Kayla Garcia

"You can't manage what you can't measure." But, measuring the RIGHT metrics is also important for managing effectively. Are you measuring and valuing the right metrics? This article points out a few.

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Thoughtful Stewardship Motivates Other Donors As seasoned fundraisers will attest, many major donors will, upon making a gift commitment, say they want no recognition and a surprising number say they would prefer to remain anonymous. I don't know how many say that because it's how they feel or because they think that is what they should say. It doesn't really matter. My standard response was "We need your example." Example is important in philanthropy and fundraising. I wanted to afford my donors recognition because I knew it would be inspiring and motivating to others - if we told their story in the right way. All too often we squander the opportunity of example. We announce the amount someone has given and make some banal statements about the transformative effect it will have but rarely do we follow up and demonstrate the actual transformational impact years down the road. Even sadder, we don't do enough to publicize why the donor gave or highlight the values that underpinned and motivated their giving. Yet, the story of why one donor gave can be highly motivating to other current and potential donors. We seem to forget that many of us spend our lives trying to become better people. We seek to liberate our big and altruistic side from our small, selfish and self-protective side. We don't always know how to do that but we try. It's why we look to the examples of others, why we look for people we can admire and emulate. It's not how much someone gave but why. When we hear about someone giving because they want to spare others from the loss or pain visited on them or their loved ones, we revisit our pain and loss and ask ourselves if we have done enough to spare others. When we hear about someone giving to return what they think was a good done for them years ago, we go back to our past and ourselves if we have paid due credit to those who were most helpful in our formative years. When we hear someone giving because they felt fortune smiled on them, we think more about our good fortune and how we might share it. The more we seize on the power of example through effective storytelling, we help others reflect and say to themselves: That's who I want to be like. That's how I could give more meaning to my life. That's how I can become a better person. It's not the size of the gift we celebrate, it's the examples of how people turn to philanthropy to forgive, to convert struggle and loss to purpose, to remember and honor those that shaped their lives, to chip away at injustices visited on them, to provide others opportunities they never had, and to bequeath more to the future than they inherited from the past. We need these examples and these stories. We want to be in the presence of people striving to do good with their lives. We look for ways to be better people. The more thoughtfully we steward and share each donor's story, the more we widen the philanthropic path.

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Tough Love for Donors? As nonprofit pros, we are eternally grateful to our donors and funders of all stripes. “We couldn’t do this without you.” 🫂 It’s a fundraising letter cliché yet sincere and truthful every time it’s said. There are, however, some funders who can do a lot of damage to staff well-being and/or willingly subvert your organization’s mission. 😡 In the next few days, I’m going to highlight a few general red flags that indicate it’s time for a “tough love” conversation with a funder. But I’m curious: ·     What scenarios have you encountered from a donor or patron that made you consider whether their support was worth the headache? ·     Does your organization have a clear definition of what is acceptable and what’s not? ·     Have you ever walked away from a funder who previously provided significant support? If so, why? #nonprofit #fundraising #donors

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I’m digging deep into why gatherings are so powerful in fundraising. One of the biggest benefits is the ability to build trust with your donors. Gatherings accelerate that by: - Providing a way to get to know your donors and create a sense of community and shared purpose. - Creating an opportunity to demonstrate your impact, financial credibility and vision for the future.

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Conversations between funders and nonprofit organizations are an opportunity to have holistic conversations about supporting the financial health of an organization. Our updated Full Cost Communication Guide includes tips and scenarios to these topics from a more generative perspective. Topics include: 💥 Discussing deficits 💥 Reduced funding 💥 Surpluses and reserves 💥 Negotiating Funding Terms Check it out along with more full cost resources at: https://nff.org/full-cost

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Are you looking for innovative strategies to create or expand your donor base? Join me as I present a FREE WEBINAR, "A Case Study in Finding New Donors." This session is designed to provide you with actionable insights and proven strategies to find new supporters. 🗓️ Date: May 8, 2024 🕘 Time: 9:00 AM PT | 12:00 PM ET 📍 Location: Online at Nonprofit Learning Lab Why should you attend? - Learn from a case study how to create a prospective donor list - Learn cutting-edge strategies to find new donors - Know how to discover potential prospects’ interests - Understand what to do with the potential donors Spots are limited, and you won’t want to miss this opportunity to transform your approach to prospecting. 👉 Register now at: https://lnkd.in/gAjyYSNn Let's make a bigger impact together by empowering our organizations with the knowledge and tools needed to thrive in the challenging but rewarding nonprofit sector. See you there! 🚀 #kindsight #iWave #NonprofitLearningLab #NonprofitManagement #Fundraising #Webinar #DonorEngagement #NonprofitLeaders #CommunityImpact

