NP Local

By Jason Cass & Scott NiermannBusiness Careers Management Non-Profit

NP Local episodes

December 08, 2020Helpful Tips for Navigating COVID Challenges
In this episode of the NP Local podcast, co-hosts Jason Cass and Scott Niermann, MPA, CFRE, discuss how the COVID-19 crisis is impacting small organizations differently than larger organizations and share tips on how to navigate the challenges brought by the crisis.

Episode Highlights:
Jason mentions that today’s topic is relevant to Scott. (1:16)
Scott mentions that he came across a report from the Blackbaud Institute called the Blackbaud Institute index. (2:24)
Scott shares that the Blackbaud Institute is a software company that has several different software packages. (2:57)
Scott shares that he was very interested in the particular research that had with the COVID-19 crisis, and the research they did back in August. (3:08)
Scott mentions what's interesting about these giving trends is that the medium and large organizations are faring a little better, at this moment. (4:40)
Scott shares that as of September 30, 2020, compared to September 30, 2019, smaller organizations are down about 4.4% in fundraising revenue, and when you get above a million dollars in annual fundraising revenue, organizations are up 1.5%, despite the COVID-19 crisis. (5:14)
Jason explains Digital Darwinism. (7:14)
Scott mentions his philosophy that, if we do enough of the right things, the things happen, the magic starts to happen. (9:02)
Scott shares what Blackbaud recommends when they break down the report for each sector includes sustained annual giving and donor acquisition. (13:32)
Scott mentions that the tax benefit is not why most people give. Yes, it has affected the volume or the flow of those gifts, but it’s not the main reason why they give. (14:18)
Resources Mentioned:
Reach out to Jason Cass
Reach out to Scott Niermann - Scott can assist with church, nonprofit, and commercial insurance in Tennessee and Georgia.
Nonprofit Insured
The Insurance Alliance serves organizations in Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, Kentucky, and Wisconsin.
Niermann Coaching and Consulting
Blackbaud Institute
21 min
November 24, 2020Engaging the Board Is Boring, Here Is How to Make It Fun
In this episode of the NP Local podcast, co-hosts Jason Cass and Scott Niermann, MPA, CFRE, discuss how to engage your board and how to make the engagement fun and meaningful for the board members.
Episode Highlights:
Scott gives a summary of the ways to engage your board. (2:09)
Scott shares that you have to remember that board members are not corporate board members getting stock options for serving. Rather, they are volunteers and givers. (4:56)
Scott mentions that you must have accountability between the board, staff, and the general public. Because the purpose of a public charity in the IRS code is that we're doing something good for the public. (5:32)
Scott mentions that insurance is a difficult business. It’s different from most other jobs, and it's a huge impact on the country's economy and the entire sector. (11:00)
Scott shares that a powerful way to demonstrate impact to a board member is by bringing one of your beneficiaries to give their testimony and speak to that board. (11:29)
Jason shares a story about the time when they raised money for the after school programs for kids, at Centralia Youth Initiative. (12:20)
Jason mentions an article entitled I can't afford my wife, by Erik Garcia. (14:58)
Scott mentions that you can exchange ideas around key board members and to some of your skilled professionals when you have a legal issue, financial question, or investment question. (16:29)
Scott shares a book that’s going to help board members to serve not just on your board, but on other boards as well. It’s called The Fundraising Habits of Supremely Successful Boards: A 59-Minute Guide to Assuring Your Organization's Future, by Jerry Panas. (16:56)
Scott shares that they always try to show impact, improvement, but also, have fun and get your board involved in creative fundraising events. You must know your members, know what their triggers are, and know what's going to be meaningful and enjoyable to them. (18:59)
Jason shares the significance of the board members is that it doesn’t only filter out the person at the very beginning to make sure you get the right one, but it allows you to hold accountability in the future. (21:29)
Jason mentions that accountability is the key to the military, accountability is the key to the process of big companies, and accountability is the key to good parenting. (21:51)
Key Quotes:
“At my business, we are here to be serious and be professional. But I tell my team all the time, we're 51% having fun. Our expertise will come through when our customers and clients need us. But overall, we have to maintain good mental health, we have to keep our clients informed and our staff informed.” - Jason Cass
“I believe they have a place in the nonprofit world if they have a big heart for the community, they love people, animals, or the environment. These are the things that you can do. Nonprofits are doing economic development, so whatever your passion is, it's there for a reason.” - Scott Niermann
Resources Mentioned:
Reach out to Jason Cass
Reach out to Scott Niermann - Scott can assist with church, nonprofit, and commercial insurance in Tennessee and Georgia.
Nonprofit Insured
The Insurance Alliance serves organizations in Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, Kentucky, and Wisconsin.
