Nonprofit Congress: Town Hall Meeting February 26, 2008

Nonprofit Congress Town Hall Meeting Notes –
February 26, 2008

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Public Awareness & Support

Report from Groups

Campaign Themes:

“A Day without a Nonprofit” – what would our community look like without the nonprofit sector – economic and people issues, quality of life awareness.
People Business – people helping others
AWARENESS – acronym as a message, commercials with theme of Adam & Eve = awareness.
Unity
$$$ impact on community, impact on lives.
Importance of nonprofits as community investments.
Big Hand/Big Heart
Education campaign on the fact that our efforts do not go into an individual pocket but money goes back into the community.
Respect – nonprofits as positive economic force in whole country.
Quality of life is no accident – support your NPO on purpose.

Advertising Methods:

Inserts in ValPak, utility bills, bank statements, credit card bills, etc.
PSAs
Billboards
Newspaper
TV
Radio
Texas Motor Speedway and other sporting events as great venues for outreach.

Products:

Develop a U.W. Blue Book for homes; milk carton campaign
Comprehensive Web-based directory of service providers
Nonprofit section in the phone book – similar to Blue Government pages.

Miscellaneous:

Municipalities declare a nonprofit day – 38 municipalities in our area!
Political awareness.
Nonprofit collaboration and agreement as to goals to be achieved - #1! United Way could help. Due to differences in size/scope of organizations.
Communication outreach is key.
Bring all nonprofits together with their stakeholders in a high profile community event.
Corporate sponsorship and using corporate outreach as a message vehicle. “We stand behind our nonprofit sector.”
Branding identity for PR.
One huge event to kick off for everyone involved.
Media endorsement/local celebrity who will stick with it and one big sponsor.
No boundaries – geographic, support, donations, services, direct
Top 100 employers – start internal awareness campaign.

Notes from Individuals

Campaign Themes:

An Easy Way to Pay it Forward
What would a community face without the nonprofit sector? If all the nonprofits disappeared what would the world look like?
Do you want to turn your back on the problem or be a part of the solution to the problem?
Family focused and community based.
It’s not charity – it’s an investment in your community. Your community is an extension of your home. Your investment in community organizations makes both more livable and more valuable. They are working for you. Tarrant County nonprofits are building a stronger, healthier, more secure place for you and your loved ones.
Falling thru cracks – help plug the holes
Billboard – top ten reasons to support your local nonprofits.
$$ Speaks – if we gave back bill in services & quality of life.
Overworked/underpaid because we have heart.
Diversity.
Unity in the community – come together.
All have needs, how can you help?
Family = together all have different needs.
Unity with others/common goals.
Impact on lives.
So you think nonprofit’s are for other people?
“We serve you”

Advertising Methods:

Internet (YouTube, MySpace)
Billboards – extremely simple, one word message
Other outdoor advertising
TV
Newspaper – Op-Ed piece, insert
PSAs
Good Morning Texas
Partner with established events.
Have a collective presence at local community/sporting events: Mayfest, Main St. Arts Festivals, Texas Motor Speedway, Cowboys, Rangers, Stock Show, Bass Hall, Cats, etc.
Grassroots level to churches and schools.

Products:

Huge jig saw puzzle of Tarrant County agencies with overview of services and agencies on the back side.
Nonprofit web directory

Miscellaneous:

