Georgia Nonprofit NOW, Spring 2017

No19 SPRING 2017 A member publication of the Georgia Center for Nonprofits

LEADING THROUGH CHANGE

A NEW GCN-LED ADVOCACY COALITION. FOUR PRACTICES FOR UNCERTAIN TIMES. HOW GCN MEMBERS ARE SCALING UP, JOINING FORCES, RETHINKING PRIORITIES, RENEWING THE BRAND, AND MORE.

OPENING

Speaking with a unified voice: The Nonprofit Federal Issues Coalition As citizens and leaders, we have begun to see prospects for the nonprofit sector take shape through the executive orders, policy prescriptions, and budget proposals of the new federal administration. There has been well-founded anxiety over the intent to roll back decades of hard-won progress in areas like public health, economic justice, civil rights, environmental protection, and more. There has been alarm about promised budget cuts that will have a negative impact on our bottom lines. At the same time, there has been hope: The collective will of people across the U.S. – to march, to fill town halls, and to flood endangered organizations with support – is making a powerful grassroots counterbalance to the forces coming at us from above.

On the cover: Teacher Brandon Martin energizes a class of 6th graders at KIPP Vision Academy, a program of KIPP Metro Atlanta Schools.

Though faced with wave after wave of new challenges, the nonprofit sector is poised to seize the opportunities riding in their wake. The surge in civic engagement among Americans, and around the world, brings with it a growing appetite for facts that might otherwise be obscured or even suppressed, for calls to action both practical and financial, and for the chance to find allies and share strengths. In this target-rich environment, it’s incumbent upon us to expand our understanding of the mission and its demands – to realize anew the importance of our expertise and mobilizing power.

For that reason, GCN is proud to convene the new Nonprofit Federal So, how can nonprofits most effectively Issues Coalition, bringing the state’s nonprofit leadership together to focus on the policy issues at hand, then organize strategic, respond to this array of challenges and cooperative actions that respond directly to policy-makers while opportunities? How can we best influence rallying the constituents they answer to. Bringing us together across the boundaries of our individual missions, the Nonprofit Federal federal policy decisions impacting our Issues Coalition will speak in a unified voice about what we know and what is right. work, our resources, our talent, and the people we work for? How do we stand up for Georgia’s nonprofits?

Organizing Principles Individually, most nonprofit organizations are quite small, with limited resources, experience, and bandwidth for advocacy. Our tendency is to divide ourselves, and allow others to divide us, by cause area, budget size, geography, and more – often leading us to speak out on a too-narrow set of concerns. In so doing, we shortcircuit our chance to unify behind policy matters that affect us all.

We must understand that, however small we might appear on our own, the sector as a whole is quite large. If we speak as one, ours is a voice that cannot be ignored. We will protect our missions, and the communities they support, when advocates from across the spectrum of nonprofit interests form a united front, communicating the scale of our work and our reach, and making it clear how much value we represent for our local and national economy.

In the face of current policy-making practice, which moves swiftly and with little debate, the only way to ensure our common cause is through joint leadership, decisive action, and an imperative to defend our shared interests. We believe that this requires our sector leaders to undertake a “movement of movements” that aligns our efforts, magnifies our impact, and enables us to present a powerful case to elected officials, donors, and the public at large.

We began planning for the Coalition in two organizational meetings, exploring with a small group of nonprofit leaders the potential for a sustained, coordinated, strategic response to federal-level matters on behalf of Georgia’s nonprofit sector. Together, we reviewed current and possible consequences related to the White House budget proposal, identified areas of agreement, and created an action plan for top areas of concern.

The result was an initial, but working, concept of the Coalition, outlining our purpose, goals, prospective actions, and policy priorities; defining the elements that make for effective cooperative work, including point agency assignments; and proposing coordination protocols and other methods for strategic planning and communication.

GCN will serve as convener and provide a one-stop information hub for Coalition members, centralizing data and updates on our website. “Point guard” organizations, representing each sub-sector, will coordinate specific actions and messages among their peers that speak to three key audiences: elected officials, donors, and the public.

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OPENING

Turn to Highlights@GCN on page 28 for more on our renewed efforts to advance nonprofit interests among lawmakers, where you’ll find a report from our recent CEO Forum policy briefing and an account of our trip to Washington D.C. for American Associations Day at the Capitol.

THE PURPOSE OF THE COALITION is to protect federal resources that enable and advance the impact of nonprofits in the communities we serve. To accomplish that, we will: Mobilize for action: Our coalition will be prepared to mobilize expertise, people, brand reach, public trust, and other resources in a united effort to influence federal matters that threaten Georgia nonprofits, their stakeholders, and their causes.

Build and amplify a unified, trusted voice: We will give sector and subsector experts a greater role in local and national dialogue, positioning them to become known as trusted sources of information and prominent difference-makers.

Protect and influence resources: We will shepherd resources toward causes that are common, and critical, to all Georgia nonprofits.

Engage and integrate outside allies: We will engage nonsector allies in strategies that amplify impact and reach.

Protect sector interests: Our actions will leverage time and other resources to protect the sector’s values and interests.

THE GOALS that these efforts will aim us toward: To protect mission-critical resources that may be altered via block granting, increasingly prohibitive requirements for client qualifications or access, and other policies that raise barriers to services.

To coordinate a leadership group representing the sector-atlarge around civil liberty and sector concerns.

To unify cross-sector responses to policies which are harmful to the state’s economic welfare, Georgians’ quality of life, and the conditions that promote a healthy society; or which fail to consider the unique needs of Georgia’s diverse communities, including rural areas, small cities, and large urban centers.

To quickly analyze policy, craft a response strategy, and drive action by way of a unique “brain trust” of agencies, each of which serves as a point guard capable of coordinating a network of efforts.

To amplify messaging through coordinated, strategic PR campaigns that provide facts, stories, and arguments backing up Coalition policy positions.

THE WORK AHEAD OF US, to be planned in concert with agencies that receive federal funds directly or via state passthrough, are: Coordinating the content of specific meetings with targeted Congressional leaders.

Catalyzing a proactive dialogue with foundations and the wider philanthropic community, including the associations serving their interests, to increase their understanding of the government-backed resources currently sustaining sector impact, engage them as partners in advocacy, and influence

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them to take direct actions, such as payout increases, that may help offset the financial impact of new policies.

Building “sightlines” to make critical interests and sector threats visible across sector boundaries like cause area, silos, and areas of expertise, and use that visibility as a tool for collaborative action among unlikely allies.

Creating a speakers’ bureau ready to provide media, donors, and subsector coalitions with data, context, community voices, and more.

Amplifying subsector voices and public engagement via broader promotion of policy platforms, government lobbying days, local gatherings, mobilization efforts, and other outreach efforts.

Creating and promoting data on the specific economic impact of policy actions on the sector and the community at large.

WE NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU. As a critical first step to advance this initiative, please sign on by completing our survey at gcn.org/coalition.

This will ensure you receive the latest Coalition briefings and updates, and it’s also your opportunity to provide information for our Coalition “hub” on GCN.org, including your organization’s policy positions and analysis, the legislative meetings you will attend or coordinate on behalf of your subsector or cause area, and contact information for your advocacy team, media spokesperson, or other point-person. We are eager to begin.

Karen Beavor President and CEO

Questions? Please contact us at COALITION@GCN.ORG

Our 2017 cohort of High Potential Diverse Leaders at the opening session, “Finding the Leader in You.”

Contents 6 STRATEGY

Achieving clarity, charting priorities, and Leading for Impact Reporting from the Leading for Impact—Atlanta initiative, managers from The Bridgespan Group highlight three powerful, customizable tools developed by participants to prioritize, plan, and track mission work.

11 LEADERSHIP

Time (again) to take charge: Four practices for an uncertain era Though it’s hard to predict exactly what policy changes are on the way from the new White House – and okay to be worried about it! – nonprofits can weather them the same way we have in the past: with resiliency, sustainability, alliances, and advocacy.

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Major scale: Behind First Step Staffing’s outsized acquisition

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A nonprofit staffing agency grows its impact tenfold by buying a for-profit peer, and learns a few things about assembling funders, merging cultures, and minding stakeholders.

PARTNERSHIPS/INNOVATION

A new crop of collaborations: Growing innovative partnerships with the Building Community Network In three award-winning joint projects, a handful of Atlanta nonprofits demonstrate the power of Design Thinking principles, and The Home Depot Foundation’s grantee network, to answer challenges larger than any one organization.

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

What’s in a rebrand? How we became CHRIS 180

Crafting a new identity for CHRIS Kids has taken communication, consideration, investment, and patience from every corner of the nonprofit.

21 RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

Your most powerful tool for fundraising: Relationships and the resource development plan Getting what you want from donors means giving them what they want, in terms of messaging, asks, and appreciation. Plus: A roadmap for readying your Georgia Gives Day 2017 campaign.

24 LEADERSHIP

Gain more allies, build better connections, and further your mission using cultural intelligence It’s not just politically correct to sharpen your understanding of cultural differences among stakeholders: It’s a competitive advantage, empowering you to improve programs, messaging, and relationships.

26 INTERVIEW

Making the most of membership: Bert Huffman rethinks the GPB donor equation

Since taking charge of fundraising at Georgia Public Broadcasting, Bert Huffman has deepened engagement with their most plentiful resource – the 62,000-strong GPB membership community – and initiated events showing that they offer more than All Things Considered.

28 COMMUNITY 34 CALENDAR

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STRATEGY

ACHIEVING CLARITY, CHARTING PRIORITIES, AND LEADING FOR IMPACT

By Marc Schultz with Beth Jackson Stram and Michael Ciccarone

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STRATEGY The BEGIN program from the Center for the Visually Impaired provides essential services that enhance development and potential for newborn and preschool-aged children with severe visual impairments.

Center for Visually Impaired

Over the past five years, 39 nonprofits have taken part in Leading for Impact–Atlanta (LFI), a two-year consulting and capacity-building program of The Bridgespan Group, presented in association with GCN, that brings together executive teams to develop powerful new management tools. Offering modules for a wide array of organizational enhancements – talent development, performance measurement, process redesign, program alignment, growth and funding strategy, and more­– the LFI approach gives each team the ability to customize training for its most pressing needs.

For many of the participating teams, the most important challenge was establishing a foundation of strategic clarity and well-honed priorities, as well as a way to track progress that’s dependable and easy to understand. To meet those needs, LFI instructors helped these teams develop three unique tools: a statement of Intended Impact, a Theory of Change, and an executive dashboard.

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DEFINING SUCCESS: WHO, WHAT, AND HOW To make the most of limited resources, nonprofits need more than a mission: They need a specific set of priorities to guide decisions across the whole organization.

Where your mission is the aspirational statement that captures your vision for the world and your role in achieving it – something you might put on a bumper sticker or t-shirt – the Intended Impact and Theory of Change lay out the realistic, ambitious standards your organization holds itself to. Together, these two tools make it clear where your efforts should be focused, enabling leaders to make difficult priority decisions, plan for the future, and make the best use of their time.

In brief, your Intended Impact clarifies the “who” and the “what” of the mission: who you want to serve, and what outcomes you want to help them achieve. Your Theory of Change clarifies the “how” that gets you to those outcomes: the activities you believe will make the biggest difference.

An Intended Impact and Theory of Change

define what your organization will and will not do, and the accomplishments you will hold yourself accountable for over a specific timeframe (from a few years to a decade).

With those factors in place, you can identify your specific priorities and decide on steps to take toward investing in them, including the services you need to deliver and the resources you need to build.

