 Welcome and thank you so much for joining us today for another episode of the nonprofit show. It is my favorite day, Julia's favorite day with it being Friday. And we get to spend our time with a representative from fundraising Academy and thank you so much to Tony, Tony bell senior director office of program administration with the National University and with the fundraising Academy again just really lucky to have you and the support of the fundraising Academy for our weekly dedicated Friday show that is the ask and answer. We of course want to say thank you, thank you, thank you to our sponsors fundraising Academy is one of those so not only just our Friday, but each and every day. Also thank you to blooming your part time controller nonprofit nerd American nonprofit Academy, staffing boutique nonprofit thought leader, as well as the nonprofit Atlas. If you've missed any of our 503 episodes, can you believe that Tony. Your drop, you can catch them on Roku YouTube fire TV as well as Vimeo thrill to share also that we are producing into a podcast platform so wherever you stream your podcast, wherever you listen and get your podcast. Please make sure that you add us to your queue, because all of these episodes that we are doing now are also bifurcated into the product podcast so that is pure, you know, support also of our sponsors. So thank you so much for that and it looks like the next slide that I already advanced like just jumps us right into the show. I said, let's move along here. We have questions. You need to know what Tony is going to advise us. So Tony, thank you. I am what I'll do here in we've done this before but just for our viewers and listeners, I'll ask the question. I'd love for you to take the first stroke at these answers. Some of them are actually directed to you. No pressure, but heads up. And then of course you know I will I will add anything that comes comes my way. Yeah, please do. Yeah. All right. Well it seems as we're talking it seems in person conferences are starting to come back. That's exactly what we talked about. I would like to attend some events that are out of town and that could help me learn some new things. Our leadership is still not keen on this, and they, as they were pre pandemic. Our CEO thinks that we need to wait until 23 for these events. Do you have any strategies. So my strategy would be perhaps look at those opportunities where there's a hybrid option for some of the conferences and maybe start easing into, you know, conference attendance through these hybrid formats that a lot of folks are using to produce their events. That way, you, you're walking away with the professional development and the learning that you wanted to, to obtain via the conference. So you're once again reminding them of the value and the ROI of attending a conference. And then, you know, then as, as science or data, or whatever your organizational policies and procedures, recommend or support, then, you know, again, you, you've got them looking at conferences, realizing once again the value, and then hopefully you can get the feedback you're looking for so you can start having that face to face interaction that we all come to enjoy whenever we attend conferences. So that might be my, my recommendation I mean we could, we could go on for a long time about all of the digital, you know, professional right at your fingertips. But again, it's, it's that shared learning that occurs when we're in a room together that that deeper understanding that deeper connection that deeper conversation that takes place around the theme or subject of that workshop that just isn't in asynchronous self paced digital learning. asynchronous is a word that I had to learn, like in 2020 2021 right and you of course are so good at it because of the educational component you know I know that to me is where that asynchronous word is really really used and so I refer to it as hybrid or tandem but for some of you that are saying, What, what's this word that Tony just said. I love your answer because you're right there are many events that do still see the great value of allowing this virtual attendance for many reasons right cost geography boundaries and barriers. And so that's a great opportunity but just what you and I were talking about Tony is this AFP icon conference in Vegas will will be a reunion and it will be so nice to deepen those relationships right from the virtual reality into real life. And so we have a great base foundation, I feel like I've known you for years, which it has been a couple now. It really has been years plural with an S, but to see you in person to have that engagement and again just to deepen that relationship, I think is something that we're all really looking forward to so I wish you the best name withheld in Pittsburgh. And if the conference you're thinking of is the Vegas, hit us up because I think Tony and I will both be there. Exactly. The other thing that I'll, you know, I'll say to name withheld is, you know, congratulations for, you know, recognizing the value of professional development and and for your willingness to want to learn new things so not not everyone approaches their work in that way and so well done name withheld. Yes, well done. Can't wait to hear. Sandra from LA, which is also a neighbor of mine I was saying Vegas is a neighbor but LA is a neighbor. Sandra, Sandra writes in and has a question for us. I am the board liaison of our nonprofit and I think it would be a good idea to get our board members some fundraising training. Yay. I think we have time for super in depth training, but I feel that they could use something. Do you have any thoughts on some topics to approach. Yes, well again we could talk about this one particular question for the next, you know, 30 to 40 minutes. So again I'll start with you know Sandra congratulations I mean it's one. Fundraising