Rural Fundraising and Respect of Place

We've been working with a long time friend and colleague on a project to build a new clinic in Sanders, Arizona, a remote community near the eastern border of Arizona. If you're driving at speeds like most trucks on the Interstate, you won't even notice Sanders, but there is a growing community of Navajo and others in this rural place.

As we've spent more time in Sanders and in the Navajo Nation, we've been reflecting on how to communicate the stories and needs of this unique place. While there are volumes of stories to tell, it boils down to this:

1. Cover basic needs first. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs has been around for a while because it makes sense. In a rural community, very often people are trying to meet basic needs, like food, shelter and clothing. It becomes totally irrelevant to the community if you're trying to pursue lofty ideals if you don't have the fundamentals covered.

2. It takes time to build trust and respect. Rural communities can be a bit of a paradox, in that they are very hospitable, yet it can take a long time for you to be considered a trusted part of the community. They will show you around, but not let you in until they think you're serious about sticking around. When we were conducting our initial interviews of the board and other community members, they were polite. Now, after several visits, they're starting to reveal the real stories.

3. Best practice doesn't always apply. The challenge with "best practice" is that it has very often been vetted by organizations in metropolitan areas. True best practices, in many respects, are the simplest strategies that will work regardless of community size. Just because a strategy worked in a similar size organization doesn't mean it will work in a rural area.

4. Take time to learn how you "fit in." This doesn't mean abandoning your personality, changing your style, or trying to be someone you're not. This means observing community interactions first hand and finding the good in what you see before you immediately suggest change. Think about it--how would you like it if a complete stranger walked up to you on the street and told you everything that they thought was wrong with you?

5. You learn the most over food. This one can be true about a lot of communities, not just rural ones, but is accentuated in small towns. Most of the time, there's one, maybe two places where people hang out. For Sanders, people go to the Apple Dumplin in Chambers, about 5 miles away on the frontage road. In St. Michaels, everyone congregates at the Denny's (which is probably the best run Denny's we've ever experienced)! We've learned much more about a community by eating its food, talking to restaurant staff, and watching the locals than by formal meetings in offices.

With all these points in mind, we look forward to more opportunities to get to know these communities and hopefully bring new resources to improve their way of life. And we hope we'll best communicate not only the people's needs, but their sense of pride and respect for the place they call home.

This entry is a preview of a book in process co-authored by Alice Ferris, MBA, CFRE, ACFRE and James Anderson. Originally posted January 2009.

Connect with GoalBusters: LinkedIn - Alice Ferris / LinkedIn - Jim Anderson / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / Myspace

Fundraising for Small Shops

How do you create a successful fundraising program with a small development staff? It's not impossible, but requires resourcefulness, creativity, and, of course, hard work! In this session, we'll address "mission critical" tasks for your development program, how to recruit volunteers to extend your resources, and how to prioritize your many responsibilities to be efficient and effective. This presentation was originally presented for Stevenson Inc. in 2009.

Fundraising for Small Shops

View more presentations from GoalBusters LLC.

Connect with GoalBusters: LinkedIn - Alice Ferris / LinkedIn - Jim Anderson / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / Myspace

The GoalBusters Elves Sing - GoalBusters "Elves Ourselves" 2009

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I can't believe I stayed up this late breathing life into the "GoalBusters Elves" again. Yet, it's true. Here they are (by popular request and "executive order.") Three new elves are introduced... Jeanie, Indigo and Squib. Harry and Stokey have recurring roles. And... this year we sing! (Extended "Director's Cut" coming to YouTube soon)

Another GoalBusters Consulting, LLC Video Production.

Connect with GoalBusters: LinkedIn - Alice Ferris / LinkedIn - Jim Anderson / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / Myspace
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Holiday Light Parade - Flagstaff, AZ - December 2009

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Merry Christmas from GoalBusters! If you missed Flagstaff's holiday light parade, here's a quick glimpse at most of the 65 entries in under 5 minutes.



Dharmesh Vora, President of Vora Financial Group graciously sponsored the City of Flagstaff's Holiday light parade for the second year in a row. Thanks Dharmesh for giving such a wonderful gift to our community.

(Jim Anderson Photography/Editing, GoalBusters Consulting, LLC Video Production)

 

Connect with GoalBusters: LinkedIn - Alice Ferris / LinkedIn - Jim Anderson / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / Myspace

Finding Dollars in a Desert - Tools for Successful Fundraising in Tough Economic Times

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In a challenging economy, people make tough decisions about where they spend their dollars. How do economic realities and personal perceptions affect the nonprofit sector? Some decide to give less to each organization they support. Others may choose to stop giving to certain organizations. How do they make these decisions? What efforts can you take to minimize the impact on your organization?

In this interactive session, GoalBusters Consulting's Alice Ferris and Jim Anderson discuss:

-Economic realities for charities nationwide and locally
-"The Perfect Storm"
-Strategies to minimize or avoid these economic pressures
-What to do (and please DON'T do) when a donor says, "I can't contribute now"
-Six things you can do now to stabilize your organization and empower your team
-How to find the "oasis in the desert." Ten practical strategies for successful fundraising regardless of economic conditions.

(Recently hosted by the Yuma Area Nonprofit Institute (YANPI) and Arizona Western College, at the AWC College Community Center (3C) in the Schoening Conference Center, Yuma, Arizona.)



