The First & Last Rule Of Philanthropy: Work What You Love

“This business is tough and we don’t have time for martyrs. Live it, Love it or Leave it.”

This rather rhythmic advice was given to me by Terri, the large and elaborately tattooed woman who runs the the soup kitchen where I volunteer once a week and I think it’s the best advice anyone’s ever given me about jobs, and indeed about life in general. Human beings are pretty amazing but we all have finite resources and if you force yourself into doing charitable work that you are not suited for and do not enjoy on some level then no matter how worthy the cause, you’re going to burn out. Charities benefit from kindness but they run on consistency. When I saw the mannequins my heart leapt because I knew that I had found something that I could to do to help people that I would effortlessly enjoy. I was going to use my fashion acumen to help turn my rather dowdy Oxfam into a place people would be excited to spend money in.

Working The Floor

So what does working in a charity shop entail? Well, I volunteer 15 hours a week in store for which I am unpaid, although Oxfam does contribute to my transportation costs – this is not unusual and is worth asking about if you find yourself volunteering in a similar position. During the 15 hours, I am usually out working the shop floor, operating the till and taking customer donations. I do love a bit of till work and I am one of the proud few that actually feel comfortable using the credit card machine. Training was given but it was fairly minimal – the most difficult part of the job is arranging to have larger items delivered to customer’s homes as this often involves a great deal of cross referencing and referring to scribbled pencil notes stuck to the counter. One thing this job does teach you is how to utterly style out any situation where you are completely unaware of how to proceed. Certainly you have to be incredibly patient and unafraid to deal with any given situation, even the unpleasant ones – our shop has a secret ‘bell’ system, wherein if one of us spots a potential shoplifter, we ring a doorbell that sounds in the back room and the entire staff start circulating the shop floor like ninjas in order to psyche out the potential thief.

Behind the scenes

However, the best and bulk of my work actually happens once the shop has closed. Every volunteer usually has a specialist subject, be it books, furniture, toys and, in my case, clothing. My job is to go through all the donations and identify the important pieces – designer items, interesting vintage garments and, best of all, the most disquietingly insane 80s garb. The shop plays host to quite a large student clientele so I make sure to keep up with both high fashion and local street style and highlight clothes that are likely to sell quickly and price them according to a sliding scale. I’m also in charge of window dressing and display and I’ve put together some truly awe-inspiring denim themed extravaganzas. The best one was a Japanese-style cityscape with a pair of dungarees playing Godzilla. Live it, love it or leave it. I have never once been late for a shift.

The Future

My best advice for people like me who are at the beginning of their non-profit career is to keep a record of all your pursuits. I’ve got a special binder and I make sure that I note down every time I do something new, unusual or go out of my way. It’s no effort at all, I love my job and it’s creating a portfolio that shows potential employers that I’m organised, creative and ambitious. And happy. And making a difference in the world. Yes, all in all, I have a lot to thank those paisley mannequin for – I really wouldn’t want to be doing anything else and how many people can say that about their career?

Deena Murphy writes about Third Sector jobs and making a living in the not-for-profit sector.

Photo credit: Alinoubigh

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How I Managed To Find Charity Work I Love

Technorati Tags: charitable work, Charities, Charity Work, Donations, oxfam, oxfam shop, Philanthropy, Volunteer

Planning and remembering events is a very difficult process and something that is harder and harder in this day and age. The problem is that these days we simply have too much going on for many of us to keep track of. There are the hundreds of events that most of us attend for instance which include corporate events, family events, weddings and others. Then there are the day to day tasks we need to take care of which might include going to work, bringing home work with us, commuting, taking children to school, walking dogs and washing and tidying around the house. Then there are the emergencies that crop up unannounced when someone gets ill or hurts themselves, or when the boiler breaks. Then there are the inconveniences such as cars stopping working. Then there is the time we want just for ourselves or to spend with our partner. It’s pretty hard to fit it all in.

And this is why save the date cards and invitations are so important to help us plan in advance. In today’s busy world, if you ask someone if they are free next week then they will almost invariably say no. They are either visiting family, going to a wedding, have to save work, have to save money, feel ill or otherwise engaged. On the other hand, if you mention an event that’s up coming and they are free, then there’s always a fairly good chance that between now and then, they will end up booking something else accidentally or being called upon and forget the occasion they were meant to be going to. Many of us have great friends who we love and miss but who we haven’t seen for years because life keeps unfortunately getting in the way.

This is why save the dates are so important. A save the date is a way to ‘get in there’ early and let people know you have an event coming up that they should put aside time for. Because you’ve gotten there early then this means that they will have the time free, and because you’ve given them a physical reminder they will hopefully remember to keep that day free and not to book anything else in the meantime.