Nonprofits need more than a mission: They need a specific set of priorities to guide decisions… the realistic, ambitious standards an organization holds itself to.

Developing an Intended Impact and Theory of Change begins with thinking through your nonprofit’s unique role. The people you serve, outcomes you produce, and activities you engage in that aren’t covered by other organizations: These are the reasons your organization exists.

For instance, you may serve a wide range of people, but your priority should be the population for which your work is uniquely suited. In training LFI participants to refine their strategies, the Bridgespan team shares the example of a nonprofit whose Intended Impact is centered around helping homeless youth in San Francisco exit the street permanently. Though they end up serving many youth who aren’t from San Francisco, and those who aren’t necessarily trying to exit street life, this is not the population that their programs – the “what” of their work – are specifically designed to help. Therefore, the “who” they prioritize is young people from the Bay Area who want to get off the streets, and their “what” is the suite of services that help them best.

Participant perspectives We asked a few of the GCN members who took part in Leading for Impact–Atlanta to tell us about one of their most significant takeaways. Here’s what they had to say:

Center for the Visually Impaired President Fontaine M. Huey: “Through Leading for Impact–Atlanta, CVI’s senior leaders developed the trust needed to have open and productive discussions about the challenges that face our organization, resulting in a highfunctioning, highly effective leadership team.

While the lessons themselves were enormously helpful, it was the shared experience of learning and tackling significant projects with Bridgespan and GCN guidance that has had a lasting impact.”

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KIPP Metro Atlanta Schools ED Kinnari Patel-Smyth: “With the daily complexities of our work, it is sometimes hard to give long-term strategic planning the time and brain-space it deserves. LFI provided valuable structure and expertise to help our team explore big questions and lay the groundwork for growth.”

Literacy Action ED Austin Dickson: “The program helped us develop a Theory of Change which facilitated mission clarity for all staff and volunteers, drove the next strategic planning process, and serves as a constant reminder of what we’re here to do each day.”

STRATEGY

You may serve a wide range of people, but your priority should be the population for which your work is uniquely suited.

Putting together a first draft of the Intended Impact and Theory of Change often leads to a number of questions: What is the evidence for the theory we laid out? Does the work it identifies line up with what we’re currently doing? How are we different from other organizations doing similar work?

Usually, the answers require some digging: Checking what leading researchers identify as effective practices, looking to see how other organizations in your cause area are operating, surveying your service population, looking to the broader population to determine who you aren’t yet reaching, and checking the effectiveness your programs.

With further research, you can refine your Theory of Change, uncovering new or more specific priorities worth investing in to fulfill your Intended Impact.

WINGS Atlanta ED Denise Blake: “WINGS invests a great deal of training and professional development in our part-time teacher-mentors, but leadership training opportunities for our executive team have been rare. LFI has allowed us to focus on the next steps for our organization, which coincide with the implementation of our organization’s current strategic plan, and encourages us to think differently about the ways we approach our service model.”

The Multi-Agency Alliance for Children is one of the LFI participants who developed an Intended Impact and Theory of Change for their first project. “As we’ve grown over the years, it became more and more challenging to clearly describe, in just a few sentences, who we are, what we do, and, most significantly, how we do it,” said ED Heather Rowles. “After finalizing our Theory of Change, it was evident how that tool alone provided clarity and revealed our true vision, purpose, and mission.”

MEASURING SUCCESS: YOUR WORK IN PROGRESS Once priorities have been established, leadership teams need a way to track their pursuit of them. An executive dashboard is a powerful tool for that purpose, translating strategic priorities into measurable goals and displaying those measures in a simple, intuitive form. It also develops processes and habits that help everyone in the organization align behind one set of goals, hold each other accountable, and collaborate across departments.

As a process, crafting a dashboard begins with teams working together to articulate their major priorities in key functional areas – not just in programs, but in finance, resource development, personnel, and

Sheltering Arms Early Education and Family Centers VP of Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships Michael Davis: “Our LFI journey is showing early signs of success, and has the potential to really codify our thinking about who we want to be going forward. The mental exercise that’s gone into defining core competencies and values has created ownership and cohesion amongst our organizational leaders.”

QUESTIONS FOR A CLARIFYING DISCUSSION To clarify your organization’s Intended Impact, ask: • Who are our beneficiaries?

• What benefits do our programs create?

• How do we define success?

• What won’t we do?

• What would make us obsolete?

To clarify your organization’s Theory of Change, ask:

• What is the cause-and-effect logic that gets us from our resources (people and dollars) to impact?

• Where are the gaps or leaps of faith in this logic chain?

• What are the most important elements of our programs’ content and structure?

• What assumptions led us to choose these particular program elements?

• Are there other ways in which we could achieve the desired outcomes?

• What is the minimum length of time our beneficiaries need to be engaged to achieve these outcomes?

• What else do our beneficiaries need to achieve these outcomes?

From “Zeroing in on Impact,” Stanford Social Innovation Review, Fall 2004.

Multi-Agency Alliance for Children ED Heather Rowles: “LFI made a tremendous contribution to our way of thinking about being purposeful with our message, cultivating leadership, and creating a plan for how to make a substantial impact on our industry. Developing a Theory of Change helped to organize the many things we do into one document, which was helpful in talking to our partners and funders.”

photo: Sean Randall Photography

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any other relevant areas. The next step is defining what these priorities mean in terms of outcomes: When we’ve succeeded in achieving a particular priority, what will have changed? The answer should be stated in measurable goals, which will be used to populate the dashboard.

An executive dashboard develops processes and habits that help everyone in the organization align behind one set of goals, hold each other accountable, and collaborate.

Next, teams work to gather data for each measure they’ll use to chart progress. This might involve updating metrics already being tracked, or developing new metrics. The dashboard itself can be laid out in a number of different formats, depending on the technology available – an Excel spreadsheet should be adequate, but dedicated software is also available through programs like Salesforce. What’s important is that the format makes it easy to read and share, “Things like dashboards are part of the so leadership teams can use it to inform engine under the hood – when they are discussions, make decisions, and refine established, practiced, and regularly tuned, their work. Checking progress against big priorities can also inform conversations about this thing we call the mission runs so much more effectively,” said Anna Hutto, chief roadblocks and how to address them. advancement officer at the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, another LFI To make sure dashboard data is kept upparticipant. “The biggest challenge was to-date, department-level staff must also identifying which dashboard metrics would understand and contribute it. That means help us best assess our effectiveness in establishing departmental measurements a certain area. There are tons of metrics that “roll up” into the executive dashboard.

For example, if an executive team mwants to we could track and many of those are interesting, but not all of them will unlock track the total number of programs meeting the keys to greater impact.” impact goals, the chief program officer will need to monitor the impact of each program JUST THE BEGINNING to provide them with that data. Individual Convening a leadership team to develop department leaders can create their own dashboards, which will help them direct their tools like Intended Impact, Theory of Change, and an executive dashboard isn’t teams toward high-level objectives and the easy or quick, but the benefits give you a more granular goals that contribute to them. clear way forward for achieving success and This has the added effect of aligning the advancing the organization. With everyone entire organization.

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aligned behind one set of priorities and measurements, an organization isn’t just ready to make the most of its work, but to tackle any number of capacity-building projects – including building future leaders, establishing a culture of learning, long-term impact measurement, and implementing expansion, all of which have been undertaken by LFI participants.

Looking ahead, GCN plans to continue offering workshops based in the LFI model, and Bridgespan will keep contributing knowledge and models for advancing nonprofit performance. For more information on achieving clarity in priorities and progress, contact GCN’s Nonprofit Consulting Group at 678-916-3082, or check out Bridgepan’s research and insights, available online at www.bridgespan.org.

Beth Jackson Stram is a manager in The Bridgespan Group’s Boston Office, overseeing the Leading for Impact program in Atlanta and Boston.

Mike Ciccarone is a manager in The Bridgespan Group’s New York office, and a facilitator for the Leading for Impact program.

Marc Schultz is managing editor of NOW.

LEADERSHIP

TIME (AGAIN) TO TAKE CHARGE: FOUR PRACTICES FOR AN UNCERTAIN ERA

By Kathy Keeley

First of all: It’s okay to be worried! To an extent, we all should be. With a new and unpredictable White House administration, we have entered a time of real uncertainty. We know that changes are coming in terms of the federal budget and the tax code – not to mention in policies that directly affect our missions – and we have little reason to believe those changes will be favorable to our work. But we also know that we’ve weathered times of change before, and that there are concrete steps we can take to manage, mitigate, and make the most of it.

It’s true that change is a constant, but it’s also true that change comes in waves – at present, it’s clear that we are riding one of the swells, with no way of knowing when it will crest, or where it will leave us. The good news is that the practices you’ve been using to deal with your changing environment will also serve you in a time of rising uncertainty – they simply require more “juice.” In general, the practices you need to lead through change fall into four categories: resiliency, sustainability, alliances, and advocacy.

Resiliency is being ready for setbacks, and recovering quickly: building a ladder down, rather than being forced off a cliff. That requires a clear strategy, including contingency plans for a range of possible scenarios – a practice that forprofit businesses know well, especially those working under less-than-stable governments. It also requires honing your change management skills, preparing the board for the possibilities, and making sure

you have sound financial projections, both to get you through lean times and to let funders know you’re ready for them.

The practices you’ve been using to deal with your changing environment will also serve you in a time of rising uncertainty – they simply require more “juice.”

Sustainability is about more than an income statement: It’s about extending your reach, improving your effectiveness, and proving that you’re going to last. Though resiliency and alliances both contribute to

sustainability, it depends heavily on resource development, considering everything that means, including the annual balance sheet and cash flow projections documenting how money moves through your organization.

Be prepared to think about your return on investment and more before you make decisions.

Alliances, in this context, don’t necessarily mean a formal collaboration, with all the trappings that implies. Instead, think in terms of targeted, organic, working partnerships that extend your reach, multiply your impact, or provide a more complete set of services for your clients. You might connect with a like-minded organization to inform stakeholders about coming policy changes, or to make a joint appeal to legislators. You might share expertise with one agency providing behavioral health services and another providing employment services.

Alliances are about extending the reach and impact of your work.

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Think in terms of targeted, organic, working partnerships that extend your reach, multiply your impact, or provide a more complete set of services for your clients.

Advocacy is something you might not be accustomed to – maybe because you think that, as a nonprofit, you aren’t allowed.

That’s far from true: Though there are restrictions on advocacy, you are only barred from endorsing a particular candidate and spending more than a certain percentage of your budget on lobbying. The truth is, it’s vital to the well-being of your organization and your mission to communicate your policy priorities to lawmakers and to your stakeholders, who can take up the cause

for you. Unless you inform them, elected officials won’t know about your worth to the community and the economy, or how public funding and the tax code supports you – much less how pending legislation will harm or help. Reach out to the news media with a compelling story to share, and they’ll also aid your efforts to rally folks behind your cause.

To help our members navigate the uncertain times ahead, we’ve launched a number of new initiatives this spring.

We kicked off with a retooled Nonprofit CEO Peerspectives back in March, and complimentary scenario planning sessions with our Nonprofit Consulting Group team this spring. A workshop series called “Managing in Uncertain Times,” aimed at CEOs and board members, was held in locations around the state. Our Nonprofit Federal Issues Coalition will be distributing news on policy and budgets, convening groups representing nonprofit subsectors, establishing shared plans that make advocacy easy, meeting with donor groups and elected officials (in Georgia and Washington, D.C.), and undertaking a media campaign to engage the public.

