Georgia Nonprofit NOW, Summer 2017

No20 SUMMER 2017 A member publication of the Georgia Center for Nonprofits

IDEAS 2017 HOW GEORGIA NONPROFIT INNOVATION IS DEEPENING, BROADENING, AND BETTERING THE WORK. PLUS: AN EDUCATION IN MAJOR GIFTS, HIRING INSIGHT FROM OUR NATIONAL SOURCE, THE CSR PAYOFF FOR AMERICAN EXPRESS, OUR GEORGIA GIVES EVOLUTION, AND MORE.

OPENING

As a part of our mission, GCN is constantly monitoring the forces exerting pressure on nonprofits – forces both threatening and promising. There exists copious research, opinion, and analysis on the macro-dynamics driving work in the next decade, and nonprofits are not immune to the trends they reveal. As part of the discovery effort that’s kicking off our own strategic planning process, the GCN team has taken this data into account and paired it with what we’ve learned conducting interviews with local nonprofit and philanthropic leaders. As a preface to our in-depth findings, and the conclusions they are helping us reach regarding our strategy, I’d like to share three of the big forces that we see changing the skills our people will need in the future.

Prepping for the evolution of nonprofit work The rapid emergence of new mechanisms for capitalizing charitable ventures. Over the next decade, social impact funds and PRIs (Program Related Investments, which have long been used in other areas of the country but are newer to the South) will become increasingly common. Other mechanisms will include tax credits, bond issuances, and vehicles influenced by venture capital methods. Crowdfunding will become more sophisticated, linking up with pure return-seeking investments as nonprofit capitalization strategies blend charitable and non-charitable dollars. More nonprofits will create or partner with social enterprises to generate revenue. Key to meeting these developments are people with skills in data science, user experience (UX) design, digital marketing, and finance. These skills may be outsourced, but the nonprofit managers of tomorrow must be savvy enough to oversee strategies in these areas.

The demographics of the nonprofit workforce will shift significantly. This will require a large measure of culture management, design leadership, and innovation skills. Millennials will dominate leadership roles in nonprofits and foundations. The changes they implement will be sweeping, including an immediate escalation in technology adoption, increased use of free agents and outsourcing for everything but core functions, and a disregard for old organizational constructs. The results: a sea change in how services are delivered and how, as well as from where, operational work gets done. Keeping this dispersed, highly diverse workforce productive will involve flexible management structures (rather than typical hierarchies) and inclusive problem-solving methods that tap a wide range of stakeholders from the outset, rather than relying on staff to provide all the ideas.

Data will rule. Increasing transparency means that impact, or its lack, will be apparent to everyone. Community needs will be “knowable” in real time at the neighborhood level, allowing ever-more customized interventions to be orchestrated by loosely-affiliated entities working in concert to make targeted investments and common gains. The emotional aspect of giving will never abate, but decisions will be driven far more by data and analysis than feelings.

Successful organizations will need on-staff expertise to lead the organization’s data efforts, including collection, management, and analysis, as well as presenting it to investors, clients, and the public.

GCN is always working to analyze these dynamics and turn our understanding of them into practical steps that our members can take – in action and in strategy – to navigate change, seize opportunities, and attract further generations of employees and leaders. We’ll be profiling more of our findings in coming issues of NOW. In this issue, we explore the accomplishments of forward-leaning changemakers who are using innovative tactics – including screening automation and data-sharing, system-disrupting processes, and Treasury-supported investment models – to meet the challenges ahead and prepare for the future of our work.

Karen Beavor President and CEO

Contents 4 INNOVATION

IDEAS 2017: Georgia nonprofit innovation at work

In the fourth edition of our annual showcase, we’re looking again at the ways GCN members and partners are deepening, broadening, and bettering their work, while blazing a trail for changemakers in all sectors, at every level.

20 INTERVIEW

Keeping the trust: What CSR means at American Express

26 HUMAN RESOURCES

Work for Good: It’s not just what you do, it’s where you go

As president of the American Express Foundation and head of CSR at the financial services giant, Timothy McClimon knows why philanthropy is becoming increasingly important for employee engagement, investor relations, and customer loyalty.

22 RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

Asking for more: Perspectives on major gifts Because every major gift take major work – six to 24 months of it – GCN Senior Consultant Dennis Hanthorn sat down with three seasoned development pros to discuss the process, including courting and research, a well-practiced ask, and inspirational stewardship.

Another sampling of the insight contributed to our national nonprofit talent resource by sector thinkers like Beth Kanter and Vu Le, organizations like The Task Force for Global Health and DoSomething.org (New York’s no. 1 nonprofit to work for), and more.

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COMMUNITY The latest news from GCN and our members.

CALENDAR

Our schedule of upcoming member events and training opportunities.

GEORGIA’S BIG DAY GOES GLOBAL To expand the reach of, and resources behind, GCN’s annual day of giving, we have established an exciting new partnership between Georgia Gives Day – now known as GAgives – and the global #GivingTuesday movement. For five years, #GivingTuesday has served as a respite from the post-Thanksgiving consumer marathon stretching from Black Friday to Cyber Monday, and GAgives is now, officially, its lead organization in Georgia. Having raised more than $13.4 million to date, the newly-rebranded GAgives on #GivingTuesday initiative will aim to set yet another record for statewide giving on November 28, with assistance from the 98-country #GivingTuesday campaign that netted $168 million for nonprofits last year alone.

With thanks to the creative team at Ames Scullin O’Haire, we’re proud to unveil the evolution of our brand identity, capturing the spirit of two giving movements united.

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By Marc Schultz

Talking to so many of you as this season got underway, it’s clear that everyone in the GCN network is keeping busy putting the mission to work – and finding new ways to deepen, broaden, and better that work. Here at NOW, our summer always includes the fascinating job of sorting through dozens of your IDEAS for our annual innovation showcase, highlighting the full range of efforts, behind-the-scenes and on-the-ground, that exemplify the sector’s unceasing drive to multiply our impact.

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IDEAS 2017

POP-UP NONPROF

PRODUCE EN ROUTE For one day each week, four MARTA stations around Atlanta welcome a pop-up farmers market, putting fresh food in easy reach of commuters. “Atlanta is a city divided by income, transportation, and access to fresh food, and this project seeks to bridge that gap,” said Kate Kroell, Development Director at Community Farmers Markets (CFM). The first “transit-oriented food access solution” in the country, the Fresh MARTA Market program is a collaborative effort of CFM, Atlanta Community Food Bank, Food Oasis, and MARTA, building upon a growing local food system and flourishing organizations that each provide a unique skill. The markets support sustainable local farms by sourcing fruit and vegetables directly from farmers themselves and the local food hubs that aggregate regional produce. Like the rest of CFM’s network of markets, the pop-ups also double the value of SNAP benefits for all purchases.

Kroell reported that Fresh MARTA Markets are on track to serve over 40,000 patrons in 2017, and that they hope the project will become a model for transit-oriented food access campaigns across the country.

LOW-COST, HIGH-IMPACT

CARDS FOR HUMANITIES In a time when federal funding for the arts is in question – including a White House budget proposal that eliminates funding for the National Endowment for the Arts and other cultural grantmakers – the High Museum of Art is giving visitors a way to let Washington know they support government investment in the arts. With the Georgia Arts Future Postcard Campaign, the High provides postcards, pens, and the D.C. addresses of all state representatives so visitors can share a message about why the arts are important to them. Guests are encouraged to be creative, but the High also provides sample messages ready to copy down or adapt. The High will be mailing the postcards to Congress in batches, aiming in the short-term to ensure continued funding of the arts through fiscal year 2018 once temporary provisions run out in September.

The High also plans to help other local arts organizations implement the Postcard Campaign in their own locations, expanding its reach and impact.

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IDEAS 2017

COLLECTIVE VOICE

CANOPY CHAMPIONS TAKE CITY HALL

GOING VIRAL

THE COMMERCIAL THAT CAPTURED THE WORLD In just 30 minutes of filming and two hours of post-production, Furkids put together a viral hit in their “Official Kitty Kommercial,” a YouTube video that netted more than 5 million views and coverage from media outlets like Adweek, The New York Post, BuzzFeed, Sunrise Australia, and even Megyn Kelly’s primetime program on Fox News. Featuring the brother of a longtime volunteer ad-libbing with a series of foster cats, the video provides a candid, comic look at Furkids’ cat shelter that quickly won over the internet masses.

Said CEO and Founder Samantha Shelton, “We casually posted it to our Facebook page on Christmas Eve,” where an adopter saw it and copied it to a corner of Reddit, the vast community sharing site whose home page is sometimes referred to as “the front page of the internet.” By January 4, the video had become popular enough to land on that front page, launching it into the zeitgeist. Donations, including boxes of gifts bought from their Amazon wish list, started arriving from around the world, and their Facebook page doubled its number of followers. “Those were probably the greatest days of our organization’s life,” said Shelton, who started the organization after finding a cat and kittens in her backyard.

Shelton advises those hoping to recreate the Kitty Kommercial magic not to overthink it, aim for authenticity, and don’t worry if you think your team members are the only people it appeals to. “It was a conscious decision to keep it simple and organic,” she said of the ad’s improvised, no-budget aesthetic. “We treasured the video among ourselves, but, honestly, I wasn’t sure it was professional enough for others to pick up.” Comedy and positivity also help: “If you make someone smile, they will love you for it.”

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Long committed to maintaining Atlanta’s legendary tree canopy, recent years have seen Trees Atlanta grappling with the challenge of accelerating real estate development. “We’ve come to realize that we cannot plant our way out of the problem,” said Co-Executive Director and COO Connie Veates. To create a stronger, collective voice for tree protection in the city and across the state, Trees Atlanta established the Atlanta Canopy Alliance in 2015, pulling together leading conservation groups like The Nature Conservancy, Georgia Conservancy, Park Pride, the Atlanta Audubon Society, The Conservation Fund, and The Trust for Public Land. Leveraging a range of expertise and community connections, the Alliance recently worked with several City departments to shape an amendment to Atlanta’s Tree Protection Ordinance, securing additional authority for the City’s Tree Trust Fund, which is now empowered to protect already-existing canopy by purchasing forested property. The Alliance continues to assist the Tree Trust Fund as a consultant, recommending potential land purchases.

IDEAS 2017

REACHING TEENS

SPEAKING HEALTH TO TEENAGERS Reaching teenagers is a challenge for any nonprofit, but the need for “real talk” about sexual and mental health may have never been more urgent: Among other trends, rates of HIV/AIDS infection are currently growing faster among teenagers than any other demographic, and suicide is currently the second-leading cause of death among Georgians aged 15 to 17.

At Moving in the Spirit and VOX Teen Communications, years of experience producing youth leaders through arts instruction and exhibition led them to be tasked with creating programs that address HIV/AIDS prevention among students.

With a commission from The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta and the Elton John AIDS Foundation, educational help from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Georgia Equality, and Grady Hospital, teen participants worked with nonprofit leaders to design “Getting to Zero,” a multi-media program touring schools and theaters around Atlanta. Each “Getting to Zero” event included a humorous, empowering dance performance and corresponding digital and print materials – all performed and produced by teens, and backed up by workshops in dance and social activism. Post-event surveys found that 76 percent of teen audience-members learned new information, 96 percent understood HIV/AIDS prevention, and 100 percent reported interest in initiating discussions about the topic with peers. Continuing beyond their initial contract, “Getting to Zero” has plans to keep running into 2018, with a possible engagement at the Atlanta Science Festival in the works.

