Jared Polis

It’s always good to remind yourself of the fundamentals before writing a fundraising appeal. Claire Axelrad, J.D., CFRE shares an “8-Step Annual Fundraising Appeal Self-Test” to guide you in producing more effective fundraising appeal writing. Simple practices such as the “you test” and the “Flesh-Kincaid grade level test” can help ensure your letters are getting read and are significantly impacting your readers. https://lnkd.in/e4vPnAxM #fundraising #nonprofits

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Surgeon General Vivek Murthy talks about the need for a "whole-of-society approach" to advancing social connection. We've tried to heed that call in our work at Einhorn Collaborative, supporting a broader range of efforts that engage actors across sectors. That includes: Projects like Team Up to enlist large national civic organizations with a presence in local communities to help people build connection across difference through service. Research groups like Building H to measure the impact of products on consumers’ health and urge companies to do better to improve social connection and other health outcomes. Initiatives like Human Connections AI to bring together social connection experts with technologists to puzzle through how AI companions can be designed to enhance and not degrade human relationships. Another project that has helped us explore a facet of the whole-of-society approach is the Connective Tissue Framework, which puts forward a range of recommendations for how government – especially at the local level – can create the structural conditions and everyday opportunities for people to experience healthy connection. I've learned a lot from Sam Pressler, lead author of Connective Tissue. In this piece, I asked Sam to share more about the story behind the framework and a few highlights. https://lnkd.in/esayJU3b

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From initial concept to finalizing this first phase, the NET ZERO ENERGY CARE Project has been extremely rewarding. This project showcases a path to revolutionizing care homes by transforming them into net-zero-energy facilities. This pioneering initiative, funded by charitable foundations Bodossaki Foundation, John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, and The Hellenic Initiative Canada and spearheaded by the TIMA Charitable Foundation and INZEB, which provided the technical support, exemplifies the intersection of environmental sustainability and improved living conditions for the elderly. --- Project Highlights Include --- ---> Energy Efficiency: Phase One: Upgrading insulation, windows, and HVAC systems to significantly reduce energy consumption (estimated 70% savings). Future Phases: Installing photovoltaic panels to achieve complete energy autonomy. --->Environmental Impact: Major reduction in CO2 emissions. Alignment with EU energy and climate objectives. --->Economic Benefits: Significant cost savings in energy expenses. Reinvestment of savings into enhanced care services. --->Health and Social Benefits: Improved living conditions for residents. Ongoing health impact study to measure benefits. Why this project matters: This project addresses the high energy demands of care homes and sets a precedent for sustainable practices in the care sector. It highlights the potential for similar transformations in other non-profit institutions, promoting financial stability, environmental responsibility, and a better quality of life for vulnerable populations. This potential for widespread change is a cause for optimism and support. To learn more about this groundbreaking initiative click here: https://lnkd.in/dfDWMmv6

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Listening to Patrick MacKenzie, Manjeet Dhiman, Steve Reynolds and Tonie Chaltas discussing the desire to focus on #outcomes, rather than outputs. I absolutely agree, *and* tracking real, long term social outcomes is a lot harder than nonprofits are given credit for, making a lot of outcome data...wrong, or little more than outputs. 1) As a former academic very familiar with #surveyfatigue, in gathering outcome data, we need to recognize misaligned incentives between what is in it for "us" (nonprofits, or funders incl. government) who want this data to create better data driven programs, vs. the incentives for our research subjects (in this case, newcomers). What do/can we offer to incentivise the gathering of qualitative data 6 months, 1 year, 3+ years down the road? A couple good examples were shared: Manjeet Dhiman mentioned the community created at ACCES Employment that clients want to return to that helps people stay involved. Patrick MacKenzie mentioned Immigrant Employment Council of BC's work with employers to understand and align value for their knowledge and hiring practices. Otherwise though, this needs more thought. 2) Then you add in the constraints of low #nonprofitfunding, short project timeframes, and the common pressure to #scale #impact ("what you're doing works? Great, now reach more people!"). The result is a version of the "good, fast, cheap: pick two" adage for social impact: "gather deep longitudinal outcome data (good); scale your impact (big); and stretch your budget (cheap)" For both ourselves and funders, it should be: pick two. All to say, YES we should be focusing on #outcomes, but there needs to be deeper understanding from nonprofits and funders of what it takes to realistically do so. Fortunately, smart minds in #MEL have been tackling this for a while, and I'm excited about the opportunities for tech to help with some (but not all) of the problem. #FutureofSettlementServices The Conference Board of Canada #ImmigrationSummit2024

