Category: Community Engagement Page 9 of 10

Creating People-First Culture

On January 28, 2020

In Community Engagement, Muhammad Babangida, Philanthropy

Our society has gradually been moving closer to a people-first culture, but some workplaces are finding it difficult to adapt to this trend. While there are many benefits to putting people first, it can be a challenge to make this a successful transition. As an employer or business owner, the following tips can help you set the standard for your staff.

Practice Patience
You should begin practicing a people-first culture in adapting your hiring process to be more focused on the candidates you attract. While it will take a greater investment of time, choosing the ideal candidate will help you build a better workplace culture. You should use your hiring process to ensure each employee brings value to the team.

Set the Example
Your employees will look to you to learn how to conduct themselves, so it’s important to set a good example. When you take on the role of their leader, you will want to embody positive traits that reinforce the people-first culture. This means being as honest and forthright as possible. This should involve creating open lines of communication between you and your team, while also encouraging them to communicate more freely with one another.

Know Your Team
Switching to a people-first culture requires that you take the time to get to know your employees and express empathy for them. Partly, this involves learning more about their roles in your organization and the skills they possess. It can be helpful to get to know them on a more personal level, so you can understand how their personal lives contribute to their performance at work.

When you adopt a people-first culture in the workplace, you’ll be helping your employees to create a more positive environment for everyone. This will encourage feelings of trust and mutual respect. It will also boost the overall morale of your team and. As a result, you’ll see an improvement in productivity.

Understanding Trends in Online Fundraising

By Muhammad Babangida

On January 13, 2020

In Community Engagement, Muhammad Babangida, Philanthropy, Youth Philanthropy

Americans are very giving as a culture. As technology evolves, it’s become important to target potential donors online. One example of this is the COVID-19 epidemic. Where traditionally many museums and other non-profits hosted big parties to raise money, many of those events have gone online. Organizations that have been light on their feet and quick to adapt have been able to continue to raise funds in spite of social distancing.

Text-to-donate has also grown as a way to reach donors, particularly younger ones. People today are increasingly attached to their mobile phones. Smartphones have become the main place people organize their lives in many ways. And donors are willing to give via text in many cases. Organizations like the Red Cross have utilized this model with great success. Donors text a specific number, usually a 5-digit code. Donors are also willing to give to smaller, local charities they feel personally connected to with this model. Of course, it’s important to make sure donors are aware an organization is able to accept funds this way. Messaging via email or postal mail is a great way to make them aware of this. There are different software programs available to set this up.

Peer-to-peer fundraising is also a wonderful way for charities to increase online donations. Peer-to-peer means that people from the community ask their friends and family for donations. This is often done as a birthday fundraiser on platforms like Facebook. It’s a great way to keep giving at the forefront of a donor’s minds.

The Morals of Charity

By Muhammad Babangida

On July 15, 2018

In Community Engagement, Muhammad Babangida

Very few people deny that helping other people is a good thing. After all, if someone can use their hard-earned cash to better the lives of an individual or group of people, why shouldn’t they? Everyone seems to win.

Still, there are significant questions posed about the method and motivation behind various charity endeavors that cause people to reconsider whether it’s a completely altruistic act 100% of the time.

How Do You Choose Where to Give?

There are thousands of different charities for people to choose, from disease prevention to poverty alleviation, so how does someone know which one to pick? Is it ethical to fund cancer research that could take decades to solve, for instance, instead of helping to make Sudanese orphans lives better now? The fact that people can choose what to do with their money is great, but if nobody picks the ones that are most necessary, how selfless are we really being?

Should Charity Be Taxed?

Supposedly, charity endeavors are tax-free in order to encourage people to give more, but should that really be the case? With the median income for executives at large non-profits set to approach the half-million mark soon, many would-be donors are arguing that any money given to charities should be taxed as well. Allowing people to donate money without taxation may help people, but it also shuffles money away from improving the infrastructure and government programs which help everyone.

Is Asking For Money Ethical?

Ask any marketing personnel at a non-profit sector and they’ll tell you how vital fundraising efforts are. Without it, very few would be able to survive, simply because most people wouldn’t be aware of the need in the first place. But is asking for money right, considering most fundraising efforts aim to make an emotional appeal to get donors to commit? Opponents claim that money given through such means are not always truly voluntary, thus nullifying the sincerity.

Do People Emphasize Charities Nearby?

If given the choice, nearly everyone would sacrifice a part of their personal belongings in order to save the life of a child in need, but how does that sacrificial attitude change when the need isn’t directly in front of someone? Out of sight, out of mind, right? In this case, the causes that people donate towards are the ones that they can see and hear directly, meaning distance can numb individuals to needs that are otherwise vital.

