Next month Partnership in Philanthropy will have the pleasure of honoring one of our very own consultants at the NJ-AFP Awards for Excellence dinner. The dinner is important to us in two ways. We are honoring Barbara Lawrence for her recent work in mentoring and skill building with Partnership in Philanthropy clients who include: Actors Shakespeare Company,
Redeem-Her, St. Vincent’s Academy and Friends of the Paterson Library. And we honor, Bob Semple, one of Partnership in Philanthropy’s founders for his philanthropic contribution by naming the award The Robert F. Semple Partnership in Philanthropy Consultant Award.
Barbara Lawrence became an independent consultant for nonprofit organizations after a career that included senior executive positions in both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. Her goal is to help nonprofit organizations achieve their missions through evidence-based decision-making and sound planning. Barbara helps organizations develop strategic, business and fundraising plans and learn to apply project management techniques. She strives to assure that her clients increase their knowledge and feel in control after her work is done.
Bob Semple dedicated over 35 years to the nonprofit community. He began his career as the Director of Development at Manhattan College and then was appointed Vice President of Development/Public Affairs at the Institute for International Education. Bob was a fundraising consultant to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC and one of the principal architects in the creation of Partnership in Philanthropy.
As PIP celebrates 20 years of serving the New Jersey nonprofit community with the mission of helping good nonprofits become better, we applaud Barbara Lawrence for her outstanding commitment to nonprofit organizations and we thank Bob Semple for his remarkable impact in and around our community.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
Embracing Opportunity
“The entrepreneur always searches for change, responds to it, and exploits it as an opportunity.” Peter Drucker
The world is changing all around us, day by day, minute by minute. In my lifetime, I thought I would never see peaceful demonstrations in the Mideast, much less peaceful demonstrations in the Mideast able to topple oil rich dictators. And in a world that has been filled with so much dark news recently, it gives me hope.
I believe that all of this change has brought with it opportunity. A world of opportunity to people across the globe who have seized a moment in time where anything is possible.
In the New Jersey nonprofit world we have heard a lot about change and with that opportunity, largely in the form of affiliation, collaboration and merger. Five Northern United Ways have merged in to one, many NJ towns are in the early stages of sharing services and costs, and sustainability is the name of the game.
Nonprofits and town governments are gathering together to best decide their most collaborative path to ensure that they continue to have impact. I believe they are embracing opportunity and becoming the thought leaders on how best to move forward. PIP too must do that internally.
PIP has been on the capacity building scene for 20 years and so much has changed since 1991. I see before us opportunities to be innovative, creative and more efficient in how we deliver services, provide programming and support the nonprofits we care so deeply about.
I’ll end this post with my mantra for the next 12 months which is again a quote from Peter Drucker, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” So it begins here at PIP....
The world is changing all around us, day by day, minute by minute. In my lifetime, I thought I would never see peaceful demonstrations in the Mideast, much less peaceful demonstrations in the Mideast able to topple oil rich dictators. And in a world that has been filled with so much dark news recently, it gives me hope.
I believe that all of this change has brought with it opportunity. A world of opportunity to people across the globe who have seized a moment in time where anything is possible.
In the New Jersey nonprofit world we have heard a lot about change and with that opportunity, largely in the form of affiliation, collaboration and merger. Five Northern United Ways have merged in to one, many NJ towns are in the early stages of sharing services and costs, and sustainability is the name of the game.
Nonprofits and town governments are gathering together to best decide their most collaborative path to ensure that they continue to have impact. I believe they are embracing opportunity and becoming the thought leaders on how best to move forward. PIP too must do that internally.
PIP has been on the capacity building scene for 20 years and so much has changed since 1991. I see before us opportunities to be innovative, creative and more efficient in how we deliver services, provide programming and support the nonprofits we care so deeply about.
I’ll end this post with my mantra for the next 12 months which is again a quote from Peter Drucker, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” So it begins here at PIP....
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Change Agent
These days we are bombarded with ways to change, be happier, be healthier, be a better leader, and be a change agent. At Partnership in Philanthropy we know all too well how much change can affect an organization. When organizations come to us for our capacity building services we ask them at the end of our initial interview, how does your organization deal with change? It’s a telling question especially when we get utter silence as the answer.
To move capacity building forward at any organization one must embrace change, in fact one must welcome it. One of our PIP clients, Alan G. Moore, then executive director of the Garden State Philharmonic Society, said it best when he stated that “The GSP Board and I credit the training we received from PIP as the major influence that enabled us to turn a tired ‘we’ve always done it that way’ organization into a vibrant cultural institution poised to lead Ocean County in the new millennium.” They embraced change.
At Partnership in Philanthropy, we too are changing. We are introducing two new capacity building programs for nonprofits. One is a month long assessment program where a PIP consultant spends 7-10 hours with your organization to determine where you are now and where you should be on your way to.
Our second new program is called Prep for PIP, a six-month engagement with 40 hours of consulting to redirect your organization and lay the foundation for long term sustainability.
