Marlo Rencher, PhD, CDE

🚀 Webinar (recording) Alert! 🚀 Looking to make your fall employee volunteering activities more impactful? 🍂👥 Points of Light has posted a recent webinar recording on "Planning Impactful Fall Employee Volunteering Activities" 🎥✨ Join industry experts Katie Elder, Michelle Dee, and Jennifer Nash, MBA, PMP as they share valuable insights and strategies for successful volunteer initiatives. 💡🌍 🗓️ Key Takeaways: ✅ Start planning early and stay flexible! 🗓️🔄 ✅ Engage your nonprofit partners for creative solutions. 🤝💡 ✅ Incorporate educational components to enhance impact. 📚🧠 ✅ Measure the real change, not just outputs. 📊🔍 👉 Watch now: https://lnkd.in/eZAma2qc 🎥 #EmployeeEngagement #CSR #Volunteering #CommunityImpact #Webinar #PointsOfLight #CorporateSocialResponsibility #FallPlanning

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How could a nonprofit possibly launch a successful for profit? I am becoming familiar with the raised eyebrows and silent blinking I receive when I talk to people about why Rare launched for-profit ventures. I get it. Maybe the topic is as esoteric as the tax code on which it’s based. Maybe it seems naive. Maybe I’m just boring. However, for-profits help us fill three critical needs in pursuit of our mission. - Leveraging markets we otherwise wouldn’t leverage - Scaling our impact in a way we couldn’t otherwise - Partnering with talent that is not usually found in the nonprofit space   I had the chance to talk to Dr. Patton McDowell, MBA, CFRE for his podcast Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership about our decision to launch for-profit ventures to tap private capital that dwarfs the amount of philanthropy flowing to the protection of nature. Philanthropy cannot solve every problem. Private capital cannot solve every problem. Complex challenges like revitalizing coastal fisheries touch many sectors and require comprehensive solutions…which, in turn, requires blends of capital.    Give the episode a listen. Know someone doing this well? Let me know! #impactinvesting #conservationfinance #greenfinance #bluefinance

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"How can nonprofits measure the impact of board members in donor stewardship activities?" Great question! Involving board members in donor stewardship is invaluable, and measuring their impact goes beyond immediate outcomes. It's also about their engagement and willingness to participate, which is a win in itself. For your year-end campaign, you asked your board members to each make twenty phone calls on behalf of your animal shelter. Sasha manages to secure a $10K gift, while Mateo leaves 20 voicemails and has several subsequent phone calls. While the $10K gift is a thrilling win (congratulations!), bear in mind the phone calls are also important. The personal touch of a phone call—even if it doesn’t result in a direct donation—still strengthens the donor relationship and reinforces long-term stewardship. Tracking both quantitative metrics (like size of donation or number of calls) and qualitative insights (such as meaningful conversations or donor feedback) can provide a more holistic view of success. An engaged board that participates in fundraising and nurtures strong connections with donors will contribute to future success for your nonprofit. #nonprofitfundraising #stewardship

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New legislation in Minnesota is one of the first in the nation creating far more stringent requirements to avoid foster care removals and reunify families. Here is an excerpt from the article. “The bill includes some significant changes to the way the foster care system works. Specifically, it goes far beyond an ill-defined “reasonable efforts” requirement that child welfare agencies nationwide must take to prevent removals and reunify children with parents once they can be safely returned home. Instead, it requires the higher standard of “active efforts.” Under previous state and federal law, active efforts standards applied only to children who are members of Native American tribes and those who are eligible for membership.” Kelis Houston has been leading much of the work on this bill in Minnesota and said that there are other policies they plan to tackle. #policy #childwelfare #familywellbeing #justice https://lnkd.in/etAeMiGk?

