 Welcome, and thank you for joining us for a fryer as I like to refer to it as an ask and answer episode brought to you by the fundraising Academy. Also all of our very generous presenting sponsors, you can see their logos right in front of you on the screen. We are so extremely grateful and appreciative to have these companies supporting these episodes supporting you in the sector, doing your community service and all the great work that you're doing. These companies literally exist to help you do more good so if you have not checked them out. Please make sure that you do because they want to lean into you and your community and help you serve your community in a greater and a greater bigger way. I'm Jared ransom nonprofit nerd CEO of the Raven group and I am thrilled to have today's special guest join us again from California, Laura white Laura is the president with the uss midway foundation. Welcome to you Laura. Thank you so much. Yeah, not in San Diego right now and up in the mountains up in Big Bear kind of area. It's pouring. It's windy so if you hear all that going on around me, there might be a thunderstorm here so forgive me if I go. Because in Southern California we don't do weather, right as a weather so the minute it starts raining we get excited so. So typically is your office on this beautiful uss midway foundation ship is it is it a ship I mean tell us more about about the foundation in which you work. Sure so it's the uss midway museum is an aircraft carrier. It was the largest serving longest serving aircraft carrier in the 20th century. And somehow it found its way back to see Diego they saved it a big group of people from see Diego decided to save it bought it from the Department of Defense for $1. And it's been there they officially opened in 2012 and it's now the most popular, most popular museum military museum of any kind and the fourth most popular visit the museum in the US, even behind like that, and all of it. Yeah. Yeah they bought it for one job. Now it was that's all it costs to keep it up to date but not so much. So it's there we've been there 17 years now it's just a really fun it's a very touch and feel type of thing it's you're not going to break anything on the midway. And I think the big part about it is that it's just huge if you're a civilian and you've never been anywhere near an aircraft carrier. It just blows your mind the minute you walk on I always think of like my condo and where my condo would fit, and it's about the size of the women's upstairs hanger by. So part of the Midway Museum is the Midway Foundation, and that was developed about six years ago to start looking at the community outward. The Midway Museum does pretty well financially the operating expenses are pretty much taken care of by ticket admissions. Yeah, it's about a pretty much a wash there. And so, starting the foundation was like okay how can we go out into the community and raise even more dollars and pass this goodwill that the museum has had out back into the community. So our focus is two things one is to build an endowment that supports the education program on the ship, which is an incredible education hands on come spend the night come feel what it was like to be a sailor do stem all sorts of stuff on board or virtually, and then two is to support first responders veterans and active duty families in San Diego County. So we just a couple days ago granted $305,000 to 12 organizations, and we're doing our $200,000 next year. And our goal is to do about $1 million a year and grants. So, yeah, that is found fantastic. I love. Yeah, I love hearing about that and all that you do and feel so grateful to have you here as a guest. And then you also are representative with the fundraising Academy, which is what brings you here with today so so grateful to have you here. I want to. Yeah, I want to get us started with our first question. And, and as the special guest right like for most of you that are joining me. This is very familiar. So I'm just going to read them aloud Laura would love to know your professional experience and expertise. So our first question come to comes to us from Michael in Chicago. And Michael asked, we want to start a nonprofit that supports vets in our community who are experiencing addiction issues. Is there any direction we need to take in order to work with clients associated with the military. We are not looking for military funding. We've just spent five years prior to joining the Midway Foundation at an organization organization called support the enlisted project. And their basic goal was working with junior enlisted active duty families who are experiencing a financial crisis, and they were not funded by the military at all they're 100% privately funded. It's, it's not easy to work with the military to have access to either active duty or transitioning out. So I think my first question would be clients associated with the military with that specifically be veterans. And then what other vets and what other organizations in Chicago are doing some sort of this work right I would probably start there. And if you're interested in starting us because you feel like there's a lack of that. The VA obviously has programs there's going to be some programs in Chicago, and maybe visit them, see where they're at see how long they've been around see where most of their funding comes from. And if you've already done all that, then you want to get, you're going to want to get a mo you with the Department of Defense, which I know sounds crazy, but it's not as crazy you might think that it is there's some paperwork involved but that allows you to then go on to basis and talk to active duty military and other programs that are on base and work with their veteran transition programs to as folks are getting out. Yeah, there's it's tough, it's you've got to build your own reputation with the military there they can be, they can be tough they've got a lot of roles it can be real sticklers but they're also very grateful for organizations that want to support their soldiers and that's