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May 09

Social media: your key to talent

By Sponsor Insight

By Jeremy York, human resources field representative, Synergy PEO services

It is almost impossible to escape the influences of social media in our everyday lives. From Facebook posts, to Instagram photos, to Twitter’s tweets, we are receiving information 24-hours a day. While much of this information relates to individuals’ personal lives, some of it is business-focused reminding you of company news and events, industry trends and best practices.

But, have you ever stopped to consider how social media may benefit your organization or even you as a manager?

The reality is that social media can be your key to identifying and recruiting top talent for your organization. According to a 2016 survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 84 percent of organizations use social media for recruiting. This statistic is up almost 30 percent from 2011.

These organizations utilize sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter to reach both active and passive candidates by promoting their unique company culture and job opportunities, ultimately enticing candidates to view their jobs. Because of the wireless and “connected” world we live in, organizations have to use the most appropriate methods and means to engage talent. Given that nearly two-thirds of Americans are active on social media, this media makes the most sense.

So how effective is social media when it comes to recruiting top talent?

The answer is, it is very effective. Jobvite, a U.S. recruiting technology company, recently launched results from its new social recruiting survey indicating that 70 percent of the active workforce credits social media for their jobs. The survey also reports that 73 percent of recruiters/hiring managers have successfully hired candidates through social media outlets. Additionally, 43 percent of job seekers use their mobile device to engage in job-searching activity. This data indicates that social media plays a key role in discovering talent.

So next time your organization has an open job and is looking for its next star employee, don’t forget about how social media can be your key to talent!

JeremyYork Jeremy York, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, is a Human Resources Field Representative for Synergy PEO Services. He provides strategic and generalist HR support to local nonprofit organization leaders and their staffs. York has over 15 years of human resources experience working as a consultant, director of human resources, and generalist, in the insurance, healthcare, nonprofit, PEO, and other industries.

Apr 25

Six questions to find happiness in your job

By Sponsor Insight

By Stefanie Krievins, coach and founder, The Heart Projects

An expert in leadership development and human behavior, Marshall Goldsmith says we simultaneously need happiness and meaningfulness in our lives in order to be fulfilled.

As nonprofit staff and volunteers, we often have jobs that are meaningful or at least contribute to a worthwhile mission. Happiness requires us to have courage in order to get our own needs met. While we’re busy serving others’ needs, we often put our own happiness at the bottom of our priorities list or allow others’ expectations to define it.

The secret is that only we can define happiness and meaningfulness for ourselves.

In Indiana, according to the most recent figures from Indiana University, our charitable sector is employing nearly 350,000 people, accounting for almost 10 percent of the Hoosier workforce. This is a large number of people working to help and find meaning through some of the most important work in our state.

It would seem that most of us dive into this work wholeheartedly and with noble intention. In fact, when I speak with nonprofit staff and volunteers, and those who want to be in our sector, they consistently say one of three things: “I want to make a difference. I want to leave a legacy. I want to help people.”

Over time, however, we allow work and volunteering to take up too much of our time. We allow others to trample over our boundaries; we trample all over our own boundaries: checking email at 11 p.m., working on Saturday and/or Sunday; routinely working 50 hours a week because we’re saying, “Yes,” to too many projects. While the work is still meaningful, we don’t leave enough time for happiness, and the stress overtakes much of lives.

Learn to say, “Yes,” to yourself.

This very desire to help leaves us putting our own happiness at the bottom of the priority list. Once someone is reaching out for support through coaching, mentoring, or even therapy, they are usually battling one or both of these emotions:

  • Guilt: We feel as if we have betrayed ourselves and those we serve because we’re not bringing our best selves to work. We feel guilty for not loving the work anymore.
  • Blame: We tell ourselves that our bosses, organizations, strategic plan, client, (any external factor) are the cause of stress and unhappiness.

