An introduction to recruiting and using skills based volunteers for nonprofit agencies. This presentation was developed for the 2009 Mental Health Corporations of America. Inc. Summer Conference.
Drive Chapter Behavior with Targeted BenchmarkingBillhighway
Benchmarking (count and compare) can serve many purposes, but the most important purpose is to define what’s most important! Everyone’s likely heard some variation on the business maxim, “you can’t manage what you don’t measure,” but the corollary consequence, “you tend to manage what’s being measured” is often overlooked. Bottom line, if we want our chapters to help us serve the members and move the mission, we need to benchmark those behaviors that help us achieve that end. In other words, let’s count the things that count…and, oh by the way, all the things that count can’t necessarily be counted!
Benchmarking also implies comparison, and here’s the other important purpose. When we measure and make comparisons on those metrics which are truly important, we can then identify our “bright spots” – the high achievers – and replicate those behaviors across the system. Win-win!!
We talk about what we’re benchmarking (or not) and why. While there’s no guarantee, experience suggests that “if you measure it, they will do it,” so let’s be sure we measure the right stuff.
Is Finance Not Your Friend? Quick tips to Help Keep Your Chapters at the Top ...Billhighway
Not everyone is a finance whiz, but when working with collegiate members, it is important to have some level of knowledge regarding the data and information surrounding
chapters. Our session outlines five metrics that field staff can look for to quickly gain an overview of a chapter’s financial health. By having this knowledge, field staff can proactively get ahead of any potential financial issues and keep chapters on track. Our presentation will be delivered in a chronological sequence that aligns with the seasonality of chapters and what is most important at a given time.
Presenter: Erin Morris, Billhighway Client Relations Specialist
Originally presented on July 18, 2016 at the FEA Field Staff Conference
You have a solid base for recruiting and training chapter volunteers that has worked well in the past. Then came the evidence-based research on volunteers challenging our percepts. Followed by the pandemic and increased volunteer burnout. Turns out our training programs need a new approach. What can you do? Let’s do a reboot on chapter volunteer training. Join us for a conversation on how to use volunteer motivations and personas to drive learning and rethink our approach so we can retain volunteers and develop future leaders. Ready to shift your volunteer training to get a better learning experience?
Driving Member Engagement by Showing #VolunteerLoveBillhighway
Mark your calendars: National Volunteer Week is April 19-25th! It’s the perfect opportunity to start thinking about ways to show your chapter volunteers the appreciation they deserve all year-round. Volunteering is one of the stickiest forms of member engagement, and happy volunteers can keep your association chapters on track for years to come. Given that 20-25% of staff labor in associations come from volunteer members, it’s a worthwhile effort to utilize recognition in creating a supportive environment. Let’s draw from research and our own community for a dynamic discussion on ways to spotlight association volunteers and celebrate volunteering in all aspects!
The Buried Truth in Your Chapter 990s and How You Can Access It Billhighway
Do you actually know if all of your chapters filed their 990s last year? Without TONS of manual work to track them down, you might not know the answer to this. We built out a tool to automate the 990 data collection process. Join us to see how it works.
Improve Member Join/Renew Experience: Have You Called Your Association Lately?Billhighway
On-demand available here: http://bit.ly/2wVHL52
Has your association ever hired a “secret shopper” to evaluate your customer service? Do you know what membership prospects experience when looking for information on your website or calling your association? During a market research project, we learned much more than we anticipated about the membership prospect experience. The results were often so surprising (and disappointing) that we wanted to share them with the association community.
Drive Chapter Behavior with Targeted BenchmarkingBillhighway
Benchmarking (count and compare) can serve many purposes, but the most important purpose is to define what’s most important! Everyone’s likely heard some variation on the business maxim, “you can’t manage what you don’t measure,” but the corollary consequence, “you tend to manage what’s being measured” is often overlooked. Bottom line, if we want our chapters to help us serve the members and move the mission, we need to benchmark those behaviors that help us achieve that end. In other words, let’s count the things that count…and, oh by the way, all the things that count can’t necessarily be counted!
Benchmarking also implies comparison, and here’s the other important purpose. When we measure and make comparisons on those metrics which are truly important, we can then identify our “bright spots” – the high achievers – and replicate those behaviors across the system. Win-win!!
We talk about what we’re benchmarking (or not) and why. While there’s no guarantee, experience suggests that “if you measure it, they will do it,” so let’s be sure we measure the right stuff.
Is Finance Not Your Friend? Quick tips to Help Keep Your Chapters at the Top ...Billhighway
Not everyone is a finance whiz, but when working with collegiate members, it is important to have some level of knowledge regarding the data and information surrounding
chapters. Our session outlines five metrics that field staff can look for to quickly gain an overview of a chapter’s financial health. By having this knowledge, field staff can proactively get ahead of any potential financial issues and keep chapters on track. Our presentation will be delivered in a chronological sequence that aligns with the seasonality of chapters and what is most important at a given time.
Presenter: Erin Morris, Billhighway Client Relations Specialist
Originally presented on July 18, 2016 at the FEA Field Staff Conference
You have a solid base for recruiting and training chapter volunteers that has worked well in the past. Then came the evidence-based research on volunteers challenging our percepts. Followed by the pandemic and increased volunteer burnout. Turns out our training programs need a new approach. What can you do? Let’s do a reboot on chapter volunteer training. Join us for a conversation on how to use volunteer motivations and personas to drive learning and rethink our approach so we can retain volunteers and develop future leaders. Ready to shift your volunteer training to get a better learning experience?