true, but yeah, it's not it that's not an easy task. You are very versed in that and I love your answer and and I too would agree with what Laura shared and reiterate, you know, find out if there's other organizations doing a similar service, and see if you can, you know, talk to them find out how your services are different there's. And again, if there is that lack as what Laura just shared if there's a lack of services or a gap of services in your community, find out how you might be able to provide these resources and solutions to that demographic so I don't think I can add to the military front as Laura did that's definitely your zone of genius and area of expertise so we wish you luck Michael and we hope that that what we've provided will will help move your your idea forward. Let's let's jump to this one from Sarah in Colorado, Sarah writes in and asked, we are ready to welcome our volunteers back to our campus and we are following strict mandates due to coven. We want to be vigilant, we want to be welcoming. Do you have any ideas on how to do this with our dedicated volunteers and even new volunteers. Yeah, so this is a good question a lot of things people are grappling with right now so the, the USS Midway has about 900 volunteers throughout the year, it's the only reason the ship can actually operate on any given day there's about 50 volunteers to be able to open the doors without volunteers. It's how the Midway vessel because it takes a lot of people and a lot of manpower to even an aircraft carrier that's just sitting still. And, and so you really have to tap into what why is it that they're coming to the organization right and they, there is there are they getting some social good will out of it are they staying connected are they older and want to just continue to use your brain. I would suggest surveying them to get started, maybe send out a quick survey to say here's what we've, here's what our plans are. Do you feel comfortable with this. Does this work for you know give them some options and some hey if you have any additional suggestions. I'd also probably call my top volunteers, any leads or committee chairs or board chairs and stuff and just walk through the process is going to be and make sure that they feel comfortable with it as well and see if they have any suggestions. When I worked at support the enlisted project we had volunteers every day. We posted on all of the doors what the organization's current philosophy or rules were which was pretty much we were going to follow CDC guidelines, follow state and then follow county right and typically those are all in line every once in a while one was a little bit different than the other. So we just kept up current as of this date these are what the CDC is, you know, guidelines are if you're vaccinated you don't have to wear a mask. Maybe if you all are volunteering in smaller spaces maybe you just say you know we've decided that we're going to continue to wear mask and here's the reason why. You're probably going to get a volunteer to that doesn't like the rules or the new rules or don't doesn't think that they're strict enough for or or too strict, and that's just an individual basis have that conversation with that person. And it might mean that they need to maybe hold off volunteering for a little while but I think surveying people I always love to give people the opportunity to give feedback. And then see if you're what you've decided kind of aligns with what they're thinking as well, and most likely it does. It reminds me of this quote and I wish I knew the author, but people support that in which they help create. Right. And so, by surveying and really, you know, asking for people's opinion, and taking that into consideration and then as you said Laura calling to stop volunteers to really solicit at a deeper level. It also reminds me truly on that return on relationship, which we've always been focused on ROI return on investment here at the nonprofit show we've been talking a lot about this return on relationship. So people support that in which they help create. Why not ask for their opinion as for their level of comfortability. I talked a little bit about this previously on the show, when it comes to events, and talking a little bit about you know do we have an in person event do we stay tandem or hybrid. And really I think to your point Laura, you know, sticking with the CDC guidelines, that is something that I think so many of us across the nation are familiar with right from the news to our medical offices to our nonprofit organizations is sticking to those guidelines, I think is is still a very safe way and a very good way to to continue. I like your RLR I like that return on all of anytime I have an opportunity to call someone, a donor volunteer that has nothing to do with asking them to do something or give me money, I can just have a conversation with them. I think it's it's goes big to that RLR. I love that like that. Absolutely feel that I'm stealing it. Good feel it it's a little bit more difficult to measure but it's very important. And so this is a name withheld from your area will say California. This person says this is an odd question but how many years apart should one get a new headshot. Our executive team has photos that I swear we're taking 15 years ago, and they don't look anything like us now I have a photographer who is donating headshot sessions for our team. I love this question. This is I like I don't think it's odd I think it's so funny and funny ass because the headshot that you all use for this for me was from 2010. So I don't know that I'm the best person to ask for this I think and I think the minute you add glasses or even a little bit of gray hair, I think it's probably time to update the photo but I don't know that I would get hung up on it too much. I always think about what do I how do I feel when I walk into an event and I see the person I saw the picture of and then the person I see on stage and I kind of giggle giggle to myself like, I probably should update that headshot and now you