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Amplifying this effort from the folks at Engine | Advocacy & Foundation: Startup founders of color continue to face profound obstacles to securing the capital they need across all funding streams. Congress can act by passing legislation to ensure that founders of color are better able to access loans and equity capital. We’re asking founders and ecosystem partners of color to sign on to our letter asking policymakers to pass two pieces of legislation that will encourage investment in Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), and raise the permitted size of, and the number of permitted accredited investors in, 3(c)(1) investment funds so that more diverse founders are funded.  https://lnkd.in/g_kAqHcb

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NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS!!!!!!! The second round of grantmaking for the Environmental Justice Data Fund (EJDF or “the Fund”) will be supported by a $4 million fund, created and seeded by Google.org. The EJDF aims to help frontline communities historically underserved and disproportionately impacted by climate change and environmental injustice in the United States use data to address environmental hazards, with special attention to matters regarding air and water quality. The Fund will support eligible organizations to unlock resources, increase their access to federal infrastructure funding, and advocate for new policies that empower communities to address past environmental harm and pave the way to a more sustainable, climate-resilient future. The new round of grantmaking was designed based on insights from the 2022 grantmaking cycle, which demonstrated a high need in the field to address environmental hazards, especially related to air and water quality. The fund remains dedicated to the principle that supporting data work will help advance justice and build power within local communities. By providing those most impacted by environmental injustices with valuable information, they are empowered to confront these issues and develop community-led solutions. The Fund will prioritize projects that serve frontline communities and consider a broad range of approaches to using data to advocate for environmental justice at the local and regional levels (please see below for how the Fund defines “frontline communities”, “environmental justice”, and “data” for this opportunity). It will provide organizations with flexible project funding to increase their organizational capacity to incorporate quality data work into their environmental and climate justice programming. The fund expects to make two to four grants of $500,000 and six to eight grants of $250,000. The Fund encourages grantees to leverage grant funds for matching opportunities, if applicable. Deadline: August 30, 2024.

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Looking to boost your fundraising efforts? Peer-to-peer (P2P) campaigns might be your game-changer! Having overseen initiatives that faced challenges from the start to those that succeeded, raising over $100k, I’ve learned key strategies to ensure success in P2P fundraising campaigns: 📌 Set a Clear Fundraising Goal: Define success. 📌 Establish an End Date: This will help create urgency.  📌 Develop User Guide: Share a step-by-step platform manual.  📌 Pre-Recruit Participants: Engage supporters before launching it. 📌 Provide Content: Supply mission/campaign materials for easy sharing. 📌 Encourage Goal Setting: Have participants set goals and check in often. 📌 Regular Updates:Inform everyone on progress at key campaign milestones. Have any additional tips to share? Add them to the comments below! #P2PFundraising #NonprofitFundraising 

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The Future of Data Equity for a Community: An Interview with Maya Berry   “The census data is one of those key pieces of getting it right in terms of the way we allocate a federal budget of over a trillion dollars. The way we afford civil rights protections, the way we draw our congressional districts, there’s nothing that isn’t touched by accurate census data.”   The future of our communities and the ability to provide fair and just opportunities all rely on high-quality data. That’s why changes such as the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)’s updates to federal race and ethnicity standards and the addition of the MENA category can help create more equitable communities.    I highly encourage you to check out this thought-provoking conversation The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights had with Maya Berry to learn how data can empower communities and discuss the intersection between data and civil rights.    https://lnkd.in/dCvdeEne    #DataEquity #HealthEquity

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Check out my new article in AFP's Advancing Philanthropy! The article provides some great tips and tricks on how to motivate your fundraisers when working in small shop nonprofits. If you're looking for ways to inspire your team and help your organization achieve its goals, this article is a must-read. Don't miss out on this valuable resource!

