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Want to become a nonprofit executive director? Here are a few skills you must master.
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Succeeding as an Executive Director
Strategies for first-‐time and aspirational leaders
Leah Weiner, Ed. D. For Idealist Careers
@IdealistCareers | #EDChat
Overview of Presentation O Background and experience of Leah Weiner,
Ed. D. O Important strategies to succeed as an
executive director O Identify key priorities O Delegate O Create a fundraising plan O Master volunteer management
Identify Key Priorities O Sense of urgency to do everything all at once
O Take care of projects that impact the bottom line
STRATEGY #1
Is Everything Really Urgent?
O Be realistic O Website, Bookstore, Conference, Board
Training and I just learned from an internal audit we are operating in the RED!
O Gather information
STRATEGY #1
Start with Red Flags O Deficit O Pending lawsuits O Difficult board members O Disengaged employees
STRATEGY #1
Reach Out to Stakeholders O Who are your key stakeholders that can help
you identify key priorities? O Board members O Volunteer O Staff members
STRATEGY #1
What You Can Do Right Now
O Current ED O Make a to do list (today’s date) and highlight
what needs to get done in the next 7 days and what can wait
O Aspirational ED O Great resource: The First 90 Days by Michael
Watkins O Practice delegating
Delegate! O Importance of
delegating O Who should you
delegate tasks to? O What happens if
something goes wrong?
STRATEGY #2
Why Delegate? O So many tasks – not enough time O Dispersing tasks builds collaboration O New ideas
STRATEGY #2
Who Can Help You? O Board Members O Volunteers O Interns O Staff
STRATEGY #2
What if Something Goes Wrong?
O Story: Ballot Elections O Figure out a better process to train others O Match tasks with people’s strengths
STRATEGY #3
What You Can Do Right Now
O Current ED O On your lists of priorities – star the tasks that
you can delegate O Aspirational ED
O In a position where you can delegate, try it!
Create a Fundraising Plan PURPOSE OF FUNDRAISING PLAN O Provides direction to staff O Keeps all stakeholders focused
O Story: Let’s do an event when we really should create an endowment fund
O Helps Executive Director avoid distractions O Serves as a roadmap to help organization
achieve fundraising goals
STRATEGY #3
What to include in your fundraising plan :
Name of Organization: Children’s Museum of ABC City Funding Source
Goals Steps # asked When/ How much
Board Role
Staff Role
Timing Net Income
Annual Donor Campaign ($100-$1000)
200 new annual donors
Complete 2 direct mail campaigns to 1,000 prospects Hold 1 phone blitz each quarter calling 50 new prospects
500 people
Direct mail campaigns in February and September Community events in February, April, June, September and December
DM (Sept) Phone Blitz (Nov)
Gala Event 500 people
Form Gala Event Committee Create Invite Secure Location
Invite 5,000 people
250K
O Identify your organization’s strengths O Be realistic O Create a plan and put it on paper!
How to choose the right strategy
STRATEGY #2
Who Needs to be Involved? O Board O Staff O Volunteers O Fundraising Committee
STRATEGY #3
What You Can Do Right Now
O Current ED O Start using a fundraising plan – spend 30
minutes this week filling out the form & get your board members involved. Dedicate a small amount of time each week and it will get completed.
O Aspirational ED O Do you volunteer? Ask an organization if you
could help with their fundraising template. Help your colleagues.
Master Volunteer Management
O Functional Approach to Volunteerism O Volunteer fulfills needs:
O Build relationships O Advance careers O Community O Skills
Master Volunteer Management
O Understand volunteers strengths and you can utilize their skills as resources O Discover your Strengths - Marcus Buckingham O Story of Janelle
O Volunteer intake O 1:1 meeting, short questionnaire/application form,
volunteer fair O Retention
O Train your volunteers O Communicate regularly O Give them tasks that are worth their time O Acknowledge them
What You Can Do Right Now
O Current ED O Get volunteers if relevant to accomplishing
your mission and you have specific projects for volunteers
O Aspirational ED O Volunteer at a nonprofit where you manage
volunteers or ask to take on volunteer management role to build these skills
Key Takeaways O Identify key priorities
O Complete the most important tasks today O Delegate
O Don’t do everything yourself O Have a fundraising plan
O Use it O Manage your volunteers
O Don’t let volunteers disappear after you worked hard to recruit them
Want additional Executive Director coaching or support? Contact information Email: [email protected] Phone: 310-497-5592