Neither of these are helpful. It is your career and your life, so it must be your responsibility to find your definition of happiness and meaning. No one else can do this work for you. Paradoxically, by finding work that brings you meaning and happiness, you are allowing others to do the same.

As a way to become very clear on what brings meaningfulness and happiness to your career, take a few moments to honestly answer these questions:

  • What are the specific parts of my job that I love?
  • What are the specific parts of my job where I feel overwhelmed and stressed?
  • What is meaningful work? Describe, in detail, ideal work and a mission that you could contribute to.
  • If I could change my job in any way, what would I change?
  • Based on my job now, what changes will I ask for?
  • What’s really stopping me from asking for these changes or making changes myself at my current job?

Those we serve — our clients, members, patients, colleagues, ultimately, the mission — deserve to see you fulfilled and happy. That’s when you’ll complete your best work, have focus and clarity, and make the difference you’re seeking to make.

For another way to think about finding happiness and meaning, read a recent post written by me called, “How to make a difference,” and ask yourself, “What is the work that is mine to do?”

stefanie Stefanie Krievins is the founder and coach for The Heart Projects. Through her website, stefaniekrievins.com, Krievins delivers free resources. She also offers personal leadership development programs and coaching for nonprofit staff, volunteers, social entrepreneurs, and all those who want to connect with work that matters. She has a master’s degree in nonprofit management from SPEA at Indiana University, completed credentialed coaching training from Erickson International, and has more than a decade of employment and volunteering in the charitable sector in Indiana and nationwide.

Apr 18

A proving ground for board service

By Feature, Governance

By Lynn Sygiel, editor, Charitable Advisors

When Forbes magazine published its list of 20 Best Cities For Young Professionals last month, Indianapolis was No. 10.

But Jesamyn Sparks, Shae LeDune and Trevor Bruner would take the description one step further: Indy has a vibrant young professional network. And the three have had a hand in creating it.

Bruner is co-president of the executive committee of Agave, the Eiteljorg Museum’s young professional group. LeDune is an executive committee member. Sparks is president of the Ronald McDonald House’s Young Professional Board, and has assumed other leadership responsibilities during her five years as a volunteer.

While young professional boards are a relatively recent phenomenon, nationally, nonprofits have begun to find opportunities to capture the attention of the 21-to-40-age group.

“I think that nonprofits are really recognizing the value of tapping into a slightly different demographic than traditional boards. It’s really about thinking ahead and keeping the boards fresh,” said Sparks. “It’s great to see organizations around town that are embracing that strategy to start cultivating those board members earlier.”

Sparks credits the Ronald McDonald House with having the foresight to recognize this untapped resource seven years ago. Agave got its start 10 years ago.

LeDune said that educating her age group about Central Indiana nonprofits is key to the organizations’ future. Her former boss, Tom Hoback, who was an Eiteljorg board member, recruited her. Initially, he relied on her for advice about how to get younger people in the museum’s door, but then he realized she would be a great fit for the auxiliary.

LeDune is not alone in her volunteer service. Agave has six people on its executive committee and the Ronald McDonald House engages a 12-member leadership board and 10 additional committee members in volunteer activities.

Other nonprofits, like Goodwill and the Children’s Bureau, have created similar groups, Sparks said. BoardSource, a national organization working to strengthen nonprofit board leadership, has challenged boards to reflect the constituency they serve. Sparks said that has never been an issue at the Ronald McDonald House because typically, individuals come to serve because they have a personal connection.

“That direct experience is a really powerful thing, and I believe that it’s critical for the health and success of an organization to keep everybody focused,” said Sparks. “The mission of what the Young Professionals are trying to do is to support the mission of the House.”

The House has two-year board terms. Agave is less formal and has an organic transition for its leadership. Both boards have bylaws. As presidents, Bruner and Sparks attend their organizations’ board meetings, but leave when the board is in executive session and do not cast votes.

