So, this has gone on longer than anyone expected.

Right. WFH is no longer a temporary status update - it’s been nearly nine months for most organizations in the US and shows no signs of changing. Throughout the shift from “we need to do this for the time being” to “we’ll be doing this for the foreseeable future,” nonprofit leaders have had to learn to effectively manage a remote working environment without one major ingredient: an environment. 

While teams may still be connected, they’re no...

We're not moving the needle.

We can’t seem to get out of our own way.

I'm just not seeing any progress.

We're not having an impact. 

I'm just spinning my wheels.

Sound familiar?

No matter which way you say it, the story is the same: you’re working hard (perhaps harder than ever) but not creating a measurable result with your nonprofit. Maybe you and your team get lots of work done but still can’t seem to move the mission forward in a way that truly makes a difference. 

So, what give...

This is a repost from the October 2020 JennyB Designs blog The Executive Director’s BFF: A Conversation with Bernadette Mack 

One of the greatest things we can do for our fellow human beings is to consider them. We can consider their thoughts, their feelings, their circumstances and, then, we can use those considerations to make decisions about how we’ll act.

And, when it comes to fundraising for nonprofits, “consider” is a magic word.

We often see appeal letters using this language when asking for donations as in, “Please consider making a gift today.” It’s a much softer and respectful option than popular alternativ...

Earlier this week, I commented on a post about LeBron James on LinkedIn. Admittedly, I don’t follow basketball much anymore and I know very little about James himself - but it wasn’t his game playing I was concerned with. My comment was about the language used in the post - something I care a lot about. Here’s what the post read:

Here was my comment: 

Many people agreed with my comment - but there were also plenty of folks who didn’t. The dissenters suggested that I was looking for the ...

Dragging your feet on improving your web presence? In a holding pattern for fully utilizing social media and email to engage your community? Still scratching your head about how to present programs, events, and value virtually? If you are doubling down on an old formula for success and waiting anxiously for the world to return to ‘normal’ – this is your wake-up call. Ben Smithee, digital marketing expert and CEO of The Smithee Group, a Brooklyn-based full service digital marketing and insights f...

Do your marketing materials, social posts, and printed collateral look a little homemade? Is there a subtle, yet unmistakable, DIY vibe to your website?  It’s OK - there’s no shame in the bootstrapping game. For most nonprofits, having a graphic designer on staff or on annual retainer would be nothing short of a miracle. But, in this digital age, can anyone really afford not to invest wisely in their image and online presence? 

If your already-shoestring budget is in jeopardy of being furthe...

This article originally appeared on the Impact PR & Communications Blog here: https://bit.ly/2Xjq0dz

Automatically Inspired: How System-Generated Messaging Can Make or Break Your Organization’s COVID Response

I haven’t had a complete thought in about three weeks. Then again, I’m not even sure that’s how long it’s been. Keeping my kids occupied, entertained, and off of electronics for the hours they would have been in school is a brain drain for someone used to having uninterrupted time to think and work. Brain space is personal space in my book and it’s in short supply these days. Is it just me or is someone always talking? Though I’m ever grateful for health, stability, and the opportunity to spend ...

At my house it’s Day 4 of no school, no activities, no events, and no sports. It’s interesting but we’re keeping busy for now. The weather is good and there are great parks nearby, so we’ve made a point to get out and enjoy nature as much as possible. 

It has dawned on me this week that I’ve actually wished for this at one time or another; that the whole world would slow down and we weren’t constantly rushing from thing to thing. It was a pipe dream. A wild fantasy. And now that it’s actually h...