Show Volunteers How They’ve Made a Difference
Wild Apricot
DECEMBER 9, 2013
'A new report indicates that most volunteers simply want to be thanked and shown the impact of their efforts.
December, 2013
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Always the Last to Know: Serval
Spark Consulting
DECEMBER 2, 2013
'One of the major problems survivors of natural disasters encounter is the inability to communicate when infrastructure like cell towers, routers, and switches have been damaged or destroyed. One solution to this is mesh networks , that is, allowing cell phones to link directly to each other through their still-operational WiFi capability. People can use their phones to call each other, send texts, and transfer files even without functioning cell towers.
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Creating the Remarkable and Contagious for Your Association
YourMembership
DECEMBER 5, 2013
'I was looking at the statistics from this past weekend’s annual exercise into insanity we lovingly call Black Friday (and also Gray Thursday), and was interested in seeing if there were any lessons there for associations related to creating value for members. Don’t worry; I’m not suggesting associations should create Black Friday like events, full [.] ( Read more. ) The post Creating the Remarkable and Contagious for Your Association appeared first on YourMembership.com.
Celebrating two years
Aaron Wolowiec
DECEMBER 3, 2013
'Two years ago, Aaron Wolowiec had a vision. Strategic planning. Instructional design. Meeting management. They were all in his wheelhouse. But it was time for something new. And so, on Dec. 8, 2011, Grand Rapids-based Event Garde was born. Wolowiec, a wordsmith at heart, chose the name carefully thanks to a little help from The Image Shoppe. Writers love the phrase “avant garde,” which is often used to describe trailblazers.
A New Look At Running Grants & Programs: Why Use A System When You Have Excel?
Speaker: Gareth Webb & Phil Selley, Founding Partners at Intouch Business
For many nonprofit organizations and NGOs, managing grants and monitoring projects with spreadsheets and manual processes feels familiar—but is it holding your organization back? As funding requirements become more complex and stakeholder expectations for transparency grow, relying on outdated methods can lead to inefficiencies, missed opportunities, and compliance risks.
Scouting for Talent within Your Association Membership
Virtual
DECEMBER 4, 2013
'New York Yankees pitcher, Mariano Rivera, retired at the end of this baseball season. After all the years Rivera he’s spent in the league—he’s retiring at age 43—it’s easy to forget where he came from. But I won’t make you look it up. Rivera is a product of the New York Yankees farm system. (If you’re not a baseball fan, the farm system is a network of minor league teams that supports the major league teams—it’s where talent is developed).
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Donation Page Do’s and Don’ts
Wild Apricot
DECEMBER 4, 2013
'Did your year-end fundraising campaign planning include looking at your donation form or donate button?
Q&A with Online Community Results
Spark Consulting
DECEMBER 3, 2013
'Online Community Results recently released an Online Community Software Selection Guide. I had the opportunity to sit down with the OCR team for a brief Q&A on the Guide. Spark: Why did you decide to write the Guide? And why now? Online Community Results: Association executives continue to express major interest in online communities, and we get asked for platform recommendations all the time.
The truth IS out there and your association is definitely needed (or should be)!
YourMembership
DECEMBER 12, 2013
'“Mulder…where is the truth?” A little X-Files reference for all you sci-fi fans out there. In a recent post I shared some thoughts on the annual Black Friday ritual that leads many into both panic buying and shopping nirvana, sometimes at the same time. I shared ideas garnered from the Black Friday experience on how [.] ( Read more. ) The post The truth IS out there and your association is definitely needed (or should be)!
New Year’s resolutions: Time for your association to drop some pounds?
Aaron Wolowiec
DECEMBER 31, 2013
'For most of us Michiganders, this year’s Christmas celebrations were put on hold – or completely rearranged – thanks to Mother Nature’s icy fury. The hum of generators replaced the sounds of Christmas morning giggles in many homes. Christmas lights didn’t shine and instead of prime rib or turkey dinners, families ate at McDonalds or rescheduled for brighter (literally) days ahead.