Visibility in ad campaigns
Komen’s Cause Marketing
Political support, corporate support, Town Hall meetings, etc.
Vital communication concepts for the public, TV features, join with UW?
On-site education about nonprofits.
Tailor message to generation/audience. Campus awareness through grassroots discussions on campus. Encourage seniors through television and newsprint announcements. Middle years reach through billboard ads.
Hold an annual nonprofit weekend with every organization having a booth to market themselves. It would be a way of getting the community involved with an organization(s) promoted ways to volunteer and a way to cultivate prospective donors.
Somehow tie in with the FWCVB to promote nonprofits in Fort Worth.
Utilization of corporate communication tools/vehicles.
Harness the forces of stakeholders and constituents in a series of high profile events.
Must get Star-Telegram involved. Rethink how to operate with newspaper. Meet with Ed. Review Board.
Sign up one big sponsor that says “We stand behind nonprofit sector.”
Key speakers “high profile” sports, entertainment, etc., highlighting a different organization for a specific period of time.
News conference for special events highlighting nonprofits.
Partner with top 100 businesses to run banner on websites.
Brand message
Open to help other groups.
Focus on goals (numbers)
Basic values/acceptance.
Partner with fortune company.
Nonprofit Day
Constant contact

Nonprofit Collaboration

Report from Groups

General Ideas:

Resource centers
NPO Service Center Building
To create a chain reaction, we have to know HOW we can all work together and where our focus/service areas overlap.
We all need a better understanding of exactly what collaboration is and what it encompasses.
Build personal relationships among nonprofits by: create an environment of equality; promote involvement in associations and coalitions.
Tools to match needs and services. Networking events. Communicating outside normal service area boundaries.
Break nonprofits into sectors (arts, social service, etc.) to meet and examine what our local nonprofits do and need.
Over time need to shrink the number of nonprofits so that duplicate costs are eliminated and more.
Need to have methodology to have better understanding of services provided with goal of understanding where services are duplicated, where gaps exist.
Funders want us to collaborate, eliminate duplicated costs.

Events/Meetings:

Nonprofit Expo
Collaboration forums that bring issues and providers together.
Orientation for new executive directors.
Once a month meeting for nonprofits in similar services.
Shared social events. More meaningful events.
Regular teleconferences.
Networking events/socials to bring NPOs together at selected organizations.

Products:

We need a clearinghouse to help us connect with each other.
Tarrant County Puzzle – website to link corporate interest with organizations that serve that target population.
Local access network – go online to discover what Tarrant County organizations address specific services, nonprofit “Blue Book”.
Possible website sponsored by FIC which small Nonprofits could use.
Newsletter for all nonprofits. Pool newsletter article information.
Online community profile for potential funders, volunteers, etc.
Pull together a list of existing collections/collaborations.

Miscellaneous:

Appropriate levels of contact among nonprofit organizations.
Work with universities to get interns to help.
Visiting editorial boards as a group.
Tarrant County is great at this…we all use FIC, AFP, NCPG.
Blogging forums, linked-in, Facebook.

Notes from Individuals

General Ideas:

We need to step outside our service areas
Revelation and discovery between complimentary organizations by simply spending some time together.
Synergy with universities and colleges. Ad departments to help strategize.
Partnerships: knowing what others do, referral system; common goal.
Identify common goals – seek ways to join forces!

Events/Meetings:

Shared social events – Board and Staff
Group meetings with Star-Telegram editorial board or radio/TV executives.
Nonprofit teleconference/webinar
Deeper, more meaningful events that breed collaboration.
Regularly scheduled networking gatherings – same as commercial networking groups. Each organization hosts an in-house event.
Annual open house events for nonprofit sector.
Nonprofit expo

Products:

User-friendly website, with links to every Tarrant County agency that can be used to identify who nonprofits can join hands with. Links to both sectors and geographical. Clearinghouse of information; nonprofit blog.
HELP Book – more info on what we do.
Pool of articles that any organization can pull from for its newsletter.
Newsletter for all nonprofits via e-mail to keep everyone up to date on what other organizations are doing. This could also be a source for want/need lists, events each is hosting, etc.
Share newsletters with others ED/Development.
Sharing flyers.
Share info through e-mail blasts.

Miscellaneous:

Collaborate with corporations.
Advertising our services to the right people.
Common goals: family needs; education; safety.
Brochure display – sharing of brochures.
Open awareness.

