Now we’re all grown up.  Many of our bookstores have gone out of business and daily news papers and monthly magazines have jumped on the online bandwagon.  But in jumping on the online bandwagon, purveyors of information have resorted to their childhood training and resorted to copious and colorful images.  They seem to have adopted the proverbial saying, “a picture is worth a thousand words.”  Paul Sciarra, Ben Silbermann and Evan Sharp obviously knew this when they founded and launched Pinterest in March 2010. http://pinterest.com/about/

As a child, entomology was one of Silbermann’s hobbies.  He collected bugs!  But as an adult he realized that people collected lots of different things.  “Even the books on people’s bookshelves say something about who they are” says Silbermann.  The idea behind Pinterest was for people to express themselves and to discover things through their friends and families by attaching images and links to their very own online pinboards.

Many nonprofit organizations like The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Pages/home.aspx ) and Operation Smile (http://www.operationsmile.org/index.html) have harnessed the power of Pinterest.   Beyond providing another way to connect and share messages with a mass audience, “Pinterest also symbolizes our aspirations, displaying not [only] who we are, but who we want to be”, says Bianca Bosker, a technical editor for the Huffington Post.  Bosker also points out that Pinterest’s success may lie in its ability to change the social media conversation from “look at me” to “look at this.”  For nonprofit organizations “look at this” is a necessary part of the conversation.  Pinterest is another way for nonprofits to ‘talk up’ their causes, events and activities and to keep donors and supporters informed through the wonderful world wide web of pictures.  And Pinterest is a way for nonprofit organizations to make an indelible imprint on the minds of a highly visual society.

For a free consultation and more information on marketing and promoting your nonprofit organization call the HR4NON-PROFITS team at 630.830.4443 or visit our website at www.hr4nonprofits.com. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

But similar to the personal benefits that students gain with volunteer opportunities are the responsibilities they must uphold.  Linda Lysakowski, President and CEO of Capital Venture in Las Vegas, Nevada (http://www.cvfundraising.com/ ) and author of Nonprofit Essentials – Recruiting and Training Fundraising Volunteers states that “volunteers should be expected to maintain confidentiality of information provided to them, complete assignments on time, present the organization in a positive manner and present any conflicts of interest.”  Lysakowski proposes the following guidelines for successful management of fundraising volunteers:

• “Develop clear expectations for all fundraising volunteers, including the obligation to make their own gift first.”

Encouraging volunteers to make their own gifts teaches them the value of leading by example.

• “Remain sensitive to the needs and motivations of volunteers.”

Joseph Albert, Ph.D., of the Department of Organizational Leadership at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington says that volunteers who are internally motivated “exhibit greater levels of motivation, effort, creativity and persistence in accomplishing a task.”  Albert adds that internal motivation can be increased by ensuring that the job includes some level of autonomy, providing growth opportunities and feedback, and recognizing accomplishments and progress.

• “Always act in a professional manner when working with volunteers.”

Modeling the appropriate behavior in front of volunteers is a hands-on way of demonstrating to volunteers how they should interact with the organization’s staff, donors and other supporters.

• “Schedule meetings and activities at times and locations that are convenient for volunteers.”

Accommodating volunteers’ schedules is a way to show that you respect their time and that you appreciate the work they do for the organization.

• “Provide volunteers with the information that they require.”

Remember that the volunteer represents your organization.   Their success is the organization’s success.

• “Never ask a volunteer to undertake a task that is unethical or illegal.”

Just as the volunteer’s success is the organization’s success, the same holds true for failures.

• “Provide training and education about the entire philanthropic process.”

Along the same lines, Joseph Albert, Ph.D., adds that conveying the importance of the job and its connection to the organization’s vision can be a motivator for volunteers.

• “Teach volunteers that their highest responsibility is to the donor.”

Volunteers need to know that without donors, the organization’s vision cannot be realized.

