The ENGAGE Podcast

Many things have changed in response to COVID-19, but the missions and purposes of social good organizations remain the same even if their methods must adjust to meet the current situation.

In today’s episode, Melissa Bank Stepno, Director of Analytics Consulting at Blackbaud joins the podcast to talk with Steve MacLaughlin about using personas for fundraising during COVID-19. Listen in to hear what Melissa has to say about the value of continued engagement, what organizations should be focusing on right now, and how personas can help their messaging.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

• What Melissa is hearing from organizations right now about fundraising during COVID-19
• The importance of continued engagement
• What organizations should focus on right now
• The importance of data health
• How organizations can use personas to fine-tune messages for their audiences
• Examples of personas and how they work
• How the imagery can match the message
• How organizations can learn more about personas

Resources:

Melissa Bank Stepno

Blackbaud Institute Report: "Supporters in Sight: A Look at Peer-to-Peer Personas"

Blackbaud Institute Report: "Supporters in Sight: An Introduction to Personas"

Article: Harnessing Big Data to Sustain Peer-to-Peer Revenue Throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic

Quotes: 

“Every nonprofit in the country, in the world, exists for a purpose and for a reason, and those missions are all still valid today.”

“The health of the addresses on your file, the phone numbers on your file, the emails on your file is more critical than ever as we’re thinking about how we can reach people where they are.”

“How can you meet somebody where they are at their point in time in life, and what they’re most interested in?”

#GivingTuesday is an annual campaign that has taken off far beyond expectations in the years since it was first implemented, reaching an unprecedented global scale. And now the #GivingTuesday organization has created a new day of giving as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic: #GivingTuesdayNow.

Asha Curran, CEO of #GivingTuesday, joins the sgENGAGE Podcast in this episode to talk with Blackbaud’s Rachel Hutchisson about the new #GivingTuesdayNow campaign happening on May 5, 2020. Listen in to hear what Asha has to say about how #GivingTuesdayNow came about, how people are pitching in to help during this crisis, and how to handle messaging and creating campaigns in situations with limited timeframes. 

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

• The basics of #GivingTuesday and how it’s become an independent organization
• What prompted Asha to create #GivingTuesdayNow
• How people are using their unique skills in the COVID-19 crisis
• How to focus when there isn’t a lot of ramp-up time to create a new fundraising campaign
• Messaging advice to engage supporters around #GivingTuesdayNow
• Asha’s goals for #GivingTuesdayNow

Resources:

Asha Curran

#GivingTuesdayNow

#GivingTuesdayNow resources from Blackbaud 

Quotes: 

“Last year on Giving Tuesday 2019, over 2 billion dollars was donated just in the 24 hours of Giving Tuesday.”

“Right from the beginning, we saw that people were in search of ideas. They wanted to help.”

“We have a saying in the Giving Tuesday community that there’s no stealing in Giving Tuesday, there’s just joyful replication.”

In the midst of COVID-19, virtual volunteerism opportunities are more important than ever. But there have also always been people who want to engage and contribute but who can’t, for various reasons, volunteer in traditional ways. This episode is about understanding and expanding virtual volunteer programs. 

Danielle Holly, CEO of Common Impact, an organization dedicated to skills-based volunteerism, joins the Podcast to share her insights and expertise on how nonprofits and corporations can better work together on virtual volunteer programs. Listen in to hear her talk with Blackbaud’s Rachel Hutchisson on different models for virtual volunteering, how companies can encourage employees to give back in this way, and what nonprofits can do to create more virtual volunteer opportunities. 

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

• The types of virtual volunteer activities that are available
• How companies can set employees up for success with virtual volunteer opportunities
• How to get to know your nonprofit partner quickly in a virtual environment
• What nonprofits and social good organizations can do to create more virtual volunteer opportunities
• Standout examples of virtual volunteer programs

Resources:

Danielle Holly

Common Impact's Catalog of Virtual Volunteer Models

Going Virtual - An Alternative Volunteer Event Guide

Quotes: 

“Pro bono and skills-based volunteerism, for the most part, translates very easily into a virtual environment.”

“The encouragement and the modeling of volunteering from mid-level management and from senior management is incredibly important.”

“There are very few projects, initiatives, and challenges that nonprofit leaders face that can’t be supported by service. That can’t be supported by pro bono talent.”

Traditionally, arts and cultural organizations start fundraising after someone buys their first ticket. But is that the best approach for long-term success? What if organizations waited and took a more methodical approach?

In today’s episode, Aubrey Bergauer, Executive Director of the Center for Innovative Leadership and VP of Strategic Communications at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, joins the podcast to talk about developing a long-haul approach to fundraising, being customer-obsessed, and attracting a more diverse audience. You’ll also hear a bonus segment with Aubrey, added after the main interview was originally recorded, in which she discusses how organizations can most effectively operate right now during the COVID-19 crisis. 

