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A monthly newsletter from do good Consulting | |
November 2009 | ||
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do good named Small Business of the Year 
On October 2, do good Consulting was honored to be named the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce's 2009 Small Business of the Year. Given the number of other deserving small businesses in the area, and the fact that we were nominated by one of our clients, we are truly humbled by the selection. do good is proud to represent the quality of Champaign County businesses to the communities in which we work across the state. Read the full story that ran in the News-Gazette. 
by Laura Huth, President & CEO, do good Consulting What do the Department of Homeland Security, animal rescue, a California disability services group, student-run theatre at Georgetown University, the Universidad de Buenos Aires, web development, and Christian lay leadership all have in common? Jenn Raley Miller. do good Consulting is pleased to add the extremely unique and diverse background of Jenn Raley Miller to our team. When I think of Jenn and her travels and experiences, one of my favorite songs comes to mind, Johnny’s Cash’s “I’ve Been Everywhere…”. In Cash’s toe-tapping song, a litany of towns is listed in rapid fire succession as he sings his song of his travels to a fictitious truck driver who picks him up on a dusty road in Winnemucca, Nevada. While Jenn has never been stranded in Nevada, she has traveled through that state and 45 others. She has spent two decades in the non-profit movement in a wide range of roles while living in several different cities: volunteer, donor, staff member, board member, and co-founder spanning both coasts, the Midwest, and even South America. Jenn began her non-profit career as a young teen, volunteering regularly with faith-based social services and missions organizations. She received her degree from Georgetown University in International Politics, and continued her non-profit career through college - mainly through theater and her church - and beyond, working on behalf of a range of causes. Post-college, Jenn worked in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors, and with organizations of nearly all sizes and types. She brings to do good clients a deep understanding of staffing and “people management” issues through years of in-the-trenches human resources experience. Having previously spent six years as a web developer, Jenn also has deep and broad expertise in implementing web, database, e-marketing, and design projects. She is an amazing writer who also brings a plethora of skills and experiences in communication, project management, and business process analysis. Oh yeah, and she’s proficient in Spanish, too. do good is pleased to have Jenn’s talents, energy, and vision on our team. Learn more about Jenn’s background here, and click here to check out the new service offerings she brings to do good. To contact Jenn, email jennraleymiller@dogoodconsulting.org or call 240-688-8037. She is available for assignments spanning the for-profit and non-profit sectors, and in a wide range of organization or business management needs including human resources, policy and process development, editing, non-profit start-ups, and much more. Driving on the Right Side of the Road 
by Jenn Raley Miller, Management & Communications Specialist, do good Consulting Have you ever driven outside the United States? It’s pretty much like driving at home, right? The cars are just like here: get in, turn on the ignition, and start traveling. But then you realize: I don’t know what the rules are here! Some rules become obvious very quickly (drive on the LEFT SIDE!), but others are never made clear. There are no road signs to tell you to use your blinker, honk your horn, or use your flashers when passing or turning. Your lack of knowledge can be considered rude by local drivers – even dangerous in some cases. This is what it’s like for employees in a workplace with no employee manual. Employees typically understand the specifics of their own jobs because they know what they were hired to do, and good managers give them training and orientation to their duties. However, employees can’t assume that the rules of their workplace are the same as other places they’ve worked. They need a written reference to tell them what is and is not acceptable behavior, detailing the rights and responsibilities of both the employee and the employer. For non-profits and small businesses, it can be a struggle to implement an effective employee manual – and even more challenging to keep it up to date. However, few things are more important than... Q&A: Handling Employee Medical Leave 
Dear do good: A member of my staff just informed me that she needs to take medical leave. Are we required to pay her? How long do I have to hold her job for her if she is out for a long time? Dear Loss: Questions like yours don’t have a simple answer. I have found that every employee who requests medical leave is in a unique situation. What is important is that you comply with the law, and be consistent in offering the same terms to all employees who take medical leave. I’ll assume that the requested leave is for a personal, non-work-related medical issue. (Worker’s Comp is a topic for another day!) You and the employee both need to understand the rules that govern five areas...