Bolin’s Heroes is a suicide-prevention nonprofit started by St. Simons resident Michelle Bolin, who lost her son to suicide shortly after he graduated high school. Her son Jacob, known to his friends by his last name, was an amiable teenager – into basketball, video games, and comic books – who never let on that he was struggling.

Seeking a way to reach kids like him, and the friends who might be able to detect the pain they’re masking, Bolin came up with the idea of a comic book featuring teenaged superheroes reaching out to troubled peers. After forming a board and a fundraising effort with the mom of one of Jacob’s friends, she recruited local artist Bob Pendarvis, the first professor of comic book arts at Savannah College of Art and Design, to produce the book. The resulting “first edition” speaks to teens with a compelling story, providing information about risk factors and warning signs, resources like the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and the Crisis Text Line, and some of Jacob’s own writing. It’s currently being distributed for free in schools, youth organization meetings, and where comics are sold.

Meanwhile, Founder and ED Bolin continues to raise money and awareness for her twin goals: “Fighting for Suicide Prevention” and “Unmasking Real Heroes.”

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KILLER APP

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SHARING DATA TO SAVE TIME, TRAUMA, AND LIVES

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With online and cloud computing becoming more powerful and accessible than ever, nonprofits and the networks they belong to are taking advantage of centralized data-sharing systems to improve efficiency and expand impact.

SECTOR SUPPORT Starting in 2013, Peyton Anderson Foundation contracted GCN to identify critical service gaps in Macon-Bibb County. First came a resource-mapping project to assess the county’s needs and service gaps, focusing on early childhood development. Second came one of GCN’s signature Momentum initiatives, bringing together area nonprofits to align strategies and improve network-wide performance. Now, GCN is equipping and supporting the “Macon AIM” network with a shared case management system, developed to make referrals, intake, and interagency service delivery seamless for the nine participating organizations and their clients. GCN Consultant Tommy Pearce said the new system saves both resources and personal stress: “For instance, anyone showing up to a shelter for domestic violence will also be referred to family counseling. Rather than forcing you to relive trauma through repeated intake screenings, every agency can access data from a single screening, then work in the background to get you the right services.” The system also saves clients from scheduling conflicts, giving agencies the ability to align appointments and meet clients where they are. The project is currently being piloted with five families, and reporting positive outcomes so far. “It’s increasing impact, it’s scalable, and it’s replicable,” said United Way of Central Georgia EVP Tammie Collins. “We know the state is watching, and we believe this can become a model for Georgia and beyond.”

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BIG DATA Another nonprofit equipping its partners with powerful data-sharing solutions is the Task Force for Global Health, whose Public Health Informatics Institute created an electronic reporting system for infectious diseases to replace a manual process that’s long been a drag on outbreak response time. Rather than depend on providers to file cases of new infections through mail or web-based forms, which must then be hand-vetted, the new Digital Bridge system leverages newly-established electronic records standards to accelerate the process: With a central software system checking patient cases that might qualify against multiple reporting criteria, the appropriate health agencies are notified instantly and automatically. The result, reported Digital Bridge Project Director Jim Jellison, is a more effective response to outbreaks. In the future, the Digital Bridge approach will also allow public health agencies to access more detailed information about specific cases, and supply providers with information that improves patient care. The Task Force also sees potential for improving approaches to non-communicable diseases like diabetes and cancer. With funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the de Beaumont Foundation, Digital Bridge is currently being implemented in multiple U.S. locations, and will be rolled out nationally as funding allows.

IDEAS 2017

KILLER APP

FURTHER MOBILIZING MEDICAL SURPLUS International public health nonprofit MedShare depends on in-kind donations to carry out their work distributing surplus medical supplies and equipment to hospitals in developing countries. Naturally, a vital part of that equation is communication with their network of contributing partners, including nearly all of Atlanta’s health care systems, and hospitals in other states. While visiting a hospital unit new to the network, Director of Programs and Procurement Jason Chernock realized that their standard 15-minute orientation, backed up by a printed set of guidelines, “was not ideal.” From there, he began exploring better ways to introduce MedShare, stay connected, and improve donations using technology. In 2015, the instructor of Georgia Tech’s “Computing for Good” class got in touch with MedShare, and set her students to work framing a mobile app that met their goals. To build it out, Chernock submitted a proposal to Tech’s “Design Studio” course, which then spent two semesters developing content, designing and coding, and helping launch it online. The result is a two-way communications channel that is always live and up-to-date with current needs, and can direct nurses, doctors, and administrators to the closest in-hospital donation site. “It provides an array of detailed information previously unavailable to our partners, which will lead to both higher-quality and a higher volume of donations,” said Chernock. Taking a “conscientious” approach to rollout, MedShare will introduce the app to its Atlanta-based partners over the next year before taking it to partners across the country.

RISK/REWARD

TAPPING TREASURY INCENTIVES Taking on the construction of a new service center is a huge project, even for Sheltering Arms, Georgia’s largest nonprofit providing early education and family support. To bridge the pledge gap in their $8.4 million capital campaign, the nonprofit took advantage of the Treasury Department’s New Markets Tax Credit Program (NMTC), which incentivizes businesses to invest in low-income communities. After hearing about the opportunity from a program partner, Sheltering Arms leadership realized it could make an incredible contribution to their Peoplestown project. The process for pursuing the first tax credit-based financing in their 130-year history proved to be “very complex,” said Marketing and Communications Director Keisha A. Simmons, but they soon had two critical pieces in place: “A consultant to guide us, and great interest from investors.” From start to finish, securing NMTC funding took about three years; closing in December 2016, they netted about $2 million from a community development financial institution called the Reinvestment Fund, working in partnership with Invest Atlanta, the City’s Economic Development Authority, and Bank of America. Opening in the fall on the campus of D.H. Stanton Elementary School, the new 27,000-squarefoot facility will serve 180 children and their families.

BRIDGING DIVIDES

SUPPORT FOR BOTH SIDES OF ABUSE For 15 years, Tapestri has served refugee and immigrant survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking, with programs that encompass education, advocacy, community organizing, and direct social services. Though their commitment to these survivors will always be their number one priority, said Development Coordinator Rachel Stanley, they realized they were missing the opportunity to address the other side of the equation: perpetrators of abuse. Partnering with Georgia court systems, Tapestri offers a 24-week, state-certified Family Violence Intervention Program for men who have abused a spouse or partner. Through this intensive program, designed especially for new Americans, Men’s Program Facilitator Nyaz Kirkuki takes participants through lessons in changing their abusive behaviors by way of self-check-ins and reflection on the way they and their partners feel. The program does not just focus on verbal and physical abuse, but also on more subtle forms of abuse that include controlling behaviors. “The more we can work with abusive partners not only to stop their abuse, but to understand the causes of their behavior, the closer we get to a safer world for our clients and communities,” said Kirkuki.

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IDEAS 2017

SECTOR SUPPORT

MEDIA BOOTCAMP FOR NONPROFITS

360° POV

CALLING IN THE EXPERTS As the operator of the Sandy Springs Recycling Center, Keep North Fulton Beautiful has always needed to stay current in a rapidly evolving industry. When the time came for the latest analysis of the Center’s operations, said ED Kathy Reed, they invited a “Blue Ribbon Advisory Panel” of city officials and leaders in the local recycling industry to join them in shining a light on every aspect. Through fact-finding missions and, later, in subcommittees, panel members invited further voices to weigh in: other recycling centers, companies that buy from them, and companies that automate aspects of the business; experts on topics like Household Hazardous Waste; and customers. They also hired engineer Bill Moore, one of the world’s leading recycling consultants and a Sandy Springs resident.

Among other recommendations, the panel pushed the center to cut operating hours and change collection methods, reducing expenses but not production volume; install gates at the entrance, minimizing costly unauthorized dumping; and roll out a new mission. “Opening up our operations to scrutiny was a tremendously helpful experience for our organization,” said Reed.

“The panel was able to provide insight on issues that had not been thoroughly evaluated in over a decade.”

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Since 2014, the folks behind the WSB-TV Family 2 Family project have partnered with GCN to host the annual Family 2 Family Nonprofit Media Summit, a day-long program where nonprofits hear directly from reporters, editors, and producers about the best methods for getting their attention and landing stories on their television, radio, print, and digital platforms. Open to anyone in GCN’s member nonprofit network, each Summit is held onsite at the WSB-TV studios and features a frank, advice-filled discussion among a panel of media veterans from Channel 2 WSB-TV, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Cox Radio Atlanta, and the digital division of Cox Media Group. Coming up again in August, this year’s event includes some new opportunities, said People 2 People Producer Myrna Brown, like a “How healthy is your website?” Q&A with WSB’s integrated digital media executives, and a session on “Missed Opportunities,” which will get attendees thinking and laughing.

Brown and company are also excited to bring back WSB-TV’s own media consultant, Andrew Finlayson of SmithGeiger, who specializes in helping clients – which have included Google and Jimmy Kimmel LIVE – find the most valuable audiences for their content. “This year, Andrew will be sharing lessons from his own experience creating low-cost, highly-shareable videos that spur awareness and action,” said Brown. “Basically, he’ll be demonstrating how to turn a smartphone into a social media movie machine, and then get attendees to try it out on the spot!”

IDEAS 2017

REACHING TEENS

BRIDGING DIVIDES

MENTORS ON THE FORCE In communities across the country, tensions have been on the rise between municipal law enforcement and the populations they serve.

According to many involved in the issue, the answer is “community policing,” getting police officers more involved in the everyday lives of those they protect. That’s why Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta (BBBSMA) launched Bigs in Blue, a new program recruiting local law enforcement officers to serve in their signature youthmentoring program. “We know one-to-one mentoring helps children unlock their potential,” said President and CEO Janice McKenzieCrayton. “We believe it can also play a role in building understanding and bridging divides in our community.” The first program of its kind in the country, Bigs in Blue was designed in collaboration with the Atlanta Police Foundation and launched, in May, as a pilot in the city’s Westside neighborhood. In its first month, the program matched two Atlanta police officers with mentees, and signed up six additional officers to become big brothers or sisters. “I have already seen how impactful Big Brothers Big Sisters is in the community,” said City of Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields, one of those six officers ready to be matched. “Bigs in Blue will make it possible for more of our officers to become invested in the communities that rely on them.” With plans underway to work with police in Cobb and Gwinnett Counties, BBBSMA hopes the initiative will catch on throughout the 300-strong national network of Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliates.

LEVELING UP NEXTGENERATION SUPPORT For several years, Albany Advocacy Resource Center (Albany ARC) partnered with a group of local students to put on an annual Easter egg hunt for their clients, children with disabilities. Approaching seventh grade, that cohort of young volunteers asked to do more for the cause – which Albany ARC recognized as an opportunity to kick off a lifetime of support.

To build on their enthusiasm, Albany ARC put together their first formal youth volunteer program, giving those students a role in their summer camp pilot. In two free training sessions, volunteers gained skills in handling emergencies, working with their clients, and using people-first language.

Since camp began on June 5th, said Director of Development and Communications Erin Freeman, “we’ve had at least two youth volunteers working, learning, laughing, and playing alongside our campers and staff each day.” Albany ARC is especially proud to include two student volunteers who have autism, Freeman said. “Their first-hand experience and ability to exemplify our goal of fully-inclusive communities is invaluable.”

