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Sponsor Insight

Nov 08

Delegation vs. micromanagement: It’s a delicate balance

By Sponsor Insight

by Jan Frazier, Planning Plus, LLC

As much as I hate to admit it, I have often been accused of being a micro-manager, something all consultants preach is a big no-no. But as with anything, there certainly is a time and place for this style.

Delegation is revered as a managerial approach to empowering employees, improving efficiency in day-to-day operations, and is considered a “best practice.” The Rules of Delegation dictate that this approach only works if the “delegatee” has the knowledge, skills and experience to get the job done. And we do want to assume our employees have those requisites or they wouldn’t be there (right?). But an employee’s view of the outcome — what the end result should look like, both in style and substance — may be very different than that of the delegator. It’s not a question of skills; it’s a question of definition. And if a common definition of what a completed project looks like is not created, it will be hard to fix on the back end.

Managing for a successful outcome

What are your expectations for the work — as to both what and how? If you have a checklist in mind of how the work will be completed, it’s imperative you share that checklist. Otherwise, both parties could be in for a huge disappointment. Providing this picture of expectations is often called out as micro-managing but that is not always the case. Company culture can have a key aspect.

It may be OK in your organization that as long as the project gets done, we’re happy. But it may be that your culture dictates that projects are completed ahead of the final due date so that there is ample time to review, make edits, and ensure that all I’s are dotted and T’s are crossed prior to final completion.

In this Covid culture when a significant amount of time is spent off-site and not in the same room, e.g. Zoom, group emails, multiple texts, etc., at the end of the discussion have you specifically agreed who is going to do what and by when? And when will everyone follow up? When these pieces are missed, someone needs to step in and ask those questions. This may be considered micromanaging to some but thank goodness someone is stepping up to fill in these blanks.

A culture of performance-based management can go a long way to avoid these types of delegation vs. micromanagement conflicts.

Ensuring that all employees clearly understand what must be done, the expectations of performance (both what and how), and how their work will be evaluated is the first step in a performance-based management culture.

Too often, we are all moving so fast that we make a number of assumptions about how much employees understand what we want and our level of expectations. But that is a dangerous assumption to make.

In those cases, you may find yourself inevitably becoming the dreaded micromanager.

Oct 25

Is now the time?: Revisiting your vision, mission and values

By Sponsor Insight

by Kate Brierty, consultant, Hedges

Rapid change has been relentless. Over the past 18 months, many organizations have been forced to make tough decisions about how to continue their work with limited resources and difficult contexts. Others have swiftly and significantly expanded programs and staff to meet a growing demand for their services. The ability to make split-second decisions and fast adaptations has been essential for every nonprofit organization to survive.

As we begin to consider how to reliably deliver meaningful impact in our new context, many organizations have carved out space to reflect on what’s new, what’s next and how to move forward in a sustainable way. Now more than ever, we are hearing that strategic planning has been challenging as organizations have found increased misalignment between their stated mission, what they do currently, and what future actions the changes in their communities call for. After factoring in the desires of a community, funders and a team, it can feel like an organization is left trying to be everything to everyone.

If this frustration or misalignment feels familiar, your organization might benefit from pressing pause on strategic planning until you can revisit and realign what’s most core to your organization: your vision, mission and values. It can sometimes be difficult to tell when this reflection process is needed, but the five questions below can help you determine if investing the time on vision, mission and value work now might help you avoid frustration, build alignment, and create a stronger plan for your organization’s future.

  1. Does your organization need to define its vision, mission and values?

This might seem obvious, but you’ll first want to consider if your organization has taken the time to clearly write out its vision, mission and values. You might use different terms to describe this work (like calling it an organization’s purpose or commitment); regardless it is important for these core pieces to be internalized and aligned across the organization.

Before this alignment can occur, Board and executive leadership need to start by ensuring the organization’s vision, mission and values exist and are current, by asking: Is there a document where these pieces have been defined? Do internal and external audiences know where and how to find these definitions?

Although the format of the content might look different for each organization, these documents should contain formal, scripted answers to a few simple questions:
Vision- If your organization were successful, what would the new reality look like for your community?

Mission- What role does your organization play in helping create that new reality?

Values- What beliefs and principles are central to how you do your work and operate in the community?

Stakeholders look for and expect vision, mission and values to be spelled out publicly, and you don’t want to leave those stakeholders wondering why the organization is not being transparent about its purpose. Without having all three foundational pieces clearly outlined, internal and external stakeholders can also be forced to create their own definitions that may or may not align with the organization’s actual strategic direction. Formalizing these definitions before beginning any planning ensures that teams can ask clarifying questions and build understanding of these core facts about the organization before jumping into planning from them.

  1. Is there significant misalignment or disagreement within your team?

Having your vision, mission and values defined and known is essential, but it is often not enough to create the clarity your team needs to utilize these tools in planning. With many of our nonprofit partners we have found that when there is significant frustration on a team during a planning process, it is coming from each member of the team fighting for what they personally believe must be prioritized based on their own interpretation of the organization’s foundational pieces.