Find New Non-Dues Revenue Streams for Your Organization with This Free Guide
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Struggling to generate revenue beyond membership dues? You're not alone. Our free guide, The Ultimate Guide to Non-Dues Revenue for Associations , offers practical strategies to help your organization boost financial health. Inside, you'll explore creative ways to generate income, including: Educational offerings tailored to your audience Event-based revenue opportunities Job boards that drive engagement and income Corporate sponsorship ideas A checklist to evaluate and strengthen your current a
You Are Not Innovative
Eric Lanke
DECEMBER 2, 2013
'image source You had me fooled for a while. You really did. I mean, you follow all the blogs, you read all the books and you go to all the conferences. And you talk about innovation all the time. You even have your own blog where you put up posts about innovation and the people you meet at those conferences tell you how great they are. But despite all that, you''re not really innovative.
How Do You Know What Your Employees Are Thinking and Doing?
Association Leaders
DECEMBER 4, 2013
'One challenge for any leader is understanding the “pulse” of their organization. Often times people try to shelter leaders from concerns, issues and bad news. As a result, leaders can get a false sense of what’s going on in their business. I read a great post today about just this topic. The author of “Mindreading 101: The 10 Questions You Need to Ask Your Team Every Week” has excellent ideas for how leaders can keep their finger on the pulse of their organizat
Free Non-profit Webinars for December 2013
Wild Apricot
DECEMBER 2, 2013
'We''ve found more than 23 free non-profit webinars available in December - check out our webinar round-up.
Friday Top 5
Spark Consulting
DECEMBER 6, 2013
'In case you missed the Twitter explosion, this week was ASAE’s annual Technology Conference. My Top 5 takeaways include: “Your data tells a story, and once you know what that story is, you can change the ending.” ( Debbie King ). “IT has to stop being Dr. No.” ( Dion Hinchcliffe ). ”People don’t care about your [online] community – they care what’s happening in your [online] community.” ( Ben Martin ). “Your membership data is a
Forecasting Failures Are Costly: Heres How To Fix Them
Speaker: Dave Sackett
Traditional budgeting and forecasting methods can no longer keep pace with today’s rapidly evolving business environment. Static budgets, rigid annual forecasts, and outdated financial models limit an organization’s ability to adapt to market shifts and economic uncertainty. To stay ahead, finance leaders must leverage a future-forward approach—one that leverages real-time data, predictive analytics, and continuous planning to drive smarter financial decisions.
Including Outsiders
Jamie Notter
DECEMBER 12, 2013
'I just spent a few days in Key West, Florida on vacation. I can’t say enough good things about Key West; it’s a fabulous place to vacation. But you know me, even on vacation I end up thinking about organizational issues! And the issue that showed up loud and clear on this vacation was inclusion. The slogan for the city of Key West is “ One Human Family.” They proclaimed that to be the official philosophy of the city back in 2000, but you see evidence of it everywhere.
There’s an app for that
Aaron Wolowiec
DECEMBER 10, 2013
'In this appilicious world, it’s hard not to be addicted to smartphones. From recipes to sports to stocks, it seems there’s an app for everything. And it’s not just big businesses that have jumped on the app bandwagon. I recently attended an app swap (we public relations professionals are obsessed with new trends) and discovered a Lansing-based mom-and-pop store has joined the app market.
Capturing Useful Intelligence
Eric Lanke
DECEMBER 16, 2013
'image source Two weeks ago, in You Are Not Innovative , I had a bit of an argument with myself--chastising myself for not doing all that I could to set a truly innovative example for my association. In the post, I leveled three essential charges against myself, including: You talk about the need to learn more about the environment your members operate in, but you don''t do it.
Are You Happy?
Association Leaders
DECEMBER 30, 2013
'My mother-in-law sent an email to the family recently that really resonated with me. Maybe it was all the Holiday celebrating or the recent changes we’ve made in our business but I am feeling happier than I have in a few years. However, I have a long way to go to be as happy as I think I should be – and to make others around me happier as well.
The Everyday Donor: Unlocking Prospecting Segments Through Behavior Analysis
Speaker: Tim Sarrantonio, Director of Corporate Brand
Do you really know your donors? Not just what they give, but who they are? 👥 In this interactive session, we’ll break down how nonprofits can use behavioral indicators (affinity, recency, frequency, and monetary value) to build prospecting segments that go beyond wealth screening and actually align with donor identity. You’ll walk away with practical strategies to move beyond basic demographics and cultivate supporters based on how they already engage with you!
Nonprofit Content Marketing - What’s Holding You Back?