is a team sport so we definitely want to figure out ways that that our board members can engage in fundraising and to deepen their knowledge around strategies with fundraising and just overall best practices, you know, in the nonprofit sector. What I would probably do if I were in your role is I would maybe curate a list of potential trainings. Again, there's all types of on demand training available. But I, you know, I might curate a list of potential training opportunities for my board and share that with them and have them select the ones that they want to participate in, just to see if there are some common themes amongst the board members and then schedule them that way and try and schedule their, their participation, either in groups, or have them lean into the digital learning, you know, on their own but then bring them together after they watch the video or read the article or read the whatever it is, but then bring them together and facilitate a conversation and discussion group around what it is that they learned, and what are the takeaways and, and, and not only what did we learn and what are the takeaways, but how do we effectively implement those in our role as they work for the organization. So, a lot of times we have the conversation about what did we learn and how did it make us feel, but then we don't take it to the next step around now how do we actually action and implement what we learn so that would be my recommendation. It's really important and I love Sandra that as the board liaison you've recognized this as a need that is fantastic. It shows to me, you know, your value to the team your value to the mission. I have to make a confession, though, Tony, I, working with a client and they to needed some fundraising so I sent them one of our videos that that dives into the Madden test right. So I said, you know, watch this video. It was short and sweet. And then I said at this time stamp goes into the Madden test. And this is what I would like for us to implement when it comes to inviting attendees to your fundraising breakfast. They loved it. They loved it. And so Sandra that might be something as Tony was saying, there's so many resources out there fundraising Academy has so many amazing tools that are easy to digest, and I think easy to implement. You know, Julie and I have both said, man, you two Tony right this decades ago. And, and now we do, you know, we have it now so let's take advantage of that so that's been a huge blessing for me Tony I want you and the entire fundraising Academy team to know that I have. I have benefited greatly from this already with my client work, and I love how, how manageable the resources are that the cause selling education model provides. Yeah, thank you so much for saying that that's that's really a super testimonial to the, to the curriculum and, and I have the real joy and honor and privilege to represent. You know the fundraising Academy and the crew and the curriculum, I am not the architect of the curriculum Jennifer Lill and Dr Lill are the two individuals that that wrote the cause selling textbook, from which all of our workshops and and everything that we put out into comes from that textbook but it's, it is really dynamite curriculum and as you said, easy to digest, easy to implement and easy to modify, based on the norms culture of your organization, or the uniqueness of the community that you're serving and raising money. Yes, very, very much so. Absolutely. Next we have to Detroit Jamal ask a question here and looking for some insight. We are moving towards only putting out an annual report online and in a digital format on our website. It would save us a lot of money, but there are still some costs associated with this. What do you think. I think that you know I think that it is a best practice currently to make as much available in a digital format as possible to make it as easily accessible as possible. So I think that the recommendation to have it live on your website or portal or somewhere digitally makes a lot of sense. I encourage organizations when they're looking at an annual report to really take an opportunity to make it the best marketing piece you've ever created. So that it you know it's it in collaboration with providing great financial updates, also providing great stories and pictures and, and really just something that leaves a donor a board member anyone involved in your organization, one feeling really great about the way in which the organization is managed and led, and they'll see that through the data, but also to feel really good about the outcomes of the organization and the programs and services that that are being offered. So I totally support, you know, digitizing the annual report, but I also feel like there's value and having some print up you know some some of it in print for you know for perhaps your your top 10% of you know the top 10% of your donors. So really kind of of looking at, you know, how will, again, this be your larger donors feel when they receive it in print. I think it's more tangible for them. And I think that that expense is not even an expense. It's an investment in the cultivation and stewardship of your large donors. It's a great, you know, shift and vernacular so I've been shifting the the language from, you know, change is difficult to evolution is necessary. Right. Shift of is this, you know, a cost or is this an investment and how will we use that. You know what you said Tony, and I would add for Jamal and everyone else. I too have learned a lot through these last three years you know everything's been shaken up we've really learned at new ways to engage and with our donors and then also to share our stories and share our impact. I think that I learned and I would love to pass this along to you Jamal because I think I, I've been making these decisions with myself in mind and