Sometimes when we feel that tension at the start of a planning process, we’ll hear folks say things like: “Remember that we’re all here for the same mission!” And that might be technically true. However, each team member’s view of that mission is shaped by their own experiences and interpretations. Creating intentional space to help the organization discuss and align on these core components can allow your entire team to create a shared understanding of how you would define these pieces in your organization’s context. We have seen defining values to be a particularly impactful exercise to create alignment with staff and board teams, as the full organization works together to craft a definition for each value that is relevant and meaningful to the team’s current work.

Even with shared understanding, there might still be significant misalignment or disagreement about the organization’s future. However, building the team’s capacity to utilize this common language and shared commitments in the planning process can help you productively move through disagreement towards stronger results for the organization and less frustration for everyone involved in the process.

  1. Does your organization no longer effectively utilize your vision, mission and values?

Vision, mission and values define what is core to your organization. They are the foundation for everything you do. That means they should be a part of every planning or evaluation conversation in the organization.

These foundational pieces of the organization should be a large piece of comprehensive planning processes, and they should serve as guideposts when making decisions around budget, staffing, development, or program evaluation. For example:

When you are considering applying for a new grant opportunity, do you revisit your mission and check that the expanded programming falls within the work you’ve committed to do?

When your Board is creating their personal fundraising messages, do you share tools to help them stay vision-focused?

When you are creating your staff performance evaluation systems, is there a portion focused on how their work aligns with the organization’s values?

If your team doesn’t incorporate your vision, mission and values into planning or your current definitions no longer feel like valid tools that can be used in decision making, then it might be time to re-visit these foundational pieces with your team. Building comfort with applying these core components of the organization to everyday work can help your team see and connect with vision, mission and values in a more substantial way.

  1. Have your organization’s programs or services shifted significantly?

If the pandemic has caused your organization to drastically shift what you do to serve your community, you are far from alone. In BKD’s State of the Nonprofit Sector- 2021 Annual Report, of the over 300 nonprofit organization respondents:

  • 89% said they had altered their delivery of programs and services in 2020.
  • 63.7% said they were likely to maintain their current programs and services and add some new.
  • 29.3% said they were likely to eliminate some current programs and services but not add any new.

While some of these program shifts might be meeting a temporary need, many organizations have also been including conversations about how to incorporate some of these updates into their long-term plans. For example, we are seeing some organizations consider shifting their geographic reach to grow to a statewide impact with more virtual services offered, while others are looking to hone their focus on more deeply impacting a specific community.

Before considering the sustainability of any enhanced, expanded, or shifted services, it can be helpful to step back and evaluate what fits with the organization’s current mission. If there is misalignment between proposed services and the current mission, then the organization can have a frank conversation to decide if that mission or the menu of services needs to be adapted.

  1. Have the needs of your community shifted significantly?

A strong vision is based in the context of the community that a nonprofit engages. That community has likely gone through some meaningful change since your organization’s founders crafted the original vision and mission for your work. Moreover, that community has likely changed drastically in the last 18 months as individuals adjust and adapt to the new context in which we all live.

Drastic changes, like those brought about by the pandemic, can be good reminders that every organization needs to be consistently assessing the needs of their community. We have partnered with organizations that have gathered this feedback effectively through a large formal landscape analysis and through intimate feedback conversations with their closest partners and those utilizing their programs and services. It does not need to be a complicated process, but it does need to work for your team or else collecting this data can easily become a low priority that gets pushed to the back burner. No matter how it’s collected, frequent community feedback can alert you to even gradual changes in the landscape and help you identify when it’s time to revisit your vision, mission and values to check their relevance and remain responsive to your community.

If you answered “yes” to any of the five questions above it does not mean you are experiencing an identity crisis or that you are facing major change as an organization. It does mean that taking time to intentionally revisit your organization’s vision, mission and values could be a meaningful experience for your team in this moment.

Your organization’s level of need should determine the depth of engagement your team needs in this work right now. You could make this a formal process tied to larger landscape analysis or long-term strategic planning, or it could be a limited internal conversation to help everyone get on the same page before jumping into the coming year.

No matter how you approach it, being open to this important conversation shows internal and external stakeholders your organization is responsive to the changing needs of your community and ready and willing to take on what’s next.

Kate Brierty is passionate about asking the right questions to help individuals and groups have conversations and make decisions that will create real impact for the people they serve. In all her work as a consultant at Hedges, she is focused on pursuing meaningful results while keeping people at the center of her work.

Sep 27

Digital conveniences in a remote work environment

By Sponsor Insight

by Dave Voris, vice president, regional treasury management officer, Horizon Bank

The pandemic continues to provide organizations and their employees the opportunity to rethink whether they should return to a five-day work week in the office versus spending more time in a virtual environment.