Connect with GoalBusters: LinkedIn - Alice Ferris / LinkedIn - Jim Anderson / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / Myspace

Finding Dollars in a Desert - Fundraising in Tough Times - GoalBusters Consulting

View more documents from GoalBusters LLC.

LinkedIn - Why it Matters and Tips for Success

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LinkedIn is a crucial resource in the branding of your online identity. It is the one online tool that business professionals, community leaders and decision makers use even if they are avoiding other "Social Media."

Who is using LinkedIn? They are mature, well educated, and high income earners.

LinkedIn Statistics from Quantcast.com (11/22/2009)

Visitation/Usage -
Rank: 45th most visited website in the U.S.
Unique Monthly Visitors: 15.2 Million US, 30.2 Million Global visitors
2% of visitors are "Addicts" making up 40% of all visits.
39% of visitors are "Regulars" making up 45% of all visits.
59% of visitors are "Passers-by" making up 15% of all visits.

Demographics -
Age: 79% Are 35 or older
Education: 80% Are college educated. They are twice as likely to have Graduate Degrees than other internet users.
Income: 69% Make $60,000+ / 38% Make $100,000+

Creating a Profile
When creating or updating a LinkedIn profile remember that in many ways it is similar to an online resume. Much like a resume, your goals vary dependent upon your current employment status. Are you looking for a job? Interested in changing jobs? Or simply maintaining your personal "brand integrity."

Here are some tips that may help.

Photo: Select a professional "head shot." This is not the place to show how cute your kids or kittens are. Choose a sharply focused, closely cropped head shot. Crop well below your chin and leave a small space above your head. Fill the frame, don't crowd it. Be sure you're dressed professionally, looking directly into the camera and smiling. This is essentially Part 1 of your "virtual handshake." It's your eye contact.

Updates: These updates serve as a pulse of what you "do." Like Twitter they are short updates on status and activity. Unlike Twitter avoid posting random stream of consciousness. Remember 59% of LinkedIn users are "Passers-by" and likely only get their "Network Updates" once a week.

1. Relevance - Seek opportunities to provide relevant information about your professional career and experience. Include information about events, trainings, workshops, volunteer work, non profit support, etc.
2. Content - Provide links to relevant websites, photos, videos, etc. This gives viewers of your profile a way to actually interact with you even if you aren't aware of it.
3. Tone - The updates should lean towards professional decorum but shouldn't be sterile. Occasional humor is encouraged.
4. Filter - These updates should offer insight to your personality but recognize there is a line you shouldn't cross. Provide information you would share with coworkers, not what you share with close friends.
5. Value - Avoid posting mundane drivel. There is no quicker way to turn off a prospective employer or business associate than to make it clear your posts aren't worth reading.

Summary: - This section will look different dependent upon your current employment situation, goals and personality. For the most part remember you're not really telling a story, you're presenting a product... "you." It's good to talk about experience, core strengths, values, aspirations and goals. Avoid redundancy of directly repeating information presented elsewhere in your profile unless it is a core message point. Keep in mind, this is your elevator speech, be brief. "Jimism #372 - Your elevator speech shouldn't take more than 3 floors."

Specialties: These can be simple skills bullet points or very short descriptive sentences. It's important that you are fully representing your skills, but avoid overkill. Choose the most important things to share in this section. It is called "Specialties" not "Everything."

Experience: When listing work experience don't simply provide a list of tasks you completed. Think in terms of why the completing the tasks was important. What was the end result? It's about spinning tasks to describe impact and importance. If you answered phones, did you "coordinate and facilitate customer service and satisfaction?" Don't "go nuts" you want to be descriptive but direct. You don't want to make every sentence appear to be "long winded" and self-aggrandizing.

Education: Pretty straightforward. Where did you go? When was that? (you might opt to skip years if you fear you'll be discriminated against based on age. Is it possible you'll be viewed as too old or too young?) What did you study? What activities and organizations did you participate in.

Additional Information: This is a valuable section in sharing information about organizations or causes that are important to you. It also allows you to share important accomplishments. Think of this as the part of the interview when you are asked, "So, tell me a little about yourself." What should you share? Rule of thumb, Keep it relevant and interesting. Quirky is okay here. It demonstrates your personality.

Social Media Cross Promotion: Should you link your personal sites to your professional LinkedIn Profile? I would say yes, but only if you are willing to invite "acquaintences" to your other social media worlds. Remember, when it comes to Social Media not everyone is really a "friend" in the classic sense of the word. How open are your networks? Do you ever post anything you wouldn't want a supervisor to see? If you want to maintain some privacy, you may want to skip linking your personal and professional profiles.

I hope these tips help. I encourage feedback and/or questions.

Connect with GoalBusters: LinkedIn - Alice Ferris / LinkedIn - Jim Anderson / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / Myspace

For more Social Media tips, see Social Media FAQs Part 1 which discussed the mechanics and logic of initial Social Media profile set up.

When Developing Your Year Long Fund Raising Plan, Conduct a SWOT Analysis

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Excepted from the GoalBusters' Webinar: "Developing a Year Long Fundraising Plan"
Reprinted in The Major Gifts Report, November 2009

In the process of developing a year-long fundraising plan, it’s important to analyze any previously developed fund raising plans, say James Anderson, a partner at Goal Busters Consulting, LLC (Flagstaff, AZ).

