No15 SPRING 2016 A member publication of the Georgia Center for Nonprofits
NEW RESEARCH SHOWS THAT NONPROFITS NEED TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT STAFF RETENTION—AND ALSO POINTS TO A SOLUTION:
HOMEGROWN LEADERS. FIND OUT WHY, AND START MAKING YOUR TALENT DEVELOPMENT PLANS, WITH THIS PRACTICAL REPORT FROM GCN’S FIRST NONPROFIT CEO FORUM.
OPENING
The past decade has been a wild ride for any of us who rely on human resources to drive the mission. During the recession, nonprofit employers were flush with ready talent, from sector-switchers laid off at corporate operations to young graduates hungry for any job. Today, we face a talent war: As we lose people to retirement, for-profit competition, and entrepreneurial or free-agent alternatives, attracting and retaining top talent has never been such a challenge.
Your new relationship with talent. That’s why we need to rethink talent management—the ways we recruit, onboard, engage, evaluate, and support the people we depend upon. One element of talent management I’d like to challenge: the way we define talent. Most nonprofits use a single definition, like “leadership potential,” then invest in a narrow set of employees and skills. This approach neglects any other kind of talent, which might be just as valuable—like entrepreneurship, customer sales skills, and technical expertise, to name just three. If we continue to treat talent in terms of haves and have-nots, we ignore two vital facts: First, that we drive people away when we fail to invest in them, and second, that the whole point of hiring someone is to help fulfill their potential, whatever that may be, for the benefit of the mission. Another crucial but often-overlooked factor is motivation: finding out what our employees value in the workplace. Though you may not be able to get to know each staffer individually, there are some simple questions to ask in your annual review that provide insight into staffers’ driving values. You’ll find that some are brand enthusiasts, who care deeply about culture and community. Others are career ladderists, motivated by recognition and the opportunity to shine. Planners value clear processes and communication. Nurturers appreciate guidance and thrive on opportunities to support others. A work experience that resonates with each of your people makes a powerful retention strategy, as it speaks to each employee’s deepest motivation. GCN Membership supports your talent development strategy with learning events, held year-round, that challenge, inform, and build peer networks for professionals at any level. In the coming year, we hope you’ll use GCN’s tools—including two new initiatives, our member CEO Forum series and Nonprofit University’s Development Institute—to hone the skills of your team. As always, we’ll give them plenty of ways to grow, connect with others, and share pride in our sector’s impact. In this environment of talent scarcity, we need to be hyper-focused on understanding the talent we need, and what that talent wants, specifically, from us. Look to GCN as your talent development resource, and you’ll have a unique competitive advantage in your efforts to recruit and retain the best people. Karen Beavor President and CEO
Contents
Our 1st Annual HPDL House Party rocked Ponce City Market last month. More on page 28.
4 HUMAN RESOURCES
Homegrown leaders: Why talent development is more crucial than ever, and what you can do about it We’re sharing the latest research about nonprofit turnover, and a powerful, low-cost way to keep your talent engaged, in this report from GCN’s first Nonprofit CEO Forum. Plus: a powerful tool for mapping staff needs, a rundown of GCN’s talent development resources, and an introduction to our newest member series.
12 LEADERSHIP
The first mile and beyond: How The Task Force for Global Health addresses the greatest health needs of the world’s poor We spoke with Dr. Mark Rosenberg, CEO of Georgia’s largest nonprofit, to find out how they managed the “largest peace-time mobilization in history,” and why their powerful coalition-building methods keep them largely unknown in their own hometown.
15 ADVOCACY
Members speak: Another year of pressing issues and policy solutions Looking back at the legislative season just ended, we highlight three members—and their Nonprofit Voice blog posts—who helped inform, and enforce, public policy surrounding of-the-moment issues.
18 STRATEGY
The Balanced Scorecard effect: What a comprehensive approach to strategic planning can do
24 MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
Celebrating the past with purpose: Children’s Healthcare kick-starts a second century of service Lessons learned from a year-long outreach campaign that used organizational artifacts and personal stories to introduce Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta to a new generation of potential patients and supporters.
26 BOARDS & GOVERNANCE
Bringing new voices to your board When making big decisions, are you sure you have all the right voices in the room? Why board diversity matters, and what the Frazer Center is doing to prepare under-represented populations for board service.
28
COMMUNITY
34
CALENDAR
Reaching goals requires more than drive—it requires a map. Find out how GCN Nonprofit Consulting plots that course using a customized Balanced Scorecard framework, and what the Community Assistance Center gained from the process.
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HOMEGROWN LEADERS:
WHY TALENT DEVELOPMENT IS MORE CRUCIAL THAN EVER, AND WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT By Mary Bear Hughes with Marc Schultz
Camp Twin Lakes CEO Eric Robbins speaking at GCN’s Nonprofit CEO Forum on February 10, held at the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta.
4 Georgia Nonprofit NOW
HUMAN RESOURCES
Staff turnover is an issue for any organization, but especially for those in the nonprofit sector. That’s why, since we began, GCN has been equipping Georgia nonprofits with methods to find the best people, keep them productive and engaged, and craft sound plans around succession. New research, conducted by The Bridgespan Group in partnership with GCN, shows that the situation is critical both nationwide and in Georgia. For GCN’s first Nonprofit CEO Forum in early February (see sidebar on page 11), we partnered with Bridgespan to survey our members, and share the latest turnover trends with those best positioned to push back: executive directors. A group of 34 nonprofit CEOs spent the morning in conversation with Bridgespan Partner Kirk Kramer, GCN EVP Chris Allers, Camp Twin Lakes CEO Eric Robbins, myself, and each other, learning about the current state of sector turnover and a powerful, low-cost solution. “What was most surprising to Bridgespan about the research,” said Kirk Kramer, “was that almost half of the turnover in nonprofit professionals was initiated by the employee—that is, by people leaving the organization, either planned or unplanned.” The big question: Why are staffers leaving, and what can nonprofits do to retain talent?
“Any organization can afford to provide staffers with a plan, and a process, for developing their individual careers—and, at the same time, overcome a crucial deficit in the organization’s talent pipeline.”
“When asked why they left, the most-cited reason leaders provided was salary—not an area where most nonprofits can compete,” said Kramer. The good news, however, is that the promise of better compensation wasn’t important enough to lead these employees to the for-profit sector: Almost half found a position at another nonprofit, meaning they were still devoted to service despite the limits on compensation.
“When you first sit down with a team member and say, I want to develop your talent— that conversation alone can be a game-changer.” THE OTHER REASON LEADERS LEAVE Even better news came from the next-most cited reason: “professional growth,” which respondents ranked just behind salary. This motive represents a powerful opportunity for nonprofits, said Kramer: “With an understanding of how adults learn and grow, any organization can afford to provide staffers with a plan, and a process, for developing their individual careers—and, at the same time, overcome a crucial deficit in the organization’s talent pipeline.” Bridgespan research shows that, at nonprofits of all sizes, only 30 percent of C-suite openings are filled by internal candidates. This is highly problematic: In addition to the time and money it takes to conduct a talent search, outside hires are a drain on productivity—taking two to nine
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TURNOVER BY THE NUMBERS The following results come from a Bridgespan survey of two nationwide samples, totaling 438 organizations, including 64 GCN member organizations. Georgia data aligns with national trends, with a few notable exceptions.
IN THE PAST TWO YEARS
2 out of 5
senior positions needed filling
47%
of vacancies resulted from departure, either planned or unplanned
5%
of vacancies resulted from promotion
70%
of positions were filled by outside candidates
58%
of nonprofits received NO funding for cultivating senior talent
IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS
1 to 2
senior positions will need filling, according to nonprofit expectations
33%
of nonprofits expect a senior staff member to leave for reasons other than retirement (vs. 21% among GCN members)
77%
of nonprofits expect to source their next hire from another nonprofit
55%
of nonprofits expect to promote from within to fill vacancies (vs. 40% among GCN members)
times longer to get up to speed—and come with a much higher chance of failure—as much as 40 percent for C-suite hires.
Robbins affirmed that talent development “is something you can do with the time and the teams you already have.”
Hiring internally means skipping those costs and minimizing risk, while at the same time slowing the “merry-go-round” of employee churn. By promoting from within, staff get to grow their careers without having to leave for another organization. Further, what’s required to ensure staff can meet the challenges of a new position is also exactly what they’re looking for from their jobs: learning, mentorship, and support.
HOW EMPLOYEES DEVELOP: THE 70/20/10 PRINCIPLE At Camp Twin Lakes (CTL), leadership development is now an intentional and measured process. Every person at the organization receives a customized development plan, co-created annually by employee and manager.
Though establishing a culture of professional development doesn’t come without effort and commitment, what it doesn’t require is much money, or even a dedicated professional to organize it. Speaking at the CEO Forum, Camp Twin Lakes CEO Eric
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The first step is easy enough, but means plenty. “When you first sit down with a team member and say, I want to develop your talent—that conversation alone can be a game-changer,” said Robbins. Under discussion: that member’s leadership competencies and skills, where they see themselves in the coming years, and what
HUMAN RESOURCES
The 70/20/10 approach to development is based on research into how adults learn best: 70 percent through experience, 20 percent through mentoring, and 10 percent through formal training.
mentee conversation should start with the employee—the mentee—not with you, the manager.” Because formal training comprises only 10 percent of the formula, the financial cost of effective talent development shouldn’t be high. The real investment is in your commitment of time, but the return is immediate: Staff members are excited by the investment in their careers, and appreciate clarity regarding what it takes to advance in the organization. Senior leaders, for their part, can actually save some time by delegating work in the form of stretch assignments, and get excited themselves by seeing their reports take on challenges and grow—something we’ve witnessed at several nonprofits where GCN Consulting is helping design and implement talent development programs. (See sidebar on page 10.)
That means the majority of professional development should come from on-thejob experience. Think of this in terms of “stretch” assignments: What responsibility could this individual take on to help them “The power of this approach is in integrating develop in an area of interest and meet the the three areas: experience, mentoring, and organization’s future leadership needs? For training,” said Kramer. “Sending someone instance, said Robbins, one of his staffers to training won’t mean much without an wanted to better understand how major on-the-job assignment to practice what decisions are made: “Big decisions require a they’ve learned, and a mentor to back up task group, something I would normally lead, training with support and oversight.” so I delegated responsibility for the next task force to that individual.“
kinds of challenges they find intriguing— the challenges already on their plate and the challenges that will prepare them for career advancement. “You want them to understand that this is an investment in their growth—whatever that means to the individual.” With those factors in mind, team member and supervisor put together a plan based in the “70/20/10” approach to development: 70 percent through experience, 20 percent through mentoring, and 10 percent through formal training. The Center for Creative Leadership formulated the 70/20/10 approach using their research into how adults learn best; you can see the principle at work in disciplines like athletics and musical performance, where daily practice— the experience component—plays such an outsized role.
