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We "crushed" it at the Bridge Conference!

9/14/2016

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Theme of the INtegrated Bridge to Marketing and Fundriaising Conference was the "LOVE WHAT YOU DO" and to "CRUSH HOW YOU DO IT!"  I couldn't believe I was chosen to present two monrings back-to-back.  I had the pleasure of presenting with former Easter Seals Colleague Jasmine Mugrave one morning.  LOVE Jasmine.  We talked about the "Marriage of Development and Marketing/Communications."  I covered the fundraising/development side and Jasmine covered the MarCom side and we discussed the everyday integration of those two items at our nonprofit organizations.

The second day I talked about Corporate Sponsorships.  Interestingly enough, The NonProfit Times just posted an article about my presentation.  Very cool! Click  here for the article.

​The fundraising profession is so rewarding.  With more than 25 years under my belt, it's great ot give back!
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Me with Jasmine Musgrave at the Bridge Conference
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I'm Presenting at the Bridge Conference

3/24/2016

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I'm excited to share that I will be presenting two sessions at the 11th Annual Bridge to Integrated Marketing & Fundraising Conference (bridgeconf.org).  

On Thursday, July 14th
The Marriage of Development and Marketing/Communications
Speaker(s):
Shiree Skinner, Director of Resource Devleopment, Habitat for Humanity Northern Virginia
Jasmine Musgrave, Communications Associate & Head Website Administrator, Easter Seals Serving DC | MD | VA

On Friday July 15th
Corporate Sponsorships: Nonprofit Donation vs. Corporate Marketing
Speaker(s):
Shiree Skinner, Director of Devleopment, Habitat for Humanity Northern Virginia

Hope to see you there!

Need something specific for your organization?
Need help with your Strategic Planning process? 
Want to learn more about event strategies? 
Want to learn how to turn event attendees into friends of your organization?  
Ask us about customizing a workshop for your Board or your staff.

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Single Honoree or Nomination Awards... We can help!

3/21/2016

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Details Strategic Advisors was recently engaged by the Commerical Finance Assocation (CFA) to assist with their inaugural 40 Under 40 Awards program.  We are engaged for strategy, marketing, committee management and as a general advisor on the Awards Celebration.

25 years of planning events and volunteering on Boards, means I have worked on dozens of awards events, from single honoree and mulitple honorees to others with a hundred nominations/entries or more. Regarding the latter kind, in addition to the recent engagement with CFA, I've been involved with the Association of Fundraising Professionals' National Capital Philanthropy Day and Montgomery Community Media's Monty's Awards.

If you are planning an Awards program with nomination entries here are some questions that need to be answered:
  • Who will set the categories and critierias?
  • Who will judge?
  • Will you use an awards platform or a manual system for judging?
  • What marketing will you implement to ensure a good number of entries?
  • How will the winners be acknowleged/celebrated?

These are just a few things to consider.  There are quite a few others.  Contact us for assistance with your next awards program or event.
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New Director of Development Habitat for Humanity Northern VA

9/9/2015

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I am excited to announce my appointment as Director of Development for Habitat of Humanity Norhern Virginia (Habitat NOVA).  

Founded in 1990, Habitat NOVA is an independently operated affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International.   Habitat NOVA is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia and  serves the counties of Arlington and Fairfax as well as the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax and Falls Church. 

Habitat NOVA provides a “hand up” to home ownership through sweat equity, donor generosity, volunteer labor and interest-free mortgages.  
Since 1990, we have built or rehabilitated 92 homes and repaired 33 homes,

As Director of Development, I am looking forward to helping Habitat NOVA to provide affordable housing to deserving families here in my "backyard."   

Vision: 
A world where everyone has a decent place to live.
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I'm Presenting at AFP NJ 35th Annual Conference on Philanthropy

7/15/2015

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It's nice to be featured as the Conference Speaker of the Week today!  
The New Jersey Chapter of the Assocication of Fundraising Professionals invites you to their 35th Annual Conference on Philanthropy, Thursday, November 12, 2015.

