I know it may look like a typo but it isn’t.  There really is the suffix ‘shifts’ and not ‘ships’ at the end of the word relation.  The world of business development or fundraising for nonprofits has a clear focus; identify and build partnerships with people who can build your organization, invest in your vision, and/ or buy your product/services.   Building and deepening relationships is a significant part of successful philanthropy.  I thought I would share some of the steps I use with organizations to shift towards a culture with a deeper focus on relationships with the investors (boosters, funders, members, etc) and how to establish goals and practices that can help make this happen.

 At the Women’s Funding Network conference, I had the honor of sharing the podium with Claire Costello who oversees the  Philanthropic work of Bank of America who shared key findings from the 2008 Bank of America Study of High Net Worth Philanthropy.   The ideas below support the facts from the extensive Bank of America report that showcased the factors for successful investing by high net worth philanthropists.  I also believe that the findings, and Claire concurred, that the data presented is applicable to all levels of donors; they are trying to make an impact – for the community and themselves, they want transparency, and they value the feeling that they are making a difference and ‘doing good in the community’.   

1. Move goals from dollars to people – if the sales or fundraising staff has a monetary goal for a month or quarter, what would happen if the organization shifted the focus to people?  Instead of raising $10,000 a week what would happen if the goals of the development/sales staff was reoriented to 20 meetings a month by volunteers, the CEO and/or program staff?  See what happens to the culture of the organization when one shifts the goals and reporting to number of phone calls, personal notes and small events that are held in a month with qualified donors.   Define circles of influence that are important to your work (Dad’s with daughters, Businesswomen, Government leaders, etc) and set goals for meetings with the key leaders in each of the circles.  
2. Deepen engagement and trust – finding ways to invite donor partners to the table is critical for success.  The use of focus groups, surveys, committee work on substantial issues, donor circles and grant and program review all have specific project timelines in a “relationshift” plan.   Delivering prompt and personal thank you notes for gifts and having athletes or grantees make phone calls to boosters/donors is also a critical task.   Have measurable goals for an organization to monitor around stories of people served and how these are shared.  Review the characteristics of good fundraising with the entire organization.
3. Examine your own relationship with money – whether you are a Board member, program officer or executive in sales or fundraising, address your money issues.  What are your own giving habits?  If you have not personally invested in the organization to your capacity, how is it that you will be able to have this conversation with others?  How do you feel about money – stressed or relaxed?  Whatever you feel about money is brought to a conversation with a prospective investor.  Spend some time doing some inner work and dialogue around money, class, and prosperity and see how it can shift your work and your organization.  
4. Build systems and infrastructure for measurement – follow up, follow through, and follow up.  From every prospective donor conversation there should be a summary of the meeting, a rating of the prospect based on research, and a specific plan for further engagement.   The people who the organization’s leadership meets with are all potential contributors.   Next to its brand, reputation, and leadership, the database of these names and the information about them is an organization’s biggest asset.  Make sure your database system allows the creation of ‘chrono reports’ or follow up activities for people.  A database is only as good as the people hired to fill it with data so build in costs for research profiling, data entry and training for all staff who need to analyze and use the data.  Successful institutions have these systems and people in place as well as regular moves management meetings where next steps and ratings of prospects are continually reviewed and updated. 

Recently someone asked about the characteristics of people and attributes I would look for in a strong fundraising organization.  I put together seven characteristics that are universal for any great fundraiser for them to review. Feel free to rate yourself or your organization's fundraising culture on a scale of 1 (you do not possess nor practice this trait) to 5 (you have and practice this trait effortlessly) on each of these traits with a total greater than 30 being your potential as superstar fundraisers!