Many of these stretch assignments, said Robbins, are as simple as “changing up people’s responsibilities.” Another example: His program coordinators, who are expanding their utility by working with the facilities team and serving on the sustainability committee. Mentoring and coaching will make up 20 percent of the plan. “Mentoring is about hooking up with someone who can help you develop, but also help hold you accountable for meeting personal development goals,” said Robbins. The first people to consider for the mentor role are the organization’s managers and C-suite members (though not necessarily for the people they oversee), but mentors can truly be found anywhere. Having developed a relationship with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta, said Robbins, he recognized an opportunity to set up his director of finance with their CFO. His COO, meanwhile, found a mentor in a retired camp director in Dallas, and his development director has joined a group of fundraising professionals. It’s important to remember, however, that the “mentor-
“Sending someone to training won’t mean much without an on-the-job assignment to practice what they’ve learned, and a mentor to back up training with support and oversight.” PRIMING YOUR TALENT PIPELINE GCN and Bridgespan have developed a fourstep approach to help nonprofits strengthen their leadership pipeline. 1) Identify the competencies needed for your organization’s future success. Most nonprofits set annual performance goals for individuals based on job-related competencies, both common to all jobs (like teamwork) and specific to some (like
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donor relationship management). These are important, of course, but insufficient if you want to help people develop. For that, you also need to identify leadership competencies: the skills, capabilities, and experiences that make a leader successful in your particular organization. “This allows you to see where individuals have the most to gain, and what is most needed by the organization as a whole,” said Kramer. 2) Assess individuals against both goals and competencies. Bridgespan adapted a simple but effective tool for this purpose, resulting in the Demonstrated Performance/ Leadership Matrix used successfully by Camp Twin Lakes. Allowing leaders to look at individuals’ strengths and weaknesses in terms of their demonstrated job performance and demonstrated leadership competencies, it provides both the organization and the employee with a roadmap for development. (See below.) Organizations can use information from these assessments to put together succession plans, both interim and longer-term, for C-suite positions and other key roles.
3) Co-create development plans. Using the 70/20/10 approach, craft a plan with each employee to help them grow in two to three performance and leadership competencies, as identified by their Matrix assessment. Once you have development plans for everyone, you can use this information to see patterns of common need; there may be ways to use training or mentoring to reach many who need the same kind of development. 4) Track progress, learn, and improve. “We encourage each organization to set goals for putting new talent development processes in place,” said Kramer. Start simple, by focusing on activities: Making sure all managers have leadership growth plans in place; meeting with individuals regularly to see how they are doing on their plans; tracking progress to see what is working and what isn’t. Learn and improve from there.
“Most likely, you’ll have to start by educating all staff about the 70/20/10 approach, and help them view stretch assignments as a way to grow, rather than ‘just more work.’” THE HARDEST PART: CHANGING DAILY BEHAVIOR Implementing, and regularly discussing, professional development plans for each staffer represents a significant culture shift, capable of producing big results for staffers and for the organization—but only
THE PERFORMANCE/LEADERSHIP MATRIX: A MAP FOR STAFF DEVELOPMENT NEEDS To set your leadership development plan into motion, we recommend using a tool developed by The Bridgespan Group called the Demonstrated Performance/ Leadership Matrix. A variant on another common tool, the Bridgespan method uses consistent criteria in both demonstrated job performance and demonstrated leadership competencies to produce an accurate map of staff development needs. Demonstrated job performance is a moreor-less straightforward measure, based in a combination of how well the individual has fulfilled her assigned role, and how well she’s mastered needed job competencies. To measure demonstrated leadership competencies, on the other hand, those qualities must be defined according to organizational values: What best indicates potential for taking a leadership position in your organization? Some examples that might make your list: commitment to the organization, emotional intelligence, strategic thinking, or success developing others.
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After defining both the job competencies and leadership competencies required, supervisors use the graph pictured on the next page to plot their direct reports according to demonstrated job performance (along the horizontal axis) and demonstrated leadership competencies (along the vertical access). The operative word here is demonstrated—that is, what that person has actually done, and the qualities they have already exhibited, as opposed to what you think they could do. Once a person is plotted on the Matrix, you’re in a position to answer the question, How are we going to move him up the leadership axis? In addition, plotting every employee onto a single graph will give you a picture of the team as a whole, and how people in the organization are trending. Each of the colored areas in the Matrix pictured here indicates a general assessment for staffers who fall within them, which you can use as a starting point for creating targeted development plans.
Blue: Most of your people will likely fall in the middle of the matrix, which indicates an employee who is doing well, but who has room to develop in both job performance (moving to the right) and leadership competencies (moving up). Yellow: Those in the bottom right-hand corner are high-performing staffers vital to the organization, but who lack either demonstrated leadership or the desire to advance. The challenge is to keep this employee motivated with growth opportunities, even though a leadership position is not in his future. Orange: Someone who falls in the upper left-hand corner demonstrates low job performance, but valuable leadership qualities. These employees generally fall into two categories: those who are underutilized, and those ill-suited for the organization. The questions to ask: Would they be more effective performing another function? Could they be in the wrong organization entirely?
HUMAN RESOURCES
if you keep those plans vital, by referring to them often and prioritizing the work they prescribe. Said Robbins, “We meet for an hour a week, at minimum, and often we bring these plans out to discuss them.” Stretch assignments, said Kramer, are commonplace in nonprofits: “There is always too much to do and not enough resources.” But matching each person to the right task, based on a combination of development need and ability, requires a change in behavior. You may not know what those assignments are when you first start the process, but once the question is in mind, stretch opportunities will often present themselves in the course of broader organizational planning. Kramer also noted that, “most likely, you’ll have to start by educating all staff about the 70/20/10 approach, and help them view stretch assignments as a way to grow, rather than ‘just more work.’”
BEST
C
Demonstrated Leadership Competencies
Properly plotted, the Matrix enables you to identify challenges and development goals for each individual, as well as prepare talent to take on the leadership positions that will open up in the future.
DEMONSTRATED PERFORMANCE/LEADERSHIP MATRIX
D
Employee A: Doing well, but with room to develop in both job performance and leadership competencies. Find stretch assignments that challenge them in both dimensions. Employee B: Vital performer, but without the potential (and/or desire) to take on a leadership role. Keep this staffer motivated with creative growth opportunities.
A
Employee C: Low job performance, but high leadership potential. Rethink role, consider organizational fit.
B GOOD
Green: Those in the upper right-hand corner demonstrate high job performance and high leadership potential. These folks are ready for a broader leadership role right now. The questions for them: Is there room in the organization to advance this person’s career? If not, how long can we keep her engaged in what she’s doing? Even if you can’t hold on to these employees, says Camp Twin Lakes CEO Eric Robbins, that doesn’t mean you stop investing in them: “Our rule is that, if you can only grow by joining another organization, we want to help you do that.”
Employee D: Vital performer, demonstrated leader. Expand leadership role and consider promotion, if possible.
Demonstrated Job Performance LOWER HIGHER
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HUMAN RESOURCES
Once the question is in mind, stretch opportunities will often present themselves in the course of broader organizational planning. To find mentors and coaches, think outside the box, cast a wide net, and don’t forget the benefit gained by those on the mentor side of the relationship. “You’d be surprised at the appreciation people have in this sector for this kind of investment, even at top levels,” said Robbins. “Retired folks are especially great resources.” The Camp Twin Lakes CEO also emphasized the importance of keeping performance reviews and professional development distinct: “Performance is about top-down requirements. Leadership development is about you telling me how you want to proceed.” He also reiterated the fact that each development plan is unique: “It’s not black-and-white, and it’s different for people at different levels.” As for himself, Robbins has identified “driving innovation” as his own biggest challenge, and recently agreed to take on a mentoring role for someone outside his organization—both a direct result of CTL’s new investment in leadership development. “It’s helped staff a lot, especially younger staff just coming on, to see there’s a place for them to advance. We really want those working here to feel like it’s not just a job, it’s about their growth as professionals.” To learn more from a decade of research into nonprofit turnover, check The Bridgespan Group's latest report, “The Nonprofit Leadership Development Deficit," published by the Stanford Social Innovation Review and available on ssir.org. Mary Bear Hughes is a senior consultant with GCN’s Nonprofit Consulting Group. Marc Schultz is managing editor of NOW.
10 Georgia Nonprofit NOW
YOUR TALENT, OUR RESOURCES If you're looking for help designing and implementing a talent development program for your organization, or just interested in exploring the options, count on GCN’s Nonprofit Consulting Group. We've been working with organizations to educate board and staff about the importance of investing in their talent, and to help them build programs that meet the leadership needs of employees and organizations. To discuss the possibilities, write us at consulting@gcn.org or call 678-916-3082. And be sure to take advantage of the year-round talent development opportunities offered by GCN’s Nonprofit University, including: Competency-based training though multiple certificate series and targeted individual sessions, spanning the full range of essential core competencies. Two of our most vital programs—each a full six days of training, and offered twice annually—are the Certificate of Nonprofit Organization Management, a 360-degree general orientation, and the Certificate of Supervision & Management, a comprehensive prep course specific to the supervisory role. Learn more at gcn.org/ NUcertificates. Access365, a seat-based annual subscription to Nonprofit University’s core curriculum, provides an affordable memberexclusive opportunity to develop talent across your organization. Learn more at gcn.org/access365.
GCN’s annual leadership Nonprofit University’s newlydevelopment program High launched Development Potential Diverse Leaders, Institute introduces a visionary presented in partnership with new way to support fundraising American Express, delivers an professionals at every step of their careers. Rolling out in 2016 immersive six-part experience designed to prepare “rising stars” and 2017, the Development for executive-level careers in the Institute offers a continuum of training opportunities that covers sector. Our 2016 cohort begins April 20. Learn more at gcn.org/ all aspects and experience HPDL. levels: Six Introductory-level Courses, starting in July, provide essential skills; 21 Intermediate- Through Nonprofit University custom courses, we provide level Courses, launching in affordable, tailored training September, focus in on core solutions for your entire team, competencies; and, launching now, eight Master-level Courses, facilitating sessions on-site, based on our core curriculum each featuring an intensive courses or developed to meet five-month curriculum in which participants put new knowledge the individualized training needs of your staff and board. Learn to work for their organizations more at gcn.org/custom. under the guidance of a master practitioner. Learn more at gcn. org/DI.