Niermann Coaching and Consulting
24 min
November 17, 2020Engaging the Board Is Hard, Here Is How to Make It Easy
In this episode of the NP Local podcast, co-hosts, Jason Cass and Scott Niermann, MPA, CFRE, share three basic tips on engaging your board and talk about understanding your vision and its significance in the foundation of your Nonprofit.
Episode Highlights:
Jason mentions that they’re starting to receive feedback from the podcast listeners. (1:06)
Scott mentions that the board is legally responsible, but it’s on the staff to engage the board. (2:26)
Scott shares that in reality, it’s still on the Director to make sure that the board has the necessary information, structure, and meaning behind what they're doing. (3:10)
Jason shares that the three basic tips are: communicating, structure, and making it fun and meaningful. (3:30)
Scott mentions some of the points that we need to be communicating aside from the day-to-day operations is their role when onboarding a new board member. (4:46)
Jason mentions that a lot of times, nonprofits will look for people that are big in the community. (7:41)
Jason shares that miscommunication causes so many of the world's problems. (10:20)
Scott shares that it’s significant that the bylaws are reviewed regularly every year or every other year and it doesn't mean that there's a change needed. (11:14)
Scott mentions that when starting a nonprofit, an attorney should be able to help with what passes state scrutiny. (11:32)
Scott mentions that the board members simply renew every year, and there's no staggering. (12:36)
Scott shares a website called, Board Effect. It’s about the best practices in term limits and rotating two terms of three years each. (14:10)
Jason mentions that the diversity on boards happens to be a big part of our society today. (14:42)
Scott mentions that if you have all those different skill sets, you need to understand the resources that your members bring to the table. (18:59)
Key Quotes:
“What's more important is finding somebody that besides the church, this is their second cause, this is what they do. This is their passion, this is where they put their money, they could be a nobody, they could be a no-name, and that person has so much more value than the head banker in town or doctor, or whatever you may want to put on.” - Jason Cass
“I believe you need a mix of all those who are more passionate, they're not necessarily there for business reasons are going to inspire others, and those who are there for business reasons, they may even have a vested interest in ensuring your success.” - Scott Niermann
“You want your nonprofit to be strong enough to always have that pipeline, that nominating committee pipeline of names and leaders and supporters that can serve for a term or two, and give some of these folks a break.” - Scott Niermann
“I just want to encourage the Directors out there and our local listeners that engaging your board doesn't have to be scary. This is important. It's very important, probably one of the most important things you do, I'd advocate those boards that every executive director needs an administrative assistant that understands board and donor relations.” - Scott Niermann
Resources Mentioned:
Reach out to Jason Cass
Reach out to Scott Niermann - Scott can assist with church, nonprofit, and commercial insurance in Tennessee and Georgia.
Nonprofit Insured
The Insurance Alliance serves organizations in Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, Kentucky, and Wisconsin.
Niermann Coaching and Consulting
21 min
November 10, 2020Measure Your Mission, Your Two Bottom Lines
In this episode of the NP Local podcast, co-hosts, Jason Cass and Scott Niermann, MPA, CFRE, discuss the definition of nonprofit and finding a way to measure its mission, as well as the three parts of a bottom line.

Episode Highlights:
Scott thinks that most well meaning nonprofit staff may lose focus on the financial side, and others that are very focused on the financial side, they lose the mission. (3:48)
Scott mentions that the bottom line is the idea that we must have a financial bottom line. (4:04)
Scott shares that the second bottom line isn’t necessarily financial, it depends on the type of organization you’re with and what ways you choose to demonstrate the impact to your supporters. (4:17)
Scott mentions that a nonprofit doesn’t have shareholders. (4:40)
Scott shares that if we're not paying sales tax or real estate tax on a piece of property, we have a responsibility not only to our donors and constituents but also, to the community as a whole because we get special tax treatment from the IRS. (4:47)
Scott mentions that according to GuideStar, about 50% of nonprofits have less than one month of operating revenue. (7:18)
Jason shares that there are two different mindsets if we're not dealing with shareholders, those who are worried about the financials and sometimes lose focus on the mission, and those who are focused on the mission that they don't understand its financial aspects. (7:47)
Scott shares that nonprofits need the financial bottom line to reinvest in themselves, reinvest in their business, and their community. (8:33)
Scott mentions that the third bottom line is a communication goal that every organization needs to have. (13:36)
Scott shares that the ROI or yield, is a measure of fundraising effectiveness. Therefore, your return on investment for the dollar spent demonstrates the effectiveness of your fundraising and your spending. (15:47)
Scott mentions that plan giving is the one on one discussions in estate planning, among those who are closest to your organizations. (16:22)
Scott shares that fundraising efficiency shows how efficient you are and how much money comes out of that dollar raised for the other costs. (18:48)
Scott mentions that you should remember who you are as a nonprofit, remember your mission, and find a way to measure that mission. (21:13)
Key Quotes:
“The double bottom line is the idea that we have to have a financial bottom line, we are a business, we have to keep our doors open. We want to reinvest that income each year back into the mission and making our community better changing lives.” - Scott Niermann
“We’re in the business to improve lives or the life of the community as a whole. So what that means is when the social good and that mission and impact in the community is our number one goal. Our profits don't go to shareholders, they go right back into the mission, and invest in the organization, just like you would invest in your business.” - Scott Niermann
“If you’re focused on the mission of the nonprofit, but you're not so much in understanding the bottom line, this will give you some insight to why that person on the financial side is going drive home the need for you to be effective, efficient, and productive in the money driving organizations in the processes that you create.” - Jason Cass
Resources Mentioned:
Reach out to Jason Cass
Reach out to Scott Niermann - Scott can assist with church, nonprofit, and commercial insurance in Tennessee and Georgia.
