You can learn something from everything

posted by
Abbie S. Fink,
Vice President /
General Manager
HMA Public Relations

I attend Sabbath services almost every Saturday morning at Congregation Beth Israel. It is my chance to have at least 90 minutes of down time to reflect on the week that’s passed and look forward to the week ahead. The service a few Saturdays ago was conducted by the 10th graders that were being confirmed at the temple. They each played an active part in the service, sharing their reasons for continuing their religious education and their hopes for the future, saying the prayers and reading from the Torah.

Amy Baer’s speech started much like the others; she talked about her experiences in confirmation class, the friends she made. But it was her very clear statement of purpose that her connection to Judaism and her commitment to “tikkun olam, repairing the world” was what motivated her the most.

“For me, living like I am Jewish means that I am on a mission to repair the world. In order for me to feel like I am Jewish and embrace Judaism I have to be helping other people and be making the world a better place.”

Wow. How does a 10th grader have such a clear grasp on the concept of giving back? My family is big on volunteering. As kids we were always involved in some project or another – volunteering at the senior center, gift-wrap booths at the holidays, working the overnight shift at a telethon. But I’m fairly certain as I was doing those activities I wasn’t thinking about the impact it would have on the world.

The Latino Institute: A program of the City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department

posted by Ariel Rodríguez, Ph.D., Assistant Professor ASU School of Community Resources & Development

When providing services to individuals of Latin American descent living in the U.S., service agencies whether public or private are faced with three overarching issues: the dramatically growing population, the different values and cultures based on their heritage and levels of acculturation, and the different life contexts which influence their needs. Taken together, these issues suggest a more comprehensive effort is needed to effectively service this population.

Within the City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department, the Latino Institute was developed to help address these issues and to serve as a bridge between the City and the Latino community. Today, the Latino Institute produces numerous programs for the community and serves as an outreach specialist that provides special events, networking, and cultural competency expertise to the City and agencies which aim to provide services to the Latino community. Over the past 12 years, the Latino Institute has gained a number of insights which have helped their program to succeed where others have not. These four key insights will be discussed in this blog.

First, the importance of partnerships is paramount. Approximately 80% of the Latino Institute budget is funded via sponsorship and programming fees with the remaining funds coming from the City of Phoenix. Funding through the City has fluctuated over the years, but is often provided in-kind through office space and other resources. During the most difficult financial times at the City of Phoenix, these partners provided the support the Latino Institute needed to survive the most recent economic depression. However, partners help not only through their financial resources, but also through the volunteers they may provide and the added social network value they produce. The Latino Institute produces large special events which draw thousands of participants, such as El Día de los Niños and the City of Phoenix Back to School and Health Fair, and volunteer support, often through these partners, is vital to the implementation of these events.

The day I made an impact

posted by
Colleen Dunbar,
Project Specialist,
Marketing/Communications
ASU Lodestar Center

A few Decembers ago when I was home in Vancouver, I went with some girlfriends to serve breakfast and hand out holiday gift bags at a drop-in center for the less fortunate, where community members are offered shelter, activities, and a daily hot meal. The morning that we went also happened to be Women’s Wednesday.

I don’t remember her name, or really what she looked like, but I remember her asking us for a pen to write with. I also remember her sitting by herself, hunched over a table, long after the scrambled eggs and hash browns had run out.

Once we had finished cleaning up and were getting ready to leave, she came into the kitchen. She handed a few of us letters, said they were for everyone, and then she left.

The letter that I held was titled “Favorite Ladies,” and this is what it said:

From comic books to collective impact: The importance of ongoing professional development

posted by Aaron Stiner, Host Chair YNPN Leaders Conference

I have been fortunate to practice a professional craft in many careers, ever since junior high school when my first job was selling comic books and trading cards. After I graduated from college, I served as a sales rep for a veterinary pharmaceutical company, before transitioning into a 10-year career in the nonprofit sector. My most recent career is as a full-time stay-at-home dad (or chief life-quality officer, as my wife likes to say!).

While my list of professions is quite varied, in each one I have made it a point to seek out and participate in professional development and networking to help improve my practice. Early in my career it was pretty informal. Working in the comic book store, I would make sure to talk to the sales reps who sold us products, along with visiting trade shows where I would talk to as many vendors and other shop workers as I could. Working in pharmaceutical sales, I was fortunate to receive extensive in-company training, yet I continued to seek out external workshops, along with networking with both in-company and out-of-company peers. And, while at Valley of the Sun United Way, where I also received excellent in-house training, I was able to successfully self-advocate to attend two different national conferences and several local conferences.

