Alison Oliver MBE’s Post

Capital campaign teams are best served when participants are focused on mutual goals that are larger than any one person can achieve on their own. Team building in capital campaigns is a vital process that can deeply impact a fundraising campaign’s success. Learn More! #nonprofitfundraising #nonprofitcapitalcampaign #capitalcampaign #capitalcampaignconsultant

Capital campaign teams are best served when participants are focused on mutual goals that are larger than any one person can achieve on their own. Team building in capital campaigns is a vital process that can deeply impact a fundraising campaign’s success. Learn More! #nonprofitfundraising #nonprofitcapitalcampaign #capitalcampaign #capitalcampaignconsultant

St. Louis faces a persistent narrative challenge, as I've often heard since relocating here three years ago. Could foundations and philanthropic funding be a solution? It's widely acknowledged that news and media significantly shape public perception. Despite prevalent negative coverage in the media, the city harbors a wealth of positivity that remains largely uncovered. There is a MASSIVE opportunity for local foundations to step up to fund media production and news reporting through program-related investments and/or grants to improve the image of St. Louis. Over the holidays, I stumbled upon a Forbes article detailing how Ava DuVernay secured funding for her film "Origin" from the Ford Foundation and other philanthropists, overcoming challenges with traditional studios. The article hinted at this funding model potentially becoming Hollywood's new norm. This prompted me to delve deeper into the role of philanthropy in supporting media. Further research into philanthropy's historical and recent backing of media organizations and projects yielded interesting observations. A brief review of the Ford Foundation's 2021 990 (nonprofit tax form) reveals a grant schedule heavily tilted towards media and documentary recipients. I recommend perusing attachment 19 for detailed project summaries. Additionally, Press Forward, a coalition of philanthropists supporting local news and civic information organizations through aligned grantmaking and pooled funds, caught my attention. Notably, the Ford Foundation, along with others like the MacArthur Foundation and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is part of this coalition striving to revitalize local media. I want this to serve as a thought-provoking post for philanthropists in St. Louis. How can foundations better contribute to and finance media in the region, fostering a more robust narrative that highlights the positive aspects and distinctiveness of our city? In my perspective, there are an abundance of opportunities worth reviewing. Support smaller creative projects, such as the music video “How Does St. Louis Do It? (We Got Range)” or other documentary/educational videos. Backing everyday local media coverage is crucial to keeping the community well-informed. I wonder if there could be some intervention or support to provide a soft-landing with KMOX after their parent company, Audacy, files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy? For those seeking more substantial projects, doubling down on the region's growth in the film industry, perhaps through funding the production of new movies and shows filmed locally, could be transformative. This support would compound with the regions advancements with the introduction of film tax incentives and the development of the Gateway Studios. Importantly, this isn't about pushing a political agenda. Instead, it's about promoting a positive narrative, spotlighting and celebrating the goodness within our community for the world to see.

As we are about to close out another year, and the future is wide open, I find myself considering the not-for profit sector. I am digging into everything I can find on the topic. If you have feedback, experience or articles, would you share? #notforprofit #careerchange #community #facilitiesmanagement

Why Consulting Part 2: Knocking, talking and walking. 1.     There’s almost certainly no such thing anymore, but my first job in fundraising was DOOR TO DOOR in the east Los Angeles suburbs/Inland Empire, knocking, walking, talking and asking people for money right on their doorsteps. And that, on COMISSION!!!  One day I worked 11 hours and made 26 bucks. Most days were better. I started that job in the fall, and almost every day, walking through the 5 blocks assigned to me, in a suit, in wicked heat, the Santa Ana winds blew desert sand in my face until it was raw.     But I think this is true: you can learn some things about sales in your first 80 doors. And you can learn A LOT!!! About YOURSELF after about 400 or so. But somewhere around 1200, I was working my territory and the agency (that sadly, had contracted with the door-to-door sales firm because they didn’t know any better) had a staff member there with client kids cleaning up a rubbished lot. So I talked to them.       I saw the commitment of that woman. I saw, not the success of the kids in the program, but the BELIEF that they would find success.   I knew why now.  I left that job two months later. I believed in the cause, but not in the smarmy sales tactics the private firm was using. Within two months I found myself starving in some of those same neighborhoods. I needed social services- and came to believe in them even more. By July I was back in Kansas City and working for a human service program. Five years later I was in fundraising for a large agency. I got to do everything in fundraising for them. Then I went to a larger agency- got to do fewer things in development, but started doing other things for smaller agencies. Everywhere, I saw the commitment of their staff and the belief in their clients. I knew WHY.     Big and small, I’ve worked with a lot of great agencies and a lot of great people. My lived experience showed me the power of what non-profits can do. As I considered becoming a consultant, that Santa Ana-driven sand in my face came back to me, how I came to believe in nonprofit work, and I came to believe that my experience could help.    Maybe also afford me some time to get better at throwing pots.   2.     Just like learning about sales and myself after 600 doors- everywhere I’ve been I’ve learned. I did the MCNL leadership program, I did the AFP CFRE certification, the grantmanship center certificate, many conferences and program meetings. And everything I’m learning I’m asking, "How could that work for this org or that org, and WHY would that work, and why might it not? All of that thinking made me think I had something to offer you. Even the poor guy that was teaching me pottery got sick of me asking “Why do it that way? Why not this way?” At one point he said, “If your pots were better I might answer all your questions.”  That guy is awesome!!!     Keep Fighting the good fight,  -Thom   #nonprofit #fundraising www.whywisefundraising.com