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IDEAS 2017

FEEDING THE ECONOMY

A FLASHFROZEN TIDE THAT LIFTS ALL BOATS For too long, Food Bank of Northeast Georgia’s only facility was too far away from the mountain communities they serve, and too small to cover them all. In 2013, said President and CEO John Becker, the organization set to analyzing capacity, product flows, shipping patterns, and “every facet of outreach.” They also looked into the region’s economic state and health outcomes to find out why there was so much need in the first place. Their conclusion: “To end hunger sustainably, we had to become a participant in growing the economy as well as generating a more nutritious supply of product.”

With a $6.4 million capital campaign and a highly involved board, the Food Bank opened their Clayton facility four years later, providing all the storage space they need, a commercial and learning kitchen, community education space, and – critically – a flashfreezing operation. “This is the key economic asset we are bringing to the table,” Becker said of the flash-freezing setup, which allows them to turn millions of pounds of fresh, nutritious food into nonperishable inventory ready to ship anywhere. ”In essence, we intend to use this to create jobs, so that people are no longer in need.” Beyond requiring a highly skilled workforce – 25 to 30 people at peak production – it gives local farms access to markets that were once unreachable, helping grow their operations and personnel needs. And by giving the Food Bank the capacity to produce more food than they need, they can also help other food banks: They’ve already shipped food to several in Georgia, and recently sent a truckload to Ohio.

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SECTOR SUPPORT

THE HIDDEN FUNDS IN FACILITIES UPGRADES Continuing to share its sustainable engineering expertise with the rest of the sector, Southface launched the Nonprofit Energy and Water Efficiency (NEWE) Initiative with a $2.79 million grant from The JPB Foundation. Equipping members of two national nonprofits – Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Feeding America – to improve conditions in their facilities, NEWE is designed to reduce annual utility expenses and free up funds for the mission. The Initiative is modeled on Southface’s highly successful Grants to Green program, an innovative partnership with the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta and The Kendeda Fund that has provided technical assistance, and over $6 million in funding, to more than 200 Metro Atlanta nonprofits.

Cumulative savings among Boys & Girls Clubs and Feeding America food banks have reached more than $420,000 since 2015, and the impact on operating costs is immediate: Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Georgia reported enough savings in monthly utilities to serve 36 more kids annually. “Service organizations are great targets for efficiency programs because they are under pressure to reduce expenses, and often occupy inefficient buildings,” said NEWE Program Manager Chandra Farley. More affiliates from both local and national partner networks will be added as programs continue, with a goal to reduce expenses for an everexpanding range of nonprofits.

IDEAS 2017

KILLER APP

A CUTTING-EDGE TOUR THROUGH HISTORY VISIONARY

TAKING THE MISSION OFFWORLD When you’re in the business of granting children’s wishes, you’re bound to run into some tall orders – like the request from seven-year-old Zayden, who asked Make-AWish Georgia for a trip to Saturn, complete with a red rocket ship, a spacesuit, and a friendly encounter with a green alien. “Our team responded to Zayden’s imagination with creativity of our own,” said CEO Tim Earley. With help from Atlanta-based virtual reality studio TRICK 3D and others, Makea-Wish put together the organization’s first ever virtual-reality wish. Following astronaut training with former NASA Commander Leroy Chiao, Zayden traveled to Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta, where he strapped on a Vive headset and got an interplanetary experience inspired by his own imagination.

As a finalist for the 2015 Technology Innovation Award from TechBridge and Accenture, Historic Oakland Foundation secured resources for their long-gestating mobile tour app idea – and not only financial support, said Marketing and Public Relations Manager Pamela Henman, but “invaluable insight” into the process of putting together a mobile app. After securing technical partner Populace Inc., Henman and Education Coordinator Marcy Breffle worked alongside a team of volunteers and board members to write and edit content, source a photographer, serve as beta testers, and more. “It was a very labor-intensive project for our small staff, but definitely worth it,” said Henman. “It’s really cool to see people walk through the gates, notice the signage, and then immediately take out their phones to download the app and start exploring.” Besides enhancing the visitor experience, the Historic Oakland Cemetery app also raises funds: The first 10 stops are included with the free download, but unlocking the remaining 55 attractions requires a $1.99 in-app purchase. In less than a year, the app has been downloaded more than 2,000 times. “It’s exciting to see what technology can do at a historic site,” said Henman, whose team aims to add more features soon.

REBRANDED

A BRAND MORE ENCOMPASSING When it was started by parents whose options were limited-to-none, Challenged Child and Friends became Georgia’s first full-service all-inclusive preschool; 30 years later, with a fuller range of options for differently-abled children, school leadership decided they needed a brand that better set themselves apart, reflecting the mission – and spirit – behind their work. “Rather than focusing on their challenges, we wanted to

emphasize the emotional and psychological strengths that make the children we serve truly inspirational,” said Development Coordinator Katie Zottnick. “We wanted a name that demonstrates how we recognize and treasure each child’s spark.” School leaders worked with two marketing firms for more than a year to get the process and name right. Zottnick said they approached their most important stakeholders early to join their focus groups; in all, they heard from staff and board members, local professionals and business owners, volunteers and parents, pediatricians, and more. When their rebranding committee

couldn’t find a name “encompassing” enough, they looked beyond English and discovered a not-easily-translated Finnish concept called sisu. Zottnick defines sisu as “a mindset enabling individuals to reach beyond their perceived capabilities, and take action against all odds.” Following unanimous approval by the board, they launched the Sisu brand with a multichannel campaign including newspaper ads, radio spots, billboards, social media, and their newsletters. “The change has led to lots of questions, and put us exactly where we like to be: part of the community discussion,” said Zottnick.

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IDEAS 2017

DISRUPTIVE FORCE Aiming to engineer “a disruptive force against poverty,” Future Foundation ED Qaadirah Abdur-Rahim is committing her organization to a research-driven, cross-sector approach that she describes as a way to operationalize the proverb It takes a village to raise a child: “Our Second Family model maximizes the community’s greatest asset – people – to provide stable, nurturing relationships and opportunities that wouldn’t otherwise be available to young people and their families.” In a two-year pilot, they used on-hand data from public schools in College Park and East Point to identify at-risk students, then created a support system for them through active, technology-backed partnerships with local businesses, nonprofits, government agencies, and community leaders. “Children often have little choice over who will be their teachers and mentors,” said Abdur-Rahim. “This model establishes a network of advocates who work collaboratively to fill the gaps for families in undersupported communities.” Following their pilot, Future Foundation refined the new strategy with data from a third-party operational assessment and thorough results analysis, covering not just academic performance but indicators like risky behavior and adult family-member involvement. Thanks to the pilot’s clear benefits and potential, it’s earned a $4.3 million federal innovation grant, ensuring the strategy will be redeployed and validated through a five-year research study launching this fall. “The vision is to use these real, proven solutions to serve the larger community and, ultimately, social systems throughout the country,” said Abdur-Rahim.

TWO-GEN APPROACH Another way to establish a “village” is Open Door’s Circles in Columbus program, employing a poverty-ending strategy proven by the national Circles USA organization.

Only the second such program in Georgia, Circles works by building intentional personal relationships across economic and racial divides. “For so many people living in poverty, their only contacts are other folks living in poverty,” said Open Door ED Kim Jenkins. “It is very helpful just to realize that there are people in the community who will stand beside them as they work to move beyond their current situation.” With a curriculum of life planning skills, meetings that feature community meals and childcare, a two-generation approach that equips youth alongside their parents, and direct involvement from local businesses, faith-based and social service organizations, healthcare providers, educators, and government agencies, the program is a whole-community approach to ending poverty “one family at a time.”

Jenkins reported that those in the program for 18 months or longer have increased their assets by over 7,000 percent, and noted that two participants are now helping run the program as volunteers. “We have been so excited to see the difference it’s making not only in people’s lives, but also in the community – especially in how people talk about poverty,” said Jenkins.

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NETWORKING COMMUNITIES, SHORTCIRCUITING POVERTY When attempting to reverse entrenched problems, community is power; that’s why nonprofits are launching systematic efforts to harness it for families looking to overcome poverty.

IDEAS 2017

KILLER APP

AN ORDERING SYSTEM THAT EMPOWERS With its online inventory system, eHarvest, approaching 10 years without a true update, the Atlanta Community Food Bank decided it owed its partners and itself a redesign.

Though they launched a mobile app two years ago that gave their partners – including more than 600 nonprofits who distribute food – an easier way to place orders, the app hadn’t answered the larger challenges posed by an antiquated system. “Our partners were clamoring for more robust tools to analyze data like order histories and spending,” said IT Director Torrey Williams. “We wanted those tools too, and a more nimble system – one that allowed us to open our doors on a particular Sunday if we wanted, or push opportunities our partners might otherwise miss.” With input from their corporate vendors, funding from the Georgia Food Bank Association, and a freshly-minted strategic plan laying out ambitious new goals, Williams, Senior Inventory Systems Analyst Amy Grace, and IBox Global Consulting executed a multifaceted overhaul. The result, said Williams, is much more than a site for ordering food: “It’s a portal linking our partners to everything we offer, including training opportunities and reporting tools – the foundation of a one-stopshop for our partners.” It’s also a marketing platform for the Food Bank, allowing them to highlight any service or product – including inventory that hasn’t even made it through the warehouse door. That feature alone helps partners plan ahead, streamlines warehouse operations, and gets food into the community faster. New administrative tools have also taken the headache out of everyday tasks: What used to take staff up to an hour can now be accomplished in minutes, and what used to require their partners to phone in can now be done with a few clicks.

POP-UP NONPROF

SPOTLIGHTING DISCUSSION Building on its role as a catalyst for cultural understanding, True Colors Theatre Company recently started a Community Conversations program to address issues of race, diversity, inclusion, and other critical topics related to their productions, each free and open to the public, held in locations around Atlanta with funding support from the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. In June, Actor’s Express Theatre hosted their “Police & the Community” conversation, concerning the effect of race on policing practices and perceptions, among Atlanta Chief of Police Erika Shields, Atlanta Daily World Publisher Alexis Scott, and Movement Forward CEO Rev. Markel Hutchins, moderated by journalist David A. Love, and sponsored by Macy’s and the Arthur M. Blank Foundation. That conversation became the inspiration for this summer’s stage production, Between Riverside and Crazy.

LOW-COST, HIGH-IMPACT

APPRECIATION, THE OLDFASHIONED WAY At a time when gratitude is often expressed in emojis, Nobis Works gave their people a simple way to make thank-yous special again. With their Nobis Notes program, the organization sets out custom-printed notepads that employees use to send each other hand-written expressions of appreciation, bringing staffers closer and promoting core values like being a pleasure to work with. The program quickly caught on, producing an immediate increase in happy on-the-job surprises: “It’s nice knowing that a Nobis Note is going to make someone smile,” said Administrative Assistant Molly Phillips. Staffers can deliver notes directly to a teammate or leave them on a keyboard, clip them outside office doors, or pin them to a bulletin board for everyone to see. “There is a lot of power in a simple thank you,” said President and CEO Dave Ward, who introduced the low-fi program shortly after coming aboard in 2015. “These notes represent our investment in our team and the spirit of our organization.”

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15

IDEAS 2017

RISK/REWARD

PODCASTING FOR RESOURCES To reverse cases of wrongful conviction, the first line of attack for the Georgia Innocence Project (GIP) is DNA testing; when that won’t pan out, they can sometimes pursue more hands-on, and costly, methods to clear their clients. That was the case for Joey Watkins, who was convicted at age 19 of a murder in his hometown of Rome, and has served more than 15 years of a life sentence. “Joey’s case was tremendously complicated, with 101 named state’s witnesses, a profound lack of physical evidence, a flood of gossip, and a wake of failed legal arguments,” said ED Clare Gilbert. Facing financial setbacks,

the GIP lacked the resources to pursue the kind of boots-on-the-ground investigation required to uncover new evidence and absolve him.