 

• Passionate – share the excitement and joy you feel for your mission. Be sure to stop and celebrate the gifts with all and the impact they will make. Bring compassion and high energy to every conversation whether it is in person, on the phone, in an e-mail, letters, or on site at events.
• Integrity – do what you say and insure that there is follow through on all requests and offerings to a supporter. Share facts of effective work and be transparent about finances and goals.
• Authenticity – say thank you and mean it. Follow through with actions that support your work - be an advocate for your mission and an example for other funders.  
• Vigilant – ongoing, concerted effort to have relationship building be a priority for the organization and leadership.  Share meeting notes and thoughts on next steps for stewardship and follow up. 
• Extroverted – every week reach out with at least one phone call to a donor or write a personal note card.  Know that every ‘ask’ and meeting is ‘high theatre’ - dress the role and act accordingly to the audience and setting. 
• Systematic – set up goals for number of meetings, phone conversations, asks per month and have ongoing meetings to review accelerators and inhibitors to success.
• Optimistic – people invest in success and hope.  Share stories of individuals and the impact of the organization on their lives.

I was at the Women’s Funding Network (WFN) conference this past weekend in Atlanta.  The mix of the inspiring attendees ranged from women from Australia to Africa and from Rhode Island to California.  All people there work to uplift women’s voices, build more security for women and their families and promote women-led solutions and represented Board members, staff or philanthropic leaders of local, state or national non profits.  I was there as a consultant and facilitator leading conversations on leadership, fundraising, and branding opportunities.   Over the past decade of attending the WFN conferences I often leave reflecting on a theme that arises for me.   This time it was about the body, mind, and spirit of a movement. 

I enjoy taking a perspective that looks at the body, mind and spirit of a group, person, or entity and assessing whether there is a balance in the three legs of the triangle of these areas.   As a scientist, athlete, coach, and a believer of eastern medicines and practices I believe there is room in the women’s funding movement for a deeper conversation around these intersected spaces.  For women’s funds this can look like the sustainability of a human rights model where the body = safety, security and power of women, the mind = creatively solving issues in collaboration, and the spirit = energy and ability to sustain and share the dreams of human security realized.    For the people working in the movement this can take on a perspective of leading from a place of an integrated balance of one’s intentions and one’s work (mind), one’s resource of passion for change and growth (spirit) and one’s personal ‘contract’ with their own safety, security, and power (body).    

Last fall, after leaving the Women’s Sports Foundation after 15 years of service building a women's sports movement and attending the Board meeting of WFN in Mexico City, I gave myself the title of “Chief Inspiration Officer of the Women’s Funding Movement”.  What this really means is that I care deeply about the people who ‘do’ this work – as volunteers, staff, and donor leaders – and I want to deliver new and exciting ways to keep them at the best in their game.  I enjoy serving as a resource to offer ideas to work smarter, more efficiently, and with energy and vitality.   I look forward to seeing all women in this work shine and flourish – bringing their best selves to the table and finding new tables to be at that extend their influence and expand the possibilities of their important work.     

My friend Nanci came out as a philanthropist the other day.  We were talking about how she had manifested a miracle for a friend in need.  In our conversation I shared with her that philanthropy is really the love of humankind and it manifests when you express this.   She was surprised to learn that philanthropy is not just a place for folks with lots of money who write checks to charity.  We talked about using one’s time, talent, and treasure to lift people up and that this was the true essence of philanthropy.

So Nanci’s friend was in need.  Dealing with cancer she needed a shower seat to support her low energy and fragile body while bathing.  After being told she was too young to get one from the senior center, she called Nanci in tears and at the end of her rope.   Nanci assured her it would all work out and that there was a solution and she would help.  While they were on the phone Nanci was en route to a Chamber of Commerce event driving through the rain when she saw an object on the side of the road.  Amazingly, it was a shower seat. 

Nanci proceeded to pull out her phone to show me the photo she took of her bike rack holding this shower seat.  She was in awe of the power of the moment and the gift the universe gave to her friend.  We talked more about what she does for work (Nanci is a massage therapist), and how she is often holding the space for philanthropy – the love of humankind.

I often share in fundraising seminars about how I ask people to ‘come out’ about being a philanthropist.    When you have a story and a name of someone who has made a tremendous donation that often will inspire others to step up and give.   I would mean it in a genuine way as a lesbian who has watched people come out in many settings.   I personally understand the charged energy of what that means to some people. 