In LinkedIn’s year-end roundup of workplace trends to watch in 2021, Harvard Business School’s Ashley Whillans predicted that companies will need to accommodate employees who have adjusted to a new routine: ” Employees will demand greater flexibility and organizations will require it. Companies may let employees work from home two or more days per week, with some opting for three days in office, two days remote, and then two days off — a 3-2-2 workweek.”

To support this new hybrid work schedule, the latest in basic banking systems will allow employees to manage finances without being tied to the office. First, digital conveniences such as online banking have provided remote capabilities for years. Treasurers can safely log into their accounts via smartphone or laptops to review balances, to view history of posted transactions, to transfer funds between accounts, to submit any stop payments, or to approve any fraud suspects that surfaced as a result of Positive Pay service.

Also, since many not-for-profits continue receive checks from donors, employees can easily deposit them into a bank account using mobile check deposit through an app. This process is very efficient for organizations that receive a relatively low volume of checks.

For not-for-profit organizations that use “Donate Here” buttons on their websites, donors can safely make one-time or repeat donations via credit card without the not-for-profit organization needing to be in direct contact with the donor. In addition, other not-for-profit organizations accept credit cards at events, despite the continued presence of the pandemic. Such mobile credit card acceptance can be easily facilitated with an app downloaded on the smart phone and supported by a handheld “card swipe” device that is about the size of your palm. All of these techniques are readily available, and very affordable, using standard banking technology.

Disbursements must be mentioned within this context of remotely working. In other words, can you pay bills without being in the office to write checks? Many organizations are adopting business bill payment systems that can be accessed via the bank’s smart phone or via the client’s laptop. These systems allow the treasurer to define payees, schedule payments, select between sending a paper check or an Automated Clearing House (ACH) transaction, and approve such payments even with dual control between two separate people.

In addition, these processes — which typically are 50 cents to 75 cents per payment — are typically less expensive than what several industry articles have suggested over the years as a total cost for sending a paper check — approximately $1.50. That paper check cost includes an assumption about the costs of envelope, paper check, postage, bank charges, and reconciliation time.

These are numerous examples that demonstrate various digital techniques about how receipts, disbursements, and information reporting can be managed within a virtual environment without the need for the treasurer to be in attendance at the office.

So, the answer is yes, not-for-profit organizations are efficiently able to conduct banking as more organizations in a remote work environment with these digital banking conveniences.

Sep 27

Innovative ways to tackle today’s top work challenges

By Sponsor Insight

by Ian McManis, marketing manager, Barnes Dennig

With today’s not-for-profit professionals juggling more priorities than ever, time is at a premium. That’s why Barnes Dennig has hosted a series of concise workshops designed to answer key questions to challenges not-for-profits are facing across a broad range of topics. The following include recaps of the sessions as well as links to access the full recordings:

Cybersecurity: How NFPs protect themselves and their donors

Everyone is at risk to falling prey to ransomware, whether it’s their home office computer or a major oil pipeline company. But the more prepared you are for an attack, the more likely you are to avoid it. In this session, Robert Ramsay, Barnes Dennig director and cybersecurity specialist, shares how to best protect yourself and your organization. Highlights include:

  • Ways to protect against ransomware attacks
  • PCI DSS standards: How to make sure your organization is compliant when soliciting donations online
  • How to keep donor secure and private
  • What you need to know about the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and how to be compliant

Download the presentation and watch the full recording here.

The new lease standard: Why NFPs need to start planning now

Maybe you’re ready to implement the new lease accounting standard today. Maybe it’s still at the bottom of your never-ending to-do list. No matter where you fall on the spectrum, Brad Sack, Barnes Dennig senior manager and NFP assurance specialist, covers the basics, using real-life examples and experiences from his clients to provide insights. Here is an overview of the session:

  • What do the updates to the lease accounting standard mean for my organization? When do they go into effect?
  • What changes should I need to make today to make sure I’m in compliance?
  • How can I build and manage a process to keep my team and me on track?

Download the presentation and watch the full recording here.

NFP Tax & Accounting Lightning Rounds – 990s, ERC, QBO for NFPs

Join NFP Tax team leader Paula Hume, CPA; COVID-19 team leader Cheryl Ganim, CPA; and QuickBooks specialist Kathleen Haney, MBA as they break down some of the most common accounting and tax issues NFPs face. The 15-minute segments include:

  • It’s just a 990: How hard could it be? Turns out there’s a bit of strategy involved.
  • Wait, did you say we could be eligible for the Employee Retention Credit in 2021 even if we weren’t for 2020? Take the ERC Quick Test and come prepared to discuss how to determine eligibility and calculate the amount.
  • A lot of NFPs use QuickBooks Online (QBO): How can I use it to help my organization grow smart?

Download the presentation and watch the full recording here.

