December 28, 2020

Ending this year and starting anew

Now is your chance and my chance. Learn!!! Learn more!!!!! All us fundraisers can do better! Embrace lifelong learning.

Let’s start this new year by learning and applying all the great research and resources that our beloved sector has and keeps developing!!!!

 

Resources…Research…Stuff…

Resource Alliance: Located in the UK but offering workshops all over the world! You must must check out their offerings!!!

AFP-Boston Fundraising Conference: January 25-29, 2021. Jay Love, Adrian Sargeant, and myself are presenting the closing plenary.

AFP-RI Chapter: How about these speakers for 2021??!!  Ligia Peña. Planned giving… Roger Craver. Yes! Roger Craver!!!  Tom Ahern…  Tycely Williams…  Simone Joyaux… Check out the complete list of speakers early in January 2021. And, how about joining the AFP-RI Chapter’s Book Club?!! And check out the job postings, too.

Visit Harvey McKinnon Associates. These Canadian colleagues are LEADERS in monthly giving!!! And the USA is way behind in monthly giving. Read the books…For example, How to Create Lifelong Donors Through Monthly Giving.

Are you a Peter Drucker fan? He’s the management guru who “invented” organizational culture. So check out this book by Laurence Pagnoni, fundraiser: Fundraising 401 — Masterclasses in nonprofit fundraising that would make Peter Drucker proud. How can this not tempt you!!!

Boards and Asking Styles: A Roadmap to Success, by Brian Saber. Really helpful.

 

Okey dokey… Let’s get away from fundraising and move into organizational development…self-growth:

I’ve subscribed to the Harvard Business Review for decades. Now there’s this cool book, HBR’s 10 Must Reads: On Managing Yourself.

How about this one by Maria Konnikova: The Biggest Bluff – How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win.

Or this one…. NEW POWER: How Power Works in Our Hyperconnected World – and How to Make It Work for You. Authored by Jeremy Heimans and Henry Timms.

I’m counting on you to look up the book links. If you want to learn…If you care enough to learn…Go for it. Check these out. Thus far, I’ve read some but not yet all.

So do please join me on the journey!!!!!

 

 

 

Filed under: Resources / Research

April 9, 2020

Do this NOW….PLEASE!!!!!!

COMPLETE THIS SURVEY? Why? Because participating in research is a great thing we pros should do to learn more.

https://philanthropycentre.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1NyS6PHv16MuQoR

If you’re a fundraiser – PLEASE COMPLETE THIS SURVEY. You’ll learn how you can do your work better, based on this research!!!! https://philanthropycentre.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1NyS6PHv16MuQoR

 

***** RESEARCH TOPIC: How do organizations plan their fundraising?

  • For example, questions like: What strategic issues do you consider? What’s the board role? What tools do you use? And so very much more!!!!
  • Just imagine: If you and I know the answers to all this — and more — imagine how we can improve our work!!! Yippee!!!!!!!!!!!

***** SURVEY CONDUCTED BY: The marvelous Institute for Sustainable Philanthropy (Adrian Sargeant & Jen Shang).

 

CLICK NOW!!! https://philanthropycentre.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1NyS6PHv16MuQoR

 

And as the Institute says,Literally every reply we receive will make a MASSIVE difference AND we will love you forever!”

March 25, 2020

Books to read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Important new books… Check them. Keep up with your lifelong learning!!!!!

It’s Not Just About the Money: How to Build Authentic Donor Relationships, 2nd edition. Authors are Richard Perry and Jeff Schreifels. This is the revised and updated version. Richard P. and Jeff S. are Veritus Group. These are great guys. All that expertise in donor retention. Check out their Passionate Giving Blog, too. (By the way, the forward to this edition is written by Jeff Brooks.)

Fundraising 401: Masterclasses in nonprofit fundraising that would make Peter Drucker Proud. Author is Laurence A. Pagnoni, CEO of LAPA Fundraising, Inc. Me, Simone Joyaux, wrote the foreword. I’m a HUGE Drucker fan. And believe so deeply that fundraisers need to learn more than fundraising stuff!

Donor Care: How to Keep Donors Coming Back after the First Gift….Connect…Appreciate…Reply…Encourage. John Haydon is the author…with hte foreword by Tom Ahern. Cancer killed John just before the book was released.

Please read. Please learn. Please share and teach all the others. Our beloved sector must be stronger to help this world.