INTRODUCING YOUR CEO FORUM By Chris Allers At GCN, we’re always looking for new ways to support every nonprofit’s journey to become a high-performing organization, using surveys, focus groups, and interviews to identify your most pressing needs, and what’s needed to fulfill them. One gap we hear about repeatedly: A lack of opportunities for chief executives to connect and discuss the real-world, real-time issues facing them. To answer that call, we put together an informal advisory board of member CEOs to help us develop a new opportunity for addressing individual challenges together. The result is our new member CEO Forum series, convening peer-led presentations and discussions that assess where we stand as a community, share what we’re doing successfully, and answer questions about immediate needs. We launched that series on February 10, joining with Bridgespan and Camp Twin Lakes for a talent pipeline workshop that gave participants experience with talent development planning tools and a vibrant conversation about real challenges facing organizations and CEOs. Our 34 participants left the half-day event with a new way to think about retaining their people, techniques for developing homegrown leaders, and the practical experience to assess their on-hand talent. The CEO Forum series, based in dialog and experience-tested knowledge, has initial plans for two events a year. We’re excited to build momentum, and ensure the series maintains its vitality, by asking you to cocreate the program along with us. Visit gcn. org/ceoforum to find our CEO Topic Survey, focusing on five areas of leadership, and let us know what you’d most like to learn about. The more specific you can be, the better: Along with our steering committee, forming now, we’ll develop a program that speaks directly to your priorities.
CEO FORUM STEERING COMMITTEE Sara Berney Executive Director Wholesome Wave Georgia
Tyese Lawyer President & Chief Executive Officer Our House
Steve Palmer Executive Director The Cottage School
Miriam Bruns Executive Director German Cultural Center of Atlanta
Paige McKay Kubik Executive Director Frazer Center
Heather Rowles Executive Director Multi-Agency Alliance for Children (MAAC)
Donna Davidson President & Chief Executive Officer Easter Seals North Georgia
Sandra Mullins Chief Executive Officer Care and Counseling Center of Georgia
Rachel Spears Executive Director Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta
Jennifer Dwyer McEwen Managing Director True Colors Theatre Company
Kim Nolte President & Chief Executive Officer GCAPP
Learn more and take our survey at GCN.ORG/CEOFORUM
Chris Allers is executive vice president of GCN.
11 No15 | SPRING 2016
Dr. Mark Rosenberg (right), CEO of The Task Force for Global Health, in discussion with World Bank President Dr. Jim Yong Kim last October at the Task Force’s 30th anniversary event.
THE FIRST MILE AND BEYOND: HOW THE TASK FORCE FOR GLOBAL HEALTH ADDRESSES THE GREATEST HEALTH NEEDS OF THE WORLD’S POOR
Since 1999, public health expert Dr. Mark Rosenberg has been leading the fourthlargest nonprofit in the country, The Task Force for Global Health. The Decaturbased organization started with an initial focus on raising childhood immunization rates in developing countries, and has since expanded into areas including neglected tropical diseases, vaccines, field epidemiology, and public health informatics. And yet, the organization, ranked by Forbes as the largest nonprofit in Georgia since 2013, is not widely known within the state. As Rosenberg prepares to retire from the organization, GCN President and CEO Karen Beavor spoke with The Task Force chief executive officer about the planning that’s gone into his transition, the reasons why the organization has stayed under the radar for much of its history, and what it took to lead an effort described as “the largest peace-time mobilization in history.” 12 Georgia Nonprofit NOW
INTERVIEW
Beavor: Tell us about what The Task Force for Global Health does, because a lot of people in Georgia may not realize the amazing asset it is, not only here but across the globe. Rosenberg: The Task Force works to help improve the health of the poorest people in the poorest places. Whether we’re talking about Rwanda, or Haiti, or Lao, our goal is to bring people and organizations together to tackle large-scale health problems. Currently, we reach about 495 million people in 149 countries, reducing and eliminating diseases that often have horrendous effects. But you’re right—most people have not heard about The Task Force, and it’s not accidental. From the beginning, we have always tried to build coalitions, but it’s not always easy to get organizations to work together. If you want a partnership to work, our founder Bill Foege taught us, you’ve got to shine the light on your partners, and not on yourselves. We focus attention on our partners, and as a result, we are not well known in Georgia. According to Forbes magazine, we’re the fourth largest charitable organization in the U.S., and the largest nonprofit in Georgia, but the people who walk by our building don’t know what we do! Now, I think it’s important to get the word out, so that we can increase our impact, serve even more people, and serve them better.
The problem: These organizations were not collaborating, but competing—for countries, donors, and most of all, for credit. Beavor: When The Task Force came along, a lot of international agencies had already spent years trying to raise childhood vaccination rates in developing countries, with limited success. How did
your organization lead them to achieve an 80 percent vaccination rate in the developing world? Rosenberg: Our founder Bill Foege, who directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) until 1983, was asked by the leaders of several of those organizations, including UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO), to help gain traction regarding immunizations rates in the developing world. Bill spoke with them, and thought about it, and realized the problem: These organizations were not collaborating, but competing—for countries, donors, and most of all, for credit. So he went back to them and said that, working together, they could raise far more money, and get vaccination rates to 80 percent—the same rate as in the developed word—even in the poorest countries. They thought he was crazy, but he convinced them. In 1984, UNICEF, WHO, the UN Development Programme, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the World Bank joined to form The Task Force for Child Survival, led by a tiny band of three brave people here in Decatur: Bill Foege and two of his deputies from the CDC, William Watson and Carol Walters. Working together, they accomplished a miracle—what was later described as “the largest peacetime mobilization in history.” In the first year, they raised $100 million, and in the second they raised $200 million. By the end of six years, they had raised a billion dollars, and immunization levels in even the poorest of countries were at 80 percent. Beavor: When The Task Force works with powerhouses such as WHO or UNICEF, how does it manage them to produce such incredible results? Rosenberg: It turns out that it’s not easy to build an effective coalition. I always say that coalitions are very much like a marriage: It’s very easy to get into it, but it’s very hard to make it work. What we’ve done here at The Task Force is study coalitions, and it turns out that most coalitions in global health fall apart. Beavor: Why is that? Rosenberg: I think the biggest reason is that they don’t do what’s needed in the first
The reason that most coalitions fail is that they don’t address those five points—the goal, the strategy, the structure, the membership, and the management—in the first mile. phase of building the coalition. The “first mile” is where you have to get a number of things down, starting with the question, “What’s your ultimate goal?” That is what’s going to hold you all together—a common, shared goal strong enough to motivate people even when the going gets tough. It’s the first and most important thing that groups have to settle on. But there are four other things you need to work out, too. You also need to work out your strategy for getting to that goal. Next, you need to work out your structure: How are you going to organize this effort? It doesn’t need to be a heavy, elaborate bureaucracy, but you need organization to make it work. The third thing you need is the right membership: Who needs to be a part of the effort? Who are the donors? Who are the countries or populations burdened by this problem? Who are the nonprofits working in this space? Who are the for-profit companies that could be donating medicine or materials? And the last thing is management: You have a lot of people committing their time, so you have to be efficient in how you plan and execute meetings, projects, and other pieces of what the coalition plans to accomplish. The reason that most coalitions fail is that they don’t address those five points—the goal, the strategy, the structure, the membership, and the management—in the
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first mile. Instead, they say, “It’s enough to get these partners in the same room, so we’ll work out the goal—or the strategy, or the structure—later.”
The strongest partnerships form among members who are different. When people contribute different perspectives, it enables you to hash things out from all sides, and then pick the best way forward. Beavor: I’d agree—a lot of the reasons that keep organizations from working together in the first place is competition. Naturally, competitors don’t have a lot of trust for one another, and work in different ways despite
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having compatible goals. How do you find the common ground to create trust and mutual respect? Rosenberg: Trust is the lifeblood that’s going to keep your coalition going, and it takes skill to generate that trust. Every set of partners comes with different perspectives, but I always say that the strongest partnerships form among members who are different. When people contribute different perspectives, it enables you to hash things out from all sides, and then pick the best way forward. When you come with different perspectives, backgrounds, or cultures, you argue more. But if we only consult people whose opinions reflect our own, we exclude what we most need: a different perspective. This is what makes coalitions both satisfying and challenging. Beavor: You’ve done some amazing things in the years since you took over for founding President and CEO Bill Foege. Now that you’re planning your own retirement, how have you and the organization approached this transition?
Rosenberg: It’s something we’ve been thinking about and working on for more than three years. We started by building an executive leadership team, made up of four people who meet regularly to make decisions together. One of the people in that team, Dave Ross, took over for me as president in January, and will assume the role of CEO at the end of April. He is extraordinarily generous and caring, and a wonderful mentor and leader. We’ve also had extraordinary support from the board. I know they will carry on the legacy of Bill Foege, who spent 15 years making The Task Force a place where people are respected and appreciated, and where mentoring relationships thrive. I feel like I’m going out at the top of my game. I never understood why baseball players did it—I thought, “Why don’t they keep playing, even though they’re not as good?” But now I see how exciting it is to be able to pass on the organization at what I consider to be my peak, to people who can do so much better than I ever did.
ADVOCACY
MEMBERS SPEAK: ANOTHER YEAR OF PRESSING ISSUES AND POLICY SOLUTIONS By Marc Schultz
At GCN, we continue to support and celebrate work that improves conditions for populations state-, county-, or city-wide: challenging laws, educating public officials, and advocating for legislation.
One of our favorite ways to share that work is through our Nonprofit Voice blog series, where GCN members showcase their solutions to pressing community issues. As the 2015–2016 Georgia legislative session comes to a close, we present these excerpts from the past year of Nonprofit Voices, demonstrating how Georgia nonprofits are making their visions a matter of public policy. Check out the full stories by visiting gcn.org/npvoice.
SATILLA RIVERKEEPER Director and Riverkeeper Ashby Nix Worley, on water supply safety:
Clean, safe drinking water is something many people take for granted—until it’s threatened or polluted. The situation in Flint, Michigan is a tragic example, giving people nation-wide reason to reconsider the safety of their drinking water. Your source may be a nearby lake, river, or underground aquifer, but all water resources are at risk of contamination from illegal pollution, largely due to loopholes in the law or the lack of funds for proper enforcement.
