IdeaEncore: Create your branded online resource library

Thank you for helping nonprofit resources reach organizations all over the world!  We are thrilled that nonprofit professionals by the thousands are hungry to find and adapt resources.   We are proud that more and more people want to share what they have created - many for free, some to create earned income.    We are happy that innovative organizations are finding their IdeaEncore powered online resource libraries save their staff time and money while better serving their members, constituents and other stakeholders. Because of you, 2011 has been a wonderful year for the IdeaEncore community.

The fast/easy way to your online resource library

If your New Year's resolutions include a more robust online resource library - you are only a few hours away.  And it can be embedded in your website with your own branding. Subscribing to an IdeaEncore powered online resource library (such as the Montana Nonprofit Association library below) is an easy way to add value to your website and share just the resources you select with a broad audience.        You can add any of the more than 4,500 resources already available on IdeaEncore to your branded library with a single click. Even if you already have a resource library, it's easy to upload your materials to IdeaEncore and it's even easier to update your library over time. You can even put your IdeaEncore powered library directly on your web page.  It is as easy as adding a video - just paste in the  simple iFrame code that we provide. Instead of spending valuable and scarce time and money creating a library from scratch, use IdeaEncore's already available resources and technology platform. Groups that have added IdeaEncore libraries as a resource for their members include management support groups, state associations, volunteer centers, national and regional membership groups, consulting groups, family and community foundations - groups seeking to provide easy access to the best resources to save their members and constituents time and money. Check out these examples of IdeaEncore powered libraries: Montana Nonprofit Association's Resource Library is embedded right in their website. Dwight Stuart Youth Foundation just added a link on the left side navigation of their websiteto their IdeaEncore hosted Resource Library.  Capaciteria merged their extensive collection and their library is now powered by IdeaEncore's platform.  Want more information about becoming an IdeaEncore partner library? Please visit our library information page or send us a note with questions or to set-up an online demo/discussion about how we can help you achieve your goals.

Encores of the Week

GrantSeeking in the Area of Arts (Fall 2011 Report) Shared by GrantStation (Free) The One Hour Program Evaluation Shared by Nonprofit Management Services ($5) Funding Conundrums: Fundraising Do's and Don'ts Shared by Notations on Nonprofits (Free) The top website design assumptions that will cost you Shared by Numa Communications ($5) do+ Nonprofit and Corporate Partnership Worksheet Shared by Do Good Communications (Free)

Thank you for all of your past support.  We look forward to serving you in the new year.

IdeaEncore - Top 10 Resources Sold in 2011

This year thousands of nonprofit professionals and those who support them have uploaded their valuable resources to share on IdeaEncore.  As the year comes to a close, we would like to thank every single one of you for helping to build the IdeaEncore collection of resources. In this eNewsletter, we are pleased to give a little extra recognition to a few of you.  If you haven't already shared on IdeaEncore, Please take a few minutes to share your favorite resource today.

Top Ten Content Producers of 2011

Thank you to everyone who shared what they know with their nonprofit colleagues through IdeaEncore!    Congratulations to the following top 10 content producers!  Our winners were selected based on the number of items shared (both for free and for a price) and the popularity of those items (downloads, views, ratings, etc.). The diversity of organizations who have shared inspires us.  By clicking the links below, you can easily browse through all the resources shared by each organization.    The Bridgespan Group   Lindsay Coleman (Boston, MA)     Capaciteria   Jonathan Peizer (Woodmere, NY)      Montana Nonprofit Association (MNA) Teresa Geremia-Chart (Helena, MT)     NEW (Nonprofit Enterprise At Work, Inc.)  Dan Robin (Detroit, MI) Nonprofit Management Services, LLC Marilyn Donnellan (Clermont, FL)   Nonprofit Webinars (Tacoma, WA)     Scribner & Associates Susan Scribner (Long Beach, CA)   Texas Association of Nonprofit Organizations (TANO) Barry Silverberg (Austin, TX) Union Square Main Streets   Mimi Graney (Somerville, MA) University of San Diego (San Diego, CA)