Register and pay by 5 pm, August 31 to get  Early Bird rates!

Get more information here:

http://www.afp-nj.org/programs-events/cop/

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Board Fundraising Training with DRU/Mondawmin Healthy Families Inc.

6/22/2015

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This past Saturday, I had the privilege of working with the Executive Director and the Board of DRU/Mondawmin Healthy Families Inc. ("DRUM") in Baltimore.  They are a growing organization, seeking to diversify their revenue streams and I have been working with them on developing a fundraising plan.

Saturday, we held a Board-Only session, that included discussions around:
  • Drafting a Case for Support and creating a Fundraising Tool Kit
  • The process of engaging individuals and other organizations
  • The Board's role in fundraising 
  • Creating a "menu" of ways the Board can help with fundraising
  • Setting give/get expectations for Board members, which is included in the Board job description
  • The infrastructure needed for fundraising (donor database, donor record-keeping, etc.)
  • How communciations goes hand-in-hand with a fundraising program


These are just a few topics we covered in a very productive session on Saturday.  I am excited and proud to be a part of the transformation at DRUM and to be working with the dedicated members of their Baord and staff.

Details Strategic Advisors LLC can also help your organization "turn the corner" toward it's next growth and development phase.  Check us out at www.DetailsStrategicAdvisors.com.
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Keeping a post-event wrap meeting positive!

6/16/2015

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So the event or campaign is over and for most part things went well.  Unfortunately, I don't think any fundraising effort is ever 100% perfect.  There is usually some room for improvement.  

After more than 20 years of planning fundraising efforts and events, I have been in post-event and post-project wrap meetings from a variety of perspectives.  As a staff member, a volunteer, a Board member, a consultant and so on.  I have been present at meetings that were just gripe sessions and ones that hashed and re-hashed all the things that went wrong; who was responsible, what was missed, etc., in such detail that it's painful.

While a recap of those things IS important, I have found that the more important thing is to focus on how to move forward.  How to take the lumps from the things that didn't go so well, and then discuss what to do for next time.  

Here are some suggestions:
  • Gather the areas for improvement via an email request or during phone conversations with key parties. This should be done internally and externally.  Compile a comprehensive list.  Next to the issue, begin a ways to avoid, fix and/or improve those issues.
  • Share these findings AND some preliminary solutions, IN ADVANCE of the wrap meeting.  Now your committee, Board, volunteers, others, etc.  will know that you are as concerned about these items as they are and that you have already begun thinking about how to mitigate those issues in the future.  You can also asked them to make additional suggestions on the items listed.
  • Plan the agenda with more time on the future than the past.  Share the list of issues and improvement suggestions, but don't dwell on it.  Everyone should have already had an opportunity to give feedback. and you can offer an additional opportunity when you send the meeting notes.
  • To maximize the event or project make sure agenda includes time to discuss attendees or participants and how they can be further engaged.  What are the next steps to bring them closer to your organization?  This discussion will be time well-spent!



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Philanthropy Knocks Out Human Suffering

4/6/2015

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According to a Lakeland, FL 7th grader, "Philanthropy Knocks Out Human Suffering."   


The student's art work was on display at this year's International Fundraising Conference held in Baltimore, MD last week.  In so many ways that summed up the conference for me!

We were a gathering of 4,000 fundraisers, sharing camaraderie and best practices; achievements and challenges.  We celebrated and sometimes we commiserated!  But, overall we basked in the sunshine of being fundraisers.  


I've raised funds for great organizations and many deserving human beings by planning and executing a variety of events from galas  to  masquerade balls and golf tournaments to final four watch parties and.... also by simply asking folks to help others.  Being a fundraiser is amazing!  