Since its inception, National Volunteer Week has been supported by local governments, state governors, members of Congress and all United States presidents.  In his Volunteer Week 2012 proclamation, President Barack Obama stated, “Service is a lifelong pursuit that strengthens the civic and economic fabric of our Nation. With every hour and every act, our lives are made richer, our communities are drawn closer, and our country is forged stronger by the dedication and generous spirit of volunteers.”  (http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/newsroom/statements_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=2090 )

In case you were wondering just how valuable volunteerism is to your nonprofit organization, here are a few figures to consider:  Since 1980, the value of one volunteer hour has increased $14.33, from $7.49.  In 2010, of American states and territories, the District of Columbia had the highest value at $33.61.  Among the 50 states, Connecticut had the highest value at $27.77.  Also in 2010, about 26.3 percent of the U.S. adult population (62.8 million people) volunteered 8.1 billion hours.  In terms of dollars, that’s $173 billion!

This year, National Volunteer Week is April 15th through April 21st.  If your organization hasn’t already shown appreciation for its volunteers as part of National Volunteer Week, there is still time!  And if you’re at a loss for ideas, PoL has developed a resource guide to help you.  (http://www.pointsoflight.org/sites/default/files/nvw_resourceguide_2012.pdf )  Take time to recognize and thank the volunteers who add value to your organization.

For a free consultation and more information on developing an effective volunteer workforce call the HR4NON-PROFITS team at 630.830.4443 or visit our website at www.hr4nonprofits.com. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

A recent research study found that using Facebook profiles was a fairly accurate method for assessing specific personality traits which are believed to be indicators of future good job performance. (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2011.00881.x/full ).  The study also found that using SNW’s may be less time-intensive than interview-based personality assessments as well as more cost-effective than more traditional methods.  As a nonprofit organization, this may sound appealing.  A less time-intensive and more cost-effective method for screening new hires could translate into more financial resources available to advance the organization’s cause.  But before your organization resorts to SNW’s as a human resources screening tool, there are a few things you should know.

Information contained on an applicant’s SNW site may include other organizations or causes with whom the applicant is affiliated.  With the exception of a very narrow exemption for religious organizations and schools, businesses and organizations must be careful not to exclude or discriminate against an applicant for being involved in an organization or aligned with a cause whose members qualify as a protected class under state or federal civil rights laws.  And beyond browsing through a prospective hires SNW site, an organization treads into even more dangerous waters by requesting or requiring an applicant to provide passwords or to log on to a SNW site as part of the interview process.

Legislators in at least three states, Maryland, Illinois and New Jersey, have already started drafting legislation to ban this “huge invasion of privacy” says, New Jersey Assemblyman John Burzichelli.  In addition to specific prohibitions against employers requiring SNW information, some legislative bills are even proposing fines that could amount to thousands of dollars for each violation.  Catherine Crump, a staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, stated that “Where the government is the employer, people have Fourth Amendment rights not to be searched.  And to the extent that employers are requiring employees to hand over this information, one could argue that it’s an unconstitutional search.”

In the meantime, the practice of browsing SNW sites and even requiring persons to log onto the SNW site during an interview is legal as well as time and cost-effective.  But the potential for legal liability may be great if your organization decides to use this method of screening employment candidates.  And in the end, this method may prove to be extremely costly to your organizations reputation and existence.

For a free consultation and more information on effective screening and interviewing strategies call the HR4NON-PROFITS team at 630.830.4443 or visit our website at www.hr4nonprofits.com. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

On March 30, 2012, Facebook users, individuals and organizations, will be faced with the new Timeline look. (https://www.facebook.com/about/timeline )  The change has been coming for several months.  And while some organizations opted in early on, others have been slow to come around.  For those who have not yet made the change, perhaps a brief explanation of ‘the old’ and ‘the new’ would be helpful.

Under the current, more familiar layout, there is A LOT of text with a few small thumbnail photos.  “The focus is on the most recent things you posted and more important stuff slips off the page,” says Samuel W. Lessin, a product manager for Facebook.  Lessin points out, under the new layout, “Timeline is wider than your old profile, and it’s a lot more visual.  The first thing you’ll notice is the giant photo right at the top. This is your cover, and it’s completely up to you which of your photos you put here.”