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Want the recording of our recent Free Connelly & Assoc. Fundraising Planned Giving Webinar with Rebecca Rothey, CFRE, CAP®, AEP®? (And PDFs of the Planned Giving Webinar deck, and Rebecca’s information sheet with planned giving vendor options?) E-mail me at vconnelly@connellyfundraising.com and I will send you the webinar recording link and related documents. Rebecca presented a fast-paced webinar packed with tips (but not tricks) for incorporating planned giving into your everyday fundraising. Rebecca offered strategies for external marketing, pipeline tracking and gift reporting, and included an overview of vendor resources for every budget. Simple examples of how to talk with donors about making a planned gift were shared. Equally important, strategies for internal marketing and story-telling were discussed. Thanks to Patti Santoni, Director, Philanthropy, Charlestown by Erickson Senior Living for joining us and presenting with Rebecca. Thanks as well to PJ Sawchuk and everyone at Epic Solution Partners for their assistance with our free webinar. Also: Register Now - 2 Free Happy Hours for all Fundraisers, Nonprofit Leaders & Friends - May 2 & May 23. (Each event has a separate registration.) Last chance to register for the May 2 event - Registration closes soon - Register Now - Free May 2 Maryland Nonprofits, UMB & SEA Networking Event for all Fundraisers, Nonprofit Leaders & Friends. Maryland Nonprofits is teaming up with their friends from University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) and the Social Enterprise Alliance (SEA) for a FREE networking event on Thursday, May 2 from 5:00 - 7:00 pm at Maryland Nonprofits, 1500 Union Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21211, first floor. NEW EVENT LOCATION - LOCATION UPDATE - This event is no longer at UMB - it is now at Maryland Nonprofits. Both Maryland Nonprofits members and non-members are very welcome to join us. I am happy to be assisting my friends at Maryland Nonprofits with the promotion of their free event. To register for the Free May 2 Maryland Nonprofits, UMB & SEA Networking Event: https://lnkd.in/eUw67E8h Register Now - Another Free Happy Hour Networking Event on Thursday, May 23 from 5:30 - 7:30 pm at Union Craft Brewing in Baltimore for all Fundraisers, Nonprofit Leaders & Friends presented by Connelly & Assoc. Fundraising, Dinkel Business Development, Singer Damareck Real Estate, Epic Solution Partners, and Baltimore magazine. To register for our Free May 23 Happy Hour: https://lnkd.in/dXTd4nUR Save the Date - Thursday, Aug. 8 at M8 Beer in Baltimore - Another Free Connelly & Assoc. Fundraising Happy Hour Networking Event for all Fundraisers, Nonprofit Leaders & Friends - to benefit BARCS.

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ICMA's 2024 Economic Mobility and Opportunity Cohort is an opportunity for ICMA members to implement EMO - centered strategies through policies, practices, processes, and programs. Discover more about economic mobility and our selected cohort communities. https://lnkd.in/en8DVN5U

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Interested in learning strategies to help you better advocate for inclusivity and justice in your communities? Explore Urban Institute and Race Forward Government Alliance on Race and Equity’s new Equity Resource Navigator, a tool designed to help local leaders find resources to advance equity in the communities they serve.  Check out the webinar for a live demonstration of the navigator and learn how equity work across the United States is evolving:  https://urbn.is/3yIGCle  #Equity

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Many of you already follow Donna, but everyone should read this article - slowly. Thanks for your guiding wisdom, Donna (gotta brag again, #mcgregorfundtrustee)

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Join hosts Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt as they unravel the complexities of Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) in retirement accounts and how they can become a strategic opportunity for philanthropy. Learn why fundraisers must grasp this concept, empowering them to engage donors effectively and maximize charitable giving potential. Dive into real-life examples and practical insights to navigate RMDs confidently, ensuring donors’ philanthropic goals align seamlessly with their financial planning. http://mvnt.us/m2415280 

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