“That’s when we started thinking about Undisclosed,” said Gilbert. Hosted by three lawyers, Undisclosed is a serialized podcast that follows a single case over a season, investigating the evidence on record and pursuing new or under-examined leads. The GIP staff had been “enthralled” with their work, and heard that they were accepting submissions for season two. Initially, Gilbert was against the idea of applying: “Joey’s case was very messy, and opening your client to media scrutiny can become a lawyer’s nightmare.” Taking another look at the details of the case, however, Gilbert became convinced that the risk was worth it. “I wrote up a summary and sent it in, and they contacted us pretty much the next day.

They spent two weeks asking us questions – a very intense process – before deciding to take the case.”

Over five months and dozens of episodes, the hosts of Undisclosed set out the story, involving “missing evidence, jailhouse snitches, teenage love triangles, ill-prepared and disbarred attorneys, overlooked alternate suspects, a rogue detective, an imprisoned investigator, and two heartbroken families, each coping with the loss of a beloved son,” said Gilbert. The collaboration with Undisclosed didn’t just give GIP a chance to build the foundation for a new trial, it shed light on the systemic problems that GIP works to correct, and turned around public opinion in Rome, which had long calcified against Watkins. The attention also led to an exponential increase in online donations to GIP, which began coming in from across the country following the season’s July 2016 debut.

BRIDGING DIVIDES

COMING TOGETHER FOR INDEPENDENCE Cutting the ribbon on their new campus in May, Jewish Family & Career Services (JF&CS) centralized their services for adults with disabilities for the first time, laying the foundation for a more holistic service approach as well as a richer community for their clients. The new, 8,300-square-foot IndependenceWORKS building – featuring an open, light-filled floorplan and a teaching kitchen, art room, computer lab, laundry facility, and more – will place recipients of vocational and daycare services among a bustling, circle-of-care service center that also features a counseling program, health clinic, and a myriad of other supports, as well as indoor and outdoor socializing spaces used by dozens of clients and staffers each day. “As an organization, JF&CS has more than 100 formal partnerships, so we know that we can do more to empower lives by working together,” said CEO Rick Aranson. In recent years, they’ve become more intentional about applying that knowledge internally, breaking down silos and building bridges among their many departments. “We are recognizing that an integrated approach is the most effective for our clients. This building will have a tremendous impact on their lives.”

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IDEAS 2017

360° POV

REACHING TEENS

RECENTERING STUDENTS ON FINANCE For several years, Georgia State University (GSU) has put data to work for its students – and its retention rates – using the Graduation and Progression System, a tracking system that identifies those in academic jeopardy and, with the proactive intervention of advisors, gets them back on track to graduation. Next, GSU decided to train their data-crunching systems on the other issue most likely to keep a student from graduating: finances. That’s when they called the SunTrust Foundation.

“We were impressed with GSU’s powerful predictive data, and realized that Vice Provost Timothy Renick had created a model not just for GSU, but for the nation,” said SunTrust Foundation President David Fuller. “Across the SunTrust footprint, we knew many institutions with demographics like GSU’s, which includes many first-generation college students whose families were unfamiliar with higher education costs and facing extra stress. We’re investing in systems that can take them to a place of financial confidence.”

Dedicated to SunTrust’s purpose of “Lighting the Way to Financial Well-Being,” along with a charge from SunTrust Chairman and CEO Bill Rogers to “think big,” the Foundation committed $2 million toward GSU’s revamped Student Financial Management Center, improving software and systems for their early-alert system; crafting education materials; and providing ready, on-campus advisors in the form of volunteer SunTrust professionals. These advisors are also helping families before they make their college decisions, through the Center’s middle- and high-school outreach component.

Said SunTrust Executive and GSU Foundation Board Member Todd Shutley, “We’ve identified almost 300 SunTrust teammates like me, who have at least one degree from GSU, and they are anxious to give back.”

A WORLD OF FEEDBACK As its 50th anniversary approached, the 2,300-member ACPE (Association for Clinical Pastoral Education) was still relying on the infrastructure baked in at its 1967 founding, when four organizations merged to form one national enterprise. “The business and program delivery models were outdated,” said Development Specialist Jasmine Terry Okafor, “and yet our membership remained loyal to the model.” So loyal, in fact, that previous redesign efforts met strong pushback. For that reason, ACPE leadership committed to a transparent, inclusive redesign process, building participation along a two-year timeline and culminating in an all-hands-on-deck World Café Conference. A board-appointed work group, aided by an outside consultant, got the effort underway in 2014 with a survey that netted over 300 responses. More than 400 members took part in follow-up focus groups and discussions through ACPE’s website, and ED Trace Haythorn started a weekly “Monday Briefing” to keep members apprised of the ongoing work. At 2016’s World Café Conference in Denver, part of ACPE’s yearly national meeting, 500 well-briefed participants gathered around 50 tables to begin imagining a new model. The results of this mass-brainstorming exercise were carefully consolidated by the work group, leading to a board-approved redesign that is currently being implemented. “We knew every member would expect to participate, and that we needed their expertise,” said Haythorn. “But we also know it’s our job to support their work, not the other way around.

That’s why we created multiple ways to engage members, giving everyone an opportunity that fit their needs.”

The Foundation is also focused on sharing the model by helping develop a toolkit for other schools, organizing an on-site conference, and flexing their network connections. “We have four schools engaged under Renick’s mentorship already,” said Fuller. “It’s a work in progress, but GSU is well on the way to making it a successful national model – and we’re excited to be a partner.”

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IDEAS 2017

VISIONARY

EXHIBIT SPACE ON THE EDGE TechSpace, the newest gallery at Telfair Museums, is designed to explore the frontiers of art: technology-based, interactive, and transformative. Described as “part digital playground and part display of new media,” TechSpace features works like the Kokoromi Collective’s SUPERHYPERCUBE VR, an abstract virtual reality “puzzler” where your physical actions – bobbing your head, leaning your body – direct a group of floating cubes through holes in a wall that is constantly advancing, threatening to crash into you and end your game. High scores are recorded and shared among players around the world, connecting distant museum spaces and visitors.

MULTI-PRONGED ATTACK

READYING POLICY AND PARENTS Last year, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta (CFGA) began investing in the long-term Learn4Life partnership, bringing together community, business, and school district leaders to build a sustained plan-of-action for improving education and workforce readiness in eight school districts, with the potential to impact more than 600,000 students. Launched alongside the Atlanta Regional Commission, Metro Atlanta Chamber, and United Way of Greater Atlanta, Learn4Life recently completed its “baseline report,” including a number of sobering statistics – like the fact that only 31 percent of students in their target districts complete some post-secondary education, which will be required by an estimated 60 percent of Georgia’s jobs by 2025. “With a clear understanding of the root causes, the collective effort to address them can begin,” said Learn4Life Executive Director Ken Zeff.

Meanwhile, CFGA is also empowering those on the front lines, investing in parents and their grassroots efforts to improve schools. Decades of research have shown that parental involvement is the factor with the greatest potential for improving children’s education, said Lesley Grady, Senior Vice President, Community: “When parents participate at home, in schools, and in school systems, they transform educational outcomes.” To strengthen parents’ ability to lead community-wide change, CFGA started a two-pronged program called PLUS: Parent Leaders United for Students. In PLUS Academy, parents learn about the state of Atlanta Public Schools and current efforts to transform it; develop leadership skills needed for partnering with schools; and equip themselves to champion advocacy efforts in their school cluster. PLUS Grants provides seed money – between $250 and $1000 – to help individuals and communities turn “grassroots ideas” and “homegrown energy” into lasting results. The effort is ongoing, with new partnerships being added to further enhance every family’s student support skills – like a team-up with the Truly Living Well Center for Natural Urban Agriculture to help parents learn about healthy cooking and eating, ensuring their kids have the fuel they need to succeed academically.

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IDEAS 2017

REACHING TEENS

THE GAME OF LIFE For the past three years, Next Generation Men & Women has been engaging students at three Atlanta-area high schools in in an after-school “exposure” program, led by teachers and undergraduates that’s designed to bring college and career readiness skills to life. The Next Gen Games is a way to give participating students a chance to try out the skills they’ve developed, including a mix of individual and team competitions coached and judged by real professionals from around the city. Here, the Creekside High School team hoists the championship trophy; they will be traveling to Washington D.C. this summer as the winner of the team prize.

SECTOR SUPPORT

BUY ONE BOWL, GIVE ONE FREE Looking for another way to give back, socially-conscious restaurateur Jenny Levison created The Zadie Project as a nonprofit spin-off of her Souper Jenny cafes. Their first undertaking is a “bowlfor-a-bowl” initiative: Every time a Souper Jenny customer buys a bowl of turkey chili, their most popular dish, The Zadie Project donates a bowl to nonprofits serving children and families. Currently, the initiative contributes 300 quarts of soup each week, and is working toward an ambitious goal of 1,000 quarts weekly.

KILLER APP

SCREEN-O-MATIC With eight programs and more than 1,500 clients annually, housing assistance nonprofit Living Room wanted a better way to route prospective clients – people in Georgia living with HIV/AIDS – to the services they need. Teaming up with MailChimp, they devised an online matchmaking tool that pairs visitors to the Living Room website with the programs best suited to them. By answering a series of questions related to their current living situation and the assistance they’re seeking, users get next-step instructions for the program that best fits them – a process that takes no more than 30 seconds, providing clients with clear, immediate feedback on eligibility, documentation needed, and appointment scheduling.

Director of Marketing Trevor Cochlin calls the project “strikingly simple but incredibly powerful,” enabling Living Room to provide greater and more targeted support than ever before.

19 No20 | SUMMER 2017

INTERVIEW

KEEPING THE TRUST WHAT CSR MEANS AT AMERICAN EXPRESS At this year’s GCN Corporate Partner Breakfast, held in June, we took time once again to thank our business and foundation partners for their work helping us raise the state of the sector and build flourishing communities across Georgia. Following a presentation from keynote speaker Timothy J. McClimon, President of the American Express Foundation and Senior Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility for American Express, GCN Board Chair Patty Tucker led the roomful of executives in a question-and-answer session covering changes in his department’s approach to transparency, advocacy, investor relations, employee engagement, and more.

Patty Tucker: Change in the White House, and a charged political environment, have led to increases in unpredictability and the public’s demand for transparency. In light of those changes, what are you preparing for, watching for, and seeing?

various stakeholders. Some have argued that there’s no need for CSR anymore, that it should be integrated into the company. That’s interesting from an academic perspective, but I think we all know that someone has to be responsible for these things.

Timothy McClimon: Transparency is demanded by stakeholders, regulators, and the general public. We strive not just to meet those expectations, but to exceed them – because our stakeholders demand it.

Everyone has certain companies they trust – the 100 million households in the U.S. that have American Express cards trust us to maintain their financial information, and to keep our data secure. The way you gain trust is by acting with integrity. It’s up to everybody at the company – especially the CEO and senior leaders – to exhibit consistency between our words and our actions. CSR professionals are there to encourage the company to be transparent, track everything, and report it to all of our

We also have to be flexible in order to respond to a changing environment, changing regulations, and changing stakeholders around the world – as well as the changing generations inside our company. It’s challenging juggling all of those various interests and points of view, but that’s what makes the CSR role interesting, and critically important.