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

• How the San Francisco Conservatory of Music is responding in the face of COVID-19
• How arts and cultural organizations can effectively communicate with their supporters during these uncertain times
• Advice for arts and cultural organizations attempting to adapt their operations in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic
• The success Aubrey has seen with the long-haul fundraising model she developed for fundraising and patron retention
• Why organizations should wait to solicit donations
• How Aubrey is bringing the long-haul model to higher education
• Examples of the wrong types of metrics organizations often focus on
• The importance of being customer-obsessed
• Shaping your organization’s website for first-time visitors instead of your board of directors or long-term donors
• Making programming more attractive and accessible to a younger audience
• Attracting more diverse audiences
• How to achieve a more diverse staff

Resources:

Follow Aubrey Berguaer on Twitter: @AubreyBergauer

Resources to Guide Arts and Cultural Organizations During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Report: Guide to Evaluating your Arts & Cultural Organization's Online Performance

Quotes: 

“I think what’s so important for arts organizations is to really be forward-looking.”

“It’s OK to be human. But we must also be positive, and we must also be looking into the future.”

“The key is to talk to users but to also respond, not justify what we’ve been doing.”

The spread of COVID-19 has changed the workplace for many people: in many cases, it means that people are working remotely for the first time or working remotely in different ways than they previously did with partners or kids at home. It’s important to have a strategy in place for keeping team members engaged and productive. 

In today’s episode, Tiffany Crumpton, Director of Marketing for Blackbaud Higher Education Solutions talks with Blackbaud change management expert Mike Reardon about the best strategies for successfully maintaining an engaged remote staff. Listen to the episode to hear what Tiffany and Mike have to say about virtually promoting interpersonal communication, maintaining a sense of normalcy during these unprecedented times, and staying engaged while working remotely amidst COVID-19.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

• How Tiffany and her team are managing the transition to working at home
• How to promote interpersonal communication remotely
• Tips for managers to create collaborative environments for team members
• Steps that all people can take to stay engaged
• The importance of maintaining a sense of normalcy
• Finding ways to help others
• Tips and tricks for people who are working remotely for the first time or doing it in a new way 

Resources:

Tiffany Crumpton

Article: Take a Shower and Other WFH Tips from Your Social Good Peer

Article: 6 Tips for Managing a Virtual Workforce

Quotes: 

“I maintain it’s important to have that regular – I call it drumbeat – of communication.”

“Humor and grace can help in many scenarios.”

“In times of uncertainty, it also helps to think of people we may be able to help.”

Succession planning is a hot topic, but is it the right topic? Today’s guest believes that organizations should go beyond succession planning and think about intentional pathway planning instead for long-term sustainability.

Miecha Ranea Forbes is the senior vice president of Culture, Inclusion and Strategic Advising at Koya Leadership Partners. Miecha joins host Rachel Hutchisson to share her experience and discuss the difference between succession planning and intentional pathway planning, where organizations should start their intentional pathway planning journey, and how everyone can take ownership of their own development and career pathways.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

• Miecha’s role at Koya Leadership Partners and her human resources background
• The difference between success planning and intentional pathway planning
• Why and how organizations should start intentional pathway planning 
• What employees who are aren’t in senior management can do to be a part of the pathway planning process
• How individual contributors can invest in and develop their careers outside of what the company offers 
• The importance of mentorship 
• Acknowledging failure and providing constructive feedback

Resources:

Miecha Ranea Forbes

Article: Why Succession Planning is an Outdated Concept

Article: 4 Free Professional Development Opportunities You Might Not Be Thinking About 

Quotes: 

“I think it’s really important to start immediately so that you can actually anticipate the things that could occur.”

“Every role within the organization is essential to making the organization run and run well, but there are some roles that are more critical, particularly from a decision-making perspective.”

“You have to take ownership for your own success, for your development, for your pathway.”

Corporate social responsibility and responsible business are now seen as integral to successful business operations. But have you thought about involving the sourcing and procurement processes in creating social impact?  

Today’s guest is Paul Polizzotto, founder and CEO of Givewith, who has had a 30-career of dedicating himself to the idea that businesses can prioritize social impact and deliver a sustainable funding source for nonprofits while distinguishing themselves from the competition. Paul talked to host Rachel Hutchisson about  connecting people with their jobs and communities through purposeful business practices.

Listen to the interview to hear what Paul has to say about how he started Givewith, what companies can do to align their sourcing with their social impact programs, and how nonprofits can take advantage of the solutions and movement that Paul is helping to create.  

Topics Discussed in This Episode: 

• Paul’s background as a social entrepreneur
• Finding new sources of funding for CSR initiatives
• Advice for companies looking to align sourcing and their social impact
• How nonprofits can benefit from this funding stream
• Examples of a successful business-nonprofit partnership that benefitted from creating social impact through the sourcing process
• How the lines between business and nonprofit are blurring

Resources: 

Paul Polizzotto 

Givewith 

Article: 4 Core Attributes of Authentic Corporate Citizenship 

Quotes:  

“In my view, awareness is overrated. Action is never overrated. And awareness without action is a missed opportunity.” 