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Book Launch: Building The Infrastructure For Successful Nonprofit Fundraising https://lnkd.in/g_eFXbpC Tracy Vanderneck, President of Phil-Com debuts her new book on The Nonprofit Show! Building The Infrastructure For Successful Nonprofit Fundraising: 10 Essential Building Blocks For Nonprofit Fundraising takes readers through the structure needed to raise money. Learn from a Nonprofit Thought Leader on how organizations can take a strategic approach to crafting a fundraising model that lasts.

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The Far Side of Fundraising Tip of the Week Transactional fundraising leads to high rates of donor loss. Most organizations lose 4 out of 5 first-time donors. The more rapidly and impersonally we secure support, the more we sub-optimize giving potential and the more rapidly donors depart. High rates of donor attrition, coupled with the continue contraction of giving households, spell long-term disaster for most nonprofits. Don't follow the transactional lemmings as they plunged into the sea. Adopt sustainable practices. You may be in the minority but you will help your organization survive and eventually thrive. This one requires that you closely to see who stands out in adopting sustainable practices.

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🌟 Attending the Council for Advancement and Support of Education 2024 Donor Relations Professionals Conference in Seattle? Don't miss out! Today at 3:00 PM PST, FundMiner's CEO, Chelsea Lamego, will share "5 Effective Fund Management Principles" essential for building a stronger donor pyramid and achieving your institutional goals. 🕒 Discover the critical principles of fund management that empower your organization to enhance donor satisfaction, ascend your donor pyramid, and achieve your institutional goals. 🧩 🔍 Session: "Build a Stronger Donor Pyramid with 5 Effective Fund Management Principles." 📍Don't miss out on gaining valuable insights that will transform your approach to donor relations and stewardship.! #FundManagement #DonorRelations #CASEConference2024 #FundMiner

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This critical report begins with a solid example of the bias neurodivergent folks face in the neuro-typical career funnel. We have to study AI and ND to innovate in favor of NeuroX: "For example, many jobs use automated employment decision tools as part of their hiring process. These can include resume screeners and video interview tools that use algorithms to analyze things like vocal cadence or eye movements. These tools can unfairly screen disabled applicants from jobs by, for example, flagging the unusual eye movement of a blind or low-vision individual and removing them from the applicant pool as a result. " **Or someone who avoids eye contact**. #neuroxnj

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Over-reliance on major donors has led to a decline in overall donor numbers and newly retained donors, causing a significant drop in total donations. By improving donor acquisition and making new supporters feel connected and valued, nonprofits can stabilize and increase their funding, ensuring long-term success and impact. Implementing community-building tactics, empathetic engagement, and personalized thank-yous can effectively boost donor acquisition and retention. #DonorRetention #NonProfit #Fundraising

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Want an avalanche of new donors eager to give generously and support your cause year after year? The NextAfter Institute could be the single most important investment you ever make. Here’s why: Most fundraising advice is recycled fluff. Headlines without action. At NextAfter, our mission is simple: 𝐓𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞. And the NextAfter Institute is how we put that mission into action for our members! Our courses contain everything we've learned from over ten years of original fundraising research and more than 6,500 digital fundraising A/B tests...🧪 Presented in clear, detailed lessons, packed with data-driven learnings, real-world examples, and step-by-step walkthroughs with one objective: To help you invigorate and innovate your fundraising so that you can do more good and make your biggest impact yet. It’s free for 30 days: https://lnkd.in/dWd69sY9 #NonProfit #OnlineFundraising #NextAfter #NextAfterInstitute

