Executive Director Archives

Grateful for 18 gifts in 18 years of Nonprofit Consulting

December 10, 2024 by Sara Jane Lowry

When I began nonprofit coaching 18 years ago, I had no idea how transformative the journey would be—not only for the organizations I would work with but also for myself. Over nearly two decades of coaching leaders, working with boards, strategizing with passionate teams, and learning from the challenges of nonprofits, I’ve accumulated these nonprofit leadership insights that have shaped my approach and perspective. I am grateful for these 18 gifts.

Whether you’re a new nonprofit leader or an experienced one, I hope these insights help guide you in your work.

Mission Clarity is Everything

Without a clear and compelling mission, it’s nearly impossible to maintain momentum. A strong mission statement serves as the North Star for the entire organization, from your staff to your donors. It should be the heartbeat of your strategy, communications, and fundraising.

Relationships Matter More Than You Think

Nonprofits are built on relationships—whether with staff, volunteers, donors, or community partners. Strong, authentic connections create trust, which is essential for long-term success. Invest time in building meaningful relationships both internally and externally.

Leadership is About Service, Not Power

Nonprofit leadership is not about being at the top. It’s about serving your team, your clients, and your mission. As a coach, I’ve seen that the most successful leaders are those who empower others, delegate effectively, and listen more than they talk.

Fail Forward

In the nonprofit world, failure is inevitable. But it’s not the failure itself that matters—it’s how you respond to it. Embrace a growth mindset. Learn from missteps, adapt, and move forward stronger than before. In 18 years, I’ve learned that if you’re keeping people informed along the way about the challenges, they generally think it was worthwhile even if the results weren’t stellar.

People Aren’t “Human Resources,” They’re Human Beings

This may sound simple, but it’s something I’ve had to remind many organizations of over 18 years. Every person is an individual with their own values, motivations, and challenges. They have lives outside of serving the mission. Treating staff and volunteers as people, not resources, fosters loyalty, creativity, and passion.

Burnout is Real!

Nonprofit work can be incredibly rewarding, but it can also be exhausting. Leaders must recognize the signs of burnout in themselves and their teams, and take proactive steps to prevent it. A healthy, balanced work culture doesn’t just benefit individuals—it benefits the organization. What example are you setting?

Resources Are Always Tight, But Creativity Can Fill the Gaps

While funding is often scarce in the nonprofit sector, the lack of resources doesn’t need to be a barrier to success. Creativity—whether in fundraising, problem-solving, or community engagement—can make all the difference. The best nonprofits know how to stretch limited resources and turn challenges into opportunities.

Data Can Be Your Best Friend

Nonprofits often make the mistake of running programs based on passion alone, without evaluating their effectiveness. Collecting and analyzing data helps you understand what works, what doesn’t, and where improvements can be made. Numbers provide clarity and help you make informed decisions. And funders require it. Just start measuring and evaluating.

Fundraising is About Relationships, Not Just Money

Many nonprofit leaders view fundraising solely as a financial transaction, but it’s actually about cultivating relationships. People give because they believe in your mission, and they give to people they trust. Over the 18 years, I remember all the donors I built a relationship with who care deeply about helping others and am grateful to have been part of their life’s purpose. Fundraising should be about connection, not just a call for a check. Pick up the phone. Take them to lunch. Write a personal note. Show you care about their goals.

You Can’t Do It All Yourself

No leader can do it all. Delegation isn’t just a strategy—it’s a necessity. Surround yourself with a team that complements your skills and shares your vision. The more you trust and empower your team, the more your organization will thrive. If you’re having trouble delegating, hire a coach to help you think it through, and what your organization’s org chart should look like.

Sustainability Is Key

Nonprofits often focus on short-term goals, but without long-term sustainability, their impact will be limited. Developing a sustainable model—whether through diversified funding streams, building an endowment, or focusing on programmatic efficiency—ensures that your organization can make an enduring impact. Talk about it with your board, your staff, and your donors. Consider partners.

The Power of Storytelling

People connect with stories, not statistics. Whether you’re making an appeal to a donor or inspiring your team, storytelling is one of the most powerful tools at your disposal. Tell the stories of the people you serve, the impact you’re making, and the journey you’ve been on. Help your board and staff to know the stories so they can be better ambassadors.