Nonprofit Insured
The Insurance Alliance serves organizations in Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, Kentucky, and Wisconsin.
Niermann Coaching and Consulting
24 min
November 03, 2020The Fundraising Pyramid, Know It to Grow Your Nonprofit
In this episode of the NP Local podcast, co-hosts, Jason Cass and Scott Niermann, MPA, CFRE, continue to discuss funding and fundraising. Jason and Scott talk about the fundraising pyramid and understanding each layer of the pyramid.
Episode Highlights:
Scott describes the fundraising pyramid. (3:27)
Scott shares that the bottom layer of the pyramid is the foundation for everything on top of it, and being first-time donors. (3:42)
Scott shares that in reality, anything that you're doing in the broad base, is going to be a two to one return. (4:46)
Scott shares one of the elements that he learned from the fundraising school. (5:06)
Jason mentions that you should feel confident if you're doing, what you're supposed to be doing. (5:29)
Scott shares that the goal is to reach the peak of the pyramid and raise more money, and as you move up, you're going to yield more money. (5:35)
Scott mentions that the second layer of the pyramid is the regular givers. (5:43)
Scott shares that the third layer of the pyramid is the major gifts, and as you move up the pyramid, you're spending more time with the donors. (7:58)
Scott shares that the pinnacle of the pyramid is the transformative gift, and oftentimes it’s the largest gift someone makes in their life, through a will or estate plan. (8:57)
Scott mentions that the pinnacle of the pyramid is called gift planning. (10:54)
Scott shares that the nonprofit manager's challenge is something the boards don't understand what their role could be. Because if you're a small organization, you must have a working organization. (15:56)
Jason shares that one of the most underutilized areas of a nonprofit is getting your board, and when you look at nonprofits who are successfully fundraising to understand the pyramid, the board is a major factor. (21:33)
Key Quotes:
“If you're not familiar with the fundraising pyramid, you don't know fundraising, and so we want to break that down. It’s not rocket science, I say that all the time...this is a skill, this is a trade.” - Scott Niermann
“Oftentimes, special events are that friend-raiser and it's also a fundraiser, right? You want some positive net revenue from any event, and you want to grow that.” - Scott Niermann
“One of the things that they've taught me that if you get a two to one return out of an event, you've done okay, all right...Two to one net of expenses, you’ve doubled your money, that's fine. Obviously, if you can do better than that, heck that's wonderful.” - Scott Nierman
“I want to encourage folks who are out there, struggling with fundraising. This is an investment that is worth your time to get the training you need. If you've been in fundraising five years, full time or almost full time in management, go after that certified fundraising executive, take a prep course, take the exam.” - Scott Niermann
Resources Mentioned:
Reach out to Jason Cass
Reach out to Scott Niermann - Scott can assist with church, nonprofit, and commercial insurance in Tennessee and Georgia.
Nonprofit Insured
The Insurance Alliance serves organizations in Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, Kentucky, and Wisconsin.
Niermann Coaching and Consulting
24 min
October 14, 2020The Basics of Fundraising for Your Non Profit
In this episode of the NP Local podcast, hosts Jason Cass and Scott Niermann, MPA, CFRE, discuss the significance of funding in the nonprofit industry and share how Benjamin Franklin founded the fundraising school.
