Friday Freebies

I'm either three days late for last week's post, or four days early for this week's - it depends on your point of view. Either way, here's a fun (and free) resource for those who have a secret desire to host their own talk show...or simply to create and host live video segments.

With UStream TV, www.ustream.tv, anyone with a webcam can create their own video show and broadcast it live over the Web. But it's not just a wecam tool - users can create live videos using a camera or video recorder.

So when you're planning your next big donor recognition event or other news-worthy announcement, and the folks from CNN seem uninterested in providing news coverage, take the bull by the horns and broadcast it yourself!

Exciting Career Opportunity

Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa (YSB) is one of Canada’s most dynamic and progressive multi-service youth focused agencies located in one of the Nation’s most livable urban regions, Ottawa-Gatineau.

YSB’s Board of Directors has approved the establishment of a fundraising Foundation, in order to generate more revenue and strengthen the agency’s programming. The Board has targeted the launch of the foundation for January 2010, and is seeking a qualified and motivated fundraising professional to lead this exciting initiative as the Foundation’s inaugural Executive Director.

To review the position description and apply online, please visit:
http://www.ysb.on.ca/

Friday Freebies

I searched far and wide to find a true "free" version of, what I think, is an amazing technology tool...text-to-speech and text-to-mp3 software.

I realize that text-to-speech software has probably been around for a few years and is invaluable to people living with vision loss, but I never realized the availability and value of text-to-mp3 software. Nextup.com offers both free (basic) and paid-for (premium) versions of TextAloud software. With speech-to-mp3 software, you can convert any electronic text document to audio files that can be played on your iPod, mp3 player, and even on your television. I wish I had known this existed when I was studying to write my CFRE exam!

Most of us spend way too much time sitting in front of a computer these days. Convert electronic editions of the newspaper, or those reports you need to review, to mp3 files. Hook up your iPod, lace up your sneakers, and take it outside - enjoy the outdoors while the weather's still great.

Happy Friday!

A little care and feeding

No one wants or needs me to describe how the economy has beaten the stuffing out of some charities’ revenue streams. Not being a novel topic of conversation any more, its just not that interesting.

But what is interesting is watching how grassroots fundraising is once again on the rise, thanks to technology and the “new connectedness.” In vast numbers, regular, ordinary everyday folk like you and I can make (modest) donations instantly, and reach out to our networks of friends to follow our lead.

Charities are scrambling to find a way to access these legions of friends and potential supporters in the wired world. The question is not, “can we?” but rather “how can we?”

There are lots of ways to attract financial support, and boost public awareness of a charity’s work, through social networking. The key? It all boils down to care and feeding (which is probably not what you want to hear if you are looking for a quick fix).

Regardless of whether you are looking for a quick fix or long term solutions, build some common sense principles into your stakeholder communications and you will inevitably yield increased financial returns in fundraising. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Including people in a genuine two-way conversation about your organization’s worthwhile work is the most effective way to engage their long term (and financial) involvement;
• Donors want to hear from you more frequently than when its time to ask for another gift;
• Donors really never get tired of hearing you say “thank you” for their support (and advocacy);
• People want to know, specifically, how they can help. Large monetary contributions may not be what they have in mind;
• People expect to be able to tell you how, and through what channels, and with what information, you should communicate with them;
• You need to make that act of helping (giving, volunteering, advocating) a swift and simple process that provides them with instant gratification.
  

Keep those principles in mind as you move ahead in stakeholder engagement and you can’t lose.

Friday Freebies

Unless you're one of those people who always has a pen and paper on hand, chances are there have been many occasions when you've wanted/needed to capture a piece of information and found yourself scribbling on a napkin, only to lose it or (forget) and use it.

Here's a great no-cost tool you can use almost anywhere, anytime. Evernote is the free equivalent of Microsoft's One Note. Check it out www.evernote.com

Happy Friday!

Friday Freebies

Create your own social network...for free!

Ning, www.ning.com, provides a no-fee technology platform that allows individuals and groups to create their own social networks.

Used by the American SPCA, Ning is an economical, customizable and easy-to-use solution for organizations wishing to implement a social networking platform for donors, members and staff.

Happy Friday!

Careful...Your Age is Showing!

I recently attended an AFP educational session presented by Anne Melanson, CFRE, and Lori Barker, Director of Development for Phoenix Youth. The topic of discussion was Making your Financial Case for Support. One of the most valuable tips I walked away with was the need to carefully think through your written collateral materials before committing them to paper.

When developing thier current Case for Support, Phoenix Youth carefully considered how to present the necessary information in a way that would not see the publication become "dated" in a month or two. They did not include names of Board members and staff - rather, they decided the best way to present this information was as an add-in. Very smart, very cost-effective.

Because they took the time to plan the Case, Phoenix will have a document that has a shelf-life of 2+ years, rather than 2 months. Staff and Board members move on to other opportunities - it's a fact of life. Although it's important to celebrate your organization's team, it's wise to think through how to do this in a way that can easily be updated when changes occur.

And what about your website? The same principles hold true. The wonderful thing about your online "storefront" is that it can usually be updated with little cost - and doesn't result in 5,000 outdated brochures being tossed in the trash.

Are you showing your age? Are your print materials current? How about your website - does it contain outdated information? With online giving on the rise, a fresh and current website gives donors the confidence that your organization is on top of things.

Where Does the Day Go?

Recently, I was privvy to a discussion where an organization was debating the merits of continuing on with a particular fundraising event. When weighing the pros and cons, the amout of time required to effectively pull off this event was brought forth as a strong negative. 2,000 staff hours was the amount they had roughly calculated.

The problem with rough calculations and guesstimates is that you never really know what your true investment and returns are. At 37.5 hours/week (people do need time to eat), 2,000 hours translates into 1 staff person working full-time, all day, every day (no vacation, no sick days, no statutory holidays) for 53.3 weeks. And that's okay - if your event returns proportionate financial and public awareness benefits.

As is the case with most of us, I tend to have several projects on the go at once. I track my time using an application called Time Tracker. It's not pretty, but it's functional. Wikipedia (another great FREE resource) has posted a comparison of time tracking software . Some are free, others are fee.

The most difficult thing about using time tracking software is remembering to start and stop it. However, it's a great way to track and analyze where you are expending your most valuable resource - your time.