Unless you inform them, elected officials won’t know about your worth to the community and the economy… much less how pending legislation will harm or help.

Keep up with us, and we’ll keep you in the know regarding everything coming down from the local and federal government, as well as everything coming up from the nonprofit sector, the grassroots community, our supporters, and those we support.

Kathy Keeley is executive vice president of programs and a senior consultant at GCN.

Let Work for Good work for you.

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At workforgood.org, where we help organizations like yours tap into a diverse and highly qualified pool of candidates looking specifically for a position with purpose.

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It’s easy to get started with a visit to workforgood.org, where you can create a complimentary employer account, become part of our organization directory, and get a subscription to our Hiring Insight newsletter for yourself and your team.

Want to learn more about how we can support your hiring process? Reach out to Chelle Shell at chelle@workforgood.org or 678.916.3037.

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SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

MAJOR SCALE: BEHIND FIRST STEP STAFFING’S OUTSIZED ACQUISITION

By Dave Shaffer

After years of running his own thriving businesses, entrepreneur Greg Block decided to make an abrupt career change: founding a nonprofit staffing firm, First Step Staffing. With a curiosity and desire to contribute to the Atlanta community, Block spent time with Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, who suggested that the city’s most pressing problem was finding sustainable solutions for homelessness. Looking at this complicated issue, Block saw the opportunity to use business as a tool. Temporary staffing, especially in light-industry, offers thousands of dignified jobs per day that do not require advanced education or strong prior experience. In 2006, First Step was officially opened, hiring as its first employees a group of Atlantans who had recently experienced homelessness.

In the years that followed, First Step continued to grow organically. By 2015, we employed as many as 100 recently or currently homeless people per week. With a growing staff and strong connections to the Atlanta community, Block’s vision was, by all accounts, a success. Still, Block was not satisfied. After proving the viability of his idea and its potential for growth, Block felt that First Step’s job would not be finished until every person experiencing homelessness in Atlanta had a sustainable income.

In late 2015, Greg Block’s desire for First Step’s significant growth in impact came to fruition. With support from Dentons law firm and a score of others, and after months of vetting and negotiations, Block achieved the seemingly impossible: First Step, a nonprofit bringing in roughly $1 million per year, raised

Block achieved the seemingly impossible: A nonprofit bringing in roughly $1 million per year raised the capital to purchase a major for-profit staffing company with annual revenues of almost $18 million.

the capital to purchase a major for-profit staffing company with annual revenues of almost $18 million.

Acquiring the Atlanta operations of LGS Staffing was an unprecedented strategic move. We were able to raise over $7 million through a unique financing structure comprised of commercial financing, government investments, and philanthropic investments, which has since been the subject of discussion in local publications and university classrooms. By December 2015, the $7.5 million deal was complete, growing First Step by a factor of ten almost overnight.

When First Step purchased LGS Staffing’s Atlanta business, it obtained two key resources. The first was the invaluable LGS Atlanta staff. Experts in their field, these men and women came with a wealth of

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knowledge about the staffing industry and light-industrial employers in Atlanta.

Fortunately, all of the LGS employees who remained with us were more than happy to adopt the mission of their new employer – to combat homelessness in Atlanta.

The second key resource was the LGS customer pool: With the purchase of LGS Atlanta, we also took control of all their customer accounts. Even better, First Step did not lose a single LGS customer in the transition. Last year, we billed more than 100 Atlanta-area companies for staffing services, earning more than $19 million in revenue; after the acquisition, the number of individuals we employed skyrocketed from a maximum of 100 per week to almost 1,000.

As the employee pool has evolved under the First Step mission to include more military veterans and those who had recently experienced homelessness, we are proud to say that, by the end of 2016, more than two-thirds of our workforce came from those key populations.

This unique blend of capital was secured by convincing funders that they could both make an impact and make their money back.

Looking forward, we plan to continue growing our business in Atlanta, increasing the number of clients and job opportunities for veterans and those who have experienced homelessness. For instance, we recently started offering employment at SunTrust Park, putting roughly 100 employees to work at each home game.

At the same time, we are looking closely at several other cities as potential expansion sites, and are close to acquiring a for-profit staffing company in Philadelphia using the same kind of financing model we found success with in Atlanta.

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We knew some prior LGS employees would naturally leave the organization, so First Step leadership developed several key metrics to track a wave of new employees.

Looking back at our pursuit of this plan, we’ve identified a few lessons vital to our success. Some of the topline takeaways worth considering in your own attempt to navigate an ambitious acquisition or merger: Find a funding coalition. Raising several million dollars to make an unprecedented purchase is not a simple task, requiring a network of sources and a delicate series of negotiations. Our funds were secured from an array of commercial lenders and philanthropies in Atlanta: traditional lenders like SunTrust Bank, civic organizations like Invest Atlanta (working through a private capital company), and local philanthropic foundations (including United Way of Greater Atlanta, The Wilbur and Hilda Glenn Family Foundation, The Cousins Foundation, The Nonami Foundation, and The Kendeda Fund). We even had some funders beyond Atlanta, including a community development financial institution, LEAF, in Boston.

This unique blend of capital was secured

by Founder and Board Chair Block, who convinced funders that they could both make an impact and make their money back.

Once negotiations began in earnest, I used my own experience in financial planning to secure a deal that worked for all parties.

Onboard personnel by spotlighting strengths and opportunities. Facing an entrenched problem, and headed by a creative and persistent entrepreneur, the First Step board had been well aware of the need for the organization to scale; thus, they were ready to approve a bold plan to meet that challenge. Meanwhile, our existing staff was enthusiastic about the opportunity to grow their impact and, in the LGS Atlanta staff, to add experienced senior leadership to the team. For their part, LGS staff felt a greater sense of on-the-job purpose with the shift from for-profit to nonprofit work.

To manage this complicated blending of cultures, Block sought a CEO who could not only cement the deal with lenders but help combine two disparate staffs and cultures; my previous experience as a CFO, COO, and CEO have all been helpful to the process.

Transition with care. Another key to our success was to bring in all existing LGS Atlanta employees, nearly 1,000 in total, in a deliberately paced manner. Rather than all at once, LGS gave First Step 60 days to transition people from their payroll system to ours. At the same time, we knew that some prior LGS employees would naturally leave the organization, so First Step leadership developed several key metrics to track a wave of new employees who had recently experienced homelessness.

By the end of 2016, we had achieved our workforce composition goal: 60 percent of our employees were individuals who had recently experienced homelessness.

Payback isn’t just financial. We keep our investors and supporters happy by making sure they’re informed as well as reimbursed. In addition to paying them back in accordance with our agreements, we provide consistent financial updates on the timetables they specify, reach out regularly with newsletters, meet with them as needed, and pick up the phone whenever they call. The bottom line is that our partners want us to succeed because they know we’re playing for the same team.

Dave Shaffer is CEO of First Step Staffing.

PARTNERSHIP

A NEW CROP OF COLLABORATIONS: GROWING INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE BUILDING COMMUNITY NETWORK One of two “pollinator gardens” installed by Park Pride and the Atlanta Botanical Garden, which became pilots for their joint “Pollinators in the Parks” program. (Photo courtesy of Park Pride)

By Marc Schultz

The latest development in The Home Depot Foundation’s Building Community Network has been in the works for years, as GCN has introduced fresh training concepts to expand the toolset of Network members. Established in 2006 to bring together Foundation grantees for training and mutual support, the Network counts 140 Atlanta nonprofits as members, making it the Metro area’s largest and most influential collective of nonprofit leadership. In the past four years, GCN and the Foundation have been dedicated to turning that group into a focused, collaborative community.

One of the concepts behind that work is Design Thinking, a team-based, step-bystep model for rapidly developing ideas into working solutions, introduced by GCN through all-day workshops and other programming. Leadership teams begin the Design Thinking process by defining a challenge in terms of a specific but openended question – like How might we make Dekalb Avenue safer for all kinds of traffic? or How might we address sentencing disparities for juvenile offenders? – and then brainstorming solutions, working up a prototype, and refining it through presentation, discussion, collaboration, and experimentation.

With Design Thinking skills embraced by dozens of Network members, GCN wanted to know, How might we get Network members to catalyze innovative partnerships using those skills? Answering that question, said GCN President and CEO Karen Beavor, is critical to everyone who serves the Metro Atlanta area: “With the expected addition

of 2 million people over the next five years, the prospect of growing more nonprofits or keeping pace via philanthropic resources is not reasonable. Instead, we must scale the impact of existing nonprofits. A key way to do that is collaborative innovation: action involving new ways of thinking and deeper, more thoughtful combinations of programming.”

That’s why GCN and The Home Depot Foundation put together the first Collaborative Design Challenge, calling on Network members to submit joint proposals that offer new ways to serve multiple missions at once, as well as The Home Depot Foundation’s core focus areas (outdoor spaces, veterans housing, the arts, and health services). Following a competitive submission process, supported

by GCN consultants, the Foundation selected three projects for funding:

“With the expected addition of 2 million people over the next five years… we must scale the impact of existing nonprofits. A key way to do that is collaborative innovation.”

• “Lunchtime Culture,” bringing together the Center for Puppetry Arts, the Breman Museum, and the High Museum of Art. Hosted monthly by each museum on a rotating basis, these 20-30 minute midday programs involve discussion, performances, and hands-on activities that will enable neighbors of the museums to turn their lunch break into an arts experience, and get them excited to further explore Atlanta’s cultural and historical opportunities.

15 No19 | Spring 2017

PARTNERSHIP A participant sketches cartoon characters in one of MOCA GA’s art workshops, a model they’re adapting as part of their joint project with The Shepherd Center. (Photo courtesy of MOCA GA)

Their storyboarding process, prescribed by the Design Thinking method, led them to a number of organic, compelling ideas.

“The most difficult part of the process was deciding on just one program to pilot!” said Kicklighter. “As we brainstormed, we realized that there are unbelievable opportunities for evolving our programming through partnership.”

• Arts programming for veterans in recovery, joining efforts by The Shepherd Center and the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia (MOCA GA). Four times each year, MOCA GA will host interactive tours and workshops, designed in association with art therapists and guest artists, for the Center’s SHARE Military Initiative, a rehabilitation program for service men and women.

• “Pollinators in Parks,” a project of Park Pride and the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

Planting “pollinator gardens” in five city parks designed to attract bees, birds, and butterflies, this program will advance Atlanta’s long-term biodiversity, ecological health, and sustainability, while engaging local residents in installation, upkeep, and education.

To find out how these projects came together, and the promise they hold for advancing the impact of each nonprofit, we spoke to a few of the leaders responsible for designing and implementing them.

How might we seed a crop of innovative nonprofit partnerships?

In 2016, GCN brought members of the Building Community Network together for a “speed dating” program where they could

16 Georgia Nonprofit NOW

engage other nonprofits – many of whom they wouldn’t consider obvious partners – for a day of conversations about mutual priorities and project possibilities. Once each had settled on a prospective partner (or two), GCN led them through the Design Thinking process for brainstorming and focusing ideas, leaving them with material to explore further and refine. With guidance from GCN consultants, these ideas became proposals for the Collaborative Design Challenge.

“We value our current collaborations around the city and state, but the Challenge encouraged us to assess the programming areas we felt passionate about strengthening,” said Amy Kicklighter, development officer at MOCA GA. “Though we were familiar with the Shepherd Center because of our close proximity, we had not worked with them. One of our staff members was recently introduced to their important work through a close friend, so we reached out to discuss ideas.”

