Kaleidoscope

An amazing way to wrap up #PrideMonth in our Kaleidoscope office! We had the pleasure of hearing from Aaron Zimmerman, MA, CFRE the Executive Director at PFund Foundation on the importance of LGBTQ+ inclusivity in scholarship. One of the key takeaways for our team is the importance of an unbiased, diverse review board and selection committee. We'll share more takeaways soon in an effort to help all scholarship providers ensure they are not simply being "non-exclusive" but are making a real effort to be actively "inclusive". Thank you Aaron for all of the knowledge today! We're better off because of you and your work.

So much admiration for my friend Jason Von Bank, who took over as CEO at Kaleidoscope about a year ago. We worked together and have strengthened our relationship, which includes me joining Kaleidoscope’s board. Honored that he would join me on our YMCA of the North podcast to discuss a range of topics from his humble upbringing, to his remarkable career and our aspirations for Kaleidoscope! Check out the clip of him talking about what drew him to Kaleidoscope, then listen to our entire conversation on all podcast platforms. https://lnkd.in/gxeDKv8H https://lnkd.in/g-2-5inQ #ymcaofthenorth #conversationsonrace #Kaleidoscope #jasonvonbank 

Here are some of the top ways for you to keep your donors engaged and continuing to support your scholarship and grant programs year over year 1️⃣ Send Donor Impact Reports This will help donors understand the difference their dollars make - think, number of scholarships awarded, schools attended, dollars disbursed, demographic information, and even further accolades these scholars have received after attending college. 2️⃣ Send Donor Thank You Notes This one seems almost too simple, but the impact that a thank you note from you or even better, one of your award recipients, makes on donors can be profound. 3️⃣ Produce Student Success Stories Taking the time to highlight a couple of students who have received awards can help donors visualize where their dollars are going by hearing directly from the scholars they are supporting. These stories can be as simple as a selfie video from a scholar with templated questions. No need to have a fancy video producer in order to make this work! One of our Account Managers, Audrey, gives more details on how these strategies can be impactful in retaining donors!

We're excited to announce our newest partnership with The SkillPointe Foundation! Together, we’re empowering donors to make a real difference by investing in skilled labor education and workforce training. 💡 Why This Matters 70% of the 9.5 million job openings in the U.S. don’t require a four-year degree, and approximately 80% of students attending a 2-year school drop out due to an unexpected expense of less than $1,000. Our new partnership allows donors to create their own Signature Scholarship or contribute to The National SkillPointe Scholarship, to directly support individuals pursuing these high-demand careers. Join us in supporting the next generation of skilled workers and building a stronger workforce for America’s economy! Read the full release in the comments below.

Communication is key when running a scholarship process. Think of all the messages you share with applicants throughout an award cycle... 1️⃣ Announcing the application open date 2️⃣ Reminders to finish the application 3️⃣ Deadline and closing reminders 4️⃣ Winner announcements 5️⃣ Check-ins with all applicants throughout their college journey to maintain a strong relationship And everything else in between.... Oftentimes scholarship providers will ONLY use email to communicate One of our Account Managers, Audrey, shares why it's important to consider email and SMS in all communication with applicants!

Using video can be a top tier way to showcase your award winners, and your program on the whole to drive further applications in the coming years, and more donor dollars coming in to grow your award pool. Even if you aren't a videographer or designer, with the use of some easy-to-use, free design tools, you can create a stunning video to announce your winners. For more tips and details on how to create stellar award announcements, join us for a webinar tomorrow Tuesday May 14th from 11 AM-12 PM CT. Link in the comments below to register!

Inspiring night at New Prague Area Schools Honors Night. Fun celebrating this impressive group of seniors and honoring my parents through the process. Special congratulations to Benett. #Congratulations

Making your scholarship award announcements a memorable experience for recipients can be the key to building your brand and increasing applicants and donors for years to come! Join us for a live webinar next Tuesday, May 14th from 11 AM - 12 PM CT to learn the best ways to create an epic award announcement or celebration. Registration link is in the comments below 👇 Hope to see you there!

It's truly an honor to play even a small role in helping the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. support to these future leaders. They are just one of the many mission-driven organizations we work with that are making incredible impact in the communities they serve. Thanks NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. for trusting us as a partner, and congratulations to all 10 of the Marshall-Motley Scholars!! 🙌 🙌 🙌

Our first volunteer event of the spring! Our team had a blast today volunteering for the Senior Community Services in Minneapolis. Their organization is on a mission to empower people as they age by serving compassionately, connecting communities, and supporting the independence of senior citizens. We spent the afternoon doing some yard work for a few of their community members. Thanks for having us, Senior Community Services. What a beautiful day!