Senate Bill 36, the Underground Water Supply Protection Act, requiring the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to write rules protecting our groundwater. Leading the push for these new protections is the Georgia Water Coalition, a consortium of over 220 organizations from across the state that fights for all residents’ rights to clean, healthy, and abundant water. As part of the Coalition, Satilla Riverkeeper is proud to help champion a bill that’s good for Georgia’s people, economy, and future.
Georgia Water Coalition members gathered at the State Capitol on February 17 for Capitol Conservation Day 2016, where they met with lawmakers to discuss policy under consideration. Photo by Erik Voss.
To help address gaps in aquifer protection, Sen. William Ligon of Brunswick introduced
15 No15 | SPRING 2016
GEORGIA EQUALITY
The LGBT and Allied community gathered to celebrate the Supreme Court marriage ruling at an event hosted by the LGBT Institute at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. Photo by Ryan Roemerman.
Executive Director Jeff Graham, on the Supreme Court decision recognizing the right of same-sex couples to marry:
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Georgia Equality spent the day [of the announcement] working to our full capacity: Helping celebrate and implement change all across the state by coordinating commemorative events in seven cities, including at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta, and working with organizers and officials to ensure that all 159 Georgia counties were issuing marriage licenses the day the decision was announced (and that a couple in Fulton County became the first couple in the nation to marry after the ruling).
I tell them that a marriage license does not protect against the very real threat of being denied services, evicted from housing, workplace harassment, or being denied a job. Nondiscrimination protections, safe and supportive schools, and the realization that the lens of sexual orientation and gender identity magnifies many of our other social challenges: These are the issues that we must tackle as an organization, and as a citizenry, if we are to live up to our mission of advancing fairness, safety, and opportunity for LGBT Georgians.
Many friends and colleagues have asked me, Now that the battle for marriage is over, what is left to do?
Love won on June 26th, but the work continues.
NEW AMERICAN PATHWAYS
CEO Paedia Mixon, on Syrian refugees and the Paris attacks of November 2015:
WE WANT TO FEATURE YOU! GCN’s voice on the web is your voice as well. Let us know how your organization is meeting a pressing community challenge— whether it’s a hot news topic or an issue that’s been too long ignored—and help us show thousands of your colleagues how the GCN member network is making a difference.
If you’ve got a Nonprofit Voice to share, write us at NOW@GCN.ORG.
When we think about the horrible events of November 13th in Paris, we should remember that Syrians are living with that kind of violence and brutality every day. The situation in Syria is so desperate that 4 million people have fled the country since fighting began… If we continue to let our allies in the Middle East and Europe bear the brunt of this humanitarian crisis, we will continue to see instability and chaos, an environment in which groups like ISIS thrive. The U.S. proposal to resettle 10,000 Syrian refugees in 2016 is modest, but it opens the door to a long-term process that can make
a substantial impact. [Because] the U.S. does not have hundreds of thousands at its border seeking immediate assistance, we are able to set an annual ceiling for arrivals and conduct thorough health and security screening. The 50 Syrian refugees already resettled by New American Pathways are made up of families who are extremely grateful to have a safe environment for their children. These families are eager to start work, become self-sufficient, and help welcome the next family. Marc Schultz is managing editor of NOW.
Helping Nonprofits and Government-Funded Agencies throughout Georgia with: • • • • •
As part of New American Pathways’ specially designed programs for refugees and other immigrants, 16 new American citizens were sworn in at the Georgia Capitol, organized by the Coalition of Refugee Services Agencies. Photo by Pat Powers.
Fund Accounting Systems HR/Payroll Systems Fund Raising/Donor Management Audit Prep and Training Financial Management Consulting
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STRATEGY
As nonprofits, the mission drives everything you do. But to reach your goals, you need more than drive. You need a map: a way to think about every facet of your nonprofit, the goals you’re moving toward, and how you’ll achieve them. With a document accounting for every asset, objective, and measurement up front, you can determine priorities and make it clear to anyone supporting the organization—internally or externally—how their role contributes to mission success. To charter that map, GCN’s Nonprofit Consulting Group guides clients through a strategic planning process using a Balanced Scorecard framework.
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MISSION FINANCIAL
By Jeanne Drake Ward and Marc Schultz
INTERNAL PROCESSES
WHAT A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO STRATEGIC PLANNING CAN DO
PERSPECTIVE
ORGANIZATIONAL CAPITAL
THE BALANCED SCORECARD EFFECT:
CENTRAL QUESTIONS
What do we accomplish for our clients and stakeholders?
What do we do internally to be effective in the marketplace?
What kind of people and technologies enable our business processes?
What do we achieve financially to effectively meet our mission?
STRATEGY
“To ensure that the plan remains relevant, our approach to strategy is built on key assumptions about the future—how the world, and the issue at hand, will change in coming years,” says Consulting VP Tim Johnson. “At its foundation, a Balanced Scorecard is designed to account for everything an organization needs to consider. It is also built to be executable, with measures allowing leadership to manage all aspects.” The “balance” comes from considering the organization through four perspectives: financial, organizational capital, internal processes, and mission. Each perspective builds on the one before it, ultimately supporting the nonprofit’s highest purpose— its mission. The “scorecard” is what you get when you’ve accounted for all activities in terms of the four perspectives. With all your people, processes, and resources cataloged, you can understand not only how all the pieces work together—including every stakeholder’s individual part—but also the gaps that keep you from achieving maximum impact. The result, says Johnson, “is a roadmap that lays out not just what the organization is trying to achieve, but exactly how it will get there.” A Balanced Scorecard allows you to assess the state of your nonprofit and plan for its future, but also brings clarity to everyday work and decision-making by linking the work of each staffer, board member, volunteer, and donor to on-theground impact. By unifying efforts across the breadth of the organization, a Balanced Scorecard allows you to fulfill the potential of your mission, workforce, and resources, and maximize your impact on the community.
The result is a roadmap that lays out not just what the organization is trying to achieve, but exactly how it will get there.
HOW A SCORECARD STRATEGY TAKES SHAPE Using a Balanced Scorecard framework for strategic planning, GCN’s Nonprofit Consulting Group aligns all organizational aspects with what must be accomplished for the community. The steps we follow might seem familiar, but the focus and deliverables are unique to the approach. Here’s how it happens. THE STEPS YOU’LL TAKE: 1) Conducting an environmental scan, including interviews, focus groups, and literature reviews. The SWOT analysis remains the standard to beat in an environmental scan. Our particular SWOT process is designed to cover all four Balanced Scorecard perspectives, and to involve all staff, board, and key stakeholders, including top-level volunteers and major donors. 2) Narrowing fact-based inferences about the future to a set of Key Assumptions. Using the data collected, we think through the future needs of each community served. Selecting the trends most relevant to the mission, we can decide on a set of “Key Assumptions” about the future, and what they will mean for the organization. (Emphasis on staff input to prioritize those assumptions—and, in the next step, goals— is another unusual aspect of the approach.) 3) Creating goals and measurable objectives. Using those Key Assumptions as guides, we establish goals for the future—thinking three to five years ahead— and measurable objectives to mark progress toward those goals. 4) Drafting the strategic plan. Considering our new goals and objectives through all four Balanced Scorecard perspectives, leaders draft a strategy that covers staff, volunteers, and infrastructure (organizational capital); programs and behind-the-scenes work (processes); fundraising and resource
allocation (financial); and the impact the organization must make in the community, given its changing needs (mission). 5) Developing the Strategy Map. One of the unique outputs of the process is the Strategy Map, a one-page chart that makes it clear to anyone—staff, board, or volunteer—how the strategic plan works and the role each person plays in carrying the mission forward. 6) Creating initiatives and assigning responsibility. Also supplementing the strategy is a timeline and roadmap that lay out the plan chronologically, initiative by initiative. With each initiative clearly outlined and tied to long-term goals and objectives, it’s easy for staff to take ownership of its execution. 7) Completing implementation of work plans to execute the strategic plan. With staff and board together on the same page (by way of a finished strategy), changes can be put into action. 8) Continual monitoring and adjustment. Beyond execution, the process continues through regular assessment, and adjustment to practices or objectives as needed. This is how the executive team drives the execution of the strategy over months and years.
THE RESOURCES YOU’LL DEVELOP: The Strategic Plan. A clear, succinct final document covering your findings, assumptions, goals, and objectives. Strategy Map. A single page providing your objectives at a glance, arranged by perspective. Timeline and roadmap. An easy-to-read spreadsheet tracking all initiatives across the next three to five years.
19 No15 | SPRING 2016
A PLANNING REBOOT AT COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE CENTER Working to help the residents of Sandy Springs and Dunwoody with temporary financial assistance, hunger relief, housing assistance, and more, the Community Assistance Center (CAC) serves more than 2,000 families a year. As their last strategic plan was coming to an end, the CAC set out in September 2014 to plan for the next five years— this time, with a new model and a consulting partner to take them through it. The model was the Balanced Scorecard approach, and the partner was GCN’s Nonprofit Consulting Group.
With the help of Consulting VP Tim Johnson and Senior Consultant Jeanne Drake Ward, CAC Executive Director Tamara Carrera and Board President Catherine Lautenbacher led the organization through a rigorous process for thinking through the future of the community and the organization, then building a set of goals and objectives rooted in a clear understanding of future needs. To get a sense of what it’s like to go through the process we’ve been facilitating for nonprofits across the sector, and what it’s possible to gain from it, Jeanne Drake Ward spoke with the leadership duo just two months after the board voted to approve the finalized strategic plan.
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Ward: When we started working together, you were reaching the end of your strategic plan. What was your previous planning process like? What made you decide to change it up this time? Carrera: Our last plan followed a classic strategic model, but we had been adding a “scorecard” component for several years to help the board keep track of what’s going on, and keep everybody on the same page. But we had to retrofit it to work with the old strategic plan, which was a painful process. As we approached this round of strategic planning, GCN offered a workshop on strategic planning using the Balanced Scorecard model. We came back from it totally energized: As we heard about the process, lights were turning on in our heads. We asked several consultants to send us plans, and we presented them all to the
board, but with a very high recommendation for the scorecard model. Lautenbacher: I’m looking at our last strategic plan, and it’s just scary, visually: “Section 8.1, Section 8.1.1, Subsection A.” So while we did use it, it wasn’t userfriendly at all. I look at the scorecard plan, and it’s simple, clear, color-coded, it’s got a timeline anyone can understand. It’s an easy-to-use end-product. Carrera: The scorecard approach takes you through the usual research steps—the SWOT analysis [of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats]—but then makes the findings, and what they mean, clear for everyone through four perspectives: mission, internal processes, financial, and organizational capital.