That discussion began with a very general challenge question: How might we work together to benefit the community we both serve? The Shepherd Center was already aware of the benefits that art offers many of its patients, which made the fit a natural one. “As we honed in on the details of our goals, we discovered that our organizations shared a passion for serving those who have served our country, including active military, veterans, and their families,” said Kicklighter.

Ghila Sanders, director of community engagement at the Breman Museum, said that the idea for Luncthime Culture came from a common observation about their neighborhood: “While Midtown is such a hub for history, art, and culture, it doesn’t necessarily cater to the people who live it every day.” It wasn’t until leadership teams from the three neighborhood museums got together, she said, that a solution could truly take shape.

How might we deepen working relationships among nonprofits?

Though the three partners who make up the Lunchtime Culture project are located within a mile of each other, Center for Puppetry Arts Exhibitions Director Kelsey Fritz said that the Challenge gave them a chance to deepen their relationship for the first time: “Our organizations have always been friendly with one another, but we had never collaborated on a specific project.

Working on the Lunchtime Culture program has allowed us not only to address a specific challenge together, but spurred broader discussions about learning from each other and the resources we can share.”

Ghila Sanders, at the Breman, said that the more they worked together to develop the initial idea, the better and more exciting it became: “The mission statements of our institutions revolve around three key words: engage, inspire, connect. A collaboration came very naturally once we did just that.”

PARTNERSHIP

“As we brainstormed, we realized that there are unbelievable opportunities for evolving our programming through partnership.”

The partnership between Park Pride and Atlanta Botanical Garden took its inspiration from an informal collaboration the organizations undertook in early 2016, when the Botanical Garden “piggybacked” on a Park Pride volunteer work day for help installing pollinator gardens in two Westside parks. After a successful installation, they learned that keeping these specialized gardens going would require further investment from both groups. “The Parks Department does a great job with the resources they’re given, but there are some things they can’t do,” said Andrew White, director of park visioning at Park Pride. “Maintaining a pollinator garden is one of them.”

For small-scale gardens to thrive, said White, they need community members committed to short- and long-term maintenance. A formal partnership between Park Pride and the Botanical Garden made a natural solution, both for sustaining the pilot program and expanding it across the parks system. “We’re parks people, and they’re plants people,” said White. “We have many different ways to get communities involved, and they have the understanding to connect plants, pollinators, and the food supply.”

How might we serve more people in a growing city?

Andrew White described the challenge before Park Pride and the Botanical Garden with the question, How might we create pollinator gardens in our parks and sustain them, but also take advantage of their visibility for education? The answer to that multi-part query: community gardeners, the volunteers that Park Pride depends on to maintain more than 20 gardens in parks across the city.

Park Pride called on their already-existing gardening groups to apply for a role in the new program, giving them the agency to take on a new set of responsibilities, including the commitment to engage a wider circle of community members. More than 30 percent of their community garden groups applied, agreeing to take part in a workshop where they learned about pollinator gardens and crafted their own designs. As of late April, they’ve begun planting in five parks across the city, and the first education programming – a quarterly on-site workshop for students – will start up in mid-Spring.

Widening the reach of their work is also one of the major goals of the museums behind the Lunchtime Culture program. Situated in densely-populated Midtown, The Center for Puppetry Arts and its two partners are all within walking distance of dozens of office buildings and apartments. “This allows us to offer a program that people can realistically get to and from within an hour lunch break,” said Fritz, which gives them a new audience

– Midtown office-workers – who wouldn’t otherwise have a good reason to visit. It also provides those workers with what Fritz calls a “real” lunch break. “So many of us eat lunch huddled at a desk without looking away from the computer. We hope this program encourages people to take a quick walk once a month and engage with some of their local museums.”

“Any walkable community can use more convenient opportunities to get people on their feet and enjoying local cultural attractions.”

How might we keep partnerships evolving and expanding?

For all the work and promise behind each project, Challenge participants all described their efforts as a first step. “We’re not just building the gardens and handing them off to the community, we’ll be staying with them for the whole first year, and revisiting our work to see what did and didn’t work,” said Park Pride’s Andrew White. “Like any time we start a new program, we expect to learn a lot. The eventual goal will be to scale up this initiative, potentially with the

Gallery-goers discuss a piece in The Breman Museum’s “Atlanta Collects” exhibit, which will be featured in one of their first collaborative “Lunchtime Culture” events. (Photo courtesy of Ivani Photography)

17 No19 | Spring 2017

PARTNERSHIP

involvement of the state botanical garden for a more widespread program.”

At the Center for Puppetry Arts, Fritz reports that staff, and their counterparts at the Breman and High museums, have been enthusiastic about the new program, and excited by the ways their collections line up and inform each other. Anticipating a similar response among the public once it gets underway in July, Fritz sees Lunchtime Culture as a model that could work well for other museums serving urban areas: “Any walkable community can use more convenient opportunities to get people on their feet and enjoying local cultural attractions.”

Staff at MOCA GA and the Shepherd Center are also excited for the launch of their new venture, and for its future. Kicklighter reported that the planning process itself, including site visits and joint planning sessions, has been a genuinely enriching experience. “Even at this point, with official programming beginning in the next few weeks, we are still learning more about ways in which we can work together – art therapists, artists, and museum staff,” said Kicklighter. With a common passion for giving back to veterans and their families,

ARE PEOPLE CAPTIVATED BY YOUR STORY?

“The results have put Network members on the leading edge of nonprofit capability, and given them the support and incentives to become a living laboratory of organizational leadership.”

Kicklighter believes the engagement is bound for success: “Though we are prepared for challenges, the partnership has been so natural, and our dialogue has been so honest and considered, that we know the program will mature deeply.”

THE ONGOING ADVANTAGE OF DESIGN THINKING “Collaborative innovation using the Design Thinking method is very new to our local sector, and launching it wasn’t simple,” said

“It's a lovely side-effect of our work, that we break down barriers.”

Douglas Scott

GCN’s Karen Beavor, citing experiential learning sessions, the development of tool sets and online resources, the creation of specific case studies, and hours of individual coaching, all led by GCN. “But the results have put Network members on the leading edge of nonprofit capability, and given them the support and incentives to become a living laboratory of organizational leadership.”

Thanks to the example of Building Community Network members, Design Thinking is now being used by nonprofits like the Junior League and others. Similarly, the impact of the Collaborative Design Challenge winners won’t be confined to direct beneficiaries – workers and residents in Midtown, Shepherd Center patients, and park-goers – but peers in the sector looking for ways to expand their work.

“Home Depot has created a unique group of leaders and a pioneering effort in the Collaborative Innovation process and grants,” said Beavor. “There is no other initiative like this in the state or the Southeast.”

Marc Schultz is managing editor of NOW.

registering with the intended audience? Does it adhere to universal story structure? Is there a clear context? Is the challenge well-defined? Are the stakes for solving the issue high enough? Does your story have the right hero? Can a better world be seen? If your story isn’t crafted properly, it won’t compete with all the other stories out there. It won’t connect.

Artistic Director Stories are the most effective form of communication.

Humans organize their thoughts into stories and always have. That’s why your audience is 22 times more likely to retain Valverde & Stiles recently helped Full Radius Dance, a physically information if it's presented integrated dance company tell their powerful story in a video. in a well-told story that triggers emotion. It’s critical Content strategy and production firm Valverde & Stiles to leverage people who know the art and science of helps nonprofits by harnessing the potential power of effective storytelling with the aim of inspiring people their best stories, which sadly often go untold. We’d love to take an action. to review your current story effectiveness and look forward to starting this very important conversation with What would a story effectiveness review of your you. ValverdeStiles.com organization’s main message show? Is your story

18 Georgia Nonprofit NOW

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

WHAT’S IN A REBRAND? HOW WE BECAME CHRIS 180

By Anne Wilson

We need to change our name: Few statements can send nonprofit and marketing professionals into a simultaneous state of fear and excitement like that one. With the right preparation, however, excitement wins out, and that change becomes an opportunity for inspiration and engagement, rather than a necessary evil. In August 2016, we realized that very opportunity when CHRIS Kids became CHRIS 180.

Founded in 1981, CHRIS 180 has been known in the greater Atlanta area, and throughout Georgia, for helping children in our state’s foster care system through mental health counseling, safe housing, and real-world skill building. With the opening of our CHRIS Counseling Center and Summit Trail Apartments, an apartment complex for older youth who are homeless or aging out of foster care, we realized that our original name, CHRIS Kids, was no longer a true representation of what we offer the community. Our name had become an unintentional barrier to reaching all the demographics in need of our services, including adults and families seeking to recover from trauma. With mission fulfillment at the top of our minds, we started the process of rebranding.

Beginning in 2015, we enlisted the help of BrightBlue Partners, a renaming consulting firm, to guide us through the process that led to our name change. It was important that our new name kept the CHRIS acronym that represents our values: Creativity, Honor,

Respect, Integrity, and Safety. Beyond that, we knew it would take serious work to determine the best way to honor everything we do.

We realized that our original name… had become an unintentional barrier to reaching all the demographics in need of our services.

positioning. From there, we were presented options for “positioning statements” that would help drive our name change, each accounting for our purpose, methods, values, and goals in relation to a particular audience. After a six-month process of stakeholder engagement, leadership and consultants from BrightBlue Partners and Georgia-Pacific tested the top six name and tagline candidates. Our test groups included current and former clients, volunteers, community stakeholders, and the general public. It was an extensive, deliberate

A large part of the process was engaging our key stakeholders. BrightBlue Partners led us through a workshop in which our staff, board members, and volunteers considered how a new name might impact our current brand

19 No19 | Spring 2017

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

process, from which one combination arose as the best representation of our mission and community work: CHRIS 180: Changing Directions. Changing Lives.

“Embracing change is at our core,” said CHRIS 180 President & CEO Kathy Colbenson. “Everyone who comes to us wants to make a change, and the ‘180’ figure represents a turnaround – a change in the direction of your life. We are a mental health organization at our heart, but the old name was focused on the ‘who.’ It was time to talk about why we exist – the ‘what’ and the ‘how.’”

“The old name was focused on the ‘who.’ It was time to talk about why we exist – the ‘what’ and the ‘how.’”

As we look back on the months since the announcement of our new name, we’ve recognized the following lessons as critical to our success: Transparency and communication are key.

Change is challenging for everyone. We found that many people – from leadership to key stakeholders to community members – had affection for particular language and areas of focus. Personal relationships are

important for understanding and addressing supporters’ closely held viewpoints. A representative group of our current young adults, staff, board members, donors, and volunteers provided feedback and unique perspectives at each step along the way.

When there was hesitancy at the board level, Colbenson talked with each board member, listening to their concerns and fears, and providing a venue to help overcome them.

Ultimately, the board made the final decision regarding the new name, and we were all proud to announce it together at our annual fundraiser, The CHRIStal Ball, in 2016. The morning we announced our name change, we had a “Changing Directions. Changing Lives” party for our staff with giveaways – pens, t-shirts, cups, and more – to help ensure they Be patient. In addition to money, changing felt excited and included. your name also takes time. Because of the importance of seeking feedback and Prepare for an investment. It costs money buy-in from various constituencies – staff, to change your name – for collateral materials, volunteers, donors, and board members – it website changes, legal fees, and more. It’s can take a while to get to the final product. important to create a list of items with the It took nine months for us to get to the new old name and logo for updating, contact name and logo change, and it may take an people who need to know, and devise an additional year for the new name and logo to overall strategy for sharing the new name be widely adopted among the public. more broadly among your various audiences.