Wild Apricot
DECEMBER 13, 2013
'A new report offers insight into nonprofit content marketing. Here are some report highlights and links to additional resources.
The $30,000 Tweet
Spark Consulting
DECEMBER 5, 2013
'Speaking of Online Community Results, I also recently did an interview with Ben Martin on social media ROI, also known as “The Story of the $30,000 Tweet.” I think the key issue here is that, like with all marketing and communications efforts, ROI is cumulative. That is, a particular contact may be the precipitating event for a given action (potential corporate partner sees tweet and reaches out to ask about partnership), but it is rarely the sole cause of that action (that “p
Is Strategy the Job of Senior Leaders?
Jamie Notter
DECEMBER 3, 2013
'Conventional wisdom says it is. Heck, I kind of agree. This is why we pay people the big bucks, right? They have to make the tough strategic calls that make or break an organization. While that certainly makes sense, there seems to be a downside, given the research I just read done by Mike Tobias up at Mercanix, a very cool technology company in Toronto.
Strategic meeting audits: Leveraging data to improve ROI
Aaron Wolowiec
DECEMBER 18, 2013
'Are you under the impression that all associations are experiencing diminished attendance at their in-person events? Has your organization’s meetings function experienced a year-over-year revenue decline – however slight – since the 2007 recession? If you’ve answered yes to one or both of these questions, 2014 may be a great opportunity for your organization to conduct a strategic meeting audit.
2025 Association Survey Results Report
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GrowthZone’s 11th annual survey highlights trends, challenges, and strategies shaping the membership industry through insights from U.S. and Canadian association professionals. Get your copy of the 2025 Association Survey Results Report to see how your organization measures up: The biggest challenges associations are facing Membership retention trends and non-renewal insights Strategies for automatic renewals and reinstatements Shifts in member engagement tactics Why members are joining (and sta
Cultivating Association Chapters - Favorite Posts from 2013
Mariner
DECEMBER 30, 2013
'Cultivating chapters is a tough gig but there were great ideas shared throughout 2013 to make the gig a little better. Here are a few that I bookmarked. Enjoy and let me know what I’m missing!
Tis The Season
Association Leaders
DECEMBER 11, 2013
'Tis the Season for office parties. I saw this article today and thought it would be a good reminder for our readers. . I hope your office party is successful and safe.
Wild Apricot Software News December 2013
Wild Apricot
DECEMBER 23, 2013
'As we wrap up 2013, we thought it might be fun to compile some data on the state of Wild Apricot Software. So here’s our first-ever End of Year Infographic.
Always the Last to Know: Nonprofit Tech Trends
Spark Consulting
DECEMBER 30, 2013
'Yep, it’s a year-end trends post. The thing I particularly like about this one, though, is that TechSoup looks at the tech trends we all know and love (mobile, the Internet of Things, cloud computing, social media, etc.) specifically through the lens of what’s relevant and appropriate in the nonprofit space. Which, as we know, is not always the same at the for profit space.
Navigating Payroll Compliance: Future-Proofing Payroll in an Evolving Regulatory Landscape
Speaker: Jennifer Hill
Payroll compliance is a cornerstone of business success, yet for small and midsize businesses, it’s becoming increasingly challenging to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of federal, state, and local regulations. Mistakes can lead to costly penalties and operational disruptions, making it essential to adopt advanced solutions that ensure accuracy and efficiency.
What You Had for Lunch DOES Matter
Jamie Notter
DECEMBER 16, 2013
'Remember the early days of Twitter, when nobody understood it? I was a fairly early adopter, and I remember that the number-one complaint I would hear from people who didn’t understand Twitter was that they really didn’t care what people had for lunch. To be honest, I STILL hear this from those who don’t like social media. Somehow they fear if they use social media, they will be wasting time hearing what people had for lunch.
My Top 5 Blog Posts of 2013
Eric Lanke
DECEMBER 30, 2013
'image source As we end another year, here''s a look back at the five posts on this blog that received the most page views in 2013. 1. Stop Calling It Strategic Planning This was #3 on last year''s list, and was originally posted in January 2012. It was inspired by the take-down of strategic planning in Humanize , and in it I pledge to stop using that term to describe the messy, constantly evolving process my association uses to determine our direction and set our objectives.
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