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Tucker: You house both the CSR function and employee engagement in the same department. It makes so much sense, but you don’t often see those roles together. Can you tell us how and why that came to be, and where you see the trend of integrating CSR into the organizational culture?

Some have argued that there’s no need for CSR anymore… but I think we all know that someone has to be responsible for these things.

McClimon: We firmly believe our employees are our most important stakeholders, and it’s been that way at American Express for quite a while. The connection between philanthropy and employee engagement preceded me. The Corporate Affairs and Communications department, which we’re a part of, took over our Employee Giving

INTERVIEW

Campaign about 20 years ago from HR. Since then, we have expanded it – from 15 percent employee participation to 80 percent – by opening it up to any legitimate 501c3 in the U.S., or any similar organization in another country. This gives employees freedom of choice. We’ve also built up our volunteer programs to provide opportunities for employees to serve as consultants for nonprofits – another successful employee engagement tool.

We work very closely with our HR colleagues, as well as our employee resource and government affairs departments. We have a culture where people want to be engaged in philanthropy – especially Millennials. That’s one of the reasons people come to American Express, and one of the reasons they stay.

Question from the audience: In terms of changing demographics in the U.S., and the fact that we’ll soon be a majority-minority nation, what is American Express doing to create a more diverse workforce and support diverse communities?

McClimon: Diversity and inclusion is integrated into everything we do. It’s become part of our culture. We have diverse customers and senior leaders – these stakeholders expect us to also have a diverse workforce. We look at all of our grantmaking from a diversity and inclusion perspective. About 50 percent of our grants go either to diverse organizations or projects that involve diverse communities as a primary constituency.

Question from the audience: How are you seeing shareholder engagement with your company over CSR practices and impact analyses?

McClimon: Because we primarily have institutional investors at American Express,

We have a culture where people want to be engaged in philanthropy – especially Millennials. That’s one of the reasons people come to American Express, and one of the reasons they stay. it hadn’t really been a focus until just a few years ago. Now, we’re constantly getting requests for that information, which is why we put together a CSR report that’s compliant with GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) standards. I think that trend will continue.

Question from the audience: Nonprofits are, frankly, a little nervous right now because so much is up in the air policy-wise.

In the American Express Foundation’s role as a leader, and in leadership development, have you thought about how your approach might shift in response to policy changes affecting nonprofits and their work?

McClimon: Today, companies are expected to be advocates. It’s not enough to be just a funder, or a volunteer coordinator; we’re expected to speak out on causes related to our business, to the nonprofits we fund, and that are important to our employees.

We have done it on occasion. I see us continuing to do more over time.

Nonprofits ask us all the time to be advocates for them and their cause, and we certainly are willing to be advocates for the sector as a whole. We’ve done quite a bit

to help build the capacity of the sector, and to support organizations who are advocates themselves. We see and hear that it is a time of anxiety for nonprofits but, so far, it hasn’t changed our core programs. If things change, we may alter our thinking about that.

Tucker: You mentioned risk earlier. Risk isn’t something that’s often talked about in nonprofits – we talk about the end results and the measurables – so I thought I’d ask, how does the American Express Foundation manage risk when you enter new partnerships?

Today, companies are expected to be advocates.

It’s not enough to be just a funder, or a volunteer coordinator; we’re expected to speak out on causes… [and] I see us continuing to do more.

McClimon: When we work with nonprofits, we’ve done a great job from a compliance standpoint. But the question is, what about our nonprofit partners? I think we can do a better job talking to them about risk.

The questions I’m discussing with my team are, should we be asking our partners, on our application or in conversation, questions that focus more on risk? As corporate people familiar with ideas such as operational and reputational risk, as well as material and a non-material risk, do we have an obligation to train nonprofit leaders in risk management?

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RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

ASKING FOR MORE PERSPECTIVES ON MAJOR GIFTS

Major gifts require major work: It’s something we all know intuitively, even if we have never had any experience going after a significant donation. In fact, those contemplating a major gifts solicitation for the first time might find themselves at a loss for where to start, how to cultivate prospects, and what form the ask should take.

For those reasons, I sat down with a few seasoned development pros at a recent GCN member-exclusive event to discuss major gifts, the people who give, what brings contributed dollars in, and what keeps donors giving.

Several dozen nonprofit leaders, gathered at the Society for Biblical Literature’s Luce Center, spent an hour hearing from myself and three of my long-time colleagues and friends: nonprofit consultant Amisha Harding, Bobby Dodd Institute Chief Advancement Officer Lisa Kennedy, and Atlanta Ballet Chief Advancement Officer Steven Libman.

By Dennis Hanthorn

In the following excerpts, we have set out a few of the discussion’s most important points.

On changes in major gift fundraising.

Steven Libman: Over 30 years, the biggest change I’ve seen is a growing understanding that we have a responsibility to establish a meaningful, ongoing relationship with our donors, one that is more than transactional.

The other big change comes as a generation gets older. Without interest from their heirs, it becomes more of a challenge to attract major gifts. Venture capitalists or individuals from a high-tech arena tend to be very focused on ROI: What’s the return for my investment going to be? So the onus is on us, when we recruit board members and talk to donors, to explain what it means to be part of a nonprofit.

Lisa Kennedy: One of the good things is that major gifts work has become more professionalized and specialized. Something else I’ve seen is a growing understanding of the importance of metrics – and not just performance indicators – and their correlation with outcomes. There’s also been growing understanding that you have to have a robust annual fund in order to succeed in major gifts. If you’re not retaining your donors on an annual basis, it is going to be very difficult to develop a major gifts program that’s successful over the long term.

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On finding prospects.

Libman: In the performing arts, people who are going to donate begin as participants.

Ninety percent of the time, our major donors started out as ticket-buyers, or enrolling their kids in the school. We research those people, and we start getting in touch – writing them personalized letters, making phone calls – to start the process.

Kennedy: It’s a little different in human services, where the people you’re raising money from aren’t typically consumers of your services. I’ve relied on board members and fundraising volunteers to introduce people to the organization and build the annual fund over time, and events – acquisition, cultivation, and stewardship events – have been important as well. It is a very distinct challenge if you don’t have something like an alumni base or a parent base.

Amisha Harding: Tapping into the networks of board members is so important. If you ask a board member to get five people to give $1,000, they might say they don’t know how; but if each has a few hundred Facebook friends, they can get people to

give as soon as they post something online.

That’s especially true for organizations run by founders: Founders have made a serious sacrifice of time to start an organization, and their personal networks will recognize that sacrifice by giving.

It’s also important to make giving a family affair. When we engage just a single donor – not the donor’s spouse or children – we miss opportunities to make giving an event that transcends generations, and meets the challenge we’re all facing as a generation of donors gets older.

Kennedy: A 25-year-old once gave a very modest donation, and then a $1,000 donation followed from their parents. That happened organically, but now that we know about that effect, we can pursue it. At the same time, it’s important to prioritize your efforts where you’re most likely to see the return on investment – I don’t know about y’all, but I’m not running out of things to do. There’s very good data to support the notion that today’s big gifts are coming from Boomers, and that Generation Xers are the mid-level donors who need to be moved along the pipeline with fulfilling philanthropic experiences.

RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

It’s important to make giving a family affair.

When we engage just a single donor – not the donor’s spouse or children – we miss opportunities to make giving an event that transcends generations.

Libman: Any of the search engine software programs that identifies prospects from an existing pool can be helpful, but they can also be very expensive. I’ve had mixed results – they often tell me things I already know.

Kennedy: The important question to ask when deciding whether to invest in one of those programs: What am I going to do with the information? Do I have the organizational bandwidth to act on it? Otherwise it’s like an accusation sitting there – all that information you can’t use.

Dennis Hanthorn: Wealth search programs are just roadmaps. At GCN we have a program that can help an organization identify prospects, but we never say that it is the end-all. Amisha and I are working on that kind of a project right now for an organization where 80 percent was information they already knew – but we did find a few sleepers, and it’s worth it for the sleepers.

Libman: Board members are also very helpful for identifying new people in the

community who have propensity for giving major gifts. One of our board members found out that a very wealthy family had recently moved to Atlanta, and upon further research we discovered that one family member had an affinity for ballet. They would have never showed up in a software program.

On courting prospects.

Libman: If you do it the right way, closing a major gift could take anywhere from six to 24 months, with six to 12 calls over that time period. It’s like dating – a process that takes time. The key is to do less talking, and to ratchet up your listening skills. They’ll tell you what’s important to them, and you’ll be amazed over what they will reveal about themselves as you get to know them.

We’ll also do research in advance of meeting someone. One person on my team is a sort of Facebook ninja, and the information she uncovers is incredible. We can use that information to connect with them: “I understand you have a wine collection,” for instance.

Harding: It’s important to go into meetings with a goal – Is this a stewardship call? A cultivation call? – but also to pay very close attention to what the donor is saying. I sat in on a meeting with a client where, at the end, the donor asked, “Well, what can I do for you?” And the client said, “Would you like to come visit us?” The donor was so moved by what they heard, they were ready to write a check – but the client didn’t expect it, and didn’t take advantage. So you have to pay attention to those cues.

Libman: We bring pledge forms to every meeting just for that reason, whether we’re expecting to close or not.

Regarding paying attention: One time, the CEO and I were meeting with a current donor, asking for $50,000. The donor’s response was, “I was really thinking of a much larger gift,” but the CEO didn’t catch that – he was still talking about the $50,000 until I intervened.

Hanthorn: That is why it’s important to have two people at the ask: While one is talking, the other is thinking.

Harding: You’ve also got to be prepared to answer the question, “What would you do with X amount of dollars?” I once let a client know well ahead of a meeting that I would be introducing them to a billionaire.

One of the first questions this gentleman asked was, “What would you do if I gave you $250,000?” The client started stuttering. If you want to meet with folks who have deep pockets, you need to know how you would leverage their investment.

Kennedy: Your organization has to have a case for support: Why do we need this money? What is going to be better about the future because of this gift? Those are hard questions to answer for any organization – it’s not something you can throw together right before a meeting.

Your organization has to have a case for support: Why do we need this money? What is going to be better about the future because of this gift?

RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

Libman: The words you use can be very powerful. Use language about co-creating a better future, and making the world a better place – not tax deductions or getting a name on the wall. You’re not just raising money, you’re talking about the essence of generosity, finding deep connections, and helping people create meaning in their lives.

On managing a donor portfolio.

Harding: You need to make sure you know exactly where you are in relationship to every donor, which can be very difficult.

That’s why the science part of fundraising is so important: building the pipeline and capturing the information from every interaction. Your database is only as good as the information you put into it.

I’ve used Salesforce for this, but even a simple Excel spreadsheet can work, if you make sure it’s set up to capture the information. And now, with Google Docs, you can update a spreadsheet right from your phone, as soon as you finish a meeting.

Hanthorn: Another program that is an option for smaller groups is DonorPerfect.

This is an out-of-the-box program, as opposed to Salesforce or Blackbaud, which require tech savvy to set up.

Kennedy: The key is to make sure it’s the right product for where you are in your organizational development, and where you see yourself going over the next few years.

It’s a traumatic experience to change these systems, so you want to make sure that it’s something you’re really going to be able to use – that it’s intuitive and that you’ll be able to pull the right reports.

Libman: The other key, as Amisha said, is to be diligent. When we come back from a meeting with a donor, current or prospective, we make sure to take notes on it, including all the idiosyncrasies. We put it two places: in Tessitura, a computer database program for performing arts organizations; and in a hard file, because sometimes the computer crashes.