To help pay for a new sign, website redesign, Consider your legacy. To maintain the brand and collateral materials, we were fortunate equity your organization has built over time, to receive help through a combination it is also important to remind people of the of pro bono services made possible by previous name. We’ll be saying “formerly Georgia-Pacific and a grant from Healthcare CHRIS Kids” when speaking and writing Georgia Foundation. (Created in 1999 as about CHRIS 180 for six to 12 months an independent private foundation, the following the name change. mission of Healthcare Georgia Foundation is to advance the health of all Georgians, It has been exciting to watch our name and to expand access to affordable, quality change come to life. With the help and healthcare for underserved individuals and guidance of our partners and donors, our communities.) rebrand has provided us an opportunity to

Create a list of items with the old name and logo for updating, contact people who need to know, and devise an overall strategy for sharing the new name more broadly.

reignite passion for our mission among internal and external stakeholders, and strengthen our presence among the full community that we serve.

Anne Wilson is director of marketing and communications at CHRIS 180.

CHRIS 180’s mission is to heal children, strengthen families, and build community.

CHRIS 180 helps children, young adults, and families who have experienced trauma change the direction of their lives to become more productive, self-sufficient members of the community by providing mental health counseling, training, safe housing, and real-world skill building. To learn more, visit CHRIS180.org.

20 Georgia Nonprofit NOW

RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

YOUR MOST POWERFUL TOOL FOR FUNDRAISING: RELATIONSHIPS AND THE RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT PLAN

By Dennis Hanthorn

As you probably know by now, fundraising isn’t just about money: It’s about resource development, a team-wide effort to fully leverage every support-raising opportunity.

That includes considered, concrete plans for mobilizing donor research, securing gifts, developing relationships, involving volunteers, and keeping everyone involved accountable. A solid resource development plan is tied to the strategic plan, executed by all personnel – board, staff, and executive director – and informed by a clear understanding of your nonprofit’s image in the community, not just in terms of work done but opportunities taken and squandered, or controversies inflicted and overcome.

Your plan should lay out your dollar goals and all of your efforts to achieve them, ranging from small-scale engagement (like “one-on-one” conversations over coffee) to large-scale cultivation (like an annual fundraising event) and everything in between – volunteer appreciation celebrations, end-of-year mailings, grant proposals, corporate sponsor solicitations, board member contributions, and more.

Though all of these approaches are vital to successful resource development, it’s important to note that individuals – when factoring in both legacy giving and foundations run by a single person or family – are responsible for close to 90 percent of all charitable giving, as reported by Giving USA in their 2015 report.

That means relationship-building, on a number of fronts, is your most powerful tool for maximizing resource development. For instance, every time you collect names – at one of your events, at a table you’ve set up, through sales of tickets or services – is an opportunity to identify individuals new to you, screen them for their interest and potential to contribute, and get them involved with others who support you, ultimately building out your affinity groups and extending the reach of your message.

PUTTING THE DONOR FIRST One of the most important parts of any resource development plan is thinking through each opportunity ahead of time to understand the most donor-centric way to approach it. A few questions you should ask:

Individuals – when factoring in both legacy giving and foundations run by a single individual or Which audience should family – are responsible for we focus on? close to 90 percent of all Understanding each segment of your donor charitable giving. base is key. The more general the appeal, Another place relationships matter is among organizations, which can extend your reach, impact, and even your reputation.

Corporations and foundations are especially interested in how you’re collaborating with others to multiply your impact – think of a museum that partners with a children’s hospital, or an animal rescue partnering with a senior center. Rather than closing up shop at 5pm and going home, major donors want to see you working overtime and out-ofbounds to help create true live-work-learnplay communities.

the harder it is to make a real connection, which is why being donor-centric is a major tenet of effective fundraising. For each opportunity, figure out which specific population (patients, or parents of teens, or environmentally-focused businesses) would be most receptive. If you properly segment your appeals, you won’t have to worry about over-soliciting your donors.

21 No19 | Spring 2017

RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

What is the best way to communicate the opportunity?

to rally their entire donor base, giving them a simple way to contribute to a critical mass of giving. However you view it, Georgia Gives Day has several inherent strengths

For each opportunity, there’s an outreach tool that matches best, based on both your audience and your messengers.

For instance, don’t instruct your board members to do their friend-raising over social media if they’re not accustomed to making philanthropic appeals online. On the other hand, don’t assume that 20- and 30-somethings are the only demographic using Facebook or Twitter.

One advantage is its share-ability: Like any online effort, Georgia Gives Day comes with a built-in opportunity to go viral over social media. That makes it a cost-efficient opportunity to net new donors, which can be one of the more expensive and difficult parts of resource development. Getting supporters with extensive social media networks to flex their “influencer” muscles means coming up with a message they’ll be excited to share. This applies offline too: Every person you count on year after year for support (including board and staff!) has friends they can invite to the next event or informal one-on-one.

How can we use this opportunity to reach new donors?

Because you’ve got to start with the people you know, identify the “influencers” among them who know how to spread the word.

When you ask them to share an appeal, be sure to let them know how valuable they are and how much you appreciate them for bringing in new people – then ask for their thoughts on deepening their role.

As you can see, much of this planning comes down to knowing your supporters, including why and how they relate to your specific mission. Nonprofits should not be fighting for the same hundred donors – if you are, you need to do a better job understanding your community and crafting messages specifically for them.

ALIGNING APPROACH, AUDIENCE, AND OPPORTUNITY Matching an appeal with the correct set of supporters is also a matter of thinking through the inherent strengths of each opportunity. Take an online crowdfunding opportunity like Georgia Gives Day, GCN’s yearly statewide day-of-giving campaign.

Georgia Gives Day provides a lot of flexibility for organizations to craft their own approaches: For some, it’s a chance to highlight a particular initiative (like funding a new community center or a needed staffer) or to excite a particular audience (like Facebook followers who haven’t yet made a financial contribution). For others, it’s a way

22 Georgia Nonprofit NOW

worth taking advantage of.

In any case, it’s then the organization’s responsibility to get to know those friendsof-friends and figure out how to engage them. GCN provides ready-made messaging materials on the Georgia Gives Day site, but you must take time to adapt those resources to fit your particular cause, culture, and audience. Got a focus on kids? You’ll probably want to include some photos of them, or drawings they made. Want to raise interest in a marginalized population? Share some of their quotes discussing challenges or successes – or showing off their sense of humor. Appealing to an economy-minded audience, like policy-makers or the local chamber of commerce? Cite research into the dollar-multiplying impact of your work.

(For instance, every couple who buys tickets to the symphony might then spend money on babysitting, a new outfit or two, dinner out, and transportation, pumping thousands of extra dollars into the local economy.)

Getting supporters to flex their “influencer” muscles means coming up with a message they’ll be excited to share.

Giving incentives are another unique feature of Georgia Gives Day, like the Max My Gift Challenge that gives participants the tools to secure matching funds from partners and major donors. Starting early is key: Want to secure a challenge grant, or volunteers to call up donors with reminders? You’ll need to vet supporters, engage the best candidates, and work out the logistics for their participation. You’ll also need to spend time with the tools provided on the Georgia Gives Day website to customize them for your organization and the audience you’re appealing to.

Our role as fundraisers isn’t making a one-time ask for money, it’s inspiring people to give, to continue giving, and to pass that inspiration along.

Our role as fundraisers isn’t making a onetime ask for money, it’s inspiring people to give, to continue giving, and to pass that inspiration along to their connections.

Rather than counting on one event to carry your organization, or focusing on income at the expense of thoughtful donor cultivation, it’s incumbent on us to understand the unique value of each opportunity and potential supporter: for short-term gain, long-term goals, and continuous support.

Dennis Hanthorn is a senior consultant with GCN’s Nonprofit Consulting Group.

Your Georgia Gives Day 2017 Roadmap

Sign up your organization for Georgia Gives Day 2017 at GAGIVES.ORG

Join our online giving movement for the sixth annual Georgia Gives Day, Thursday, November 16, 2017.

Fueled by a growing collaboration of nonprofits, companies, foundations, media outlets, and government partners, Georgia Gives Day has contributed more than $13 million to our state’s nonprofits.

Start planning now to take full advantage of this unique opportunity to activate your cause champions, expand your circle of supporters, and join your sector colleagues in raising awareness of the many missions that are collectively making our state a better place to live, work, and play.

Here’s a guide to get your campaign planning in motion. We’ll be rolling out additional, free-to-use support resources over the next few months to help you create a winning campaign!

FIRST: REGISTER If you’ve participated in years past, you’re already registered for Georgia Gives Day 2017. If this is your first time, visit GAgives.org, sign up your organization today – all Georgia nonprofits are eligible – and take advantage of our free online fundraising tools and training opportunities. (The deadline to register is Oct.1.)

NEXT: START PLANNING 1. ADD November 16, 2017 to all of your organization’s calendars – including those for development, communications, programmatic and executive staff, board members, and volunteers.

2. ASSEMBLE your Georgia Gives team and designate a campaign leader.

If capacity is a problem for an area like promotion, consider a short-term partnership with a savvy student or skilled volunteer to support the initiative.

3. ESTABLISH a specific fundraising goal for a specific project or need.

4. BUILD your Georgia Gives profile on GAgives.org. Fill out your profile with photos, mission or impact statements, information on needs, client or volunteer testimonials, videos from the field, and anything else that will tell donors the story

of your work. Be sure to personalize the thank-you email that donors will receive, explaining the impact they’ve made possible. (Our Guide to Building Your Profile can help you get started.)

5. JOIN the community conversation by connecting with @GAgives on Facebook and Twitter, and using #GAgivesday to tag all your posts.

6. FOLLOW GCN on Facebook, Twitter, and our blog, then look for our email campaign to start up this summer with the latest news, tips, event announcements, and resource opportunities.

7. CATCH UP on our resource collection, including on-demand webinars, toolkits, guides, FAQs, and articles to jumpstart your planning, all available for free at gcn.org/ GAgives/resources.

8. SEEK matching or challenge grants through foundations, regular donors, and your personal network. (Start with our Max My Gift Challenge Guide and on-demand webinar.)

For more information, visit GAgives.org and gcn.org/GAgives/resources. Questions?

Contact our team at info@GAgives.org.

Jenna Ovett is communications coordinator at GCN.

COUNTRY Financial is proud to partner with the Georgia Center for Nonprofits in supporting the financial futures of GCN’s nonprofit members.

23 No19 | Spring 2017

LEADERSHIP

GAIN MORE ALLIES, BUILD BETTER CONNECTIONS, AND FURTHER YOUR MISSION USING CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE

By Jose Bright with Jenna Ovett

We operate in a more culturally diverse world than ever. Is your nonprofit taking advantage of demographic shifts, using cultural considerations to gain a competitive edge? If you want to be the partner of choice, design programs that are relevant, craft compelling messages, and launch effective giving campaigns, then it is critical to possess a high level of cultural intelligence.

When healthy, happy relationships are in place, you are likely to receive more than mere compliance from your partners and supporters. Utilizing cultural intelligence is the way to develop those relationships, and help further your mission by further your mission. How? First, by creating more opportunities: The right conversations will inspire others to be open and provide more information, leads, or donations. Second, by generating greater results: Inviting culturally diverse groups of people to the table to solve problems will curate a more innovative environment, as well as a larger pool of ideas.