In addition to the new layout being more visually appealing, it is also designed to help users.  Lessin explains, “As you scroll down past your cover, you’ll see your posts, photos and life events as they happened in time. You choose what’s featured on your timeline. You can star your favorites to double their size.”  Another convenient feature says Lessin, is that, “If important parts of your story aren’t included on your timeline, you can go back to when they happened and add them.”  But what if you don’t want all activities and photos on your time line?  Fear not, you can hide or even delete unimportant posts so that only the most appealing and most important information is featured.  Once your organization’s Facebook page reflects the new Timeline format, you will have 7 days to clean up unwanted posts and pictures.  You can wait until March 30^th or you can make the change now.

But ready or not, Facebook is changing and if you are planning to stay the course with Facebook, you will have to change too.  Several organizations and businesses have already made the change and there are plenty of examples of the new Timeline.  https://www.facebook.com/about/pages  So take heart!  The new Timeline look and features can actually be beneficial for your organization, as an appealing marketing tool, as a tool to keep track of your organization’s history and so much more!

For a free consultation and more information, call the HR4NON-PROFITS team at 630.830.4443 or visit our website at www.hr4nonprofits.com. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Search Engine Optimization, also known as SEO, is an internet marketing strategy that can help improve an organization’s website or webpage visibility.  SEO is made possible through the use of search engines like Google, Yahoo! and Bing and items such as keywords, search terms and links.  Still don’t quite understand SEO’s?  Think of it this way:  On the information super highway, that is, the internet, SEO is a way of building exit ramps that potentially lead to your organization’s website or webpage.  And building those exit ramps just got a little easier for nonprofit organizations.

ROI Pop, Inc. , a nonprofit-focused media agency has just released the 2012 SEO for Nonprofits Guide, a downloadable guide created to help nonprofit organizations start the process of increasing their online relevance and presence.  “A lot of nonprofits don’t know where to begin when it comes to making it easier for donors, volunteers and [potential stakeholders] to find them on the internet,” stated ROI Pop, Inc. CEO, Brant Claussen.  Therefore, ROI Pop, Inc. has designed an easy to follow plan.  Mr. Claussen added, “We knew we had to make it approachable, not load it with tech jargon, and create a guide that actually gave something useful.”  ROI Pop, Inc. has not only made the guide approachable.  They’ve made it free!  Nonprofits who are interested in establishing a greater internet presence can download the SEO for Nonprofits Guide from the ROI Pop website.

For additional information on internet marketing, call the HR4NON-PROFITS team at 630.830.4443 or visit our website at www.hr4nonprofits.com. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), (www.eeoc.gov ), the United States federal agency tasked with defining and regulating certain civil rights defines sexual harassment as:

“[u]nwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature,” when

(1) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment;

(2) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting such individual; or

(3) such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment.”

Based on the EEOC’s definition, sexual harassment can be verbal or nonverbal, physical or visual.  It can range from flirting to touching and from comments to jokes.  It is not even necessary for a person to make an explicit statement.  Circulating an email or picture of a sexual nature can be sexual harassment.  Innuendo can also be considered sexual harassment. And sexual harassment can be directed toward a person of the opposite sex or same sex.

A key component of sexual harassment is that the conduct must be unwelcome.  Conveying that conduct is unwelcome is not always easy, especially if the individual’s job is subordinate to the person who initiates the unwelcome conduct.  Another component of sexual harassment is the severity and frequency of the conduct.  If a single unwelcome act is of a severe nature, such as a sexual proposition, then the single act alone may be considered sexual harassment.  On the other hand, a single act of placing on an employee’s desk a card, which says “will you be my valentine,” without any notice that such a gift is unwelcome may not be considered severe enough to constitute sexual harassment.  Repeatedly giving an employee a card with this message, however, after having been asked to cease doing so could be considered sexual harassment.

The first two categories, characterized as “quid pro quo”, which means “this for that”, have generally been thought to be actions which can only be carried out by persons having the authority to affect an individual’s terms or conditions of employment, such as managers or supervisors who make decisions regarding hiring and termination, performance evaluations, promotions, salaries and even the location at which an individual performs his or her work.  The last category, however, is fair game and can be initiated by persons who not only work for the employer but it can also be initiated by persons who do business with the employer, such as vendors and courier services.  At the heart of the matter is that employees, whether they are paid a salary or wage, whether they volunteer or whether they are under a contract, have a right to work in an environment which is free from unwanted sexual advances.

