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Why Powerful Tools Are Important to Your Nonprofit

The word Powerful is one of the more popular words in the software lexicon. It sounds impressive, and it gets people excited because they want to know that their software is going to do something great for them. Unfortunately, it is also hard to quantify, which leaves some people unclear. How can you know what kind of transformation to expect from your software tools? What exactly are powerful nonprofit resources? When we talk about powerful nonprofit resources on this blog, we mean tools that transform your daily work and help you achieve the goals in front you better, faster, smarter. For example, take a look at this video comparing the speed of a pit crew in 1981 to one in 2019.

Spotlight

North Carolina Coastal Federation

North Carolina Coastal Federation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the coast of North Carolina through programs that keep the public informed about coastal management issues, educate about the coastal environment, advocate for sound coastal management decisions, and that fix degraded coastal wetlands, watersheds and water quality.

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Nonprofit Management

Utilize an Email Marketing Strategy to Drive More Donations

Article | July 14, 2022

When creating your nonprofit fundraising and donations strategy, email marketing should be on the top of the list of channels to use to support your efforts. However, 70% of nonprofits do not have an email marketing strategy, despite 26% of online donors saying email marketing is what inspires them to give. Email marketing can help nonprofits reach their fundraising goals by helping expand reach, develop a loyal donor base and drive more donations. Build an Email Marketing Strategy Implementing email marketing may seem intimidating to some, but once you have an effective strategy in place, it will act as a blueprint and support all your goals moving forward. When you start building your strategy, it’s important to spend time developing a unique strategy that aligns with your mission and goals. Consider these questions: Who is your target audience? How are you collecting email addresses? What types of emails will you send? What types of content do you want to share in those emails? What will your emails look like? What is the layout? What is the design based on? How often do you plan to send emails? What platform will you use? Does it integrate with your donor database and have all the features you need to implement your strategy? Email marketing is the most effective and successful when there's a strategic plan in place. Creating a detailed strategy that answers the questions above will provide your nonprofit with the stepping stones needed to set your email marketing efforts up for success and help meet your overall fundraising goals. Send Emails Once you have a strategy and execution plan in place, you’re ready to start sending your messages to your audience. Email subscribers want to hear from you, but you need to be sure you are sending engaging messages to the right audiences. When you start sending your emails, plan to send a mix of different messages to your audience. Email marketing is an effective channel to not only fundraise but to help subscribers stay engaged and keep donor retention high. A great example would be to include advocacy emails in your plans. Advocacy emails include newsletters and impact stories. These types of emails help your subscriber feel valued as a donor as they’re seeing the direct impact of their support. As you start and continue to send emails, always track each email's performance. This helps you determine what is working and what is not working. By tracking key metrics, like click-through rates, conversation rates and donations per email, you will be able to continuously improve your strategy and the emails you are sending. Follow Best Practices As you begin to execute your email strategy, there are a few key best practices I recommend following to help increase engagement, donations, and overall performance of your emails. Personalize the email for your subscribers. Personalized emails can generate donations up to six times more compared to a generalized email. Make sure your emails are well-designed with compelling imagery that helps the donor visualize your mission and the impact of their donations. Provide clear calls to action in each email you send and always include a “Donate” button in all your communications. Include social sharing buttons and links to your social channels in all your email communications. Emails with social sharing buttons increase click-through rates by as much as 158% and help expand your reach by allowing donors to recommend and share your nonprofit with their network. Create an email cadence so you are regularly communicating with your audience throughout the year. For every 1,000 fundraising emails delivered, nonprofits raised $78, so it is in your best interest to continuously send messages to your subscribers. Start by sending emails monthly and then experiment with increasing the frequency of emails per month and see what works best for your nonprofit. Utilizing email marketing is key to having a successful fundraising strategy for your nonprofit. By building a well-thought-out strategy and implementing it, you will be able to engage, retain and convert subscribers into a loyal donor base.