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Ronald McDonald House

Eiteljorg

Indianapolis’s young professional groups

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“So we kind of get an inside look. We get to sit in and see what the museum has planned, and get updates as the year goes along about how those initiatives are going. We can bring that to our board to make sure that whatever we’re doing is in line with what (the museum) needs, so we can complement what they have going on,” said Bruner.

Communication between the young professionals and the nonprofits is supported by staff liaisons who attend all their meetings, take notes and answer questions.

Agave executive committee members must attend their group’s meetings, volunteer for the museum at least five hours annually and be a museum ambassador. They are responsible for setting the strategic direction for their group, plan events, secure sponsors and recruit museum members from their age group. There is not a personal contribution expectation, other than an annual $30 membership fee.

The Ronald McDonald House’s group functions much like a board. There is an expected $50 annual minimum contribution.

“Although when you add in other events, fundraising that’s happening here at the House and campaigns, certainly our board and leadership committee members do tend to give more than just the expected amount. It is certainly not required, but people get excited about the mission of the House, and they connect with the stories,” said Sparks.

Both groups regularly champion the work of their parent organizations to young professionals, using informal informational sessions and the city’s organized professional networks. They are also able to share their groups’ missions at a young professionals’ roundtable group.

But both groups believe the key to involving their generation is getting them through the door.

“We like to invite new members to participate in the quarterly dinners we host for families by bringing a food item, serving families and talking with families. Just physically being in the House is important. To me it is a real hopeful place, and I think sometimes for someone who hasn’t really spent a lot of time there, it can be a surprise. I was surprised when I first started volunteering here years ago,” said Sparks.

One of Agave’s primary activities is recruiting museum members from their age group. Typically, there are 50 to 75 members annually. Bruner, with his co-president Brian Cusimano, added a personal commitment to secure at least five new members unique to their networks.

There is a $30 fee, which includes access to the museum and Agave’s social events.

“Agave tries to educate and engage young professionals in the world of contemporary, Western and Native American art to develop the next generation of Eiteljorg visitors and leadership. I think if we can get new people through the door, then they are going to see the world of the Eiteljorg. There is amazing art and so much more that I think people just don’t realize,” said LeDune.

The Ronald McDonald House’s board plans three fundraising events each year — a trivia night, a bingo event and a Colts viewing party — with all of those funds going directly back to the House. Sparks said she’s proudest of the game room that the group helped fundraise for.

“We’re always available to help whenever the House needs us. And I like to think that we’ve helped to grow that segment of the donor base that maybe previously just scratched the surface,” said Sparks.

Agave offers networking social events in conjunction with new exhibits and scavenger hunts to learn more about the museum. When the museum had the guitars exhibit a few years back, the group did a summer event called Jorgstock with bands and food. This year, they are making changes to keep it fresh.

Both groups are excited about the opportunities to learn from current nonprofit board members.

Agave is actually formalizing its approach and putting a mentorship program in place, pairing each Agave executive committee member with a museum board member.

“I think it’s priceless. There are so many people on the board who have done so much with the museum, but outside that are just successful people. To have a mentor like that, I think is going to be great. I think it will be a big time value proposition for Agave folks. They get direct access to community leaders, and they get to see exactly what goes into board member service,” said Bruner.

The three think there is an opportunity to learn more about governance, how nonprofits function and the ethical responsibilities of board members.

Bruner offers advice for young professionals thinking about service.

“If you are interested in getting involved, I say ‘Dive in.’ If I had to say anything, it would be, ‘Go for it,”’ he said.

Apr 11

A new approach to finding a business partner

By Sponsor Insight

A new approach to finding a business partner

By Paul Ashley, managing director, FirstPerson

The request for proposal, or RFP, is important and for some industries a requirement.

When done thoughtfully, this selection process can be a great experience that leads to meaningful partnerships that endure. It can be an effective question set to learn more about a company; however, it often stops at just that.

