it’s been a while

It has been a while since my last post here.

This blog was originally called “The next twelve months” just on 12 months ago – and these 12 months have been a time of big change for me.

I have changed focus, played a lot more piano with my singer (we are doing a recital for our friends tomorrow), I have travelled to Queensland for holidays, Canberra to see some art, Sydney and Brisbane for work and now commute to Caulfield for my new job in university higher education.

This has given me more time for reading and thinking – and because of this I have started a new blog with a more specific focus – on philanthropy at http:ozphilanthropy.com.

I hope you can join me there – and subscribe if you like – and feel free to comment.

I will be keeping sharonnagoanna as a personal blog only – so this might in future cover knitting, music, film and my cat! We’ll see how it goes.

thanks for reading with me these last 12 months.

Cheers,

Sharon

A change of key in fundraising

Since starting just on eight weeks ago in a new role I have been exposed to a very different face and focus of fundraising for not for profits in Australia.

Before this I was working with individual artists and very small arts organisations, some incorporated and some unincorporated. The gist of what we tried to instill in them was – if you don’t ask, no one will give – so get out there, get over it (being shy about asking) and just ask – develop your message, build relationships and explain why support will help you put on that play, frame the works for your exhibition, undertake a particular course of overseas study in music, ballet or theatre – and above all – explain how you can’t do it without your supporters.

In the bigger seemingly wider world of higher education fundraising, a much more evolved and professional mode of fundraising has been revealed to me. It has the luxury of resources in terms of people – researchers, database specialists, philanthropic relationship managers, a donor stewardship team, a dedicated donor events person, and even a dedictated communications unit – but essentially what I have found is that the process and the reason for being there at either end of the spectrum in seeking support is the same – and the core of this is building relationships with donors and being able to clearly articulate your case for support.

Where previously I worked a part of a two person team – database and donor relations, I now see nearly 30 people focussed on the same goals of raising a particular monetary target and really the only difference is scale.

How one approaches receiving, receipting and recording donations, and then thanking, informing and maintaining communication with donors is the same.

It is of course fabulous to have a dedicated team asking for funds, a team of people to research potential donors, a team to develop glossy and attractive solicitation documents and a whole back office of financial and corporate receivables processes behind the effort. Nevertheless, I keep being struck by the fact that the basics are identical.

I have learned some flashier terms such as prospect clearance and moves management, donor stewardship and recognition and of the need for business rules. But you can not reduce every donation transaction to a rule of thumb which initiates a particular response .

One thing I have been struck by in a larger environment is a resistance to personalisation and an apparent desire to keep all of the separate teams in silos. “It is not my job”, says the donor stewardship manager, “to thank every single donor with a personal note even if I recognise them as a repeat donor, because I don’t want to impede the relationship the donor might have with our philanthropic relationship manager who is their key contact with our organisation. My role is just to send a tax deductible receipt, and a stewardship report (if their gift is of a size to warrant it) and to ensure that the appropriate letters are generated through our database”.

This goes against the grain for me – and what I have learned about thanking again and again and again – in every way possible. If I were the stewardship manager I would be personalising a note and remarking on the donor’s continuing and generous contributions.

However, I am not the stewardship manager. I have been charged with writing and revising fundraising policy. I was given a framework around donor prospect clearance, rights of donors, privacy, and bequests, gift acceptance, sponsorship, endowed chairs and physical naming of buildings.

There has only been one policy publicly available for the last eight years. What that tells me is that you don’t need policies to do things – but policies can help articulate what you do and why you do it. It is not so hard to create policies and processes out of what has already been established as standard practise. What is more interesting is how to deal with the intricacies of things which create dilemmas and ambiguities.

This is where my other newly acquired phrase has come in – business rules and business procedures. These won’t necessarily be publicly available documents, but will help guide inhouse ways of dealing with particular situations – such as soft credit, matching gifts and acceptance of non-cash gifts.

Apparently the response to many of these issues is dictated by inhouse fundraising software. I am curious to learn from others’ experience about this – because I don’t feel that the database should be dictating policy, but should always remember its place as an information tool.

It would be awful to not be able to accept a gift “because we don’t know how to deal with it in the database”, or “because we don’t have any business rules about this”. I am trying to get my head around this kind of impediment and thinking about how to approach the organisational culture which to me feels stymied because it can’t solve what it perceives as a technical problem.

