Archive for the ‘iNAYDO Blog’ Category
What NAYDO has in common with kindergarten
By Gail Glasser, President/CEO, YMCA of Central Kentucky
Last year, Gail Glasser reminded us that success at the NAYDO Conference is within your grasp – you just have to remember what you learned back in kindergarten. Enjoy this pre-conference reminder of how to make the most of your time in Anaheim.
Wanna know what NAYDO and your former kindergarten teacher have in common?
Think back. What qualities endeared you to that school-based saint?
Could it be that both see infinite possibilities? While all nonprofits, are adapting to the new normal for philanthropic work in a world filled with economic ills, NAYDO encourages you to look for the opportunities. To capitalize on all that can be and will be thanks to donors and volunteers and staff working together to strengthen the foundations of our communities.
Remember when you were taught to share well? At NAYDO Conferences you will be provided resources that you can incorporate into your Y’s way of work. And believe it or not, something you are doing will be admired and coveted by others. Bring it. Share it.
Find your buddy. With a 1,000 people in attendance, you are guaranteed to make a new friend, build a new network and be encouraged that we are all in this together.
One difference? Nap times and snacks are optional.
Engaging Members Through Generosity
Board and member engagement are two topics that I am asked about almost every day. We all agree that there is great philanthropic potential in our membership. After all, these are the people who regularly access our facilities, our programs and should be most closely connected to our mission.
As member engagement increases, so does our fundraising. Consider asking your members to live beyond themselves and partner with your Y to help another agency doing great work. What? Help another not-for-profit? I can hear your outraged gasps from here. Shouldn’t we be lifting up our own work?
Some of you may know the TOMS Shoes story. This amazing organization gives new shoes to kids and families in under-resourced countries. Their premise is simple. For every pair of shoes purchased, they give a pair away.
On April 5, TOMS hosted their annual One Day Without Shoes, where people around the world go barefoot to lift up their case. That very day I had the privilege to visit Kraft Family YMCA and the Downtown YMCA – both branches of the YMCA of the Triangle (Raleigh-Durham, NC).
As an association, this Y decided to lift up the important work of TOMS by creating donation stations for shoes, lifting up various facts underscoring the health and social issues of kids and families not having shoes, and basically had lots of fun creatively lifting up the TOMS case and activating their members. The evening of April 5th, the Y encouraged their members and families to “walk a mile in our shoes” where families got active and walked (barefoot) together.
I was so proud of this Y! They were engaging their members through acts of generosity… doing something beyond themselves.
When was the last time you engaged your members toward something philanthropically for another important cause? If you are attending NAYDO next week, find out how other Ys are engaging their members through generosity. Remember, as member engagement increases – so does our fundraising!
You Had Me at Hello
By Jon Simons, Vice President, Donor By Design Group
I had lunch recently with a volunteer from a local Y. Along with being a wonderful and enthusiastic advocate for the YMCA, he is a MASTER NETWORKER. He says hello to everyone and asks great questions. He also has a gift of remembering names. He is fun to watch.
When I asked him about it, his answer was simple: “You never know where a friendly hello can lead.” Did I mention that he is a really successful business leader?
When you get to NAYDO this year, say HELLO a lot and ask some great questions like:
- What was your greatest success this year?
- What a-ha’s have you had at NAYDO so far?
- Who do you know who is doing great stuff with their fundraising?
- Can we exchange cards? I’d love to stay connected!
Oh yeah, one more thing: don’t fall into the trap of comparing campaign goal amounts. It doesn’t matter who’s is bigger; we are all dealing with the same issues. Forget about the posturing and make some real connections!
| CHICAGO | MILWAUKEE | NEW YORK | ST. LOUIS | INDIANAPOLIS | |
| ©2010-2012 Donor By Design Group, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Powered by mindspike design | |