#1 Content Producer of 2011: Marilyn Donnellan

After Marilyn Donnellan, President of Nonprofit Management Services, LLC offered a sample board agenda on a LinkedIn Group discussion, she received hundreds of requests to "email me a copy".   She uploaded that one document to IdeaEncore and posted the IdeaEncore link to her document to the LinkedIn group.  Now anyone in that group (and many other visitors to IdeaEncore) can download her file at their convenience. Within the first few days dozens of people downloaded her document. Because she chose to receive an email each time her resource is downloaded, she knows a little about each group that has benefited from her work and can protect her intellectual property, in case of misuse.      Excited by the potential, she began uploaded more original files / resources, including The Six Hour Strategic Plan, that she offered for $5 . Within the first day, she sold her first resource through IdeaEncore.   Since then, Marilyn has created and uploaded over a dozen resources on a variety of topics, from financial audits to risk management to boards of directors to volunteer management. So far, her resources have received over 2,600 views and over 450 downloads.  Way to go, Marilyn! With just a bit of work to upload her files, Marilyn has helped hundreds of nonprofit colleagues and earned over $400 in revenue!    "IdeaEncore has provided me with an incredible way to share my experience and knowledge and, at the same time, leave a legacy to young nonprofit professionals," Marilyn added, "I have also been contacted by a publisher in London who wants to publish the "Hour" series internationally.  I am amazed at the response to my uploads.  What an incredible way to transmit useable information."    If you haven't already, check out all the great resources that Marilyn has shared on IdeaEncore.

Top Ten Resources Sold in 2011

10. Fundraising Plan  Shared by Impact Philanthropy Group ($20)    9. How to Ask for Money without Fainting  Shared by Scribner & Associates ($7.50) 8. Making the Most of Limited Marketing Resources: Proven Steps to Successfully Market Your Nonprofit on a Shoestring Budget   Shared by Numa Communications ($5) 7. The Board Room - Board Member Orientation  Shared by NEW (Nonprofit Enterprise at Work, Inc) ($5) 6. Fundraising Plan Outline  Shared by EDA Consulting, LLC ($10) 5. JVA Grant Proposal Checklist  Shared by JVA Consulting, LLC ($5)  4. Core Elements of a Successful Nonprofit  Shared by Nonprofit Management Services, LLC ($15)  3. The Six Secrets of High Engagement Presentations  Shared by Wholonomy Consulting ($15) 2. Two Hour Board Training  Shared by Nonprofit Management Services, LLC ($5) 1. Six Hour Strategic Plan  Shared by Nonprofit Management Services, LLC ($5)

We hope you are enjoying a warm holiday season and wish you a very happy new year.

IdeaEncore: Top 10 Free Resources of 2011

The year-end allows us each the time to reflect on what we have accomplished in 2011 and all we hope to do in 2012. As we reflect on 2011, we are grateful for your support of IdeaEncore and nonprofit knowledge sharing.  Your active participation in the IdeaEncore sharing community continues to be absolutely essential to our mutual success. In 2011 just look at how far we've come together: 4,500+ resources are now available to nonprofits everywhere ...more than triple the number last December.    12,000+ users ... more than double last year. 10,000 unique visitors from more than 100 countries visit monthly. 1,570,000 nonprofit professionals received eNewsletter links to selected resources in October.  This tremendous reach is a tribute to quality affiliate partnerships and our own outreach. Dozens of customer branded online libraries are being curated by IdeaEncore subscribers. Thank you for sharing and downloading nonprofit resources on IdeaEncore!