 

March 1, 2020

Please keep learning…

Lifelong learning. That’s what professionals do.

And if you’re a really smart fundraiser, you know that fundraising tactics/techniques are hugely important. Yes. Hugely.

But you also know that organizational development and behavior, organizational culture, management, governance, strategic planning, and sooooooo much more are pretty darn important.

You even know that many many many fundraising problems are actually not fundraising problems. Too many problems are caused by and within other parts of the organization.

November 28, 2019

New learnings for fundraising and us fundraisers

Did you read my blog of October 25? About the Certificate in Philanthropic Psychology?

Go back and read that blog. (And if, by chance, I didn’t make the connection properly…. So you can just click on “blog” in this sentence… just scroll Simone Uncensored until you get to October 25.)

My theory about research by Sargeant and Shang….. Anytime you have the opportunity to hear their research, just do it. I mean really…Fundraising research. Shouldn’t we all be reading fundraising research?

What fundraising research do you recommend? Send me your list(s) and I’ll include in a future post. Let’s learn and share with each other!!! Here’s a teeny tiny bit of research. Send me more!

AND NEVER EVER LET ME HEAR or SEE any fundraiser saying that s/he/they simply don’t have the time to read. WTF?!!!!!! Because yes, I’ve heard/seen commments like those.

October 25, 2019

Wow. Great. First ever. Raise more money by learning extraordinary stuff!!!!

PHILANTHROPIC PSYCHOLOGY  !!!  

A new education program for you and me! For all us fundraisers. Never anything like it before! 

Certificate in Philanthropic Psychology. On line. Starts January 13, 2020. WOW! This is an extraordinary opportunity. Learning none of us fundraisers ever learned before because it just didn’t exist! And now it does……!!

Jen Shang, the world’s first philanthropic psychologist (and still the only one, I do believe). And she’s the first PhD in Philanthropy, too. And Adrian Sargeant, the first Hartsook Chair in Fundraising at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University.

Here’s the concept of philanthropic psychology (I’ve nicknamed it “phil psych”…) Phil psych focuses on how the actions we donors take make us feel. Phil psych research has shown that when people feel their giving is meaningful — and even transformative to a person’s sense of who s/he is — then those people give more and give longer.

WOW! Fundraising is growing up. Academic research and applying academic learning — and even learning about the academic learning — raises more money.

CHECK OUT THIS PHILANTHROPIC PSYCHOLOGY OPPORTUNITY!!!!

(And check out the Institute’s other education/training programs, too!)

 

MORE about Jen and Adrian…………..They co-founded the Institute for Sustainable Philanthropy in the U.K. I sure hope you’re reading the research reports produced by Sargeant, Shang, and their team. Reports like:

  • Everything Research Can Tell Us About Legacy Giving
  • Great Fundraising
  • Great Fundraising Events
  • Learning to Say Thank You: The Role of Donor Acknowledgements
  • Major Gift Fundraising: Unlocking the Potential for Smaller Nonprofits
  • Measuring donor loyalty: key reasons why Net Promoter Score (NPS) is not the way.
  • AND MORE!!!!

 

 

is now offering the Certificate in Philanthropic Psychology. On line. Starts January 13, 2020.

Jen Shang! And Adrian Sargeant!

You and I do NOT NOT know this stuff. This is NOT donor-centrism. Not behavioral economics. Not anything we’ve already learned.

 

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/certificate-in-philanthropic-psychology-tickets-74968393483?aff=utm_source%3Deb_email%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3Dnew_event_email&utm_term=eventname_text

September 23, 2019

Fundraising Standard – What YOU MUST know…

The principles…fundamentals…key stuff… WHICH ALL FUNDRAISERS MUST MUST MUST NEED NEED NEED to know.

The Fundraising Standard is an interactive 40-hour online learning program

START DATES: 2019: 10/7. 11/14.  12/2.  12/16.          2020: 1/6.  1/20.  2/3.  2/17.

Stuff you and I and all fundraisers need to know. Designed for newbies. (But I know lots of fundraisers who aren’t newbies – and need this program! These fundraisers have been fundraising for a while – even quite a while. But too many don’t know the basics.)

What will you learn?