Read More
Nonprofit Management

Why Protecting Donor Data Is No Longer Optional

Article | July 15, 2022

Data is the new currency boosted by artificial intelligence and the pandemic — obviously impacting society in small and significant ways, such as with immense data collection. It's an asset that we all have (our information), and it's precious to governments, corporations and, yes, nonprofits. But not everyone is using data wisely (e.g., safeguarding it), and some are taking advantage of this opportunity. As a result, data gets compromised and put at risk of being stolen or misused, including by nonprofits who haven't invested in cybersecurity. In short, we've reached a moment where the privacy lights are blinking red, and nonprofits must invest in cybersecurity. Protecting donor data is no longer just something nice to do. It's essential, and donors will move away (as well they should) from nonprofits that don't protect their information by having transparent and clear data policies. To put this in perspective, think of companies like Facebook and Google. They know your full name, location, interests and more about you (and your donors) than you might think. These large corporations also know everything about what you do online: where you've been online and who you've chatted with (and when). Inevitably, nonprofits are getting on the data bandwagon to better target and predict how and when donors will give. And while a growing number of tech companies provide fundraisers with much better insights and abilities to raise more money with the use of data, we need to ensure there's a balance. Moreover, nonprofit leaders must know what's involved in obtaining and securing donor data. Data Is the New Gold Data is a commodity for all organizations, from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies and nonprofits. About 97 zettabytes of data exist now, and by 2025, it will nearly double, which is astounding. And we're in a time when you have to use data information to grow and sustain your organization to compete and stay afloat. In other words, it's not an option. However, it’s vital to internalize the message that data is the new gold in the digital era, and it needs to be protected. In other words, cybersecurity is critical. First, the world had the GDPR, which affected U.S.-based companies and nonprofits. Then California created a privacy law, Virginia, and recently Colorado, with other states following. Protect Your Data From Corporate Invasion We need to understand where and how it gets collected to protect everyone's data. In other words, nonprofit leaders don't get a pass on the fact they can't understand technology. No one's saying you have to learn how to code, but you do need to understand the implications of the data your organization collects. For instance, your marketing team probably has Google Analytics set up. As a leader, you need to understand what information gets collected because sooner or later, your donors will ask you. You should understand if and how your web presence collects data, such as the location, operating system, browser type and more from those who visit your site. You should realize that nonprofits, and probably your own, use that information to cater ads and increase conversions on their sites. For example, suppose a donor visited a New York City education nonprofit’s website last week, and now the same donor visits a nonprofit school in Boston. In this case, the one in Boston will know that visitor is highly interested in education since it’ll recognize the browser the visitor used. Even with the most basic tracking and data collection, the chances are that your organization collects this information by using something called "cookies," which store information on a computer or mobile device when someone browses certain websites. Google has an advertising network where advertisers can place ads related to what Google thinks you're interested in — based on things like what websites a person visited or what YouTube videos they watched. Advertisers, including nonprofits, pay Google every time someone clicks on their ads. Google also uses cookies to track browsing habits to show these targeted ads across different devices (e.g., computers, tablets, phones). Although the use of cookies is evolving, the point is that donors know this. Do you? Stop Corporations From Tracking You and Your Donors If you want to keep data safe on the internet, it's vital to curb certain behaviors. First and foremost, realize that the information captured on social media and the engagement from your followers gets transmitted to Google and Facebook, for instance, which, in turn, sells all of it. Second, think about the tools you're using online to engage with donors. For instance, do you want the Facebook Messenger service or chatbots communicating with your donors and collecting their data? It's essential to inform and obtain consent from your donors on how you collect and use their data and make them aware that things aren’t so simple with social platforms, for instance. Use Services That Don't Collect Unnecessary Data One way to safeguard nonprofit communication data is by using services that don't collect any information. For instance, instead of using SMS texts to communicate with your donors, how about using encrypted platforms, such as Signal? Be careful with WhatsApp, as Facebook owns that one. Sure, these services may be a bit more of an inconvenience, but they don't collect personal information, which donors will appreciate. Beware of Free Services and Applications In the digital age, nearly everything has a price. Platforms like Facebook and Google offer you a "free" service in exchange for information. As the saying goes, if you're not paying for it, then you and the data are the product. It means that when you use these services, they give your nonprofit data to advertisers — for a fee from which you do not benefit — to make money off of your donor data and information. Conversely, nonprofits need the data to reach and better interact with donors in the digital age. Therefore, it's a careful balancing act of not taking data for granted and being mindful of the services you use and why. Data as a Premium Commodity Data is undeniably a more sought-after commodity. In fact, it’s now a highly precious and premium commodity. Companies currently spend billions of dollars on data mining and analysis. This happens by using "data brokers" that collect information from public records, surveys, and other databases and then combine them to create detailed reports about people's lives. However, nonprofits should realize the ethical difficulty they face and work with vendors and providers emphasizing ethics and security. Moreover, nonprofits can't stick their collective heads in the sand, and speak honestly and openly with donors about their data. In sum, we need to take data protection seriously: to protect ourselves and donors from abuse, extortion or identity theft!

