Archive for the ‘Books’ Category

I’m always on the hunt for a new time management magic bullet. I’m looking for that elusive trick that’s going to add hours back into my day, and make my life better.

Well, I believe I found it! It is a combination of several techniques that take me back to my project planner days; so, I’ve made a list of the items you’ll need:

* a wall calendar you can write on
* color pens
* electronic calendar (I use Outlook)
* and, some time!

The object is to map out your month to month on the wall calendar (this the big picture scope), and then itemize the actions, activities, meetings, etc. on your electronic day to day calendar. The key is capture as much about a project, task, and/or deadline as possible. So, some people, like me, need to break it down into small everyday manageable pieces. I love looking on the wall and seeing at a glance what is coming up, but I need it practical steps within my daily list of tasks.

Now I use color pens to quickly identify things that I see at a glance. I’ve even gone one extra step and color coded all of my clients and my two businesses. So, when I see light blue pen on the board, I know this relates to Nonprofit Connectors. In order to keep that system going, I’ve color coded my files the same way. I even have colored line paper to match. This way, when I write a note and leave it on my desk, the color of the paper tells me what folder it belongs in. This may be too advanced for you now. So, we’ll revisit the color coded filing system.

The main point here is that time management is all about planning. So, be intentional, and try different techniques. When you find something that works, create a habit. For me, I have to repeat a thing daily for at least three weeks before it sticks.

Now, go pick up a wall calendar, some color pens, and get to creating your time management system. Please share your time management process; I love learning about new ones!

Nonprofit Essentials: Endowment Building [E-Book] Diana S. Newman

“Endowments are very appealing as dependable sources of income for nonprofit organizations. Diana Newman’s comprehensive work shows how endowments also can provide multiple opportunities for donor involvement when the solicitation program is well-designed and integrated with other fund development and program goals. Diana emphasizes the critical ethical issues inherent in marketing and structuring endowment gifts in addition to clear step-by-step guidelines for constructing the entire campaign. It’s an excellent reference manual and training guide.” –Joanne Scanlan, Ph.D. Senior Vice President for Professional Development, Council on Foundations

Every Nonprofit’s Guide to Publishing: Creating Newsletters, Magazines & Websites People Will Read by Cheryl Woodard and Lucia Hwang

Practical and hands on, this book shows you how to overcome inexperience and budget constraints — and produce publications that effectively promote your cause. From developing an idea to distributing the final publication, you’ll get the information you need. Find out how to:

* design and print engaging magazines or newsletters

* create an appealing website

* locate the best freelancers and vendors

* develop successful ad sales and fundraising strategies

* meet IRS and postal requirements for nonprofits

* use time-tested publishing ideas and resources

The book includes practical suggestions from veteran insiders, whose experiences range from tiny nonprofit startups to large, established organizations. The CD-ROM provides essential forms, checklists, schedules, worksheets, spreadsheets and more.

The One Page Business Plan for Non-Profit Organizations by James Horan

The edition of the One Page Business Plan Series has been specifically designed for Non-Profits. If you are responsible for founding or managing a non-profit organization… this book was written just for you! Now you can easily write a draft plan on a single page in less than two hours. Thousands of non-profits have already successfully written and implemented One Page Plans with this simple and effective planning methodology. This special version of The One Page Business Plan has been called “The One Page Promise” because it helps directors, boards, management and volunteers clearly define and live up to their promises at organizational, departmental, project and program levels… all in fast, easy to communicate and actionable terms!

Arts Marketing Insights: The Dynamics of Building and Retaining Performing Arts Audiences
Joanne Scheff Bernstein

Arts Marketing Insights offers managers, board members, professors, and students of arts management the ideas and information they need to market effectively and efficiently to customers today and into the future. In this book, Joanne Scheff Bernstein helps readers to understand performing arts audiences, conduct research, and provide excellent customer service. She demonstrates that arts organizations can benefit by expanding the meaning of “valuable customer” to include single-ticket buyers. She offers guidance on long-range marketing planning and helps readers understand how to leverage the Internet and e-mail as powerful marketing channels. Bernstein presents vivid case studies and examples that illustrate her strategic principles in action from organizations large and small in the United States, Great Britain, Australia, and other countries.