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Adding urgency to fundraising appeals is easy in times of great need during events like natural disasters, crises, and other emergencies. However, it is not always easy to create a sense of urgency in your fundraising appeals and convince your audiences that your organization needs their support now rather than later. This Donorbox blog post shares tips on developing your appeals to create a sense of urgency that helps you quickly meet your nonprofit’s fundraising goals. https://lnkd.in/eXuE3prz #fundraising #nonprofits

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Transforming the way social sector data flows: Learn how nonprofit data repositories can reduce repetitive stress injuries for nonprofits and improve grantmaking activities. Discover how data providers, nonprofits, and funders can collaborate to collect only what is needed, protect nonprofits' rights to their data, and support trust-based philanthropy. Join the conversation with experts from #PEAK2024, PEAK Grantmaking, Impact Genome Registry™, Roots & Wings Foundation, Candid, and Charity Navigator. https://lnkd.in/eB-Ee-RW

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How Loyal, Loving Insiders Can Hold Back Your Fundraising They are often found on our governing boards and foundation boards. They are true blue, dyed-in-the-wool loyalists. They love the place, are of the place and assume other donors will follow suit. They won't. They give without restriction and think others will as well if presented with the right facts. They won't. They don't question and assume others won't. They're wrong. They see annual giving totals holding steady or steadily inching up and assume all is well. It isn't. They aren't aware of persistent donor loss and rising rates of donor attrition. They don't think the souffle of greater giving expectations will ever fall. It will. The slamming oven door or new realities will cause it to fall. They love the traditional events and assume they have enduring appeal. They don't. They're happy to follow the same old campaign formula. They reason if it worked well once, it will continue to do so. It won't. When you try to tell them that some of the old ways aren't working so well anymore, they think it can be corrected with greater effort or better communication. It can't. They resist change because they don't want the place they love to change. But it must, at least in some ways. They are lovely souls, even ideal donors but their breed is thinning out with every passing year. You have it take it slow with them. You have to show them what will be preserved and what needs to change and why. But you have to persist even when they resist because accommodating them will leave the place ever more vulnerable to unrelenting change. New donors and younger generations will not see themselves in the place. You may even have to leave some of them behind. That will be hard and heartbreaking. Yes, there are places that persist even as they perfectly preserve the past. They are called museums. A purpose driven organization must preserve only the parts of the past that are relevant to the present and that will lead to a future of greater service and greater impact. It isn't easy but leadership rarely is.

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For nonprofits operating with limited budgets - like 92% today operating under $1 million, fiscal sponsorship provides a cost-effective avenue to engage in international philanthropy without the expense of establishing a separate legal entity. And I'm not surprised that this is becoming a trend. This rapid start-up capability is vital in responding to global needs and funding opportunities. Nonprofits can leverage sponsorship to test new initiatives or scale existing programs without committing long-term resources or risking financial stability. Sponsors handle the complex regulatory and compliance issues while aiding nonprofits in learning best practices abroad, freeing organizations to focus on the mission at hand - rather than red tape. The next generation of nonprofits must empower themselves to expand their reach using the tools at hand. #Fundraising #Nonprofit #ROI #Finance #Leadership

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📢 A call to action for philanthropy: "We don't need you pretending that you don't have the power that you have." -Maurice Mitchell of Working Families Party at this year's Northern California Grantmakers annual conference. 💡 The theme of this year's conference was Imagine and Act. I had the opportunity to learn from some of the most powerful speakers I've ever heard, alongside colleagues from Tides and hundreds of other practitioners in philanthropy. My biggest takeaway is that if we want to truly shift power in the field, we need to come to terms with the fact that the billions of dollars harbored in philanthropy are not ours to control. It is impossible to amass that much wealth without extraction; therefore, we must see it as our duty to return assets to the communities to whom they have always belonged. Doing so requires us to shift our mindsets and our practices. Luckily, there are resources like Movement Generation Justice and Ecology Project's Just Transition framework to help us along the way.

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