Each of these new programs is a stand-alone program but can also be used as stepping stones for the organization not sure how much change their board of trustees is willing to accept. At PIP we can be flexible, we know that change doesn’t come easy and we want to make it as seamless as possible for a nonprofit organization to begin the journey, whether it’s for one month, for six months or for two years.
So contact PIP if your organization is ready to be the change agent it needs to be.
To move capacity building forward at any organization one must embrace change, in fact one must welcome it. One of our PIP clients, Alan G. Moore, then executive director of the Garden State Philharmonic Society, said it best when he stated that “The GSP Board and I credit the training we received from PIP as the major influence that enabled us to turn a tired ‘we’ve always done it that way’ organization into a vibrant cultural institution poised to lead Ocean County in the new millennium.” They embraced change.
At Partnership in Philanthropy, we too are changing. We are introducing two new capacity building programs for nonprofits. One is a month long assessment program where a PIP consultant spends 7-10 hours with your organization to determine where you are now and where you should be on your way to.
Our second new program is called Prep for PIP, a six-month engagement with 40 hours of consulting to redirect your organization and lay the foundation for long term sustainability.
Each of these new programs is a stand-alone program but can also be used as stepping stones for the organization not sure how much change their board of trustees is willing to accept. At PIP we can be flexible, we know that change doesn’t come easy and we want to make it as seamless as possible for a nonprofit organization to begin the journey, whether it’s for one month, for six months or for two years.
So contact PIP if your organization is ready to be the change agent it needs to be.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Renewal
It’s officially PIP’s 20th anniversary! And we begin this year by renewing our commitment to the nonprofit community, our nonprofit partners, our donors and our funders.
For 20 years, Partnership in Philanthropy (PIP) has been dedicated to helping nonprofit agencies throughout New Jersey as those agencies work hard to improve the communities they serve. PIP has been there through the prosperous times and the more challenging ones. It is this loyalty to the philanthropic community that sets PIP apart and makes it an important, respected resource.
These are challenging times for nonprofit agencies. Many are pressured to serve more clients than ever before with smaller staff and limited financial resources. A helping hand from PIP can mean the difference between success and failure. The consultancy that PIP provides can help agencies develop and articulate a mission, vision or strategic plan, guide staff and volunteer recruitment and help staff to acquire skills that will facilitate fundraising and lead to greater financial security.
Partnership is a crucial concept – for twenty years PIP has been a trusted mentor, advisor, advocate and partner to the New Jersey nonprofit community. As PIP rekindles its commitment to the nonprofit community in this our milestone year, we renew our faith in the work of the nonprofits who we have been called to serve and open our doors wide to those who are yet to come.
For 20 years, Partnership in Philanthropy (PIP) has been dedicated to helping nonprofit agencies throughout New Jersey as those agencies work hard to improve the communities they serve. PIP has been there through the prosperous times and the more challenging ones. It is this loyalty to the philanthropic community that sets PIP apart and makes it an important, respected resource.
These are challenging times for nonprofit agencies. Many are pressured to serve more clients than ever before with smaller staff and limited financial resources. A helping hand from PIP can mean the difference between success and failure. The consultancy that PIP provides can help agencies develop and articulate a mission, vision or strategic plan, guide staff and volunteer recruitment and help staff to acquire skills that will facilitate fundraising and lead to greater financial security.
Partnership is a crucial concept – for twenty years PIP has been a trusted mentor, advisor, advocate and partner to the New Jersey nonprofit community. As PIP rekindles its commitment to the nonprofit community in this our milestone year, we renew our faith in the work of the nonprofits who we have been called to serve and open our doors wide to those who are yet to come.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Opportunties
“When we truly focus on the common good, service is a privilege—not a chore but a remarkable opportunity.”
Frances Hesselbein, President & CEO, Leader to Leader Institute
At Partnership in Philanthropy we’ve had some remarkable opportunities in the past twenty years. We’ve collaborated and partnered with funders, corporations, and individual donors to bring capacity building services to the nonprofits who need us.
And because much of that work has met with success, PIP has been asked to continue to serve as advisors, mentors, board members, and on-going consultants to continue and sustain our relationship with those nonprofits.
At times service can seem less than a privilege especially when the economic news continues to be uncertain, when individual donors are scarce, and corporations and foundations remain conservative with their funding.
I believe that opportunities come in all shapes and sizes and present themselves at the most inopportune moments. A good leader and more importantly a good leadership team will be driven by results and will seek out the creative, the innovative and the different to have solid results. And that’s where PIP can help.
Our capacity building programs help nonprofit leaders and nonprofit boards create results. PIP assesses, PIP plans, PIP works with an organization to create results from implementing an ongoing successful annual appeal to role play for major donor asks.
Recently a PIP client asked a major donor for a $100,000 major gift. She had done her prospect research and the PIP consultant had helped her role play an ask scenario. The major donor turned down the request but said I have $25,000 for you, would that be OK? To date, it’s the largest individual contribution received by this organization. The executive director said to me, she never knew how to ask for money and get a positive result, but that PIP and her consultant had made it possible.