The most common mistake nonprofits make when trying to increase cultural respect or understanding is hiring someone from a particular demographic to serve only as a bridge to their cultural community, rather than to serve as part of staff leadership.

Another mistake is simply translating materials – messaging, program collateral, and other communications – into a different language without considering how they apply to your audience. That can create a cultural disconnect, often rendering the materials

24 Georgia Nonprofit NOW

ineffective. Rather, we should be making marketing materials that reflect the values and beliefs of the audiences we are trying to attract. Personally, I am half black and half Latino, so I understand first-hand the benefits of using the insights of a culturally diverse staff to help build programming, plan communications, and design events.

Another mistake is simply translating materials into a different language without considering how they apply to your audience.

Consider Gwinnett Christian Terrace (GCT), whose mission is to enhance the lives of older adults through a caring, affordable

senior-living community. Several years ago, they saw the need to take further steps to increase their cultural intelligence by hiring Eun Shim as GCT Cultural and Social Affairs Coordinator. She educates staff in Korean traditions, as a whole and on a more individual basis, and her work for residents goes beyond providing properly translated information: She helps blend activities, amenities, and the facility environment to connect with a growing minority population.

Likewise, Environmental Services Manager Angela Benitez provides many of the same resources around GCT’s Latino community.

Locating Shim and Benitez on-site, and using their insights to enhance programming, plan communications, and design events, GCT doesn’t just increase their capacity for relationship-building with these populations, they are better able to facilitate connections with everyone in their community, staff and residents, regardless of background. When everyone thinks of increasing diversity as an added value, rather than a threatening change,

LEADERSHIP

Your number one resource is the people around you – each one is, practically, a walking encyclopedia. Getting them to open up requires operating from the heart and showing interest. it cultivates genuine appreciation for cultural differences among residents, and continuous opportunities for GCT staff to learn about – and from – their residents.

Successfully using cultural intelligence has empowered GCT to cultivate a strong community of inclusion.

So what are the best resources for gaining cultural intelligence? Your number one resource is the people around you – each one is, practically, a walking encyclopedia. Getting them to open up, and share the wealth of information they possess, requires operating from the heart and showing interest. Other resource opportunities can be found among your partners – other nonprofits, for-profit supporters, and stakeholder groups – and by networking with like-minded organizations who serve multi-cultural populations.

Regardless of which path you choose, it’s critical that your research goes beyond a superficial knowledge search to uncover the whys, hows, and other details underpinning different cultures.

With an understanding of where to look for cultural intelligence and why it’s important, you’ll want to develop a strategy for exercising and developing it. Here are six tips I suggest you incorporate:

upbringings, and perspectives. For example, not all Latinos like spicy foods – trust me, I’m one of them! Because we’re not a homogenous population, using stereotypes like this in your messaging can actually insult your audience.

3. Rethink research methodologies for gaining cultural intelligence. For example, be sure not to limit your cultural research to books written by someone from outside the culture in question. You can look to wonderful cultural anthropologists like Margaret Mead, but you must also seek out and engage genuinely with people who experience a culture from the inside. This will not only help you understand other cultures on a personal level, but will prove a lot more memorable than a text full of facts and figures.

4. Utilize nontraditional media and social platforms to reach target audiences.

In many cases, your local newspaper or radio station might not be the best way to engage. Try looking at informal media posts from that community, and get the attention of frequent posters to help spread your message authentically.

5. Make sure creative messaging resonates with your target audience.

Make sure you are speaking on a level that your audience understands, that will make them chuckle, or otherwise engage their interest. By taking the time to get to know your target audience and creating relevant messaging, the people you are trying to attract are going to be more likely to trust you.

6. Don’t do it on your own. You can partner with collaborators, like churches and families, within the cultural group you are targeting.

This can also include getting to know and working with champions and influencers in the community.

Sir José Bright is vice president and senior consultant with GCN’s Nonprofit Consulting Group.

Jenna Ovett is communications coordinator at GCN.

1. Leave your frame of reference at the door. If we don’t put our paradigms on the shelf, we may come off as judgmental, defensive, or argumentative. Next time you encounter a point of difference with someone, try looking at things through their eyes.

2. Acknowledge the diversity within a cultural group. While people may possess a common cultural denominator, be sensitive to everything that makes an individual who he or she is. People commonly lumped into one cultural group can in fact possess a variety of different socioeconomic statuses, religions,

25 No19 | Spring 2017

INTERVIEW

MAKING THE MOST OF MEMBERSHIP: BERT HUFFMAN RETHINKS THE GPB DONOR EQUATION Bert Huffman is vice president for external affairs at Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB), which operates 19 radio stations and nine television stations throughout the state. Arriving from the Atlanta Opera, where he spent two and a half years as director of development, Huffman has devoted much of his time at GPB to revitalizing the network’s community ties and redefining how raising money is done in the nonprofit media world. GCN’s David Terraso spoke with Huffman about the principles behind his approach, the importance of offering more than great radio and television shows, his fundraising role models, and more.

Terraso: What’s your approach to fundraising?

Huffman: The way I’ve approached fundraising at GPB is a little outside the box for public media, and very much along the lines of fundraising in other areas of the nonprofit community.

Any nonprofit would be thrilled to be able to go downstairs, turn on the television cameras, and ask millions of people for money any time they need extra. But we don’t want to abuse that: What we really want is for people to have the time to watch and listen to our product. After all, our product is the reason they support us.

Instead, what I’ve done is try to focus GPB on core development tenets, like building relationships with donors – we call them members – and moving them up the loyalty ladder to become a monthly sustainer, then to give a mid-level gift, a major gift, and, ultimately, a planned gift.

26 Georgia Nonprofit NOW

We’ve had a lot of success with that approach. Three years ago we had 40,000 members. Today, we’re at 62,000, an all-time high for membership here at GPB. The last two years have been the two highest-earning years in the history of GPB’s development revenue.

Any nonprofit would be thrilled to be able to turn on the television cameras and ask millions of people for money anytime they need extra. But we don’t want to abuse that.

Terraso: Why is that?

Huffman: I think it’s because we’ve moved from a transactional model to one that’s more about relationships. Oftentimes, gifts made through pledge drives feel very transactional. You’re making a gift, and in exchange you’re getting DVDs, or CDs, or whatever it is. What we’ve done is refocus our efforts on the donor: You’re getting the DVDs as our way of saying thank you, but in addition we’re going to get to know you, we’re going to make sure we’re providing you with what you want on television and radio. I want to pull us away from being a membership shop and make us a development shop: making a point to develop those relationships on a daily basis, in a timely, intentional manner.

Terraso: Is this something you brought with you from the arts?

Huffman: Yes­­– but I look to universities as the gold standard of fundraising. They’ve

INTERVIEW done such a beautiful job of building relationships, and then moving donors into major gifts and the planned giving arena. Just after universities are your social needs organizations and the arts. I was used to closing large-scale donations in other places I’ve worked. Mostly, I’ve dealt with the 80/20 rule, meaning 80 percent of your gifts come from 20 percent of your donors – a very common formula for nonprofits. At GPB, we were turning that rule upside-down: It was a situation where you had many people giving small amounts of money. We had a massive opportunity to begin cultivating our members: Looking at the people who consume public media – they’re educated, they’re affluent – I saw the perfect candidates for major gifts. So we began the process of moving them up the ladder, and we’ve doubled our major gift revenue in the past two years.

At GPB, we were turning the 80/20 rule upsidedown: It was a situation where you had many people giving small amounts of money. We had a massive opportunity to begin cultivating our members.

Terraso: When you’re communicating with donors, what percentage of your role is listening versus speaking?

Huffman: I would say that it’s probably 90 percent listening and 10 percent talking.

When I’m with a donor, I want to know everything about them. I’m immaterial: In fact, to borrow a phrase from television, a relationship with a donor can “jump the shark” when a donor knows me too well.

You have to be very careful to manage a relationship, versus a friendship – because how hard is it to ask your friends for money?

No matter how good a relationship I have with these individuals, I want them to know that, at the end of the day, I represent an organization that needs their support.

Ultimately, it’s about community engagement – fundraising follows that.

Before I came to GPB we were doing a great job addressing communities, but we weren’t really doing community engagement. It’s about finding the crossover spaces: getting into the community and figuring out where the content we’re putting into the world connects.

For instance, we’re premiering Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise, a beautiful American Masters documentary about her life. So we partnered with VOX Teen Communications, who brought teens and teachers into our building on a Saturday for a poetry slam workshop and an actual poetry slam event at the end of the day. To me, that’s success: serving a part of the community around our content in a way they are never going to forget. That turns into a story I can tell a donor which says we’re more than just Masterpiece Theatre and All Things Considered: We’re a vital component of this community, we change lives for the better, we provide opportunities that people can’t get anywhere else. In that way, GPB is an interesting cross-section of education, the arts, and social service: a place where many different community goals come together.

Terraso: Some folks in Washington have talked about removing funding for public television and radio. How are you dealing with that?

Huffman: Anytime someone talks about chunks of money being taken away, it makes us nervous. But it’s not the first time that conversation has been on the table. As a whole, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is forward-funded for two years: should funding go away tomorrow, we would have two years to get ourselves in a place to be successful.

GPB is fortunate to be the third-largest

PBS station in the nation, with a robust fundraising operation, so I feel confident that people in the community would coalesce around us in a situation where we lost federal funding. I worry more about very small stations in rural areas that depend solely on money from the CPB.

It’s said that there’s an art and a science to fundraising.

Number one is figuring out whether you’re an artist or a scientist.

Terraso: Do you have any tips for nonprofit fundraisers?

Huffman: It’s said that there’s an art and a science to fundraising. Number one is figuring out whether you’re an artist or a scientist. We have both on this team: I am an artist, personally, but I rely wholeheartedly on the scientists. The scientists go to work figuring out the strategy: What are the pieces of the puzzle? How’s the money coming in?

How do we look at our numbers year to year?

What trends are we seeing? That sets the artists free to go out and build relationships with people, to find the interesting connections, and to make the asks.

Number two is not being afraid of conversations and not being averse to conflict. If you believe in the product, asking for money becomes easy.

27 No19 | Spring 2017

COMMUNITY

Highlights at GCN In March, GCN threw our second annual HPDL “house party” at Wrecking Bar Brewpub, connecting alumni from our annual High Potential Diverse Leaders program and celebrating our shared passion for social impact. Now in its ninth year, the intensive HPDL leadership development experience has prepared more than 200 “rising stars” for executive-level careers in the sector. Thanks to our partner MailChimp for their generous support, which makes this program (and party) possible!

GCN welcomes incoming board members Jim Brunk, Corporate Controller & CAO at Mohawk Industries, and Frank Becker, Vice President of Human Resources at UPS. Joining the GCN team this quarter: Jenna Ovett as communications coordinator, Jean-Patrick Guichard as administration coordinator, GCN also welcomed Dennis Hanthorn as senior consultant.

Hanthorn brings with him 30 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, building organizations in Atlanta, Milwaukee, and Dayton. His areas of expertise include organizational development, fundraising, fiscal management, strategic planning, and board governance.

Nonprofit Consulting Group VP Sir José Bright facilitated our January member event, “How to Build Cultural Intelligence,” which focused on defining and developing a tool to increase cultural intelligence, as well as helping organizations understand the value of managing diversity.

Learn more about this topic on page 24.