not necessarily this constituency base in which we have. Who is your audience right if there's an older demographic, they might prefer something to hold in their hand. You might also want to consider a larger font. I'm really considering what this looks like for it to be easily read and absorbed again I'm going to use that word for your audience. I also love impact report so it's taking a piece of your inner report into a smaller version. It may be an infographic that's a two page document highlighting your annual report. That is a great way to again as we talked about in our event space we're having in person events we're having virtual events tied into that. Why not use this in a same manner where you have this digital component, and you have a complimentary, you know, a piece item something to mail out as you were saying Tony to your top 10. You can use this as a great stewardship opportunity, not only to those top 10 that you spoke about Tony but to grand tours to potential grand tours right to say, just want to share with you the impact of your investment. So I think there's a couple of ways and how you can approach this Jamal for a true when when collaboration and solution. And I would love to see what you're creating. Absolutely. Yeah, we'd love to see it. Annual reports I've really taken a different form a different shape over the years, regardless of the pandemic, but I think even more so. So, great advice, I hope that we helped. Okay, Jada, what a beautiful name from New York, New York. This one's for you Tony. Okay. Can you help us determine if we should start including top board members in meetings with donors. We seem to have a variety of opinions on this particular idea. So my, the first thing that I think so again, fundraising is is a team activity, right. Not everyone plays every position on the team. So I would really think about what value is the board member going to bring to the conversation. How receptive is the potential donor potential investor in your organization, going to be to this new person attending the meeting so when we talk about relationships and developing and building your relationship with potential investors to your organization. I'm going to bring in this other entity that hasn't been along this relationship building journey with you. So really ask yourself what is the value of having a board member attend. I can tell you that from my experience there have been a number of times where I included a board member in a meeting, and it was very well received, and the potential investor was really blown away if you will by the fact that the board member was willing to invest their time to meet with the potential donor potential investor for the organization so there were a lot I don't think that there's a real clear kind of cookie cutter response, other than to just kind of first ask yourself, why, what's the value and make sure that it's truly going to provide an added value and not a disruption in the progress that's already been made in building a relationship with a donor. Thank you for that point and I'm thanking back to our one of our other answers with the address the board liaison needing some fundraising training. Please make sure that your board member who goes with you data does have some training and some knowledge of what their role is. I always love it and I'm curious if you're receiving some some pushback or some varying opinions because the board members are uncomfortable, or they just feel like this is not something they're familiar doing. But I do have to tell you data, I have had a wonderful engagement with a board member that said, However, you need me, I will absolutely go. I'm not a fundraiser. I don't know how to do that but I can absolutely speak passionately about the mission and I would be there on any, you know, conversations, meetings, calls that you have. So, again, I think it's taking a temperature check of your board members, and maybe it's not all board members. In fact, you probably don't want all of your board members serving in this role. But find a handful, right, maybe that come from your fundraising or development committee, if you have one, to serve in this capacity and really provide that education, work with Sandra as a board liaison. There you go. And get your board members feeling really comfortable, really, you know, competent, and, and I think it will be great, but, but you're right, Tony, like, what is the purpose of their attendance? Have they been involved in the journey thus far, or is this, you know, you're bringing a third wheel to your date? That might be a little different. Yeah, exactly. And the potential donor and investor might look at this like, Oh, they brought the closer. Right. You know, so you really, you really do need to think it through and be, and be mindful again of what's the purpose, what's the motivation, and how is it going to be received? Yeah, great, great responses. Well, speaking of Vegas, here we are. Alex from Vegas asked a question for us here, wanting to know, we are thinking about finding a fundraising coach for our team. Do you think this is a good idea and something that, that would be a viable investment using your word, Tony, for our team? It seems that for profits use this in the form of a sales manager. I think we need an outside voice who brings us some accountability. Great insight. Yes, no, very great insight. And so I, you know, again, you're talking, you know, the question's coming to someone that totally supports the notion of coaching and professional development. So, you know, I'm naturally going to lean into, yes, if you're, if your budget allows, definitely invest in having, you know, having some sort of coach come in. And, you know, making sure that what your needs, you know, your needs are clearly defined. So you're, you're getting, you know, the right individual in the organization