One way to do that is to conduct a “SWOT” analysis, he says, in which you look at your organization’s strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats.

Anderson outlines what to look for when analyzing each of these areas:

Strengths (internal)
What do you do well or exceptionally? What unique value do you offer? Often this will be your primary strength. What are the things you want to keep doing that you do better than other organizations?

Opportunities (external)
What could you be doing or doing more of? Where are the areas you could extend your offerings, your services, your programs? Where could you potentially tap into donors and donor bases that you may be currently overlooking or not fully capitalizing on?

Weaknesses (internal)
What are the things you know you are not doing well? Are there things you need to change because it feels as though you just keep pounding your head against the wall? or are they things you simply don't do well either because you don't know or don’t have the resources to do properly?

Threats (external)
What things will potentially negatively impact your plan and your organization? When you identify a threat, one way to assess it is to ask yourself what the worst-case scenario is. Some examples of external threats: 1) You are heavily grant-funded and funds are going to dry up and you know that; 2) You are heavily funded by a foundation and investments aren’t returning as strong as they used to and you know that will negatively impact gifts to your organization. “When assessing threats, you'll be facing either ‘conditions’ or ‘problems,’” he say. “Conditions are things you may have to address or handle but you have no real control over. You have to Manage, Accept or Adapt to conditions. However problems are something which you can Solve, Resolve or Fix."

When looking at your SWOT findings, you want to look for intersections, says Anderson:

· Where strengths and opportunities intersect, invest. You want to invest more of your resources, time, and capital on these opportunities.

· Where weaknesses and threats intersect, You may want to consider divesting yourself of that project or program, unless it is something you truly must maintain.

· Where strengths and threats intersect, defend. “If you have an external threat to one of your strengths, don’t let that negatively impact something that you do well, “ he says. “Instead, analyze what that situation is and determine how you can best continue to capitalize on that strength.”

· Where weaknesses and opportunities intersect, you should identify what you can improve on. “It may be a situation in which you can bolster the area of weakness or capitalize on what the opportunity is with the investment of additional resources, but that is a decision where you will have to look at whether your internal resources will allow it, and whether the return on investment (ROI) is worth the commitment of the additional resources,” he says.

Sources: James Anderson, Partner, GoalBusters Consulting, LLC, Flagstaff, AZ. Phone (928) 890-8239. E-mail: jim.anderson@goalbusters.net

Connect with GoalBusters: LinkedIn - Alice Ferris / LinkedIn - Jim Anderson / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / Myspace

AFP Kaleidoscope Thought Leader Column: Fundraising through a Different Lens

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The following column was featured in the November 2009 issue of the Association of Fundraising Professionals' Kaleidoscope newsletter. To see the newsletter on their website, visit AFP Kaleidoscope (Online) and to become a member, visit Join AFP!

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People often ask me, “Where are you from?” I know what they are trying to ask, but most of the time I answer, “I’m from Wisconsin.” I was the first Chinese baby born at Beaver Dam Lutheran Hospital. At the time, our family was the only Asian family in Dodge County, Wis. As a child, like many minorities in small communities, I wanted nothing but to fit in. That experience made me adaptable, so I generally can find ways to connect with whatever culture I am in—except, ironically, the Chinese community. My family and I were so focused on fitting in that I received minimal exposure to Chinese traditions and norms.

When we interact with others one-to-one, it is usually easy to find things you have in common. Because of this natural inclination, we have focused on finding similarities among diverse communities as well: Where do we have common ground? How are we alike? While we need to build bridges and find those connections among communities, sometimes it feels as though we ignore the richness our differences offer.

For example, I have had the privilege of working with the Hopi Education Endowment Fund in Kykotsmovi, Ariz. (www.hopieducationfund.org), for several years. When we first started working together, we attempted to take western best practices in philanthropy and apply them to its situation. Some practices did translate well, such as most special-event strategies and direct mail. However, as we dove deeper into more complex strategies, highlighting cultural differences became the key.

When we attempted to start our planned-giving program, we initially looked at naming the program after a prominent Hopi leader who had just passed away. Culturally, planning for death is taboo among the Hopi. From what I had learned over the past few years, when you pass from this earth, those who survive are not to spend too much time mourning you, for that could block your passage into the next world. Naming a planned-giving club after this leader was not appropriate, and also raised concerns about the overall appropriateness of planned giving on Hopi in general. At one point, someone observed, “Planned giving won’t work on Hopi.”

Undeterred, we deconstructed the program: What were we trying to accomplish at the core of this? First, we wanted to provide a long-term source of funding for the organization. In addition, we wanted to offer people the option of transferring assets at a later date-and potentially give the organization a larger gift than they could afford from current cash. Those were the fundamentals, which apply to almost any planned giving program.

With those basics in mind, we requested the assistance of a Hopi language expert and started brainstorming about cultural aspects that might support our activities. After many months of discussion and reflection, a member of our committee brought forth the concept of “no’a.”