Surely this is a process question? and is there a reason we can’t make things up as we go along? Oh wait a moment, yes there is – I am dealing with a risk averse and cautious beast. I am learning that in a large organisation things move much more slowly than with a two person team.

I am sure that both approaches have their positives and negatives and that the reasons they work particular ways are historical and reflect corporate histories and experience. But it is a big change for me – and one I am still coming to terms with.

Let me know what you think about different scaled fundraising and how you manage your expectations within your financial/resource limitations.

new topic – philanthropy and the arts

With today being the 30th June, it is absolutely tooooo late for people in Australia wanting to raise money and offer a tax deductible receipt to do anything for this financial year.

But it is an excellent opportunity to start thinking about fundraising for 2010 – 2011 and how to engage audience, supporters, friends and believers.

There is no best and surefast way to raise money – but there are some basics which apply whether you are supporting the scouts, the symphony or a large charity.

This blog and future postings will focus on fundraising in the arts in Australia, which is where my experience is based – and the number one thing I have learned in my time dealing with artists and arts organisations is that your relationship with your donors and supporters is of paramount importance.

Here are three things to keep in mind as starters:

1) Acknowledgement is essential – people love to be thanked, to see their name in program notes (unless they have asked to remain anonymous) – and the goodwill a well written thank you note generates is immeasurable.

2) Make it easy to donate. Don’t hide your request for support – have a clear page or pointer to it on your website and marketing materials such as programs, flyers and postcards. Don’t make people have to search for it and don’t intimidate them by making them telephone you to enquire about donating.

3) Keep your donors up to date – a regular newsletter, dropping them a line by post – sending them updates of good news about your work, performances or awards makes them feel involved. They have helped you along – they would like to know how you progress – and this encourages them in a very way to think that supporting you is something worth continuing.

to come – deductible gift recipient status and tax charitable concession status – what it means for organisations – and how individual artists, musicians, dancers, theatre practitioners and writers can gain access to it to support their work.

got my marching orders

today found everything going in a new direction.
thinking about the five stages of grieving.
pondering the future.
trying not to be hasty.

looking for a new role

Today I have come to the slow but obvious conclusion, based on events of the last few days, that my role at work is to be changed – and that due to restructure I will soon really be having to find something new to do. I knew this was on the cards, and that others were also going to be in the same boat, but it has now actually sunk in that I will be going – whether by being offered a redundancy or not fitting the new parameters of the role.

What is confusing me is that I have been thinking about going for a while and have been actively taking steps to do so. But I did not make real progress. I have spoken to many organisations and donned my professional face and outfit many times over the last six months – but there have been no offers or new opportunities which really speak to me. The confusion lies in my response to knowing that now the time for me to go is not of my own choosing – that the decision has indeed been made for me – by financial circumstances and perhaps personality differences.

It’s a contrast to the last time I decided to move on from a job. Then I checked my main source of new opportunities – an industry online jobs board – found something attractive, applied, interviewed – and hey presto – within four weeks a happy change was made.

This year things feel different. Am I more specialised (in arts, philanthropy, donations, giving? – yes – but don’t I know more know than before?) – am I more picky in terms of salary range – that’s an easy yes, or am I more difficult to place now that I am older?

I also worry more about my colleagues who are in the same position – we are still not really sure what the final word on what will happen and when will be and to know that something is imminent but have no control over it and no surety is creating anxiety. Several are physically ill – me I feel mostly angry about the process. I understand it’s not personal but it still feels like it is. Is it a reflection on our performance? It seems odd that some of the most hardworking members of the team will soon be gone – does this mean it’s better not to throw one’s whole heart and soul into work?

I came across this video yesterday which put it into perspective – maybe there really is the perfect role for all of us – it’s just a matter of finding it: It’s called Mr W – hope you like it.

Social Media Melbourne – the Power Bloggers 8 June

@Trevoryoung from Social Melbourne introduced the session and the extremely entertaining MC – @ideasculture.

The speakers were – Pip Nicholls from @meetmeatmikes, Darren Rowse @problogger and Duncan Riley of The Inquisitor. This was of great interest to me as I am only a baby/beginner blogger.

Commonalities of the guest speakers – the ability to create community – sparking a desire to join in.

Top tips:

Blog everyday

Use an authentic voice to build credibility and authority

Provide useful information (that would kind of seem obvious – but I suppose is a warning to not be too self absorbed and inward looking)

Write the way you speak – don’t be afraid to let the nuances out.

It helps to know a little bit about everything.

Never be convinced you are right.