Need help crafting compassionate leave policies that are compliant with state and federal regulations? Contact do good Consulting at 217-778-1687 or dogood@dogoodconsulting.org. Have a question for do good Consulting? Contact our experts at 217-778-1687 or dogood@dogoodconsulting.org. Group Profile: Celebrating the “Spirit of Lundy” 
by Meg Cline, Major Gifts Planning Consultant, do good Consulting It’s a cool, wet fall day on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus. Students bustle from class to class, preoccupied with mid-terms, engaged in campus organizations, and texting friends. However, within the walls of the School of Labor and Employment Relations (LER) , one of the world’s premier programs dedicated to the advancement of theory, policy, and practice for all aspects of labor and employment relations, students’ thoughts are occupied with a different set of concerns – giving back to the local community. The “Spirit of Lundy” is ringing throughout the halls of LER, and students, faculty, and staff are embracing the opportunity to get involved with a variety of projects. The Lundy Community Service projects are student-led and inspired through the vision and generous donations of Professor Joe Martocchio, a long-time faculty member in LER. The program’s birth was inspired by Professor Martocchio’s grandfather, Orlando “Lundy” Martocchio, a hard-working family man who dedicated his life to improving the quality of life of his family and the community around him. While Lundy was not able to get an advanced education himself, he worked tirelessly to ensure his children and grandchildren would have that opportunity, and instilled strong ideals in his family to give back to those in need by sharing their talents and fortunes. As a tribute to Mr. Martocchio’s legacy, the Lundy Community Service projects honor the “Spirit of Lundy” by bringing together students inspired and interested in becoming involved in the community to plan and organize efforts to give back in Urbana-Champaign. Last spring, students, faculty, and staff of LER came together to serve meals to the Champaign TIMES Center and were involved with an event for youth age 13 to 18 affiliated with the Salvation Army . This fall, the “Spirit of Lundy” will continue to benefit the TIMES Center and children in the community through a fall holiday gift drive. To get everyone in on the action, the Lundy board is organizing a school-wide holiday gift wrapping party as a semester-end event to bring the LER community together. To date, the “Spirit of Lundy” has inspired over 100 hours of community service to the Urbana-Champaign community. Help the Spirit of Lundy live on by working with the Lundy Board to identify opportunities for LER students, faculty, and staff to be involved with your organization. Contact Gentzy Franz at gfranz@illinois.edu with ideas and for more information on this great program. Want to see you favorite non-profit organization highlighted in the next issue of Doing Good? Contact do good Consulting at dogood@dogoodconsulting.org or 217-778-1687. Get your RX for Year-End Giving Success 
Did you know that one quarter of all charitable gifts in the U.S. are made in the six weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year's? If your holiday appeal doesn’t hit the right note with donors this winter, you might miss out on the ‘Season of Giving’. Want to know what you can do to strengthen this year’s campaign? Visit do good Consulting’s HOLIDAY APPEAL Rx CLINIC and have your 2009 holiday appeal letter edited, reviewed, and upgraded by non-profit experts. Mark your calendar now for Thursday, November 12, when do good's Chicago and Urbana offices will host day-long walk-in clinics to get your holiday appeal in tip-top shape. Book a 30-minute appointment that day to meet one-on-one with a do good consultant for custom advice. For $45, we’ll review last year's holiday appeal or your planned campaign for this year and offer suggestions to help improve your year-end giving results. We are also offering special holiday pricing on these other Holiday Appeal Rx consultation packages: • Shot in the Arm: a 1-hour session for those who just need an extra jolt of end-of-year energy. ($85) Now more than ever donors are looking to give wisely and expecting more from the organizations they support. With your appeal in perfect shape this holiday season, you’ll stand out from the crowd and see healthy results for your annual campaign – all for the cost of retaining just a few donors. Stay tuned for more on do good's HOLIDAY APPEAL Rx CLINIC. Want to get started right away? Contact do good’s Urbana office at 217-778-1687 or our Chicago office at 773-353-3564. GiftWorks Open House a Success! 
Thank you to all the individuals that attended do good's GiftWorks "Open House" on October 21 at the Enclave at M2 in Champaign. Dozens of non-profits were represented that night and two lucky organizations – the Daily Bread Soup Kitchen and the Champaign County Reaching Out for Answers Disability Resource Expo – went home with brand new versions of GiftWorks to grow their organizations. After a short presentation introducing attendees to GiftWorks' capabilities and offerings, participants were able to "test drive" the GiftWorks system hands-on (Jamie Ellis from Grand Prairie Friends is shown in the photo working on some exercises in our mini-computer lab). do good would like to thank Mission Research, the makers of GiftWorks, for their donation of two versions of the software. We also want to give a big shout-out to Alan Singleton from the Singleton Law Firm, PC , who donated three free hours of legal consulting (also won by a Daily Bread representative). A big thank you also goes to Erin Bullok from Wells Fargo for the amazing food that night. Finally, thank you to Cynthia Faullin from One Main/Enclave at M2 for their hospitality! If you missed the GiftWorks Open House, but would like more information on the GiftWorks system, contact do good Consulting at 217-778-1687 for a free demo CD so you, too, can test drive this amazing database system. Also, be sure to check out all the great resources at www.dogoodconsulting.org/resources/giftworks.html |
