 Speaking of fun, I'm ready to do that to have some fun today with all of you and really excited to share that our Friday has become even more special. It still continues to be asked and answered, and it is now sponsored through fundraising academies cost selling education. So this name is not unfamiliar. Tony Bell has been a wonderful advocate and peer mentor here with us with fundraising Academy. And so Tony will join us on occasion for these fry. Today's ask and answer episodes so again we will still do the questions just as normal and just so grateful to have fundraising Academy as our show sponsor. Thank you so much to, to them, and to all of our presenting sponsors as you know, we start every episode Thank you. Extending our sincerest appreciation and gratitude to each and every one of these companies. They are all led by rock star champions, and they literally exist to help you do more good. So please do go online, find them I always like to say, you know, like them love them give them some follows. And again, they are really here to help you continue the great work that you're doing in your community so please do help us thank them. And thanks to Julia Patrick CEO of the American nonprofit Academy. I am so glad to be back with you here today. Again for Friday ask and answered. And Julia this has just been such a fun journey. I am honored to continue to play as we move forward and navigate coven rebound. I am Jared ransom, also known as the nonprofit nerd, your nonprofit nerd her nonprofit nerd everyone's nonprofit nerd CEO of the Raven group. And again I'm just going to do a little, you know shameless promotion but I've been very active on Instagram so again if you want to follow my travel. Today, I post a lot on nonprofit nerd, which is my business Instagram, but as I travel. I'm also sharing about the nonprofits and the different community spaces in which I am living because that is huge to me as a global citizen that not only am I traveling, but I'm becoming immersed in the community in which I am traveling so I share a lot about that on my Instagram nonprofit nerd. I love it. I think that's fabulous. Well you are coming to us today from Park City, Utah, which is really an interesting opportunity for all of us to learn so when you get back. For those of you who are joining us in the kitty chat chat. Park City, Utah, like many other vacation destination on communities that was really challenged by some unique things that happened during the pandemic and so we'll be really interested to hear about some of your meetings and and some of your lessons when you get back next week. So we've got Kaylee from Portland, Oregon, he's written in. Do you think it's a good or bad idea to have board, have a board member attend a final ask meeting. Interesting. Interesting is the word I was just about to say as well Kaylee. And so I'm going to say it depends on if this board member has been involved in the previous meetings. So when it comes to the cause selling education and model of fundraising Academy there are several steps, different phases. So I am going to say that really I would go back to see how this board member has played a role in the continuation thus far right has he she or they really been involved in the conversations with the donor. If you have before and you think that they have a significant relationship, a good rapport, I would say it wouldn't, it shouldn't, shouldn't hurt to bring this board member with you. However, if they really have not been involved. I don't think you should pull them in, and you know as you cross the finish line or as you seek to cross the finish line really with this ask meeting. I would trust in yourself and show up poised and confident to make that ask because you yourself Kaylee have done all the work thus far. You know, I tend to agree with you because unless the board member really understands your journey that you've done if you're if you're following the cause selling, you know method or or anything. If you kind of throw you off and throw the cadence off and everything. What about taking that board member to a stewardship meeting. So, as you move forward it's just because you've, you know, concluded the ask doesn't mean you're not going to connect with this person anymore. But if you did something like maybe even an onsite tour, and you include a board member or you go to coffee or you even meet up on zoom, maybe move them to that piece. I agree with you Jared I think there could be some disruption or, or strap maybe like the word stress like you know, I think it just really depends on how they've been involved in the conversations up to the ask meeting point but I like the opportunity of bringing them into the fold for stewardship. I think the great role for any board member is to be a part of thinking and you know providing gratitude and telling their own story is why they choose to serve on the board of this organization. That's a great impact story and stewardship is a really important role for all board members. Yeah, I absolutely love that you said that I think that's cool. Okay, we have Charlene from St. Louis. This is an odd question. No questions are on. This is an odd question, but I have been asked by my new CEO to wear a name badge with nonprofit branding on it. Think a name badge like you would see at a bank or a store. I have to admit, I hate this idea. Wow, this is really, this is fascinating. It reminds me when I think of a you know nonprofit branding on it. I'm hoping that that's your nonprofits name, maybe your mission statement, maybe your value proposition. There are so many ways and how you can really customize a name badge now. So I would encourage you Charlene to really see this as an opportunity to help tell your message. There are many reasons maybe why nonprofit employees and any employees are asked to wear a name badge. One, it sets you apart from your constituency base or your client base, right. And so for instance, for me, I worked in an organization that was for developmentally disabled adults. And so it was really important that we knew who was staff who wasn't because that's that's pretty important. But then we also as a safety issue, we knew that people in a certain area were supposed to be there based off of their name badge, and