How Community Engagement Can Restore Trust in the Government

By Muhammad Babangida

On June 23, 2018

In Community Engagement, Muhammad Babangida

Trust in government is an essential element in any democracy. Unfortunately for the United States, it’s currently running on a near-empty tank, as the gap between parties widens further with every passing day. While this is disheartening, the gap is not unbridgeable; simple human interaction can work wonders for combating this divisiveness.

When it comes to restoring trust in the government, why is community engagement important? Essentially, because it’s easier to trust in a system when one is actively engaged in fostering its growth and working alongside others who share a common purpose. This is what democracy is supposed to be about, but the political divide has made it difficult to move forward, with one side shouting for one thing while being drowned out by the other. Working together on a small scale will make even the largest problems seem less insurmountable.

The International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) has created a template known as the Spectrum of Public Participation—a useful tool in breaking down the techniques of community participation along with a spectrum of public control. In essence, there are four different types of community effort: On the lower end, we have Inform, defined as reaching out to people and educating them on the issues; and consult, which is gathering feedback from said individuals and using it to move forward. As these two require effort mainly on the part of the community organizers, they’re satisfying when it comes to feelings of accomplishment, but limited in terms of control over the outcome.

On the higher end of the spectrum, there’s Collaborate, which partners the volunteers with the public moving forward; and Empower, which places the decisions solely in the hands of the public. These two don’t see much action in the community organizing process, because certain decisions are left up to elected officials. Still, those officials wouldn’t have been elected in the first place if it weren’t for the people working on both ends of the spectrum.

This is an important thing to remember when becoming involved in politics on any scale. It’s easy to become frustrated with the government, to imagine that the ones in power aren’t working in the interests of the public. In truth, however, this is a democracy; the public is the government.

6 Steps to Creating Successful Community Engagement

By Muhammad Babangida

On June 1, 2018

In Community Engagement, Muhammad Babangida

When looking to foster stronger connections within your community you’ve got to figure out how to create successful community engagement. It takes time, dedication, and consistency in order to do this and we’ve put together a list of 6 ways you can work towards creating more engagement within your community that will last.

Become familiar with the demographics

Familiarizing yourself with the demographics that are present in your community can help you refine your approach. No one needs to be targeted or excluded but becoming aware of the majority can give you a good place to start in building communal ties.

Encourage discussions to create relationships

One of the best ways to engage your community is by literally talking to them. Putting yourself out there and establishing a connection with others is a way for you to make them feel like they are a valuable part of the community and their presence and opinions are wanted.

Participate and host local events

Attend as well as host local events. By supporting other community efforts you will have more of an open floor to tell others about yours. This also makes room for potential collaborative efforts to create a bigger impact on the community.

Be a partner for your community

Become aware of the issues your community is facing and reach out to help them. Make them aware of the fact that their concerns mean something to you and get together to talk about addressing them.

Become aware of other community leaders

If you can build relationships with other community leaders you can promote each other’s efforts and even work together on particular projects. They also may have more exposure to the community than you do, and this can help to get your message out there and find those who it resonates with.

Start with your neighborhood

Do you know who your neighbors are and do they know you? Invite your neighbors over for potlucks, movie nights, or gatherings that talk about more serious issues in the community. Once you start having regular interactions with your neighbors they will more than likely start inviting their friends and family, further expanding the community.

Follow the tips on this list and watch at how the engagement within your community improves!

Starting Small How Much the First Donation Matters

By Muhammad Babangida

On May 20, 2018

In Community Engagement, Muhammad Babangida, Philanthropy

Running a nonprofit charitable organization requires more than the ability to share your cause with others in hopes of a monetary contribution. Understanding how to appeal to potential donors while onboarding those who are loyal to the cause you represent is key to maintaining and growing a successful nonprofit organization. Learning just how much your organization’s first donation matters and how to expedite the process is a way to ensure you are on the right path with any type of charitable nonprofit you run.

The Snowball Effect

Obsessing over receiving your first donation as a nonprofit organization is not uncommon, especially when you are extremely eager to share the work you are doing for any cause you currently support. Achieving your first donation is not only desired psychologically, but it is also desirable to others who have an interest in donating to your cause but prefer organizations that already have live backers who have given their own contributions.

Understanding the “activation rate” with nonprofit organizations online is helpful to determine the best method of attracting new donors while raising financial contributions. Once your organization has received at least one donation from a patron, it is much more likely to go on to receive additional donations, even from first-time contributors. When users see that an organization has loyal followers and donors, they are more likely to make contributions themselves as they have gained trust by viewing the engagement of your campaign.