Virtual Auditing 101: How NFPs avoid common issues

Every organization needs audits run for them, but not all have had a virtual audit. Our world is moving more towards virtual every day. While virtual work has a wide list of benefits, there are some downsides as well. Join Senior Manager Kara Wysinski, CPA, and Senior Associate Tricia Hart, CPA in going over the pros and cons of virtual auditing. Here are a few of the highlights:

  • Changes to audit approach
  • New audit risks
  • Changes in internal controls
  • Best practices for a remote audit

Download the presentation and watch the full recording here.

Additional resources and upcoming events

Our nonprofit team works hard to bring the best and most relevant resources to our communities. Barnes Dennig is hosting Measurement Resources Company and SureImpact, Inc. founder and CEO Sheri Chaney Jones as she leads two full workshops in one virtual event:

  • Data-driven strategic planning for fundraising success
  • How to turn data into dollars: Demonstrate your social impact

Learn more and register here.

Every other year, we collect responses from regional non-profits on compensation, benefits, retirement plans, governance and other metrics and release the findings in a free virtual event.

Each attendee will receive a copy of the 2021 Not-for-Profit Compensation & Benefits Benchmarking Study, which will help them compare their organization to others in the region. A well-thought-out compensation and benefits package helps not-for-profits better fulfill their mission.

Learn more and register here.

Sep 20

From manager to mentor: Taking leadership to the next level

By Sponsor Insight

by Allie Petty-Stone, firm administrator, Alerding

If you think about how many job titles there are in the world, your head could spin. Yet, out of all of them, many employees aspire to achieve the title of “manager.” That simple designation comes with a sense of accomplishment and purpose, and checks off a big milestone in your career. It indicates that your bosses recognize your qualifications and skills to lead people and/or processes for company endeavors.

So, you finally get that promotion to manager. How exciting! You’ve finally achieved that rung on the ladder — all of the hard work, dedication, and perseverance has finally paid off. However, it means so much more. Being a member of management not only means that you have a higher responsibility for the delivery of services and guidance of people within your organization, it also means you have the opportunity to make an impact beyond the work — mentoring other people.

Managing on its own is challenging as your new title means you’re taking on new tasks with your peers and subordinates looking on. The pressure can be great. How do you manage employees who were previously your peers? You are now a part of a group of decision-makers that can impact the organization and could ultimately be deemed responsible for the success or failure of your team. Responsibilities are greater as you are now guiding the ship, and your mates need to know how you will lead them. Will this new title change how you work and will this impact them? Will you evoke change? Will you be available?

It breaks down to a manager’s capacity to be more than just another authority figure. The position presents an opportunity to go beyond an authoritative presence by serving as a mentor. Great mentors are confident in their own abilities. They are not intimidated by the skills of others, are resourceful in meeting needs, offering employees opportunities to grow, and allowing room for error. It may be difficult and time-consuming at first, but the end goal should be a team that has evolved stronger as a result of your efforts. Being accountable and resolving issues together helps build critical thinkers which, down the road, also can result in more innovative and effective solutions. Overall, everyone learns in some capacity and a happy mentor finds fulfillment by witnessing those successes.

Making a long-lasting impact

I often reflect on those supervisors I had in my early career and how it impacted my work ethic and interactions with others. Although I had some dreadful managers, I was fortunate to have some impactful ones who also became my mentors. I called them my “mother hens” and still speak of them to this day. They were patient and taught me all they knew, passing on invaluable skillsets . Those interactions shaped me into a better employee and gave me a sense of passion for my work. I would not have the patience I have today if it weren’t for their kindness. I’m so grateful for them and, due to their generous nature, I have committed myself to seeking ways to pay it forward.

Keep in mind that people are always watching and listening. Your ethics and integrity are revealed in your interactions and how you manage can be memorable.

Here is an example of how leadership impacted my daughter, who was employed as a barista for a global coffee chain. She worked with a supervisor named Katie. She loved Katie for her spirit, tenacity and unwavering desire to do a great job. Katie led her shift teams with enthusiasm and was a high performer while expecting the same from her team. Here is the real clincher: When Katie was promoted to manager, she asked that she be placed in the worst performing store. You see, it is one thing to move to a successful store, thereby initially inheriting someone’s else’s accomplishments and endeavoring to continue it. However, taking on a known failure with a desire to transform it is quite another. That’s what sets managers and leaders apart. And people notice and carry that forward.

My daughter noticed and admired Katie for this pursuit. Katie left her mark. She made an impression. It transformed what my daughter thought about leadership, too. Now, I do not know if Katie had success in that new role, but I do know that she achieved a level of respect and admiration from my daughter and others upon hearing this story.

She impacted people she wasn’t even aware of. And THAT is the impact of great leadership qualities … you wind up impacting more than just those you know directly.