No’a has changed the way that I speak of planned giving, even when off reservation. No’a is how one generation passes valuable assets—knowledge, wealth or possessions—to the next. The elder carefully considers those around him or her and then selects a caretaker who will use the asset responsibly and share it with the community. By emphasizing this cultural norm, the fund has created “No’ayatiwqam: Those Who Have Given,” its planned-giving club that focuses on how the donor can select a responsible caretaker, such as the Hopi Education Endowment Fund, to continue to share assets with Hopi students for generations to come.

In a well-intentioned effort to break down barriers among diverse communities, we sometimes miss the color and depth that our differences can bring. As I have worked with other diverse communities, I have come to value my own cultural aspects more, and am starting to take steps toward bringing my family’s Chinese traditions into my philanthropy. By carefully analyzing philanthropic norms, finding the universal core concepts, and adding cultural strengths to these best practices, our profession will be able to make an even greater difference in the many unique communities that we serve.

Connect with GoalBusters: LinkedIn - Alice Ferris / LinkedIn - Jim Anderson / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / Myspace

Answers to Fundraising's Persistent Questions

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We recently conducted a webinar on How to Create a Yearlong Fundraising Plan, hosted by Stevenson, Inc. We got some good questions during the session, so we thought we'd share two of them, and our answers.

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Q: Do you have any strategies for donor acquisition during these tougher times?

Focus on donor participation, and not necessarily on size of gift. Right now we have a lot of people who are scaling back on their contributions, but are no less committed to the causes they believe in. Economic conditions may have led them to reduce their overall charitable giving budget, so if they could give $100 to a single charity last year, they may only be able to give $50 this year. They already feel sad about that—you don’t need to rub it in! Help them feel like whatever amount they can give is important.

If you have suggested dollar amounts on your solicitations, you may want to add a lower end suggested amount and drop one of your higher end levelsa

I would not, however, add premiums at this time, and if you are using premiums (tote bags, decals, etc.) I would scale back. Donors want to know that you are using their money for the cause, not for premiums. Anything that seems like waste will be a turnoff for potential donors.

Q: You have 10 minutes to introduce your organization to a business. How do you do that and once you do that, when do you make the ask? Do you leave and make a second visit or do you make the ask right there after the presentation?


First of all, if you said you were coming to provide them with information, you should not ask unless they tell you to. No one likes being ambushed. If you said you were coming to ask for their support, then yes, you can ask for their support after the presentation.

Before your presentation, you should already know basic information about the business—who is their target market, what other causes do they support, what kinds of connections do they have to your organization? Don’t use your valuable presentation time asking basic questions or giving them information they already know.

If you have ten minutes, focus on people and results. If possible, find a way to get them to ask questions. Adults are generally more engaged if they are an active part of the learning process and if they are provided with practical solutions to problems.

Pick a story: you could talk about a student who benefited from a scholarship, or a person who received lifesaving care, or an artist that provided an inspiring performance…whatever the human face is for your organization, talk about it. Your potential donors generally don’t need to know process, details on history—you just need to make them feel good about the organization.

Find a way to draw them into the story—questions like “what would you do if you were in such and such situation?” Of course, make sure that your organization solves that problem!

Ask for feedback to make sure you’re not talking at them. If they seem disengaged, ask what kinds of information they would like to have. Be ready to end the meeting early if necessary—they will appreciate you not wasting their time.

If they seem really excited about the program, go ahead and ask them if this is the kind of project they would like to support. Again, if you said this was just going to be informational, do NOT whip out a prepared proposal. But be ready to follow up with a proposal immediately after the meeting if they want one.

Connect with GoalBusters: LinkedIn - Alice Ferris / LinkedIn - Jim Anderson / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / Myspace

Creating Effective, Meaningful Brochures

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When preparing your next brochure, focus on first impressions. You'll have mere seconds to get someone's attention.

What will they think in a "Blink?"

Here are some questions to consider, prepared by GoalBusters' Jim Anderson. Getting the answers right for your organization insures that your print materials reflect your values and your value.

Who's the Audience?
Who will you be giving this to? What action do you want to motivate them to? How can the brochure attract their attention enough so they want to know more?

What's the "hook?"
The front panel is your "storefront/display window." It should be visually interesting, vibrant and intriguing.

What's your story?
Someone needs to care about what you do before they care about how you do it. Story should be the ultimate goal. A few long content sections are fine, but more people will read it if you break up the content with design. If you have procedures or processes that you want to include, that can be available on a separate "fact sheet."

Why should we care?
Identify who you're helping. Identify the challenges they face. Identify why they need you. Identify how you help. Share the difference you make. Share how the reader can make a difference by supporting you. This sounds like a lot for a brochure, but you can achieve it by having your "non-verbal" communication (images, graphics, design) compliment your verbal communication (text). A picture is worth a 1,000 words.

Where are the people?
Story is driven by "who" you help. Faces and eyes make connections. More personal imagery will make a stronger connection.

What's your identity?
You should be able to communicate your organizational identity with design and graphics. One way to test this is to ignore text. If someone who did not speak English picked up the brochure, would they understand the nature of your organization based on the design, graphics and photos?

What does someone think in their first "Blink?"
Malcolm Gladwell's book "Blink" explores how we tend to make snap decisions. When someone gives the brochure a five second scan, how do we want them to feel? Do they feel anything? If not, we're wasting paper.