Learn more about how your first donation impacts the success of your fundraisers by keeping track of the number of pages you have created for your fundraiser, how many fundraisers received at least one donation, and the overall outcome of each individual fundraiser page. Keep track of how well various fundraisers pages perform both before and after you have received your first donation. Remaining aware of which type of fundraisers work best for your organization helps to launch future fundraising campaigns that are successful and attract loyal supporters and donors.

The more actively engaged you are with your users and potential donors during a fundraiser, the easier it becomes to pursue contributions and donations directly to your organization. When donors and supporters become familiar and trust your fundraisers (due to past donations), they are more likely to donate financially on their own in the future.

Questions to Ask in Order to Spot Your Most Dedicated Donors

By Muhammad Babangida

On May 7, 2018

In Community Engagement, Muhammad Babangida, Philanthropy

Asking donors about their feelings and loyalty regarding your nonprofit organization is one way to ensure you are always moving forward in the right direction. Whenever you are seeking feedback from your most dedicated donors, there are three simple questions to ask allowing your donors to share their feedback on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 1 being “strongly disagree” to 10 being “strongly agree”).

“Name of Your Nonprofit” is My Favorite Charitable Nonprofit Organization

Learn more about your donors by asking whether or not your nonprofit organization is considered a “favorite”. If your organization is not considered a favorite by an overwhelming number of donors, consider why this may be and what type of marketing or campaign strategies may work to remedy the issue.

I Am Committed to “Name of Your Nonprofit Organization” and Support Its Cause

Commitment is an important factor to keep in mind when running a nonprofit organization. Many donations to large charitable organizations come from repeat donors and donors who have been loyal to the nonprofit throughout the years. Building a long-lasting relationship with donors is essential for growth and expansion as a nonprofit, which is why it is key to inquire about whether or not your donors currently feel total and complete commitment to helping your cause. Determine the underlying root cause if donors simply do not feel as committed to your nonprofit organization to make the necessary changes for improvement.

I Have a Sense of Loyalty With “Name of Your Nonprofit”

Loyalty is also imperative when building a nonprofit, especially when you are doing so on your own or from the ground up. Inquire about the loyalty your donors have to your organization and whether there is anything you can do to help increase and boost loyalty with your most dedicated contributors. The more questions you ask your dedicated donors, the more likely you are to receive funds in the future when meeting the needs of those who contribute the most.

The better you understand your donors and where they stand on supporting and sharing more information about your cause, the easier it is to connect and communicate with them on an individual level. Getting to know the wants and needs of your most dedicated donors is a way to truly build a working and successful plan for any nonprofit organization you run.

Steps to Becoming a Better Philanthropist

By Muhammad Babangida

On April 18, 2018

In Community Engagement, Muhammad Babangida, Philanthropy

A philanthropist is a charitable person who uses his or her time, money, and energy to improve the living standards of other individuals. The philanthropist does not expect to be rewarded. Philanthropists are concerned with helping the unfortunate in the society by giving them necessities. Successful philanthropists focus on improving lives on a long-term basis by empowering poor people with the right skills and resources. However, it is good to understand that philanthropy should be a systematic approach which should always impact lives and bring tangible differences in the world by eradicating poverty. Below are various steps for successful philanthropy.

Goal Setting

A good philanthropist should have a well-organized plan that entails mission, vision, and objectives the organization wants to achieve within a specified period. Philanthropy usually involves finding a solution to the problems that affect people in the society. An organization with a plan will be able to research on the cause of the problem and involve the right expertise in solving the issue, which will play a significant role in saving time and resources.

Develop a Perfect Strategy

After setting attainable goals, a good philanthropist will concentrate on how to achieve them as soon as possible. Setting goals and developing a plan are the fundamental pillars of building successful philanthropy. Philanthropy usually depends on finances, philanthropic advisers, and government regulations. A philanthropist should look for multiple sources of income, which will assist him or her in achieving the set goals.

Perform Research Extensively

A successful philanthropist utilizes most of their time researching about the needy organizations and individuals before giving out their resources. Additionally, research helps the philanthropist in identifying the needy organizations that are worth to invest his time and money. There have been cases of ghost charitable organizations who keep on seeking money from philanthropists and misusing it rather than helping the needy.

Focus on Infrastructure

Philanthropy is not all about giving money and food. Good philanthropist focuses on the underlying issues in the infrastructure and establishes a permanent solution to the problem. In many regions, people have no access to clean water, medical facilities, and means of transportation. A good philanthropist will build hospitals to enable the community to access proper medical care. This will be a permanent solution, and the region dwellers will keep on benefiting from the hospital for a long time.