Sep 20

Participant Wellness in the Era of COVID-19 and the Effect on Nonprofits

By Sponsor Insight

by Kevin Kidwell, vice president, tax-exempt sales, OneAmerica

One unavoidable fact is how the pandemic divided people into two groups. The first group are financially stable and held onto their jobs during the pandemic. They have avoided spending money and were able to increase their savings effort. In fact, the U.S. personal savings rate hit a record high of 33% in April 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.1

The second group didn’t fare as well. According to an Employee Benefit Research Institute survey, roughly one in 10 participants have taken a loan, hardship distribution or early withdrawal from their workplace retirement plan during 2020.2 Unfortunately, many more individuals didn’t have the benefit of this safety net, with a quarter of adults without a retirement plan according to a Federal Reserve report.3

This has had a great impact on our communities and the nonprofits that have served them. Need has increased, while the ability to provide services has changed or dramatically reduced.

While this sounds like bad news, we are optimistic because historical perspective of the 2008 recession shows the cyclical nature of our economy and how nonprofits recover.4

Short-Term Consequences

The economic effects of the pandemic forced nonprofits to cut more than 50,000 jobs in December 2020, according to a report from Johns Hopkins University, and it could take 18 months for nonprofits’ employment numbers to return to pre-pandemic levels, per ABC News.5

However, several of our clients have made great strides to ensure their nonprofit employees will continue to keep their jobs at least until the end of the year.

This economic impact of the COVID-19 outbreak will make it harder for some employees to achieve their short-term financial goals putting their long-term financial goals at risk.

Among those employees who say their financial situation has gotten worse during the pandemic, 44% believe it will take them three years or more to get back to where they were a year ago — including about one in 10 who don’t think their finances will ever recover.6

This year, 32% of nonprofit employees expect their employers to reduce program offerings and have hiring freezes, 23% expect pay cuts, 20%, layoffs and 17%, furloughs according to Eagle Hill Consulting, who polled over 500 nonprofit employees across the United States.7

Holistic Financial Wellness

Although we’re confident in the economic healing of nonprofits, many organizations will continue to experience impacts of the pandemic for some time.

There are steps nonprofits can take to support their own employees through continuing change, both now and as they stabilize in the future. Financial wellness will be increasingly important, and as the need for financial recovery will be great for some time, employers need to recognize their role in helping their employees achieve this.

For any organization, this starts by offering and reinforcing employees the basics:

  • Retirement plans
  • Competitive health insurance
  • Paid time off
  • Flexible spending or health savings accounts
  • Financial wellness education

These programs are important for overall employee productivity, health care costs and talent retention. In the 2021 Employee Financial Wellness Survey, PwC reported that of those whose financial stress increased as a result of the pandemic, 45% felt their financial situation had been a distraction at work. Taking this one step further, nearly three-quarters of employees experiencing financial stress also experience physical symptoms, which affects a businesses’ bottom line. People with financial stress tend to avoid getting health care, which could lead to worse health outcomes and higher health care costs later.8

Invest in Financial Education

In addition, by providing access to financial wellness education employers can also help their employees focus on specific goals, such as setting up an emergency fund, paying back retirement loans, reducing debt, and creating a realistic budget. This goes a long way in helping employees start to become more stable and regain confidence in their ability to get back on and stay on track.

By boosting employee financial confidence and offering support, you can have a positive impact on health care costs, retention, and productivity — ultimately making your organization stronger and healthier, too.

In Kevin Kidwell’s role as vice president of national tax-exempt sales, he works to provide ideas, knowledge, information – both technical and practical – in an effort to facilitate improved plan and participant outcomes. Kidwell has held various positions within the Retirement Services division since 1988. Beginning in 2000, his exclusive focus has been on health care and tax-exempt organizations.

  1. Pew Research Survey: Economic Fallout from Covid-19 Continues to hit Lower Income Americans the Hardest
  2. Federal Reserve System Report: Report on the Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2019, Featuring Supplemental Data from April 2020
  3. Pew Research Survey: A Year Into the Pandemic, Long-Term Financial Impact Weighs Heavily on Many Americans
  4. Nonprofit Quarterly: Deconstructing the (Not-So-Great) Nonprofit Recession
  5. ABC News: Study: Nonprofits lost 50,000 jobs last month from virus
  6. Pew Research Survey: A Year Into the Pandemic, Long-Term Financial Impact Weighs Heavily on Many Americans
  7. The Business Journals: Despite increases in charitable donations, half of nonprofit employees expect cuts in 2021
  8. PwC’s 10th annual Employee Financial Wellness Survey, PwC US, 2021

About OneAmerica®
A national provider of insurance and financial services for more than 140 years, the companies of OneAmerica help customers build and protect their financial futures. OneAmerica offers a variety of products and services to serve the financial needs of their policyholders and customers. These products include retirement plan products and recordkeeping services, individual life insurance, annuities, asset-based long-term care solutions and employee benefit plan products.