The Best Ideas Can Come from Anywhere

One of the most exciting things about nonprofits is the diversity of thought and experience within them. Whether you’re a CEO or a volunteer, every person has a valuable perspective. Nonprofit leadership insights includes the lesson I’ve learned that the best ideas often come from the most unexpected places.

Your Organizational Culture Matters

An organization’s culture is its backbone. It shapes how staff, volunteers, and stakeholders interact and influence how productive and healthy your work environment will be. Building a culture based on trust, transparency, and respect leads to a more engaged team and better outcomes.

Adaptability is Critical

The nonprofit sector is constantly evolving—whether through shifts in funding, changes in government policies, or new social challenges. Organizations that thrive are the ones that remain adaptable. Being able to pivot, whether it’s in response to an external change or internal need, is essential for survival and growth. Resilience is a power word.

Celebrate Small Wins

Nonprofits often work on big, long-term goals, but it’s important to celebrate the small wins along the way. Acknowledging progress—whether it’s reaching a fundraising goal, improving a program, or simply keeping a team motivated—keeps morale high and reminds everyone that their hard work is paying off. This is one of the most ignored insights I can give you.

It’s Okay to Ask for Help

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned as a nonprofit coach is that it’s okay to ask for help. Many leaders feel the weight of the world on their shoulders, but no one should go it alone. Whether it’s seeking out a coach, asking for mentoring, or getting professional advice, reaching out to others can be a game-changer.

The Work You Do Matters

Lastly, after 18 years, this is the most important lesson I’ve learned: the work you do in the nonprofit sector truly matters. Every hour, every conversation, every piece of advice, and every donation helps create positive change in the world. Never underestimate the impact you’re making.
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Looking back on these 18 years, I am grateful for the opportunity to serve nonprofit leaders and organizations. The lessons have been hard-won, and I continue to learn from every experience. Whether you’re just starting out or you’re a seasoned leader, I hope these nonprofit leadership insights will help you navigate the challenges and triumphs of nonprofit leadership. Here’s to the next 18 years of growth, impact, and transformation!

Influence happens 1 person at a time

February 11, 2019 by Sara Jane Lowry

Are you having difficulty influencing people to buy into your ideas? Are you wishing you had more impact at your job? Then, you may need to consider planning your conversations and building in flexibility in approaches.

Sparrows conversing in a group trying to influence one another

Influence has some principles that might be helpful to remember in those conversations:

What’s in it for them? (People do things for their own reasons.)
Make sure to take a reading of ego and relationships and how that relates to results. Perhaps, reconsider the balance of those three.
Are you employing the behavior of “If you don’t ask for it, you won’t get it” talk with that person?
Remember that influence happens 1 person at a time, not as a group?
Are you taking 100% responsibility for your own impact on that person? This means: do you realize that what you intend to impact doesn’t always translate to the impact the other person experiences?
Realize that with influence conversations there are no guarantees: use each influence conversation as an opportunity to learn and improve.

And, it requires “influence flexibility” to know what approach to take with each person. Each person requires their own plan.

Start with a goal

How can you think about what you want that person to do, say, think or feel differently? And, as you consider that outcome, also think about whether it is possible to accomplish it one meeting, or if you will need more than one.

Determine what might motivate them

Even Dale Carnegie, the author of “How to Win Friends and Influence People, knew that to have influence, you needed to understand what a person was focused on, and what was important for them in the situation.

What will motivate them in this situation?
Are there reasons that you might provide that would influence them?
What incentives can you provide that s/he would value?
Or, is there something you could you remove, or use to apply pressure to influence them?
What are his/her primary interests or concerns in the situation?

And, it’s important to address THEIR key interests, concerns, or frustrations first before bringing up your own if you want to influence a change.

Influence is a 2-way street.

As you prepare to have the conversation, check in with your own rigidity and bias:

are you willing to be open to his/her ideas? Check your own needs against theirs? And, are you able to inspire them to a shared vision?
If you know the places where you are not willing to be flexible, then make that clear up front.
Don’t air all your grievances, or be overly emotional. Therefore, think through what you know you shouldn’t say or do because it might escalate or upset the situation. This is a good time to practice your own emotional awareness because you don’t want to lose focus.
Is there common ground such as shared values or experiences?

Sometimes conversations don’t go as planned.

So, plan in advance what you will do if you need to go to “plan B.”

Plan to excuse yourself if it isn’t going well to regroup
Consider coming back to it later with new information, or when the situation is calmer.

