The nonprofit sector is a strong and vibrant community full of people willing to help each other out. And now more than ever, it’s important to come together and work as allies and mentors.

The value of being mentored seems pretty obvious: new skills, confidence, friendship, etc. And in fact, the research shows that people who are mentored get more job promotions and earn more than people who aren’t.

But mentoring is also great for mentors: networking opportunities, leadership development, and a stronger sense of community.

Jesse Bethke Gomezwas mentored early in his career and is now paying it forward by helping others overcome their fears, have more confidence in their talents, and develop their strengths:

So yes, nonprofit professionals like Jesse shine when they connect, learn and share with each other. They get stuff done. And they make a bigger impact.

But do you really need a mentor?

Why you need a nonprofit mentor

Most nonprofit leaders are too stressed out or distracted to find that trusted friend or colleague who’s walked in their shoes.

But allies (mentors, peers, friends) are often essential for success. Here are a few examples:

• A veteran grant writer offers guidance to a novice grant writer that helps him or her achieve greater results.
• A promising nonprofit start-up founder can connect with an experienced leader who points out blind spots and encourages a drive toward success.
• A newly-hired Development Director is struggling to meet their capital campaign goals. She exceeds that goal with tips from a veteran fundraiser.

Find your nonprofit ally

Do you have experience or know-how to share with a nonprofit? MissionBox.com is a newly launched free resource that helps connects nonprofit leaders connect with that perfect peer who is seeking guidance.

The goal? Stop “reinventing the wheel” create a larger sense of community, and together, make a bigger impact.

Learn more about becoming a MissionBox ally by joining here for free.

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John Haydon is one of our Cause Camp 2017 speakers #CauseTheChange. He is one of the most sought-after digital marketing experts for nonprofits and charities. John has spoken at several conferences, is the author of Facebook Marketing for Dummies and is a regular contributor to the Huffington Post and several other like blogs.

The post Do You Really Need a Nonprofit Mentor? appeared first on Nonprofit Hub.

Source Taken From: Nonprofithub.org

“What are your plans for sustaining this project, if you are successful?”

Many of you will recognize this question from grant applications, and unfortunately, it’s one that we often struggle to answer confidently. For years, I used to wing my answer, saying something I thought the funder wanted to hear. Then one day I had the opportunity to research what factors are actually associated with greater program sustainability, and my world changed.

What I learned truly surprised me, because when I summarized this research, it turned out achieving sustainability wasn’t rocket science. In fact, the promoters of program sustainability read like many best practices for operating a non-profit: diversified funding, program champions, evaluation and performance measurement, and collaborative partners.

But there are other promoters that you might not immediately think about, such as a strong volunteer base, in-kind resources, high visibility, local values and culture, and a sustainability plan. Although researchers are still learning about the conditions under which new program innovations are sustained, I’m excited by the potential of what we can achieve with what we currently understand now.

Why Should We Care About Program Sustainability?

More than ever, program sustainability is a concern for nonprofits and the grantmaking organizations that fund them. It’s been estimated that up to 40% of all new social programs do not last long beyond their initial funding.[1] Compare the two programs below. Program A struggles continually with sustainability, while Program B has a better handle on it. Which one would you rather be?

A Sustainability Plan

Here’s the thing. We now know that program sustainability is not just about funding. Sure, it’s important, but it’s really the product of a proactive and step-by-step process. I’ve always found it curious that while many organizations diligently develop strategic plans, few take the time to craft a sustainability plan. A sustainability plan is a conscious response to the fearful dilemma of what to do if you lose a major funding stream. And let me tell you, at some point, most of you will lose a major funding stream.

An ideal sustainability plan is one that you develop at the beginning of your program, includes multiple strategies, and becomes a part of your organization’s overall strategic plan. But if your program is already out of the gate, it’s never too late to draft one. Just don’t leave it until three months before your seed funding ends. Building capacity to sustain your program will take time and effort, so the sooner you start, the better. Best of all, unlike some planning processes, you can complete your sustainability planning relatively quickly. Most groups can do it in a day or less.

So what are you waiting for? Take charge of your sustainability today and watch your programs not only survive, but thrive!

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Kylie Hutchinson is principal consultant with Community Solutions Planning & Evaluation and the author of Survive and Thrive: Three Steps to Securing Your Program’s Sustainability.

[1] Savaya, R., Spiro, S., & and Elran-Barak, R. (2008). Sustainability of social programs: A comparative case study analysis. American Journal of Evaluation, 29, 478-493.

The post Program Sustainability is Not Just About Funding appeared first on Nonprofit Hub.

Source Taken From: Nonprofithub.org

Storytelling has been a pretty noteworthy buzzword in the nonprofit sector in the last few years. Blogs, conferences and thought leaders all over the sector stress the importance of storytelling.

We all have stories that stem from our work and most of us already know the importance of storytelling. Lori Jacobwith explains a new way to view storytelling. She explains that “mission moments” are stories that help to better explain our mission through the work we do. Mission moments help others learn an organization’s why by showing (not telling) real examples of impact. 

Jacobwith explains that “stories are all about connecting—and they have been for as long as time,” which some people find intimidating. If you’re asking yourself “how can I be good at storytelling if I’m not a writer?” then you’re in luck. Jacobwith stresses that not all stories or mission moments require you to be an artful wordsmith and that sometimes they’re even better explained in a raw, unpolished form. 

Mission moments are the most vital part of effective storytelling because they take an experience and turn it into something that helps others see and feel the tangible impact from your organization.

Some of the things that Jacobwith challenges us to do to find our mission moments include thinking about why you do what you do. Depending on how long you’ve been in the sector, your answer to why? may sound like what you would read in the “About Us” section on your organization’s website, a time when you saw your work directly affect someone else’s life, or it may even sound like a time when your organizations actually made a huge difference in your own life

No matter what you decide to call it; storytelling, mission moments, content marketing, or daily conversation—to name a few—we’re constantly surrounded by it. Things are happening every day and all around us that capture the essence of what your organization strives to do. Now it’s up to us to look up from our smartphones and notice these happenings, take note of them when those moments happen and don’t forget to let others into those experiences.

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The post [PODCAST] Storytelling as Mission Moments | Ft. Lori Jacobwith appeared first on Nonprofit Hub.

Source Taken From: Nonprofithub.org