Social Media Strategy For Non Profits

Social media for non profit organisations can be extremely beneficial particularly in terms of fundraising and creating an awareness of new projects or plans.  Whether you use Facebook, Twitter or some other method the key is to interact and engage with the followers on the page to ensure that the information is being circulated to the widest audience as possible.  A multi-channel campaign – ie a campaign that involves many avenues for awareness and fundraising is the best bet for non-profit organisations as you have more chance of your information being seen and acted upon.

Often just starting out in social media can be the most difficult so you want to ensure that your staff, volunteers, friends and family support the work that you are doing.  Get them to spread the word about your campaign in the first instance so your information has a chance to be noticed.

 

Another great tip is to link up all your social media profiles with your website and include them in your newsletter and emails and other marketing avenues you have working for you.  You don’t want to waste any opportunity when it comes to letting people know that you are active online.

As part of your social media strategy, once you have it up and running, you will need to allocate a person or persons to post on and monitor the social media accounts daily to maximise the benefits and answer any questions that your supporters may have.

While getting donations may be important to your cause, social media has many other great benefits as well.  You will find that once you have a solid support network up and running through your social media avenues, it will be easier to get new campaigns off the ground and recruit volunteers for your next project as your fans are already supportive to your cause and will be keen to help in any way possible. 

End of Financial Year - Changing Roles

 

The end of the Financial Year is enough to drive most volunteer treasurers crazy but sometimes it is the time a treasurer chooses to resign from the role.  He or she can resign knowing they’ve completed their year’s end work satisfactorily.

 

While the focus for most committees is getting the financial reports completed on time and dealing with audits, others may also need to look for a replacement treasurer.

Throughout this blog we have shared information which will come in useful at this time.  Here are the posts we think are most important.

First of all, consider your public speaking skills.  Not only will you need them when you present your reports, you’ll need them to help recruit your replacement.  How good are your public speaking skills?

Finding volunteers isn’t easy although most small committees tend to recruit on the spot.  Unfortunately that often means someone is pressured into accepting the role.  You really need someone who is committed to the role so consider scouting for new recruits regularly.  You never know when you might need them and it’s a great way to introduce them to the organisation before they accept a role.  If you know you will be leaving, find your replacement before you go.

Handing over to the new treasurer should not be a complex job.  Arrange to meet with the new treasurer so you can provide an overview of the finances of the organisation as well as to discuss any other issues.

Now, if you happen to be taking over the role and you’ve never been a treasurer before, you will find a lot of useful information on our sister blog at Admin Bandit.  Starting from the very basics, the posts will help you settle into your role and comfortably take control.

Good luck with the end of Financial Year fun!

The New Financial Year Is Looming

Are you ready for the new year?  Today we want to remind you of those tasks that need to be completed about now so you can wrap up the old and be ready for the new.

Review your budget and plan for the next year.  How well did your current budget work for you?  Did the money arrive when needed and was it used well?  Were there any gaps in cash flow that you need to prepare for in the future?   Were there any sources of income that you missed out on that you could mark on your financial calendar for the new year?

Have your goals and objectives changed for the new year?  Every business evolves over time and changes to meet new priorities and the social and economic demands of the time.  Not For Profits are no different. Have your goals changed lately? Check that the work you are doing (and the way you are doing it) is still leading you where you need to go.

Is your current accounting system working for you?  If you are still running your books manually or with a labour intensive process consider changing to a streamlined and transparent process such as Admin Bandit’s online system.

Arrange your annual audit.  This will be a busy time of year for most auditors so book your auditor well in advance if you can.

Prepare your accounts.  Your auditor will need to see your reports and accounts such as your assets and liabilities, and your income and expenditure. Make sure everything is properly documented so that you can produce evidence if required.

Prepare your annual report.  The primary purpose of your annual report is the presentation of financial information. Take the opportunity to show your organisation in action so people can actually see the money and what it is achieving.  This will help you when you need to ask for donations in the new year.

Organise your AGM.  There is a legal requirement to hold an AGM no matter how small your organisation is.  Don’t just use it to talk about funding and finance. While it’s essential to present your financial reports to your members, it’s also a good time to show them what successes you’ve had during the year. Read more about making your AGM work for you at the Admin Bandit website.

For more information on preparing for the end of the financial year, visit our earlier posts here and here. 

