Category Archives: nonprofit

The purpose of Culture

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What stories about your community are being told outside of your physical boundaries? Why is it important for you to be the voice that moves the truth forward?

Your mission is your purpose. It guides how you make decisions, where you spend your resources and what goals to pursue. People will try to connect this with what you allow them to perceive. It becomes the main theme for the story they tell themselves about you.

And then there’s culture. As an organization, what you believe gives meaning to your purpose. What you share with others gives you a strong sense of place. Your story has roots that give you the courage to step outside and reveal your true identity, not to isolate yourself, but rather to invite others to discover who you really are. And to ask them the same question: “Who are you?”

“Let’s shift our collective consciousness and remember that we belong to one another.”
— Matika Wilbur, photographer, project 562

How can a nonprofit emerge from the recession better off than before?

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Planning educational programs has been a passion of mine ever since I began working with nonprofit organizations. It’s exhilarating when great minds connect to spark conversations that can bring about the next game changer.

This year, I’m active in the American Marketing Association, Chicago Chapter as Chair of their Nonprofit SIG (Special Interest Group). I’m also thrilled that Carey Kogol, Development Director at i.c.stars, joins me as Co-Chair. The SIG members recently designed the 2014 program series with Mission-Driven Marketing as its overarching theme.

cc-ama_davidoffThe series kicks off on February 6 when John Davidoff, Managing Director of Davidoff Communications, leads a dynamic discussion with other thought leaders on how a nonprofit can emerge from the recession better off than before. Participants will share insights to answer these questions from Davidoff’s article “Mission-Focused Results” in The Nonprofit Times:

1) Do you see opportunity in a crisis? 

An economic or financial crisis should prompt you to reexamine your strategy and how you operate. A change in leadership can open the door to fresh new thinking. When you let challenges push you beyond the status quo, you get to a higher level of articulating your mission.

How do you change the conversation within your organization to encourage a new way of seeing and thinking?

2) Do you tell your story in good times and in bad?

Sharing your story, even if it’s one of hardship, can stimulate empathy and even increase giving, especially if the external challenge aligns with your mission. When you make it known that the people you serve are in greater need than ever during the downturn, chances are it will resonate deeply with donors, which will motivate them to give more than they had previously.

How could reaching out to your community with an honest appeal turn your challenge into a success story?

3) Is your board invested in the success of your organization?

A strong, engaged board can be one of your greatest assets, both to help you maintain perspective on imminent or ongoing challenges and to provide practical advice for dealing with them constructively.  A highly invested board should be asking for regular updates on strategy, operations and outcomes. If your board can’t be counted on in crises or other times, it’s time to wake it up or break it up.

How well do your board members understand their roles in marketing the organization’s mission?

cc-ama_panelistsJoin Carey and me in welcoming the AMA’s esteemed panel of speakers:

Emily Dreke
Director of Development and Communications
Chicago Foundation for Women

Steve Ford
Executive Vice President—Chief Communications and Marketing Officer
Muscular Dystrophy Association

Otto Reinisch
Director of Organizational Development
Episcopal Charities and Community Services

Thursday, February 6, 2014
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM (CST)
Davidoff Communications
730 North Franklin St., Suite 601
Chicago, IL 60654

Sign up today and participate in the next game-changing dialogue for the nonprofit sector.

Night of Convergent Voices

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pic_jam2013OCTPeople never cease to impress upon me how storytelling is, not only an artistic form of self-expression, but also an intrinsic part of our humanity. Once again, it happened at our recent storytelling Jam Session: What’s Your Read.

Filmmaker John Grod and Frank Tumino, Director of Little City Foundation’s Center for the Arts, kicked off the jam by giving us an inside look at what sparked the creation of their compelling documentary Share My Kingdom. It’s a story rich in visual textures and layered truths about our visceral need for art as human beings.

From the author of a children’s e-book to a motivational speaker’s journey, the evening was, in the words of a participant, “more than expected.” Diana Durkes wrote Henry’s Chair, a story of her family’s house cat, the first of an upcoming series. Diana revealed her whimsical illustrations and her vision for engaging both child and parent in a love for reading. Mary Nerburn, Certified DreamBuilder Coach, shared her inspiration for helping people see their potential for personal transformation.

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Through vocal variety, Dawn Marie Galtieri, Executive Director of Voice of the City, embodied the characters in her story who emerged from their inter-disciplinary arts programs. CJE SeniorLife grant writer Magdalyn Guzzo suspended a moment in time by painting a day-in-the-life portrait of the people at the center. Maribeth Joy, Executive Director of CircEsteem, informed and entertained while seamlessly weaving organizational and personal stories together.

The creativity of the evening was amplified by the energy that radiated from the surroundings. Thank you to Lillstreet Loft on Ravenswood for hosting us in their amazing space.

View and share the photos. Hope you can make the next jam in Spring 2014!