Building Traffic – ie getting more people to read your blog

Think about who the audience is – what do they want to know? Develop an idea of who you are speaking/writing to.

Provide content that people want to pass on – Darren suggested 20 top ways to do x

Leave comments on other blogs

Have a presence in the areas you are interested in – where else do your potential readers hang out online (ie other networking sites or websites)

Look at blogs on similar topics to your own

Create value on other sites

Use of social media can add value to your blog – there was a mention that the facebook “like” button has doubled traffic to some of these blogs

The use of email newsletters as well as offering RSS feeds can add traffic.

Always using categories and keywords – being disciplined with labels

Doing homework

Understanding SEO hosting – as I don’t even know what this acronym is I have to look it up. – oh – search engine optimisation!

Big suggestion to not rely on wordpress or blogspot but buy one’s own domain name, particularly as they are so cheap now – and you know you will never get shut down.

Being part of community

Pip spoke about Softies for Mirabel, a craft charity exercise – how it started as a desire to not be completely inward looking but to motivate her readers and get them to participate in something worthwhile – the important of having your readers connect through something meaningful for them and for you.

Monetizing your blog

This seemed to be a bit of a “dirty word” phrase for the speakers – and I think this is because they have already worked out how to do this – and are beyond the need to “make money out of their blog”.  They talked about the need to balance passion with profit, disclosing when they have bee paid to review or link to something – Darren mentioned he discloses “associated content” and what it meant to them to take an amateur hobby to a huge business.  Darren and Duncan both commission writers who are paid to provide content for their blogs.  Duncan also talked about how people now go to blogs as a news source.

Changes in blogging – or what they know know that they would have liked to know when they started

There are more ways now to know your readers better.

You can grow your blog with forums and newsletters

Think about whether your blog is personal or a brand.

Using video – it can be time consuming to record, convert and upload but also has benefits in reaching different audiences who might not be so text based.  A tip was to always have a transcript of video material for the audiences who do actually prefer to read.

Ethics in blogging

Discussion around accepting free gifts and writing reviews.  Darren talked about affiliate promotion for which he receives a commission – but always discloses.

Whether to link to things for monetary gain – or only things which really interest you and are relevant.

This reminded me to look at Darren’s blogging for beginners tips and his 31 days to a better blog.

It also reminded me to work out how to work googlereader.

Favourite blogs

The panel suggested www.jasminestarblog.com, a photography blog www.chrisbrogan.com, the author of Social Media 101, www.daydreamlily.com, art, photography and fashion, www.nickdenton.org, founder of Gawker Media and www.louisgray.com – silicon valley blog for early adopters.

Conclusion

I found the session very inspiring as it is great to hear about people who have taken something they are passionate about – in this case communicating their own passions – and being able to transform it into their own (more than) fulltime job – so that they can really enjoy doing something they love.  It was probably pitched at bloggers who have much more of an idea of what they are doing than me – and I would love to attend a beginner blogger session which has more of the how to nuts and bolts (but I can of course also read all of Darren’s tips and buy his book to help me with this).

My favourite comment about the event:

From @laramcpherson Cynics who think social media will stop people from communicating with each other should be @24moons tonight witnessing #smcmelb

decisions being made for one

Still searching for where to from here.

In the last few months I have demonstrated a remarkable ratio of interviews undertaken to job applications put out.  However, the urgency of the task seems to be accelerating.  Have been informed at current employ that there will soon be a restructure – and that my new role may have elements in it that I would not want to do.  I am confused as to whether that is a subtle – please do everything you can to leave as soon as possible because we don’t like you anymore – or just a straight out – we want to move you out so you had better be prepared.

Not quite sure on the legalities of this – shouldn’t they be offering me a redundancy? But then again, the role I fill will still be there – as it is attached to an essential service – so maybe they technically can’t make me redundant.

At least now I know the feeling is mutual so  still on the hunt for new opportunities with a couple in the pipeline – but still at least 6 weeks off for any decisions/moves.

On the one hand this is entirely understandable.  Having spent the last 6 months trying my utmost to move, it has no doubt reflected on attitude and performance, but on the other hand – work still progresses as normal, is handled efficiently and has shown good results – happy clients and good feedback.

But on the other hand – I wonder about what they think about saved corporate knowledge, losing relationships, easy skill with databases and websites – how to weigh up whether a new person learning everything is really worth turfing someone out for – although I no longer run from the beginning of the day to the end sorting out process and working out priorities isn’t that because 2 years in I have now become familiar.  Won’t the next person take another six months to learn all of that?

