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For leaders and ops team members at small to midsize nonprofits to get guidance, uplifting, and resources for nonprofit data, database, and operations.
Ops Insights #053 - Ambassadors Refer Potential Donors
An Ambassador Program is a way to drive referrals of potential donors. Ambassadors have existing relationships and serve as connectors to potential donors they know who care about your nonprofit, such as individuals you serve, friends, or organizations. You can partner with various Ambassadors who pass referrals to your Philanthropy team. Let’s walk through the reasons you want ambassadors, the stages, and ways to track them.
Ops Insights #052 - Reasons to Build Organization-Wide Relationships
Building relationships outside the development office but still within your organization expands fundraising opportunities. The question you want to ask: How do we help those throughout our organization be involved?
Joe, Doug, and I talked about how we help others in the organization understand what we do in philanthropy and what their role can be in the development process. Which, in turn, creates more opportunities for conversations with potential donors. Let’s dive into what it takes.
Ops Insights #051 - 3 Things Donors Do Not Say
3 Things Donors Do Not Say: I gave because you have a clean database. I gave because you have timely reports. I gave because you have streamlined processes. You certainly do not. Rather, you hear donors say: I gave because you made a difference in my life. I gave because I want something changed for the better. I gave because I want to leave a legacy. Let’s talk through how this happens.
Ops Insights #050 - 3 Teaching Techniques that Increase Engagement
This edition is for my Ops peeps who do teaching, training, and mentoring. From teaching how to use the data or database to teaching how to get the computer to work, we get asked many “tech” questions in our roles. For me, this is exciting as teaching is one of my favorite parts of my work.
There's nothing like it to take someone from base level to more advanced to ah-ha light-bulb moments. When I see it finally click and their face lights up, it’s magical. Let’s dive into three teaching techniques to increase engagement.
Ops Insights #049 Get Uncomfortable to Stay Relevant
Think of that moment. The moment where you felt, wow, I nailed it. I nailed it for me, for our team, and for our organization. You pause, take a breath, smile, and say we are better because of it. How long ago was that? Why can’t you make that happen more often?
I’m here to tell you that you can, but you have to be willing to get uncomfortable. This actually is a must-do to stay relevant. Data, tech, and the fundraising landscape changes. If you are still operating the same way you were 5, 10, or 15 years ago, you are outdated. It’s never too late to get curious, lean in, and learn how to adjust, tweak, enhance, and evolve to make things better.
Ops Insights #048 Use History When You Have No Mentor
You are never truly alone unless you choose to be. In the nonprofit sector, there are tons of people who are willing to help. Find a mentor outside of your org if you need to. Find a group, a community, or a tribe to go through the journey with. You should never be alone and there are so many options out there today to lean into.
I am going to walk you through an example of how I took hold of a situation when there was no one to guide me, how I leaned in, and how I succeeded in hopes it can guide you in your journey.
Ops Insights #047 Organize to Ward off Stress
Summer is coming to an end and it’s time to adjust our routines to get back to fall schedules. If you are like me, it’s a time of adjustment, a time to reset your mindset and reclaim some habits that you let go of during the summer months. Let’s talk through what can help get you back into the swing of things.
Ops Insights #046 Interview Questions You Can Use
When looking for someone to join your team on the data, database, and operations side of the house, looking for someone who understands not just the database, but who understands people, data, and processes. You want someone who can sit as a trusted partner side-by-side with frontline fundraisers and talk about strategy and how the data and database can support the frontline strategies, but also can dive into the weeds and get things done. To find this person, let’s give you some interview questions you can use during interviews.
Ops Insights #045 Hire an Ops Professional Not a Database Admin
When looking for someone to join your team on the data, database, and operations side of the house, you want someone that understands philanthropy operations and can partner positively with the frontline. You do not want someone who only understands database administration and prefers to be isolated in the data or behind a computer.
We will talk through why you need an operations professional over a database admin and what to look for when you are interviewing.
