Volunteer Engagement

Build Capacity Through Volunteer Engagement

Build Capacity Through Volunteer Engagement

I just returned from the Fort Worth Chamber’s State of Economic Impact event – and it was excellent. (Thank you, Fort Worth Chamber, and Cadence Bank!)  All the speakers were great, but three inspired this article: 

Ken Buchanan, EVP of Revenue Management at the DFW Airport who described their best-in-class volunteer program as a key part of delivering exceptional customer care.

Steve Montgomery, President of the Fort Worth Chamber, who praised the Chamber’s member volunteers for their work during a recent small business walk.

Robert Sturns, the newly named Executive Director of Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County (WSTC) whose facilitation reminded me of the time he invited me to speak on volunteerism at the Arlington Chamber of Commerce.  He was serving the City of Arlington at the time, I think.

That event - years ago - brought together leaders from chambers, nonprofits, corporations, and civic sectors across the region to discuss building organizational capacity.  My contribution focused on using volunteer engagement as a capacity-building tool. Reflecting on that presentation, I realize that the advice I shared then is just as relevant today – and perhaps even more so, and I offer it here.

Three Takeaways for Nonprofit Leaders from NCN’s Webinar: The Legal Landscape and Path Ahead for Nonprofits and Philanthropy

Three Takeaways for Nonprofit Leaders from NCN’s Webinar: The Legal Landscape and Path Ahead for Nonprofits and Philanthropy

On March 17, the National Council of Nonprofits (NCN) hosted a webinar titled The Legal Landscape and Path Ahead for Nonprofits and Philanthropy. The event featured attorneys, nonprofit leaders, and philanthropists from organizations such as the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Democracy Forward, the Robin Hood Foundation, and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. (You can view the full webinar recording here.)

Three key insights from the panelists stood out as valuable guidance for local nonprofit leaders navigating the current, unstable landscape of government funding. 

Find Joy in the Job

Find Joy in the Job

With a recent invoice payment, we received a handwritten thank you note insert from a client, (and we were still in the middle of the assignment).

At a board meeting, we were given an iced sugar cookie in the shape of a unicorn with appreciative words of how unique our services were to the exact needs of that board and foundation.

Another time, we received a crystal vase from an executive committee with sentiments of how we served as the vessel for their cause to flourish and how they hoped we would remember them by filling the vase with fresh flowers in the future.

The Qualities of a Good Board Member – Take an Honest Self-Assessment

The Qualities of a Good Board Member – Take an Honest Self-Assessment

At Project Partners, I have the privilege of serving an exceptional nonprofit board of directors—the HEB ISD Education Foundation—as their consultant and project manager. While I have collaborated with numerous nonprofit boards across the nation, this group of leaders truly stands out as one of the best in the country! Every day, I am inspired by the dedication, leadership, and passion that these volunteer leaders bring to the table. Their unwavering commitment to the mission, along with their readiness to contribute time, treasure, and talent, profoundly impacts the success of this organization, which supports HEB ISD’s commitment to excellence in education. Working alongside them has been an incredible learning experience, and today, I want to share some insights on what it means to be an effective board member.

Re-Establish Relationships

Re-Establish Relationships

In three recent conversations with executive director clients, the topic of re-establishing relationships was discussed. Our community is experiencing a shift in those taking leadership roles within our philanthropic landscape, plus the way people work, meet, and communicate has changed in recent years.  So, the need to go back to the basics of researching, identifying, cultivating, and soliciting donors, collaborators, and board member prospects is top of mind to many nonprofit executives.

Because of that, I reached into our files to retrieve a handout that we provided in one of our Good Advice Over Coffee sessions held as part of our 25th anniversary and pulled the advice we provided on building a base of community support for your cause.