STRATEGY
But we also want families to move out of an unstable situation, which means moving in the direction of solutions rather than band-aids: skill-building programs, individual service plans, and workforce development for people at all levels, efforts we started about seven years ago. That led to a goal addressing clients’ need for more and better income opportunities. Ward: How were you able to keep the staff as well as the board enthusiastic for this work?
Looking at everything in advance helps get those differences out there and understood… [Staff] helped us identify the mission-critical goals to go after, and [the board] concentrated on the way to capitalize them. It was nice to have that push and pull. Ward: What surprised you about the process? Carrera: You really have to understand the model before you start working with it. Here, you put the work in ahead of time, and the rest of the planning becomes a lot easier. For instance, having to think about measures early on greatly clarified our objectives. I’ve been through other methods where it gets hard to do a process evaluation because your outcome data can be so nebulous. Lautenbacher: I don’t remember previous plans involving staff as closely. When we all got together ahead of time, we could see that the board had different priorities than the staff. Looking at everything in advance helps get those differences out there and understood. It was illuminating: It showed
the board how connected the staff is to the mission, and what it looks like on the front lines. They helped us identify the mission-critical goals to go after, and we concentrated on the way to capitalize them. It was nice to have that push and pull. Having just one group in the room—either group—would have been short-sighted. Ward: How did SWOT research and discussion affect the goals you had in mind going into the process? I recall, ahead of the retreat, one board member saying that we’d be fine as long as we arrived at plans for a new, larger headquarters. How did that goal change? Lautenbacher: I don’t think there was anything in the external analysis that surprised us. We were already talking about the changing demographics and the housing situation, how many people are using our services, and what services they need to move them forward—but we just touched on them in terms of our finances or capacity. What this process allowed us to do is really think about the implications of these variables for our clients and plan for the future. Carrera: We would have to be blind not to see that Sandy Springs is changing dramatically—that a lot of the low-income housing is going to disappear, but not the people who need it—and we had been moving toward the question of which CAC services will be most relevant. Basic services will still be needed, but as housing disappears, and the need increases, the central issue for our clients becomes access. We need to be able to serve people where they are, and to do that, our goal changed from a new central headquarters to becoming more mobile.
Carrera: When you say “strategic planning,” the initial response is, “Do I really have to do this again?” But once you start going through the process—the questionnaires in the SWOT analysis, the meetings with staff and supporters—the act of thinking through these issues is engages you. The process starts a conversation about the future, and how we can shape it—and I think that’s exciting for anybody!
We may not have been in agreement over everything, but we all understood the process, and had a common language to talk about the future—and that engages people, too. So people started getting engaged naturally. By the time we went on our full-day retreat, with all board and staff, we were ready to work. By the end of the day, we had our key future assumptions, goals, objectives, and we were all on the same page. We may not have been in agreement over everything, but we all understood the process, what was happening next, and had a common language to talk about the future—and that engages people, too. I felt it in the staff particularly. Suddenly, people were saying things like, “How do we move this outcome?” and “I’m not sure whether this is an assumption or a goal.” And because everyone can look at the plan
21 No15 | SPRING 2016
STRATEGY
and understand it, it’s no longer up to me to remind people to make sure something gets done. Now that we’re not getting caught up in the day-to-day deliverables, people tell me how much better they’re liking staff meetings.
Going through this process, [staff] saw what 20 years of really good data means when you’re trying to decide your programs’ future… It may not be easy to collect or enter data, but when they see the reports, they say, “That’s what I’m contributing to? That’s worth it.”
Ward: You also mentioned to me that metrics has been a bigger topic of conversation. Carrera: Before, Program Director Doris Pereira and I were the only ones thinking about numbers. Now, it’s clear to everybody how important it is to put good data in now, so we can make good decisions later. Going through this process, they saw what 20 years of really good data means when you’re trying to decide your programs’ future and where your resources are going to go. It may not be easy to collect or enter data, but when they see the reports, they say, “That’s what I’m contributing to? That’s worth it.” Metrics make the everyday work feel relevant, and that motivates people too. Ward: What would you tell someone at a fellow nonprofit considering a Balanced Scorecard strategic planning process? Lautenbacher: You’ve got to commit! You can’t do it halfway. But be flexible: if a certain tool doesn’t make sense for you, don’t force it.
Carrera: Get familiar with the Balanced Scorecard approach, and how it works for nonprofits, ahead of time. Know that this is not a fast process: You need to dedicate enough time to digest the information and allow everyone to participate. That could be weeks or months, but you have to be patient and allow the process to work.
View CAC’s strategy map at GCN.ORG/ CACMAP
WE HAVE BIG NEWS
Opportunity Knocks is becoming Work for Good Since 1999, GCN’s Opportunity Knocks has served as a leading national nonprofit job board, trusted by 30,000 organizations, with 250,000 monthly visitors and more than 500 new opportunities each month. Now, after a year of preparation, we’re getting ready to flip the switch on a new vision for bringing together cause-driven organizations and talent, with a name that captures the spirit of what nonprofits do: Work for Good. NEW RESOURCES TO SUPPORT YOUR HIRING PROCESS
We’ll be unveiling workforgood.org soon. There, you’ll find a state-of-the-art job board platform designed to strengthen and support your organization’s hiring process. We’re also introducing a full suite of job posting tools to help you target, promote, track, and communicate. Every posting will include features like unlimited word count, search engine optimization, keywordand geo-targeting, and pre-screening and evaluation tools to make your hiring process effective and pain-free. And our new premium posting option is an all-in-one solution to supercharge your search with extras like custom branding, highlighted listings, and priority placement to increase exposure.
A RE-IMAGINED APPROACH TO SHARING INSIGHT
We’ll be providing the latest analytics on sector employment trends and, based on conversations with HR pros, organizational leaders, and hiring managers, we’ll share proven tactics for attracting and evaluating top candidates, engaging and retaining talent, and building a workplace where people thrive and missions soar. We’ll also feature commentary from people working for missions of all kinds, revealing how they work, what’s exciting and challenging them in their current role, and the career journey that brought them there. THE VERY BEST RATES FOR GCN MEMBERS
As our VIPs, you will continue to enjoy 15 percent off every single job post, 5 percent off already-discounted packages, and, if it’s your first time posting with us, 25 percent off our $100 single-job post. SOUND TOO GOOD TO WAIT?
Sign up at gcn.org/workforgood to get word the moment workforgood.org is live, and start receiving exclusive hiring and career insights—you won’t want to miss them! Reach out to us at hello@workforgood.org anytime. We’d love to hear from you!
23 No15 | SPRING 2016
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
CELEBRATING THE PAST WITH PURPOSE: CHILDREN’S HEALTHCARE KICK-STARTS A SECOND CENTURY OF SERVICE By Tim Whitehead
When we began thinking about how to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta in 2015, we couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by this extraordinary opportunity. We felt an incredible responsibility to do justice to the story of an institution that has meant so much, to so many, for so long. Even though we are a nonprofit, we knew the anniversary couldn’t be just about fundraising. This event is relevant to families, employees, donors, volunteers, and countless others who have helped shape Children’s over the past century. And therein we found our answer: Our story is really made up of the personal stories—of
24 Georgia Nonprofit NOW
patients and families, of long-time residents and newcomers, of the young and the old— who created our unique history through their encounters with Children’s. Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta as Georgians know it today began in 1915, with the opening of the Scottish Rite Convalescent Home for Crippled Children, which later became Scottish Rite Medical Center. In 1998, Scottish Rite merged with the Egleston Children's Health Care System to become Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. In 2006, Children’s assumed management responsibility for Hughes Spalding Children’s Hospital.
We realized we had an opportunity to reaffirm the connection prior patients had made with us, and to introduce ourselves to new audiences with a message built on trust and credibility.
Scottish Rite, Egleston, and Hughes Spalding each had its own rich legacy, and together they grew into one of the largest and most respected pediatric hospital systems in the country. During this first 100 years, we saw decade after decade of groundbreaking research and medical breakthroughs that improved and saved young lives. But something else, just as special, also grew over the century: a connection to our community built on inspiring patient stories. In building the centennial campaign around those stories, both personal and institutional, we learned lessons that will be of benefit for years to come, and which can be used by other organizations planning to recognize a significant occasion. 1. CLARIFY WHY YOU’RE CELEBRATING. Anyone can throw a celebration. Understanding what you want to accomplish will focus people, leading to better decisions and ensuring financial resources are wellspent. We realized we had an opportunity to reaffirm the connection prior patients had made with us, and to introduce ourselves to new audiences with a message built on trust and credibility. 2. START ORGANIZING YOUR ASSETS EARLY... We began organizing approximately two years before the anniversary. We should
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
have started earlier: Files and historic artifacts had been lingering for decades, poorly preserved and unorganized. Once we gathered our precious historical photos, documents, equipment, and other artifacts— some dating back to 1915—we needed a way to archive them with practically no budget. We hired a Georgia State University graduate student to organize, store and digitize these materials, a very cost-effective way to get our arms around a century of relics and start to tell out story. 3. ...BUT GET EXECUTIVE BUY-IN EARLIER. The executive team’s involvement is fundamental to determining how much you should invest in time, money, and message awareness regarding your celebration. Like many health care organizations, Children’s is hyper-focused on looking forward and finding the next great solution. That’s why the value of looking back at our history was not immediately apparent to some leaders. Articulating how many in our community had a high affinity for our brand based on their own stories, and the value in affirming that connection, made the internal sale.
To equip each employee with tools to help tell our story, a first step in our content creation plan was building an internal hub to host collateral pieces, presentations, and core messaging. 4. DECIDE ON THE STORY, AND HOW YOU WANT TO TELL IT. Be clear about the story you want to tell, including all messaging, and then share the story through many efforts and platforms. For us, these included a 30-minute television documentary, social media campaigns, public relations efforts, advertising, speeches given by Children’s leaders, our intranet, and our 100th anniversary microsite. Using a “contentcentric” approach helped us stay consistent, even across multiple channels.
9. MEASURE WHAT MEANS MOST TO YOU. Think about your quantitative goals, but also about your “soft” measures. For Children’s, shared stories were important in both senses: First, because they furthered our connection with the community, which we measured in our quarterly tracking studies, but also because we had been looking for a way to build a repository of historical patient stories. Our anniversary gave us an opportunity to collect stories that we will share for years to come.