Products are issued and underwritten by the companies of OneAmerica and distributed through a nationwide network of employees, agents, brokers and other sources that are committed to providing value to our customers. To learn more about our products, services and the companies of OneAmerica, visit
OneAmerica.com/companies.

Sep 13

IT budget shift: Supporting hybrid work and increased security

By Sponsor Insight

by Cody Lents, partner and change manager at COVI, Inc.

Has COVID-19 upended the way your organization approaches IT? You’re not alone. Global IT spending related to remote work is forecasted to hit $332.9 billion in 2021, as organizations reallocate spending to better support and secure a new/expanded remote-work environment.

In today’s world, IT budgets are shifting, and new strategies can help you stay ahead of the game. You can focus your budget on mission-critical IT efforts as the digital world makes remote environments more of a priority.

Reallocating the IT portfolio
In the past, companies have spent more money on hardware and server storage. But now, a transition towards cloud services is leading the way in budgets. Employees who work remotely often need to be outfitted with laptops and mobile devices rather than desktops and other hardware. Now, employees can work anywhere and still have access to everything they need.

BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policy
If employees bring their own personal devices, like cell phones, tablets or computers, to work, how can you keep company data secure? Defining a ‘Security & Use Policy’ should be first. This helps balance employee freedom, app functionality, and ensures your organization is not at risk.

The ‘Security & Use Policy’ should include:

  • Acceptable use. Define what applications and data employees are permitted to access on their personal devices and the expected process to do so. When should I access company files? How should I access them?
  • Minimum security. Passwords should always be required. Are company security applications required to be installed? Can the company’s IT team remotely access the employee’s personal devices? Remotely run scripts in the background? Who is responsible for system updates?
  • A plan for broken, lost or stolen devices. Companies should reserve the rights for altering devices or wiping them clean in the case that they are lost or stolen. But who is responsible for day-to-day support if the device malfunctions? The company? The employee? And at the end of the day, who pays the bill for support?
  • Ownership plan. The policy should say who owns the device, the data, and the digital environment (think Windows or MacOS) and support responsibilities. Typically, the most difficult question is how to segment personal data from company data and confirm we aren’t invading our employee’s privacy by backing up their personal data to the company’s backup infrastructure.
  • Usability plan. The policy should outline required hardware and software specifications and expected turnaround times for device failure or other disruptive IT problems.

Another item to consider is ‘Mobile Device Management,’ which includes the option to secure and integrate devices across the network — allowing your organization the option to manage those devices in one place.

Lastly, ask your insurance agent how this workplace evolution impacts your cyber insurance policy. And, if you don’t have one, it’s time to bite the bullet and get insured.

Recommendations
To remain proactive and in control, we recommend immediately moving to cloud solutions, and integrating multi-factor authentication (MFA), SaaS backups, and Advanced Threat Protection (ATP). Allocate budget towards investing in cybersecurity. Cyber criminals are sophisticated, and new technology allows for new ways to block criminal activity.

Lastly, make sure your back-up and recovery system are redundant, so that data won’t be lost. As the world of IT advances, be sure you are up on the latest best practices.

Questions?
If you need assistance implementing a hybrid-work approach for your organization, you can reach out to COVI at cody@gocovi.com to see if an assessment makes sense. COVI is an Information Technology (IT) agency specializing in productivity, security, support and strategy services, located in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Sep 13

Board of governance or board of management?

By Sponsor Insight

by Jan Breiner Frazier, owner, Planning Plus, LLC

A not-for-profit board of directors can play one of two roles — that of a board of governance or a board of management. Both are valuable and can be highly effective. What type of board does your organization need?

Much of this depends on the current reality of your organization in this volatile time. But, more often than not, it depends on the strength, skills and expertise of the CEO/executive director. When we have been asked to assist with CEO/ED searches, one of the initial questions we ask is “What is the relationship you want to have between the board and the CEO?” Of course, the general response is that of collaboration, open and honest communication, transparency, etc.

When we think about board governance, we generally refer to the “10 Basic Responsibilities of Non-Profit Boards,” the seminal piece by BoardSource. For the majority of our clients, the board of directors is one of governance, ensuring the adoption of a mission statement, overseeing the financial health of the organization, promoting the organization, etc., and — most importantly — hiring the CEO and giving that individual the responsibility for all personnel decisions. In an established organization, a board generally serves in a governance role, using board member skills to fill in gaps with varied experiences and expertise to help advise and guide staff.

A very strong CEO — one who is independent, focused and driven — may often desire a board that is more than willing to stick to governance and stay out of operations. Enough information is shared so that board members understand the general finances, challenges, and priorities — but the less involved the better.

A board of management is generally more hands on, becoming intricately involved in making and often implementing operational decisions and contributing a great deal of time to the organization. We generally find this type of board with new non-profits, start-ups, in-crisis situations, and in organizations going through significant leadership transitions. Over time, with the right people in place, the board of management can slowly evolve into a board of governance.