Key Quotes:
“The benefit of NP Local, we understand that your community is always local, and that is what we're striving to do, is help you strengthen that community.” - Jason Cass (3:45)
“Funding is so important because it's important that folks understand what a nonprofit is, and the fact that an organization has to have something left on December 31 in order to open their doors on January 1, so it is a business. It's just a different business model.” - Scott Niermann (4:59)
“So these are things that are in the numbers, and you want to always know your numbers when you're in the nonprofit world. But you need at least 30% of your support from the public.” - Scott Niermann (6:13)
“Well, long story short, you've got to follow your own bylaws and your own incorporating documents. So to become a nonprofit, you're incorporating just like a business would incorporate in a different section of the IRS code.” - Scott Niermann (6:50)
“If you think about a bull's eye, that's what he's talking about. You've got this core constituency, that is always going to support you. Okay, maybe it's mom and dad, maybe it's your board, maybe it's folks who you know, are passionate about the mission as passionate as you are. And then you've got that next ring of the people that they know and then you've got the general public.” - Scott Niermann (8:53)
“In a fundraiser’s mind, everyone you meet is a fundraising prospect. That doesn't mean you put them all in your database, that doesn't mean you're going to swap business cards every time, but you've always got to be thinking about that.” - Scott Niermann (9:18)
“I just think it's important to realize that someone had to start it. It all had to start by asking, and so the problems in the anxiety you may be having today, are the same ones that everybody's always had, as they've had to ask people for money.” - Jason Cass (14:10)
“This is something uniquely American, we are one of the most generous countries on the planet, and so that's encouraging. But the reality is, there's a lot of competition out there, you want to be good at your craft, something that I'm trying to be better at every day.” - Scott Niermann (15:27)
“Let me tell you, a government grant or even a foundation grant might have quite a lot of strings that your entity is not capable of managing. You better have some good accounting support, you better keep really good records of the services you're providing, and be prepared to write that up a formal report, and a narrative, with all the OMB government forms to go with it.” - Scott Niermann (16:08)
“The amount of time you spend with the donors at the bottom is not the same as the individualized attention you give at the top, and the return on investment of any money spent to raise those dollars obviously goes up as you go up the pyramid.” - Scott Niermann (21:27)
“Hey, maintain your passion, fundraising is tough. It's tough right now during the COVID era, but this is a generous country and so you believe in your mission, and you keep at it and show that impact on your community, and you're going to do fine.” - Scott Niermann (22:05)
Resources Mentioned:
Reach out to Jason Cass
Reach out to Scott Niermann - Scott can assist with church, nonprofit, and commercial insurance in Tennessee and Georgia.
Nonprofit Insured
The Insurance Alliance serves organizations in Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, Kentucky, and Wisconsin.
Niermann Coaching and Consulting
24 min
October 13, 2020Why NP Local?
In the first episode of the NP Local podcast, co-hosts, Jason Cass, and Scott Niermann, MPA, CFRE discuss the size, scope, and changes taking place in the nonprofit sector that have implications for anyone in the field. Nonprofit leaders listen to NP Local to gain new and different perspectives on important nonprofit topics, and to discover how the next generation of nonprofit leaders can make informed decisions as they are placed in positions of increasing responsibility.
Key Quotes:
“One of the things that we do in our insurance agency, we only do a few are nonprofits. We do a lot of nonprofits when it comes to assisted living facilities down to senior centers, drug rehabilitation centers, anything mainly that has to do with kids or seniors. That's normally what we do.” - Jason Cass (1:36)
“I also enjoy consulting on the side helping those smaller organizations that cannot afford a full-time fundraiser or volunteer manager and providing organizational planning and fundraising planning for them.” - Scott Niermann (2:22)
“I realized that when I was going into a lot of nonprofits… there's a huge change that's happening.” - Jason Cass (3:30)
“There's going to be a lot of opportunity in the nonprofit world. And it's fun business” - Scott Niermann (4:37)
“I actually advocate for partnerships, if not mergers, you don't need to be competing with a nonprofit right down the road in your same county for the same cause, partner together.” - Scott Niermann (5:11)
“I help in leadership coaching and to have somebody come alongside you, which we can do virtually through this podcast. And to know that you're not alone, I think is very important. And so we want to help you network, we want to help you learn and we want you to know that you have support.” - Scott Niermann (7:12)
“NP local, where we know local means community, and helping your community is your goal. And we just want you to know that you are not alone in that process. We're going to help you through it.” - Jason Cass (7:29)
“If you're new to this field, it's important to understand that this is not-for-profit business. And it is not public service or government service.” - Scott Niermann (8:54)
“I'm not a guy that believes that pie is limited, I believe in growing the pie, garnering more interest in giving and giving people that opportunity and educating them on your organization.” - Scott Niermann (13:42)
“Any given small to medium-sized nonprofit operates on a small margin, potentially, as a small business does.” - Scott Niermann (19:00)
“You can do well, by doing good, this is a great career path. I've enjoyed it. And even if you're in a small organization, just know that there are resources out there and we plan to be one of them.” - Scott Niermann (20:21)
Resources Mentioned:
Reach out to Jason Cass
Reach out to Scott Niermann - Scott can assist with church, nonprofit, and commercial insurance in Tennessee and Georgia.
Nonprofit Insured
The Insurance Alliance serves organizations in Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, Kentucky, and Wisconsin.
Niermann Coaching and Consulting
22 min

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