Connect with GoalBusters: LinkedIn - Alice Ferris / LinkedIn - Jim Anderson / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / Myspace

A Really Bad Idea

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A well intentioned board member once suggested to jump start the major gifts program by getting a list of the wealthiest people in the community. With the list, someone (meaning staff) would be instructed to cold call the wealthy people, set up a meeting under the guise of "informing" them about the organization, and then spring a proposal on them at the end for a large gift.

If you have any fundraising experience, you'll recognize that this is an incredibly bad idea on many levels.

First, fundraising is not "cold calling." They call it "development" for a reason--it's about creating relationships for long term, sustainable support. You will immediately alienate your prospective supporters with your lack of knowledge about their interests.

Second, philanthropic relationships are based on mutual trust. The donor has to trust that your organization will respect their interests and properly steward their gift, and the organization has to trust that the donor supports the organization's mission. That cannot be developed in one meeting.

Third, doing what was proposed is akin to asking someone out for lunch for a first date, and proposing over dessert. Developing major gifts is not a one-night stand. While you might be able to get one gift this way, it's "go away money." You will have a tough time getting a second gift.

Identifying wealthy people is not bad, but you need to find a connection to those people. Why would they take your call? Who's the person who can make that connection?

If all this sounds a little too "touchy feely," here's how we explained it:

If you were asked to invest $5K, $10K or $15K in a company you had never heard of, would you? Sounds almost like a "get rich quick" scheme.

If someone came into your home under the guise of not asking you for anything, and then did, would you make a decision on the spot?

If you were being approached to invest in a company, would you want to know something about the company you are investing in? What would you want to know? How much time would you want to review that information?

Philanthropy is NOT about "hitting people up for money." It is about a voluntary exchange of value, and about donors investing in a company they value. Luckily, the board member took this to heart.

Connect with GoalBusters: LinkedIn - Alice Ferris / LinkedIn - Jim Anderson / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / Myspace

Farewell to "Flagstaff's Good Samaritan"

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On Saturday, April 18, Dr. John H. Caskey III, a mentor and inspiration, passed away at his home in Flagstaff, Arizona.
He was 80.

The obituary published in the Arizona Daily Sun talks about many of the wonderful ways that he contributed to the well being of people in Flagstaff. They mention his role in founding the emergency physicians practice, his leadership of the High Country Hounds, and his creation of the Flagstaff Free Clinic, which is now North Country Healthcare.

But as is the case with all obituaries, there are a lot of stories that go along with those facts. When Dr. Caskey was recognized as the AFP Northern Arizona Volunteer Fundraiser of the Year in 2007, his nominator, Rick Swanson, North Country's Development Director, spoke about Dr. Caskey being the heart of the campaign. That was definitely the case.

John Caskey was one of our "rock star" volunteers on our North Country capital campaign. There were many things that John did that both affirmed fundraising best practice and demonstrated how practices can be modified to fit a rural community. Here are some things, among many, that we learned from Dr. Caskey:

Volunteers with strong networks are critical.
Everyone knew John, or knew someone who knew him. In many cases, Dr. Caskey would be calling on a prospective donor that he delivered as a baby! One of the issues at the beginning of the campaign was that North Country did not have an established fundraising program, so we didn't have a donor base to draw from for the initial asks. John took care of that.

Don't beat around the bush. Once John told me why he believed physicians weren't more charitable. After delivering his theory, he ended with a pause and added, "Well, I think that's a load of bull." Dr. Caskey would tell it like it was, not pausing to be politically correct. It demonstrated powerful belief and commitment to the cause.

Remember it's not about you: it's about making the community a better place. As we were in the final stages of the campaign, Dr. Caskey suffered a stroke. We were immediately concerned about being able to recognize his vision and efforts before he passed away. We approached Dr. Caskey and his family about naming the Learning Center in his honor. He wasn't interested. His main objection? "Seems like you could sell that naming right and get more money for the clinic." As a result, we established the John H. Caskey Endowment instead, to fund uncovered medical expenses for uninsured and underinsured patients. With John's support and his contacts, the endowment campaign has raised over $100,000 to date.

Passion for the cause combined with confidence makes you hard to resist. Rick would often joke that Dr. Caskey was a "chick magnet." We found him to be a "donor magnet," too! He exuded a level of command that made you want to listen to his stories and consequently, do the right thing for the health of the community. He talked about his inspiration for the Free Clinic--a young mother who's child didn't have a pediatrician. He spoke about asking doctors to donate their time to provide clinic hours once a week. He talked about the inadequacies of the current facilities to continue to serve those who needed care. And then he said he needed you. How could you say no to that?

We were very privileged to get to know Dr. Caskey over the last few years, and were honored to put together video and audio clips for the tribute dinner to launch the campaign in April 2008. He is someone we aspire to be like, and we will continue to think on a daily basis, "What would Dr. Caskey do in this situation?"

John Caskey was a great leader and friend. He made healthcare in Northern Arizona better for all of us. John, we'll miss you.

Links:
Caskey Tribute Dinner Video
John H. Caskey III obituary
North Country John H. Caskey III Endowment

Connect with GoalBusters: LinkedIn - Alice Ferris / LinkedIn - Jim Anderson / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / Myspace

Supplemental Materials Available for "The Velvet Rope: Creating a VIP Experience"

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Hello, and thanks again to those of you who attended AFP's International conference in New Orleans last week. We appreciate you choosing our workshop, "The Velvet Rope: Creating a VIP Experience" as one of your educational opportunities.