5. ENGAGE EMPLOYEES BY GIVING THEM THE TOOLS TO TELL THE STORY. To equip each Children’s employee to tell our story, a first step in our content creation plan was building an internal hub to host collateral pieces, presentations, and core messaging. We also invited staff to participate in celebrating throughout the year, like on “Cape Day,” when employees and others in the community wore capes and honor superhero patients to mark the 100th anniversary.
10. LOOK FORWARD CONNECTING OLD AND NEW. Celebrating history and being true to your brand are not as useful if you can’t leverage them to help your organization move forward. By defining the consistent qualities that have made our brand successful over the last 100 years, we demonstrated how we will continue to serve Georgia’s kids for the next 100 years.
6. ASK THE COMMUNITY TO TELL YOUR STORY, TOO. The community you serve can fuel your campaign with great personal content. We created a “Share Your Story” web page that proved to be a popular, powerful means of capturing stories from former patients and their families. More than 300 people shared stories of Children’s impact, which we shared throughout the year.
No matter how well-loved your brand is, the people who will take action around the brand—the true zealots—tend to be a niche group.
7. BE TRUE TO YOUR BRAND. We used many important brand descriptors from the past that were still relevant— ”kid-focused,” “trusted,” and “expert”— emphasizing the consistency of our service. Even though we started in 1915 with a small staff and a wood-sided cottage, what patients loved us for then is what they still love us for today.
Children’s 100th anniversary served as the perfect opportunity to pause, reflect, and take pride in our journey to date. But it was also the perfect opportunity to show that this milestone is just the beginning, and that we are tireless in our pursuit of making kids better today and healthier tomorrow.
8. UNDERSTAND THAT MOST PEOPLE WON’T LOVE YOUR STORY AS MUCH AS YOU DO. No matter how well-loved your brand is, the people who will take action around the brand—the true zealots—tend to be a niche group made up of volunteers, employees, and other key stakeholders. Take that into consideration when planning the goals and objectives of your campaign, but be sure to plan around those audiences: Those closest to the organization will want to participate.
Tim Whitehead is vice president, marketing and communications, of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.
25 No15 | SPRING 2016
BRINGING NEW VOICES TO YOUR BOARD
Participants in the My Voice. My Participation. My Board. program, led by Georgia State University's Center for Leadership in Disability, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. Photo by Ryan Johnson.
By Paige McKay Kubik
“Nothing about us without us.” It’s an idea that spurred revolutionary Bostonians to toss tea overboard in 1773, shouting, “No taxation without representation!” And for decades, it’s been the rallying cry of disability advocates, who insist that people with disabilities have a voice in every policy and personal decision that affects them. It’s also a great guiding principle for board recruitment.
Google “board matrix,” and you’ll come up with plenty of spreadsheets designed to guide board recruitment. Most of these focus on a diversity of expertise and resources that board members can bring to your organization, as well as demographic diversity: race, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation. Diversity ensures you have the wide range of expertise that every nonprofit needs, but few can afford, and it broadens your reach with new audiences of potential supporters. Critically, it also assures you have a wide variety of life experiences, perspectives, and leadership styles to draw upon, leading to more robust dialogue, better-vetted decisions, and an enriched vision for your organization.
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Diversity assures you have a wide variety of life experiences, perspectives, and leadership styles to draw upon, leading to more robust dialogue, bettervetted decisions, and an enriched vision for your organization. One characteristic left off of most board matrices has to do with the critical question of voice. Do you have all the right voices in the room to make the best decisions for your organization? Nonprofits are incredibly complex organizations with a long list of stakeholders, from the people and communities we serve, to public and private funders, to volunteers and employees, to collaborative partners and regulators. The board has no way to stay true to the
mission if its members never engage in a meaningful way with every group served by it. The questions to ask first: Does our board have the diversity of voices to represent all stakeholders? Do we know how our decisions will affect, and be received by, each group? Many boards already reserve seats for client representatives, but giving that person a seat is not enough. I once heard someone say that diversity is not about inviting a new person to your party, but making sure they have a good time when they arrive. Once the people we serve are represented on our board, are we providing all the support they need to understand the board’s work? Are we building their relationships with more seasoned members, so they feel comfortable contributing to discussions? One goal of the Frazer Center is to empower adults with developmental disabilities to be self-advocating, so their voices are heard in decisions that affect them at home, in our program, and in their communities. Two of Frazer’s self-advocates were recently chosen for a unique opportunity with Georgia State University’s Center for Leadership in Disability. Through the Center’s “My Voice. My Participation. My Board.” program, they have each
BOARDS & GOVERNANCE completed six days of face-to-face training on engaged and effective board participation, backed up by ongoing coaching and networking opportunities, to prepare them to serve on boards and advisory councils. As I supported one of Frazer Center’s participants through the training, I was energized by the gifts, passion, and perspective each trainee demonstrated, and struck by the value they could bring to a board. Some were already serving in leadership roles at organizations like People First of Georgia, and others have since been named to the advisory board for the Georgia Council for Developmental Disabilities, an independent state agency. Still others are prepared, and eager, to answer a call to serve. If you are looking to broaden your perspective and reach, there is no better way than looking at your board, identifying which voices are still needed at the table, and inviting people who can fill those gaps to serve. Just be sure to support these new voices—especially those new to board service—and make sure the rest of the board is ready to listen.
RESOURCES FOR BUILDING A DIVERSE BOARD Many organizations in Georgia are preparing emerging leaders and diverse voices for board service. My Voice. My Participation. My Board. The Georgia State University Center for Leadership in Disability, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, trains individuals with developmental disabilities and their facilitators for service on boards and advisory councils. United Way's Volunteer Involvement Program (VIP): United Way of Greater Atlanta started VIP in 1992 to identify, recruit, and place diverse leaders from greater Atlanta into policymaking roles, enhancing the effectiveness of nonprofit agencies in our community.
Georgia Tech’s Net Impact Club Board Fellows: Based at Georgia Tech’s Scheller College of Business, nonprofits can recruit MBA students to serve on boards in one-year, ex-officio positions, bringing a youthful perspective to boards while giving MBA students valuable experience.
The Atlanta Women's Foundation Women on Board: Created in 2000, the Women on Board program is designed to increase women’s representation on nonprofit boards in Metro Atlanta by providing effective governance training and connecting participants to nonprofit organizations. GCN Board Leader Connections: To make a transformative difference in nonprofit boards, GCN equips professionals from our statewide partner network—in corporate, government, and other organizations—to be effective board leaders, then helps match them with nonprofits where their passions, talents, and diverse points-of-view are most needed. Contact us at consulting@gcn.org
Find links to these resources at GCN.ORG/ DIVERSEBOARDS
Paige McKay Kubik is executive director of the Frazer Center, an inclusive community where people of all ages and abilities gather, learn, and flourish together.
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COMMUNITY
Highlights at GCN
On March 16, more than 200 sector professionals of all ages attended our 1st Annual HPDL House Party, rocking Ponce City Market with a celebration of the new talent in Atlanta’s nonprofit and philanthropic community, thanks to the generous support of MailChimp. Several High Potential Diverse Leaders program alumni shared stories with the group about how the HPDL experience helped advance their leadership skills and careers.
Everett Hill, President of Catalytic Advisors, has joined GCN’s board of directors, and Patty Tucker, Senior Vice President at Edelman, has moved into the role of board chair. GCN welcomes Rachel Letcher to the staff as Communications Coordinator. President and CEO Karen Beavor was named as one of Georgia Trend’s 2016 Most Influential Georgians.
28 Georgia Nonprofit NOW
Presented each year by GCN’s Nonprofit University in partnership with American Express, HPDL is a leadership development program designed to provide the “rising stars” of Atlanta’s nonprofit and philanthropic organizations with the skills needed to assume executive-level responsibilities in the sector. The 2016 cohort begins April 20.
COMMUNITY
VP Marketing and Communications Betsy Reid and Edelman Senior Account Executive Sara Dever shared the story of our four-year Georgia Gives Day collaboration at the PRSA Georgia annual conference this month, presenting “Campaigning for the Greater Good: How a nonprofit-agency communications partnership built a giving movement for our state.”
This month, 18 emerging West Georgia leaders will graduate from a GCN-led leadership development experience for the region’s “Up & Comers,” presented in partnership with the Alice Huffard Richards Fund. The intensive six-week program included six program days, each with leadership development sessions and classes in strategy, fundraising, marketing, HR, and volunteer management. Each participant benefitted from a “360-degree” assessment and individualized coaching sessions, and networking events with West Georgia CEOs.
Senior Consultant Karin Douglas presented on “Best Practices in Resource Development” at the Georgia Charter Schools Association conference. Recent member events focused on strategy and leadership transition: Senior Consultant Jeanne Drake Ward led Strategy Execution: Managing Daily Operations with Strategic Thought, a webinar on tying your organization’s strategic plan to its operations, staffing, and budget. Senior Consultant Mary Bear Hughes facilitated Planning for Leadership Succession, introducing members in Savannah to a framework for creating an emergency succession plan that doubles as a leadership development plan for key direct reports.
GCN Senior Consultant Sir José Bright spoke on “Poverty in the 21st Century” at the 4th Annual Mark Leadership Conference at Rutgers University in February. In April, Bright addressed the Morehouse College community on “The Political Socio-economics of Poverty in the 21st Century: What America Can Learn From Africa.”
In partnership with The Coca-Cola Foundation, GCN's Nonprofit Consulting Group is launching the Nonprofit Entrepreneurial Accelerator ([NE] Accelerator) to help women- and minorityled nonprofits initiate and scale social enterprises to support their missions. Launching in April with a cohort of four organizations, the [NE] Accelerator consists of five clinics, two peer-learning events, 25 hours of individual coaching, customized business planning support, and the opportunity to pitch for cash awards at Philanthropitch Atlanta in June.
29 No15 | SPRING 2016
COMMUNITY
GCN EVP and Senior Consultant Chris Allers facilitated board retreats for Macon Pops and College Hill Corridor Commission, and spoke at the ALS Association’s 2016 Leadership Conference on “The Price of Leadership.” Senior Consultant Jeanne Drake Ward presented at the Dunwoody Preservation Trust board retreat. The Consulting Group is facilitating strategic planning for the Andrew J. Young Foundation, Latin American Association, The Community Foundation for the Central Savannah River Area, and Blue Heron Nature Preserve. Also underway: research for Prevent Child Abuse Georgia and human resources support for Society of Biblical Literature. Two-thirds of the way through our Momentum for Early Childhood Success program in Macon, nonprofits and state agencies are exploring collaborative systems approaches to better serve children five-and-under and their families. The GCN project team includes EVP Chris Allers, Senior Consultants Sir José Bright and Elizabeth Runkle, and Consultant Tommy Pearce. In January, GCN hosted a Strategic Grants Management workshop with two coastal partners, Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation and St. Marys United Methodist Church Foundation, providing representatives from 60 member nonprofits the opportunity to learn more about the priorities of local funders and the process of seeking and evaluating funding opportunities.
