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A recent experience made me think about how different generations understand consultants. Thanks to Professor Michael Davidson at the Milano Graduate School of Management and Urban Policy at The New School University, I had the chance to address a group of future nonprofit leaders in a classroom setting.
In meeting with the students, I realized that the current generation of nonprofit leaders is the first to truly familiarize itself with the function and role of external consultants. Because nonprofit consulting is relatively new, many people in my generation are still uncertain about how and when they should seek outside help. Thus, many nonprofit executives are slow to use consultants to enhance their operations.
The next generation has little such hesitancy. The nonprofit world is professionalizing at a rapid pace. Young leaders entering the field have often benefited from a transfer of skills that was non-existent twenty years ago. Moreover, they are applying lessons from the business world to create stronger nonprofits.
A savvy understanding of the consulting field is one strength they bring. The students I spoke with asked sophisticated questions about nonprofit consulting, and quickly honed in on four key points:
-- Consulting must first be about listening deeply to what the client is asking for. A good consultant works carefully with the client not only to identify areas of need, but also to find places where the organization is ready to receive help. Each side must be ready to build a relationship.
-- Consultants should produce results. This means a concrete outcome, not just a report.
-- The goal of engaging a consultant is not to solve all your problems. You should be skeptical of anyone who tries that! The goal is to move your organization to a better set of problems than you had before.
-- The fact that a consultant is coming in from the outside is usually an advantage, allowing you to gain a new perspective on your dilemmas. Because the consultant is not burdened with the pressures and stress of managing everyday operations, he or she can often provide fresh insights into problems faced by your organization.
To further aid in transferring skills to the next generation, LAPA is preparing to publish a review in 2005 of the lessons we have learned in our ten years of working with emerging nonprofits. In the meantime, I invite you to read about LAPA's Pyramid of Giving and about our ideas for keeping your board on message--items featured in this edition of LAPA News & Views.
Laurence A. Pagnoni, MA, MPA
lapagnoni@lp-associates.com
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| 2005
is LAPA's Tenth Anniversary--It remains our privilege to help you
make a positive difference in your communities! |
by Mark Engler, LAPA Development Associate
Development takes time--that's why it is called "development." It requires a process of steps that build on one another. For example, a strong annual giving program usually must be in place before an organization can launch higher-level planned giving and capital campaigns.
To show the step-by-step sequence of fundraising, LAPA designed the Pyramid of Giving (available at http://www.lp-associates.com/overviewdev.htm). Recently, the Association of Professional Researchers for Development (APRA) used LAPA's pyramid for a symposium. We appreciate the recognition, but more than that, we are interested in sharing this understanding of development work.
At the base of the pyramid is annual giving, which comes as a result of direct mail, special events, and other appeals. To reach higher levels of contribution and to foster repeat giving, donors must be "cultivated" through personal contact that increases their interest in and connection to your mission. Many organizations are not willing to invest in building this level of personal interaction with their donors because they think it is too time-consuming or because they do not know which individuals to target. They rely instead on routine direct mail and foundation grants. This approach may prevent them from building a sustainable fundraising base in the long run.
We hope to use the Pyramid of Giving to start a conversation with you about your long-term development goals. Please contact Laurence at 212/932-8001 (ext. 1) to explore how LAPA can help you build a solid foundation for future giving.
Q. Dear LAPA,
My board of directors is doing a great job approaching friends and colleagues for donations. The problem is that they are all telling a slightly different version of our history and mission. I would like everyone to convey the same message. What should I do?
- Nancy S.
A. LAPA Associate Raissa Smorol responds:
Dear Nancy,
It is great to hear that you are thinking about a unified message for your organization. For many emerging nonprofits that do not yet have a budget for marketing, word of mouth is the most powerful tool available to attract public attention and donations.
The first step in building strong organizational communications is to review your mission, vision, and values statements. These form the backbone of any message you wish to convey. LAPA often works with clients to write statements that capture the true purpose and culture of their organizations.
If you are confident in your statements, we suggest that you review them with your board. One idea is to distribute and read aloud the statements at the start of your next board meeting. This should help refocus the directors on your mission and get the group message back on track. Another idea is to write a script of questions and answers for board members to use as talking points when they approach potential donors. This should include answers to frequently asked questions about your organization and should highlight the information you most want to convey.
Good luck!
Raissa
DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR LAPA? Please e-mail your queries to lapagnoni@lp-associates.com
with the subject "Ask LAPA." Our team will answer as many of your questions
as possible in future newsletters.
Enid Harlow, MA: eharlow@lp-associates.com
Melissa Shurkin, MMHS: mshurkin@lp-associates.com
Bodi Luse, MS: bluse@lp-associates.com
Raissa Smorol, MPA: rsmorol@lp-associates.com
Mark Engler, BA: mengler@lp-associates.com
Dwayne Sampson, BA: dsampson@lp-associates.com
Elsa Ríos, MSW: elsarios7@aol.com
Julia Ritchie, CSW: ritchieinc@aol.com
Jenk Kurt, BS: jkurt@lp-associates.com
Dominic Chipolone, MS: dchipolone@lp-associates.com
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