According to legend, Rome was founded by Remus and Romulus—twin brothers and sons of Mars, the Roman god of war. The orphaned infants were ordered to be drowned in the Tiber River by the king of nearby Alba Longa, Amulius, who feared their birth would jeopardize his claim to the throne. The infants survived, however, and washed ashore where they were rescued and suckled by a she-wolf. The brothers grew up to become shepherd warriors, and, after having learned their true identity, defeated Amulius and founded their own city on April 21, 753 BC. From that small town in central Italy along the Tiber River, grew Ancient Rome—an empire that at its peak was comprised of most of continental Europe, Britain, northern Africa, the Mediterranean islands and much of western Asia. Today, Rome’s legacy is evidenced in the widespread use of Romance Languages, the Western calendar and alphabet, and Christianity as a major world religion. Now that you’ve had your history lesson for the day, check out these five nonprofit headlines from the news this week.
Fundraisers too frequently associate planned gifts with older donors, but this type of thinking may lead to missed opportunities for charitable organizations. According to The NonProfit Times, fundraisers shouldn’t wait for donors to age before asking them about planned gifts. By that stage in donors’ lives, most have already decided which charities will be included in their wills. Has your fundraising team honed its gift planning approach? Click on the link above to discover how your organization can employ “plannual” giving messages in an effort to optimize outcomes.
2. Choosing the Best Fundraising Counsel
Some nonprofits hire the right consulting firm the first time around. However, those that choose the wrong partners end up wasting countless time, energy and precious resources only to fall short of their fundraising goals. Partnering with a consulting firm is a decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly—taking the time to properly vet and research companies will save a lot of time (and even dollars) in the long run. Is your organization looking to hire a third-party fundraising counsel? Check out the link above from Forbes for seven tips for considering the right fundraising consultant for your organization.
3. Glassdoor Ratings and Your Nonprofit
Most jobseekers are familiar with Glassdoor—the website that enables employees (past and present) to rate their employers. While one cannot verify anonymous reports made through such third-party forums, nonprofits would be remiss not to take heed of negative ratings. According to the Nonprofit Quarterly, ratings become entwined in the public’s view of any given organization and inform their understanding of its workplace culture. While less than stellar ratings may deter a nonprofit’s access to high-quality candidates, it may also negatively impact an organization’s relationship with donors. Follow the link above for a real-life example of a foundation that has been affected by damning ratings.
4. Nonprofit Boards and the Merger Conversation
As organizations look to scale their impact with regards to their mission, they may consider inorganic means of growth. Whether this growth is through mergers, acquisitions or other strategic alliances, nonprofit boards may find themselves at a loss for ways to broach the subject. A recent survey from BoardSource states that nearly two-thirds of boards are open to mergers. Does this ring true for your organization’s board? If so, click on the link above from Stanford Social Innovation Review to learn about the six moments in every organization’s business cycle that are ripe for discussing mergers and alliances.
5. Creating Impact Through Social Media
The world is more connected today than ever. Information and content know no bounds yet a large part of society is either unaware or impartial to many of the social and environmental issues the world faces. According to Forbes, nonprofits have the power to influence people and disseminate awareness through their everyday actions. Social media has enabled organizations to alleviate challenges and generate positive change through their fingertips. Is your organization impact-driven? Got a social media account? Click the link above to learn five tips for building an engaged community that can help you shift public awareness.
That’s it for this week’s Friday Five! We’ll be brushing up on our Italian for the remained of the day. See you next week. Ciao!
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