Building Capacity in Wards 7 and 8 - November 30, 2016

Capacity Building Opportunities

Free trainings and webinars
Winding Down/Gearing Up: 10 Legal Tips To Get 2017 Ready, December 8(http://www.wildapricot.com/blogs/newsblog/2016/11/28/19-free-nonprofit-webinars-for-december-2016) — "Your year-end campaign is probably well underway, and hopefully you’ve got the staff holiday party scheduled, but what else can we focus on as we head into the new year. Is your organization ready for 2017?" Webinar leaders will discuss the important topics of year-end bonuses, state-required registrations, and more.

Engaging the Volunteer of the Future, December 13(http://www.wildapricot.com/blogs/newsblog/2016/11/28/19-free-nonprofit-webinars-for-december-2016) — VolunteerMatch has "a unique view into what volunteers are looking for in an opportunity. The age of one-size fits all volunteer engagement is coming to an end. This webinar will start with a review of some of the things that we know about what volunteers are looking for in an opportunity. It will then help you use this information to start designing volunteer opportunities and determining who is the 'right' volunteer for your program." 

Webinar
Selling Social Change, December 15(https://ssir.org/webinars/entry/selling_social_change) —  "Has your organization had the experience of offering a social service program that struggles to attract participants? If your answer is yes, you are not alone. Among nonprofits responding to a Bridgespan Group survey, 70 percent reported shortfalls in program participation, and half said matters have gotten worse over the past five years. Even great programs with proven track records face this challenge." $55.

Good reads

18 Engaging Ways to Get the Attention of Donors on the Go(http://www.wildapricot.com/blogs/newsblog/2016/11/14/18-engaging-ways-to-get-the-attention-of-donors-on-the-go) — Donations have gone up 10% in the past year. Unfortunately, so has the effort involved with getting those donations. Wild Apricot identified 18 ways that organizations are getting the attention of, and money from, donors.

Carefully Worded Appeals Make People 300% More Generous, Says Study (http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/carefully-worded-appeals-make-people-300-generous-says-study/) — "A forthcoming study in the INFORMS journal Marketing Science, based on the psychology of sympathy, shows that small changes in the wording of a fundraising letter can increase donations by over 300 percent."

What does this mean? According to the authors, "Psychologists have found that emotions sometimes work better to motivate people to action than cognition; hence treatments that generate an emotional response can be more effective in generating donations." (read Do Sympathy Biases Induce Charitable Giving? The Effects of Advertising Content, http://cowles.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/pub/d19/d1940.pdf)

Use you words, use emotions. And you will likely get increased individual donations. So the researchers say.

THANKS(for)GIVING: 9 Mistakes Nonprofits Make Thanking Donors(http://www.clairification.com/2016/11/24/thanksforgiving-9-mistakes-nonprofits-make-thanking-donors/) — "After you’ve sent out your appeal is too late to start thinking about what your thank you letter or email will say. Or who will sign it. Or whether someone who donates online will also receive an actual letter. Or thank you call." Mistakes cited include delaying saying thank you, sending a boring thank you, and appearing as though you are asking for more.

What Happened When I Spent A Week Keeping My Mouth (Mostly) Shut (https://www.fastcompany.com/3065880/work-smart/what-happened-when-i-spent-a-week-keeping-my-mouth-mostly-shut) — "There's a saying that we have two ears and one mouth for a reason." Take four minutes and read this.

An individual perspective
Professional Pathways: Intentional Career and Leadership Development, Starting from Wherever You Are Now(http://www.wildapricot.com/blogs/newsblog/2016/11/28/19-free-nonprofit-webinars-for-december-2016) — "Whether you are early in your career or have been a leader for many years, it is important to be intentional about your own professional and leadership development. In this webinar, we will consider the essential foundation for further developing as a professional: becoming more aware of your values, goals, strengths, and areas for improvement." Free.

News

Regina Hopkins, Assistant Director of the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center recently sent an email with important information about the new overtime exemption rules. This is what she wrote:

"On November 22nd, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas granted a motion for preliminary injunction against the U.S. Department of Labor's implementation and enforcement of the new overtime exemption rules that were set to go into effect December 1st. This injunction applies to all public and private sector employers nationwide. An additional hearing is scheduled for the week of November 28th to determine whether to permanently block the regulations.

The motion for preliminary injunction was filed by the attorneys general of 22 states who argued the new rules were unlawful and would cause irreparable harm to their states.  It leaves in place the existing overtime rules.

As this develops, we will share more information on how it impacts your nonprofit."

Resources and tools

Guide to the DC Permit Process(http://washingtonpeacecenter.org/permitprocess) — This guide by Washington Peace Center answers several questions including "When do you need a permit?", "What's the process?", and "Who do you talk to?".

Do you have a capacity building resource to share? Please email information to susie.cambria@gmail.com.