Last week, before our first Networking for Non-Profit event, Janel, Reiko and Tom were interview by Cape Cod Broadcasting.  The interview aired June 6th on their very popular Sunday Morning Journal.  You can listen to the interview on Capecod.com and look at the podcasts that [...]]]>

Janel, Reiko and Tom were interviewed by Cape Cod Broadcasting

Last week, before our first Networking for Non-Profit event, Janel, Reiko and Tom were interview by Cape Cod Broadcasting.  The interview aired June 6th on their very popular Sunday Morning Journal.  You can listen to the interview on Capecod.com and look at the podcasts that were uploaded on June 9th, or by clicking the link below.  In this interview we covered several topics:  How we came up with the idea for The Non-Profit Toolbox, what we actually do, and what types of help the nonprofit gets asked for by this under served group.

We think the interview came out great and can’t thank Sarah Colvin enough for the fantastic job she did leading us along.  She was extremely prepared and asked great questions. Thank you Sarah.

Here is a download of the interview:

The Non-Profit Toolbox on Cape Cod Radio

Join us for our next Networking for Non-Profit Event in August!

Last night Lisa Morressey and Reiko Beach from The Non-Profit Toolbox gave a presentation on Linkedin to the South Shore Ad Club.  They worked hard on the presentation and it went over pretty well.   In addition they uploaded the slide show to slideshare.net. This morning we [...]]]>

Add Slideshare to Your Web Presence

Get Linkedin presentation Featured

Last night Lisa Morressey and Reiko Beach from The Non-Profit Toolbox gave a presentation on Linkedin to the South Shore Ad Club.  They worked hard on the presentation and it went over pretty well.   In addition they uploaded the slide show to slideshare.net. This morning we got an email from slideshare saying:

Your presentation Get Linkedin is currently being featured on the SlideShare homepage by our editorial team.

We thank you for this terrific presentation, that has been chosen from amongst the thousands that are uploaded to SlideShare everday.

Congratulations! Have a Great Day!,

How cool is that!  So far this morning 328 people have viewed the presentation, far more than were at the event.

Increase Your Web Presence

One of our most popular presentations is how to use the many different tools on the web to increase you presence on the web.  In this simple talk we explain how to use Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr and Blogging into your overall marketing mix.  If you do any public speaking you also need to post your presentation on slideshare and embed it back into your blog, facebook and linkedin.  Slideshare is to slide shows that YouTube is to video.  We are constantly surprised at how many people view slideshare and how much it extends web presence.

Want to learn more about Internet Marketing? Join us at our next non-profit mini-conference.

At our first mini-conference, Susan Hammond president of scHammond Advisors, gave a very powerful presentation on creating powerful organizations. She gave several tips on creating boards, and how to make your current one powerful and strong. The following video is a [...]]]>

Susan Hammonds' Advisory Board Kit

Don’t Let Them Get Lost in the Weeds

At our first mini-conference, Susan Hammond president of scHammond Advisors, gave a very powerful presentation on creating powerful organizations. She gave several tips on creating boards, and how to make your current one powerful and strong. The following video is a clip from this presentation on creating effective and efficient board meetings. If you would like more information on Susan please visit her at scHammond.com. If you would like help with your Board, contact her at susan@schammond.com. Susan is the author of the Advisory Board Kit.

Highlights from this clip are below the video. To see more clips from the Non-Profit Toolbox click here.

I’m sure that people have been at board meetings where the conversation is around a $200 postal charge when the building is falling down.  This is as much managements fault or who ever is in charge of the meeting.

One of the key ways is to use a consent agenda.  With a consent agenda you send all the materials before hand, everyone reads them, and if there are issues they bring them to the attention of the board chair and taken off the consent agenda.  At the meeting there is one vote to approve the agenda.  This saves the board a tremendous amount of time and leaves the rest of the meeting to discus important strategic issues.

It takes time to get the board used to this format.  Even if you have a working board, Susan recommends this process.

Send the materials & agenda at least 10 days in advance.  You can use email or a shared data base like google docs, basecamp or dropbox.

The finance committee needs to meet before the board meetings so any pressing issues can be in the consent agenda.  If you don’t have a finance committee, use the executive committee.

If you don’t go to a consent agenda, still get away from reading the board reports.  The more you do that the more permission you give for people to be unprepared.

Want to learn more about Creating Powerful Organizations? Join us at our next non-profit mini-conference.

“It was very informative. I have benefited greatly from the sessions I attended. I am excited to be able to put to use what I have learned.” Fred Svenson, Teen Challenge

“This was a fantastic event! The [...]]]> Not sure if you should attend our next Mini-Conference March 24?

Hear what others had to say about our October Mini-Conference:

“It was very informative. I have benefited greatly from the sessions I attended. I am excited to be able to put to use what I have learned.” Fred Svenson, Teen Challenge

“This was a fantastic event! The ability to interact w/others in the Non-Profit world is great.  It allows for the sharing of ideas and challenges.” Mark Rogers, The Rogers Law Firm

“Can’t wait for the next one!” Kathy King Tedeschi

“I found the workshop to be very educational. The Q & A period was very important and speakers were well-prepared.  Overall, a wonderful event.” Anonymous

NEW TOPICS!!

