodbye to this employee, in isolation, the farewell was conducted in a very public forum. The CEO, CFO, and other leaders joined this man’s supervisor and colleagues in the packed office kitchen to celebrate not only this person, but also a very positive work atmosphere. Anyone was allowed to speak, including the outgoing employee. Recognition was given by this man’s superiors, his staff, and colleagues. Additionally, the employee said a few words to recognise his colleagues and the wonderful organisation.

I suspect more good was done with this farewell than any organisation can measure. Not only did this employee feel very good, but his colleagues also showed a vast display of appreciation and celebrated one another. What a team. What a moment. I am grateful I was included and reminded “how you say goodbye to someone is just as important as how you welcome them…”. Farewell, James, and good luck! Kudos to Bush Heritage Australia.

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Is someone in charge of your nonprofit’s social media?

I get a lot of offers to purchase charity lottery tickets and, I assume, you might as well. The offers arrive via Australia Post, Email, and also social media. Last week, I checked out a lottery offer from Surf Life Saving Lotteries on Facebook. I was curious about the house on offer. I noticed seven people had commented on the post, so I also reviewed the comments on the listing.

I was horrified at what I saw.

Surf Life Savers 1 Surfe Life Savers 2

One foul comment and another negative one had been posted, and remained, online for a day. This caused me to ask: is someone in charge of social media at this particular organisation and are they watching over the accounts after hours? Does a person or team monitor your organisation’s social media regularly, even after hours? Would your team delete these sorts of comments or allow them to remain? What’s best practice, especially when foul language is used?

Social media is a fantastic channel to promote our nonprofit brands and to raise needed funds. Social media is also a means for people to offer praise or criticisms of various brands. Donors may choose to promote their support of your nonprofit organisation’s mission and others may choose to criticise your organisation for whatever reason. Every organisation needs to monitor and be responsive on social media – even during the evening or weekend hours. (To be fair, I note Surf Life Saving Australia have responded to many comments on Facebook regarding their lottery, including legitimacy questions and other comments).

If your organisation only monitors social media during daytime hours, think about the harm that might be done in the evening or the weekend if you allow comments to remain or if you fail to respond to feedback. Charities ought to create a schedule for “on call” staff who will monitor social media after hours. Frankly, these staff are likely on their own social media accounts during the evenings and weekends. Monitoring additional accounts is likely to not cut much into their personal time. Dividing the responsibility through proper scheduling will also reduce the time each person needs to spend on this out of office hour task.

There is no doubt social media has added to our workday and increased our workloads substantially. Nonetheless, in this day and age, we must incorporate a plan to be responsive to comments positive and negative. And, there are times we may want to delete offensive comments from posts such as this one.

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Gifts in memory – what follow up is appropriate?

burning memorial candles

People often times create a tribute at a charitable organisation when their loved one passes away. They will often times request people to give a donation to designated charities in lieu of flowers. Gifts in memory are a beautiful way to memorialise someone and to also support nonprofit organisations important to the survivors or to the loved one who has died.

The charitable organisations work hard to acknowledge the gifts made in memory of the person as quickly as possible. Nonprofit organisations focus on the processing of these gifts and sending notifications to the designated family member.  But, what sort of follow up is done once the gifts start to trickle off?

Perhaps charities might do a better job maintaining contact with the survivors a few months after the tribute period and, likewise, make contact on the anniversary of their love one’s death. Not only is this a humane and meaningful thing to do for the family who will continue to grieve for the rest of their lives, but it is also a prudent act as part of your stewardship activity. It shows the family you truly care and, at the same time, may cause them to remember your charity on the anniversary of the death and/or the next time a sad or happy occasion requires a tribute. It is a safe bet to assume a hand written note or a phone call a few months after the death and, again, on the anniversary of the death will be most welcome.

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