I’ve been on the winning and losing side of this process, and as I reflect on how great partnerships are built, even the ones when FirstPerson was not chosen, I see an important theme emerging. When you treat the RFP process like the process you use when hiring talent, great outcomes happen.

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Apr 11

The risks — and rewards — of reinventing signature events

By Feature

By Susan J. Ragusa, contributing columnist, Inside Philanthropy

There’s a great Bette Davis quote that goes something like, “Old age ain’t no place for sissies.” It puts me in mind of the recently departed month and the image of decrepit Father Time ambling out of the year. Certainly for nonprofits that depend on a year-end fundraising blitz, December has never been for the faint of heart. Nor, for that matter, is January, when the donation tally is complete.

That high-stakes setting informs the success story I have to share. Last year, I was part of a daring December initiative. A nonprofit organization of which I’m a board member, Astor Services for Children and Families, took a popular free event and, for the first time, required a contribution to attend. That’s practically the definition of risk-taking for nonprofits. Yet, the outcome was an event that generated positive buzz and raised a significant amount of money — in fact, more than other signature events in recent years. How it was accomplished may be of value to others — at any time of the year.

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Apr 11

Revamped Relay for Life

By Feature, Fundraising

By Bruce Barton, staff writer, Los Altos Town Crier

The annual Los Altos Relay For Life fundraiser for the American Cancer Society started with a bang in 2004, with hundreds participating and hundreds of thousands of dollars raised.

But the 24-hour event lost steam after a few years as participants and organizers grew weary of the massive effort and time commitment required. Organizers realized that major changes were needed to keep the event afloat.

Enter Relay 2.0, a revamped event scheduled June 12 at Hillview Park that completely changes the format while keeping the Relay’s overall purpose intact. Instead of a 24-hour marathon, this year’s affair runs 4-9 p.m. Instead of multiple laps, 2.0 will feature a single 2.5-mile lap along streets surrounding the park. Other new elements include a flamingo decoration contest, picnic site judging and a relay, with runners passing a torch. The luminaria – candle-filled bags with memorial messages lining the track – have been replaced by “messages of hope,” in which participants can attach artwork and notes to a decorated chain-link fence.

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Apr 11

Chicago Charity Challenge: reinventing corporate giving

By Feature, Fundraising

By Stacey Rago, executive director, Chicago Charity Challenge

People want to work for and do business with companies that give to charities, whether in volunteer hours or financial contributions. As a result, corporations are increasingly seeking ways to show a tangible impact of their giving by going beyond the “one-and-done” form of charity events held within their business. Last year, 23 Chicago-area firms found a fun, engaging and motivating solution to keeping employees focused on their favorite cause or charity, while making a significant contribution to the communities they serve.

Last year, more than 4,500 employees from 23 businesses competed in the Chicago Charity Challenge, a unique corporate giving contest designed to motivate participants to fundraise and volunteer. Affectionately dubbed “the Cha Cha,” the Chicago Charity Challenge is the only corporate giving initiative that harnesses the competitive spirit to maximize employee engagement. The challenge serves companies interested in developing more meaningful and ongoing relationships with their select charities.

Corporate employees who joined the 2015 competition logged over 46,000 volunteer hours and raised more than $14 million for Chicago-area charities.

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Mar 29

Advice from an award-winning fundraiser

By Sponsor Insight

By Patrick M. Rooney, associate dean |

Barbara Coury didn’t get into fundraising for accolades, but she’s receiving them anyway.

American Red Cross President Gail McGovern recently presented the national organization’s Presidential Award for Excellence — the highest honor a Red Cross employee or unit can receive — to Coury, chief development officer for the Indiana Region, and her development team.

It’s a well-deserved award. During the past fiscal year, Indiana was third in the nation in total dollars raised against its goal, exceeding the target by 124 percent.

What’s the key to their success?