Impact of the IdeaEncore Community

As a community of nonprofit and social enterprise professionals, you have downloaded more than 40,000 resources - the most common topic is board development with grantwriting, fundraising, evaluation, social enterprise and so many others close behind. A recent survey of frequent downloaders reveals the diversity of benefits your experienced from IdeaEncore resources: 78% adapted information they downloaded to meet their unique needs 26% saved time, 17% saved money, and 17% saved both  The items downloaded were used to: "influence my thinking" (31%); help "my department" (25%); "influence my decisions or actions" (21%). 10% of downloads were used or adapted for use by "multiple departments" The community is also uploading resources - many of which have never been shared on the internet before.  People share as part of a mission to build and influence the nonprofit sector, for visibility amongst peers and even to create passive, earned income.   Others share helpful and proven resources because they remember how valuable it was when someone helped them draft a budget or recruit a new board member or write a grant for the first time. Curation is a vital part of sharing the IdeaEncore collection of resources. You can rate and comment on any resource you download.        "Liking" a resource places your logo next to a resource every time it appears in a search. Rating and liking resources lets your clients and your colleagues know that you like the quality of the resource, it positions you as a thought leader, and it provides helpful feedback to the organizations who have shared their materials. Libraries and partnerships with IdeaEncore help grow your organizations' expertise and reach.  Many organizations embed an IdeaEncore powered resource libray into their website to add value to their members and prospects. A library is easy to create, taking just a few hours of "liking" resources and requires no technological investment.  Partners help their members find re-usable materials to accelerate innovation, to save time and money, and reduce risk. Start 2012 by finding and sharing resources on IdeaEncore to help you and your nonprofit colleagues grow.

What our users said

We love to hear from you.  Feedback brightens our day ... and makes us stronger. "We could not provide the quality of service we do without expending substantially more hours if you did not offer the content you provide" Valencia Coar,  Etcetera Enterprises nfp (Chicago, IL) "Articles help me see the full range of a topic, rather than just the viewpoints I already have. They stretch my thinking." Bitsy Bidwell, Bitsy Bidwell Consulting (Olympia, WA) Thanks for helping IdeaEncore grow.

Top Ten Free Resources Downloaded in 2011 (through Nov)

10. Top 20 Items For A Successful Grant   Shared by Mission Possible Nonprofit Solutions, Ltd. 160 downloads)    9. Ten Steps for Building an Effective Nonprofit Board A Checklist for Action - Shared by Facilitation and Process, LLC  (163 downloads)  8. Board of Directors Recruitment Grid   Shared by Union Square Main Streets  (172 downloads)     7. If You Evaluate It, They Will Fund: Program Evaluations Essentials -   Shared by Nonprofit Webinars (225 downloads) 6. The Community Tool Box's Guide for Writing a Grant   Shared by Urban Institute  (309 downloads)  5. GRANTWRITING - Program Development   Shared by by Carol Geisbauer Grantwriting (333 downloads)   4. Grant writing Toolkit - Program Plan   Shared by Center for Nonprofit Excellence - United Way of Central New Mexico  (384 downloads)   3. Grantwriting: Basics for Beginners   Shared by Carol Geisbauer Grantwriting  (488 downloads) 2. Grant writing toolkit - Needs Statement   Shared by Center for Nonprofit Excellence - United Way of Central New Mexico  (502 downloads)  1. Basic Grant Writing   Shared by Merrimack Valley Food Bank, Inc.  (648 downloads)

IdeaEncore: Bringing volunteers on board with your organization

Build and strengthen the nonprofit sector by sharing and re-using proven resources. Share your invaluable experience by uploading a file or adding a link to a resource you use. It might be the best gift you could give to another nonprofit this holiday season.