Two highlights of this year's conference - the keynote speakers: Whoopi Goldberg and Seth Godin.
Whoopi talked about her quiet philanthropy like sending books to prisons and paying commuter tolls for strangers.  Seth wowed us with his high-energy motivational talk that covered topics from his best-selling books like Dip, Tribes and Purple Cow and urged us to personalize the asks we make of donors. 

I had the privilege of serving as a Presenter for the second year in a row.  My session was titled "Stewarding Events Donors from One Transaction to Major Engagement & Major Gifts."  

I am hoping that by sharing the insights I have gained over my  20+ year career, I can help fellow fundraisers knock out human suffering.  It really is why we do what we do.

As a consultant and up and coming adjunct professor, it's a blessing to be able to help more than one organization at a time.  

Can we help your organization steward event donors or execute an event that will raise more money for your mission or provide a coaching workshop for your organization's staff or Board members? 

I hope we can! It would be our privilege to do so!

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I'm presenting at AFP's 2015 International Fundraising Conference 

3/27/2015

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The International Fundraising Conference is the world’s largest gathering of fundraising professionals.  
  More than 4,000 fundraisers will be in attendance.

Fundraisers are the connection between donors and causes, the catalyst that makes philanthropy happen.
I am proud to be in this profession and equally proud to be one of this year's presenters.  


Hope to see you in Baltimore!
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Event Longevity: 36th year for National Jewish Health's Financial Industries Dinner

3/25/2015

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With Steve Seif of law firm Hahn & Hessen. Steve was Financial Industries Dinner Honoree in 2007.
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With long-time commercial finance industry executive Cyril Prince of HVB Capital Credit
The Financial Industries Dinner that benefits National Jewish Health (NJH) - the leading respiratory medical & research center in the country - continues to draw a great crowd and raise critical funds for NJH.  

The 2015 Financial Industries Dinner was once again a stellar affair.  While many events struggle and even disappear this dinner marked its 36th year in 2015; had 700 in attendance and raised more than $500,000.

It was a privilege to be invited to attend this year!

What do you think is the key to longevity for annual fundraisers?  

I know one organization that had been hosting a food industry golf tournament for 26 years.  A few industry changes in 2013 made for a smaller tournament in 2014 and that was it! After 26 years - Poof!  - It was gone!

I managed the National Jewish Health Financial Industries Dinner for five years from 2002 to 2007 then passed the baton in 2008 when I hired Mattie Shepheard.  I went on to work for them for another 4 1/2 years, running the East Coast Regional office.  All total I worked for them for nearly a decade.   

Not only does  NJH still has a special place in my heart but they imprinted me with a great event formula!  One that I encourage organizations to emulate if possible.  

Here are two things NJH does that keeps this dinner going - along with others dinners and events that they host across the country:

1. Strategic recruitment of the Honorees & Chairs
First they identify the REAL movers and shakers in the commercial finance industry to serve as honoree. Often the REAL influencers in an industry are not in the spotlight. Keeping in touch with the industry is important.  Second the Dinner Chair is recruited with the thought that he/she will likely be an honoree two years in the future.  Third Honorees are asked to become Trustees 2 years after they've been honored.  Do you see the trend?  It's a great pipeline, that also creates a group of industry experts that will help keep staff connected to the industry.  It's BRILLIANT!!!!

2. Sticking with a tried & true annual campaign timeline and dinner format
Year after year, it's the same formula.  ID the next year's honoree & the Chair at the current year's dinner.  Plan the Kick-off with a fundraising goal of about 30%.  Recruit the remaining committee based on their commitment level.  Look to the honoree and the Chair to call on their industry colleagues.  Retain previous donors and participants.  (Their retention rate from year-to-year is incredible.)  And the dinner format has been the same for so many years.... a long cocktail hour to maximize networking and a very short speaking program during dinner.

With so many successful years under their belt, NJH's Financial Industries Dinner is considered a "must-attend" industry event.  I know most nonprofits wish they could boast about their annual gala or awards dinner that way.

What are your thoughts regarding event longevity?




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