The webpage with supplemental information is now available by clicking here: "Velvet Rope" If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me (Alice Ferris) or Jim Anderson.

We always like to present at meetings and conferences too, so if your organization or AFP chapter is interested in a program, let us know. In addition to "The Velvet Rope," other workshop topics are available on our website at "Workshops & Presentations"

We invite you to connect with us on LinkedIn: Alice Ferris and Jim Anderson

If you're Tweeting, you can follow GoalBusters on Twitter at @GoalBusters
You can follow the AFP Northern Arizona Chapter Tweets at @AFPNAZ

We also hope you'll subscribe her to the GoalBusters Blog.

Thanks again for your investment in your personal professional development at AFP 46th International Conferernce in New Orleans and for helping advance philanthropy with your membership in our association!

Best wishes for a productive 2009.

Connect with GoalBusters: LinkedIn - Alice Ferris / LinkedIn - Jim Anderson / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / Myspace

Staying True to Your Guiding Principles

Jimism #171 - "There is a difference between serving your community and protecting your commodity."

Most nonprofits are truly committed to serving their communities. They understand that the reason they exist is because there are real people with legitimate needs for their services and outreach. These organizations fully invest their funds and resources to meet those needs. When faced with difficult times, these philanthropies dig deep and make sacrifices all the while striving to maintain the quality services and the quantity of those served.

Sadly however, some nonprofit organizations forget their mission. They forget that they exist to serve. But let’s face it, organizations don’t make decisions, people do. And it can be devastating when a decision maker or influential board member begins to hamper an organization’s effectiveness in pursuit of their own agenda.

Why?
What might cause someone to pursue paths that seem contrary to their philanthropy’s mission?

Fear
Are they merely frightened? Do they begin to “hunker down” and impose a scarcity mentality that can be debilitating to their team, their volunteers and their constituents? If so, is their fear based on what’s good for the organization or on self-preservation?

Agenda
Is this a pattern of behavior? Are their actions temporary due to conditions or do they seem motivated by a pursuit of personal power or empire building? Is there a preoccupation with protecting individual legacy?

Identity Crisis
When these motivators are in action, decision makers begin to function more and more like a “profit before principles” business manager. They lose organizational vision. They become margin driven.

Appearances
Reality can be less important than the perception that is created by the right chart or graph. They’ll cut expenses to create an illusion of growth. They’ll restrict spending and diminish services strangling the organization and squashing the motivation of their team and volunteers.

If you’re a “business,” there’s nothing wrong with making a profit. But if profit is not your mission, if hefty balance statements are not a part of your vision, why should they guide your decisions?

Getting it Right
I started out by talking about what effective philanthropic organizations do right. They stay true to their mission of service. They remain guided by their organizational vision. They are dedicated to service before self. They are fortunate to have leaders that refuse to be only managers.

When times are tough, these individuals and organizations will be at their best.

---You can ride this wave too.

INNOVATE
Embrace change as a tangible resource that can redefine how you get your work done. Boycott the phrase… “That’s the way we’ve always done it.”

CREATE
Nurture partnerships that can create greater efficiencies than either partner can deliver alone. Tear down the fences. It is a pointless park that no one gets to play in.

EXPLORE
Discover new value patterns. What can you do differently? What can you “refine” and do better? What should be repeated and what should be rejected?

We’re all facing difficult times.

So when you have to make a tough decision in your next meeting, pose this question…

“Are we serving our community or merely trying to protect our commodity?” Jimism #171

View more Jimisms at the GoalBusters Website.

Connect with GoalBusters: LinkedIn - Alice Ferris / LinkedIn - Jim Anderson / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / Myspace

Reflections on food: 2008 Review (LONG POST)

(More GoalBusters Restaurant Reviews at "Alice's Restaurants")

It has been said that an army travels on its stomach. We agree. So here's the Food in Review for our "army"--our favorite restaurants from our 2008 travels.

Castroville CA: any restaurant that has a sign outside promoting fried artichokes
These little nuggets are shockingly good. Most any restaurant or roadside stand in the Castroville area knows how to make these things...it is the artichoke capital of the world! We got one tray of 'chokes and inhaled them, wishing there was another tray! Lightly battered, crisp, not greasy, tender on the inside--road food at its finest!

Gila Bend AZ: Outer Limits Cafe at the Space Age Lodge
Eat in a space ship! But go after the lunch rush--they seem to spend a little more time preparing the food after about 2 pm. When they take their time, the broaster fried chicken and the chicken fried steak are...out of this world.

Kykotsmovi AZ: The Hungry Bear
When they have the Hopi Hot Beef on special, get it--it's fry bread with roast beef, gravy, mashed potatoes and a green chile on top. Yes, you can get this anytime at the Hopi Cultural Center, but it's a little different at the Hungry Bear. You can also make your own in Window Rock, as long as you don't tell them it's the "Hopi" hot beef.

Las Vegas NV: Bouchon at the Venetian
Yes, it's Thomas Keller, so how can it be bad? We go for the terrine de foie gras, an intensely buttery, rich jar of foie gras. That's all we need. Well, and a cocktail to go with it.