Keynote –Verbal Branding: The Competitive Edge

Stephen Melanson - Professional Speaker and Author of Jaw Branding: “Branding’s Missing Link”

Workshop/Seminar Speakers (topics subject to change)

• Reiko Beach, TRB Designs, Inc. | The “NEW” website – socialized
• Janel Kesten, New England Reprographics | Design Speak: How to Determine & Communicate Your Needs
• Lisa Morrissey, LIDO Consulting Group | Create Raving Fans of Your Organization
• Susan Hammond & Mark Rogers | How to Recruit and Qualify Directors
• Jane B Ford, The Joy Path | Getting Grants – Relationships are Key
• Wilson D Rogers, Jr | Non-Profit Liability Considerations

SCHEDUL E OF EVENTS

8:00AM–8:15AM Registration, Networking and Visit Sponsor and Resource Tables

8:15AM–9:00AM  Keynote Speaker – continental breakfast

9:00AM–12:00PM Seminars and Workshops will breakout into 2  tracks:

How Businesses Find Things They Want

This [...]]]> In Today’s Market They Should

We have already written that 86% of people begin their research on most topics online.  Hubspot posted an article on the top ten ways B2B companies find services they need, based on a survey from RainToday.com.  Three of the top ten are on the internet.

How Businesses Find Things They Want

This is consistant with most of the research we see.  I reinforces the need for your organization to continually improve it’s presence on the web to help tell it’s story and mission.  What will potential donors find on your website?  Will they even find you on the web?  It’s more important than ever to have an effective internet marketing strategy.  This is one of the most important marketing your organization can do.

Want to learn more about Web Marketing Strategy? Join us at our next non-profit mini-conference.

Reiko and I had the opportunity to video this interview by Mark McCurdy, The Nonprofit Career Coach, and Kerry Connor, National Recruitment Director for Jumpstart, on how she has worked her career through the nonprofit sector.  Mark is a leading executive recruiter in the Boston area for [...]]]> So You Want A Career In The Non-Profit World?

Reiko and I had the opportunity to video this interview by Mark McCurdy, The Nonprofit Career Coach, and Kerry Connor, National Recruitment Director for Jumpstart, on how she has worked her career through the nonprofit sector.  Mark is a leading executive recruiter in the Boston area for nonprofit organizations.  Kerry gives tremendous insight into the nonprofit sector and what it takes to find work in this exciting field.  Jumpstart is a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that every child in America enters school prepared to succeed.  They accomplish this by helping children in need learn to read and develop the necessary social skills to succeed.

Highlights from the interview are below the video.

Mark McCurdy runs the Nonprofit Career Coach.

Kerry Connor is the National Recruitment Director for Jumpstart, a national non-profit organization that focuses on early intervention for at risk preschoolers.  They place older adults to work one on one with at risk preschoolers.

Mark volunteered at Read for the Record, a national campaign to raise awareness around the country for early childhood education.  There were over 11,000 events around the country last year.

Kerry learned about Jumpstart from the NBC Today Show.  Educationhas always been important to Kerry.  She grew up in Savannah Georgia and went to a school where the education was poor with a lot of disruption, including bomb threats almost everyday and even some shootings.  She was lucky because her parents read to her daily.

Kerry says there is a story everyday that givers her a reason to want to do this work.  Statistics like the fact that the number of prison cells needed is projected based on 3rd grade literacy rates.  When she looked a Jumpstart she saw a lot of opportunities.  Even though she did not have a recruiting background, this seemed like a good fit for her.

To get engaged in this sector, the mission has to resonate with you.  It’s not enough just to want to make a difference.  Break your skills down, prepare to be flexibale and work hard.  For entry level people she looks for people who are coachable.  If you want to get involved, you can in a couple of different ways.  If you are a college student, try on an internship.  If you want to get a feel for what it’s like to work in this space, Jumpstart has community core members that work 300 hours per year working one on one with at risk preschoolers.

Want to learn more about working in the Non-Profit World? Join us at our next non-profit mini-conference.

Lisa Morressey interviews Donna Mavromates, Director of Marketing, from the Quincy Chamber of Commerce. Quincy 2000 Collaborative and Discover Quincy are partnering to form the Quincy Chamber of Commerce.  If you would like to join in their celebration, please click here.

Highlights from the interview are below the video.

The Quincy Chamber [...]]]> The New Quincy Chamber of Commerce

Lisa Morressey interviews Donna Mavromates, Director of Marketing, from the Quincy Chamber of Commerce. Quincy 2000 Collaborative and Discover Quincy are partnering to form the Quincy Chamber of Commerce.  If you would like to join in their celebration, please click here.

Highlights from the interview are below the video.

The Quincy Chamber is a non-profit organization with over 500 members – both for profit and non-profit. They provide a multitude of services and sponsorship opportunities to both members and non-members. The second componet of the chamber focuses on the tourism aspects of the City of Quincy. Quincy has a rich history, being the birth place of two Presidents, and hosts over 400,000 tourists each year.

The Chamber is there to help businesses grow and prosper. Services include everything from creating business plans, permitting processes, loan services and CDBG grants for low income needs.

By combining Discover Quincy and Quincy 2000 into the Quincy Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber is able to provide stronger networking and sponsorship opportunities for the community, with a more powerful and identifiable name.

As a non-profit organization, they face many of the same challenges as most non-profit organizations – funding. Grant money has declined over the last few years and they are now supported much more by membership and sponsors. On the flip side, sometimes grant money does become available. Last month Quincy Chamber gave out $150,000 in loans to 3 new start-ups that are moving into empty storefronts and helping to keep the economic development of Quincy growing. The Chamber was the last stop for all three of these new start-ups.

The Quincy Chamber is a great organization to work with if you want to grow your business and interact with some of the most dynamic businesses in the Quincy area.

Quincy Chamber of Commerce is the non-profit partner of our next mini-conference. Join us at our next non-profit mini-conference.