30 Georgia Nonprofit NOW
COMMUNITY
In partnership with The Kendeda Fund and The Zeist Foundation, GCN launched Coastal Momentum in March, a 12-month capacity building program for five organizations serving southern coast communities: Satilla Riverkeeper, Morningstar Children and Family Services, Camden Family Connection, Glynn Community Crisis Center, and Altamaha Riverkeeper.
Learn more about GCN's Momentum process and partners at GCN.ORG/MOMENTUM
Our Westside Momentum “core” cohort, six organizations serving Atlanta’s Historic Westside communities, wrapped up Year One of this intensive three-year capacitybuilding program at an April workshop on leadership development planning, held at the Redeemer Community Church on Vine Street. Presented by GCN in partnership with The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, Westside Momentum engages an additional 39 Westside nonprofits in a “community” cohort providing training opportunities and support. The Blank Foundation awarded three participants “Neighbor to Neighbor Small Grants” for their focus on asset-based community development: Sisters Action Team, Historic Westside Gardens, and Walking Through the Vines.
Following last year’s successful coastal pilot of Breakthrough: Strategies for Sustainable Funding, our second cohort kicked off in April with four participating nonprofits. This six-part program, conducted over nine months, is designed to accelerate nonprofit development performance by building strategically-aligned revenue models, improving data-gathering and analysis skills, setting goals, leveraging board members and other volunteers, and managing change. This program is presented with the generous support of St. Marys United Methodist Church Foundation. The Home Depot Foundation and GCN are excited to continue the Building Community Network, delivering in-depth Design Thinking training, tools to create innovative partnerships, and collaborative methods for tackling Atlanta’s critical challenges. This year’s program kicks off with the Collaborative Innovation breakfast in April, followed by a workshop and collaborative grant challenge. This April, Nonprofit University launched the Development Institute (DI), a new vision for fundraiser education that provides a continuum of training opportunities covering all aspects and experience levels—from essential skill-building in six
Introductory-level courses, through 21 Intermediate-level courses, and in eight Masterlevel “intensives,” designed for advanced practitioners. Cohorts of the first two Master-level courses— Foundation Relations and Corporate-Focused Value Development—are now underway, and the next two— Individual Donor and Major Gift Development and 21st Century Management of the Development Function— start soon. Nonprofit University has had a busy quarter, delivering custom courses to organizations around the state. An April course, delivered through The Community Foundation of Northeast Georgia, trained area nonprofits in Data Management for Fundraising. EVP Chris Allers facilitated board retreats for the Decatur Church of Christ Senior Housing, Lutheran Towers, and Open Hands United Christian Ministry. Allers also delivered Building Better Boards to the Empowerment Resource Center, and led a curriculum and strategy session for the Living Room. Nonprofit University faculty member Glenda Hicks presented the Improving Board Fundraising Effectiveness curriculum at the Douglas County Chamber Nonprofit Fundraising Conference, and faculty member Monique Terry led a series of volunteer management courses for USTA Southern. Humanity United with God for Society (HUGS) has joined our Access365 subscription program, an exclusive opportunity for GCN members to secure year-round professional development for their teams.
31 No15 | SPRING 2016
COMMUNITY
Member News
Rehabilitation, has been selected for the 2015 American Physical Therapy Association Oncology Section Research Award. Dion Davis, Executive Director of Jekyll Island Foundation, was selected to participate in Leadership Georgia. Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta's Changing the World award went to Shan Cooper of WestRock Company, and formerly of Lockheed Martin, for delivering hands-on STEM activities to hundreds of girls during Lockheed Martin Day. Literacy Action Executive Director Austin Dickson addressed the Georgia Senate about the importance of literacy in Georgia.
Using a $29.9 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the CDC and the CDC Foundation launched Malaria Zero with seven other partner organizations in 2015, and are urgently working to eliminate malaria from Hispaniola by the year 2020. Photo by David Snyder of the CDC Foundation
PEOPLE Gennadi Nedvigin, principal dancer with San Francisco Ballet, has been named Artistic Director of the Atlanta Ballet as of August 1. Covenant House Georgia welcomes Kellie Glenn, their new Director of Development. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta re-elected Mark Tipton as board Chair, and welcomes incoming board members Julie Branicki, Gerard Gibbons, and Erin Wrigley. Aaron James will join The East Lake Foundation as Vice President of Development. The Marcus Jewish Community Center has announced that Jared Powers will become Chief Executive Officer. Andrea Belfanti is joining the Senior Connections board of directors. Three Atlanta leaders are joining Camp Twin Lakes’ board: Paul Billingsly, Mary Ellen Imlay, and Jeffrey Snow.
32 Georgia Nonprofit NOW
Gina Simpson, President and CEO of Hands On Atlanta will be stepping down; Cindy Abel, a current advisory board member and former Vice Chair, will serve as interim CEO while the board conducts a search for a permanent CEO.
Peter Chatel has been named Chair, and Angela Raub has been named Vice Chair, of the board for Every Woman Works.
Mitch Rhoden, David Cathcart, and Robert Kamerschen join the board of directors for the Atlanta Area Council, Boy Scouts of America.
New Hope Enterprises has named Bob F. Johnson as board Chair.
After 16 years at the helm, Wayne McMillan will be retiring as President and CEO of the Bobby Dodd Institute. The Brighter DeKalb Foundation welcomes board members Andrew Goldberg, Michael Pérez, Joan Gage, Cynthia Allen, André Moorer, and Millie Amato. John Ahmann is the new Executive Director of the Westside Future Fund. North Georgia Community Foundation welcomes Phill Bettis, Lance Carpenter, Tracy Jordan, Bethany Magnus, and Joy Purcell to the board
Chris Guiney has joined the board of ToolBank USA.
Paul Loftus and Constance Dierickx have joined the board of Partnership Against Domestic Violence, and Jeffrey Brown was named the organization's Vice President of Development. The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation is adding nonfamily members to its board for the first time. The four new associate directors are Suzanne Apple, Bill Bolling, Rosalind Brewer, and Elise Eplan. The Atlanta BeltLine Partnership welcomes to the board Portia Wills Lee, Gerardo E. Gonzalez, Paul Zurawski, Julie MillerPhipps, Rajib Choudhury, Pedro Cherry, Nathaniel Smith, Chandra StephensAlbright, and Valarie Wilson.
Kanika Greenlee will serve as the new Executive Director for Keep Atlanta Beautiful. Joining the Georgia Restaurant Association board are Jay Bandy, Scott Bishop, Ellen Hartman, Kevin Jones, Jeremy Chambers, Daniel Barash, Ryan Pernice, and Matt Hansen.
The United Way of Greater Atlanta’s 8th Annual Women’s Leadership Breakfast featured Academy Award-winning actress and United Nations Goodwill Ambassador Mira Sorvino as their keynote speaker.
ACHIEVEMENTS The Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund has announced $1 million in gifts to 12 small and mid-size arts groups including Aurora Theatre, $150,000;
Moving in the Spirit, $75,000; and Theatrical Outfit, $75,000. Earlier this year, Atlanta Celebrates Photography received a $340,000 “capitalization” grant. Children's Healthcare of Atlanta received $1 million from The Enduring Hearts Foundation, funding research that will enhance the lives of children who need heart transplants; and received just over $1 million from UGA Miracle, the University of Georgia’s largest studentrun philanthropy, raised through their annual 24-hour Dance Marathon. TechBridge received $107,000 from The Society for Information Management Atlanta and the Georgia CIO Leadership Association, raised through their Tee It Up for TechBridge Golf Tournament. The Bank of America Charitable Foundation awarded nearly $2.9 million in 2015 Basic Human Services grants to 52 Atlanta nonprofits, including Atlanta Children's Shelter, Atlanta Community Food Bank, CHRIS Kids, Latin American Association, North Fulton Community Charities, Our House, Partnership Against Domestic Violence, and Senior Connections. The bank also named Boys and
Sachin Shailendra has joined the YMCA of Metro Atlanta board.
HONORS The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta named the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta its 32nd annual Managing for Excellence Award winner. Among Georgia Trend’s 2016 Most Influential Georgians are Donna Hyland, President and CEO of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta; Robert Ramsay, President of Georgia Conservancy; and Michelle Nunn, President and CEO of CARE USA. Jill Binkley, Founder and Executive Director of TurningPoint Breast Cancer
The PAL program, Atlanta's Jewish adult-child mentoring program operated by Jewish Family & Career Services, celebrated its 30th anniversary. PAL volunteers provide friendship and support to children ages 5 to 17 who need another nurturing relationship in their lives.
COMMUNITY WELCOME NEW MEMBERS a permanent location nearby, sharing space with other Westside Works partners. A Super Bowl commercial featured the story of a Family Advancement Ministries participant who received the Trophy Ford “Road to a Better Community” award and a two-year car lease, which has allowed her to continue working while she attends college.
NONPROFITS
Blanket of Freedom
The Dyslexia Resource Trust
Central Outreach & Advocacy Center
Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia Glynn Community Crisis Center Welcoming America Golden Isles Fund for Trees Recovery Consultants of Atlanta Autism Society of Georgia Year Up Atlanta
IMPACT Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful had a busy 2015, planting 25,000 daffodil bulbs along the Atlanta Highway entrance and exit ramps, educating over 6,500 youths with 21 classroom presentations, collecting 944 bags of litter were from the roadways, distributing 1,000 plants, and completing 88 community improvement projects thanks to more than 10,500 volunteers. Girls Clubs of Atlanta a 2015 Neighborhood Builder and awarded them leadership training and a $200,000 unrestricted grant. Friends of Gwinnett County Senior Services was awarded with $40,000 raised through the 13th Annual Green Financial Charity Golf Classic. HealthMPowers received $289,000 from The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia Foundation. The YMCA of Metro Atlanta has set one of the biggest annual goals in the organization’s history, $4.1 million, for their “Why it Matters” campaign, providing scholarships for young people who need financial assistance to participate in YMCA programs. Atlanta Community Food Bank has partnered with BlueFletch and Catavolt to deliver an app-based warehouse efficiency solution called Mobile Harvest, making it simple for agencies to check food inventory, place orders, and schedule pickups. Through its 2015–2016 Count on Country Financial grant program, Country Financial awarded a total of $325,000 to organizations offering financial
education resources to singleparent families, including GCN members Atlanta Habitat for Humanity, ClearPoint Financial Solutions, HomeStretch Transitional Housing Program, and 100 Black Men of Atlanta. Truly Living Well’s Wheat Street Garden in the Old Fourth Ward is moving to its new, permanent home in the Collegetown area of Atlanta’s Westside. This summer, New Hope Enterprises will move from its current Vine City location to
St. Marys Children's Theatre The Center for Character Ethics
Georgia Power invested more than $17 million in Georgia communities and nonprofit organizations in 2015, and set an all-time record for company volunteerism with 6,000 employees and retirees completing more than 160,000 volunteer hours.