Las Vegas NV: David Burke at the Venetian
Discovered David Burke when Bouchon was closed. The server was Jay, a mohawk-wearing, well-dressed dude who made the evening by being highly professional without being pretentious. The Angry Lobster, half a lobster poached in chili oil and somehow crisped but still tender, was the highlight, along with the finale bowl of pink cotton candy!

Las Vegas NV: Alize at the Top of the Palms
Incredible view of the strip from the Top of the Palms. The food is pretty darn tasty as well.

Las Vegas NV: Rosemary's
A stellar off-the-strip restaurant, they almost always have a coupon online for a three course, prix fixe lunch for $23 or $25. Andrew is our other favorite server in Las Vegas, and the service here is, much like David Burke, professional and unpretentious. The barbecued shrimp with gorgonzola cole slaw is a delicious study in flavor balance.

Las Vegas NV: Lotus of Siam
A totally unassuming Thai restaurant in an off-strip strip mall, this is the best Thai we've had in the US. We always order too much, though, and usually right before we hit the road back to Flagstaff. So the leftovers torture us with their intoxicating spices until we decide to just open up the boxes and eat the leftovers cold. Our favorite appetizer is the Nam Kao Tod, a combination of crispy rice and sour sausage that tastes way better than it sounds. The roasted duck curry is also exceptional.

Nashville TN: Loveless Cafe
About 30 minutes from downtown Nashville, this place is where everyone still calls you "hon" and they serve down home, stick to the ribs, comfort food. The biscuits with sausage gravy are like a sausage cloud, and will now be the gold standard by which every other biscuit with gravy will be judged. The fried chicken and barbecued meats are pretty dang tasty as well.

Oklahoma City OK: Cocktails on the Skyline
A summer oasis on the roof of the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, they have live jazz performances and access to a full (cash) bar included in admission to the museum after 5 pm. Got to walk through the Chihuly glass exhibit and then get a glass of something.

Peoria AZ: Hope Kee Hong Kong Style Restaurant at Lee Lee Supermarket
We never would have thought there would be a good, sit down restaurant inside a grocery store. But Hope Kee is definitely unusual, serving a broad selection of Chinese barbecued meats, very fresh (out of the case next door!) seafood, and seasonal specials like sauteed snow pea leaves, which Alice hadn't seen since Taiwan. The servers also like to tease people who spend too much time on their cell phones at meals.

Phoenix AZ: The Fry Bread House
When you need a plate size piece of fried dough with spicy red or green chile stew, this is the place to be. Located near downtown Phoenix, you get a very hearty meal and get to experience a Southwestern specialty.

Phoenix AZ: Durant's
This is old school, baby. With dark paneled rooms, large booths, and appetizer selections like sauteed chicken livers, you come here for steak or fish and a martini. We saw Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio here, dressed in a elegant suit and surrounded by other tough looking guys in suits. Their motto says it all: "Good friends, great steaks and the best booze are the necessities of life."

Prescott AZ: SweetTart
You get a sugar rush just walking in here. Remodeled and expanded in 2008, Alain turned his little rustic cafe into a totally hip, modern bistro. The pastries sit like jewels in a lighted case in the front of the restaurant, beckoning you to save room for dessert. Crystal is one of our favorite servers in Prescott.

Prescott AZ: American Jazz Grill 129 1/2
Maurice is our other favorite server in Prescott. Tall, imposing, and with a European accent of unconfirmed origin, Maurice takes good care of you, timing your courses and making good recommendations. After the chef took escargot off the menu, we lobbied Maurice to bring it back. We always get the escargot now.

Prescott AZ: Peacock Room at the Hassayampa Inn
Two words: Monte Cristo. This is our favorite, served with a jalapeno jelly. Awesome. Alice also adores the coffee, which is made from a special concentrate that makes the coffee incredibly smooth and never bitter.

San Diego CA: Peohe's on Coronado Island
Lovely view of the San Diego bay and the Lobster Bisque is delicious.

San Francisco CA: Sam's Grill at Belden Place
A San Francisco institution, their waiters still wear starched white shirts and black bow ties. The wait staff and kitchen team have worked together so long, they are like a family! The power brokers of the Financial District lunch here, so if you go a little after the typical lunch time, you have a better shot at a table. They make the best Manhattan in San Francisco! We had halibut cheeks for the first time here, which were tender and flavorful, and sand dabs, reminding Alice of the movie, Spirit of St. Louis.

San Francisco CA: Asia de Cuba at the Clift Hotel
Hip, stylish restaurant tucked into the Clift Hotel near Union Square. Beautiful looking bar and lounge, and the centerpiece of the dining room is a cross-shaped, etched glass, mirrored table that reflects patterns throughout the room! Creative spins on Asian fusion cuisine.

San Francisco CA: Grand Cafe Brasserie and Bar at the Hotel Monaco
Got an incredible deal on a half bottle of 1994 Bordeaux here. The cassoulet was very rich and hearty--probably could have served three! Alice's Dad was perplexed by the Soupe à L'Oignon Gratinée, which Alice had to explain was French Onion Soup. Dad asked, "Well, why didn't they just write that in English then?"