Bringing volunteers on board with your organization

Finding and training the best volunteers Volunteers play a vital role in the nonprofit sector community: supporting programs  and fundraisers, and helping to spread your organization's mission. But first you need to find the right volunteers, sometimes you need to build their skills and, always, you must give them clear directions about you expect them to do. Finding the right people to volunteer at your organization is just as important as hiring the right people to work at your organization. Social Enterprise Associates has shared their free Tip Sheet: NGO Board Member and Professional Volunteer Recruitment that includes a list of "Dos and Don'ts." Volunteer Centres Ireland has shared a wealth of volunteer resources, including Designing a Successful Volunteer Recruitment Advertisement that explains the necessary components of a volunteer advertisement. Vantage Point's Volunteer Engagement Pack ($6.99) includes almost everything you need to bring volunteers on board, including interview questions, a letter of agreement and more. Once you've found the right volunteers for your organization, training and orientation are fundamental to sustained volunteer involvement. The City of Bloomington has shared Volunteer Training Tips, a one-sheet of helpful advice for training volunteers. The Four Hour Volunteer Development Process ($5) from Nonprofit Management Services will help you set up a volunteer recruitment and training process in an little as a day. VolunteerMatch has created a resource library to help support your ongoing search for resource. Check out the Volunteer Match Resource Library for more tools, examples and articles on finding and training volunteers. Share your volunteer applications, manuals and training workshops on IdeaEncore.

Encores of the Week

What's the Story Behind the Number? A Grant Maker's Guide to Understanding Nonprofit Audits Shared by Edelstein & Company LLP (Free) Ensuring the Rights of Study Participants: Resource Documents and Toolkit for Philanthropic Organizations Shared by BTW Consultants, Inc. (Free) Benchmark Against Leading Practice: Fund Development Checklist Shared by San Diego Social Venture Partners ($10)      Program Related Investments - Social Investments Shared by interSector Partners, LC3 and Created by Annie E. Casey Foundation Financial Internal Audit Shared by Nonprofit Management Services, LLC (Free)

IdeaEncore: Are you ready to publish an annual report?

Build and strengthen the nonprofit sector by sharing and re-using proven resources. Sharing your invaluable experience by uploading a file or adding a link to a resource you use, might be the best gift you could give to another nonprofit this holiday season.

Are you ready to publish an annual report?

What to include in this year's annual report As you wind down this year and get ready for next year's fundraising and programs, it's time to think about your nonprofit annual report.  The annual report can be a great way to showcase your organization's accomplishments to current and potential donors, clients and members. The Communications Network has shared their study Talking to Ourselves? A Critical Look at Annual Reports in Private Foundation Communications.  Although geared primarily towards private foundations, any nonprofit can benefit from reading the advice included and taking the self-assessment provided. If you want to demonstrate your organization's value by including an organizational evaluation in your annual report, McKinsey & Co.'s research report Evaluation: Measuring What Matters in Nonprofits breaks down some important performance metrics.  Including visuals, such as charts, graphs and maps, will make your annual report more compelling and easier for stakeholders to read and understand. Idealware's report A Consumers Guide to Low-Cost Data Visualization Tools, will help you use software and tools that your organization may already have to create compelling visuals for any publication. If you need some examples of what an annual report looks like, the Montana Nonprofit Association has shared some of their recent annual reports in the MNA Resource Library, including their 2009 Annual Report and their 2010 10-Year Report.  Share your annual report examples, checklists and advice on IdeaEncore.

Encores of the Week

Can You Make Money with Your Mission? Shared by Karen Eber Davis Consulting (Free) Using Social Media for Fundraising  Shared by CJW Consulting & Services ($20, or $10 for group members) Community Action Plan: Casa Cornelia Law Center  Shared by University of San Diego (Free) The One Hour Meeting  Shared by Nonprofit Management Services, LLC ($5) Template: Strategic Plan Control Spreadsheet  Shared by Executive Service Corp of Cincinnati (Free)

Kind regards,

IdeaEncore: Some tips and advice on end of the year fundraising

You and others like you who share what you know and re-use others resources to help you save time, save money and learn faster ... that's what tops our list of things to be grateful for this holiday season.

