From 100 Things We’ve Learned
Older dog, new tricks in the video age
Since the full force of the Covid 19 shutdown took place a few weeks ago, Jon, Alex and I have had to rapidly adjust how we work. Yes, this older dog is sharing and learning new tricks in this video age just as fast as she can. 
Ironically, I’ve been working from a home office for 26 years since the founding of Cause & Effect Inc. For at least the last five, I’ve been enjoying videoconferencing with colleagues across the US and Canada through the wonders of Zoom. I have been singing its praises. We even opened Christmas presents with the sons, spouse, fiance and my LA based daughter and my son-in-law over a few hours. It was a lot of fun.
I’ve been promoting videoconferencing as an essential skill of the 21st century board.
See: Technology-aided board meetings: A critical skill for your nonprofit board..
BUT,
I never imagined that videoconferencing would be the only realistic way to connect with the nonprofit teams I work with.
And I’m sure that those directors, staff and volunteers never imagined it either. If you’ve already have a geographically disperse universe, you are likely an old hand. But most of our clients are within driving distance and they have had an abrupt learning curve. Read more
A case study: lessons from small organizations in trying to share back office
Some of the lessons we learned: 1. In the smallest organizations, capacity is in individuals and their institutional knowledge, not organizational systems. When inevitable transitions occur, built capacity can quickly be lost. Attention must be paid to building sustained people capacity somewhere in the network. Transitions often occur at a rate that prohibits capacity building. 2. Small groups need either a large organization with significant built capacity already on their team or they will need a much larger cash investment to buy what they lack.
7 ways fundraising can be a powerful program tool
7 Ways Fundraising Can Strengthen Your Programming 1. You get out the door and talk to your constituents — the best way to get feedback on the issues and concerns that matter to them. 2. You see the real life, real people impact of your work.
How we got the grant – Part II
How we got the grant. Lesson Four. Build your program on your existing assets. Lesson Five. Bring something new to your funder’s portfolio. Lesson Six. Consult the experts to ensure strong program design.
How we got the grant. Part 1
Year after year, our proposals kept getting rejected. And we couldn’t understand why. What were we doing wrong?
Please spell the name right: #36 of 100 Things We’ve Learned
When I opened the folder to view the certificate, I immediately saw that my name was misspelled. My heart sank. While I tried to resist it, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the gift I was being given had been selected for someone else. Like the time I opened a present anticipating something very romantic and found a rice cooker instead.
Think you’ve communicated enough? Think again (#35 of 100 Things We’ve Learned)
Whether you are trying to educate me about a community issue, hope to turn me out for a special event, or are even trying to renew my annual memberships, don’t underestimate what it will take to get my attention.
If you think that you have sent too many communications, you might want to think that through one more time.
Collaboration works when the whole is more than the parts (#34 of 100 Things We’ve Learned)
At the end of the day, nonprofit collaborations, joint ventures, mergers, or whatever should produce a better result for their community than what any individual organization might achieve working alone.
Never assume what a donor can give: #33 of 100 Things We’ve Learned
“In the end, canceling or changing the event simply was a bigger risk. Our work depends on the money we raise.”