Driving Member Engagement by Showing #VolunteerLoveBillhighway
Mark your calendars: National Volunteer Week is April 19-25th! It’s the perfect opportunity to start thinking about ways to show your chapter volunteers the appreciation they deserve all year-round. Volunteering is one of the stickiest forms of member engagement, and happy volunteers can keep your association chapters on track for years to come. Given that 20-25% of staff labor in associations come from volunteer members, it’s a worthwhile effort to utilize recognition in creating a supportive environment. Let’s draw from research and our own community for a dynamic discussion on ways to spotlight association volunteers and celebrate volunteering in all aspects!
The Buried Truth in Your Chapter 990s and How You Can Access It Billhighway
Do you actually know if all of your chapters filed their 990s last year? Without TONS of manual work to track them down, you might not know the answer to this. We built out a tool to automate the 990 data collection process. Join us to see how it works.
Improve Member Join/Renew Experience: Have You Called Your Association Lately?Billhighway
On-demand available here: http://bit.ly/2wVHL52
Has your association ever hired a “secret shopper” to evaluate your customer service? Do you know what membership prospects experience when looking for information on your website or calling your association? During a market research project, we learned much more than we anticipated about the membership prospect experience. The results were often so surprising (and disappointing) that we wanted to share them with the association community.
Presented during Tshikululu's first Serious Social Investing workshop, which took place on 25 and 26 February 2010. Desiree Storey (Manager, FirstRand Volunteers Programme) discusses what works in staff volunteerism.
On-demand available here: http://bit.ly/2ipuM5N
In this week’s webinar, we’ll explore 5 ways to increase engagement at the chapter level by providing them with a foundation for success.
Get Your Dues Process Under Control — Small steps towards solving a big chapt...Billhighway
On-demand available here: http://bit.ly/2muqKsI
Does your chapter dues process take too long? Cost too much money? And just to add a cherry on top, it’s a nightmare to manage? If you collect your dues or other payments at the local/chapter level, then this webinar is for you!
How to Train, Support & Inspire Chapter Leaders in One PlaceBillhighway
Chapter leaders are incredibly dedicated volunteers, but they’re not association management experts. They can be easily overwhelmed by your association’s expectations and the responsibilities of leadership. Ensure your chapter leaders have the knowledge and resources they need to succeed by inviting them to a chapter leadership conference. Join us as we walk through how to train, support and inspire your volunteers all in one place.
Chapter Benchmarking Report: What the Data, Success Stories & Opinions Tell UsBillhighway
Chapter membership takes on a significant value in an increasingly online world. Members seek face-to-face opportunities to connect, learn, volunteer, and socialize with their peers, mentors, and clients. Once upon a time, chapters were taken for granted, but many association leaders now have questions like.
- How does our chapter program compare to those of other associations?
- What are the standard practices regarding chapter membership, programming, requirements, and metrics?
- What support and services should we be giving chapters? Are other associations making changes to chapters?
- How do we assess the performance and value of our chapters?
- Are chapters still relevant?
In our latest Chapter Benchmarking Report, we explore these questions through industry data that helps associations benchmark their chapter programs against others. Join us for a webinar that fuels the dialogue on what makes an effective chapter—and an effective chapter/association relationship. We’ll share stories on what methods other associations have used to leverage their data, and how they have helped chapters and staff make better decisions.
[Webinar] March Madness: Ask a Chapter ExpertBillhighway
We want YOU to help make this webinar awesome! Come with your hard-hitting chapter questions, as this webinar will be conducted in a panel game style. We’ll be drawing inspiration from Around the Horn, the ESPN show hosted by Tony Reali and feature four chapter gurus coming from different perspectives who will weigh in on tough chapter challenges.
The Chapter Panel consists of Peter Houstle from Mariner Management as a Chapter Executive Director, Mark Prevost from Billhighway as a chapter techie, Ed Bodensiek as a chapter leader for CXPA (who has a different chapter model) and Amy Burke as an association CEO for MCI USA. The lovable Peggy Hoffman from Mariner Management will play the moderator and will give points for well-made arguments and deduct points for those who inspire her to hit the `mute’ button. Gotta keep things fun, right?! It is March Madness after all…we hope you’ll choose to join us!
Any question is welcome and will be addressed in the open forum.
This is a series of Capacity Building documents that was prepared by the Sudanese Youth Leadership Development Program.
هذه مجموعة من المقالات في مجالات تدريبية متعددة مناسبة للجمعيات الطوعية تم تطويرها بين عامي 2003-2005 للبرنامج السوداني لإعداد القيادات الشبابية
Chapter Performance & Benchmarking Unwrapped: Using Dashboards to Tell the Ch...Billhighway
Day 2 Agenda:
- Explore how to use benchmarking to create a dashboard about your chapter programs
- Share how your association can use a dashboard to monitor chapter health
View the workshop recording: https://youtu.be/sXj0oGXwhn4
Members seek face-to-face opportunities to connect, learn, volunteer, and socialize with their peers more than ever. CRPs are looking for ways to activate that member engagement at chapters. Around the country, they’re asking:
- Are associations changing how they manage and relate to their chapters?
- What support and services should we give our chapters?
- How should we evaluate our chapters?
- Are chapters still relevant?
Mariner Management and Billhighway conducted the third Chapter Benchmarking Study to explore these questions and more. We went out to CRPs, CEOs, and Chapter Leaders. The data analysis offers a resource for benchmarking, sharing innovations in chapter management, and starting conversations about the future of chapters. Join us as we unveil the 2022 Association Chapter Performance & Benchmarking Report, and more importantly, look at how you can use it to answer your questions and optimize your chapters! #leveragechapters #gotchapters
The Power of an Engaged and Practive Advisory Board MemberNAFCareerAcads
Successful academies have leader who set the pace, lead by example, and generate energy to ignite others. This type of leadership can be embodied by a board chair, a director, an administrator, and other community leaders. This workshop will cover leadership strategies and tools to align leaders, inspire people to support academies and keep advisory board members engaged.