I find it energizing to encourage people to move out of their comfort zone of whatever they identify as and truly own new places in the world.  Last month at a conference on Sport, Sexuality and Culture at Ithaca College I asked the mostly gay and lesbian audience to come out as social change leaders.  So Nanci – thanks for coming out and we welcome you to the safe, loving space of philanthropy.  We are honored you are on our team!

While doing trainings in California, Atlanta, and Tennesse and coaching executive directors, people have been asking for strategic direction for their work.  Within this context, I have prepared a list of five areas to focus on to build or re-build an organization for the long term with sustained revenues and a culture of giving. 

As we strive to achieve long term sustainability, consider focusing on these qualities in your organization's work;

1. Deepen relationships – personalize and extend yourself with current and new donor and grantee partners; listen and acknowledge where people are at with their process in the ‘new climate’ while educating them with stories, facts, and content that is relevant to the work of your charity.

2. Build a culture of philanthropy – introduce conversations around money and assets within your own organization and its grantees; discuss what legacy means to people; engage donors in a public setting to speak in a salon format about what giving means to them; institutionalize practices of celebrating gifts received with creative ways of acknowledgment .

3. Promote your use of best business practices – review charity navigator.com and guidestar.com for best practices for ratios and expenses and showcase your funds’ work in these areas; educate donors about program and management cost ratios;  discuss your models of business/grant evaluation as well as the need for investing in capacity and operating.

4. Be transparent and authentic – showcase your staff’s efforts, celebrate with them and listen to their concerns; be open with your leadership and investors about your questions and planning; ask for the advice of people outside your field who can offer insight into a new business practice.

5. Showcase your passion and vision – stay positive and informed; read grantee letters out loud at meetings; extend yourself to other colleagues to hear their successes; register for a webinar or training to be in a learning, growth environment; be a leader that an investor will ‘bet on’ and a Board peer respects.

The word crisis in the Japanese Kanji (pictorial) representation has a dualist interpretation. Crisis literally means both danger and opportunity. Quite often a western perspective views conflict or a crisis as being negative.   In an eastern mind set, conflict is an opportunity to explore, confer, dialogue and initiate proactive change that can ignite positive and healthy action in individual or collective lives.

What do you do in a conflict or crisis? How do you respond?   Consider allowing crisis in your life to propel you forward, to engage you in to action, and to compel you to dialogue at a deeper level. 

What a gift to allow crisis to be the opportunity and the catalyst for healthy and loving transformation.  As the Hopi elders said, "We are the ones we've been waiting for."

“Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate,
but that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that frightens us.
We ask ourselves,
Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It is not just in some, it is in everyone.
And, as we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

--Marianne Williamson

What a powerful time to see how much light and brilliance we can offer each other in and around the world of social justice philanthropy. 

Pat Summit reached 1000 wins earlier this month - the first coach, male or female, in history to reach this milestone.  She has coached 12 Olympians and 19 All-Americans and has a 100 percent graduation rate of student athletes – an amazing summary of success.

 

What would comparative success look like in the business and nonprofit sectors?

 

There doesn’t seem to be numerical data that demonstrates such a level of excellence so succinctly.  Perhaps it would be stock performance or scale of outcome of work in changing lives or industry benchmark awards.   For the non-basketball or sports fans who did not get a chance to hear about Pat Summit’s remarkable achievement, feel free to review her bio for its impressive storyline. 

 

What I enjoy talking about as a former player, coach, and social change activist is her leadership style.  I had the opportunity to be in a meeting with Pat Summit in the mid 1990’s when we were working on the then formation of women’s professional basketball leagues.  There was much conversation in the room around the league format, potential coaches and general managers, and sponsors.

 

Pat was very clear that the image of the league leadership should reflect success, strength and confidence from day one.

 

We can learn a lot from Pat Summit’s leadership style.  While her intense and formidable presence on the sideline may deter some from modeling this type of behavior, know that her heart and mind is ultimately focused on her players: How can I make them better?  What resources or training do they need to be stronger, smarter or quicker?  What combination of people and strategies are needed right now for success in this situation?

 

Imagine if every leader had this type of focus every day in their work. 