Unfortunately, we have seen CEOs who abdicate their responsibilities to the board due to the fear of making decisions, a reluctance to engage in controversial discussions at the board level, or an inadequate level of skills necessary to ensure the organization’s success, leading to boards of governance slowly evolving into boards of management whether they intended to or not. And it’s hard to retreat from that position.

The one constant, however, whether a board of governance or board of management, is the requirement to assist with resource development for the organization (yes, fundraising).

The recommendations we offer below are nothing new and may seem simplistic, but implications to the board are far reaching:

  1. Be very scrupulous in hiring the CEO of the organization in terms of the relationship desired between CEO and the board. Be clear on the expectations of the new hire; carefully identify the needed experience, skills, and behaviors; be diligent in reference checking, including reaching out to board members of the previous organization; and ensure the entire board is on the same page as to the leadership needs of the organization and the level of autonomy it will give its new leader.
  2. Be equally scrupulous in selecting a board chair. Too many organizations have a pre-determined hierarchy, i.e., the vice president automatically becomes president and other officers line up for future succession. The board chair must be someone who meets a similar set of standards you would require in the CEO: strategic in thinking, visionary, strong and effective communicator, ability to manage change and conflict, etc.

Whether your organization has a board of governance or board of management depends on the needs of the organization as it continues to evolve. Just be sure you know which one you want.

Sep 07

Donor engagement and retention techniques: Invest time now to solidify donor relationships

By Sponsor Insight

By Andy Canada, senior consultant, director of data analytics, Johnson, Grossnickle and Associate

While we need to work to engage all of our donors, many nonprofits have experienced the benefit of an influx of new donors in response to the pandemic’s challenges. What can you do to engage and retain these new donors as well as deepen your relationships with your existing donor pool?

Donor Engagement

While we are operating in unusual times, you do not want to throw out your tried-and-true ways of engaging and stewarding your donors. But, you might consider adding the following strategies as well.

Personal connections: Think creatively about how to create personal connections with donors, such as engaging with donors via FaceTime to capture a specific meaningful moment at your organization. Engage board members, leadership team members, volunteers, and other donors in thank you calls. Hearing from someone new will expand donors’ connections and engagement with your organization.

Technology techniques: Using technology to your advantage has hopefully become easier than ever over the past year. There are multiple platforms that can be very effective with donors who are now more familiar with different means of communicating. Tell your story from the perspective of those you serve — send short video messages telling the story of how lives have been changed by gifts from generous donors. You might also share short “day in the life” videos from the heart of your organization — such as the teacher, direct care staff, curator, cook — to give a glimpse into real-world impact.

Peer engagement: Encourage peer-to-peer fundraising or use third-party events to deepen engagement and spread your reach. Personal referrals will never go out of style. Identify donors who can advocate on your behalf to reach out and engage new donors. This will create an additional touchpoint and provide a way to ask for additional support from a peer or for a specific program.

Donor Retention

Research from the Fundraising Effectiveness Project indicates first time donors only donate again about 20 percent of the time. However, if a donor makes a second donation, the chance of them continuing to contribute is 60 percent. Invest in new donors now, because retaining a donor for multiple years will more than make up for the initial investment.

Welcome them: Work quickly to welcome and engage new donors as soon as they make their first donation. Create a welcome plan for new donors, that goes beyond a welcome packet. Within 48 hours of their gift, send sending a thank-you card or a handwritten note from a leadership staff or volunteer. Then, continue to reach out with special touches throughout the year — maybe a personal email with a picture or short personal video clip.

Create a connection: Create high levels of buy-in from your donors by building their sense of investment in the organization. Follow up to promote opportunities for them to get involved in a non-monetary way, such as volunteering. Volunteers are among the most motivated donors. Develop ways to engage volunteers remotely during the pandemic, if possible, but also just make sure you stay in touch with your volunteers now so that when it is safe to return to in-person volunteer activities, your donors are still engaged and committed.

One way to stay in touch is by offering them opportunities to give feedback. Ask for their advice via an electronic survey, email exchange, or phone call.

Allow donors to openly share what motivates them to give and use that information to identify potential gaps in your program. One caution though, be prepared if you ask for feedback, to act on it and implement changes as needed.

Plan for their next gift: Create a “second gift” strategy for new donors before the one-year anniversary of the first gift. Many organizations mistakenly wait until the first-year anniversary of a gift before reaching out and asking for another gift. While acknowledging the anniversary of a gift is a great strategy, don’t let that be the first-time new donors hear from you again.

To help retain donors, it is also important to make giving easy. First and foremost, you need to make sure your online donation page is mobile responsive and user-friendly. Then, make sure you offer donors a recurring gift option and tell them how a consistent gift can benefit those you serve. You can also promote low dollar amount gifts ($5 to $15) to re-engage first-time donors and encourage them to give regularly.