it wasn't just the name like we had some other, you know, qualifiers, you know, in there but I think that that's, you know, something to consider. You know, why is your CEO asking you to wear this badge. And hopefully they're not asking just you singularly but really the entire staff. And I actually enjoy this from for volunteers as well. So I'm going to say, you know, I go with your CEO on this and I think really having that delineation and really just acknowledging who you are. And even who your volunteers are, I really think it's a good thing. Interesting. Okay, you know what, I wouldn't have said that. Because right off the bat, I'm like with Charlene. I hate this. But I really appreciate what you said and how you spun it around. I hadn't thought of this as a, like a staff security issue. I mean those badges aren't just passed out willy nilly. Right. So yeah, I mean, especially if you're in an environment where maybe you're working with children or minors, and you have background checks or you have security risk with your clients or for your clients. Yeah, I think that's a really interesting thing and I like what you said, and that is, get to the back end of it why was this required why is this a new procedure standard. Yeah, because I think it sounds like Charlene's just been asked and like, you know, here's the bags of the new tags put them on versus, you know, understanding what it means. Yeah, interesting. Okay, well, you know, I don't think we've ever had that question. No, I think that's a good question and I really just like to see like, you know, who's who amongst the campus or the staff, which is why I also like the volunteer name badge and it doesn't have to be you know that hard acrylic it could be like a lanyard style that you yeah you just slip right into that plastic cover. It's the same for board members, you know, one of the organizations also did document destruction so we as employees had to go through a security clearance, right, just to be in that area for me to give tours in that area. And so it really just just depends on the organization and how you're serving. Yeah, I, okay, I changed my mind you won me over mystery. You won me over. I know wow I'm like impressed. I know how the mighty have fallen. Okay, Erica from Colorado Springs, Colorado. What is the average time for a nonprofit to reimburse development team members. I take a lot of donors out to lunch or coffee, and I have to pay for it up front. Yeah, it's like a burden. This is definitely a process and procedure that I would recommend that you know, early on in your job placement that that's a conversation. This is a question you would not think to ask in an interview, but I do think that once you're on board and you realize how things have paid, once you realize yourself Erica and all of you watching because I've been the same position where you really cover the cost and it could be 3045 60 days. And depending on where you are in your financial security and your own personal life. That could be a really long time. I think that Erica we've had a similar question in which Julie and I both talked about how it's important to have a credit card for your team. You know there used to be this thing called petty cash, and I don't know if it's still used. There's even some prepaid credit cards that could be used. There's a lot of different ways to, you know, reconsider how this financial process is done. I would go to your supervisor ask if there's an opportunity to, you know, inquire in some of these alternative ways of what's being currently used at your organization. I don't even know share is authentically as you can. This is a financial burden on me and my personal account. It would really be most helpful for me to continue, you know, and be successful in my job and stewardship of our constituency base. If this obstacle was removed. I think the thing of it is that, you know, there are, you know, gift card concepts where you preload them. It doesn't have to be the traditional credit card that oftentimes freaks everyone out it could literally be that type of a pre prepaid card system. And yeah, I agree, I agree I think it's a big burden and you know the reality of it is is that it's not just a reimbursement because you, Erica, you've probably figured this out. It's costing you money and time and energy and effort in other ways. So it's not as clear as just, you know reimbursement. I mean there's there's an actual cost to you for doing this so good luck and I like what you said, Jared, in that is have an authentic conversation with that supervisor that you never go wrong with that and this will not be the only time you have to have a heart to heart. Yeah. And, you know, and I get it talking about money especially personal finances is often awkward and difficult. But I hope that you can remove that awkwardness and feeling of embarrassment or shame. Because I, I would hope that you don't have that and you really see this as more of an empowering conversation, because chances are Erica if you are feeling this other team members are likely feeling it as well. Exactly. Oh my goodness. Absolutely. And then, if you, you know, to end on this, if you share your accounts with a spouse or somebody else in your household, this is burden on them too. It's not just you I mean so wow. Okay, let's go to Devon in Atlanta, Georgia. I'm wondering what should be in a typical bad boy clause for major gifts and naming rights. First of all, I get that the name has to change. The concept is what constitutes a course of action to take when a donor acts in a manner that opposes the nonprofits values. This is really you start here Julia because I know you've got a lot to talk about this. I didn't even know what the bad boy clause was. No, until I learned it from you. Yeah, it's a really big deal and it is traditional it has, you know, attorneys most attorneys will will know it as a bad boy clause. I mean you won't see it spelled out necessarily. And in legal documents but first and foremost back up. If you have a major gift or something that involves naming rights, you should have a legal document, and that legal document should should cover many things, such as the duration of the naming rights, the management of the naming right if the business or person