  • Thorough intro to the fundraising process.
  • Intro to the nonprofit sector and fundraising ethics
  • What we know about giving – who gives and why
  • Science and practice of communication design
  • How to raise lots more money by avoiding common errors that nonprofits too often make
  • Focusing on donor satisfaction and wellbeing

And all of this comes from Adrian Sargeant and his team. With start-up funding from Bloomerang.

Check out the Fundraising Standard Program. Now!

P.S. And it’s pretty darn inexpensive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

August 19, 2019

Part 2: I’m thinking about new stuff…

Part 2: Last week was Part 1.

So my conclusion from last week’s Part 1… What more can I do? Well, I thought about that – and here are some topics I’m going to talk about.

1. Organizational culture: Business theory notes that “culture eats strategy for breakfast and lunch.” What and why. Importance. Developing, supporting, and measuring. Culture of philanthropy – special subset for nonprofit sector. I developed this curriculum for AFP ICON 2019, San Antonio. How about this topic for your professional association, your organization, a product for your community foundation…whatever…

Make sure you read the big read thing below! Skip the first 6 if you wish!! The big red one is really BIG!!

2. Leadership: In-depth probing. Theory and practice. How to develop yourself and others. Creating a leadership development program for your organization and its staff. Maybe a series for your organization or your association or your community…Or just a 1/2 mini session or who knows…

3. Trends and emerging issues: So much is happening…happened…will happen. And you and I have to cope with it. This is sooooo far beyond an organization’s mission or a particular sector. How do we build staff and organizations and processes to watch, monitor, anticipate, recognize, prepare…How do we build foresight? Yes, this is a strategic planning fundamental. But I’m also interested in operationalizing this into day-to-day operations.

Maybe read the big red item below first!!! The first 6 are definitely cool. But wow…the red one after #6.

4. Fundraisers as organizational development specialists: I wrote and talked about this beginning in the late 90s. I think it’s still a major weakness of fundraisers. The best fundraisers are not just great technicians. Writing the best direct mail…hosting the best events…securing tons of grants…All important stuff. But without understanding how everything in an organization fits together…like #1,2,3,5,7…and so much more!…you’ll have a tough time with fundraising.

I’m doing the red item first. I’m thinking 2020…fall or spring. What do you think?

5. Enabling others to do: People can’t just read a book and then be able to do the thing. Leaders enable others to learn and understand, anticipate and preempt, get the stuff done well. The CEO has to be the best enabler. The CDO better be darn good at enabling. And you can learn more about enabling in the handout in my Free Download Library on this website. You really have to learn this. Sequential sessions? Simulation? Daylong. What do you think? 

Here it comes!!! The BIG RED ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

6. Measuring “strange things”: Enough with measuring only money! Let’s measure ROI in various areas. CRQs (effective use of cage-rattling questions). Donor-centric quotient (DCQ). Board member performance (and that’s not not not gift size and $ raised!)  When you ask me to speak, think about this topic!

THING I WANT TO DO FIRST…THE WAY WE SHOULD APPROACH GOOD GOVERNANCE Maybe you think this is old news…But I’m telling you that doing good governance well is still a frigging mess. And I’ve been playing in this arena since 1975.

Most boards are mediocre at best. Some are simply dysfunctional. And too damn few are really good. And this holds true no matter the “sophistication” of board members, the organization’s budget size, or the supposed experience level of board members. 

PLEASE PLEASE LET’S FIX THIS! And not with “governance training for the board.” This is not the answer.

Who should be the governance expert in any and all boards (and I’m focusing on the nonprofit sector at this moment)? The ED/CEO. Because that’s an official (mostly) paid position. And as a professional, that individual in that position is expected to be well-trained and well-educated in the business, a lifelong learner, and an expert in management…and hence an expert in governance, too!

Who else should be an expert in governance in your organization? Anyone who works closely with board members or board committees…for example, the chief development officer!!

I teach a 30-hour course in governance in a Masters Program at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. I see the change in people’s understanding.

Topics would include: Organizational culture and development. Enabling. Conversation as a core business practice – which is different than discussion. Distinction between the board (collective) and board members. (Damn it! The terms are not not not not interchangeable!!!!!!!!) Relationship of board committees to the board itself – and to staff. Distinction between governance and management. Your board is not a fundraising team! Role of the board chair – one of the biggest messes in the field. Performance expectations of all board members. Power dynamics – like wealth, gender, race/ethnicity, etc. Identifying and recruiting candidates. Enabling the board, its committees, and the individual board members. And, when absolutely necessary, firing lousy board members.