You Are Never Too Old To Volunteer

Walk into most op shops and you’ll be greeted by a woman in her ripened years. She’ll readily help you find what you need, rifling through boxes of clothes or sorting through kitchen utensils in her bid to assist.

 

It is a common perception that this job is restricted to ‘old ladies’ or, quite the opposite, that this is the only role these women can fulfil.

 

With 6.4 million people volunteering across Australia, it’s the Baby Boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) who do the most.

 

With more life and work experience than the younger generations, older people bring a range of skills that make them perfect to cover all manner of volunteer roles that are otherwise hard to fill.

 

Although hands on roles, such as volunteering at a local nursing home, community garden or Scout group feels more important, becoming a member on a community board is just as important. These board roles require different skill sets, from treasurer to fundraising and events coordinator, looking to make things happen or change the local community for the better.

Regardless of your skills you’ve developed over your lifetime, and whether you prefer hands on manual work, working with people, or managing the finances or ensuring the behind the scenes runs smoothly, your volunteering brings attributes organisations can’t access from the younger generations.

You have the power to change the world you’re living in for the better, and to leave a better community for younger generations.

In The Deep End

It happens all the time, especially in smaller organisations.

The silence is deafening.  Everyone suddenly looks at the floor as though their shoes were the most fascinating things on earth.

Someone ends up volunteering for the role of treasurer simply because no one else will do it.

Great.  The position is filled but soon you realise that the new treasurer has no idea what they are doing.  Even the calculator is a foreign object to your volunteer.

So what do you do?

Don’t panic.  Admin Bandit is your solution.  When it comes to saving committees and their treasurers, you can’t go past the clever online system.



Click to find out more about Admin Bandit.

Not for Profit Conference 2013

I recently mentioned in an Admin Bandit blog post, details of the Third Sector Expo that takes place in Melbourne between 15 – 16 April.  Another event that you should consider attending is the Not for Profit Conference that is being run by CPA Australia.  This 2 day event will take place middle to late March in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Queensland.  Follow the link for more details including the cost, dates and location for each state.

The main focus of this conference relates to the changes that are taking place in the not for profit sector.  Representatives from the Australian Charities and Not for Profit Commission will provide valuable insights, advice and information that will help you adapt to many of the upcoming changes.  Whether you are a small community based organisation or an overseas international aid charity you need to be aware of these changes and how they impact on your organisation.

This conference will also have many workshops and speakers covering a range of topics including governance, raising funds when governments are reducing grants, financial reporting, FBT and salary packaging.  In addition, on the second day of the conference there is a workshop specifically focussed on the duties and legal responsibilities of officers and directors in the not for profit sector.

Follow the link to the Not for Profit Conference for more details and consider attending this worthwhile event.  For a volunteer treasurer or a committee of management member, this conference will not only provide a range of valuable resources and information but the opportunity to meet others in the not for profit sector so you can build your network. 

How Your Blog Can Support Your Fundraising Efforts

Board meetings can be long and dull, particularly if you are focussing on some of the tough financial issues every not for profit organisation has to deal with.  The problem is that these kinds of tasks suck your energy and stifle your creativity.

It’s difficult to find a way to inspire people to support your charity when all you can think of are numbers.

That’s where your blog can be very useful.  The organisation’s blog is the perfect vehicle for spreading the message about what you do and why you do it.  As volunteer treasurer you should be involved in creating posts which show what happens to the money that people donate.

Take a look at the Starlight Foundation blog as an example.

What’s good about it?

·         It’s filled with photos which tell a story about the people they are helping.

·         It takes readers right into the lives of the children who need the help.

·         It shows their corporate successes and acknowledges their big benefactors.

·         It shows the volunteers actively helping people.

·         It introduces members of the team.

·         It is filled with personality and touches of humour.

Can you imagine how influential that blog could be for someone looking for a charity to support?  It touches every emotion you can think of plus it builds faith in the commitment of its workers.

As a volunteer treasurer you know where the money is being spent and why.  You know when your not for profit is going to need extra funding and you will know when to celebrate success and share it with your followers.  This can be used to help you plan the kind of posts you need to share and their timing.

The volunteer treasurer role isn’t just about counting and managing the money that comes in; it also involves inspiring people to donate.

If you don’t have a blog which tells the story of the work your not for profit organisation does, why not suggest starting one?