Read More
Nonprofit Management

Nonprofits Have The Tools To Operate Remotely, But What Should They Work On?

Article | July 12, 2022

Last week we released an article outlining a list of software that can make working from home as painless as possible. The goal of that blog, and all others we post, is to share our insights to hopefully provide value for nonprofits. A few days after writing the post, I started thinking about organizations like Habitat for Humanity and the Red Cross. Zoom doesn’t seem very helpful if you’re trying to collect blood donations or construct new homes.

Read More

Nonprofit Success in Times of Crisis

Article | April 22, 2020

In recent weeks all business sectors across America have made significant transitions with their work force and have overcome huge hurdles to their success in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Employees everywhere are doing their best to meet the goals expected of them in a time of intense uncertainty and rapid change. The nonprofit sector is one industry that has faced unique challenges due to the pandemic.

Read More
Nonprofit Management

Non-Profits Impacting the Economy

Article | July 14, 2022

When creating your nonprofit fundraising and donations strategy, email marketing should be on the top of the list of channels to use to support your efforts. However, 70% of nonprofits do not have an email marketing strategy, despite 26% of online donors saying email marketing is what inspires them to give. Email marketing can help nonprofits reach their fundraising goals by helping expand reach, develop a loyal donor base and drive more donations. Build an Email Marketing Strategy Implementing email marketing may seem intimidating to some, but once you have an effective strategy in place, it will act as a blueprint and support all your goals moving forward. When you start building your strategy, it’s important to spend time developing a unique strategy that aligns with your mission and goals. Consider these questions: Who is your target audience? How are you collecting email addresses? What types of emails will you send? What types of content do you want to share in those emails? What will your emails look like? What is the layout? What is the design based on? How often do you plan to send emails? What platform will you use? Does it integrate with your donor database and have all the features you need to implement your strategy? Email marketing is the most effective and successful when there's a strategic plan in place. Creating a detailed strategy that answers the questions above will provide your nonprofit with the stepping stones needed to set your email marketing efforts up for success and help meet your overall fundraising goals. Send Emails Once you have a strategy and execution plan in place, you’re ready to start sending your messages to your audience. Email subscribers want to hear from you, but you need to be sure you are sending engaging messages to the right audiences. When you start sending your emails, plan to send a mix of different messages to your audience. Email marketing is an effective channel to not only fundraise but to help subscribers stay engaged and keep donor retention high. A great example would be to include advocacy emails in your plans. Advocacy emails include newsletters and impact stories. These types of emails help your subscriber feel valued as a donor as they’re seeing the direct impact of their support. As you start and continue to send emails, always track each email's performance. This helps you determine what is working and what is not working. By tracking key metrics, like click-through rates, conversation rates and donations per email, you will be able to continuously improve your strategy and the emails you are sending. Follow Best Practices As you begin to execute your email strategy, there are a few key best practices I recommend following to help increase engagement, donations, and overall performance of your emails. Personalize the email for your subscribers. Personalized emails can generate donations up to six times more compared to a generalized email. Make sure your emails are well-designed with compelling imagery that helps the donor visualize your mission and the impact of their donations. Provide clear calls to action in each email you send and always include a “Donate” button in all your communications. Include social sharing buttons and links to your social channels in all your email communications. Emails with social sharing buttons increase click-through rates by as much as 158% and help expand your reach by allowing donors to recommend and share your nonprofit with their network. Create an email cadence so you are regularly communicating with your audience throughout the year. For every 1,000 fundraising emails delivered, nonprofits raised $78, so it is in your best interest to continuously send messages to your subscribers. Start by sending emails monthly and then experiment with increasing the frequency of emails per month and see what works best for your nonprofit. Utilizing email marketing is key to having a successful fundraising strategy for your nonprofit. By building a well-thought-out strategy and implementing it, you will be able to engage, retain and convert subscribers into a loyal donor base.