Ops Insights #044 Become a Futuristic Fixer
This edition is for my data and ops peers who are early to mid in their career and want to grow in their role by being a trusted go-to colleague. As we kick off summer and transition into new routines, I’ve been extra observant of who is a fixer. Let’s talk about the types of fixers, why you want to become a futuristic fixer, and steps you can take to get there.
Ops Insights #043 Help Fundraisers Embrace the CRM
I’ve seen fundraisers who embrace the CRM database successfully enter their activity into the CRM, which feeds into the reports to show increased philanthropy results. Being able to show results helps the entire team articulate their effectiveness better. Let’s talk about the 3 steps to make this happen.
Ops Insights #042 Reasons I Write for You
👋 Hi, I’m Jenny. Your personal guide, coach, and mentor for nonprofit data, CRM databases, and operations → Philanthropy Operations, also known as advancement Services, Development Operations, or Philanthropy Services, is the foundational structure that supports all fundraising efforts. For me, I am extremely passionate about philanthropy operations and helping you. I write for you. As I write, I speak to two main audiences. Let’s dive into who and why.
Ops Insights #041 My Top 8 LinkedIn Posts for YOU
It’s my birthday week and I’m incredibly grateful for YOU. For being here, for reading, for learning, for engaging, and most importantly for doing the good work you do and being the good human you are. Thank you for this amazing journey we are on.
In honor of my birthday, I’m going to share the top 8 LinkedIn posts from this year that are a must read.
Ops Insights #039 Data Optimization
When was the last time you reviewed your data processes? The way data is coming into your nonprofit, how it is being handled (and protected) and the way it’s going out?
Just because you have always done it that way doesn’t mean it’s the most effective or best way to do it today. Often in fundraising as times change, so do our data needs and workflows. It’s important to have a process where you review and adjust to meet current times.
Let’s dive into how you can do this review.
Ops Insights #038 Prospect Strategy vs. Portfolio Review Sessions
If you can grow and solidify your prospecting efforts and nurture a proactive and collaborative working relationship between frontline and data/ops team members, you will excel in your fundraising efforts. One way to boost these efforts is learning to run effective prospect strategy sessions and portfolio reviews. Let’s talk through the difference.
Ops Insights #037 When Everything is a Priority
When everything is a priority, nothing is a priority. These were the words spoken as the ops team member and I were talking about all the projects on the list to tackle for the leader and team. So much to do, so little time.
Ops Insights #036 Debrief from Nonprofits Leaders Summit
Listening to the Microsoft for Nonprofits Leaders Summit was reaffirming and inspiring. We were given permission that it’s okay not to know all the AI right now and the stronger message was we have to come together to learn and be part of developing AI over the next 5-10 years. We have to step up together and take a hold of it before it takes hold of us.
Ops Insights #035 Stop the Internal Drama
As I enter the room, I immediately feel the tension around the table. I squeeze by one individual typing away on her computer while I grab the last seat in the middle. On my right, more individuals were typing away at their computers, and on my left, a few were on their computers, and others were on their phones. No one was talking to anyone, heads down plugging away, but a sense of uncomfortable tension was in the air. First red flag.
Ops Insights #034 Thanking Donors
There is something soothing about preparing thank you letters to donors, if you let it. As the influx of donations increases time of year, our operations team puts in extra effort to process gifts and send out thank-you letters. The industry standard for sending acknowledgments is within 24-48 hours. If you find yourself outside this timeframe or notice a pattern of non-donor-centric thank-you letters, let’s talk about some tips you can follow.
Ops Insights #033 How to Say Goodbye to the Past Year
Did your last 30 days feel like this: go, go, go; make those calls, close those gifts, process those gifts, pump out those acknowledgments, make those thank you calls …all hands on deck.. go, go, go? It’s a normal part of fundraising, but it seems each year gets more and more intense with no break during any month of the calendar year. Let’s take a moment to take a breath, and as you head into another year, try not to clear the page and jump right into another year. Take a moment… what are you feeling?