If you weren’t able to achieve the goal you set, think about what didn’t work in your approach, and notice what you learned about the process of influence. Because learning how to influence people to hear your ideas, or perform better on a team, is a process of learning more about the people you work with or want to influence.

I can help you plan your next important conversation, clarify your goals, and rehearse to be sure you are ready and maximize your success. Book me at https://sarajanelowrybooking.as.me/

Storytelling Guide for Nonprofit Appeals

September 9, 2017 by Sara Jane Lowry

It’s that time for year-end appeals. And there are lots and lots of nonprofit storytelling articles and advice for you to read. To make life simpler for you, I’ve created for you an infographic, a storytelling guide for nonprofit appeals, to help you remember all the ingredients that make an appeal successful. The pointers in the infographic are key steps that I have used to help non-profits I have worked with raise more than they did previously.

I want to remind you that you need a plan, a goal, and a timeline. You can read more about that here. You will need a strategy for your letter campaign, and one for your social media campaign. But, the heart of every good appeal is the story or stories you tell.

Think of your story as a short picture book. Use images to break up your text, and to tell your story. Even if someone doesn’t read the email or letter, they will look at the images.

Every good story has an audience

Before you write your story, you need to know:

Who are your audiences (and are you treating them all the same)?
Do you know what they value?
What do you need to know about them to write the story for them?
What do you need them to know and do? Besides investing in your work, how can you empower them to re-tell your story and share it with others? When do you need them to do it by? How will you share the results of their efforts on your behalf?
There should be a different style and tone to an acquisition letter to new donors. Help them get to know you.
A renewal letter should include how you’ve used their last donation, what good you’ll do with another donation and why there is urgency in making a donation at this time. Also, always include a message of gratitude for the gift they’ve given in the past.

Your storytelling template

Start with an exercise known as the 5 WHYs? Why are you doing this work? You question each previous “so that” in order to get to the heart of it, the core of what you do, the impact you have, a simple answer that is compact.

Why? So that . . .

Why? So that . . .
Why? So that . . .
Why? So that . . .
Why? So that . . .

Does your final answer reflect inarguable value and impact? Will your “Why” help someone make the decision to say “yes” to your cause?

In what ways can the story be linked to something the reader (or viewer) cares about?
By supporting your appeal, will they see themselves as a better person personally or professionally (self-interest/personal identity)? This works best through images that are like them. Help people imagine the benefits they will receive. Use strategies like “Image . . .” or “Did you know . . .” or “What if?”
Will your “Why?” help someone make the decision to say “yes” to your appeal?

Whose stories will you tell?

Choose stories that will engage people emotionally. This is where you pick a character(s) that allow them to see:

Whose life will be impacted?
Use names, protected if necessary
Be descriptive
Use real images if possible

When you focus on the one (or few) you make the problem solvable. Because when the problem seems too big to solve, they find it harder to get involved. At that point, it becomes a statistic.

Grab attention with something unexpected

You can grab, and keep attention with surprise, and deep interest. Your opening statement or segment is the best place for something unexpected to get them to read/view further,

Use a surprising fact(s) that will grab the reader/viewer and make them pay attention

What is “uncommon” or counterintuitive about your work?
What are the unexpected implications of the “Why” message?
Why isn’t this work already being done in your community?

What is the challenge?

What is the challenge, and will be solved for your character?
In what ways can the reader/viewer relate?
Put the story in the larger context, but be concise.

Help people to understand and remember. What concrete images can you use to describe the challenge and the solution? Think of an image you can “imagine” with you senses (feel, hear, see, touch, smell). What concrete, visually descriptive nouns describe the challenge and solution?

Action!

Every story has action. The hero (donor, not the agency) resolves the challenge, and without that support, what would happen?

What will happen if no action is taken?

And, what will happen if the solution is applied?

What might the reader/viewer do to help?

Your focus is always on “you” the person reading/viewing. Make sure to use the word repeatedly, after all, they are seeking to make a difference. Donors want to solve problems. Note: please don’t call the donor “the hero” in your narrative. This is more a reminder to you to remember to see that the donor is who makes solutions possible.

Setting

Where does the story take place?
Has the reader/viewer been in a similar setting?

Making it credible

This is where you help people believe and agree. In what ways can the story be linked to the person reading the appeal? Or, can you link the story to an experience the audience can have for themselves?

