https://bloomerang.co/resources/webinars/ Lindsay Simonds will decode the top five most impactful ways people contribute to communities. By understanding core motivations, intentions, perspectives reflected in this webinar, you will be able to build a stronger case for support, increase the impact you have, and gain strategies for creating and preserving community.

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Creative Ways People Contribute to Community
June 3, 2021
Prepared for:
By:
Lindsay Simonds Consulting
www.lindsaysimondsconsulting.com
www.CreatingCommunityforGood.com (podcast)
Connect with me on LinkedIn and Insta!

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Strategic Fundraising Consultant, Coach, and Facilitator
Creating Community for Good Podcaster + Clubhouse Host
Lindsay Simonds Consulting
+ Experience: Began fundraising in 2008…Great Recession;
Vice President for CCS Fundraising
+ Services:
– Capital Campaign and Major Gifts Feasibility Studies,
Strategy and Management
– Board Development and Management
– Donor Engagement
– Opportunity and Crisis Communications Planning
– Professional + Executive Coaching
+ Scope: $1B raised cumulatively, client budgets of $500K
to $6.2B, 10 campaigns
+ Volunteership: SIP Advisory Council Member + Faculty
and BUILD.org Regional Board Member + Battery Powered
Member
+ Podcast: Creating Community for Good
+ Clubhouse: Every Wed at 8am PT / 11 am ET
+ Personal: Just left SF after a decade to move home to
Colorado! Yoga; Auntie; Cooking; Painting; Skiing!

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Keystone clients and affiliations

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“We were all born naked, and the rest is drag.”
Happy LGBTQ Pride Month!

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Why this topic?
If philanthropy is the
love of humankind,
then creating and nurturing
communities (the public spirit) is
love in action.
And we all need love in action –
and CONNECTION – now, more
than ever.

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Did you know that
“community” derives
from the Latin word
“communis” which
means “public spirit”?

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What is Community?
My motivation for the podcast,
my work, and this webinar stems
from the belief that we are all in
this together…But what does
that even mean?

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v
What do you hope to get out of this webinar?
1. Inspiration about community and connectedness
2. Suggestions for how to improve my personal community
3. Strategies for how to strengthen the volunteer/donor/staff
sense of community
4. Reflections from Lindsay's year of social studies and
podcasting about community
5. I'm just here because I love Steven and the Bloomerang team!
SURVEY:

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Community is...
● “Not a place, a building, or an organization… Community is both a feeling and a
set of relationships among people.” - Stanford Social Innovation Review
● “Any circle of people who live together and belong together in a way that they do
not share this or that particular interest but a whole set of interests.” - Karl
Mannheim
● Inherently dependent on nonprofits who share a “fundamental role in creating
more equitable and thriving communities.” - Council of Nonprofits

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SURVEY:
Do you feel like you have found community in
any or all of these groups?
1. Place of Spirituality or Religion
2. Hobby, Group or Club
3. Charitable or Volunteer Opportunities
4. Neighborhood
5. Professional or Educational Associations
6. Other

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Quick Look: Community Statistics

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If nothing else, do this:
Establish
Common
Ground.
01
Contribute
Something
of Value.
02
Progress
with
Curiosity.
03
If you hear nothing more, do this:

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Types of Communities
General
● Religious/Spiritual
● Geographical
● Affinity-based (clubs,
associations, teams)
● Access (networks,
hierarchies, roles)
● Family
● Two people or more!?
Nonprofit Sector
● Mission alignment
● Beneficiaries
● Benefactors
● Volunteers
● Board members
● Donors
● Thought leaders

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We’ll weave this all together:
● Learnings
● Stories
● Models

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1. Establish Common Ground: Learning
● Communication
● Trust
● Relationship (friendship)
● Focal point to return to if necessary

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1. Establish Common Ground: Example
“It's always done with the community of
people to support…. Usually, the initial idea is
bad, and it takes the community to help form
it into something better.”
#2: Bart Skorupa | Mobile Pathways
“We benefit from a genuine sense of
connection and care for each other that
transcends the awkward formalities and
increases effectiveness.”
#21: Ryan Oliver | BUILD.org
“It’s not only shooting for the stars, but also
setting the table to get there.”
#6. Nikole Collins-Puri | Techbridge
Girls

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1. Establish Common Ground: Model
● We both care about STEM education, let’s discuss how we can
make an impact together.
● What drives your commitment to philanthropy?
● As avid skiers, what’s the best way to showcase the mission of
preserving nature?
● I want the best for you, how can I help?
● I can see your point. Are you open to hearing my perspective?

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2. Contribute Something of Value: Learning
● New approaches (data, findings, insights, etc.)
● Emotional intelligence (empathy, active listening,
smile, acceptance, grace)
● Organization and structure (leadership, systems)
● Gifts, hospitality, introductions, etc.

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2. Contribute Something of Value: Example
“You know, chemistry is not stressful… What’s
stressful are the thoughts and beliefs you have
about chemistry… The exact same thing is true
for fundraising!”
#43: Mallory Erikson | CFRE
“As an industry, we have become so accustomed to
using wealth to predict generosity… [instead of]
using data to identify who is the most engaged.
That’s where it’s really exciting.”
#14: Nathan Chappell | Futurus Group
“[It’s important to] reflect on what you may not be
hearing… to say, ‘I heard these three things are
really important to you… I also noticed you didn’t
mention X thing over here.”
#11: Jaime-Alexis Fowler | Empower Work

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2. Contribute Something of Value: Model
● Your organization has used the same prospecting approach for
several decades, let’s think outside of the box.
● I want to share with you how to look at your data differently.
● By thinking of solicitations in a different way, you can persuade
donors who may otherwise seem “off limits”.
● What might be outdated or overdone about your approach or
internal-thinking?

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3. Progress with Curiosity: Learning
● Lead with curiosity so as not to become emotionally attached
to positions and dismissive of others
● Create openness and use the abundance mindset, rather
than limited
● Avoid illusion of explanatory depth
“I have no special talent. I am only passionately
curious.” — Albert Einstein

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3. Progress with Curiosity: Example
“Having a specific skill set is, in itself, a form of
power.”
#36: Leti McNeill Light | SIGAP
“Stay the course, don’t give up hope, keep going,
look inward, persevere.”
#45: Shanti Brian | Foglight Justice,
Daylight Justice
“Be clear about how information is going to be used
and what the larger picture is… Treat people like
adults: here is what we’re going to use, here is what
you’re getting into.”
#22: Corey Newhouse | Public Profit

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3. Progress with Curiosity: Model
● How might we…?
● Tell me more?
● What do you mean by XYZ
● That’s interesting, what makes you feel that way?
● Are you open to hearing more?
● What are you most curious about in how we might collaborate?
● What was your experience like? Tell me your story.
● How has your experience affected your life?
● Paint me a picture about…

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Where might these techniques be activated?
● When we’re personally
caught in a rut
● When trying to connect
with a new contact
● When building a case
for support
● When managing conflict
● Where else?

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LINDSAY SIMONDS
CAPITAL CAMPAIGN MANAGER AND FUNDRAISING CONSULTANT
LINDSAYSIMONDSCONSULTING.COM
Subscribe to my podcast: www.CreatingCommunityforGood.com
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