28 Georgia Nonprofit NOW

Bright is also developing a strategic business plan for Open Hand and facilitating strategic planning processes for Open Hand, TEPHINET, Marannook, Decatur Church of Christ Senior Housing, and the Graduate Achievement Charter High School with support from consultants Nicole Morado and Tommy Pearce. In addition, he recently facilitated a team-building session for City of Refuge.

On Friday afternoons in March and April, GCN member nonprofits stopped by and called in for complimentary scenario-planning sessions with Sir José Bright and EVP Kathy Keeley, working to plan for multiple possible scenarios in an environment where shifts occur with little notice.

Kathy Keeley is also developing a strategic plan with the ACF Atlanta Chefs Association, conducting an organizational assessment for Callanwolde, and providing executive coaching to two larger organizations pursuing growth opportunities. In addition, she recently facilitated a retreat with the board of Camden Family Connection.

On January 24, GCN and Young Nonprofit Professionals Network Atlanta recognized our third “30 Under 30” cohort, comprised of young professionals making waves in the Georgia nonprofit sector, at an awards presentation hosted by Junior Achievement at their Chick-fil-A Discovery Center.

COMMUNITY

In March, CEO Karen Beavor facilitated a series of planning meetings for the Nonprofit Federal Issues Coalition, a new initiative from GCN bringing together Georgia sector leaders to coordinate a sustained and strategic response to federal policy and budget threats. Turn to page 2 for more.

Beavor also delivered a presentation to the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Greater Augusta Chapter about preparing for Georgia Gives Day, scheduled this year for November 16. Learn more about readying your organization for Georgia Gives Day 2017 on page 23.

GCN’s national nonprofit career and hiring resource Work for Good is proud to support YNPN Atlanta as 2017 Presenting Sponsor of Professional Development programming. Visit workforgood.org to set up an employer account, and contact us at hello@workforgood.org to learn about GCN member discounts.

Presented in partnership with COUNTRY Financial, our April community event, “Financial Planning for the Nonprofit Professional,” convened Coastal nonprofit professionals for advice on salary and benefits negotiation, student loan repayment, filing taxes, and retirement planning.

At our February “Leading for Change” member event, member leaders joined EVP Kathy Keeley for practical recommendations on leading their organizations through change effectively, responding to both internal and external pressures using theory, skill, and strategy. For those unable to attend, or who want to revisit the topic, Keeley facilitated a similar discussion via a Member Webinar in March, focusing on four practices: resiliency, sustainability, alliances, and advocacy. Read more on page 11.

At our March member event, “Combat Uncertainty with Strategy,” Kathy Keeley led an in-depth workshop for CEOs, executives, and board members about techniques for engaging their staff, board, and other key stakeholders in the strategic planning process.

Read our report at GCN.ORG/ CEOFORUM

GCN’s Nonprofit University delivered a custom training course, “Cultivating High NetWorth Donors,” for the Council on Alcohol and Drugs. Learn more about custom courses at gcn.org/custom-courses.

Senior Consultant Mary Bear Hughes is conducting executive searches for executive director of Together Georgia, executive director of TurningPoint, and vice president for development of Kennesaw State University.

GCN’s consulting team are delivering strategic plans for six Atlanta-based organizations, supported by a capacity-building grant awarded to GCN by Aspen Institute’s Program on Philanthropy and Social Innovation and JPMorgan Chase & Co. Tommy Pearce recently completed a study documenting Georgia’s inventory of workforce development and employment services, and assessing the funding potential of federal reimbursement dollars earmarked for that work.

In GCN’s latest CEO Forum, held on April 25 at the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, a roomful of nonprofit directors heard from two policy experts, who discussed currents in federal and state policy that require the sector’s attention, and possible intervention, for their potential to affect our work. Addressing the gathered executives, Georgia Budget and Policy Institute Deputy Director Jennifer Owens said, “You are the most authentic messengers on this front, much more convincing than budget and policy wonks like me.” Senior Fellow and Senior Counselor Sharon Parrott of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities also spoke from her office in Washington D.C.

On March 16, Betsy Reid, VP, Marketing & Communications, joined 200 association peers for the annual American Associations Day, a “legislative fly-in” to Capitol Hill, where she met with the staff of Georgia Senators David Perdue and Johnny Isakson (pictured here), along with Representatives John Lewis, Austin Scott, Barry Loudermilk, Sanford Bishop, and Doug Collins to advocate for the interests of Georgia’s nonprofits.

29 No19 | Spring 2017

COMMUNITY

Nonprofit CEO Peerspectives kicked off in March, gathering 15 of Atlanta’s sector leaders for the first of four programs centered on leading through change. GCN Board Chair Patty Tucker facilitated the opening session, “Using Strategic Thinking to Lead Change,” with a presentation on change management theory, followed by peer-group coaching which covered preparing an organization for changes in policy and funding, both anticipated and unexpected.

On April 12, Nonprofit University’s High Potential Diverse Leaders Class of 2017 got underway, engaging 36 nonprofit upand-comers in an immersive six-month experience preparing them to assume executive roles in the sector. Here, the group participates in the opening session, “Finding the Leader in You,” facilitated by Yvonne Bryant Johnson.

30 Georgia Nonprofit NOW

COMMUNITY

Member & Partner News

Lisa Dwyer joined the Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students as its Director of Special Projects and Partnerships.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta welcomed new board members Renato Razon, Richard Deriso, Stacey Eames, and Teri Hartman.

With the departure of The Giving Kitchen Executive Director Stephanie Galer, Amy Crowell is stepping into the role of Interim ED. The Skyland Trail Advisory appointed eight new members to its advisory board: Cara Isdell Lee, Lizeth Smithgall, Michael Mock, Bob Mills, Tracy Cahillane, Hill Hardman, Daraka Satcher, and Jennifer Fuqua Fowler.

The Good Samaritan Health Center launched its “Full Circle of Health Model” earlier this year, which encompasses medical and dental care, mental health counseling and psychiatry, health education and nutrition counseling, an urban farm and food distribution, an on-site pharmacy, case management, specialty care, and, soon, an on-site fitness center.

PEOPLE Roey Shoshan has been named Director of Israel and Overseas at the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta.

Kristie Swink Benson has joined the High Museum of Art as director of communications.

Joining the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership board of directors are Matt Bronfman, Althea Broughton, Michelle Fisher, Katie Kirkpatrick, Melissa Proctor, and Michael Russell.

Jodi Lox Mansbach joins the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta as their Chief Impact Officer.

Lita Ugarte Pardi transitions from Senior Program Officer to Director of Resource Deployment at the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta.

Hands On Atlanta welcomes Lara Wagner as Corporate Partnerships Manager.

Georgia Power names Charmaine Ward as Corporate Relations Director and welcomes Shan Cooper and Larry Gellerstedt III to its board.

Dallas Clement, Executive Vice President of Cox Enterprises, joined the Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. board of directors.

John Moeller joined Lutheran Services of Georgia as CEO while Gary Johnstone, who was serving as Interim CEO, resumed his position as Chief Operations Officer.

Joining the CHRIS 180 board of directors are Teresa Bonder, April Estes, Randy

Scott Galloway and Jonathan McKenzie joined the DDD Foundation board of directors.

Buhlig, Rob Kight, Kim King, and Terry Russell.

The Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education board of directors welcomes new member Brandon Dillard.

Cynthia deSa, Kathleen Rast, Stewart Bohan, and Keecia Walker were elected to the ChildKind board of directors, while Jacqueline Haar was elected to its advisory board.

VOX Teen Communications has selected Associate Director Susan Landrum to become the next Executive Director, succeeding Jeff Romig.

Heather Infantry has become Director of Strategy and Expansion at Moving in the Spirit. Crystal FaisonMitchell, Director of Special Projects, has stepped in as interim Director of Opportunity, Infantry’s previous position.

Joining the Foundation of Wesley Woods board of directors is the Reverend Dr. Byron Thomas.

The Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta board welcomed new members Angela Blank, a Director for The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, and James Prospero. David Clark was elected Chairman and Terrance Harps was elected Secretary.

Quality Care for Children welcomed Leng Leng Chancey as its new Vice President of Development and Marketing.

The Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence welcomes Michelle White as their new Child & Youth Project Manager.

As John Perlman steps down after a successful term as President of the Jewish Family & Career Services of Atlanta, they welcome Michael Levy as their new President, and the addition of Lesli Greenberg and Jeff Holland to their senior management team, while celebrating the promotion of Jill Cohen to Director of Development.

Share your news with the GCN community.

Write to us at NOW@GCN.ORG

Nancy Rigby, who joined Cox Enterprises in 2012 as Vice President, has been promoted to President of Cox Foundations.

PricewaterhouseCoopers welcomes John Satelmajer to their board and Selim Ikizler as Bookkeeper.

Fragile Kids Foundation merged with FOCUS (Families of Children Under Stress) to better meet the needs of Atlanta’s children with special needs.

31 No19 | Spring 2017

COMMUNITY

HONORS The Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia was named the March 2017 Nonprofit of the Month by the Gwinnett Chamber.

Ann Curry of Coxe Curry & Associates was honored at the 2017 Heroes, Saints & Legends gala, presented by the Foundation of Wesley Woods, for her commitment to helping nonprofit organizations successfully realize their missions and drive community impact.

Georgia Council for the Arts ED Karen Paty was featured in the Atlanta Business Chronicle, discussing how Georgia’s nonprofit and forprofit creative sectors form a healthy ecosystem and enable each other to grow and thrive.

Friends of Gwinnett County Senior Services was named the February 2017 Nonprofit of the Month by the Gwinnett Chamber.

The Grady Health System received the Merck Foundation Grant, which seeks to increase timely access to patientcentered cancer care for underserved and vulnerable populations across the U.S., making it one of only six programs in the nation to become a part of Merck’s new Alliance to Advance PatientCentered Cancer Care.

GUIDE (Gwinnett United in Drug Education) was named the January 2017 Nonprofit of the Month by the Gwinnett Chamber.

Atlanta Habitat for Humanity was recognized as an Affiliate of Distinction

by Habitat for Humanity International at the 2017 Global Conference in March.

Rashid Nuri, founder of Truly Living Well Center for Natural Urban Agriculture, received the Land Steward Award at the Georgia Organics 20th anniversary conference for his extensive contributions, both on and off the farm, to the organic movement in Georgia,

32 Georgia Nonprofit NOW

including his environmentally friendly production approach, and for his leadership, education, and outreach presence in the community.

ACHIEVEMENTS This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Corporate Volunteer Council of Atlanta.

Piedmont Park Conservancy received a $100,000 grant from the Waterfall Foundation, allowing the Conservancy to replace their internal supply and drainage systems.

The Center for Working Families has merged with New Hope Enterprises, advancing the economic security of families through workforce development, economic supports, and asset building.

Google Fiber released their first Community Impact Report, which provides an in-depth look at the transformative effects of their partnerships, programs, and product investments in “Fiber cities,” which include increasing digital literacy in Atlanta by collaborating with hometown organizations like Literacy Action and TechBridge.

Multi-Agency Alliance for Children (MAAC) was named a finalist for the 2017 Collaboration Prize for its role in leading a network of nonprofits serving youth in foster care.

This national award from the Lodestar Foundation highlights exceptional permanent models of collaboration among nonprofit organizations. For making it to the final eight of over 350 applicants, MAAC was awarded $10,000; if selected for the grand prize, it will receive an additional $150,000.

New American Pathways was selected as a semi-finalist for the Lodestar Foundation’s 2017 Collaboration Prize.

Grady Health Foundation raised a record-breaking $1.8 million at their seventh annual White Coat Grady Gala, held in March at the Georgia Aquarium.