For information and training on sexual harassment awareness and prevention, call the HR4NON-PROFITS team at 630.830.4443 or visit our website at www.hr4nonprofits.com. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Activities sponsored by non-profit organizations can be very exciting and rewarding and some employees and volunteers may want to make video recordings and take pictures for posterity.  But for other employees, volunteers and particularly clients, there may be a “reasonable expectation of privacy” and making recordings and pictures without their knowledge and permission may violate this expectation.  One way for nonprofit organizations to protect themselves is to implement a policy on smart phone usage.

Melanie L. Herman, Executive Director of the Nonprofit Risk Management Center in Leesburg, Va., (http://www.nonprofitrisk.org/ ) suggests that nonprofits “adopt practical guidelines.”  Ms. Herman states that, “The appropriate guidelines for smartphone or cell phone use depend wholly on the nature of the nonprofit, the clients it serves, the caregivers it employs as staff and volunteers, and the nature of the services provided.”

Organizations who work with children, for example, may want to implement a policy that strictly prohibits employees and volunteers from making videos and taking pictures.  A caveat that nonprofit organizations should be aware of is that certain populations, such as children and some persons with mental disabilities or cognitive challenges, may lack legal capacity to give permission even though they have knowledge that a recording is being made or a picture is being taken.  In such instances the organization may need to obtain the parent’s or legal guardian’s consent.

If an organization does not want to impose a strict prohibition, it may want to implement a policy similar to that used by Merrimack Valley YMCA (http://www.mvymca.org ) in Lawrence, Massachusetts, which limits camera and recording device use to the lobby of its campuses unless explicitly authorized in advance by the executive director.  The policy, which is prominently displayed, provides that, “Anyone caught taking pictures of another person without his or her permission and knowledge will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

Nonprofit organization should not make the mistake of developing a policy that is overly broad or too narrowly tailored.  Because of the multiple features and services that are available with smart phones, organizations may want to address other types of use, such as texting.  Many businesses and organizations use text messaging as a quick way to communicate important information.  The organization should caution its employees and volunteers, however, about using slang or abbreviations that are not common, professional and acceptable in business.

“There is no single policy that is appropriate for all, or even most organizations,” states Ms. Herman.  Whatever policy the organization chooses to implement, it should be enforced consistently.

For additional information on developing guidelines and policies, call the HR4NON-PROFITS team at 630.830.4443 or visit our website at www.hr4nonprofits.com. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

That’s why Kenneth E. Liu, an attorney/owner at the Virginia-based law firm of Gammon & Grange, P.C., (http://www.gg-law.com/ ) advises nonprofits to “formulate a social media policy to guide … employees on acceptable online behavior”,  thus avoiding “potential legal traps in the online world.”  In his article on Legal Risks in Social Media Use by Nonprofits, Liu discusses several potential traps that nonprofit employees and organizations can fall into by using social media and suggests how these traps and liability can be minimized if not altogether avoided.

The best way to solve a problem is to never create it.  Liu states that nonprofits should advise employees not to post anything on their personal social media accounts that they “would not want to see on the front page of the The New York Times or hear on a witness stand.”  Employees should be advised that social media posts can be used as evidence in law suits.  And employees shouldn’t be so naïve as to think that hitting the delete key removes a post.  Once the post is released into cyberspace, it can always be retrieved.  The last thing an employer wants is to have details of its employees’ personal lives or disparaging comments made by an employee about a competitor retrieved as part of the information that makes its way into a law firm’s electronic discovery document review project.  Even worse is when the information makes its way into the courtroom for a jury or judge to consider as part of a lawsuit.

Employees also need to know that the laws in the real world apply across the board.  Therefore, employees should treat the virtual world of social media the same as the real world.  As Liu states, “Social media may be more casual, but that does not excuse illegal activity.”  For example, Liu says if a nonprofit is governed by the laws of a state that require it to register in order to solicit funds and the organization is not properly registered, an employee’s casual request in a social media post for donations may constitute illegal activity and result in problems for the organization.  Similarly, just as employers can be held liable in some instances when employees harass or discriminate against a co-worker because of attributes such as race, gender, disability or religious beliefs, employers may also be exposed to liability by employees who post harassing and discriminatory comments about co-workers on personal social media sights.