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On stewarding major gift-givers.

own, and were able to engage with donors and begin building relationships – what they found was that the donors wanted to have a conversation with them.

Libman: Once you’ve done all the work cultivating, asking, securing the gift, and saying please and thank you many times, you now have the opportunity to create deep, transformational experiences for your donor. At the ballet, we invite donors to watch rehearsals, to go backstage, to meet the artists, to join us on the outreach programs that they have helped fund.

Cocktail parties and galas are important, but we must also make sure to create a special intersection between the donor and the organization. Absent those transformational experiences, why would they give again?

Ongoing donor stewardship is where major gift departments are aiming resources – it can take up more time than finding new prospects.

Hanthorn: You can turn this task into a research project. Ask donors what their interests are or what they liked about this year’s programs.

Hanthorn: In my experience, I have found that the more they give, the more they demand of you. However, there’s much power in a thank-you call, especially if it’s from a board member at the upper level of your organization.

We must make sure to create a special intersection between the donor and the organization. Absent those transformational experiences, why would they give again?

Harding: Thanking can also be a great opportunity for those who aren’t necessarily comfortable interacting with donors. I’ve put together “thank-a-thon” events, where we brought all the board members into an office with staff, food, and a little bit of wine. We gave them each a script and had them make thank-you calls. They became comfortable because they weren’t on their

On managing expectations.

Harding: Sometimes leadership doesn’t understand that courtship process – they think you’re going to go to lunch with somebody for the first time and come back with a check. I always ask, “Would you go on a first date and ask someone to marry you, pay your mortgage, and give you a baby?” While we want to meet our benchmarks, we also have to advocate for our donors.

Kennedy: As development professionals, we need to be able to practice politics with a capital P, moving the culture in a way where those tough conversations happen in easier ways. If you don’t understand how systems in the organization are working together, that is going to be a barrier to major gifts fundraising. Investing time in internal relationships – communicating with colleagues about challenges, empathizing with them, discussing conflict management – goes a long way toward getting everyone to work together on the long-term commitment required.

The ask: how it goes down 1. Prepare by role-playing.

Libman: We role-play in advance of the ask.

The CEO, any board member accompanying us, and myself will get together and decide on the things that are very important to say, and when to toss the ball to the CEO. But we don’t overscript it – you want to speak as you would in a normal conversation – and we make sure to bring props, like brochures, that we can pass out and refer to in the conversation. We also like to conduct the ask over a meal, so it’s relatively calm and comfortable, and we can all enjoy ourselves.

RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

2. Choose a leader.

Kennedy: It is important to clarify who is going to make the ask during role-playing, because otherwise you’re just waiting for the other person to do it. Typically, I’ll script out the key talking points for everyone, so people feel comfortable about what’s expected of them. It’s also important to let people know that things won’t always go as planned, and what the options are for various scenarios. Whatever the outcome, everyone should feel good knowing that there is a next step.

3. Bring a friend from the board.

Libman: We often bring a board member to help, but the close is always done by the CEO or myself – we never ask board members to close. They speak from the heart about the organization’s importance to them and their families, and about how much they give.

Kennedy: We bring a board member when they have a strong relationship with the donor, and can play a key role in sharing their own experience. But unless they have really enjoyed asking people for philanthropy – and some are great at it –

we make the ask ourselves. People have a difficult time participating in asks if they’ve never been asked for a gift like this. It can be overwhelming! The best fundraisers are people who have given at that level – they have a comprehensive view of the experience and what it’s meant in their lives.

4. Exert confidence.

Libman: The key is to be comfortable and confident. You’re not getting to the ask until you’ve known them for a long time, so they usually know why you’re meeting.

You’ve been talking about the importance of philanthropy at the major gift level, and they know the point of these calls is to deepen their relationship with the organization.

They are savvy individuals: With very few exceptions, this is not their first rodeo.

5. Make a specific ask.

Libman: During the course of the conversation – I’d say about three-quarters of the way through – we will refer to documents we brought and our past conversations, and make an ask for a specific gift: “I would like you to think about giving a gift of $25,000.”

Google Fiber is proud to support programs and partnerships that focus on community, technology and the Internet. googlefiber.com

Donors are expecting you to make a very clear ask – they are often disappointed if you don’t – but rarely does someone say, “Give me the pen, I’m going to sign right now.”

We want to create a sense of urgency, but not emergency – so we wouldn’t ask for someone to give “today.” And you always want to say it’s up to the donor to decide, because they’ve got to do what’s right for them.

6. Stop talking!

Harding: People usually get nervous after they ask for a big gift and don’t get an immediate response. They start talking without saying anything.

Libman: Once the ask is made, one of most important things you can do is shut up.

Hanthorn: Silently count to ten!

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

HUMAN RESOURCES

It’s not just what you do, it’s where you go for hiring and career insight

Over at GCN’s national hiring and career destination, workforgood.org, we’re continuously publishing fresh insights from nonprofit HR pros, sector experts, and nonprofit practitioners, working here in Georgia and around the country. Our interview series features HR leaders sharing their secrets for evaluating candidates, building a positive culture, and supporting talent development; and we profile nonprofit pros at all levels to highlight the sector’s wealth of options and pathways. We also tap national experts for their perspective on structuring an effective hiring process, crafting winning job postings, maintaining work-life balance, and much more.

Here, we present a roundup of reporting from recent Hiring Insight and Career Insight newsletters. Sign up to get your complimentary subscription at workforgood.org/subscribe, or visit workforgood.org and read all our Insight articles online.

3 reasons employees leave: Retention tips from a new nonprofit HR toolkit

from

By Jennifer Smith, Marketing Manager at Unemployment Services Trust To help nonprofits stay savvy to the latest HR best practices while maintaining compliance, the Unemployment Services Trust (UST) published the 2017 Nonprofit HR Toolkit. One of the eBooks included, 6 Reasons Nonprofit Employees Quit, discusses the following issues and tips for correcting them: 1. You’re hiring the wrong people.

Defining and promoting your organizational culture will attract likeminded individuals with similar goals.

[How We Hire] Backing up the rock stars of public health

from

”I like to tell my colleagues that global HR is the sexy side of human resources,” says Heather Brooks, Director, Organizational Effectiveness at The Task Force for Global Health. Like others at the Task Force, she’s energized by the complex challenges of her role, and by working with some of the “rock stars” of the public health field.

One thing people love about working here: A profound mission that provides a lot of personal job satisfaction – most of our staff travel globally, so they get to see the impact of our work on the ground in 154 countries.

One of my favorite interview questions: I like behavioral questions, but in addition: “If I were to ask your peers what it’s like to work with you, what would you say?” We put a lot of emphasis on how well people work together.

2. Employees are stressed out. Look for ways to gather feedback on stress levels and come up with ways to ameliorate it. That could mean helping spread the workload, finding ways to streamline processes, or simply acknowledging hard work.

3. Your leaders aren’t leading.

Shifting from “annual” to “regular” conversations between employees and supervisors will help managers better understand and address staff needs, before it’s too late.

HUMAN RESOURCES

[How We Hire] Retaining a talented, passionate staff

from

19 tips for making your job posting simply amazing

from

By Vu Le, Executive Director of Rainier Valley Corps and writer at Nonprofit AF I asked my Facebook community for feedback on things that irritate them about job postings, and what they wish to see. I got over 200 comments, which I distilled to a few key points. Among them, in no particular order: 1. Sound like a human being. A job posting is an ad for your organization.

For some reason, we seem to think of them as legal documents. Ditch the big words. Show a sense of humor and personality. You are trying to attract candidates – not put them to sleep.

2. List your salary range. There is no good reason for salary cloaking. For equity’s sake, just list the range and end the charade.

3. Be realistic with job duties. It’s ridiculous to cram three or four jobs’ worth of duties into one listing. Figure out what the key responsibilities are, and focus on those. You are looking for a team member – not MacGyver.

4. Describe your hiring process and timeline. There’s too much tendency to make this up as we go along, which is disrespectful to job candidates and builds a narrative that your organization is disorganized and treats people poorly.

5. Spell out benefits. The commonlyused “generous benefits package” line is a wasted opportunity to attract candidates. My company, Rainier ValleyCorps, has amazing health benefits and awesome snacks, which we indicate in our job postings.

The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) is the “Team Behind the Team” for athletes representing the nation at the Olympic, Paralympic, Youth Olympic, Pan American, and Parapan American Games.

As managing director of human resources and recruitment manager, respectively, Pam Sawyer and Tim Henderson are responsible for a 450-member staff who are just as much a part of Team USA as the competitors themselves.

Sawyer, on what kind of person their office would be: Our office would probably be an athlete – we are focused, competitive, and always looking to raise the bar in our performance.

Henderson, on one trait essential to employee success: The ability to form positive relationships with all key constituents. We determine that with behavioral questions about other jobs, and by seeing how candidates engage with us during the interview process.

Sawyer, on one cool thing they do to support staff: Not everyone gets to travel to the Olympic or Paralympic Games, so we celebrate those who stay behind to carry on the work with fun sports activities, complete with special uniforms.

Henderson: With the re-instatement of golf into the Olympic program in Rio, we hosted our first annual mini golf tournament at USOC headquarters.

[How We Hire] Values and passion, startup sensibilities, and a sabbatical that makes a difference

from

Talent and Culture Manager/Head of Fun Sam Arpino oversees all people operations for DoSomething.org, the global organization recently ranked by The NonProfit Times as one of the top 50 nonprofits to work for in the country, and no. 1 in the state of New York.

My elevator pitch for potential hires: If you’re going to spend 40 hours a week someplace, it should be tapping into your passions and introducing you to people who can help you grow.

One outstanding quality we look for: We want someone who believes in our specific mission. That starts with the first contact: Write a cover letter specifically for us. Or send us a video! Tweet us!

Make us notice you.

My interview pet peeve: When someone sees nonprofits as warm-and-fuzzy places. We operate as a tech-forward startup: We discuss revenue, we have KPIs across the organization – it’s a lot of hard and smart work. We want people who acknowledge that.

Happy First Anniversary, Work for Good!

This June, Work for Good celebrated one year of finding mission-driven talent for your organizations.

And what a year it has been!

Our goal has been to create a community of nonprofit organizations, and connect them with passionate, purposeful employees who want to do more than just work – they want to Work for Good. Our community now includes over 30,000 organizations and 165,000 jobseekers. To date, those jobseekers have created over 1.2 million job alerts, and every month we’re delivering 480,000 emails matching them with the opportunities they’ve been waiting for.

Let us support your hiring process with a suite of job-posting tools that help you target, track, and communicate with candidates.

Don’t forget: As a GCN member, you enjoy special benefits, including 25 percent off your first single-job post, and 15 percent off on any future job posting or multi-posting package. It’s easy to get started: Just visit workforgood.org and create a complimentary employer account. As a part of the Work for Good community, you’ll get our Hiring Insight digital newsletter with of-the-moment HR practices for finding the best employees to support your mission.

Want to learn more? Reach out to Chelle Shell at chelle@workforgood.org.

COMMUNITY

Highlights at GCN

GCN welcomes Erika Norwood, Executive Director of Gray Matters Capital, to the board, and Patricia Adelmann as Senior Manager of Community Engagement.

President and CEO Karen Beavor has once again been recognized by Atlanta Business Chronicle as one of the 50 sector leaders in their yearly “Who’s Who in Nonprofits” feature.