Read More
Nonprofit Management

The Advocacy versus the Activist Functions of Non-profits

Article | July 15, 2022

Data is the new currency boosted by artificial intelligence and the pandemic — obviously impacting society in small and significant ways, such as with immense data collection. It's an asset that we all have (our information), and it's precious to governments, corporations and, yes, nonprofits. But not everyone is using data wisely (e.g., safeguarding it), and some are taking advantage of this opportunity. As a result, data gets compromised and put at risk of being stolen or misused, including by nonprofits who haven't invested in cybersecurity. In short, we've reached a moment where the privacy lights are blinking red, and nonprofits must invest in cybersecurity. Protecting donor data is no longer just something nice to do. It's essential, and donors will move away (as well they should) from nonprofits that don't protect their information by having transparent and clear data policies. To put this in perspective, think of companies like Facebook and Google. They know your full name, location, interests and more about you (and your donors) than you might think. These large corporations also know everything about what you do online: where you've been online and who you've chatted with (and when). Inevitably, nonprofits are getting on the data bandwagon to better target and predict how and when donors will give. And while a growing number of tech companies provide fundraisers with much better insights and abilities to raise more money with the use of data, we need to ensure there's a balance. Moreover, nonprofit leaders must know what's involved in obtaining and securing donor data. Data Is the New Gold Data is a commodity for all organizations, from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies and nonprofits. About 97 zettabytes of data exist now, and by 2025, it will nearly double, which is astounding. And we're in a time when you have to use data information to grow and sustain your organization to compete and stay afloat. In other words, it's not an option. However, it’s vital to internalize the message that data is the new gold in the digital era, and it needs to be protected. In other words, cybersecurity is critical. First, the world had the GDPR, which affected U.S.-based companies and nonprofits. Then California created a privacy law, Virginia, and recently Colorado, with other states following. Protect Your Data From Corporate Invasion We need to understand where and how it gets collected to protect everyone's data. In other words, nonprofit leaders don't get a pass on the fact they can't understand technology. No one's saying you have to learn how to code, but you do need to understand the implications of the data your organization collects. For instance, your marketing team probably has Google Analytics set up. As a leader, you need to understand what information gets collected because sooner or later, your donors will ask you. You should understand if and how your web presence collects data, such as the location, operating system, browser type and more from those who visit your site. You should realize that nonprofits, and probably your own, use that information to cater ads and increase conversions on their sites. For example, suppose a donor visited a New York City education nonprofit’s website last week, and now the same donor visits a nonprofit school in Boston. In this case, the one in Boston will know that visitor is highly interested in education since it’ll recognize the browser the visitor used. Even with the most basic tracking and data collection, the chances are that your organization collects this information by using something called "cookies," which store information on a computer or mobile device when someone browses certain websites. Google has an advertising network where advertisers can place ads related to what Google thinks you're interested in — based on things like what websites a person visited or what YouTube videos they watched. Advertisers, including nonprofits, pay Google every time someone clicks on their ads. Google also uses cookies to track browsing habits to show these targeted ads across different devices (e.g., computers, tablets, phones). Although the use of cookies is evolving, the point is that donors know this. Do you? Stop Corporations From Tracking You and Your Donors If you want to keep data safe on the internet, it's vital to curb certain behaviors. First and foremost, realize that the information captured on social media and the engagement from your followers gets transmitted to Google and Facebook, for instance, which, in turn, sells all of it. Second, think about the tools you're using online to engage with donors. For instance, do you want the Facebook Messenger service or chatbots communicating with your donors and collecting their data? It's essential to inform and obtain consent from your donors on how you collect and use their data and make them aware that things aren’t so simple with social platforms, for instance. Use Services That Don't Collect Unnecessary Data One way to safeguard nonprofit communication data is by using services that don't collect any information. For instance, instead of using SMS texts to communicate with your donors, how about using encrypted platforms, such as Signal? Be careful with WhatsApp, as Facebook owns that one. Sure, these services may be a bit more of an inconvenience, but they don't collect personal information, which donors will appreciate. Beware of Free Services and Applications In the digital age, nearly everything has a price. Platforms like Facebook and Google offer you a "free" service in exchange for information. As the saying goes, if you're not paying for it, then you and the data are the product. It means that when you use these services, they give your nonprofit data to advertisers — for a fee from which you do not benefit — to make money off of your donor data and information. Conversely, nonprofits need the data to reach and better interact with donors in the digital age. Therefore, it's a careful balancing act of not taking data for granted and being mindful of the services you use and why. Data as a Premium Commodity Data is undeniably a more sought-after commodity. In fact, it’s now a highly precious and premium commodity. Companies currently spend billions of dollars on data mining and analysis. This happens by using "data brokers" that collect information from public records, surveys, and other databases and then combine them to create detailed reports about people's lives. However, nonprofits should realize the ethical difficulty they face and work with vendors and providers emphasizing ethics and security. Moreover, nonprofits can't stick their collective heads in the sand, and speak honestly and openly with donors about their data. In sum, we need to take data protection seriously: to protect ourselves and donors from abuse, extortion or identity theft!