Georgia Equality released a study called Liberty and Justice in Georgia, making the case that now is the time for Georgia to enact a comprehensive and inclusive civil rights act.

This year’s Our House benefit gala raised more than $215,000, nearly 15 percent more than their goal, to support programs for families experiencing homelessness, including early childhood education, employment readiness training, housing services, and family services.

The Historic Oakland Foundation received $13,000 in donations on Georgia Gives Day, enabling restoration of the 1.5 acre area surrounding the final resting place of golf legend Bobby Jones, one of the most-visited spots in Oakland Cemetery. In addition, the Foundation debuted its official mobile app, which provides illustrations and audio narration for 65 points of interest throughout the cemetery’s 48 acres.

GEEARS (Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students) received a $750,000 grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, which it will use to improve the quality of Georgia’s child-care programs in collaboration with its partners; increase access to Quality Rated child care for low-income, working families; and raise public awareness about the importance of affordable, high-quality child care.

The Woodruff Arts Center’s Transformation Campaign will receive a $1 million donation to support endowments, capital improvements, expanded family-oriented programming, and more. With a total of $110 million so far, the campaign has raised $10 million more than its original goal.

Sheltering Arms Early Education and Child Centers raised $8.4 million through their D.H. Stanton capital campaign, which they will use to construct a new service center on the campus of D.H. Stanton Elementary School, located in the Peoplestown neighborhood of Atlanta.

The Center for Family Resources, together with 500 of Metro Atlanta’s philanthropists, raised more than $320,000 during its 21st annual Red Carpet Gala, supporting poverty-prevention work like emergency food and housing assistance, education, and job training for Cobb County’s most vulnerable families.

As of March, Wells Fargo has awarded 50 grants, totaling $1.2 million, to community development nonprofits in Atlanta, including United Way of Greater Atlanta, Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership, Latin American Association, and the Urban League of Greater Atlanta.

Atlanta Wild Animal Rescue Effort (AWARE Wildlife Center) welcomes Scott Lange as AWARE’s new Executive Director.

COMMUNITY

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities Atlanta Housing Authority NForm

Scottdale Early Learning

Central Community Services

This spring, the Atlanta Audubon Society is launching the Lights Out Atlanta program to help reduce bird deaths caused by building collisions.

Southwest Airlines celebrated 10 years serving patients seeking specialized medical care, having provided free air travel – more than 10,000 round-trip flights – to patients in need.

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta released plans to build a new, $1 billion pediatric hospital on a 46-acre site in Brookhaven.

Women in Technology (WIT) received a $100,000 grant from the NCR Foundation to be used to support their WIT Girls and WIT Campus programs in underserved areas of Metro Atlanta.

As part of the 10th anniversary of its Cox Conserves sustainability program, Cox Enterprises announced its support of Atlanta Streets Alive, an initiative of the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition that opens streets for people, creating a vibrant city experience, by temporarily closing them to cars.

HomeAid Atlanta held a dedication ceremony to celebrate the completion of the Spring Street Affordable Home, a project of Family Promise of Hall County in association with HomeAid, which will provide housing for families transitioning out of homelessness through Family Promise’s Next Step Program.

Nana Grants

National Ladies Homestead Gathering

Atlanta Fire Rescue Foundation

JPMorgan Chase & Co. will grant $200,000 to San Francisco-based nonprofit Juma Ventures to help employ hundreds of low-income Atlanta youth at major sports and entertainment venues in the city.

NAESM

Lee County Family Connection

Pilot International

In 2016, The Coca-Cola Foundation donated over $106 million to more than 230 organizations working in areas that include women’s empowerment, water and environment, and strengthening communities.

Bolin’s Heroes

Southern Cities Residential and Family Services

Project Interconnections

On Valentine’s Day, volunteers with The Chick-fil-A Foundation packed over 1 million meals to help those in need.

Lou Ruspi Jr. Foundation

Common Courtesy Quest Community Development Organization

FCS Focused Community Strategies Our Vision Sports Education Foundation Back on My Feet Atlanta

Newnan-Coweta Habitat for Humanity Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists Artportunity Knocks West Georgia Technical College Foundation Phaedra Foundation Tiny House Atlanta The Zadie Project Andrea Zvikas Sheryl Sellaway

Phoenix Patriot Foundation AID Atlanta

MEMBER MILESTONES CELEBRATING 20 YEARS

CELEBRATING 15 YEARS

CELEBRATING 10 YEARS

Tull Charitable Foundation

The ALS Association of Georgia

Camp Sunshine

Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia

Friends of Gwinnett County Senior Services

Lekotek of Georgia Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta

St. Margaret’s Community Outreach

Easter Seals North Georgia

Georgia Consortium for Personal Financial Literacy

Warren Averett CPAs and Advisors

The Rural Library Project

Epilepsy Foundation of Georgia Advocates for Children liveSAFE Resources Children’s Museum of Atlanta Georgia PTA

Healthcare Georgia Foundation Hi-Hope Service Center Center for Advancement and Study of International Education

Habitat for Humanity of Camden County Nonprofits Insurance Alliance Group Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys Foundation Georgia-Pacific Foundation Wesley Foundation at Georgia Tech MidTown, Inc. Advance Learning Center

Region IV Head Start Association

Educational Advisory Foundation

100 Black Men of Atlanta

Habitat for Humanity North Central Georgia

Young Adult Guidance Center

North Georgia Camp and Retreat Ministries

Greater Augusta Arts Council

Together Georgia

Chattahoochee Nature Center Food Bank of Northeast Georgia

Albany Community Together

Tapestri Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy Georgia Eye Bank

The Comcast Foundation awarded $15,000 to Cool Girls for their technologybased Cool Girls, Cool Tech program, which helps bridge the digital divide by exposing girls to hands-on learning exercises that prepare them for higher education and STEM careers.

Recovery Consultants of Atlanta Coastal Coalition for Children Georgia Innocence Project Center for Pan Asian Community Services

33 No19 | Spring 2017

Calendar What’s ahead: Complimentary GCN member events and Nonprofit University programs. Learn more and register online at gcn.org/events.

May 10 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY

Development Institute | Writing Winning Grants

Starting June 5 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY

NEW

Certificate of Performance Management Learn how to demonstrate organizational impact and return on investment to funders and donors by writing, collecting, and using effective performance measures, in this four-part series.

June 7 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY

Powerful Direct Mail Campaigns: Strategies and tools Learn how to organize a direct mail campaign that will not only advance your branding and increase your exposure, but keep your organization at the top of donors’ minds.

June 8 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY

Internal Controls and Accountability

Learn how to consider both the practical and conceptual aspects of a competitive grant proposal, focus on the funding agency or agencies (be they federal, private, or corporate), and include the “extras” that make the difference between success and failure.

Learn the procedures that successful organizations use to safeguard assets, create reliable financial reporting, comply with ethical and legal responsibilities, and achieve efficient operations.

May 11 | Online MEMBER WEBINAR

June 13-14 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY

Media and Advocacy: How to work with the media to support your advocacy agenda

Certificate of Nonprofit Program Management

Media expert Mitch Leff and GCN EVP Kathy Keeley co-present the final session in our three-part media training series. Learn to tell your story with regard to changes in public funding or policies needed to build grassroots and stakeholder support. Also available on-demand at gcn.org May 18 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY

Program-Based Budgeting Learn about the key elements that go into a good budget planning process, including how to account for the specific complexities in your organization, and developing a budget formulation process that meets its individual needs.

May 23 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY

Development Institute | Tools for Successful Events: Planning and execution From setting your event goals to marketing, budgeting, and securing in-kind donations and sponsorships, this course covers all the bases necessary for hosting the most successful event possible.

34 Georgia Nonprofit NOW

Our two-day series covers all the essentials, including community needs assessments, administration, roles and responsibilities, evaluation, budgeting, marketing, and funding.

June 21 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY

Techniques for Successful Social Networking and Internet Fundraising Learn how to use social media to create awareness, build relationships, and drive giving, including methods for analyzing results and increasing your online traffic.

June 22 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY

Audits and the Audit Committee Learn how audits can help you improve your operations and better serve your mission.

June 23 | Atlanta MEMBER EVENT

Major Gifts Fundraising: What’s working and what’s not Get an inside look at what leading development officers are doing in major gift fundraising. Join GCN Senior Consultant Dennis Hanthorn and a panel of fundraisers to learn best practices, avoid the pitfalls, and plan for successful major giving in the coming year.

No19 SPRING 2017 Georgia Nonprofit NOW is a quarterly publication of the Georgia Center for Nonprofits, distributed exclusively to our members and partners.

Starting August 7 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY

Georgia Nonprofit NOW Publisher: Karen Beavor Editor-in-Chief: Betsy Reid Managing Editor: Marc Schultz Community Editor: Jenna Ovett Contributing Writers: Sir José Bright, Michael Ciccarone, Dennis Hanthorn, Kathy Keeley, David Shaffer, Beth Jackson Stram, David Terraso, Anne Wilson Design: Liska + Associates Photography: C Brown Photo, Monkey + Squirrel

NEW

Certificate of Change Management A four-part overview of change management theory and strategies for driving a change process, managing resistance to change, and helping others more effectively support your agenda for change.

Starting August 8 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY

Write to us at now@gcn.org

Certificate of Nonprofit Facility Management Learn how to plan, renovate, and maintain your facilities, with minimum impact on your operations, in this five-part series.

Starting October 4 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY

NEW

Certificate of Financial Vitality August 23 | Atlanta MEMBER EVENT

Family 2 Family Nonprofit Media Forum Our fourth annual event, hosted by WSB, features an interactive exchange with top broadcast, radio, print, and digital media veterans that will empower your team with tools to effectively pitch your message to the media.

Learn to create a thriving organization in a challenging funding environment, ensuring your organization can go beyond managing a budget for survival, and truly invest in expanding your mission impact, with our four-part series.

Starting September 14 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY

Certificate of Nonprofit Organization Management This 360 degree introduction to nonprofit program management will orient you to the sector inside and out – from resource development to marketing and communications, accounting, human resources, and more.

Learn more and register online at GCN.ORG/EVENTS.

Georgia Center for Nonprofits Karen Beavor, President and CEO Kathy Keeley, EVP, Programs Laurie Baas, Controller Sir José Bright, VP, Nonprofit Consulting Group Joey Helton, VP, Community Engagement Betsy Reid, VP, Marketing & Communications Danny Bu, Marketing Director 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 insight-building 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 © Copyright 2017 by Georgia Center for Nonprofits.

All rights reserved.

100 Peachtree Street NW, Suite 1500 Atlanta, GA 30303

CALL FOR

IDEAS

It’s time again for NOW ’s annual innovation roundup.

Over the past three summers, we’ve shared more than a hundred IDEAS from GCN’s member and partner community, each showcasing an inspiring new way they’ve deepened, broadened, or advanced their impact.

We need your help in discovering the latest, most exciting work from Georgia nonprofits and philanthropies. Tell us how your organization is energizing your board or developing your team. Share your latest capacity-building initiative or breakthrough fundraising campaign. Do you have a new project, partnership, social enterprise, outreach effort, or advocacy campaign that’s making a difference? We want to hear about it.

SHARE YOURS! Write to us at NOW@gcn.org by June 9, describing your idea in 200 words or less.

We’re excited to hear from you, and looking forward to sharing the latest batch of big IDEAS fueling Georgia nonprofit impact!