Message to Elected Officials

Report from Groups

Message to Officials:

Nonprofits bring positive economic impact to the community.
Nationally, our organizations have a local impact with national and international overtones.
Develop funding sources to which nonprofits in the community can apply for grants.
Quality of life is good business and a positive dynamic for the community.
We recognize the huge demand on officials’ time. In a perfect world, we would like to see our officials embrace and become actively involved in a cause or two. Photo ops are great but we yearn for in-depth involvement.
Become a catalyst to help the private sector connect with community needs through financial, in-kind and/or volunteer support.
Meet with elected officials to educate them about what we offer and how it affects their platform. Then recognize and support publicly.
How can we support your initiatives?
How can we work together to make the community stronger/better?
What opportunities exist in the city to educate people about nonprofits?
All nonprofits are local. Emphasize good stewardship, stress impact on quality of life.
No matter what size or socio-economic base your city is, there are multiple needs for various services.
Meet with every elected official to inform them of the wide-based multiple services provided through the nonprofits of Tarrant County. Let them know what challenges we have.
Make the case, especially at federal level, that we still need public money; the private sector cannot and will not cover all the expenses. Give them a reality check on limitations imposed by rules and regulations.
Equalize the rules – streamline the requirements and make then consistent from public agency to public agency.
Don’t focus on the negative organizations.

Delivery of Message:

We recognize the need for “an organized approach.”
Committee of volunteers/nonprofits with “a collected consensus” of specifications for dispersing government funds in our specific community.
Incorporate a nonprofit introduction to companies and corporations that are coming into our area. We recognize the need to let newcomers know what the community needs are and they are invited (expected) to take an active part.
Let them realize the voting power of your clients.
Work with officials to communicate with community.
Long-term strategies and resources, instead of sporadic engagement.
Invite elected officials and their staff to attend our collaborative efforts, forums, community fairs. Ask them to help us champion nonprofits and issues.
Find out what issues an elected official is interested in and match up existing agencies that are involved in this work.
Share awareness of size and impact of nonprofit sector (annual report).

Miscellaneous:

Exceptions – get a message to our local officials that we need more housing exemptions or exceptions on the local level.
What funds/support/resources are available from the government to foster collaboration?
Leverage our economic impact.

Notes from Individuals

Message to Officials:

Public officials need to be less of a figurehead and more of a working partner with nonprofits. We need more involvement than just photo ops.
We need demographics and statistics presentation for my city, county, state level.
What needs have you already identified as problem areas that you have a passion for?
Public officials need to know what we do as a whole for the community, the importance of nonprofits and more funding….more volunteers.
Ask for endorsement/advocacy.
We make your city better; we enhance what your city has to offer.
Elected officials must help educate the community that is not involved about relevant issues.
Show them how we are meeting the needs of their constituents and prevention.
Drop-out rate is top issue; what reforms can help alleviate it.
Healthcare & health insurance.
Transportation.
Don’t focus on the few problem organizations (don’t penalize the rest of us). We are good stewards of the money they give us.
Focus on changed lives, not numbers.

Delivery of Message:

We need long-term strategies and resources.
More access, annual report, be specific about message – get a committee to plan the bullet points.
More networking: use technology in a different way, improve communication; complimentary services – not competing services; lots of funding to collaborate, build on it; webinar – here’s funding invitation, ways to work together; promote positives = increase funding awareness; scope project thoroughly & reason. Need service label agreements.
Look at theatre groups – cross market

Miscellaneous:

Need more fundraisers available per year.
Reinstate project based housing.
We have had great support from city and state officials when we need help – they help. Therefore it’s very difficult to come up with a need. I would just say if there is legislation coming up for a vote – we need for them to keep our interests in mind.
Elected officials have many social helps – ah la funding show how strong Tarrant County is with NPO’s.
Knowledge of other nonprofits.
Collaborate for more funding.
Share resources, more unique niches, fine-tune service as they are unique.
Look at other places in the country.
Continuing process.
Show them how we are meeting the needs of their constituents and prevention.