Read More
Nonprofit Management

What Are the Top Five Lessons for Your Non-Profit This Year?

Article | July 12, 2022

Last week we released an article outlining a list of software that can make working from home as painless as possible. The goal of that blog, and all others we post, is to share our insights to hopefully provide value for nonprofits. A few days after writing the post, I started thinking about organizations like Habitat for Humanity and the Red Cross. Zoom doesn’t seem very helpful if you’re trying to collect blood donations or construct new homes.

Read More

Nonprofit Success in Times of Crisis

Article | April 22, 2020

In recent weeks all business sectors across America have made significant transitions with their work force and have overcome huge hurdles to their success in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Employees everywhere are doing their best to meet the goals expected of them in a time of intense uncertainty and rapid change. The nonprofit sector is one industry that has faced unique challenges due to the pandemic.

Read More
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Spotlight

North Carolina Coastal Federation

North Carolina Coastal Federation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the coast of North Carolina through programs that keep the public informed about coastal management issues, educate about the coastal environment, advocate for sound coastal management decisions, and that fix degraded coastal wetlands, watersheds and water quality.

Related News

Fundraising, Nonprofit Management, Philanthropy

The National Geographic Society Breaks Fundraising Record with $122.8 Million in New Commitments

PR Newswire | January 25, 2024

Today, the National Geographic Society announced its largest fundraising year in its 136-year history with $122.8 million in new commitments for 2023 the Society's third record-breaking year in a row. Contributions came from individuals, corporations and foundations to support the nonprofit's mission work, including the transformation of its Base Camp in Washington, D.C., global community of National Geographic Explorers and portfolio of impactful programs. The Society invests 100 percent of donor contributions into the organization's programmatic priorities to strengthen its mission of illuminating and protecting the wonder of our world. Donors and partners fuel the Society's ability to leverage scientific research, exploration, education and unparalleled storytelling to spark curiosity in hundreds of millions of people to learn about and care for our planet. These philanthropic investments accelerate the Society's sustainable business model and build a culture of philanthropy, key to the organization's five-year strategic plan, NG Next. This achievement underscores our community's belief in our mission and vision for the future," said CEO Jill Tiefenthaler. "The dedication of our donors is instrumental to funding the extraordinary National Geographic Explorers who are driving positive change for our planet and its people. Thank you to all those helping us support our Explorers, transform our Base Camp, and achieve our mission and global impact. Last year, the Society launched its newly formed Principal Donors Society, the highest designation for lifetime giving, which recognizes individuals, corporations and foundations who have championed the nonprofit through cumulative philanthropic support of $1 million or more for pivotal priorities and impact areas. The second annual Principal Donors Society induction ceremony and celebration will take place on February 7, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. "We are most grateful for the unprecedented generosity of our donors that this year's giving reflects, as it clearly demonstrates the growing global support of the National Geographic Society's mission to illuminate and protect the wonderful of our world," said the Society's Board Chair Jean Case. 2023 fiscal year fundraising highlights include: Secured the largest commitment in the Society's history from long-time partner, Rolex $122.8 million in overall new commitments, a 4% increase from the previous record-breaking fiscal year ($117.9M) 81 new commitments of $100,000 or above, a 16% increase over 2022 16 new commitments at $1 million or above $13.2 million raised through Annual Giving & Membership, a 13% increase over 2022 100% participation by the Board of Trustees 100% participation by the Society's Senior Leadership team Increased membership in the Hubbard Council (annual donors of $50,000 or more) by 30% Launched the Principal Donors Society in January 2023, recognizing donors of lifetime giving of $1M or more to the Society, with 65 donors; adding an additional 11 donors during 2023 "We accomplished this tremendous fundraising year thanks to our loyal, global network of industry and thought leaders who are personally dedicated to the Society's success," said Chief Advancement Officer Kara Ramirez Mullins. "It's encouraging to see real investment in, and momentum for, the Society's key priorities like the Base Camp renovation project. We have a bold vision for the future and the time to invest in the Society is now!"