So feeling a little sad, but also a little vindicated that my decision to try to leave is actually the right one (if taking toooooo long to implement).

Will soon consider broadening my horizons and looking further afield than the arts and/or philanthropy.  May even venture back to the corporate world.

is going backwards going forwards?

Today I put in an application for some work experience in film.  Seems a bit odd.  Returning to something I love very much but never quite got a handle on professionally.  I mean, I managed to work on the periphery – in festivals, administration, film education, and as a volunteer on student and short films -  even did some work experience in distribution – and wrote a feature film script (still sitting in the proverbial bottom drawer)  – but it never really gained momentum to take off into something tangible, real, creative – and with a possibility of paying the rent.

My wise handyman said to me just last week that now that he is doing what he started out with – being a handyman –  he is so much happier – and could have easily missed some 30 years of his official working career.  I wonder if we get distracted from what truly attracts and interests us by our perception of what is “better”, “more sensible”, “more regular” and “more like a real job”. 

I very much enjoyed the piecemeal work I had more than 20 years ago trying to play piano for ballet classes – but it was very much an hour here and three hours there – always juggling and trying to find more places to do it.

Perhaps in trying to go back to film I am going forwards rather than backwards – as now I have more real world/office/business/practical experience.  Or it could indeed be  the desire to live  more creative life and live in hope that it will happen one day.

mirror in the cinema

Went to see the new Kiarostami film last night – an ancient Persian love story – with the plot in the sound track – and the visuals – all women in the audience.  I focussed for a long time on the variety of eyebrows, nail polish, headscarves (an Iranian audience presumably) on view – moving slowly from person to person scene by scene – but then subtly, I was drawn in by their emotional response to the “film” they were watching.  Not a real film – but a contrived sound track.  Very very interesting.

No progress on career change.  Missed out on being shortlisted despite excellent management/leadership and fundraising skills – because the role was in the area of youth music education – and I don’t have a music teaching degree and demonstrated experience in the sector.  BUT I HAVE BEEN IN YOUTH MUSIC WHEN I WAS A YOUTH I thought to myself – I understand it from the inside!  Never mind.  Probably wasn’t the absolute best fit for me – and good practise in resume/letter writing.  I did get a lovely rejection from the previous role (after the second interview) – so not all is lost.

Working more in music with my lieder singer.  It seems to go in ebbs and flows.  Sometimes it all gels and sometimes it sounds terrible.  Of course, more practise would not go astray – but I suddenly found myself sidetracked last week into health and fitness.  I went to yoga one day, did my gym program the next, walked home from work  – and then did the most seemingly easy gym class – sitting on the fit ball – which had me worn out after the first twelve bounces (and very redfaced/puffed out for another hour and a half after the class finished).

So achieving some kind of balance.  Enjoying the now.

healthlike

So I went to the sleeping doctor yesterday because I don’t think it is fair that qb needs to wear ear plugs every night of his life.

Apparently I could be allergic to the cat – whom I have had for ten years.  It never occurred to me that inhaling fur at night next to my nose might be a bad thing!  So now I have a little spray thing to stick in my nostril every day to alleviate potential allergy – I must say it certainly does clear the nose – and the potential side effects don’t seem too bad.  I was slightly alarmed by the physician’s suggestion that he might need to “trim the uvula and widen the vocal folds”.  I wonder if I could widen them with something like opera training – that would only take 5 years or so?

Speaking of opera – so the outcome of the job interview was a decision not to appoint anyone. Never sure if that is a polite way of them saying all the candidates were crap – or if they really have severe structural problems that require a strategic rethink of how certain parts of their operations really work and are staffed.

Back to my pressing sleep problem though – in thinking about the next 12 months I have been considering all aspects of my privileged middle-class life – and ways to improve it so health is one of these aspects.  The physician also gave me a formula for working out whether I am overweight or not – he said that you look at your height in centimetres – then drop the first 100.  Your weight should ideally never be greater than 2 kilos less than the height.  Does that make sense only to me or am I articulating it really really badly?  I confused all my pals on facebook with it – so I will put it straight.  I am a small, petite, gamine 158 centimetres.  Apparently I should never weigh anything more than 56 kilos.   Oh dear – just as well I joined the gym last week.

The next exciting stage in the breathing doctor analysis will involve them watching me sleep and listening to my output.  Not sure I am looking forward to this.