to support you. You know, when it comes to accountability, you know, a coach is great for helping you build a culture of accountability, but the coach alone is not going to make you accountable. So, you know, so just or your team members accountable. That's something that has to be, you know, created again within your organization, your culture, your organizational norms that folks, everyone operates with a level of accountability. And the coach can really help you figure out what might be some of the barriers and opportunities to successfully creating that culture of accountability within the organization. But yes, all day long, if you have the funds, again, to invest, it will make the individuals better. It will make the organization better. It will make your programs and services better. It will make your community better. I love that. And I love Alex that you say, you know, this happens in a sales manager role, you know, this, this happens that you have a coach, there's training, there's, you know, so much provided in support in that manner. I love that you've seen that that correlation, and I too, right along you Tony am a huge proponent for coaches, having someone that challenges me, I have a coach I have a couple of coaches in fact that I work with. You know, and I think it's become normal that we have, you know, like a fitness coach we have a financial coach we have a sales manager coach why not have a fundraising coach right. And I love what you were saying about the accountability, you know, they can really work with you on that, but it also comes within you that implementation that we talked about before, you know, really that day to day. And I would also say Alex, a coach doesn't have to be an ongoing thing, it could be that you could find a program or some some relationship with a coach, maybe they come in quarterly, maybe they come in every other month. And so I think there's a couple of ways and how you could approach this. And there's several really, really good nonprofit fundraising coaches out there now. And there really are and, you know, for those organizations because, you know, we think about all the all the time, access, and, you know, and access to professional development and not every organization has access, whether it be. I mean we talked a lot about, you know, the digital, you know, opportunities that exist so there is more available now, regardless of where you are geographically. And it just may not be in your budget. But there were some communities that have things like executive service core, or, yeah, I think that that's executive services core I think that's the right name. We have one here in Broward County which is a core of retired professionals who volunteer their expertise to nonprofit organizations, and they're stipend is paid through the executive services core. So nonprofits here in South Florida have this opportunity to apply for coaching support through this executive services core around things like marketing and business plans and, and so they're, you know, so explore that, because that opportunity may exist in your community if your budget doesn't allow for you to, you know, to actually engage someone, whether it be short term or long term contract. That's my point. And I feel like we've been on on the horn with AFP for quite some time this episode but I went through the AFP mentor mentee program here in my local chapter, and that had great value and that was, I don't. Like a plus ago Alex so please don't hold me to it. But I want to say, you know, it was a period of time maybe six months where it was a very intensive program. But I love the service core their score there's so many different organizations that can help, you know, with some of these resources so Tony. Wow, again, I'm always so honored to have these nerdy conversations. You know, I too fast way too fast. I know I had to do a side eye to my, I did the same thing. Well, Tony tell us again, you know this brief time what's going on with fundraising Academy. You know, what is it that we need to know about right now we have the website here. So for this year. Yeah, so for this year like many organizations we are investing heavily in digital content, and, you know, and online access to a lot of our curriculum. So you'll see in the next 30 days the, I believe it's 30 days I hope someone on my team isn't going why is he 30 days, but I'm pretty sure to be 30 days. We will be launching the fundraising Academy portal, which is just it is a dynamite product with lots of nuggets on there all based on call selling and the eight step call selling cycle. But we're really excited about you know bringing that to market and and having so much of our curriculum accessible to fundraisers across the country so that's the, that's the big deal and the big lift. So for the next 30 days for the fundraising Academy we have a thriving cohort right now that are going through the call selling certificate program. And that's going really well but it's, it's, it's again just looking at, you know, digitizing the products and, and this portal launch which we're all really excited about. Super cool thanks for sharing I think what our teenagers say now is here's the tea so thanks. Here's the tea. Thank you Tony, and thank you for being one of our amazing, yes. Amazing sponsors along with blooming your part time Academy, sorry, your part time controller fundraising Academy, we're all friends here but we shouldn't share names. It is a nonprofit nerd American nonprofit Academy staffing boutique nonprofit thought leader, as well as the nonprofit Atlas. It is a Friday. This is our ask and answer again so honored to be here and to nerd out with you Tony and, and to all of our viewers and listeners that have joined us. Please have a great safe relaxing restful weekend. Stay well so you can do well. We'll see you back here on Monday.