It is imperative that organizations educate employees on what is acceptable with regard to the use of social media.  Liu advises, “One key step in protecting your organization is to have a written policy that provides guidance on what your employees can and cannot do in social media, both in their role as employees and in their personal use.”  He also advises that, “It may be prudent to include certain provisions governing social media use in employee contracts.”  Even after employees have been advised, and written policies and contractual language is in place regarding the proper use of social media, there will still be employees who push the envelope.  Liu points out that “many employees of charities and advocacy groups are passionate about their work, so they naturally speak out publicly on issues relating to their field… If an employee posts an offending statement against another organization on a… social network, the statement could be attributed to the employer, even if the employee posted [the comment] on his or her own personal account.”  The solution is to include in the written policy a requirement that employees must include disclaimer language in personal postings and blogs that are related to the employer’s field.  The language should clearly inform the reader that the views and opinions expressed are those of the individual and do not represent those of the employer.

For additional information on developing policies regarding the use of social media, call the HR4NON-PROFITS team at 630.830.4443 or visit our website at www.hr4nonprofits.com. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

It’s a new year and the resolutions have already started.  At the beginning of each new year, approximately 40% to 60% of Americans make resolutions to eat healthier, exercise more, stop smoking, spend less money or make some other improvement in their lives.  And just like people, nonprofits also find themselves making resolutions each year.  Nonprofits generally make resolutions to increase funding.  But like people, many nonprofits find themselves unable to fulfill their resolutions.

Karen Eber Davis of Karen Eber Davis Consulting (http://www.kedconsult.com/ ) says that, “Listing resolutions to increase your non-profit funding is easy but setting ones you can accomplish is tricky because fulfilling income resolutions requires multiple actions, unknowns, unexpected steps, and frequent recommitment.  Funding resolutions that involve actions like these are impossible to keep.”  Therefore, Eber Davis advises that nonprofits “shouldn’t set resolutions to increase funding.”  Instead, she says that in order to avoid the negative experiences of failed funding resolutions, “do something better.  Instead of setting resolutions, set goals.”

Eber Davis says that, “Goals identify specific results; require learning and refining actions as you work; and require more than a firm commitment.”  She recommends to non-profit organizations the following steps in order to accomplish goals in the New Year:

1. Identify a list of outcomes you seek, like creating a more engaged fund-raising board, implementing a planned giving program or a developing a balanced budget.  For most non-profits one goal will usually include increasing funding.

2. Prioritize your list based on which outcomes are most important to you.

3. Select No More Than Three Outcomes. At least one goal should be something fun.  No need to make your work life torture.

4. Identify Next Steps. A step is a specific action you write on your calendar with a definite beginning and a definite ending. ‘Start planned giving’ is not a specific step.  It is too general.  An example of a specific step is, “Meet with Joe to ask him to be on the Planned Giving Task Force.” Once you complete the step, check it off and move on to the next step.

5. Plan for Realistic Incremental Progress. Avoid setting unrealistic steps, like trying to visit all twelve board members in January. If you completed seven visits last year, undertake a realistic plan of three visits per quarter.

6. Create Your Own Motivation. When you have a choice, motivate and please yourself.  Take time to think about what will motivate you to accomplish steps necessary to meeting your goals.  For example, if your goal is to spend more one-on-one time with your board members, find meeting spots that you enjoy and that energize you. And once you identify your incentives, write them on your calendar in ink.

7. Eat Peas First. Certain steps will need to be completed before others.  But when possible, complete the steps you like least in the beginning.

8. Evaluate Your Progress. Assess your progress briefly each week and in-depth at the end of each month. The evaluation process is a good time to identify and schedule additional next steps.

9. Resolve to Achieve Your Goals. Nonprofit organizations should steer clear of making resolutions.  But if you must make a resolution, resolve to do whatever it takes to achieve your goals.

For a free consultation and more information on setting goals for your non-profit call the HR4NON-PROFITS team at 630.830.4443 or visit our website at www.hr4nonprofits.com. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.