San Francisco CA: Yank Sing
King of all dim sum (or deem sum, as they spell it) in the western United States. The Shanghai dumpling, their signature soup dumpling, is worth the trip in itself, but then there's the Peking duck, the lettuce wraps with pine nuts, the ha gow, the sui mai.... The special Yank Sing XO sauce is also a great spicy condiment for just about anything. We prefer the Rincon Center location, which expands into the building atrium on the weekends. Be prepared to wait for a table, or better yet, make a reservation!

Tempe AZ: Rula Bula
The one place on Mill Avenue that you can guarantee will be open late and serving food. Irish pub fare absorbs the copious amounts of Irish beer and whiskey being consumed by the local college students. The bartender will even set drinks on fire if you ask.

Tucson AZ: J-Bar
GoalBusters friend Chef Janos Wilder gets to show off his "cantina" side at J-Bar, the less formal sister establishment to Janos at the Westin La Paloma. There are many creative dishes here, but a favorite is the Dark Chocolate Jalapeno Ice Cream Sundae!

Winslow AZ: The Turquoise Room at La Posada
The bartender is clever and the signature soup is wonderful. The soup has a corn chowder and a black bean soup poured into a yin-yang pattern with a red chile "T-R" squiggled in the center. The bartender knows how to make Jim's signature cocktail, which is another post entirely.

Winslow AZ: E & O Kitchen at the airport
Oscar, the "O" in E & O, is the host and server pretty much every day, and once gave us a detailed treatise on the proper way to make chile rellenos. He's absolutely right, because the E & O rellenos are our favorites--smoky, with a meaty texture and just the right amount of cheese. The gorditas are also a favorite, with a crispy corn exterior and meat filling of your choice. There are five or six different meats at E & O, all of which are good, but we enjoy the ground beef and the stewed pork.

Washington DC: Burma Restaurant
We had never tried Burmese food until this restaurant and were pleasantly surprised to discover that the foods didn't remind us of anything in other cuisines! The sour mustard plant and the green tea leaf salad were the highlights.

Washington DC: Cafe Atlantico, Oyamel, Jaleo and Zaytinya
Chef Jose Andres and his ThinkFoodGroup restaurants provided an unforgettable "progressive dinner" at four different concept restaurants.

At Cafe Atlantico, we enjoyed tableside prepared guacamole, and two very creative cocktails: the Magic Mojito, featuring cotton candy in a martini glass, which dissolved "magically" into the drink when the rest of the liquid was poured on top with a flourish; and the Faux Syrah Syrah, which took the flavor elements of syrah--blackberry, black pepper, and lavender to name a few--broke them down into their parts and recombined them into a cocktail.

At Oyamel, Jose's Mexican cantina, Dave Andersen, the manager, treated us like VIP's and brought out Jose's favorite margarita, topped with "salt-lime air," a delicate looking but surprisingly sturdy seafoam that added a hint of salt and lime to every sip. In addition, we savored red snapper ceviche, pozole, and three kinds of tacos--carnitas, lengua and grasshopper! Funny enough, the grasshoppers, about an inch long, kept "jumping" out of the taco. They were deliciously spicy and crunchy.

After that, off to Jaleo, Jose's tapas bar. There we enjoyed a buttery Iberico jamon with a dry sherry.

Finally, we braved the cold to walk to Zaytinya, where we were greeting by Andy, our server, with the question, "How hungry are you at this point?" When we replied, "a light appetite," Andy responded with, "Okay, then the chef will provide three courses...." At one point there were 20 small dishes on the table! Exceptional dips--hummus, baba ghanoush, tzatziki among the six, with a companion of a light pink bubbly. Grilled octopus--tender, lightly charred and mildly sweet. A pinot noir-esque red wine from Lebanon. Braised short ribs, a stewed lamb and chicken kabobs with an airy garlic aioli. Finally, we were presented with a glass of dessert wine and two desserts--a yogurt, brandied cherry and cherry sorbet parfait, which was light and refreshing, and a deconstructed chocolate covered cherry--crushed chocolate cookies, brandied cherries, caramel sauce, chocolate mousse-like pyramid and cherry sorbet. Taste a little bit of everything at once and it does indeed taste like a chocolate covered cherry!

Yuma AZ: Los Manjares de Pepe
In a little house on 8th Street in Yuma, this is our go-to Mexican place. Favorites are the chile relleno and the Pepe's Special, a slow braised pork in a green chile sauce.

Yuma AZ: Pupuseria y Taqueria Cabanas
Another little hole-in-the-wall restaurant recommended originally by our Chowhound guru, "Ed Dibble" aka Ed in Yuma. A little Spanish is helpful here, since this is a family run place. The pupusa is a cornmeal hand pie with various fillings depending on the day. We've had them with pork, chicken, beans, and cheese, and all were delicious. We also had the arroz con pollo, and the chicken was fall off the bone tender. The tamales here are ethereal--incredibly fluffy and a perfect balance of filling and dough. This place is also one of the best values--we fed three of us on about $20.

Yuma AZ: Mariscos Nayarita
Another Ed recommendation. This is a "permanent" taco truck on 8th Street. Their shrimp empanadas are crisp, not at all greasy and filled with just the right amount of chopped shrimp. When you bite into them, they let out this hot puff that we initially thought was grease, but it was trapped hot air. Great with a touch of hot sauce.

Hungry?

Connect with GoalBusters: LinkedIn - Alice Ferris / LinkedIn - Jim Anderson / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / Myspace