Tips, advice and resources for end-of-the-year fundraising events

Ensure your holiday fundraising goes well The season of celebration, family and, importantly, giving has begun. Whether your organization is in the early planning stages of a fundraising event for next year or you've been planning for months, the Nonprofit Insurance Alliance Group's Sound Advice for Functions and Events will help you reduce accidents at your event. There are a wide range of fundraising strategies that nonprofits can integrate into their events. For tips, strategies and advice on special event fundraisers, asell as in grants and individual donations, read Ilona Bray's Effective Fundraising for Nonprofits: Real World Strategies That Work ($14.99 off-site). If your nonprofit is considering integrating a raffle or other type of "gaming" into your holiday fundraising event, first read the IRS's Tax-Exempt Organizations and Gaming guide to understand the tax and reporting requirements. If your organization isn't ready to throw a large fundraising event, there are still options for you. Online auctions can be an effective and low cost way for your organization to raise money online. Northworld, LLC's A Strategy for Online Fundraising Auctions will help you learn about this twenty-first century fundraising technique. Sumac's article Making a Scene: The Recipe for a Great Fundraising Letter can help you refine your end of the year letter to touch and motivate donors. Help your nonprofit colleagues this holiday season and share your fundraising event plans, checklists and strategies on IdeaEncore.

Encores of the Week

Guilty as Charged: Prove Your Board Supports Your Organization Shared by Karen Eber Davis Consulting (Free) Two Hour Board Training Shared by Nonprofit Management Services, LLC ($5) Introduction to the Human Resources Discipline of Diversity Created by Society for Human Resource Management and Shared by Capaciteria (Free) Staffing Software-Related Positions Shared by CJW Consulting & Services, Inc. ($20 or $10 for group members) Becoming a More Effective Nonprofit Board Shared by The Bridgespan Group (Free)

IdeaEncore: Does your organization need board committees?

Forming and Managing Board Committees

Getting the most out the board of directors through committees Committees can be an effective way for board members to divide up responsibilities and use board member's skills and knowledge most effectively. However, committees aren't for every board and not all topics need specialized committees. Dalhousie University's short guide Should We Form a Board Committee? can help your organization make that decision. To get an idea of what committees your might benefit your board, check out YNPN-San Diego's Committee Descriptions, which includes descriptions of past and present committees. For recruiting specific committee members, use MEND's Board and Board Standing Committee Job Descriptions as a great example. Like any meeting, board committee meetings can become unmanageable. To keep committees on target and prevent problematic digressions, download Robert's Rules of Order Simplified from Nonprofit Management Services. Do you have experience with board committees, good or bad? Help your colleagues throughout the nonprofit sector by sharing your board committee checklists, policies and job descriptions on IdeaEncore.

Resources Wanted: Grant Tracking

Periodically your peers request specific tools and resources. Would you be able - and willing - to share your form or spread sheet for grant completion tracking, including important dates, dollar amounts, deliverables, staff time and any other information your organization uses to track grants? If you have this type of resource, we invite you to  share or sell it on IdeaEncore. You can help your fellow nonprofits, and even generate earned income for your own organization.

We First - Social Branding video< v/td>

We heard Simon Mainwaring, founder of We First, speak at the Social Enterprise Alliance conference in Chicago a few weeks ago.  He just wrote a book about the future of branding and social technology that is a New York Times bestseller, and strategy+business named it the Best Marketing Book of 2011. So his thinking and training is great. Just click on the link to watch a free Social Branding training video

Encores of the Week

Tip Sheet: NGO Board Member & Professional Volunteer Recruitment Shared by Social Enterprise Associates (Free) The Two Hour Executive Director Performance Review Shared by Nonprofit Management Services, LLC ($5) Financial Crisis: 10 Smart Things Your Board Can Do Now Created by Board Source and Shared by Capaciteria (Free) MNA Principles and Practices Infrastructure Checklist Shared by Montana Nonprofit Association ($10) Nonprofit Center Board Member Expectation Statement Shared by Nonprofit Center of Northeast Florida (Free)