November 2017

We must change boys from a ‘what can I get’ to a ‘what can I give’ attitude.” – Lord Baden-Powell. Research has shown that belonging to a group or community gives individuals a sense of identity. In fact, psychologist James H. Fowler studied 5,000 people over 20 years and found that happiness benefits other people through three degrees of connection.

A California landscaping company recently teamed up with local Boy Scouts to create an outdoor classroom and garden at a campground used by more than 40,000 each year. The 22,000-square-foot garden includes trails, native foliage, and a solar-powered irrigation system donated by the company. Boy Scouts will use the newly designed area to earn badges and to learn about horticulture and landscaping.

Do you have a tough fundraising question?
Send your questions to askhartsook@kineticfundraising.com and we will respond by email. Your question may be featured in a future eHartsook on Scouting.

QUESTION: Besides dollars, how would you recommend nonprofits measure success?

Other fundraising objectives should be in building a culture of philanthropy, fulfilling the mission, and maintaining donor loyalty. Start by quantifying goals for each and measuring your impact over a specific time period, say, annually or quarterly. Just a few of examples of benchmarks could be percentage of board members giving annually, mission-related outcomes (number of constituents served, etc.), and retention of long-term donors whose giving has increased over the years. Although raising money will always be the most obvious and most immediate goal, setting and achieving other benchmarks can help keep your fundraising efforts more well balanced.

On the Money! (ASR Media) is an enlightening collection of success stories and lessons learned from 25 nonprofit fundraising campaigns nationwide. Click here to order On the Money! for a special price of $10 (plus shipping and handling).

Kinetic Senior Vice President Ross J. Pfannenstiel has a strong track record of development leadership and nonprofit management. He is and Eagle Scout and worked for the Heart of America Council, Boy Scouts of America for 14 years. During his tenure with Heart of America, Ross successfully worked in all levels of field service and supervised a staff of over 30 full- and part-time employees covering a 19-county metropolitan area. Ross has raised millions of dollars for the Heart of America Council and his Kinetic clients during his 18-year non-profit management and development career.

A case statement is an important step in the campaign process, but it is a conversation starter, not an ask; and it is not a brochure. Too often, nonprofits get stuck in a case-making turnstile and lose valuable time getting where they need to be: in front of a cultivated donor making the ask. Go here to read more.

Kinetic speakers are members of the Kinetic team of professional fundraising consultants who have, in their collective careers, raised more than $231 billion in their 300-plus years of experience. To view upcoming Growing Philanthropy Tour presentations. To view a sample of past presentations. To schedule a Kinetic consultant to speak at your conference or organization, email Tammy at info@kineticfundraising.com.