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Nonprofit Management, Nonprofit Technology, Social Movements and Community

AnitaB.org Launches Executive Peer Groups Program to Shape Future of Tech Leadership

PR News | January 31, 2024

AnitaB.org has launched a distinctive opportunity aimed at fostering the advancement and success of women and non-binary leaders in technology: AnitaB.org Peer Groups for Executives (APG). Designed specifically for current and aspiring CEOs, the inaugural executive program extends beyond traditional professional development offerings. It's one of many ways the organization is furthering its mission of creating a more diverse and equitable tech ecosystem. AnitaB.org is honored to facilitate the inaugural executive peer groups," said Brenda Darden Wilkerson, President and CEO of AnitaB.org. "I have personally participated in a CEO peer group, and the experience was transformational. I gained hard skills, confidence, and an expanded network. I think about how much more powerful it would have been if the group was curated to women leaders in tech, with the open space to explore how intersectional identities create additional challenges to leadership, especially in a changing tech environment. We created AnitaB.org Peer Groups for Executives for just this reason. Data indicates that a big factor holding women back from moving into the most senior positions is a lack of confidence and training. Peer groups are a proven and powerful tool for advancement but are often imbalanced with men seeking participation more than women. APG for Executives is a new and unique opportunity specifically for executive women in tech who seek advancement and access to connection, support, and a proven curriculum for success in the C-Suite. With only 11% of tech CEO and senior-level leadership positions being held by women, if the gender imbalance continues in CEO-level trainings, this gap in representation in the industry will continue. This is important because when more women ascend to executive positions, organizations hire more equitably across intersectional gender identities — another key goal of the program. To promote a safe and empowering learning environment where women and non-binary technologists are seen and heard, the program features thoughtfully curated peer groups, consisting of 8-12 members each, led by an expert group chair. The selection and vetting process reinforces the integrity of the program, ensuring that participants are qualified, committed to engagement, and bring diverse perspectives and experiences. This intentional approach is the foundation for building a vibrant and inclusive APG community where members can participate in meaningful discussions, exchange ideas, and benefit from the collective wisdom of their peers. The program will kick off with a two-day, world-class, CEO-level training at an idyllic 150-acre ranch and retreat near Austin, Texas. Designed as an immersive experience, the retreat will delve into the unique challenges women and non-binary tech executives face, seamlessly progressing into conversations on the practical leadership tools needed to succeed in the high-pressure CEO position. Post-retreat, the program continues with monthly virtual and quarterly in-person group sessions for a year, fostering a continuous environment for executive-level learning, collaborative problem-solving, and strategic decision-making. Each participant will also gain exclusive access to one-on-one monthly coaching sessions with Angela Tucci, a longtime tech executive serving as the inaugural APG Leader. Tucci added, "Throughout my career as a C-Suite executive in tech, I have navigated and understand the challenges women in the industry often face in such roles. It requires specific skill sets and resilience to succeed, and that's what APG will offer. It's important for me to foster and support the upcoming community of women executives who will shape our tech ecosystem for the future.

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Fundraising, Nonprofit Management

Charlotte Community Health Clinic Opens the Dave Cathcart Pediatric Clinic in Partnership with Thompson Child & Family Focus