There are other tools and things that can help you to organize yourself though as well. For instance if you are going to be going to lots events and have a busy lifestyle then having a calendar is an absolutely crucial tool for helping you to plan your life. You can hang this in a room, and then simply all you need to do is to fill it out with new events each time one comes along. This way you can then just consult your calendar before you book anything new and you will find out well in advance if you can’t make it.

A similar tool to use alongside save the dates is a dairy. This is a book you can carry on you, which means you can compare dates even when on the move and which means that you can transfer appointments into your calendar later.

Jordan Siron is a web enthusiast who likes to provide save the date printing tips with the help of his blog.

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Planning And Remembering Events

Technorati Tags: invitations, Reminder, Tools

Nonprofit organizations typically set fundraising goals for each of their special events, even before the planning committees are formed. These goals are needed so that budgets and plans for the future can be set. A significant amount of research and predictions can go into setting these goals to ensure they are challenging but achievable.

But I don’t believe these goals should be used to manage the charity walk event. I believe there are problems with giving the charity walk committee the fundraising goals.

You want the committee members to own the goals. They will be more motivated to achieve the goals. The best way to do this is for the committee to discuss and determine their own goals.

Also, the goals of the organization may not take into account the enthusiasm of the volunteers who lead the event. By allowing the committee to set their own goals, even higher goals might be set that will exceed all expectations. The walk committee could be held back from their potential if goals are imposed on them.

Empower your charity walk committee to set their destiny and be their best. The ultimate results may surprise you.

Thanks,

Photo credit: Bob Smith

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Who Sets Your Charity Walk Goals?

Technorati Tags: charity walk, charity walks, fundraising goals, planning committees, walk event

Have you ever been to a meeting that you didn’t know anyone in attendance? It can be very scary and awkward. For some, it can seem just as scary as going to the dentist!

The first charity walk committee meeting can be just as scary for new members.  It is important that there is a way for each member to quickly participate, have fun, and start building relationships with the other team members.

There are many ice breakers that can be used to get everyone having a great time and to encourage talking with each other.  One simple one is to have each member tell why he or she chose to be involved in this special event.  There are many possible reasons to participate. Here are just a few:

• Personal connection with the cause
• Wants to make a difference
• Asked by a friend
• Earn credits for school
• Learn and practice a new skill

As each person describes why they are involved, write it down. It is likely to provide important clues about the best role the person can contribute and how to best motivate and recognize the person.

Start the planning for your next charity walk off right. Find ways to help your committee members to work together as a team and be excited about their contributions. Make your next charity walk the best event ever!

Thanks,

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Ice Breaker for Your First Charity Walk Planning Meeting

Technorati Tags: building relationships, charity walk, ice breakers

Submit grant proposals for charity walks

Non profits across the country send out grant proposals everyday seeking funding for their program services.  They compete with thousands of other organizations for the scarce grant dollars that are available. Development offices are always looking for tools to make their proposals stand far and above their competition.

Sadly, there are no special tricks. There are no magic attachments that you can submit with your proposal that will magically reward your organization with those coveted grant dollars.

The sad reality is that a perfectly written application can go unfunded. There are, however, several things you can do that will help your grant proposal and, ultimately, your organization noticed. Noticed and funded.

Appearance

Follow the rules. Most of the time the funding source tells you exactly what they want. Read the application instructions. If they say double spaced, single sided with one inch margins and no more than 10 pages; do not submit a 25 single spaced two sided document thinking they will like what you have to say so much that they will overlook your transgression. When it comes to grants you have only one opportunity to make a good first impression, it is imperative that you proofread and edit using a high quality grammar checker and the help of another set of eyes.

They won’t.

No matter how perfect your program is: if the funder doesn’t read your application it wont be funded.

Content

Once again, read the instructions. The funder will tell you what they want to know. If you are applying for state or federal funding, you will refer to the Request For Proposals (RFP).  The RFP will tell you everything they want to know. The RFP will tell you what format they want it in.  Use the RFP as a checklist to provide them with exactly what want.

The person who reads your budget and budget justification will not have access to the program narrative that was attached. Therefore, you, as the proposal writer, need to make sure that each section tells your story. Looking at a page of numbers and no context will not reveal very much about your organization. Let each section be part of a whole piece. Use the budget narrative to fully explain what the funds will be used for thereby giving the reader a full idea of what he or she did not see in the program narrative.

Quality

The non profit should be operating in a climate of measurement. It is not enough just to do something; you have to be able to prove you do something. More importantly, you have to prove what it means. Organizations that concentrate on performance objectives and outcome measurements will find the responses to funders questions easier to answer.

Your application responses should answer the questions the funder asks. You want to use this opportunity to share your story. You want your application to strike a chord in the reader. People give to people. It is that simple.

Extras

Do not add flourishes where none are asked for. Does your organization have a video presentation that you use at local civic events? Do not send it with your application unless it is specifically requested. Many smaller foundations have very few staff and do not have the time to review the material. Don’t count on that video to tell your story because, sadly, it won’t be seen.