Matching gifts are not just for major gift programs or capital campaigns, they can also be very effective in retaining new donors. Secure a challenge gift from one of your long-time supporters to encourage new donors to give a renewal gift or enter a monthly giving society.

Finally, think through how you can identify those new donors who may have the potential to make a major gift if cultivated and engaged properly. Make sure you conduct electronic screening on new donors you may have gained over the past year. Determine if any should be assigned to a major gift officer for more personal engagement.

If you put in the work early on to retain new donors and stay engaged with your existing donors, they will stick with you when it counts.

Andy Canada is senior consultant and director of data analytics at Johnson, Grossnickle and Associates, a strategic consulting firm located in Indiana that focuses on higher education.

Aug 30

Donor engagement and retention techniques: Invest time now to solidify donor relationships

By Sponsor Insight

by Andy Canada, senior consultant, director of data analytics, Johnson, Grossnickle and Associate

While we need to work to engage all of our donors, many nonprofits have experienced the benefit of an influx of new donors in response to the pandemic’s challenges. What can you do to engage and retain these new donors as well as deepen your relationships with your existing donor pool?

Donor Engagement

While we are operating in unusual times, you do not want to throw out your tried-and-true ways of engaging and stewarding your donors. But, you might consider adding the following strategies as well.

Personal connections: Think creatively about how to create personal connections with donors, such as engaging with donors via FaceTime to capture a specific meaningful moment at your organization. Engage board members, leadership team members, volunteers, and other donors in thank you calls. Hearing from someone new will expand donors’ connections and engagement with your organization.

Technology techniques: Using technology to your advantage has hopefully become easier than ever over the past year. There are multiple platforms that can be very effective with donors who are now more familiar with different means of communicating. Tell your story from the perspective of those you serve — send short video messages telling the story of how lives have been changed by gifts from generous donors. You might also share short “day in the life” videos from the heart of your organization — such as the teacher, direct care staff, curator, cook — to give a glimpse into real-world impact.

Peer engagement: Encourage peer-to-peer fundraising or use third-party events to deepen engagement and spread your reach. Personal referrals will never go out of style. Identify donors who can advocate on your behalf to reach out and engage new donors. This will create an additional touchpoint and provide a way to ask for additional support from a peer or for a specific program.

Donor Retention

Research from the Fundraising Effectiveness Project indicates first time donors only donate again about 20 percent of the time. However, if a donor makes a second donation, the chance of them continuing to contribute is 60 percent. Invest in new donors now, because retaining a donor for multiple years will more than make up for the initial investment.

Welcome them: Work quickly to welcome and engage new donors as soon as they make their first donation. Create a welcome plan for new donors, that goes beyond a welcome packet. Within 48 hours of their gift, send sending a thank-you card or a handwritten note from a leadership staff or volunteer. Then, continue to reach out with special touches throughout the year — maybe a personal email with a picture or short personal video clip.

Create a connection: Create high levels of buy-in from your donors by building their sense of investment in the organization. Follow up to promote opportunities for them to get involved in a non-monetary way, such as volunteering. Volunteers are among the most motivated donors. Develop ways to engage volunteers remotely during the pandemic, if possible, but also just make sure you stay in touch with your volunteers now so that when it is safe to return to in-person volunteer activities, your donors are still engaged and committed.

One way to stay in touch is by offering them opportunities to give feedback. Ask for their advice via an electronic survey, email exchange, or phone call. Allow donors to openly share what motivates them to give and use that information to identify potential gaps in your program. One caution though, be prepared if you ask for feedback, to act on it and implement changes as needed.

Plan for their next gift: Create a “second gift” strategy for new donors before the one-year anniversary of the first gift. Many organizations mistakenly wait until the first-year anniversary of a gift before reaching out and asking for another gift. While acknowledging the anniversary of a gift is a great strategy, don’t let that be the first-time new donors hear from you again.

To help retain donors, it is also important to make giving easy. First and foremost, you need to make sure your online donation page is mobile responsive and user-friendly. Then, make sure you offer donors a recurring gift option and tell them how a consistent gift can benefit those you serve. You can also promote low dollar amount gifts ($5 to $15) to re-engage first-time donors and encourage them to give regularly.

Matching gifts are not just for major gift programs or capital campaigns, they can also be very effective in retaining new donors. Secure a challenge gift from one of your long-time supporters to encourage new donors to give a renewal gift or enter a monthly giving society.

Finally, think through how you can identify those new donors who may have the potential to make a major gift if cultivated and engaged properly. Make sure you conduct electronic screening on new donors you may have gained over the past year. Determine if any should be assigned to a major gift officer for more personal engagement.

If you put in the work early on to retain new donors and stay engaged with your existing donors, they will stick with you when it counts.

Andy Canada is senior consultant and director of data analytics at Johnson, Grossnickle and Associates, a strategic consulting firm located in Indiana that focuses on higher education.