Six Steps to Making the Most of Your Annual Report

Sarah Moore of Mission Minded

Six Steps to Making the Most of Your Annual Report

by Sarah Moore

With a smart annual report, your organization can fundraise, sustain your audiences’ interest, and reconfirm the value of your work. It’s an important document that demands careful consideration of all the steps in the process, from selecting a release date to writing and gathering the content.

To help your organization create its best annual report yet, Mission Minded has developed “Your Annual Report is a Fundraising Tool,” a free guide that maps out the six vital steps to making your report a success. Download it here.

On May 2, we’ll be presenting this topic at the Executive Directors’ Roundtable, hosted by Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership. We hope to see you there!

Other Mission Minded resources on annual reports:

1. “4 Reasons to Publish an Annual Report This Year”
2. “Creating Effective Annual Reports — Grassroots Fundraising Journal”
3. “New Online Annual Report for Haas Sr. Fund”

This blog was originally posted on MissionMinded.com by Sarah Moore and has been reposted with MissionMinded's permission.

Is Your Annual Report George Clooney or George Costanza?  

How to Create an Annual Report with Appeal
Thursday, May 2, 2013, 9:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m.,
Free for Members/$10 for Non-Members
with Jennie Winton & Sarah Moore
555 Northgate Drive, Suite 200, San Rafael, CA 94903

Does Your Board Committee Structure Need Some Spring Cleaning?

Does Your Board Committee Structure Need Some Spring Cleaning?
By David Livingston Styers, Director of Consulting/Senior Board Governance Consultant 

A committee has often been described as a cul-de-sac down which good ideas are lured...and then quietly strangled.

When it comes to board structure, there is certainly no one size fits all, but there are some specific trends that can help advance the mission between board meetings. All nonprofit governing boards have substantially more work to do than can ever be accomplished at monthly or quarterly meetings. Many boards try to solve the problem by creating committees to work on issues between meetings. But even with the best intentions, boards sometimes don't build their committee structures properly, creating even more work for board and staff members.

Each organization must develop its own unique model and structure for the board based on the organization's environment, history, set of personalities, and culture. Typically, there are no laws that regulate the structures of committees, as they do not make organizational decisions. Some state laws, including CA, address audit committee matters.

To avoid frequent changes to the bylaws, however, it is wise not to make them overly specific. For example, it is not necessary to include the board's committee structure in the bylaws beyond stating that the board may establish and lay down committees as needed; they should be described in the board's policies. The one committee to specify in the bylaws is an executive committee.

Standing committees are work groups that will always be needed as supports for the board no matter what is happening in the life of the organization. Very small boards may not have separate committees as the board functions as a committee of the whole. Remember: the functions are more important than the structure.

Join us on May 2nd to walk through the steps for building a solid committee structure to create a more effective and enjoyable board experience. 

Thursday, May 2, 5:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m., $40/$60,
with David Styers
555 Northgate Drive, Suite 200, San Rafael, CA 94903

It's National Volunteer Week!

Original post by Lauren Dunford, Volunteer Services Associate, Volunteer Marin

This week is National Volunteer Week! Established in 1974 and sponsored by the Points of Light Foundation, National Volunteer Week is about inspiring, recognizing and encouraging people to seek out imaginative ways to engage in their communities. The week draws the support and endorsement of the president and Congress, governors, mayors and municipal leaders, as well as corporate and community groups across the country.

Wonder about the ways volunteers impact our community? Take a look at this video, produced by Volunteer Marin, that features one of our many FLEX projects, English Conversation Club:

We're proud to announce a new, three-course training volunteer management certificate series. This series is designed for those who manage volunteers and for those who would like to develop effective volunteer management skills. Based on effective practices, these fun and interactive trainings explore essential strategies for volunteer management. Take ideas back to your agency to enhance your engagement of volunteers and your organization. Learn more and register here. 

We’d love for you to serve with us during this week or commit to serve in the future. You can check out exciting opportunities below or on our website. Honor volunteers this week by recognizing the extraordinary things they're making happen in Marin. You can visit our Cause and donate today to pay tribute to a volunteer who's impacted you or our community. Happy serving!

April 22
Afterschool Tutoring with WHAP in Marin City
Volunteer to Tutor and Play with Kids at Fairfax-San Anselmo Children’s Center
Be a Bowling Buddy with The Cedars of Marin

April 23
Canal Alliance Food Pantry & Open Market
Afterschool Tutoring with (WHAP) in Marin City

April 24
Sort and Stock at Marin Food Bank

April 29
Afterschool Tutoring with WHAP in Marin City
Volunteer to Tutor and Play with Kids at Fairfax-San Anselmo Children’s Center
English Conversation Club

April 30
Afterschool Tutoring with WHAP in Marin City

May 1
Knit Your Part

May 4
Bike to Work Day Prep with Marin County Bike Coalition
BroomBusters with Marin County Parks

Managing the Hard Way

Often in my consulting work, I have heard managers say, “I wouldn’t mind being a manager if my staff would just do it right, so I could get some my work done.” Maybe you’ve heard a colleague say that? Or, maybe you’ve said it yourself?!

My question to you is – what if ensuring that your staff members have the support that they need to get the job done is your job? Actually, the question that I most often ask a manager who is frustrated by an employee’s performance is, “Do you want her to be successful?” If you were honest with yourself, you might find that you initially answer, “No.” Usually though, I find that most managers, after a little thought, change their answers to, “Yes.” That is when the hard work begins.

If you want your employees to be successful, I recommend using the three dimensions that my co-author and I identify in Strategy Making in Nonprofit Organizations: A Model and Case Studies.

1. Purpose: When you are talking about an employee’s performance, make  sure that she knows how her work fits into the larger mission of the organization. Take the time to let her know your vision for her success, and some of the expectations that you have of her performance. How exactly will you know that she is doing a good job?

2.  Process: After you have communicated your expectation, check for understanding. Ask an employee to paraphrase in his own words what your expectations are, and how you will be looking to him to meet them. If you discover that you aren’t aligned, take the time to develop shared understanding. After that, create a process to give regular feedback. When something isn’t working, let your employee know promptly!

3.  People: Please keep in mind that you are managing people (not manufacturing widgets). Even when you’ve been clear, you may need to get more information from the employee about why things aren’t happening the way that you want. The key here is to listen! Use listening to understand your employee’s experience in trying to meet your expectations. You may need to adjust your expectations, or find new ways to support your employee.

If you think taking these steps sounds easier to do than they actually are, you’re right. Fortunately, the Bay Area is rich with training resources. And remember, learning a new skill can be awkward at first. After you’ve learned a new management tool – find ways to practice in a safe supportive atmosphere. It could be with colleagues, or through an Affinity Group. Make sure that they not only give you an opportunity to practice, but that they also give you constructive feedback. Yes, it is the hard way – but good managing really does pay off.

---Mary Vradelis

Mary Vradelis is a coach, interim executive director, and the co-author of Strategy Making in Nonprofit Organizations: A Model and Case Studies.

Business Expert Press, the publisher, is currently offering our readers a 15% discount on Vradelis' book through April 30th. Simply input the code: SPRING2013 for a 15% discount. Click here to find her book.