AIGA Slack: A New Tool for Chapter LeadersBillhighway
Do your chapter leaders have an effective way to communicate and connect with National and each other? AIGA’s chapter leaders didn’t think so. After chapter leaders suggested a new tool at their Chapter Leader Retreat, AIGA had no idea it was going to have the impact and engagement that it has today. Enter the picture: Slack. Join us as we run through this mini-case study on Slack and how AIGA converted over 600 chapter leaders to using this new communication tool. We’ll cover implementation, adoption, benefits and challenges.
Creating a Habit of Giving with CollegiansBillhighway
Storytelling. Crowdfunding. Social media. Fun events… We’ve all heard about what is next in the world of fundraising, but you can only take on so much. You know your collegians best. How can you leverage this knowledge to take your fundraising to the next level? Join us on a journey from the initial ask, to receiving the donation to utilizing the donor data. Combine the power of your member knowledge and technology to create a cycle that starts with what inspires them to give and comes full circle with sharing their impact. We’ll cover best practices in fundraising and technology to keep them giving over and over again.
Originally presented on 8/24/16 at THE Foundations Seminar 2016 by Kyle Martin, Billhighway Client Relations Consultant
Even the worst attacks can have a silver lining – Australia’s journey from pa...Billhighway
On-demand webinar available here: http://bit.ly/2jBJ6te
In a time of drastic change in the labor space, isn’t it time we heard a story of hope? Join us as we sit down with John Dixon, General Secretary at New South Wales Teachers Federation (NSWTF). He’ll tell his story of the challenges the organization faced when losing payroll deductions and how they overcame them.
Engaging volunteers effectively to create change requires organization and planning. This presentation provides tips and tools that can be used by organizations as they implement service projects whether a small, episodic project or a multi-event engaging hundreds of volunteers.
Components as Drivers of Recruitment, Retention and EngagementBillhighway
CoSN Director of Membership & Chapters, Dresden Farrand, walks us through how her and her team leveraged their components to see great increases in revenue, member retention, chapter acquisition and more.
Chapter Performance & Benchmarking Unwrapped: Creating a Compelling Chapter S...Billhighway
Day 3 Agenda:
- How to build and create a compelling story about the value of your chapters
- How to find bright spots, tell stories, and what tech to use
View the workshop recording: https://youtu.be/XBzt76UwD7w
Members seek face-to-face opportunities to connect, learn, volunteer, and socialize with their peers more than ever. CRPs are looking for ways to activate that member engagement at chapters. Around the country, they’re asking:
- Are associations changing how they manage and relate to their chapters?
- What support and services should we give our chapters?
- How should we evaluate our chapters?
- Are chapters still relevant?
Mariner Management and Billhighway conducted the third Chapter Benchmarking Study to explore these questions and more. We went out to CRPs, CEOs, and Chapter Leaders. The data analysis offers a resource for benchmarking, sharing innovations in chapter management, and starting conversations about the future of chapters. Join us as we unveil the 2022 Association Chapter Performance & Benchmarking Report, and more importantly, look at how you can use it to answer your questions and optimize your chapters! #leveragechapters #gotchapters
On-demand available here: http://bit.ly/2l4rNhs
In this webinar, we'll dive deep into leading and lagging KPIs and their importance in developing effective dashboards to monitor chapter performance.
As nonprofits consider the problem of program sustainability and capacity building; volunteers are a part of the answer. Effective organizations seek to engage volunteers in a variety of roles and responsibilities. This presentation provides information organizations can use as they seek to implement a volunteer program. This information will be helpful for organizations with current programs as ongoing review and revision is a part of effective volunteer management.
Presented during Tshikululu's first Serious Social Investing workshop, which took place on 25 and 26 February 2010. Desiree Storey (Manager, FirstRand Volunteers Programme) discusses what works in staff volunteerism.
On-demand available here: http://bit.ly/2ipuM5N
In this week’s webinar, we’ll explore 5 ways to increase engagement at the chapter level by providing them with a foundation for success.
Get Your Dues Process Under Control — Small steps towards solving a big chapt...Billhighway
On-demand available here: http://bit.ly/2muqKsI
Does your chapter dues process take too long? Cost too much money? And just to add a cherry on top, it’s a nightmare to manage? If you collect your dues or other payments at the local/chapter level, then this webinar is for you!
How to Train, Support & Inspire Chapter Leaders in One PlaceBillhighway
Chapter leaders are incredibly dedicated volunteers, but they’re not association management experts. They can be easily overwhelmed by your association’s expectations and the responsibilities of leadership. Ensure your chapter leaders have the knowledge and resources they need to succeed by inviting them to a chapter leadership conference. Join us as we walk through how to train, support and inspire your volunteers all in one place.
Chapter Benchmarking Report: What the Data, Success Stories & Opinions Tell UsBillhighway
Chapter membership takes on a significant value in an increasingly online world. Members seek face-to-face opportunities to connect, learn, volunteer, and socialize with their peers, mentors, and clients. Once upon a time, chapters were taken for granted, but many association leaders now have questions like.
- How does our chapter program compare to those of other associations?
- What are the standard practices regarding chapter membership, programming, requirements, and metrics?
- What support and services should we be giving chapters? Are other associations making changes to chapters?
- How do we assess the performance and value of our chapters?
- Are chapters still relevant?
In our latest Chapter Benchmarking Report, we explore these questions through industry data that helps associations benchmark their chapter programs against others. Join us for a webinar that fuels the dialogue on what makes an effective chapter—and an effective chapter/association relationship. We’ll share stories on what methods other associations have used to leverage their data, and how they have helped chapters and staff make better decisions.
