Encouraging New Growth

By Michele Goodrich

This is the time of year for renewal and new beginnings.

It is the time to celebrate graduations and weddings; to witness birth and growth in nature; and to reconnect with neighbors in the garden, on the bike path and around the barbecue grill.

More than at the New Year, this time of year inspires many of us to make new starts with a keen sense of the hope and possibility that surrounds us.

So how can we apply the inspiration of this season to our professional lives?  For not-for-profit leaders, this might be a perfect time to think about how we might renew the interest of our donors and volunteers over the coming months.

Start by making a list of donors and volunteers who appear to be stuck in a rut regarding their interest in your organization.  They are the ones you can count on to show up and volunteer for the same event to do the same job every year out of a sense of duty – not a genuine enthusiasm.  They are also the ones who say, “Count me in for the same amount I gave you last year,” when asked for their annual contribution.

Now conspire with your staff to come up with ways to inspire those individuals by providing them with some ways to renew their interest in your organization.  A few ways to unstick a donor/volunteer and re-engage them in your mission might include an invitation to:

1. Visit one of your summer program sites when it’s full of activity.
2. Share one of their skills/hobbies with your clients/members.
3. Tell their success story at a volunteer meeting.
4. Help solve a challenging issue/problem related to their particular expertise.
5. Host an international visitor.
6. Counsel an intern.
7. Champion a new program.
8. Mentor a troubled youth.
9. Write a blog.
10. Create a photo album of summer activities.

There are countless possibilities and as a result of your efforts, you are bound to reap the benefits of some rejuvenated supporters.  Who knows, maybe helping others get a sense of renewed passion for your organization may spark new enthusiasm for your mission among your staff as well!

Last 5 posts by Michele Goodrich

• Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins - April 19th, 2012
• Volunteer Churn - March 19th, 2012
• SuperVision - February 3rd, 2012
• Good Reads - The Art of Racing in the Rain - January 25th, 2012
• Starting a New Tradition - November 16th, 2011

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