Don’t use fancy bindings for your applications. 99% of the time the funder will tell you exactly how they are to be bound because 99% of the time the applications are separated and various people read various parts.

It takes practice. Not every application will be funded. And not every funder will tell you why it was not funded. When you can, ask for the critique and use it. Compare what they were looking for with what you provided and that will also give you a good road map to use with other applications. There are grant dollars out there and your job as the proposal writer will be to make sure that your application is the best it can be.

If you are tasked with fundraising and grant creation explore the features provided by Grammarly and bookmark English Grammar Rules.

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How To Make Your Grant Proposal Stand Out

Technorati Tags: charity walks, Fundraising, grammar checker, grant proposal, grant proposals

Below are slideshows containing a few photos I captured at the charity walks. If you haven’t participated in a charity walk, consider getting involved soon. There are several national/international charity walk events listed at http://www.charitywalksblog.com/charity-walk-events/ for your convenience.

Thanks,

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2011 Arthritis Walk Photos

Technorati Tags: amusement park, Arthritis, arthritis foundation, arthritis walk, arthritis walks, charity events, charity walk, charity walks, kings dominion, Kings Dominion Amusement Park, National Mall, Photos, Richmond, walk event, walk events, Washington Dc

Before I announce the winner, I thought you might be interested in how I determined the raffle winner. I could have made up a ticket for each donor and drew one from a hat or box. However, I decided to use technology to ensure a fair contest.

1. I created a numbered list of the donors (two for those who donated before April 20) in the order the donations were made.
2. I then used the True Random Number Generator at http://www.random.org to generate a random number for the list I created.
3. The resulting number was matched to the donor list to identify the winner.

Who is the raffle winner? It is…

Corey Pudhorodsky

Congratulations Corey! I hope you enjoy the tote on your next trip.

Thanks,

Photo credit: Kevin Abbott

Post from: Charity Walks Blog

And the Winner Is…

Technorati Tags: Arthritis, arthritis walk, Donations, Donors, Fundraising, kings dominion, Raffle

Your volunteers and staff members need to be readily identified. There are a number of reasons why this is important. Here are just a few:

• Someone has a question about the charity walk
• A person is hurt and needs immediate attention
• A participant wants to become a volunteer for future events

Make sure your volunteers can be easily found. How can you make this happen? Here are a couple of ways:

• Have your volunteers wear unique hats, shirts, armbands or buttons that help distinguish them from other participants
• Establish a volunteer station that is staffed throughout the charity event and marked with large signs

Doing this at your next charity walk will help improve the experience of your walkers and let your volunteers know they are valued. This is a terrific combination.

Thanks,

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Do Your Charity Walk Volunteers Stand Out In a Crowd?

Technorati Tags: arthritis walk, Charity Event, charity walk, charity walks, Volunteers, Walkers

Statistics show there is significant traffic and that those visitors spend significant time on this website. These are great indicators that the website is useful. However, most visitors are not engaged with this blog through comments and sharing blog posts with colleagues and friends. There is definitely room for improvement and I want you to help me discover the best ways I can make improvements.

Here is all that you need to do: Imagine you will be planning a walk in the next year and then fill out the short survey below. No experience necessary!

Thanks,

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What Charity Walk Information Do You Want To See?

Technorati Tags: Blog, charity walk, charity walks, questionnaire, short survey

This year is no exception. I have submitted online content in several ways demonstrating the importance of the Arthritis Foundation and giving an opportunity to support the organization. However, when I sent personal messages over the past week to some of my friends, they responded!

Who are some of these generous people supporting my personal fundraising efforts for the Arthritis Walk at Kings Dominion?

• Darren Barnes – Photographer, Dwood Photography
• Scott Couchenour – Life Coach, Serving Strong
• Annie Magnant – Executive Director, Science Museum of Virginia Foundation
• David Perdew – Founder, Niche Affiliate Marketing System
• Marc Pitman – Fundraising Coach, The Fundraising Coach
• Traci Pryor – Executive Director, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Richmond & Tri-Cities
• Corey Pudhorodsky – DoGooder, Corey on Twitter

I am a fortunate and blessed person to have the friends I have. I am extremely grateful for their support and friendship. Check out what each one is doing on the links I provided above. If you have an opportunity to meet or learn from any of them, don’t hesitate to do it. Your life will be better for it.

If you want to join me in supporting the Arthritis Foundation in their fight against arthritis, learn how at http://www.charitywalksblog.com/1545/free-links-and-chance-to-win-for-the-next-two-weeks.

Thanks,

Photo credit: Mattox

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Personal Fundraising Is All About Relationships

Technorati Tags: Arthritis, arthritis foundation, arthritis walk, charity walk, Fundraising, kings dominion, niche affiliate marketing, science museum of virginia