Is there an honest and trustworthy person with authority who can serve as a spokesperson in telling the story?
What are the vivid, core, compelling details that boost credibility?
What statistics can be used to illustrate the story?

Decision-making isn’t logical, it’s emotional, according to the latest findings in neuroscience.Thus, their ultimate decision is based on self-interest. That’s emotional.“I want this.” [They want to have hope that they can make lives/the world better.] This is where we have to dig deep to understand donors’ real motivations, connecting with them on the level of shared values, and showing how they can create real, lasting change. But, you need to establish credibility in the speaker, or the agency, as authentic and worthy of the investment, and for that, you need some facts. So, this strategy follows an “if” “then” logic – “if” this is true “then” would this not also be true?

Impact

Impact in your storytelling is essential. People who want to have a positive impact in the world, want to know that their support will bring a change to others or the world. Hope is a key ingredient of impact. When they see something that agitates and disturbs them, they strive to know more, understand the contributing factors, and support new solutions. Your storytelling showcases the solution you are applying to the challenge. Is it working? How well? How much change can be made? With this much support, how much impact is possible?

Make the ASK

This is the call to action. You’ve got to make an ask and make it specific. Tell your reader/viewer what you want them to do, how to do it, and create urgency so they take action now. Suggest donation amounts. Remind them what their gift will do and how you will use it. Ask them to share your message with others. Reiterate the ask in the P.S. at the end.

Be bold in your storytelling and you will see results that support your mission. Please share your comments!

3rd party fundraiser: should you accept the offer?

August 27, 2017 by Sara Jane Lowry

two hands holding a dollar bill so back side is showing with caption how do you respond when someone wants to do a 3rd party fundraiser for your organization in order to promote their business?

3rd party fundraiser events are common today. That doesn’t mean you should accept one. So should you accept an offer of a business to do a fundraiser for your organization?

The answer is: it depends.

On the surface, it seems like a wonderful idea doesn’t it? Wow, someone wants to raise money for you?

But it’s not that simple.

First, it’s your reputation, so choose the company wisely – do your own research and vetting. What if the business isn’t aligned with your mission? And, what’s the likelihood of the event being successful?

Second, what do they want from you? It might truly be something where they do all the work with no involvement from you, and they just send the check for the proceeds. But in many cases, they only want to give you a percentage of the proceeds (as low as 10%).

Red flag the offer if these are part of the 3rd party fundraiser request

They want to:

use your social media to broadcast the event to your followers (or even worse, want you to use your staff’s time to promote the event, create and send emails, postings, and fliers.)
use your staff and volunteers on the day of the event to manage activities.
send thank yous and receipts to everyone who participates financially. (if you’re a small staff, this is particularly challenging).
use your liability insurance for the event.
get you to invite all of your supporters to the event – if you’ve been busy cultivating your donors and their engagement, imagine what a confusing message this sends!

Will they sign a 3rd party fundraising agreement?

This is a board-approved document that outlines:

the permissions to use organizational materials, logo, or any indication of affiliation only for this event including a point about not altering the logo for their purposes, or not.
your discretion as to whether you are able and or willing to post the 3rd party fundraiser on official organization social channels and website.
how charitable receipts will be handled. For example, cash must be accompanied with the identifying donor’s information, address, etc. And, that donations must be given to the organization within 30 days of the end of the event. Or, that you will not provide receipts, and the dollars raised cannot be considered a charitable donation for individuals but only to the business.
most importantly, that your organization will not be held liable for any issues, injuries, damages to persons or property, or any other incidents that arise during your 3rd party fundraiser event.
get it signed in advance of the event. And make sure your board approves the event.

Third party fundraiser events can be a wonderful thing if the business really has the charity’s best interests in mind. But the charity must weigh the “cost” in time, staff, and donor engagement/confusion before acceptance. If it seems too good to be true, it just might be.

Annual Appeal Planning: Starting NOW will ensure success

August 19, 2017 by Sara Jane Lowry

annual appeal planning with notebook and watch If you haven’t started your Annual Appeal planning by now, you’re already behind.

You’re probably thinking: Gosh, it’s still summer and school is just starting!

But the truth is that if you want to achieve some real financial and donor relationship goals this year, getting started right now will ensure your boss or board (and you) aren’t disappointed with the return.

So, take time to get your goals set and systems in place first. You’ll thank me later.