But we at PIP know it was more than that. This executive director had passionately presented the donor with a remarkable opportunity, and she took it!
Frances Hesselbein, President & CEO, Leader to Leader Institute
At Partnership in Philanthropy we’ve had some remarkable opportunities in the past twenty years. We’ve collaborated and partnered with funders, corporations, and individual donors to bring capacity building services to the nonprofits who need us.
And because much of that work has met with success, PIP has been asked to continue to serve as advisors, mentors, board members, and on-going consultants to continue and sustain our relationship with those nonprofits.
At times service can seem less than a privilege especially when the economic news continues to be uncertain, when individual donors are scarce, and corporations and foundations remain conservative with their funding.
I believe that opportunities come in all shapes and sizes and present themselves at the most inopportune moments. A good leader and more importantly a good leadership team will be driven by results and will seek out the creative, the innovative and the different to have solid results. And that’s where PIP can help.
Our capacity building programs help nonprofit leaders and nonprofit boards create results. PIP assesses, PIP plans, PIP works with an organization to create results from implementing an ongoing successful annual appeal to role play for major donor asks.
Recently a PIP client asked a major donor for a $100,000 major gift. She had done her prospect research and the PIP consultant had helped her role play an ask scenario. The major donor turned down the request but said I have $25,000 for you, would that be OK? To date, it’s the largest individual contribution received by this organization. The executive director said to me, she never knew how to ask for money and get a positive result, but that PIP and her consultant had made it possible.
But we at PIP know it was more than that. This executive director had passionately presented the donor with a remarkable opportunity, and she took it!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Milestones
Fall is that time of year when we all talk about milestones. Children going to their first day of school, young adults leaving for college, election of our public officials and the ever forward creeping start to the holidays.
In the nonprofit world this is the time of year when we evaluate the year behind us and look to the year ahead. It’s time for audits, annual appeals and annual reports, webinars and workshops. A time to show those who care about our missions most, exactly what we’ve accomplished and where we see ourselves going.
For PIP, we’ve reached a VERY big milestone; we will celebrate our 20th anniversary in 2011. PIP will celebrate 20 years of capacity building in the New Jersey nonprofit community. Since 1991, PIP has helped 300 nonprofits and close to 500,000 people involved with and served by those nonprofits. In our 20 years, PIP has raised over $3 million dollars and our fundraising consultants have donated approximately 10,000 hours of their time to our clients.
We hope at PIP that what all these numbers mean is IMPACT. That we’ve had impact, that we’ve helped many nonprofits turn the corner to sustainability, that we’ve guided our clients in diversifying their funding sources, recruit better and more highly trained volunteers and become better leaders. And most importantly, that they’ve done all this while continuing to focus on their important missions: feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, employing the jobless, caring for the environment, championing the underserved.
In effect, after 20 years, PIP continues to fulfill its mission by helping nonprofits go from good to great. At PIP, we are so incredibly proud and privileged to be on this journey with our funders and clients. We hope to be given the opportunity to keep moving capacity building forward for another 20 years.
What milestone has your organization reached? And what milestones lay ahead?
Monday, July 19, 2010
Listening
I had the privilege in June of hosting a retirement party for my outgoing boss and PIP’s executive director, Becky Dembo. It was a fun filled evening with lots of laughter, good friends, fond memories and great conversations.
We all wished Becky well as she eloquently said goodbye to us all,
“One door does not close without another opening wide, so thanks for the memories….I’m off on a new ride.”
So here I am on a new ride of my own wondering what to do next? As I begin and lead the charge, where will I take PIP? And what can I do to complement the great work that has already been done before?
Of this I am certain, capacity building is never done and there is always a new ride, a new wave cresting, another window to open. So I begin this new day by listening. Listening to all of you who have worked with PIP, funded PIP, donated to PIP, volunteered for PIP, and supported PIP. Listening to your needs and wants, your desires and dreams for yourselves, your families, your organizations and finally for PIP. As I listen, what remains clear is that there is still work to be done; nonprofits are as busy as ever with fewer resources than ever. And what I know for certain, PIP is here to help. So please call us, we'll listen.
We all wished Becky well as she eloquently said goodbye to us all,
“One door does not close without another opening wide, so thanks for the memories….I’m off on a new ride.”
So here I am on a new ride of my own wondering what to do next? As I begin and lead the charge, where will I take PIP? And what can I do to complement the great work that has already been done before?
Of this I am certain, capacity building is never done and there is always a new ride, a new wave cresting, another window to open. So I begin this new day by listening. Listening to all of you who have worked with PIP, funded PIP, donated to PIP, volunteered for PIP, and supported PIP. Listening to your needs and wants, your desires and dreams for yourselves, your families, your organizations and finally for PIP. As I listen, what remains clear is that there is still work to be done; nonprofits are as busy as ever with fewer resources than ever. And what I know for certain, PIP is here to help. So please call us, we'll listen.
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