[Webinar] March Madness: Ask a Chapter ExpertBillhighway
We want YOU to help make this webinar awesome! Come with your hard-hitting chapter questions, as this webinar will be conducted in a panel game style. We’ll be drawing inspiration from Around the Horn, the ESPN show hosted by Tony Reali and feature four chapter gurus coming from different perspectives who will weigh in on tough chapter challenges.
The Chapter Panel consists of Peter Houstle from Mariner Management as a Chapter Executive Director, Mark Prevost from Billhighway as a chapter techie, Ed Bodensiek as a chapter leader for CXPA (who has a different chapter model) and Amy Burke as an association CEO for MCI USA. The lovable Peggy Hoffman from Mariner Management will play the moderator and will give points for well-made arguments and deduct points for those who inspire her to hit the `mute’ button. Gotta keep things fun, right?! It is March Madness after all…we hope you’ll choose to join us!
Any question is welcome and will be addressed in the open forum.
This is a series of Capacity Building documents that was prepared by the Sudanese Youth Leadership Development Program.
هذه مجموعة من المقالات في مجالات تدريبية متعددة مناسبة للجمعيات الطوعية تم تطويرها بين عامي 2003-2005 للبرنامج السوداني لإعداد القيادات الشبابية
Chapter Performance & Benchmarking Unwrapped: Using Dashboards to Tell the Ch...Billhighway
Day 2 Agenda:
- Explore how to use benchmarking to create a dashboard about your chapter programs
- Share how your association can use a dashboard to monitor chapter health
View the workshop recording: https://youtu.be/sXj0oGXwhn4
Members seek face-to-face opportunities to connect, learn, volunteer, and socialize with their peers more than ever. CRPs are looking for ways to activate that member engagement at chapters. Around the country, they’re asking:
- Are associations changing how they manage and relate to their chapters?
- What support and services should we give our chapters?
- How should we evaluate our chapters?
- Are chapters still relevant?
Mariner Management and Billhighway conducted the third Chapter Benchmarking Study to explore these questions and more. We went out to CRPs, CEOs, and Chapter Leaders. The data analysis offers a resource for benchmarking, sharing innovations in chapter management, and starting conversations about the future of chapters. Join us as we unveil the 2022 Association Chapter Performance & Benchmarking Report, and more importantly, look at how you can use it to answer your questions and optimize your chapters! #leveragechapters #gotchapters
The Power of an Engaged and Practive Advisory Board MemberNAFCareerAcads
Successful academies have leader who set the pace, lead by example, and generate energy to ignite others. This type of leadership can be embodied by a board chair, a director, an administrator, and other community leaders. This workshop will cover leadership strategies and tools to align leaders, inspire people to support academies and keep advisory board members engaged.
AIGA Slack: A New Tool for Chapter LeadersBillhighway
Do your chapter leaders have an effective way to communicate and connect with National and each other? AIGA’s chapter leaders didn’t think so. After chapter leaders suggested a new tool at their Chapter Leader Retreat, AIGA had no idea it was going to have the impact and engagement that it has today. Enter the picture: Slack. Join us as we run through this mini-case study on Slack and how AIGA converted over 600 chapter leaders to using this new communication tool. We’ll cover implementation, adoption, benefits and challenges.
Creating a Habit of Giving with CollegiansBillhighway
Storytelling. Crowdfunding. Social media. Fun events… We’ve all heard about what is next in the world of fundraising, but you can only take on so much. You know your collegians best. How can you leverage this knowledge to take your fundraising to the next level? Join us on a journey from the initial ask, to receiving the donation to utilizing the donor data. Combine the power of your member knowledge and technology to create a cycle that starts with what inspires them to give and comes full circle with sharing their impact. We’ll cover best practices in fundraising and technology to keep them giving over and over again.
Originally presented on 8/24/16 at THE Foundations Seminar 2016 by Kyle Martin, Billhighway Client Relations Consultant
Even the worst attacks can have a silver lining – Australia’s journey from pa...Billhighway
On-demand webinar available here: http://bit.ly/2jBJ6te
In a time of drastic change in the labor space, isn’t it time we heard a story of hope? Join us as we sit down with John Dixon, General Secretary at New South Wales Teachers Federation (NSWTF). He’ll tell his story of the challenges the organization faced when losing payroll deductions and how they overcame them.
Engaging volunteers effectively to create change requires organization and planning. This presentation provides tips and tools that can be used by organizations as they implement service projects whether a small, episodic project or a multi-event engaging hundreds of volunteers.
Components as Drivers of Recruitment, Retention and EngagementBillhighway
CoSN Director of Membership & Chapters, Dresden Farrand, walks us through how her and her team leveraged their components to see great increases in revenue, member retention, chapter acquisition and more.
Chapter Performance & Benchmarking Unwrapped: Creating a Compelling Chapter S...Billhighway
Day 3 Agenda:
- How to build and create a compelling story about the value of your chapters
- How to find bright spots, tell stories, and what tech to use
View the workshop recording: https://youtu.be/XBzt76UwD7w
Members seek face-to-face opportunities to connect, learn, volunteer, and socialize with their peers more than ever. CRPs are looking for ways to activate that member engagement at chapters. Around the country, they’re asking:
- Are associations changing how they manage and relate to their chapters?
- What support and services should we give our chapters?
- How should we evaluate our chapters?
- Are chapters still relevant?