is, you know the business is sold the person passes away, the person has a name change. You know there's there are a lot of things. And this is why we talk about this all the time Jared is when you're looking for legal representation, you really need to find an attorney who works with nonprofits. If you have, you know the sheepskin attorney hanging on the wall doesn't mean that you are going to know all things that the nonprofit sector deals with. So that's why we advocate this piece of it. It's a really big issue because if you do not have some of these decisions in place, then the remedy for it can take a long time can cost a lot of money there can be hard, hard feelings within the family or the airs or the businesses that are that are involved. And so you have to really be thoughtful. And this is hard for us in the nonprofit sector to do, because we're looking at that money we're looking at that big win. And we don't want to upset anybody, and we want us to cure the deal, right. But this is really a big issue. Hopefully, if you are working, Devin with somebody who is of that caliber and they've done this type of work before, they will understand that process, if they're corporation undoubtedly they will. If they were that they're an individual that might be a challenge if they're a family foundation they probably will have done this if they if they pursued the course of naming rights. So classic, classic issues within the Catholic Church, who had oftentimes across the world named particular buildings within their campuses that I'm not Catholic that's not the right word, but within their parishes. And as some of the problems and the troubles that the Catholic Church has had, they've had to remove those names, and think about it. This is not an inexpensive thing for a nonprofit to do to take off a major sign or if, if a name has been chiseled into a part of the architecture I mean, these have real costs associated with them not just marketing costs. So this must be described. And if I'm not mistaken, we have a course on the American nonprofit Academy that just deals with this, we have over 100 courses and so I might be wrong. I'm pretty sure we have that. And I don't have much to add I think that's that's phenomenal advice again. And thankfully, I don't have much experience in this arena or with this challenge. However, what I would encourage all of you to do is as you revise or create your gift acceptance policy. We're also looking at this policy right so it's kind of that whole. How might we consider a breakup before we even start the relationship. And so that way it's very clear on on all sides of the parties, you know, thank you so much for your gift this is our gift acceptance policy. And if ever, you know, something were to go awry, regardless. I think that's just really good to know it also sets really clear boundaries so your board and your executive team are very clear on the decision, and it's an equitable decision made for anyone and everyone that this may come up for. But that way you're really creating it proactively instead of reactively and in a crisis state. Absolutely. And to your point, I mean this should be kind of a pro forma piece as your organization grows because this is where you get into the big bucks. And so this isn't something that you want to just figure out because you've achieved a major donation. So you want to be pre armed on this. And so absolutely because this is going to be legally described in some sort of document. And so this must must be done within that purview I mean this is not the sort of thing that your executive team team is going to necessarily do for themselves. Now they may be asked to say, What are our key issues of your mission vision and values, right. But aside from that, some of these things are very very specific and where it gets a little tight and we need to move on is we believe in this country that you are innocent until proven guilty. And so that those things can take a long time, and you can be, you know, played out in the court of public opinion. So what does your nonprofit do, you know with that. It's a really interesting discussion. It happens a lot. And we don't talk about it until we're faced with it and it's a crisis so. And Devin forgetting on this. Yay team. Okay, one of Columbus, Ohio is asking the question Jared. And it's a really kind of a shocking one at this point in time, but I'm thinking we're going to be hearing about this more. What is the average time of leave of absence or specifically for sabbatical. I love my nonprofit that need a break after COVID. Also, I would like to take advantage of some education tracks that would help my career. This is such such a really insightful question and it's one that I don't know the answer to. I really think, and I hate to say this really it depends and it depends on the organization, how financially solvent your organization is, what is your succession plan at these organizations. How have you cross trained different team members. There is an art community here Julia as you know there's an organization that provides a year to the executive director for an educational tract, but then the executive director then is removed from their organization for that year truly. So that's a great time to bring in an interim executive director. So I would say depending on where you are Juana with your organization. This might be an opportunity to bring in an interim transition leader. And again this person, like myself and many of us out there that have been professionally trained that's a big key key piece of it professionally trained. We don't come in as babysitters or substitute teachers. We really come in at a high level. It also provides a great organizational assessment and kind of like a health temperature check to see things in a different way, but therefore you would then return back to your position. And that is something that you might want to consider. Another thing I think about here if you can't take a full leave of absence, you know maybe you can be flexible and negotiate your current working arrangement, what that might look like. You know PTO pay time off time, sick personal that kind of care a flex schedule. And so see really what the opportunities are. I'm taking your question much further but