Especial Recourse Solutions
Covenant House of Georgia teamed up with the Rotary Club of Brookhaven and local employers to provide 35 homeless youth with career and interview coaching, connections to entry level jobs, and continued support as they transition into supportive housing.
The Blue Ribbon Foundation
Kate’s Club has opened their first satellite location in Gainesville, in collaboration with Hospice of Northeast Georgia Medical Center, to offer a monthly Kate's Club program. Make-A-Wish Georgia has granted 200 wishes so far this year, with a goal is to fulfill 400 wishes by the end of August.
Circles of West Georgia The Gift of Music Foundation Right C.H.O.I.C.E.S Foundation Lakewood Environmental Arts Foundation
Atlanta Cancer Care Foundation Second Helpings Atlanta
Kyle Pease Foundation
Helping Hand Foundation
Georgia Family, Career, Community Leaders of America
Decatur Church of Christ Senior Housing
Burthey Group Trust
HUGS Recovery
Horizons Atlanta
Impact Racing Ministries
Rehabilitation Enables Dreams
Community Farmers Markets
Georgia Metros Girls Basketball Club
Westside Future Fund Arete Scholars
CCCO Group Backstreet Community Arts Aniz Second Chance Transitional Program Athens-Clarke Heritage Foundation
ASSOCIATES Beverly Pryce Khurram Hassan Linda Davis Jameson Dianne Masse
Pastoral Institute Election Verification Network
STUDENTS
Beverly J. Searles Foundation
Sarah Trebat-Leder
CELEBRATING 20 YEARS
CELEBRATING 15 YEARS
NAMI Georgia
Acoustic Neuroma Association
Georgia Network to End Sexual Assault
CobbWorks
Charitable Hearts Foundation
MEMBER MILESTONES
Parent to Parent of Georgia Quality Care for Children Georgia Conservancy United Way of Central Georgia Piedmont Park Conservancy
MUST Ministries Girls on the Run of Atlanta Dress for Success Atlanta Johns Creek Arts Center
Atlanta Mission Douglas County Resource Alliance
CELEBRATING 5 YEARS GCAPP Reconnecting Families First Step Staffing
CELEBRATING 10 YEARS
Corporate Volunteer Council of Atlanta
Urban Recipe
Palmetto Grant Consulting
YWCA of Greater Atlanta
Dekalb for Seniors
Girl Talk
Open Hand
Nobis Works Community Health Works
In 2015, Quality Care for Children supplied 24,208 hours of training to childcare professionals through 505 classes.
Sara Dever, Senior Account Executive at Edelman Atlanta, is the Marilynn Mobley Community Service Award recipient for her work with Georgia Gives Day.
CARE USA and its President and CEO Michelle Nunn are launching an Atlanta chapter of Women Really CARE, where local women will contribute to the international organization's efforts focusing on women and girls.
WonderRoot and MARTA are collaborating to bring a community-based public art project to the King Memorial Station. “En Route” is an installation of text-based murals that explore issues of access, mobility, and public transportation.
Share your news with the GCN community. Write to us at NOW@GCN.ORG
33 No15 | SPRING 2016
Calendar
What’s ahead: Complimentary GCN member events and webinars, and a full year of Nonprofit University programs including certificate series and our new Development Institute!
Learn more and register online at GCN.ORG/EVENTS.
April 26–27 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY
May 12 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY
Certificate of Nonprofit Program Management
Writing Winning Grants
Our two-day series covers the essentials: community needs assessment, administration, roles and responsibilities, evaluation, budgeting, marketing, and funding. Beginning April 27 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY Development Institute
Master-level Course: CorporateFocused Value Development Take a deep dive into developing successful Corporate Social Responsibility strategy through our five-month advanced program for development leaders. Beginning May 5 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY
Certificate of Nonprofit Finance & Accounting Prepare for growth in the financial management role through this comprehensive four-part series. Beginning May 6 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY Development Institute
Beginning April 7 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY
Certificate of Nonprofit Board Governance Learn the core principles that drive nonprofit board effectiveness in our four-session series. Beginning April 11 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY Development Institute
Master-level Course: Foundation Relations Gain a deep understanding of foundation philosophy, including strategies for cultivating foundation relationships by becoming the resource they need, through our five-month advanced program for development leaders. Beginning April 20 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY
High Potential Diverse Leaders Our annual HPDL program, presented in partnership with American Express, prepares “rising stars” for executive-level careers in the sector. April 21 | Atlanta MEMBER EVENT
Your Personal Leadership Brand Join GCN Senior Consultant Sir José Bright to explore strategies for building a personal approach to leadership that inspires innovation, a healthy organizational culture, and meaningful longterm impact.
34 Georgia Nonprofit NOW
Master-level Course: Individual Donor and Major Gift Development Gain an in-depth understanding of the motivations, practices, and policies of different donors, as well as engagement strategy, through our five-month advanced program for development leaders. Beginning May 11 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY
Certificate of Nonprofit Human Resource Management Build a comprehensive, practical foundation in strategic HR practices across five sessions, covering the major functions critical to any organization’s success.
Learn how to turn organizational needs into fundable ideas, and present them in competitive proposals, in our all-day workshop. May 12 | Brunswick MEMBER EVENT
10 Secrets to Motivating Board Leadership Join GCN Senior Consultant Elizabeth Runkle to hear governance insights from the field, and leave with the knowledge, skills, and resources to build and energize a fully engaged board and energized for the long haul. May 17 | Online MEMBER WEBINAR
Nonprofit finances for the rest of us Join the experts at Quattro for a tour of essential finance and accounting tools and strategies—from the board's role in governing finances, to CEO responsibilities in interpreting reports, to the role of program staff in budgeting, to your development team's need to build financial projections. Beginning June 27 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY Development Institute
Master-level Course: 21st Century Management of the Development Function Learn how to strategically lead your organization's development efforts with a collaborative planning process that clearly defines roles and expectations, through our five-month advanced program for development leaders. July 13 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY Development Institute
FND 110 | Intro to Stewardship & Planned Giving
No15 SPRING 2016 Georgia Nonprofit NOW is a quarterly publication of the Georgia Center for Nonprofits, distributed exclusively to our members and partners.
Beginning July 19 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY
August 24 | Atlanta MEMBER EVENT
Certificate of Nonprofit Volunteer Management
WSB Family 2 Family Nonprofit Media Forum
Discover the keys to effective volunteer recruitment, training, organization, and engagement in our fourpart series.
Our third annual event features an interactive exchange with a panel of WSB's top broadcast, radio, print, and online media veterans, designed to empower your team with the tools to better present your message to the media.
July 21 | Atlanta MEMBER EVENT
Practical Financial Planning for the Modern Young Nonprofit Professional In partnership with Country Financial, a conversation about personal financial planning across your career in nonprofits, from negotiating salary and benefits to student loan repayment, taxes and retirement planning. July 27 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY Development Institute
FND 120 | Ethics Beginning August 4 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY
Certificate of Nonprofit Facility Management Learn how to plan, renovate, and maintain your facilities in this five-part series, presented by experts from the Atlanta Chapter of International Facility Management Association (IFMA). August 10 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY Development Institute
FND 130 Intro to Corporate & Foundation Relations
August 24 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY Development Institute
FND 140 | Intro to Individual Donor Development & Capital Campaigns Coming in September | Atlanta MEMBER EVENT
CEO Forum Following up our spring kick-off event, our fall CEO Forum will again bring member chief executives together for an interactive, peer-led exchange on leader-level topics. September 7 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY Development Institute
FND 150 | Intro to Government Funding Beginning September 13 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY
Certificate of Nonprofit Organization Management This 360-degree orientation to NPO program management, presented in five all-day sessions, will help you learn the sector inside and out.
Georgia Nonprofit NOW Publisher: Karen Beavor Editor-in-Chief: Betsy Reid Managing Editor: Marc Schultz Community Editor: Rachel Letcher Contributing Writers: Chris Allers, Mary Bear Hughes, Paige McKay Kubik, Jeanne Drake Ward, Tim Whitehead Design: Liska + Associates Photography: Jenn Pierce | Monkey+Squirrel Write to us at now@gcn.org Georgia Center for Nonprofits Karen Beavor, President and CEO Chris Allers, Ph.D., EVP, Programs Laurie Baas, Controller Justin Banta, Development Director ignite@gcn.org Tim Johnson, VP, Consulting and Professional Services Leslie Meulemans, Nonprofit University Director Betsy Reid, VP, Marketing & Communications Reggie Seay, Membership Director membership@gcn.org The Georgia Center for Nonprofits builds thriving communities by helping nonprofits succeed. Through a powerful mix of advocacy, solutions for nonprofit effectiveness, and insightbuilding tools, GCN provides nonprofits, board members, and donors with the tools they need to strengthen organizations that make a difference on important causes throughout Georgia. Georgia Center for Nonprofits 100 Peachtree St. NW, Suite 1500 Atlanta GA 30303 gcn.org | 678.916.3000 Š Copyright 2016 by Georgia Center for Nonprofits. All rights reserved.
100 Peachtree Street NW, Suite 1500 Atlanta, GA 30303
WE HAVE BIG NEWS
Good is about to get even better. Spring, and change, is in the air. GCN’s Opportunity Knocks job board is evolving—and we couldn’t wait to share the news with you, our members. We have a new name and a new look that captures the spirit of what nonprofits do, and we’ll soon be launching a state-of-the-art platform loaded with features designed to bring together cause-driven organizations and talent in exciting new ways. Curious? Visit page 23 to learn more.