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The final Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP Global) Fundraising Effectiveness Project report on #donoractivity for 2023 was released April 7. There is a lot of data to interpret. 📈 📉 📊 💻 Please join us on Thursday April 25 for a conversation with Ben Miller, Chair of FEP, to do a deep dive on the data and discuss ways in which we can improve our proficiency and efficacy. While overall numbers are down, we are optimists, and appreciate the fact that there is an area of brightness and hope in last year's #nonprofitsector : an increase in new #donoracquisition – the first time since 2020! – our challenge for 2024 is to retain those donors! This presents an opportunity to revisit how we thank and engage the donors who improve the quality of the world in which we live. Register via 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eeSmPPS5 Access complete report via 🔗 https://lnkd.in/e_SnRgR4 Visionary Philanthropic Consulting, LLC Tim Smith Michael Shippam David Krause Melanie R. Sabelhaus Jason Blumenthal Jelena Spasic Ava Willis-Barksdale Linda C. Coughlin Jon Kevin Gossett, ACFRE #fundraising #philanthropy #industrytrends #dataanalytics

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Fundraisers: are your unexamined assumptions about donors hurting your major gift success? Watch this video and see if any of these common thoughts sound familiar… Then let me know in the comments - what assumptions do you find yourself making, and how do you break that cycle so you can effectively reach out and connect with your supporters? #fundraising #nonprofit #majorgifts #philanthropy 

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Are you concerned about how the election could negatively impact nonprofit fundraising in 2024? 😬 This article provides several helpful suggestions to keep your communications plan nimble around the volatile election cycle 🧭 I’d add two more things: 1️⃣ DAFs can not be used to donate to c4s or political campaigns - generally only 501(c)3s are DAF eligible ✅ So with DAF fundraising, you’re not “competing” with other possible use of funds 🤩 It’s a critical year to more proactively engage with DAF fundraising as a buffer against those possible election impacts 🛡️ DAF Day is on October 10th for a reason! It gives every nonprofit a shared event to activate more of those $230 billion in DAFs set aside for charitable giving 🙌🏼 2️⃣ I think the biggest threat to nonprofit fundraising success and donor participation is not a high dollar election, it’s apathy 🤷🏼‍♂️ I’m optimistic that the increased passion and energy around this election will energize people to be engaged in society more broadly ⚡️ With more hope, comes a greater likelihood of believing in nonprofit causes and taking action to support them 💪🏽 Maybe we can find more ways to speak to that increased hope with our fundraising efforts instead of fearing distraction? 💞 #nonprofit #fundraising #philanthropy

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"Design entrepreneurship can and should enact social empowerment and build community economies, not just competitive advantage for profit." — Matthew Wizinsky It was such a pleasure to have The Craft's first book club meeting for chapter 1 of Design After Capitalism!! 👏 What a great way to start my day.📚 Some of my takeaways from our 1st session: - Capitalism requires constant growth on a planet with finite resources.  - After Capitalism is not an endorsement of socialism or communism. It supports free enterprise.  - It can feel alienating trying to drive change at an organization that doesn't support it. Thanks for sharing Oxana!  - As designers sometimes we contribute to creating artificial desires, especially in rich capitalist countries where our needs are met.  - During the 2016 election, Harvard Institute of Politics conducted a study in which only 42% of respondents said they support capitalism; it has since been declining further.   - Modern design of the "artificial world" is built from imperialism and colonialism. Our design discourse examines how to decolonize models of oppression and erasure.  - The future of design is thinking beyond the user and business. We'll think of ecosystems and how our designs affect tertiary actors and the planet. Our next session is this Friday. Sign up for The Craft's newsletter for the invite. 🔗 in comments.

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If you don't know Tricia Driver yet, it's time you meet her! Learn more about her in the "Equitable Innovator Spotlight" below!