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In This Issue Did You Know? MOST NON-PROFITS OFFER EMPLOYEE BENEFITS About 80% of non-profit organizations offer health insurance coverage to employees. However, that percentage varies widely depending on size: nearly all large non-profits offer health benefits, while fewer than half of organizations with a very small staff size offer any health benefits. Source: Johns Hopkins Nonprofit Listening Post Project Resource of the Month If there is one, premiere website for info about non-profit organizations – including job postings, volunteer opportunities, and other resources – it is Idealist. Action Without Borders established the site in 1995, and it quickly grew into a one-stop-shop for anyone involved in the non-profit world. Over 90,000 organizations are listed here – is yours? All listings are free – except job postings, which, at $60 per listing, is a bargain considering that job hunters specifically seeking to work at a non-profit organization will look here first. Check it out: www.idealist.org Tip of the Month DO YOU HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE ON THE BUS? According to Jim Collins’ best-selling book “Good to Great”, one of the first steps an organization should take to improve its effectiveness is to get the right people on the bus, get the right people in the right seats on the bus, and get the wrong people off the bus. Obvious? Think about it: Get the right people on the bus. If your organization’s board, staff, and volunteers are all passionate about your mission, smart and skilled, and willing dedicate their time, there will be no questions of motivation or retention. Everyone works together to make things happen. Get the right people in the right seats. Think of the “square peg/round hole” metaphor. The square peg is perfectly good at fitting into square holes. Why try to use the square peg for anything else? Same thing with your staff, volunteers, and even board members. Take advantage of their strengths; don’t put them in roles they are not good at or excited about. Get the wrong people off the bus. When the wrong people stay on the bus, eventually the right people get off the bus. Keeping a team member in a position he’s not right for is a disservice to him, the organization, and the rest of the team. Take steps immediately to get the wrong people off the bus, so you can make room for more of the right people. Upcoming Events, Training & Opportunities TAX WORKSHOP FOR NON-PROFITS: Calling all executive directors, accounting personnel, board treasurers, and finance committee members! Do you know how the new IRS Form 990 affects your organization? Attend this $15 workshop (includes lunch and materials) and learn what you need to know. Wed, Nov. 4, 11AM-1PM at Parkland College’s Tony Noel Agricultural Center. To register, call 217-351-2235 or email businesstraining@parkland.edu. DISCOUNTED CU NONPROFIT OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE: The Enclave at M2 has a great opportunity for east central Illinois’ nonprofit community: high-tech office suites with amazing amenities overlooking downtown Champaign at greatly reduced costs. Space and property details here . To apply to be a tenant at the Enclave at M2 at some great, low rates, submit a letter of interest with information about your group, office size requirements, move-in timing, 501(c)(3) documentation, and current budget to dogood@dogoodconsulting.org by November 30. Lease timing negotiable, but spaces available immediately. Tours can be arranged by contacting Cynthia Faullin at 217-531-1117. JOB OPENING: Generations of Hope, based in Rantoul, IL, seeks an Executive Director to lead its work of supporting families adopting children from the foster care system. Candidates should have a Master’s degree in the area of human development, social services, or related field, as well as strong administrative and interpersonal skills and a deep understanding of individual, family, and community development. Full details and application instructions here. Deadline to apply: 11/6/09. GRANT OPPORTUNITY: Chicago's Northcenter Chamber of Commerce has launched a new grant and sponsorship program to help support non-profit organizations in the city's Northcenter community. Applications are accepted through August 2010 for grants ranging from $500 to $8,000. More information and application here. SUPERVISING 201 WORKSHOPS: You may be a manager, but are you a Team Leader? Join do good's Group Dynamics Specialist, Elizabeth Simpson , for this 3-day course that will enhance the health of your team through developing trust, navigating conflict, and increasing accountability, commitment, and results. Classes held Nov. 10 and 17 and Dec. 3 from 9AM-4PM. Cost: $579 Location: i-Hotel & Conference Center, Champaign. For more information, click here, or contact Sue Stewart, at the Center for Training & Professional Development at 217-333-8342. THE CARE & FEEDING OF VOLUNTEERS: Nov. 12, 3:45-5:30PM. Crystal Lake Park, Urbana, IL. Free, but seating is limited. An interactive discussion on volunteer engagement and support best practices. Learn the best practices in appreciating your volunteers and how to give them the tools they need to do good. Register here or contact Sue Grey
at 217-352-5151 by Nov. 9. For more information, see goodWORKSconnect.org. About do good Consulting With decades of real-life experience and proven results in nonprofit, small business, and community-based work, do good Consulting brings a wealth of knowledge in developing the effectiveness of organizations across Illinois. Whether you need assistance with fundraising, strategic planning , graphic design, hiring help, communications and marketing, grantwriting , database work, teambuilding, or gift planning, do good can help. Through dynamic and customized workshops and trainings, one-on-one sessions, strategic advice, and plan development, do good Consulting helps small- to mid-sized organizations and businesses raise more money, involve more people, and do the good work they do even better. do good's associates work with clients to develop a better sense of organizational possibilities and potential while creating realistic and practical step-by-step plans and ideas for implementation and lasting impact. Learn more about do good Consulting's trainings, services, and resources here. For more information on do good Consulting's associates, consulting and training services, free resources , clients, and more, go to www.dogoodconsulting.org. Send Doing Good to a Friend Do you know someone else who would enjoy this Doing Good monthly newsletter? You can send this newsletter to up to 5 friends from our web site. |
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