Mariner Management and Billhighway conducted the third Chapter Benchmarking Study to explore these questions and more. We went out to CRPs, CEOs, and Chapter Leaders. The data analysis offers a resource for benchmarking, sharing innovations in chapter management, and starting conversations about the future of chapters. Join us as we unveil the 2022 Association Chapter Performance & Benchmarking Report, and more importantly, look at how you can use it to answer your questions and optimize your chapters! #leveragechapters #gotchapters
On-demand available here: http://bit.ly/2l4rNhs
In this webinar, we'll dive deep into leading and lagging KPIs and their importance in developing effective dashboards to monitor chapter performance.
As nonprofits consider the problem of program sustainability and capacity building; volunteers are a part of the answer. Effective organizations seek to engage volunteers in a variety of roles and responsibilities. This presentation provides information organizations can use as they seek to implement a volunteer program. This information will be helpful for organizations with current programs as ongoing review and revision is a part of effective volunteer management.
Engaging skills based volunteers in your organization can be both exciting and scary.
Use these quick tips to prepare your organization for success and to create a good experience for both paid and volunteer staff!
Dr Sharron Dickman, well known for her research and publications in the area of Arts Marketing and museum management, presents on Business Planning, Strategic Planning, Volunteer and Board Recruitment as part of the 2010 M&GSQ Standards Program.
Slides from the "Service as a Strategy" workshop presented by Lisa Humenik, President & CEO of the Volunteer Center of Southern Arizona, at the 2010 Arizona Summit on Volunteerism and Service Learning.
KAVCO VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP MODULE THREE SUPERVISIONConnie Piggott
The Volunteer Leadership Training Series is a peer-to-peer program researched, complied and created through an initiative of KAVCO members. This series of training is focused on sharing the vital elements of leading volunteers.
Targeted Capacity Building - CCAT WebinarTCC Group
Julie Simpson from TCC Group spends one-hour defining and discussing targeted capacity building, why it matters, who is (and should be) involved, and specifics about each entity's role. There is a heavy emphasis on the role of local consultants -- particularly those who are CCAT-certified facilitators (with information on HOW you can become certified - for free!).
Presentation from NCVO's Annual Conference 2011 on The Value of Intrafrastructure, a three-year England-wide initiative to support infrastructure organisations in plan, assess, improve and communicate their impact.
Project Management for Nonprofits- 501 Commons Tech Talk501 Commons
Every organization needs strong project management practices to help drive their missions forward. This training will cover free or low-cost easy-to-use technology tools that can help you collaborate better as a team. You will also learn what makes a successful project manager, as well as the "big picture" of project management.
This training is suitable for those interested in pursuing project managment, as well as experienced project managers who are seeking avenues for making improvements.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is critical for every organization, as it will help increase your visibility on the web by making it more likely for people to discover you. If you aren't considering ways you can strengthen your website's SEO, you could be missing out on meeting new clients, volunteers, partners, or donors.
More than 90% of people begin their research process by using a search engine. This includes looking up what to buy, where to eat, and where to donate. The proliferation of mobile devices (and now voice-activated personal assistants) is changing how people use search engines. Competition is increasing and learning how SEO works is more critical than ever.
These slides provide a beginner-level discussion about how to approach your SEO strategy and research process. We will talk about essential terminology, process steps, and tools.
We will learn about:
- How search ranks get developed
- How recent algorithm changes affect search results
- How to organize keyword research
- How to come up with SEO-friendly blog ideas
- The tools and capabilities you'll need on your team
Meet the Presenter
Brian Childs is a Training Program Manager at Moz. Moz is a leading developer of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) software and is based in Seattle. Prior to Moz, Brian was the co-founder of a digital marketing agency, led corporate strategy for GE, and was a product manager on big data solutions. Prior to his work in marketing roles, Brian worked in International Development for the United Nations in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq.
Social Network Analysis: Mapping Your Nonprofit's Connections501 Commons
Your nonprofit’s network is much larger than you might realize. When you consider the people your staff, volunteers, donors, partners, and board members all have connections with, think about the beneficial relationships you might be missing out on!
Your new collaborator, major gift prospect, high level volunteer, dynamic board member, or like-minded policymaker could be only a few degrees of separation away. But how would you know that unless you had a way of seeing this untapped relational network clearly mapped out?
This fast-paced, two-hour 501 Talks Tech session will explore “Social Network Analysis,” a process of visually diagramming your interpersonal network, direct and indirect connections, and opportunities that can come about from being aware of this data. Creating your very own network map can inform you about how you can better leverage your relationships toward improving your programs, operations, fundraising, recruiting, and marketing.
The technology focus will be on NodeXL, an open-source Microsoft Excel plugin that can help you improve your knowledge of the connections that are sitting right under your nose.
At this workshop, we will:
- Explore why Social Network Analysis matters to nonprofits
- Understand what a Network Map is, and how to decode one
- Follow a step-by-step tutorial to source, load, visualize, and analyze network data
- Allow adequate time for questions and practice
- Show pathways for additional learning and development
What You Should Do For Your Website in the Next 6 to 9 Months501 Commons
Websites are crucial for a nonprofit's work. Unfortunately, we live in a time when a harmful security breach can be right around the corner. Do you have a plan for recovering from such a breach? How can you speed up your site and help make it more secure at the same time? How do you make your site work well, no matter what device it is viewed on?
Your website is essential for engaging supporters, volunteers, and—in many cases—the people you serve. Adaptability is key for making sure these people can access your website at all times, and there are so many nonprofit website experts out there telling you what you must do.
In this free 501 Talks Tech training, we’ll cover three top areas we believe you need to give attention to soon that will have the greatest positive impact on your organization in the near future:
- Website security and backup
- Website performance improvement
- Responsive website design
Some of the specific topics you will learn about in this training include:
- Simple ways to protect your website from a security breach
- What to do when a security breach happens
- Backing up your website and data
- Content delivery networks and other methods for improving website performance
- Responsive website design
This training is intended for those with a basic understanding of website design and security.
