When I look back, last week’s eclipse was one part rare astronomical event and one part major hype. I was in DC where it was 87% totality with minimal clouds. I had my glasses and thought it was pretty cool to watch the moon shift over the sun and back again. But really, like so many other things, if I had stayed inside or it had been cloudy, it wouldn’t have changed my life. We learn from this recent celestial event that people are eager to find almost any excuse to get excited. And getting people excited about your nonprofit is always a good thing, especially when the excitement i ..read more

In real estate, you hear talk about whether we are in a “buyer’s” or a “seller’s” market. In a buyer’s market, there is excess inventory. This gives buyers the upper hand. In a seller’s market, it is the opposite. There are not enough homes, a situation that advantages those with something to sell. It works very much the same in the field of talent acquisition and management. Sometimes, jobs are scarce. This gives organizations great leverage in candidate selection. Other times — today’s reality — it is the candidates who are in short supply. During times like these, organizations n ..read more

Listen to this post First things first. At MJA, we start 95% of our engagements with a prospect research screen. This is not our only diagnostic tool, but for today, let’s focus on understanding the people in your database. And getting to know who your donors are, their estimated capacity, and how much they give, is a good place to start. Level 1 – The AI Screen The initial prospect research screen uses AI to scrape the web for public information. We currently use iWave but we have used DonorSearch and they are both good products with different advan ..read more

Listen to this post Quick quiz — Is your development strategy/plan developed by The Executive Director Head of Development (Staff) Development Committee A board member or two The Strategic Plan  Donors Development strategy? Who has time for strategy? We are just getting by. If you are trying to raise more money in 2024 — and who isn’t — you may want to consider whether your development plan will help you achieve your goals. And whether that strategy is working for you or against you. In the past few months, I have seen all 7 strategies in a variety of places. And the right choice ..read more

Believe it or not, it will soon be the fourth anniversary of the shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As we came out of that, we encountered something not seen previously: “The Great Resignation.” Many people realized they were unhappy with their jobs — whether due to the circumstances surrounding them, the work itself, or some combination — and simply quit. Since then, nonprofits that conduct their own searches have found it harder to find qualified people for open positions. And those who are interested in the positions are asking different questions than years past. Questions ..read more

Listen to this post Last month, my blog post on how to analyze #GivingTuesday resonated with many people. So many, that I thought I should follow it up with how to analyze data for the end of the calendar year. It’s January, so first things first. Breathe. Congratulate yourself, your co-workers, your volunteers, and, above all, your donors and funders for helping you end 2023 strong. There were many challenges that you had to overcome but you did it and raised money that will help you achieve your nonprofit mission in 2024!  Next, please join me in wondering who started this ..read more

By David A. Mersky Do you know much about AI (Artificial Intelligence)? We have written a bit about it — Abigail did a terrific piece recently about AI in fundraising. I confess that I am far from expert. However, lately I have been thinking quite a bit about AI’s potential impact on the nonprofit hiring process. And then I came across a very interesting study published by the MIT Sloan Management Review. Among other things, it found that job applicants who use AI receive 7.8% more offers and have starting salaries that are 8.4% higher than those who don’t. Since this blog ..read more

By David A. Mersky I have written a lot these past few months about the importance of employee retention, in large measure because the process of hiring somebody is so expensive and time consuming. We have talked about employee onboarding and about corporate culture, both of which are critical to enhancing the self-worth of your new hire by helping them feel you are truly invested in their success and longevity with the organization. One thing we have not yet covered explicitly is today’s topic: compensation. I suppose one might think that nobody goes to wor ..read more

When #GivingTuesday started in 2012, it was an innovative way for the world to show we were more than self-absorbed consumers. Since then, we have proven that we still like to overbuy on Black Friday whether in June or November.  Yet, we can be generous on giving days throughout the year. But, even if your nonprofit has a Giving Day in April, should you participate in #GivingTuesday this year?  Campaigns of One Our clients know that we often talk about Campaigns of One. Each donor is a campaign unto themselves and needs an individual plan. (Of course, that is only possible for ..read more

By David A. Mersky When last we gathered, I wrote to you about the importance of onboarding. This helps ensure that your new hire will be well integrated and likely stay in your employ for a good long time.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all that was required to retain staff was to have a terrific onboarding program? But you and I both know there is more to it than that. That’s what I want to focus on with you today. Last month, I mentioned that when somebody leaves your employ, the cost to replace them can be as much as three times their compensation in screening, interview ..read more