all are probably saying the same thing about me so I need to take my own advice. And I think the minute you can kind of make that connection that you know that's probably it but anytime you have a photographer willing to donate their time. I would jump on that, no matter what no matter where you're at in your career headshot photo. I would to, and I love when you know this is a talent and a service that's offered. All of us are aging, or you know to our best benefit we're aging because it's better than the alternative, but for me and this is you know I love to talk about my headshots my photographer. Always laughs Laura because I tend to do a lot of different things with my hair. That is how I show and express myself and my personality so I have headshots with short hair with long hair even this style is newer as of this week. And so I use it in an interchangeable manner. But I do think that when it comes to like hairstyles it's more acceptable than if you're looking 20 years younger than what you truly are, you might feel as we would say in the, I don't know, urban dictionary. You look like a catfish right where it's like, wait, I thought I was meeting someone that looked different for coffee or lunch and you look nothing like this, like this person. I think also we can take very going to call them like low budget, you know whether it's a selfie or someone in your office takes a photo for the website. I think those can be updated maybe more regularly than let's say if you're being acknowledged for an award as Julia Patrick is today, then you might want something that's a little bit more up to date and current. So, that's a great question. And yeah, I'm maybe three five years is something that I would put if I had to put a timeline on it. All right, I need to get mine updated. Okay. Noted, no catfishing Laura, no catfishing. Okay, this one comes into us from Texas, our board parentheses nominating committee is floating the idea that all incoming board chairs need to resign from any boards that they may be sitting on. The argument is that a chair who is involved with too many nonprofits will not be able to serve hours. That is an interesting question. What do you say, I've never heard of that before. Yeah, 22 years I've never heard of that. That sentiment or that idea. I personally think that that would work potentially against you a you're going to get some pushback. And as a chair, if I was a chair of two organizations or if I was on a board of handful of other organizations. How do you know which one is the most important to me or the most valuable or I feel most valuable because I'm on several chairs. I don't have access, you know, there's other organizations are doing great things out there you want your board members. And even your chairs out in the community knowing what's going on, you know if you're struggling with an issue and they're on another organization that's maybe not or struggled with it and got through it. Wouldn't it be great to have that knowledge and that skill set and experience out there. And yeah, I would stay away from that I would stay away from telling anyone that's volunteering their time. I don't know what to do, you know, I, I guess I could see if maybe there's proprietary things or if it was a hospital or a biotech company or something but if it's just about a measure of time. I think you have we have to leave that up to the adults to decide, you know what's too much time for them or not. I've never heard it either. And it makes me think and something that Tony Bell and I have talked about before from fundraising Academy on the show. You know, when organizations are at different points in their life cycle. And so if you're serving on one board, it could be in a very mature place in the life cycle while another one could still be very much grassroots startup. And so you're not quite sure when it comes to the organization, the demands, the expectations of the board members. I love love love your answer Laura of, let's let the adults make that decision for themselves. That's very mature. And which I love that response so much. You know it also makes me think of the best practices that these board members are gaining and experiencing by serving witnessing observing with their peers and other organizations and what they bring to your organization. I would hate for you to lose that. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. That's kind of what I, you know what I'm thinking and so let's see between the two of us it's we'll say 40 plus years of us never hearing this request from a nominating committee floating the idea, asking board chairs to resign so. You can, you can quote that if you want. Yes, for two experts that said. Yeah, yeah, how have your nominating committee contact us. Let's, let's go there. This is likely our last question from man and Newark, New Jersey, and man ask us our status, this question, we have lost several good hires recently because we had a long drawn out hiring process I feel like I need to say it that way. What do we do to scheduling several meetings with department heads. Should we do one large zoom meeting where everyone is on the call or do the smaller two to three person meet ups. So kind of looking at this hiring process on the timeline. It's so tough right now there are so many jobs available and jobs out there and people jumping fields and trying to do something totally different. I think that to look at your hiring practices from beginning to end, and this is the moment to do it. But yeah if you're seeing a consistency that's going too long. What do they're, they're just got to be buying from team and staff right so if you're the person hiring that position, and it's your responsibility, ultimately they're going to be in your department. And maybe you're not the CEO but you're the head of that department. You want buying from the rest of your department right, you want them to feel like they're part of the process. I think that's a big group interviews that are, if that's the only part of the interview, I don't mind bringing I