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Our partners over at Protect Our Winters have introduced their first piece of legislation into Congress, the Energizing Our Communities Act (EOCA) and I hope you'll join me in contacting your legislators and advocating for them to support this incredibly important bill. ⚡️Why is it so important? According to a new report from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, as of December 2023, proposed projects encompassing nearly 2,600 gigawatts (GW) — or 2.6 terawatts — were making their way through the series of studies and steps required to plug into the power grid. Almost all of this backlog, known as the interconnection queue, consists of clean energy — and it’s mostly from solar and batteries. Additionally there is currently 1,400 GW of available energy (90% of which is for zero-carbon energy like solar, wind and battery storage) seeking connection to our grid. 🤔What does EOCA do? Quite simply EOCA carves out a community benefit fund which brings money back into the communities that transmission runs through. 20% of that will go to things like conservation, trails, public lands, etc., and 80% of it will be used however the community deems fit: think roads, schools, or affordable housing as examples of what a community could spent the money on. These funds are also distributed to counties and tribal governments hosting infrastructure equally, and allows for expedited permitting of transmission projects without having to actually change permitting policy. 🗳️Here's what you can help Click the link below to learn more about EOCA, and take action directly from the page. Even better call or write your Federal representatives (US Senator and Congressperson) and ask them to support EOCA. It's up to us to define what's possible, and thanks to POW, here's another way that we can collectively drive the systemic change that's needed to get to the decarbonized future that's an imperative for our species. Lastly, a huge congrats to Ben Gubits for making this all happen. https://lnkd.in/e8KWMPyd

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I recently read nonprofit newsroom Injustice Watch’s report, “For kids arrested in Chicago, the city has little to offer.” It’s easy to blame the government, parents and nonprofits serving youth, but the article doesn’t provide a full picture of what's happening. It points out that a fraction of youths who are referred to social services programs post-incarceration complete them. Parental engagement is key, but out of 286 kids referred by police, 154 parents declined services. Some youths, due to their bad behaviors and lifestyle, aren’t welcome back home and return to the streets. Parents may want kids to attend programs, but transportation can be an issue. Does the program provide a bus card or lunch? All programs aren’t free. When housing and food aren’t stabilized, it’s difficult to focus on a program. Parents will be less likely to put their kids in programs where they’re not earning income.   The article also seems to fault nonprofits. Those receiving grants of $1.8 million are expected to serve 1,000 kids, and that’s not realistic. Reporting requirements are strict and constantly being updated, too. Nonprofits that take recommendations from the city also must pay upfront and reimbursement can be slow, which threatens the organization’s ability to keep its doors open. Post-pandemic, at-risk youth and their families continue to have unique needs. We must recognize that kids are still traumatized. Part of addressing their trauma is to have social-emotional learning to repair their resiliency. What’s most valuable to youth are programs where they can earn a stipend or an industry certification. At LUV Institute, we offer pathways to earn a CNA certificate, food handler’s license and gain experience working in construction. And we provide them with the support they need to get to the programs and complete their classes. The gotcha story isn’t always the full story. What’s worse is that it can influence opinions in ways that spur apathy, not empathy. Now, I invite you to read the article through your fortified lens.

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New podcast conversation with Sheleia Phillips, MPH, CHES, "How can you better position your organization for funding?" Listen or read the transcript to get tips on how your nonprofit can build stronger relationships with funders and how embracing community-centric fundraising can help you question traditional and harmful practices. [link to listen/read in comments]

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Surgeon General Vivek Murthy talks about the need for a "whole-of-society approach" to advancing social connection. We've tried to heed that call in our work at Einhorn Collaborative, supporting a broader range of efforts that engage actors across sectors. That includes: Projects like Team Up to enlist large national civic organizations with a presence in local communities to help people build connection across difference through service. Research groups like Building H to measure the impact of products on consumers’ health and urge companies to do better to improve social connection and other health outcomes. Initiatives like Human Connections AI to bring together social connection experts with technologists to puzzle through how AI companions can be designed to enhance and not degrade human relationships. Another project that has helped us explore a facet of the whole-of-society approach is the Connective Tissue Framework, which puts forward a range of recommendations for how government – especially at the local level – can create the structural conditions and everyday opportunities for people to experience healthy connection. I've learned a lot from Sam Pressler, lead author of Connective Tissue. In this piece, I asked Sam to share more about the story behind the framework and a few highlights. https://lnkd.in/esayJU3b

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