I would say as you look to advocate for the solution for you. I would have an A, B and C plan. This is really what I want you ask for that leave of absence you ask for that sabbatical, you let them know exactly what you intend that to look like. You also have a B plan and a C plan of kind of different ways and and what you think that might look like. Again, I am not HR. I'm not in that space. If you take Katie might have some some better information and advice to share there as well as sky Mercer who's with you know sky HR consulting. But I think there's a couple of things to consider here and again your community might have a solution for you so you might want to research that, but also consider what an interim professional could do for you and your organization. And I believe how you laid this out and I totally agree with you. Look at what the safety and the structures of your own organization is there somebody that can step in already good to go, or not I mean that's going to really impact how the executive team and the board responds to this request, and I love love love that you said, come up with three scenarios, three options on how this would work. I think that's brilliant. I really really do. The biggest thing is when you approach your supervisor or whomever you need to approach for this approval. I can imagine the first thing they're thinking is, well I have no idea how that's going to work. Right, you know, so again you provide those solutions and say, you know, I didn't either and so I've spent a lot of time thinking about this. I've come up with these three different scenarios and kind of mapped out what that might look like. I think you're absolutely right, absolutely right. You know, I always tell my team, if you have a problem, that's going to be normal and that's going to be natural. Don't come to me with the problem, come to me with the problem and three options of how you're going to work, because you know best, and I'll help talk you through it. But don't just come and lay a problem at my feet. First of all, my, my 10 year old is in this, that's not going to work, we can't do that, negate negate negate everything. And our family motto now has become provide a solution. I love it. So as soon as something comes up, whether it's me or him because he's good at reminding me, the first thing we say to each other is provide a solution. It can be a habit. It can be a habit. And yeah, I mean, I fall into that trap. Okay, we have time for one more question. And we did not get through all the questions we've had some actual questions that have come in today. So to try, we will get back to you on that. So we're sorry, and Mary, we will have to get back to you as well. Okay. This is a really interesting thing that I think we're going to be hearing more and more getting asked, I will be leaving my nonprofit for another organization. There's no ill will just better opportunity is a bad form to share my news and new contact information from my current email account, I'm assuming worker email account name withheld Richard Richmond, Virginia. Yeah, it's bad form. Well, I do. So that's interesting. I've seen it done so much so recently. And I really think first of all that you want to have that transparent conversation with your supervisor to make sure that that is okay. I think that has a great opportunity to pass the baton, introduce the next person that might be coming in and taking your space, because one the open rate of a familiar email address, you know, is a good thing, you're able to make that introduction. Now they might not want you to to share your personal email in that communication. Again, I really think it's a conversation to have with your supervisor. This is a wonderful HR conversation when it comes to off boarding employees, what are our policies and procedures, what are we okay with what are we not okay with. Again, I always think to err on the side of, let's provide what needs to be said in kind of a blurb statement so if you are involved in an organization and you do not have an off boarding policy or a statement of this is how we would like for you to exit and share your personal email address. Now is a great time to create that and it doesn't have to be long three to five sentences. But if you create a standard statement that all employees have access and ability to use. I think that really, you know, creates much more of a professional looking process across the board. It's important to identify if that has occurred, who is going to be replacing you, or who temporarily will be that contact. So whether you're in development, you're in operations, whether you're in program. Yeah, anything I mean that I just think is a good behavior for the health of your organization. We could talk about this for a long time but it is time to go. We are so excited to again announce the support fundraising Academy cause selling education as our ask and answer partner, you're going to be seeing some of their folks coming on with us and offering their response to our questions that come in. So we're really, really excited about that. Tony Bell has been doing a program with us and he's been a master of information. And he doesn't always say the same things that you and I say Jared, which is super cool to get a different voice on that. Again, I'm Julia Patrick CEO of the American nonprofit Academy been joined today by my nonprofit nerd. I was going my nonprofit. Yeah, nonprofit nerd, nonprofit nerd, Jared Ransom CEO of the Raven group. You've got questions for us. Get them to us you've got about four or five ways. We want to know what is your, what's going on in your world and the questions are changing radically as we are in this recovery it's fascinating to see how they are changing. Thank you to our presenting sponsors without you, we would not be here and so we are so honored. That's right. I've been practicing my heart so I hope they're like that my heart has heart. Hey, everybody. Thanks so much. Have a great and restful weekend. Monday, we will be off celebrating 4th of July and the independence weekend that is going to be so different than the independence weekend of last year. So still be safe. And we will see you here on Tuesday. Remember, stay well, so you can do well. Thanks, Jared. Bye everyone.