Consulting Group VP Sir José Bright is facilitating strategic planning for The Empty Stocking Fund and Georgia State Golf Association. He also led a Board Boot Camp for senior staff at Cox Enterprises currently serving, or seeking to be placed, on nonprofit boards. In October, Bright will serve as lead facilitator for Atlanta Regional Commission’s week-long Regional Leadership Institute.

Three new Nonprofit University programs designed to address critical challenges in nonprofit management are rolling out in 2017: The Certificate of Performance Management program launched in June; a two-day Certificate of Change

Management course debuts in September; and a five-part Certificate of Financial Vitality starts in October.

Nonprofit University’s Development Institute delivers expanded learning options across the full range of practice areas for fundraising pros of all kinds, and at all stages in their career, including new certificates in Capital Campaigns, Event Management, Grant Management, and Marketing and Communications; 18 targeted individual courses; a six-part Introduction to Fundraising series, plus a new Master Class | Designing and Executing World-Class Fundraising Events.

105 nonprofit leaders joined GCN and The Home Depot Foundation at Zoo Atlanta on the morning of May 31st to celebrate 10-plus years of Building Community Network (BCN).

The BCN Breakfast brings together a cohort of Atlanta’s premier nonprofit leaders for an informative, interactive session where they use the Design Thinking method, introduced to the network two years ago to spur innovation and collaboration, to launch the program’s annual grant process. In breakout sessions, attendees began working with potential partners, answering one of three theme questions that form the basis for this year’s awards, including “How might we envision Atlanta’s outdoor spaces as centers of healing?” On hand to guide the session were GCN President and CEO Karen Beavor, GCN EVP of Programs Kathy Keeley, the Foundation’s Senior Manager of National Partnerships and Atlanta Hometown Giving Heather Prill, and Atlanta Giving Senior Specialist Catherine Stodola, who detailed the Network’s grantmaking process and principles, and answered one-on-one questions throughout the morning.

Our June member event, a panel discussion led by Senior Consultant Dennis Hanthorn, explored “Major Gifts Fundraising: What’s working and what’s not” with Atlanta Ballet Chief Advancement Officer Steven B. Libman, Bobby Dodd Institute Chief Advancement Officer Lisa Kennedy, and fundraising consultant Amisha Harding.

29 No20 | SUMMER 2017

COMMUNITY

EVP Kathy Keeley and Senior Consultant Elizabeth Runkle co-presented a session on scenario planning at Nonprofit Works 2017: Managing Stellar Nonprofits in Jacksonville, a day-long event organized by the Nonprofit Center of Northeast Florida to provide opportunities for skill building, networking, and strategy development.

GCN’s partnership with The Bridgespan Group continued with a Leading For Impact-Atlanta All-Cohort Convening in May, bringing nonprofit leadership teams together for a panel discussion on “Managing Through Uncertainty.” Sharing the ways that their organizations have employed scenario planning and partnerships to seize opportunities and weather challenges in times of political and economic uncertainty were Executive Directors Paedia Mixon of New American Pathways, Matt Pieper of Open Hand, and Kathy Colbenson of CHRIS 180, along with GCN EVP Kathy Keeley.

GCN’s Nonprofit Consulting Group’s Executive Search team, led by Senior Consultants Mary Bear Hughes and Dennis Hanthorn, has a number of searches underway, posted to gcn.org/ executive-search. Hanthorn is conducting development director searches for Make-A-Wish Georgia and Meals On Wheels Atlanta.

Hughes recently completed the executive director search for TurningPoint Breast Cancer Rehabilitation, where Rebecca Cowens-Alvarado will replace retiring founder and ED Jill Binkley; and the executive director search for Together Georgia, where Juanita Stedman will replace retiring ED Ron Scroggy in August.

Hughes is currently conducting the search for Kennesaw State University’s vice president for university advancement, who will also serve as executive director of the KSU Foundation.

The team is also guiding Georgia Appleseed’s search committee, seeking candidates to take the place of retiring ED Sharon Hill.

30 Georgia Nonprofit NOW

Working with the Community Foundation for the Central Savannah River Area, GCN’s consulting team is mapping human service providers in Augusta-Richmond County to offer a better understanding of existing resources and their alignment with the community’s most critical needs.

GCN’s Nonprofit Consulting Group has received a three-year grant from the St. Marys United Methodist Church Foundation to continue our work in Coastal Georgia with a focus on supporting collaborations, membership, and board development, through the launch of new programs for developing boards and collaborations.

On June 8, 150 corporate CSR leaders convened at GCN’s 2017 Corporate Partners Breakfast for an inside look at corporate social responsibility with Timothy J. McClimon, President, American Express Foundation and Senior Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility, American Express.

Members of GCN’s Westside Momentum cohort participated in the latest of a series of IBM Impact Grant workshops, “Becoming a Leader of Change,” facilitated by IBM consultants.

Georgia is among five states selected to participate in the Parents and Children Thriving Together: Two-Generation State Policy Network. As part of this initiative, Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care & Learning commissioned GCN to study what’s available and what’s working among Georgia’s “two-gen” providers, being led

by Senior Consultant Tommy Pearce.

Participate in our survey of agencies serving both children and their families, open through Sept. 30, at SURVEYMONKEY.COM/R/2GENGCN

“Turner is grateful for our long-standing partnership with the Georgia Center for Nonprofits. GCN provides essential resources, connections, and tools that enable us to engage our employees in the nonprofit community in strategic and meaningful ways.”

–Betsy Holland Director, Culture & Engagement, Turner

advancing our commitment to sharing knowledge with the community,

GCN continues

supporting more than 93,000 sector practitioners with open access to online resources through gcn.org, multiple digital communications channels, and community events.

In 2016, we continued building a supportive, statewide sector network, engaging more than

1,500 organizations and 5,000 individuals through GCN Membership, with dozens of learning and support opportunities throughout the year, including a new CEO Forum, as well as our publications and expansive online resource archive.

“In a relatively short period of time, we have come to truly value our relationship with GCN. We continue to discover new opportunities to collaborate and better serve the nonprofit community. We truly look forward to continuing our partnership, because it is making a difference in helping people build better lives.”

–Michael Fisher Agency Vice President of Community Business Development, COUNTRY Financial

GCN’s 2016 partner report highlights the latest work advancing our mission: to build thriving communities by helping nonprofits succeed. GCN’s programs and projects originate in our community of partners – in the needs of nonprofit leaders on the ground, and in the resources of companies and foundations with the vision to meet those needs. By developing talent, sharpening strategy, equipping leaders, and building powerful networks of high-performing nonprofits, we Ignite Possible together. Read the report at gcn.org/ annualreport.

COMMUNITY

Member & Partner News

PEOPLE Courtney Parsons joins Kate’s Club as development coordinator.

Katie Dozier joined Skyland Trail as vice president of development.

Woodruff Arts Center’s board elected Phil Jacobs as chair, and elected Trustees Heath Campbell, Jack Markwalter, Suzanne Tucker Plybon, Mike Sivewright, and Stacey Tank.

Kevin W. Tucker is the new chief curator at the High Museum of Art. David Connell, president and CEO of the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce, will retire at the end of the year.

Jerusalem House added Christopher Privette to its board of directors.

Peter Lauer and Robert LaChapelle joined the board of trustees of Bobby Dodd Institute.

Jekyll Island Foundation added to the board Barbara “Boog” Candler, who will serve as chair, along with Thomas Lines and Nancy Blackstone-Spiegel.

Brian Clark joined the board of Odyssey Atlanta.

Chandra Stephens-Albright is now managing director at True Colors Theatre Company.

The Giving Kitchen named Bryan Schroeder as executive director.

S. Kelley Henderson is the new CEO of Action Ministries, after serving as COO and interim CEO. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta President and CEO Janice McKenzieCrayton will retire in December after 25 years in

the role; she will begin serving in an advisory capacity in September as the organization seeks her replacement.

The Atlanta Housing Authority board elected Robert Rumley as its new chair.

Erica Fener-Sitkoff moves into the role of Voices for Georgia’s Children Executive Director as Emily Pelton steps down to pursue a new role at CARE USA. TurningPoint Breast Cancer Rehabilitation welcomes Rebecca Cowens-Alvarado as its new executive director.

Jerusalem House named Buck Cooke as its new director of development.

Sarah Amico and Kimberly Seals have joined the PAWS Atlanta board.

Atlanta Habitat for Humanity announced new board members Danielle Cheung, Melissa Hall,

The 26-ton Texas, the famed engine that took part in the Great Locomotive Chase of 1862, has made its way back to Georgia, pulling into its new home at the Atlanta History Center. “The Texas symbolizes Atlanta’s longtime relationship with railroads and the city’s importance as a hub for people, commerce, and ideas,” said History Center President and CEO Sheffield Hale. “No artifact can be more important for telling the story of Atlanta’s beginnings.”

Jerrold Hill, and Andrew Kantor.

Doug Shipman has succeeded Virginia Hepner as president and CEO of the Woodruff Arts Center.

Joining the the Atlanta Ballet board are Cynthia Crain, Vanessa Delmer, Jamila Hall, Linda Morris, Joey Reiman, Stephanie Thomas Stephens, and Juan Carlos Urdaneta.

Wesley Brooks has been named vice president of Atlanta Habitat for Humanity’s newly established Housing and Neighborhood Engagement department.

Girl Talk welcomes Hetal Gordon to its board of directors.

31 No20 | SUMMER 2017

COMMUNITY

ACHIEVEMENTS Nobis Works is celebrating 40 years of changing lives for people with disabilities through job training, employment, and vocational support.

The Corporate Volunteer Council of Atlanta celebrates its 25th year of championing workplace volunteerism and civic engagement.

Junior Achievement of Georgia awarded a Volunteer Partnership Award to Accountants One. MedShare reached some major milestones this year: with $21 million in aid donated in 2016 alone, total impact since their 1998 founding includes 17.5 million pounds of supplies and equipment donated (and diverted from landfills), 1,500 biomedical techs trained, and 97 countries served.

Goodwill of North Georgia received a $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to assist people exiting correctional systems in gaining employment.

The UPS Foundation made grants totalling $14.1 million to advance humanitarian relief and community safety initiatives, including awards to American Red Cross, CARE USA, and Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta.

Governor Nathan Deal proclaimed June 12th 2-1-1 Day in Georgia, recognizing the impact of the United Way of Greater Atlanta’s 2-1-1 Contact Center and celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

The first service of its kind, Atlanta’s 2-1-1 center has connected nearly 8 million residents with the community resources they need to thrive.

Camp Twin Lakes raised $794,000 at its 25th Anniversary Gala.

SunTrust Foundation awarded a $350,000 grant to Clearpoint Credit Counseling Solutions’ Hispanic Center for Financial Excellence program, helping lower-income Atlanta families achieve financial stability through free financial education, advice, and tools.

Women in Technology received a $100,000 grant from NCR Foundation to enable the expansion of its Girls Program into a number of underserved communities and bring the WIT Campus Program to additional campuses.

This year’s Spirit of Kate’s Club Gala raised over $310,000.

HomeAid Atlanta partnered on a large-scale HomeAid Care Day event, funding $50,000 worth of much-needed repairs and improvements for the Elizabeth Inn Shelter run by MUST Ministries.

The Georgia Center for Oncology Research and Education (Georgia CORE) teamed up with It’s The Journey to award the 2017 Breast Cancer Research Awards, distributing $150,000 to three Georgia-based organizations with new, creative ideas advancing progress toward detection, treatment, and a cure.