PR News | January 30, 2024

In partnership with Thompson Child & Family Focus (Thompson), Charlotte Community Health Clinic (CCHC) announces the January 30, 2024 grand opening of the Dave Cathcart Pediatric Clinic, named after the long-serving volunteer and Board member who passed away in 2022. The clinic will offer comprehensive pediatric care, including well and sick child visits, acute care services, dental services, immunizations, and behavioral health integration. With this new location at the Dave Cathcart Pediatric Clinic, we uphold our vision of a healthy community where all individuals, regardless of their ability to pay, have access to comprehensive, coordinated, affordable, and quality health care," said CCHC CEO Carolyn Allison. This new CCHC location is the result of a convergence of three main factors – the people, the place, and the project funding. Initially, the introduction of CEOs led to a relationship between the two agencies who serve similar populations of youth and families receiving Medicaid or are under-insured. Then came the discussion of the existing Thompson location in Grier Heights that could accommodate the clinic space needed and fill an unmet need for pediatric care in the area. Finally, CCHC received Health Resources and Services Administration funding focused on capital projects for community health centers – the investment needed to renovate and upfit the space donated by Thompson.When CCHC approached us to collaborate – we could foresee the benefits this partnership would bring to the youth in this community. Integrating physical health care services to our main hub for community mental health services is a triple win, stated Thompson President/CEO Will Jones. "It's a win for those we serve who need physical health care, a win for CCHC's patients who need mental health care, and a win for the Thompson mission to strengthen children, families, and communities. The Dave Cathcart Pediatric Clinic is located at 769 N. Wendover Road, Suite A, Charlotte, NC 28211.

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Fundraising, Nonprofit Management, Philanthropy

The National Geographic Society Breaks Fundraising Record with $122.8 Million in New Commitments

PR Newswire | January 25, 2024

Today, the National Geographic Society announced its largest fundraising year in its 136-year history with $122.8 million in new commitments for 2023 the Society's third record-breaking year in a row. Contributions came from individuals, corporations and foundations to support the nonprofit's mission work, including the transformation of its Base Camp in Washington, D.C., global community of National Geographic Explorers and portfolio of impactful programs. The Society invests 100 percent of donor contributions into the organization's programmatic priorities to strengthen its mission of illuminating and protecting the wonder of our world. Donors and partners fuel the Society's ability to leverage scientific research, exploration, education and unparalleled storytelling to spark curiosity in hundreds of millions of people to learn about and care for our planet. These philanthropic investments accelerate the Society's sustainable business model and build a culture of philanthropy, key to the organization's five-year strategic plan, NG Next. This achievement underscores our community's belief in our mission and vision for the future," said CEO Jill Tiefenthaler. "The dedication of our donors is instrumental to funding the extraordinary National Geographic Explorers who are driving positive change for our planet and its people. Thank you to all those helping us support our Explorers, transform our Base Camp, and achieve our mission and global impact. Last year, the Society launched its newly formed Principal Donors Society, the highest designation for lifetime giving, which recognizes individuals, corporations and foundations who have championed the nonprofit through cumulative philanthropic support of $1 million or more for pivotal priorities and impact areas. The second annual Principal Donors Society induction ceremony and celebration will take place on February 7, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. "We are most grateful for the unprecedented generosity of our donors that this year's giving reflects, as it clearly demonstrates the growing global support of the National Geographic Society's mission to illuminate and protect the wonderful of our world," said the Society's Board Chair Jean Case. 2023 fiscal year fundraising highlights include: Secured the largest commitment in the Society's history from long-time partner, Rolex $122.8 million in overall new commitments, a 4% increase from the previous record-breaking fiscal year ($117.9M) 81 new commitments of $100,000 or above, a 16% increase over 2022 16 new commitments at $1 million or above $13.2 million raised through Annual Giving & Membership, a 13% increase over 2022 100% participation by the Board of Trustees 100% participation by the Society's Senior Leadership team Increased membership in the Hubbard Council (annual donors of $50,000 or more) by 30% Launched the Principal Donors Society in January 2023, recognizing donors of lifetime giving of $1M or more to the Society, with 65 donors; adding an additional 11 donors during 2023 "We accomplished this tremendous fundraising year thanks to our loyal, global network of industry and thought leaders who are personally dedicated to the Society's success," said Chief Advancement Officer Kara Ramirez Mullins. "It's encouraging to see real investment in, and momentum for, the Society's key priorities like the Base Camp renovation project. We have a bold vision for the future and the time to invest in the Society is now!"