“I think there’s an opportunity to integrate social impact in sourcing and procurement that addresses a number of other business issues.” 

“The nonprofits start to really understand that their social impacts that they’re carrying out actually have business value that they didn’t understand.” 

What was the state of charitable giving last year? Now is the time to find out so you can benchmark your organization and boost your fundraising performance in 2020.

In a bit of a reversal this episode, host Steve McLaughlin is today’s guest. Steve sat down with Erin Duff from the Blackbaud Institute to talk about Blackbaud’s 2019 Charitable Giving Report, which tracks over $36 billion in U.S-based charitable giving from the Blackbaud Institute Index. Listen to the interview to hear Steve explain why it’s important to consider three-year trends, what the overall giving and online giving numbers mean for nonprofit strategy, and what the most important practice is for social good organizations to focus on in 2020.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

• Why knowing the giving trends each year matters to the social good sector
• How to use the data from the Charitable Giving Report
• How philanthropy has weathered recent changes in variables that affect giving
• The importance of measuring 3-year trends
• Insights on online giving trends and strategies
• Average gift amounts by subsector
• How organizations should interpret and respond to retention rate figures
• Why it’s important to keep an eye on global giving
• The single most important practice for social good organizations to focus on 

Resources:

2019 Charitable Giving Report

Blackbaud Institute

Quotes: 

“This year, we’re not only showing year over year results, but we’re taking those thousands of organizations and those tens of billions of dollars in giving, and looking at it over a 3-year period of time.”

“In 2019, overall giving was up 1% on a year over year basis, but up over 5% on a 3-year trend basis.”

“Online giving continues to be less than 10% of overall fundraising, although we’re starting to see those numbers shift.”

Change comes in many different forms, whether it’s a new technology initiative, a new stakeholder or student engagement approach, change in leadership, crisis resolution, etc. So, what are the steps that institutions can take to implement sustainable change and realize the vision they’re trying to create through any transformation? 

Today’s guest, Drumm McNaughton, CEO of The Change Leader, Inc. talks with Blackbaud change management expert Michael Reardon about the best strategies for getting stakeholders involved in change efforts at higher education institutions and other social good organizations. Listen in to hear them discuss common types of institutional change, how to keep up momentum through change efforts, and how to maintain engaged users once a change has been implemented. 

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

• The basic steps to implementing sustainable change
• The differences between incremental, transformational and revolutionary change
• How to get stakeholders involved in change efforts
• The different kinds of people required in a change effort
• What’s required from leadership during a change effort
• Change management as a psychological process
• Maintaining engaged users once a change is implemented
• Best practices for engaging remote stakeholders
• Pitfalls to avoid 

Resources:

Drumm McNaughton

Webinar: Proven Change Management Practices for High-Performing Institutions

Webinar: Digital Transformation: Getting Your Institution on Board

Tip Sheet: Six Steps for Implementing New Technology at Your Higher Education Institution 

Quotes: 

“We do something that we call the stakeholder input and attunement process.”

“We call skeptics our best friend.”

“Change management, however you call it, frankly it’s a psychological process, because you’re working with people and their mental models.”

Decision-making around directing philanthropic giving is an increasingly data-driven exercise. So, it’s more important than ever for social good organizations looking to attract investment to be able to quantify and communicate their defined outcomes and ability to efficiently and effectively achieve them. This is accountable impact.

Today’s episode features an excerpt of a panel session at bbcon 2019 with John Cashman, Senior Principal Account Executive and Tony Boor, Chief Financial Officer at Blackbaud, Paul Preziotti, Principal at Johnson Lambert LLP and Traci Drake, Chief Philanthropy Executive at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Listen in get an inside look at the 2019 Blackbaud Accountable Impact Study and to hear these experts discuss challenges and best practices around adopting a culture of accountable impact to drive support for your mission.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

• Background on Blackbaud’s 2019 Accountable Impact Study
• Why the sub-competencies covered in this study were chosen
• Finance benchmark competencies
• Funding transparency
• Promoting success from a financial perspective
• Communication between the finance function and non-financial managers
• Why so many nonprofits and social good organizations don’t feel enabled when it comes to technology
• The interconnectivity of people, processes, and technology
• Working with donors to fund capacity building needs

Resources:

• John Cashman, Senior Principal Account Executive, Blackbaud
• Tony Boor, Chief Financial Officer, Blackbaud
• Paul Preziotti, Principal, Johnson Lambert LLP
• Traci Drake, Chief Philanthropy Executive, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
• 2019 Blackbaud Accountable Impact Study

Quotes: 

“The healthier an organization is in terms of vendor and credit management, the higher their overall competencies.” – John Cashman

“Most of the individuals who are making the key decisions don’t have a financial background. Your role in finance is to provide that link, from the accounting information.” –Paul Preziotti

“Technology is not a silver bullet. If you don’t have properly trained people, and you don’t have good processes, technology’s not going to solve it.” –Tony Boor