Therefore, successful philanthropists focus on the above essential elements and maintain their reputation that lasts for decades. Conclusively, philanthropists should mobilize people to work hard to attain their goals. They should be good role models.

How to Give Back to Your Community

By Muhammad Babangida

On November 17, 2017

In Community Engagement, Muhammad Babangida, Philanthropy

Residents and businesses of a community make up the network of safety nets that give help and support to adults and children. There are no limits to how essential services to the community can be achieved. Just look at your neighbors, young and old, and the need will be visible.

Food Donations

The holiday season should not be the only time that food care packages be distributed to families and the elderly population. Once or twice a month, anyone can set aside a small amount of money to take advantage of nonperishable food sales, in their local grocery stores, to create a food basket that will help with daily meals throughout the year.

Form a Literacy Club for Children

You don’t need to be an expert in child education to start a group for children that provides books, tutoring, and writing contests for the development of reading and writing skills. Books can be bought for minimal amounts at thrift stores and a creative mind can organize writing competitions with prizes and awards.

Personal Care Kits for the Homeless

Personal hygiene items may seem basic to someone with a steady residence, but to homeless individuals, a bar of soap and a toothbrush help someone maintain their dignity. The supplies for a personal care kit can be easily purchased at dollar discounts stores. Once assembled, these packages can be donated to shelters, group homes or any other places where people reside in a group setting.

Don’t Forget Our Fury Friends

Pets give love and companionship to so many people who do not have human companionship. Pet animal hospitals and veterinarians can offer a lifeline of treatments, medications and shelter to low income families that may be forced to surrender their pet because of lack of money.

Improve the Quality of Life of the Elderly and Disabled

Individuals or employees of companies can create a lottery system to offer their services for simple tasks around the homes of elderly and disabled residents. Washing windows, shampooing carpets, trash removal, simple sewing tasks, and organizing closets and living spaces can make someone’s home clean and inviting.

Visit the Sick and Lonely

Nursing homes and assisted living centers house many people who do not have families that visit frequently so holidays and birthdays go uncelebrated. Greeting cards and sweet treats, in dollar discount stores, are in abundance for someone who would like to brighten the life of a person who may not receive anything on special occasions.

Fundraising Topics to Master

By Muhammad Babangida

On October 25, 2017

In Community Engagement, Muhammad Babangida, Philanthropy

Once the need for huge sums of money arises, a quick solution is to organize a fundraising activity. Fundraising has been a useful tool from time immemorial. However, traditional methods of raising funds are presently under turbulent waters, and this is something that has never been witnessed before. To raise money in the modern times, you do not need to hold a fundraiser since new means of raising money have cropped up. Nonetheless, fundraising is still being utilized even in this new millennium, and it has played a significant part in supporting causes through online platforms as depicted below.

1. Crowdfunding and Social Media

Many established organizations today, an excellent example being our universities, are raising money through crowdfunding. This means of sourcing money has become so prominent that most corporations have incorporated it into their development operations. The new millennium has seen the development of online social forums that have a huge following. Facebook, for example, it has over 160 million American users who, if mobilized, can raise money for charity.

2. Donor-Advised Funds

It is on record that Fidelity Charitable, a donor-advised fund, is offering more support for private courses. For instance, in America, it is on top of the list of not-for-profit organizations that support private programs. Hence, if you are considering conducting a fundraiser in 2017, these firms are an excellent target through which you can tap into their deep financial reserves. They are responsible for having reshaped America’s charity environment. However, to succeed in this, you must be proficient in the art of seeking gifts from them and also know how to draw their interest into your noble cause.

3. Major Gifts and Big Donors

The secret to reaping more benefits from any market is identifying a target and then going a step further to prove its needs. Wealthy donors are always willing to give, but the only way to source gifts from them is by learning what they want first. You must have a competitive edge over other charities to help you to acquire their contributions and also ensure that you have what it takes to get more donors knocking at your door.

4. Year-End Fundraising

If you choose to go with this selection, early preparations and planning are necessary. Making plans and reviewing previous events to obtain helpful lessons come in handy. Moreover, operating on strict timeline for such an occasion ensures that your fundraiser runs smoothly and entirely achieves its set objective.

5. Creative Ideas On Fundraising

The same old notion and theme of fundraisers no longer work as expected. Hence, coming up with something new that will spice up the process is crucial to draw more support for your cause.

Giving is receiving. Unfortunately, the American people are still adamant about this saying, and they derive pleasure and satisfaction in helping others. Hence, if you have a noble cause that warrants financial intervention, it is high time to familiarize yourself with the above fundraising topics for a successful event.