typically what I like to do is I like to go out and find my top candidates, you know, maybe get down to two or three and then bring those to the interviews. And it's kind of exhausting and sometimes it's not fair to last person but what I'll do is I'll do the interviews back to back. Right, so I say to someone I'm going to. I'm going to give you person in your department over there or wherever. I need two hours from you and I'm going to give you two people or three people within those two hours. And, and then that way it's just one chunk of time and not trying to pick people's schedules. It's also to communicate with your other counterparts or other people in the organization that were when you're trying to get scheduled how important this hire is to you. You know, everybody's are busy schedules we always think ours is the biggest priority and the hottest and who knows maybe it is if you're the fundraiser it might be. But, but they've got busy schedules to so here, you know, I would love for all three of you to sit in on this but I definitely no matter what I need two of you because I need both of your feedback right just kind of decide do you meet everyone in. Is it a requirement does the VP and the CEO and the CFO all want to sit in will make that part of that last process and do that on one day around the same time. The commitment is just already done and over with. But your right shortening that is going to be a big deal, especially right now people are getting job offers. Left and right. Left and right. Yeah, that is a great. I love the recommendations that you provided there Laura. And we've heard to from staffing boutique let's see where is she right here Katie, I was staffing boutique you know, she is constantly placing individuals into jobs in particular, you know, in that New York community. And she said you know if you like someone and you know they're a good fit and that's who you want, then continue making the steps to get them on board. Instead of drawing this out which is, you know, essentially the question is, how do we shorten this because we're losing these really good talented hires opportunities because of the hiring process so the workforce right right now as we all know across the nation is bleak, it is, you know, short there are so many opportunities, it is definitely the employee, you know, it, it bleeds to the employee side, because there's so much going on right in this time So, I do think you know, as, as Laura said, let's see if we can shorten this let's see if we can condense the opportunity to say, give us two hours we know it's going to be brutal we know it's taking you away from your other long to do list. Let's get these candidates in and out. And communicate along the way. Right, so communicate with your candidate if the minute you find the person that you think is great but you know that they have two more steps to go through that could take a week or two, communicate that with them. And then I always like to say, hey, if you think you're my number one candidate or you're my top three candidate whatever, if you're going to get another job offer will you just let me know. And so keep that, that communication open because you know what it's like you've applied for a job, and then you don't hear from the and it went great and everything's great and they're like great we can't wait to, you know, next steps and then two weeks go by. Well that two weeks might have just had nothing to do with you right. It could be a worldwide pandemic going on or something. And so just make sure you're communicating with your candidates that you that you want to keep engaged. Those clear expectations those clear timelines just so you know this is the process this is the window that we're looking at. I recently helped a client hire their first executive director, and I will share that it was a long process. And that was intentional. And we also you know we're very upfront with the candidates to say this is going to be a longer than normal process. Not only were we doing it during the summer but you know, if anyone's paying attention, you all know about this global pandemic that is really, really been happy. So where have I been. So I do, I love that piece Laura is to stay, you know, transparent and share that information with the candidates so that they're not saying, Why is this taking so long this is this is third. So good luck with your hire, I know I know there's a lot going on out there, but Laura, it has been fantastic. And look at that headshot. Right, I mean it's, it's like, it was like it was taken yesterday. Absolutely. We are so grateful to have you again Laura White joins us as a representative with fundraising Academy who underwrites our fry yay asked and answered episodes. Laura also serves. Yeah, as the president for USS Midway Foundation so thrilled to have you with us. And yeah, you've got 20 years of phenomenal expertise, you know, in, in the trenches as we say all of the scar tissue and war stories to share. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And now I'm working on an aircraft carrier who knew aircraft carrier. Yeah, fantastic. Yeah, it's been fantastic and we would not have Laura we would not have asked and answered and we would not have almost 400 episodes if it weren't for these guys. So presenting sponsors that you can see on the screen. So extremely grateful to have their investment again in the episodes the American nonprofit Academy, but truly in this sector at large these companies exist to help your days go together so please do check them out I think we all have an obligation to share good positive news, and you can do that with their help so thank you again to our presenting sponsors. Wow, another week. Here we are in October, Laura again it's been fantastic I hope that you have a wonderful weekend I hope all of you. I hope you have a wonderful weekend, Julia started saying this and as our mantra when we end every episode to please stay well so you can do well. Thanks again Laura and thanks to all of you for joining us we'll see you again next week.