From fundraising to programs, from advocacy to evaluation, Tableau Foundation helps nonprofits make a bigger impact with their data. Thanks to the new Tableau for Non-profits program, most small nonprofits qualify for free copies of Tableau Desktop.
All organizations – even small ones! – have a vast amount of data at their disposal. But this data doesn't have to be confusing or useless. It can help you make informed decisions on program development, fundraising campaigns, reporting, and strategic planning. Tableau helps nonprofits use their data to change communities.
This “Getting Started” session will introduce nonprofit staff and leadership to Tableau’s powerful, easy-to-use business intelligence software. Through the session, attendees will learn how to:
- Understand the importance of data visualization for evaluation and storytelling purposes
- Connect to their organization's data on a PC, a server, in the cloud, or on the web
- Build compelling visualizations, dashboards, and storypoints
- Use quick filters to explore the intricacies of their data
- Share their data both inside and outside their organization
This is designed to be a beginner’s workshop, but if you’d like to get a head start on finding out why understanding data can be the key to building a stronger organization, check out Tableau's training videos at tableau.com/learn/training.
Meet the Presenter
Jason Schumacher is the Tableau Foundation’s program manager. He runs the Tableau Service Corps, the Foundation’s skilled volunteering initiative, as well as licensing programs for nonprofits. Previously, Jason ran Tableau’s academic programs, acting as a PM, trainer, and marketer. Before joining Tableau in 2012, Jason worked with data at a healthcare marketing agency, while asking himself the question “why am I not using Tableau for this?”
Agile Project Management for Nonprofits501 Commons
Are you looking for ways to remove dysfunctions, waste, and inefficiencies in your non-profit organization? Whether it is a technology or a non-technology project for non-profits, this quick introduction to “Agile” – a modern project management approach can help you get more done more efficiently with full engagement of your team and stakeholders.
In this workshop you will learn how Agile has caused tremendous disruption and innovation in today’s networked global economy and what are the future possibilities. You will specifically learn how to adopt Agile practices to do twice more in less than half the time at your non-profit organization. Agile practices are aimed at responding to changing organizational demands by reducing waste, incorporating program improvements more quickly, and working collaboratively.
Agile is a mindset and it requires a mind shift from individual performance to team progress. It emphasizes the ability to adapt to changes and provide organizations the framework to adapt in a predictable way with a minimal amount of waste, such as from over planning. In Agile, teams incorporate frequent feedback, from both internal and external stakeholders, and work in short iterations, with the goal always to get something viable in front of an individual for feedback. Everyone works as one team to get work done.
Specifically, participants will learn the benefits of Agile, how to become Agile, the role of a team in a scrum environment, and an overview of scrum roles.
Your organization has a facebook page, and you've got a few dozen or maybe a few hundred "fans". You see the notices to "boost" your posts, but every time you have tried it, it didn't work, or you haven't even tried. This Workshop will help you understand and use facebook strategically for your non-profit.
We will walk you through how to look at your "insights"
Offer helpful tips on when to post, how to schedule posts,
Show you where to find what kind of posts get the greatest engagement,
And we'll talk about how and when to boost your site or your posts for maximum value for minimum dollars.
This is a beginners workshop, but will assume that you have managed facebook for a non-profit organization, and are familiar with the interfaces.
About the presenter:
Katherine Cleland owns and operates Cleland Marketing, a small business that develops customized marketing for profit and growth strategies for Small Businesses. She has been creating successful campaigns in Facebook for 12 years for her many clients, and now runs facebook pages for more than a dozen small and medium businesses, including several nonprofits. Cleland Marketing focuses on technology, cleantech, and high tech businesses. She is also an advisor to the University of Washington Comotion CGF program, helping PI's define their marketing strategies.
Ms. Cleland has presented seminars on marketing at the Shoreline Lunch and Learn, Oregon State Austin Family Business Conference, Linn Benton Community College, Corvallis Chamber of Commerce, and The WNHS Micro-business program and the BEC Business Boot camp. She is a relatively recent transplant to Seattle.
501 Talks Tech: WordPress + Social Media = Engagement501 Commons
Connecting with your audience through social media is no longer just a "maybe" activity. But who has time to constantly create content for Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or whatever the next hot site is? Let experts Mike Brogan and Mark Root-Wiley show you how to make your WordPress-based website be the hub of your online activity, and automate your social efforts. Save time and energy, and deepen your engagement.
Sharepoint for Nonprofits: Introduction501 Commons
A Walkthrough of Real World Deployment
Now that you are up and running on Office365, are you wondering if SharePoint can help your organization better collaborate? Is email your org's primary means of sharing files? Not quite sure what SharePoint is? Wondering what it takes to build a useful SharePoint site? Hoping to decommission your local file server or Dropbox shared accounts? This presentation will walk through the business and technical steps taken at Habitat for Humanity SKC to deploy SharePoint in a mid-sized nonprofit.
Topics to be covered:
SharePoint functional overview. What is it and what can it do for me? Brief comparison with similar products.
Structuring sites and subsites.
Security considerations. Internal and external sharing. How do I control and monitor access?
Document libraries. Custom views. Using folders vs. search.
Data preservation.
Syncing files locally. Limits and tradeoffs.
Reaching nirvana – any document on any device, anywhere in a secure environment?
How to involve your team in design and deployment. How to manage a deployment.
Project overview at Habitat for Humanity. What worked? What didn't work?
Hidden costs? Training? Internet upgrade? Storage fees? Local PC upgrades?
Benefit from the experience of a recent deployment, and make a more informed decision about whether SharePoint is a good fit for your organizational needs.