 

Today, I bring these messages to the nonprofit clients and philanthropists I get to work with at Imagine Philanthropy.  Feel free to read these, share with your work teammates and ask one another the questions around your work together.

 

1. Play to people’s strengths.  Take the time to listen, observe and provide feedback on your teammate’s efforts.  Think about bringing out the potential in every person.  Provide a vision of the highest standards and success with measurable objectives and hold everyone accountable to that level.  Related question: What does winning look like?

2. Focus on fundamentals.  With all of the distraction in the work environment, it is more important than ever to bring people back in line with their job priorities. The more time we focus on a priority measurable objective, the better results we produce.  Clearly, people understand that practice produces results.  Related question: What is the quality of your practice?

 

3. Detail equals confidence.  Being prepared allows you to demonstrate confidence and understanding of a situation.  When you have given sequential attention to detail to a project – going through a series of steps to insure that every angle was explored and completed– your project will have a higher chance of success.  When you present your work, 70 percent of what people hear is the tone of your voice.  If you have done your homework, calm confidence will be revealed in your voice.  Related question: What is the tone of your leadership?

Tuti Scott is a point guard who still plays in a weekly basketball game to remind herself of the leadership skills learned from sport.  Her company, Imagine Philanthropy, helps strengthen the brand and capacity of organizations and provides leadership coaching for nonprofit executives and philanthropists.  This blog was originally posted on the Washington Area Women's Foundation site.

 

So much has been written about this past week of celebrating President Obama and his team of leaders in his cabinet.   When you search ‘inauguration headlines’, you can see a great collage of newspaper headlines where Geoff scanned the front pages of newspapers all over the world; The Dawn of A New Era, Obama Takes Charge, Remaking America, Unity of Purpose, History Made Today… and on and on.

What struck me as most exciting was seeing the words “Hope Over Fear” in so many of the headlines –my personal favorite of the many outcomes of this transformative time!   Choosing hope is such an important message to embrace – especially now. 

For those of us on the National Mall for the Inauguration (my colleagues and activist friends Lisa, Ellen, Anita and I were among the 2 million there), we got to see hope in a multitude of faces.  Ellen created a fun Poetry Improvisation activity that engaged people in expressing their own headline about the day.  The photos of Inauguration festivities capture our trip and some of the sayings that people created and of course all of us participating at various stops along our five day visit in DC.

The exciting part of witnessing Ellen explaining this exercise to people was watching them lift up their spirits to express themselves on this chilly historic day.  Folks seemed shy to engage for a brief moment with strangers but this was quickly erased by the excitement to 'see' their voices.  People were on the sideline watching and jumped in to unite in a shared conviction even though they were posing in a photo with strangers.   What a gift to see such joy among so many and to witness an activist in her element so well received. 

Prior to being on the Mall there were other activities we attended including the National Center for Women’s Organization Ball and the Emily’s List celebratory luncheon.  The luncheon was truly a highlight with 2,500 people in attendance to salute the new women leaders in the President’s Cabinet and Congress.  Hearing Hilda Solis, Janet Napolitano, and, my personal favorite, Hillary Clinton, speak was so moving.  To say that these three women are dedicated public servants is an understatement.   All of their words and stories about where they intend to lead us all resonated with selflessness and deep conviction for integrity, equity, and promise.   One could palpate the hope and strength that they exuded.  I only wish we could bottle it and spray it across all of us!

This time of year offers the opportunity to magnify what we do with gratitude in our life.  If we sift through the challenges of the origins of the holiday, the theme of giving thanks and sharing in our blessings with others is a wonderful way to spend time.   In a recent fundraising training for groups working for social change, I shared the practice of starting the day in the office with an outpouring of gratitude.   Walking in the door feeling and expressing gratitude  for the computers that transmit our messages, the receptionist who greets people, the work we are doing to uplift people, etc.   Simply giving thanks for being able to do the work that we do.  Too often, the work of social change  offers a lens of too much to do with too limited resources.  Dwelling even for short moments on our good fortune makes us more resilient and gives us the tools to stay strong in this work.