Read More

Nonprofit Management, Nonprofit Technology, Social Movements and Community

AnitaB.org Launches Executive Peer Groups Program to Shape Future of Tech Leadership

PR News | January 31, 2024

AnitaB.org has launched a distinctive opportunity aimed at fostering the advancement and success of women and non-binary leaders in technology: AnitaB.org Peer Groups for Executives (APG). Designed specifically for current and aspiring CEOs, the inaugural executive program extends beyond traditional professional development offerings. It's one of many ways the organization is furthering its mission of creating a more diverse and equitable tech ecosystem. AnitaB.org is honored to facilitate the inaugural executive peer groups," said Brenda Darden Wilkerson, President and CEO of AnitaB.org. "I have personally participated in a CEO peer group, and the experience was transformational. I gained hard skills, confidence, and an expanded network. I think about how much more powerful it would have been if the group was curated to women leaders in tech, with the open space to explore how intersectional identities create additional challenges to leadership, especially in a changing tech environment. We created AnitaB.org Peer Groups for Executives for just this reason. Data indicates that a big factor holding women back from moving into the most senior positions is a lack of confidence and training. Peer groups are a proven and powerful tool for advancement but are often imbalanced with men seeking participation more than women. APG for Executives is a new and unique opportunity specifically for executive women in tech who seek advancement and access to connection, support, and a proven curriculum for success in the C-Suite. With only 11% of tech CEO and senior-level leadership positions being held by women, if the gender imbalance continues in CEO-level trainings, this gap in representation in the industry will continue. This is important because when more women ascend to executive positions, organizations hire more equitably across intersectional gender identities — another key goal of the program. To promote a safe and empowering learning environment where women and non-binary technologists are seen and heard, the program features thoughtfully curated peer groups, consisting of 8-12 members each, led by an expert group chair. The selection and vetting process reinforces the integrity of the program, ensuring that participants are qualified, committed to engagement, and bring diverse perspectives and experiences. This intentional approach is the foundation for building a vibrant and inclusive APG community where members can participate in meaningful discussions, exchange ideas, and benefit from the collective wisdom of their peers. The program will kick off with a two-day, world-class, CEO-level training at an idyllic 150-acre ranch and retreat near Austin, Texas. Designed as an immersive experience, the retreat will delve into the unique challenges women and non-binary tech executives face, seamlessly progressing into conversations on the practical leadership tools needed to succeed in the high-pressure CEO position. Post-retreat, the program continues with monthly virtual and quarterly in-person group sessions for a year, fostering a continuous environment for executive-level learning, collaborative problem-solving, and strategic decision-making. Each participant will also gain exclusive access to one-on-one monthly coaching sessions with Angela Tucci, a longtime tech executive serving as the inaugural APG Leader. Tucci added, "Throughout my career as a C-Suite executive in tech, I have navigated and understand the challenges women in the industry often face in such roles. It requires specific skill sets and resilience to succeed, and that's what APG will offer. It's important for me to foster and support the upcoming community of women executives who will shape our tech ecosystem for the future.

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Fundraising, Nonprofit Management

Charlotte Community Health Clinic Opens the Dave Cathcart Pediatric Clinic in Partnership with Thompson Child & Family Focus

PR News | January 30, 2024

In partnership with Thompson Child & Family Focus (Thompson), Charlotte Community Health Clinic (CCHC) announces the January 30, 2024 grand opening of the Dave Cathcart Pediatric Clinic, named after the long-serving volunteer and Board member who passed away in 2022. The clinic will offer comprehensive pediatric care, including well and sick child visits, acute care services, dental services, immunizations, and behavioral health integration. With this new location at the Dave Cathcart Pediatric Clinic, we uphold our vision of a healthy community where all individuals, regardless of their ability to pay, have access to comprehensive, coordinated, affordable, and quality health care," said CCHC CEO Carolyn Allison. This new CCHC location is the result of a convergence of three main factors – the people, the place, and the project funding. Initially, the introduction of CEOs led to a relationship between the two agencies who serve similar populations of youth and families receiving Medicaid or are under-insured. Then came the discussion of the existing Thompson location in Grier Heights that could accommodate the clinic space needed and fill an unmet need for pediatric care in the area. Finally, CCHC received Health Resources and Services Administration funding focused on capital projects for community health centers – the investment needed to renovate and upfit the space donated by Thompson.When CCHC approached us to collaborate – we could foresee the benefits this partnership would bring to the youth in this community. Integrating physical health care services to our main hub for community mental health services is a triple win, stated Thompson President/CEO Will Jones. "It's a win for those we serve who need physical health care, a win for CCHC's patients who need mental health care, and a win for the Thompson mission to strengthen children, families, and communities. The Dave Cathcart Pediatric Clinic is located at 769 N. Wendover Road, Suite A, Charlotte, NC 28211.

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Events

EFG2024

Conference

EFG2024

Conference