199 Fun and Effective Fundraising Events for Nonprofit Organizations by Anita Biase

Are you tired of searching everywhere to find fresh and exciting ideas for your nonprofit organization? Finally there is a new resource for nonprofit organizations and friends of nonprofits to get your events turbocharged with new ideas for your next fundraiser. Aside from raising a lot of money and being fun to work on, fundraising special events can build relationships with potential donors, sponsors, volunteers, and can generate a lot of free publicity. Building visibility in the community is critical to any nonprofit s success. It is difficult to come up with new ideas each and every year; now this new book makes it easy. Inside this brand new, groundbreaking book you will find over two hundred fundraising events that have worked for other organizations.

StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath

DO YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO WHAT YOU DO BEST EVERY DAY?

Chances are, you don’t. All too often, our natural talents go untapped. From the cradle to the cubicle, we devote more time to fixing our shortcomings than to developing our strengths.

To help people uncover their talents, Gallup introduced the first version of its online assessment, StrengthsFinder, in the 2001 management book Now, Discover Your Strengths. The book spent more than five years on the bestseller lists and ignited a global conversation, while StrengthsFinder helped millions to discover their top five talents.

In its latest national bestseller, StrengthsFinder 2.0, Gallup unveils the new and improved version of its popular assessment, language of 34 themes, and much more (see below for details). While you can read this book in one sitting, you’ll use it as a reference for decades.

Loaded with hundreds of strategies for applying your strengths, this new book and accompanying website will change the way you look at yourself — and the world around you — forever.

For strategic planning to be effective in the nonprofit setting, a variety of issues must be considered, including the relationship between board and staff, limited resources, and more. Packed with real-world insights, planning tips, common misperceptions, pitfalls to avoid, and other useful pointers, this Second Edition and its companion Web site make planning easy for nonprofit managers by providing a six-step approach to strategic planning, field-tested worksheets, and a real-life case study that takes readers through the entire process of successfully creating and implementing a strategic plan.

Publishing the Nonprofit Annual Report: Tips, Traps, and Tricks of the Trade by Caroline Taylor

“As the former CEO of an educational nonprofit whose heart sank at the sound of the words ‘we have to put together the annual report,’ I now make only one recommendation-Buy this book and do what it says.” —John Agresto, president, John Agresto & Associates, former deputy chairman, National Endowment for the Humanities

“At last, a book that helps nonprofit associations produce annual reports on time, on budget, and on target for their audiences.” —J. D. Andrews, chairman, the Council for Professional Recognition

“Timely, relevant, and thorough-every nonprofit that publishes annual reports should have this book, and those that don’t should heed its counsel. We’ll certainly recommend it to our clients.” —George A. Brakeley III, president, Brakeley, Inc.

“Chock full of useful information for nonprofits from small to large. In the course of describing the production process from conceptualization through distribution, Taylor shows how this vital communications tool can be published economically and on time.” —David Slater, director of communications, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation

The Idealist.org Handbook to Building a Better World: How to Turn Your Good Intentions into Actions that Make a Difference by Idealist.org and Stephanie Land

Part career guide, part activist’s handbook, The Idealist.org Handbook to Building a Better World provides tools and inspiration for anyone who wants to make a difference but doesn’t know where to start. Inspired by Idealist.org’s 600,000-member online community and their ongoing search for work that gives back to the world, this practical reference walks readers through the different ways they can get involved and the range of possibilities for applying one’s interests and skills to meet their community’s needs.

Idealist.org’s staff gives a comprehensive understanding of the issues, options, organizations, and resources so readers can be proactive, whether it’s through one’s current job, volunteering, donating, personal spending, board service, starting an organization, or changing careers.