A while back I had a conversation with a friend about the importance of social capital. Specifically we were talking about the nonprofit I worked for at the time. But really this applies to all aspects of our work and personal lives. There are three basic types of capital - human, financial, and social. Human is your team. Financial is obviously your funding/investors/donors. Social, though, has been argued by many to be the most important. This is your relationships. Without social capital, it is almost impossible to get things accomplished - whether it is raising money, asking for in-kind services, job hunting, or simply selling poinsettias for ballet. Fifteen years ago when I moved back to my hometown, I didn’t know many people other than those from my life before college. About a year into being here, I got a job working for a very well-known and well-connected woman. From the first day we worked together, she made it her mission that people met and interacted with me. She invited me to meetings even when she did not need me. She introduced me to everyone we encountered. And, she insured that they understood how important I was to the organization. Today, I attribute the majority of my contacts to her. Over the years, I have developed and nurtured my own relationships with them but she was the door opener and it was a true gift. When I took over the school, it was those connections that made it possible for me to accomplish all that I did in the first two years. As leaders in our fields, it is critical that we approach our team with this same attitude. We want to have people in charge that are capable and competent, but we also need them to have the connections it takes to get the job done. There is nothing more important than the relationships in our lives. Help your team build and prioritize theirs - both work and personal. You and your organization will be glad you did! 

🚀 Do you dare to dream big?  This articles encourages us to discover the magic of setting audacious goals and the journey it takes to turn them into reality. #NonprofitLeadership #DreamBig #Simpact

If you've had the opportunity to become acquainted with me, collaborate with my dedicated team, or caught wind of the mission driving B-Radical, you're likely aware of our unwavering commitment to creating a significant impact. This dedication extends well beyond the realms of business; it permeates into the lives of our exceptional staff and, most importantly, within the vibrant Radical communities we're privileged to serve. That's why I'm excited to let ya know that me and my business partners Holly Chapman and Kirsty Palmer have made the decision to embark on the path towards B Corp certification! (Confession time: I'm experiencing an equal blend of excitement and trepidation right now!) Work started last month, with October earmarked as the month in which we aim to activate our application process. This decision represents a tangible manifestation of the bedrock values that form the foundation of B-Radical and our steadfast commitment to being catalysts for positive change and act on these commitments. The resonance between the B Corp movement and our mission runs deep. It reverberates with our collective drive to facilitate impactful change and cultivate a sense of duty that goes beyond mere profits. I've personally witnessed the remarkable potential of business as a catalyst for change, particularly when it comes to addressing the social and environmental challenges that governments may not – or cannot – confront without the involvement of businesses like ours. (And yours too!) This commitment radiates outward, embracing our present and future employees, valued customers, trusted partners, and our Radicals (candidates) This commitment extends even further to embrace our charitable arm, Radical Recruit, manifested through pro bono leadership and charitable contributions which we hope to increase year-on-year. The impactful work they engage in with our most marginalised community members has, and will continue to be, the driving force behind our endeavors at B-Radical. Having tackled the community engagement section of the self-assessment, the word "rigorous" falls somewhat short in describing it. In fact, I've conjured up an array of more colorful adjectives that aptly depict it. (Keep us in your thoughts!) My hope is that this process will propel our team to achieve greater heights of innovation and advancement, ensuring our position at the forefront of positive change. It's also a pact of accountability to our commitments, a solemn promise to turn our commitments into action which we wholeheartedly embrace. Curious about our B-Corp journey and wanna follow along? I'll be posting regularly so others can learn from our experience. Select the bell icon on my profile to receive my updates. Photo: Me and Steve, a Radica who had been homeless for 30 years when we placed him in his first ever job on the books.

How can you help integrate #philanthropy into your client's #financial plan? Learn more about the "life arc" in this recent article by The Colony Group's John Weeks, CExP, Managing Director, #FamilyWealth and Business Transition Planning.

Our latest Governance blog looks at whether having Trustees working in your organisation is good for business. There is a myth that becoming a charity trustee is just for those people who've been there, and done that. A retired professional or businessperson comes to mind as an ideal candidate. Whilst it’s true that a Board of Trustees will benefit immensely from trustees with this type of background, younger trustees are in high demand as they are integral to the diversity offering of a Board, bringing different skills, experience and perspectives. But what’s in it for any young would-be trustee, and their employer? It can be difficult for a busy professional to justify the time and energy to volunteer for a charity when their focus is on their own career. However, when younger people take on these roles they will be richly rewarded. Put simply, it could help younger people get a leg up the career ladder. Read the full blog online here: https://lnkd.in/etqpR8sK