Michael Lemer shares a message that captures part of the essence behind rewarding social change philanthropy;
“By social justice I mean the creation of a society which treats human beings as embodiments of the sacred, supports them to realize their fullest human potential, and promotes and rewards people to the extent that they are loving and caring, kind and generous, open-hearted and playful, ethically and ecologically sensitive, and tend to respond to the universe with awe, wonder and radical amazement at the grandeur of creation.”

Reminding ourselves and our partners in the work we are doing, especially in these changing times, of the potential and wonder we co-create, has never been more important.   Sitting and reflecting on the sources of awe, the value of shifting people’s realities as an outcome of the work one does as a donor, a grant-making organization, a Board member, are important conversations to have with each other.   Capturing the joy of this experience and speaking it aloud to another develops one’s gratitude muscle and helps us build deeper relationships.

“The sharing of joy, whether physical, emotional, psychic or intellectual, forms a bridge between the sharers which can be the basis for understanding much of what is not shared between them, and lessens the threat of their difference.”  Audre Lorde

As a closing to each day, as I lie in bed, I reflect on at least two things I am grateful for, two things I forgive myself for and two things I want to manifest in the future.   We can all do what works for us to strengthen our gratitude muscle.   Feel free to build it and show it off like a bodybuilder!

My realm of coaching comes from an athlete’s place of focus, creativity and discipline and is matched with compassion learned from years as a coach of athletes, a successful manager, and as a student of Eastern spiritual practices.  To have started this coaching and consulting business during the Olympics in Bejing is symbolic in that it integrates so much of what my life’s work has been – good people pursuing   excellence in their work and creating teams who work  within a framework of compassion and goodwill.

My sisters and friends call me "Tuti the Tiger" because I push and growl to protect and prod them. Of course, my Mom and I were both born in the Chinese Year of the Tiger so the origin is appropriate.   Donna Lopiano and Julie Foudy called me “Tuti the Tooth”, tenaciously pursuing a successful strategy to raise funds for the Title IX work we were doing at the Women’s Sports Foundation.  Really at heart, I am a basketball point guard, the player that is responsible for reading the defense, setting up the right play and passing the ball to my teammates to enable them to score – accomplishing the team’s goals on both ends of the court.  The point guard is the on floor “Coach” of a basketball team.  Seeing a basketball player as President-elect who understands the roles everyone plays for true 'team' craftfully pick his cabinet has been very gratifying for this coach to watch.

I took to the role of point guard coach effortlessly when I was 12 years old and was invited to try out for the junior high school basketball team by my gym teacher, Miss Hickey.  I had never played or seen organized basketball yet I immediately understood that the game’s tempo, energy and flavor were often directly related to the person dribbling the ball up the floor.  I spent hours every day over the summer between my 7^th and 8^th grade years repeatedly practicing a list of ball handling drills.  I had learned these from the coaches at the Dave Cowen’s Basketball School. 

Having picked enough strawberries to pay for the camp tuition, my Mom drove me to Massachusetts where after a week I was awarded the “Most Desire to Play” award – still the brand position statement for my life!  As a “gym rat” I did fingertip push-ups, walked around while squeezing tennis balls, lifted free weights (mind you this was 1974 so weights were not ‘normal’ for girls to do) and dribbled “crossovers” for hours on end.  This was  my summer fun.  I loved the way I could see and measure my improvement – how one day I could run and perform 10 dribbles with my left hand and the next day 13.  I loved seeing how if I did a drill faster, the quickness would come through in my game.  I also enjoyed pushing my teammates on the court to achieve their best.  Getting to know their strengths and getting them the ball where and when they could succeed and score was a very rewarding experience. 

Fast forward 30+ years and I still enjoy pushing myself and urging others to be extraordinary (and yes, I still play hoops in a weekly pick up game!).  I love  seeing others grow and excel in their lives and careers.  Coaching, strategizing and discerning effective practices for an Executive Director, a Board member or a Development Officer excites me when we figure out together what style, pitch, or framework works for them.  Spending time together on questions and situations where the tempo might not sit right with them and finding the alternative pace and practices that can allow them to succeed brings us both joy, and hopefully, victories that are meaningful and purpose driven.