This is a session for staff. This would require 2 days – like we’d all meet live in one place. Lots of great materials. Interactive lecture. Small group work / assignments. Simulation. Articles. My book Firing Lousy Board Members – And Helping the Others Succeed. Follow-up coaching. Undoubtedly points for CFRE.

Let me know what you think. Add a comment to this blog. Send me a personal email to spjoyaux@aol.com. You could even call me if you wished. 401.397.2534.

 

 

 

 

August 12, 2019

I’m thinking about new stuff… Part 1. (Part 2 is next week.)

Part 1 of a 2-part blog:

Of course, I love all the fundraising and governance stuff I’ve done for years. And I love changing and adjusting and adding new stuff and and… I’m just not one of those people that likes doing the same old stuff the same old way.

  • I’m also reading new stuff and stuff that so few other people in the nonprofit sector seem to be reading. Come on peeps – let’s get out of just reading fundraising and governance and donor stuff.
  • Have you read systems thinking and learning organization business theories yet? I wrote about that back in 1997. How about the stuff that’s happening to our brains because of too much technology?
  • Leadership…Oh sure, some conversations on the job. But who reads actual leadership research and stuff from the Harvard Business Review and and and ….
  • By the way, when was the last time that your professional association recommended readings beyond your specialized field?
  • How about organizational development? Culture and top-notch management and and and… SO MUCH MORE!!

There are 3 sectors: Government. For-profit. Nonprofit. I think the nonprofit sector is more important than most of our society thinks. And I suspect that most of you reading this honors our sector, too.

  • I want the government sector to do more. I’m appalled at what government doesn’t do.
  • I want the for-profit sector to be put in its proper place…. NOT the best the greatest the most important the individual and corporations are bestest. I want the for-profit sector and its people to be punished more often than they are. And if I hear one more person say “If only the nonprofit sector would operate more like the business sector….”)…well I just don’t know what I’m gonna do!!!!!!!!! WTF!!!!!!!!!!!

But if the nonprofit sector doesn’t get itself together better… Just survival isn’t good enough. The excuse of “We nonprofits and our staff are just sooooooo busy just doing what we have to do that we can’t possibly learn more…” WTF????!!!! Would you do your mission in a half-ass manner? Most of you tell me, “No way. We do our mission excellently … or we will choose to close.” Well if that’s the case, then do all the other stuff — fundraising, governance, management, leadership, organizational development, and on and on — damn well, too. Or close down!

The world needs and deserves the best and most loved nonprofit sector. Because people and the planet deserve the best. Social justice. Diversity. Inclusion. Equity. Health. Safety. Employment and economic security. Joy and love and education and peace.

The world needs and deserves the best and most loved nonprofit sector. Because people and the planet deserve the best. An environment that endures – with animals and plants and insects and all those living things. And learning and pleasure and the strength and support to build and care and live and…

Oh good heavens…How did I start down this path today? I read Seth Godin’s July 9, 2019 blog, The $50,000 an hour gate agent. I got frustrated because I hear too much whining from my beloved nonprofit sector people.

  • Yes, yes… I know what it’s like to work long hours and fight with a silly CEO and icky board members – too few of whom seem to “get it.” I know what it’s like to work for less than I’m worth – and without adequate support systems.
  • So leave the sector. Or first, look for a better nonprofit job with smart staff and board members who give you the respect and support I hope you deserve.
  • Because there’s no excuse for we all in this sector accepting inadequacy in others or in ourselves.

Okey dokey. Part 2 is next week. Thanks for listening.

June 24, 2019

Do you know Siegfried Vögele?

If you read about donor communications, you’re probably familiar with Siegfried.

Check out this article by fundraiser Chris Keating: How a good envelope can make the difference to your direct mail’s success. All about designing the perfect envelope.

And stick around on the site where Chris posted his article……. SOFII.…. Showcase of fundraising innovation and inspiration.

SOFII is sooooo cool and informative and full of history and and and !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks to Ken Burnett and his pals…SOFII is the bestest compiler of stuff that works in our philanthropic field.

  • Examples of the bestest fundraising letters and cases for support — like even in the 1930s!
  • All about relationship fundraising
  • Direct mail
  • Brand development
  • Telephone fundraising
  • Digital fundraising
  • And on and on and on…

 

 

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