About the presenter:
Kevin Phaup is an independent software consultant who has advised dozens of local non-profits in Seattle and Portland over the years primarily as a volunteer. He works closely with Social Venture Partners. He enjoys providing targeted technical and business advice, and hands-on work building successful IT solutions.
Nonprofits are undergoing a trend of increased transparency, accountability, and information-sharing. Institutional funders require data demonstrating need and impact, policy-makers rely on data to guide their course and decision-making processes, and media and donors demand more transparency. This workshop will show you how you can use this trend to your advantage.
In this training session you will learn to find data that can help promote your cause and turn it into meaningful communication. What you create can be used to guide internal efforts, inform policy-makers and media, and/or support fund seeking from institutional funders and donors.
The workshop will take you from data to story in 90 minutes including.
1. Where to find data that supports your cause
2. How to prepare your data using Excel (Including shortcuts and tips)
3. How to find meaningful insights in your data
4. Publishing engaging stories based on your data using LiveStories and Haiku Deck
About the presenter: Anders Maul has a background in marketing and international business. Anders worked for 5 years in business controlling for a large pharmaceutical company where he managed and analyzed $100M+ budgets and spent "a lot of time" looking at Excel spreadsheets. Anders Maul currently works for LiveStories, a technology startup that helps nonprofits, foundations, and governments to become more data-driven.
Project Scheduling for Successful Outcomes501 Commons
Project management touches every part of your organization. While each project is different, they all share common strategies to achieve successful outcomes. Poor project management can lead to wasted resources and unnecessary stress on your organizational staff that is already working at 110%. In this workshop you will:
Understand common project management terms regarding creating a project schedule
Learn how to create a work breakdown structure to reflect the scope of project work
Practice developing a project schedule using a project scheduling template based on Excel.
This comprehensive program covers essential aspects of performance marketing, growth strategies, and tactics, such as search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, content marketing, social media marketing, and more
Want to move your career forward? Looking to build your leadership skills while helping others learn, grow, and improve their skills? Seeking someone who can guide you in achieving these goals?
You can accomplish this through a mentoring partnership. Learn more about the PMISSC Mentoring Program, where you’ll discover the incredible benefits of becoming a mentor or mentee. This program is designed to foster professional growth, enhance skills, and build a strong network within the project management community. Whether you're looking to share your expertise or seeking guidance to advance your career, the PMI Mentoring Program offers valuable opportunities for personal and professional development.
Watch this to learn:
* Overview of the PMISSC Mentoring Program: Mission, vision, and objectives.
* Benefits for Volunteer Mentors: Professional development, networking, personal satisfaction, and recognition.
* Advantages for Mentees: Career advancement, skill development, networking, and confidence building.
* Program Structure and Expectations: Mentor-mentee matching process, program phases, and time commitment.
* Success Stories and Testimonials: Inspiring examples from past participants.
* How to Get Involved: Steps to participate and resources available for support throughout the program.
Learn how you can make a difference in the project management community and take the next step in your professional journey.
About Hector Del Castillo
Hector is VP of Professional Development at the PMI Silver Spring Chapter, and CEO of Bold PM. He's a mid-market growth product executive and changemaker. He works with mid-market product-driven software executives to solve their biggest growth problems. He scales product growth, optimizes ops and builds loyal customers. He has reduced customer churn 33%, and boosted sales 47% for clients. He makes a significant impact by building and launching world-changing AI-powered products. If you're looking for an engaging and inspiring speaker to spark creativity and innovation within your organization, set up an appointment to discuss your specific needs and identify a suitable topic to inspire your audience at your next corporate conference, symposium, executive summit, or planning retreat.
About PMI Silver Spring Chapter
We are a branch of the Project Management Institute. We offer a platform for project management professionals in Silver Spring, MD, and the DC/Baltimore metro area. Monthly meetings facilitate networking, knowledge sharing, and professional development. For event details, visit pmissc.org.
12. Typology for Matching Volunteer Requirements with Organizational Needs Volunteer Organization Volunteer’s values about who they want to help Focus/mission; staff/board diversity; who is served Volunteer’s values about workplace culture Organizational culture Volunteer’s preferences about using/developing their skills Organizational needs (what needs to be done; what expertise is needed) Volunteer’s preferences about the structure and benefits of a volunteer opportunity Structure and benefits of the volunteer opportunity
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14. Typology for Matching Volunteer Requirements with Organizational Needs Volunteer Organization Volunteer’s values about who they want to help Focus/mission; staff/board diversity; who is served Volunteer’s values about workplace culture Organizational culture Volunteer’s preferences about using/developing their skills Organizational needs (what needs to be done what expertise is needed) Volunteer’s preferences about the structure and benefits of a volunteer opportunity Structure and benefits of the volunteer opportunity
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24. Assessing Readiness for SBV Supplement to the Volunteer Management Audit (Energize Inc./Susan Ellis) Sample standard #1:We insure that specialized volunteers are given the staff support and resources needed to accomplish their projects.
25. Assessing Readiness Sample standard #2: The volunteer program is staffed to meet the increased demands of managing skilled volunteers Staff do not have time to work with skilled volunteers. No one is assigned the primary responsibility of managing skilled volunteers.
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Editor's Notes
Alison We will share some information with you but also do two exercises that will prepare you to make better use of skills based volunteers.
How can centers successfully tap into the professional skills of volunteers, particularly professionals with marketing and fund development expertise? At the end of this session you will be able to: 1) Identify factors important to a successful match with a skills-based volunteer 2) Assess your organization’s readiness to use highly skilled volunteers 3) Develop a scope of work for a SBV and 4) Identify sources of skills-based volunteers. The presenter is Nancy Long, Executive Director of the Executive Service of Washington. ESCWA is a member of the Executive Service Corps Affiliate Network, a nationwide network of nonprofit consulting organizations providing high quality, affordable consulting services, and other technical assistance to nonprofits.
volunteers with specialized skills …pro-bono work …highly skilled volunteers
much of traditional volunteering asks volunteers to take a small part of a process and assist the organization by doing that part without necessarily providing the background and context for the work or giving the volunteer a say in what is done and how it is done. Skills based volunteers want to understand the work and have a say in how the work is done.