Through my participation in these activities, I have been a better resource to customers and clients, a stronger partner with those whom I am collaborating, and a more knowledgeable and connected peer and coworker. In addition to helping me better serve and meet my organizations' missions, I am confident that my professional development and networking have made me a more marketable professional when it comes to job searches and interviews.

Research Friday: Branding in the nonprofit sector

posted by
Alex Flores,
Teach For America

Welcome to Research Friday! As part of a continuing series, we invite a nonprofit scholar, student, or professional to highlight current research reports or studies and discuss how they can inform and improve day-to-day nonprofit practice.

Brands like Coca-Cola and Nike have one thing in common: they are known and recognized worldwide. These corporate-born brands have become some of the most iconic images in the world.¹ But brand value is just as important in the nonprofit sector as it is in the for-profit sector.

In a recent study published in the Journal of Business Research, a brand is defined as “a name, term, sign, drawing, or any combinations of these, that serve to identify a firm’s goods and services and differentiate them from those of competitors.”² Nonprofits usually offer intangible services to their communities, in contrast to the tangible products and services usually offered by for-profit companies. This can make branding more difficult for nonprofits.³

I want to outline some issues nonprofit organizations may face while trying to build or change their brand. Often, nonprofit leaders look at brands as just a “simple visual trigger from which to develop communication campaigns rather than a strategic tool for focusing the organization.”⁴ It is crucial that nonprofits understand that brand development and management can directly contribute to the organization’s positive impact. The mission statement should drive the development of the brand and the brand should reflect the values of the organization. With successful brand communication, the organization is able to build trust with potential donors and clients.⁴ The American Red Cross is a great example of trust building across donor and client lines. Their name and logo are so well-known that the average American trusts their brand and, (arguably) because of this, is likely to donate to their cause. This brand recognition is what makes The Red Cross the go-to organization in times of disaster. There may be many other organizations that are collecting donations for similar causes but The Red Cross has successfully built a solid brand which makes their organization stand out among the rest.

Considering transitioning to nonprofit work? There are many ways to contribute

posted by
Andrea L. Norman, MBA
Director of Research
and Health Services
Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS

So many people are searching for meaning and happiness. They want soul-soaking peace that grounds them, the deep satisfaction of knowing they made a difference and, oh by the way, a way to support their family would be nice! That search combined with the tremendous shifts and losses of money, possessions, and position that has occurred during the Great Recession makes it no surprise that many people are considering switching careers into a nonprofit environment.

Before you make the big leap, there are small steps you can take that will make an impact and determine whether or not the nonprofit world is for you. You can find depth and meaning by focusing on learning, compassion and contribution to expand your impact in the world, experience the nonprofit sector and make yourself happier along the way.

Learn

Regardless of the economy, your resources, or the political climate, there is always the opportunity to learn more. By learning and reading, you grow your world, your self, your compassion and tolerance for the differences that are all around us. Educational institutions like ASU and others are actively promoting online courses, as well as other resources available on the Internet and at local libraries. Find a subject and immerse yourself. Read about it. Talk about it. Think about it. Saturate yourself. Then, look for a way to use that knowledge in a nonprofit setting as a volunteer. Whether you complete a small project or become a regular volunteer, you will learn more, make a difference, and add to the foundation of knowledge that enriches your life. You will have the opportunity to explore new environments and contribute to your community.

A mission-centric culture will beget prosperity

posted by
Audra Buras,
Communication Services
Buras Consulting

How would you describe the collective culture of your nonprofit organization? Is it fun, authoritarian, in high spirits, or riddled with low morale? Do people work cohesively, or not? With so many areas to focus on - marketing, fundraising, services and more - it is easy to overlook what is right in front of us: culture. Organizational culture can have a very positive or negative effect depending upon what values are being encouraged by your leadership and staff.

If you are thinking, “who cares about culture” or “how is this relevant to my bottom line,” I’ll tell you how ... staff buy-in.

It is simple yet profound. When the stakeholders of your organization do not buy-in to the mission, they will not buy-in to their work or projects being executed with their peers. There are exceptions to every rule, but for the majority, this is a reality to give thoughtful consideration. A commitment to work, and an appreciation for the relevance of the work, is crucial at all levels of an organization. The most successful nonprofit organizations have staff buy-in at every rank, from volunteers, to administrative professionals, executives and all the way up to the board members.

Cultivating a mission-centric culture is paramount to success.