Grady Health Foundation received a $2 million donation from Gilead Sciences to help fund the renovation of Grady’s Ponce de Leon Center, which houses one of the nation’s largest and most comprehensive programs for the treatment of advanced HIV and AIDS. YMCA of Metro Atlanta received a $250,000 grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to expand an early education program for Hispanic children, adding more sites and up to 100 more children.

Arby’s team members distribute kid’s meals to the children of the Agape Youth & Family Center on May 31st to raise awareness of food insecurity in Atlanta and the Arby’s Foundation’s “School’s Out, Food’s In” program. The program helps to ensure at-risk children in the community receive proper nourishment in the summer months.

A new public-private partnership led by Georgia Organics, Voices for Georgia’s Children, Quality Care for Children, and The Common Market Georgia received $1.45 million in grants from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The Farm to Early Care and Education initiative will offer hands-on education in nutrition, cooking, and gardening, and promote local, fresh foods.

Sheltering Arms, Georgia’s largest nonprofit early education and child care organization, was awarded a $2 million grant from The Goizueta Foundation.

The Woodruff Arts Center’s 2016-2017 Annual Corporate Campaign received contributions from more than 350 companies – the highest number in the campaign’s history – to raise a total of $14.3 million. Among the campaign’s leading contributors: Chick-fil-A, The Coca-Cola Company, Georgia Power, The Home Depot Foundation, SunTrust Foundation, and Wells Fargo.

Among the Westside Atlanta-based recipients of Laureus Foundation USA’s “Sport for Good” grants, totalling $3 million in support of youth sports, were Girls on the Run Atlanta, Atlanta Track Club, and Bearings Bike Shop.

32 Georgia Nonprofit NOW

COMMUNITY

Morehouse School of Medicine celebrated the opening of the new Billye Suber Aaron Pavilion this week, completed with a $3 million grant from the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation.

Friendship Force International is celebrating its 40th anniversary by launching a $1 million fundraising campaign to develop new initiatives, aiming to extend travel opportunities, and the cultural understanding they foster, to an even greater number of people.

The YMCA of Metro Atlanta received a $2.5 million grant from Invest Atlanta to help move its headquarters from downtown, and to redevelop the historic building on the Westside that will be its new home.

At its 34th Annual Salute to Women of Achievement, held in May, the YWCA of Greater Atlanta honored Ann Curry, Ann Cramer, and Ann Stallard for embodying the YWCA’s mission to eliminate racism and empower women.

The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta awarded $125 million in 2016 by way of 7,300 grants to 2,400 nonprofit organizations locally, nationally, and internationally, primarily in the 23-county Atlanta area, and focused on five impact areas: arts, community development, education, nonprofit effectiveness, and well-being. The Foundation selected Literacy Action and Trees Atlanta as recipients of the 33rd annual “Managing for Excellence” awards, each receiving $75,000 and customized consulting services.

Wells Fargo granted $836,000 to boost education in Atlanta, awarding 72 grants totaling $836,000 to education initiatives through The Serenbe Institute for Art, Culture and the Environment, Sandy Springs Education Force, Communities in Schools Atlanta, Center for Puppetry Arts, and 100 Black Men of South Metro.

YMCA of Metro Atlanta received a $4 million grant to support its goal of infusing STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) into its early learning classrooms, which will also provide endowment support for the Summer Adventures in Learning program.

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Enduring Hearts

The LAMAR Institute

Butts County Life Enrichment Team

FaithBridge Foster Care

Real Bread Outreach Martha’s Corner Atlanta Dance Theatre

In June, The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and The Home Depot Foundation joined their community partner The Mission Continues to host Operation Westside Surge in Vine City, English Avenue, and Capitol Hill. The Operation, part of a nationwide campaign, brought in teams of veterans for a week-long service marathon, working alongside residents and volunteers to revitalize parks, playgrounds, sports facilities, and community gardens.

Brighter Day Community Outreach Center Berean Christian Church Uniting Hope 4 Children Springfield Legacy Foundation Equinox Open Library Initiative Woodbine Public Library She STEAMS MAP International Tax Revolution Institute The Path Project

Coastal Counseling Center Lee Thompson Young Foundation Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Georgia 159 Georgia Together Concerned Nkrumaists of North America Georgia FIRST Robotics C.J. Spids Alliance Upson County Family Youth and Children’s Alliance Brian T. Rounds Youth Association Walton Foundation for Independence

Infinity

Share your news with the GCN community.

Write to us at NOW@GCN.ORG

The Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation (AVLF) committed to “Standing With Our Neighbors,” having embedded its staff attorney and community advocates in the community of Thomasville Heights since last September, working alongside seven partner law firms to help improve living conditions and housing stability, and enhance student attendance and performance at Thomasville Heights Elementary. Thanks to support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, AVLF is expanding its Standing With Our Neighbors initiative to five additional schools in the next school year.

33 No20 | SUMMER 2017

Calendar What’s ahead: Complimentary GCN member events, Nonprofit University programs, and GAgives

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

Starting September 8 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY

Certificate of Nonprofit Volunteer Management Effective volunteer management means achieving results while sustaining and nurturing a unique human resource. This four-part series focuses on core competencies like establishing a sound volunteering structure, designing projects, and engaging volunteers – from recruiting to training to retaining.

Starting September 14 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY

September 27 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY

Theory of Change Learn how to craft two powerful tools, Intended Impact and Theory of Change, which provide the “north star” for organizations as they determine their outcomes and impact in the community.

September 28 | Atlanta

GAgives on #GivingTuesday Kickoff Event Our annual campaign launch event – this year, launching our partnership with #GivingTuesday – brings together participating nonprofits with peers, experts, and GCN’s team for a morning of knowledge-sharing and camaraderie, featuring a panel discussion and breakout sessions to help you prepare a winning campaign.

Starting September 29 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY

Certificate of Supervision & Management Build a firm foundation of understanding and expertise to develop your supervisory skills. This certificate series is designed to provide those working in – or preparing for – a supervisory role with the knowledge and skills they need to be effective managers and leaders.

October 1 | Atlanta

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.

GAgives on #GivingTuesday Registration Today is the final day to sign up your organization to participate in this year’s event through the GAgives. org platform, providing a complimentary profile page with full ecommerce capabilities, and the opportunity to compete for prizes. If you already have an active profile, you’re good to go!

NEW

NEW September 19 & 20 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY

Starting October 4 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY

Certificate of Change Management

Certificate of Financial Vitality

Driving positive change means leading effectively.

This two-day series provides an 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.

In our four-part series, learn to create a thriving organization in a challenging funding environment, ensuring your operation can go beyond budgeting for survival and truly invest in expanding mission impact.

September 27 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY Development Institute

Master Class: Launching and Sustaining a Planned Giving Program Participants are given unique insight into donors, processes, and senior-level management issues in this experience-based master class, including full-day seminars and a supplementary long-term practicum where participants put new knowledge into action for their organizations under the guidance of a master practitioner.

34 Georgia Nonprofit NOW

October 5 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY Development Institute

Master Class: Designing and Executing World-Class Fundraising Events Learn best practices and proven methods for creating a memorable event experience while continuing to grow your fundraising income, regardless of whether you’re putting on a concert, gala dinner, signature event, or walk-a-thon.

October 10 | Online MEMBER WEBINAR

November 13 & 14 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY

Unemployment and HR Risk Management

Certificate of Nonprofit Program Management

Join GCN partner Unemployment Services Trust (UST) to discover some of the most common unemployment and HR risks – the kind that can cost your nonprofit thousands of dollars – and get expert, on-the-spot answers to your personnel questions.

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

NEW

November 15 | Atlanta MEMBER EVENT

Starting October 11 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY Development Institute

Thinking, Planning, and Acting Strategically in Today’s Climate

Certificate of Nonprofit Fundraising Grant Management

With radical shifts in public policy, demographics, technology, and investment, it’s incumbent upon every nonprofit to assess the environment regularly and adjust their strategy in response. In this interactive presentation, GCN’s Consulting VP Sir José Bright will share ways that nonprofit leaders can think more strategically, develop a roadmap to implement new approaches, align departments behind needed changes, and more.

Go beyond the grant-writing basics: Find out how to write compelling proposals and create a powerful grant management system.

NEW Starting October 19 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY Development Institute

Certificate of Nonprofit Fundraising Marketing and Communications Learn about the motivation that drives your donors to give, ways to segment your donor audiences for the most effective appeals, and how to mobilize your community in support of the cause in this fourpart series.

October 20 | Atlanta MEMBER EVENT

Fall CEO Forum: Board Engagement, the Hype and the Reality Once again, we’re inviting chief executives from all GCN member nonprofits to gather for an interactive, peer-led exchange – this time, to separate facts from fiction when it comes to engaging board members and inspiring them to contribute their best.

October 25 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY

November 28 | Online

GAgives on #GivingTuesday Participate in our sixth annual event, where we’re now the Georgia lead for the growing global #GivingTuesday movement – and let’s build on our success to date in raising more than $13.4 million, made possible by more than 73,000 individual donations, in support of nearly 2,700 nonprofits.

Learn more at GAgives.org and gcn.org/GAgives.

Coming in December | Atlanta MEMBER EVENT

Holiday Party Join the GCN team and fellow nonprofit colleagues, along with our corporate, media, and foundation partners, for this annual celebration of the season.

Starting December 12 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY

Finance for the Non-Financial Manager

Certificate of Nonprofit Performance Management

Learn to read and understand financial statements, budgets, and cash flow projections, as well as what these tools tell you about your programs and organization.

In this four-part series, learn how to demonstrate organizational impact and return on investment for funders and donors by writing, collecting, and using effective performance measures.

October 27 | Atlanta NONPROFIT UNIVERSITY

Nonprofit Board Leadership Clinic A full-day forum for nonprofit executives and board members where you’ll explore the practices that drive exceptional governance, and receive an individualized assessment of your board.

No20 SUMMER 2017 Georgia Nonprofit NOW is a quarterly publication of the Georgia Center for Nonprofits, distributed exclusively to our members and partners.

Georgia Nonprofit NOW Publisher: Karen Beavor Editor-in-Chief: Betsy Reid Managing Editor: Marc Schultz Community Editor: Jenna Ovett Contributing Writers: Dennis Hanthorn, Patty Tucker Design: Liska + Associates Photography: C Brown Photo, Monkey + Squirrel Write to us at now@gcn.org Georgia Center for Nonprofits Karen Beavor, President and CEO Kathy Keeley, EVP, Programs Laurie Baas, Controller Sir José Bright, VP, Nonprofit Consulting Group 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 insightbuilding tools, GCN provides nonprofits, board members, and donors with the tools they need to strengthen organizations that make a difference on important causes throughout Georgia.

Georgia Center for Nonprofits 100 Peachtree St. NW, Suite 1500 Atlanta GA 30303 gcn.org | 678.916.3000 © Copyright 2017 by Georgia Center for Nonprofits. All rights reserved.

100 Peachtree Street NW, Suite 1500 Atlanta, GA 30303

TWO GIVING MOVEMENTS UNITE. Mark your calendar for November 28, the first GAgives on #GivingTuesday. As we roll out our new branding over the next month, we’ll be introducing expanded resources to support your campaign. Look for your invite to our annual kick-off and training event on September 28 – you won’t want to miss it!

Is your nonprofit registered to participate?

Visit GAgives.org to get started.

Is your team in the loop?

Check gcn.org/GAgives/resources for links to the latest news, tools, and insights. And, while you’re there, be sure to sign up everyone on your team to receive our communications, including critical announcements and invitations.