Goal-setting

Financial

You may have already put a number in the budget. How much did say you were going to raise? Was it based on real numbers from last year? Or what you needed to make ends meet? Most of all, get clear in your mind what number you’re shooting for. Because without a goal, you have no way to measure your success.

Donor

Here’s where you can see how you can better interact with your donors. These are the people who care, who love being part of changing the world through you! So set some goals like: wall with graffiti saying the best gift is you for annual appeal

Whether you can be improving donor retention with improving the stories you share. [This is very important: only 46% of donors gave a 2nd gift!] If your donor retention last year was 40% or 80%, you could set a goal of increasing it by 10-15%.
How you can reengage donors who didn’t give last year to give again. If you take time to review what they gave for previously or when, you might determine a strategy that fits them.
Take some time in reviewing your lists to see donor giving trends and see if there are some major donor prospects you haven’t yet developed.

Put together an Annual Appeal Team

Please don’t try to go it alone, even if you’re a solo executive director or development person. Depending on your nonprofit’s size, get a couple of staff, volunteers, or board members to help you. You will need feedback on your story, on segmenting lists, on creating a social media timeline, and people willing to write notes, and to make a visit or some calls to major donors. Therefore, get these people lined up now. Your appeal results will be stronger for it.

Annual Appeal Timeline

Yep, the timeline – that’s how you’ll see you’re already behind. Remember, you’re working on two tracks now: donor engagement, and the whole production aspect of the year end appeal.

Donor engagement timeline:

In the best planning, you’ve already been building relationships with donors. This essential work needs to have already be happening to engage them in how you’re using their support to create impact, to show them that you see them as the fans they are, and to lead them toward wanting to give you a year-end gift. So, what if you haven’t started? And what kind of simple events can you plan in the next two months to see people face-to-face? Set up meetings with the executive director and various donors; get your board to arrange a donor thank-you event; invite a “donor advisory board” of folks to come and hear about your work and offer input. one person facing 2 other people

While you’re getting in some face time with donors, make sure you’re communicating with donors who are giving now – perhaps a welcome pack and special new donor thank you; heartfelt, hand-signed thank-yous that are as personal as possible; or sending a donor-driven, story-focused newsletter right now.

So here’s the annual appeal production timeline you should be working with right now:

NOW

Hold a brainstorming meeting with staff to determine your appeal’s theme and messaging

The theme is usually 3-5 words that encapsulate the vision you’re working toward. It might be something that fits the journey of a client whose story you will share.
Whose story will you share? Do you have a picture (and permission to use it)? Since stories drive donations, this is the heart of your appeal. But what if your nonprofit serves at-risk people who need to stay anonymous? Here’s the bottom line when telling their stories.
- Always get written permission from clients before publishing their stories.
- Get creative in shielding personal details and identities of the client unless they are okay with sharing.
- Be transparent about what you are doing. In other words, footnote the story with something like: “While this story is true, the client’s name and image may have been changed to protect privacy. Thank you for understanding.”
Consider including a donor’s story as part of the annual appeal package. Donors also have a story. And that story is powerful. Their story can help you move others to become donors. People like to be part of a movement. The donor can be the hero of the story.

Create a Production Timeline working back from your mailing date

Things your timeline should include:

Time to write your annual appeal draft and have it reviewed by all the people who think they should comment
Time for segmenting your donor database
Finalizing your draft
Deciding what else you want to send in the annual appeal such as a slip reminding to ask for a matching gift from an employer
Purging people from your list who haven’t donated in years
Talking with your designer, and getting specs and costs from printer and mail house
Time for your board to write notes on letters
Making sure you send the database out to the post office to have NCOA

Determine how you want to segment your database

PLEASE DON’T SEND THE SAME THING TO EVERYONE WHO HAS EVER GIVEN YOU MONEY!

Since every donor is unique and special, they have a different reason for being involved. Hopefully, you’ve categorized that reason somewhere in their record. And someone who’s given you less than $100 should receive a different appeal than someone who gives you $500 or more.
In the case of smaller donors, ask them to repeat their giving from last year by suggesting a string of amounts that show an increase from that gift that will be reflected on your remit piece or donation landing page.

You’ve got this. Just get your plan, timeline, team, story, and database lined up now. Please don’t wait until October. Get your system in place to assure your success. If you’re having difficulties or want to improve your results, please get in touch.