We need to change the way we think about volunteers Using skills- based volunteers is not a program but a strategy that needs Leadership from the top and Broad understanding an adoption throughout the organization You can engage SBV in project-based work or in an unpaid or stipended volunteer role. In both cases it is important that the volunteer is an active participant in designing how the work is done Agency describes the outcome Volunteer contributes to how the outcome is reached For most people it enhances their volunteer experience if their volunteer role is Paired with learning Done in a diverse and intergenerational environment
Some of the benefits of SBV: Access to needed management skills/expertise An outside perspective on strategic issues Helps solve organizational issues that staff are not able to take on because they do not have the skills/expertise or just do not have the time Volunteers serve as effective and often well connected ambassadors for the organization A deeper volunteer engagement often leads to deeper commitment to the organization and increased donations to the org. Boomer opportunity 57% say it's very important that they have work (paid and unpaid) that gives them a sense of purpose keeps them involved with people and helps them improve their communities
Fundraising Marketing & PR Accounting & Financial Services Planning & Org. Development Technology Human Resources Program development/evaluation Facilities planning and management
Atlantic Philanthropies initiative Funding to community foundations 30 + cities Understand the barriers to successful engagement of boomers Seattle project focused on skills based volunteers We identified 6 major problem areas or barriers We will focus on 4 of them today The first two are well understood by everyone in this room; Funders are providing very little support for volunteerism of any kind, particularly SBV or older adult engagement Volunteer management is underfunded and underdeveloped How many of your have volunteer managers?
Nancy The barriers we will focus on today are…. NFPs do not have a conceptual basis for understanding how to match people with substantive volunteer roles NFPs need to assess their readiness to use SBV and act to increase readiness. Need to learn to “contract” with volunteers NFPs need to tap into volunteer brokers
Nancy Lets talk about matchmaking There is no e-harmony for volunteers Yet matching a volunteer – especially a skills-based volunteer - into a role in an organization is every bit as complicated as hiring the right person for a job. And – when we try to fit square pegs in round holes what happens? Attrition Bad PR Lose donors
Nancy We felt we needed to get inside the match process and understand what needs to align for a good match to happen We developed this typology that looks at the two sides of a successful volunteer engagement First the volunteer… The parallel issues exist for the organization What are some of the volunteer values issues that can cause a match to succeed or fail? What are the organizational culture issues that need to be understood and discussed? What are some elements of how the volunteer wants to be engaged that an organization needs to understand? What issues related to the structure and benefits of a volunteer engagement are important to consider?
Nancy One person plays the role of the volunteer and chooses a volunteer identity One person plays the role of the agency and chooses and agency identity
Nancy Remember to think about all of these factors – do not move too quickly to the work to be done Centers- you need to understand what this volunteer is looking for and what they have to offer Volunteers – you need to determine whether the culture of the organization is a good match for you and if you can provide what they need.
Taproot
Nancy
Nancy Resources: beyond office, expense budget it means background info, information, access to staff/leadership, Cannot be done with perfect knowledge – do not want to crowd out discovery process, the opportunity to learn from an outside perspective etc. May need to re-define the scope as you go Accountability and evaluation – include the soft skills, culture fit, communications, trust We evaluate project outcomes and the communications skills of our volunteers including the ability to speak the organization’s language, doing what you say you will do, Most important: demonstrating appreciation for the organization’s strengths and achievements
Return to your partner Do not need to deal with timeline
Discussion to tease out the success characteristics – what matters? Doing what you say you will do Listening/ learning before judging Showing appreciation for the accomplishments of the organization
Nancy We realized that organizations needed some help in assessing their readiness to use SBV. Wanted to develop a tool that showed people where they were on the continuum and what improvement would look like Decided to develop it using the format of the Vol Management Audit developed by Susan J. Ellis Go through the assessment – break
Nancy We realized that organizations needed some help in assessing their readiness to use SBV. Wanted to develop a tool that showed people where they were on the continuum and what improvement would look like Decided to develop it using the format of the Vol Management Audit developed by Susan J. Ellis
Nancy We recognize that the process for successful engagement of SBV we have talked about can seem pretty overwhelming for most nonprofits Luckily there is a somewhat easier way that will meet some of the needs of organizations Use volunteer brokers Portals: a connector organization that helps an employer who has volunteers to deploy or an individual who wants to volunteer identify the right volunteering opportunity, often through the use of a website. Brokers: a connector organization that plays an active role in matching the volunteer with a community need, in some cases remaining involved to ensure that the volunteer relationship is working well and the community need is being met.
Nancy Vol matching process more efficient and effective for the volunteer and the organization. Source and develop opportunities. Can help an individual find a best match. Understand local needs or needs of specific sectors for certain types of volunteers. Know which organizations are working on specific local issues. Familiar with the intent of employers who are promoting volunteerism so they can identify and match employees with relevant opportunities. What are some examples of volunteer brokers in your community?
Templated process Teams of 6
Nancy We want to spend a few minutes talking about two demographic groups that are receiving a lot of attention I will talk about people over 50, particularly boomers And Alison will talk about her work with people in their 20s and 30s. 48% of working adults over 45 volunteer (AARP); Higher education = more volunteering Survey by Civic Ventures: 80% expect to work after 65 but 57% say it's very important that…
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