“The Red Cross has increased its emphasis on reaching out to major donors in addition to the vital support we receive from smaller gifts,” Coury says. “In Indiana, we focus on engaging with individual donors and self-accountability. Each fundraiser reports weekly on several key metrics, including the number of visits with donors.”

Those visits are paramount.

“Fundraising is about the donor, what they value, what they want to accomplish, and where that overlaps with the organization’s mission and values,” she says.

Which is why a fundraising career intrigued Coury in the first place. Originally a research scientist, she found that socially isolating. A friend’s role as a major gift officer at Purdue University appealed to her.

“To go out and interact, tell people about your organization and engage them — I thought that was important,” says Coury.

She became a development officer at Purdue’s Krannert School of Management and came credentialed as a Certified Fund Raising Executive. Following development leadership roles for St. Richard’s School and the Community Health Network Foundation, she joined the Red Cross in 2012.

“I love the Red Cross and its mission. We have services for the military, blood donation, volunteer opportunities, training and more. There’s something for everybody. And the staff and the volunteers care so much. They just want to help someone on their worst day, to make it better.”

What works

Coury shares some of the wisdom garnered during her career:

  • Focus on visits. Get out of your office and see people.
  • Educate donors about your mission and your work. People know the Red Cross for major natural disaster relief, but don’t realize it responds to three home fires in Central Indiana every day.
  • Engage your board in fundraising and help them succeed. This extends your reach and you need their circles of influence. That’s where the magic happens. Executives complain that their boards don’t fundraise, but nonprofits often don’t equip them. Staff them and specify what you need them to do. Provide an elevator speech, tell them whom to call, trust them and hold them accountable. When they succeed, they will feel great about it.
  • Celebrate successes. It’s rewarding and it builds confidence.

Coury encourages fellow nonprofit professionals to continue learning, as she has. She earned her Master of Arts in Philanthropic Studies degree through the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy’s Executive M.A. program and a Certificate in Fund Raising Management from The Fund Raising School there.

“The executive program’s liberal arts approach to understanding the philanthropic sector is invaluable.

“It gives you not just the skills to help, but an understanding of how and why to help, and it provides the most academically rigorous education,” says Coury. “The people I’ve referred to the program have found it changes the way they think and their life goals.”

patrick-rooneyPatrick M. Rooney, Ph.D., is associate dean for academic affairs and research at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IUPUI.

[content_box box_type=”normal”]Thinking about continuing your education? Learn more about the Executive Master’s Degree in Philanthropic Studies and check out professional development opportunities offered by The Fund Raising School.[/content_box]
Mar 28

Communicating data to drive change

By Feature, Leadership

By Patrick McCarthy, president and CEO, and Lisa Hamilton, vice president of external affairs, Annie E. Casey Foundation |

Kids can’t vote. They can’t buy ads on television. They can’t form a political action committee to get what they need. They can’t speak up for themselves, and as a result they often disappear from the crowded list of political priorities competing for attention. To combat this invisibility, the Annie E. Casey Foundation has been building a project known as KIDS COUNT for more than a quarter century.

KIDS COUNT began in 1990 as a single product: a national data book comparing 10 indicators on children (including infant mortality, education expenditures, and the teenage employment rate) across the United States. The theory behind the book was that if we created an accurate, comprehensive picture of what children need, change would follow. With its ranking of outcomes by state, the foundation hoped to draw attention from the media, as well as from local, state, and national policymakers, by capitalizing on the human impulse to compete.

Learn how the Annie E. Casey Foundation has leveraged the power of information and communication to drive public investment in children and their families.

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Mar 28

From project to platform: the evolution of KIDS COUNT

By Feature, Leadership

By the Annie E. Casey Foundation |

This report tells the story of how a single data book documenting child well-being measures turned into a mission-critical vehicle for the Foundation in building bipartisan support for proven practice solutions and policy change. The report includes data and research insights that the Foundation gained from decades of investing in a program that turned into a keystone for shaping and amplifying policy on a broad scale.

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