In This Issue:​

Tim is a long supporter of the Idaho Nonprofit Center, we're excited to have him join us as a new board member in 2022.

Tim Adams started his nonprofit career while attaining his undergraduate degree at Humboldt State University and has spent the last 30 years continuing his goal to give back to society.  He worked for the North Carolina Outward Bound School, Yosemite Institutes (now Nature Bridge), and YMCA of the East Bay serving in positions from Instructor to Director.  Along the way, he achieved a Graduate Degree in Experiential Education, served on multiple boards, helped establish two nonprofits from the ground up, and most significantly met his wife, Shawn.
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Over 14 years ago, Tim, Shawn, and their two sons, Finnegan and Benjamin, moved to Teton Valley Idaho from San Francisco. Their goal was to move to a locale in which they could connect with the community and be proud to raise their sons. Teton Valley met that vision then and continues to remind them of its truly special nature.  Tim served as the Executive Director of Teton Valley Trails and Pathways for 11 years before becoming the Executive Director of the Community Foundation of Teton Valley in November of 2018.

By Kim Ellsworth, Marketing & Communications Director, Idaho Nonprofit Center

​​​"Marketing and communications within nonprofits – especially at smaller organizations–  always seem to take a backseat. This makes sense as the priority should go to achieving individual missions. However, investing even a little time and money into marketing will make a big difference and will ultimately help your bottom line."

​By Kevin Bailey, CEO, Idaho Nonprofit Center

I just finished reading Brad Stulberg’s The Practice of Groundedness and one line in the first few pages just hit me right away with that “Oh da** that’s me!” feeling.

“They tell themselves how much they want to turn it off...And yet when they do, they feel unsettled and restless, fluctuating between aimlessness and angst. They know that always being on isn’t the answer, but they never feel quite right when they are off. Many men describe it as a cumbersome need to be bulletproof, invincible. Many women report feeling like they must be everything always, continually falling short of impossible expectations.”

​My entry into the nonprofit sector was both unexpected and serendipitous. Looking back, it makes perfect sense how I ended up where I am now with the Idaho Nonprofit Center - and I couldn’t be happier. My decisions in life have always been guided by my passions and growing up in a household of musicians naturally led me to an interest in the arts. Following in my parent’s footsteps, I began performing and teaching guitar at a young age. 

As my passion developed, I began seeing how I could share this interest with others. Whether it be performing at local fundraisers or cultivating others’ passions through teaching, I loved how impactful the music could be. I knew from this that I wanted a career where I could enrich the lives of others.

Dear nonprofit colleagues,

During my five months as interim CEO of the Idaho Nonprofit Center, it was a privilege to represent the many organizations and individuals who work tirelessly to improve the lives of Idahoans.

 As I start my tenure as the next CEO of the Idaho Nonprofit Center, I wanted to share a story that I think sums up what nonprofits are all about.

Passion 

My first nonprofit gig was right after I finished college. In school, I was fortunate enough to come into contact with a small band of passionate rabble rousers who were alumni of my alma mater. They were founding a nonprofit in Gulu, Uganda and it was truly a bare bones operation. All volunteer board members were dedicated to the cause, but had no real funding sources or leads.

I came along a few months later with the desire to gain experience and work overseas. Upon meeting with the founder and finding we had a shared love for the resilient people in Uganda, he said, “You’re hired! But… you’ll need to raise money for your own salary because we don’t have a way to pay you yet.”

Naively, I said, “Count me in!”

Idaho Gives started yesterday, April 23, and will last for two weeks. It is an unprecedented change for an unprecedented time.  Now more than ever we can leverage Idaho Gives as an opportunity over these next two weeks to highlight your work, share your impact and most importantly of all raise as much money as we can for as many participating nonprofits as we can.

Not only do we have a record number of participating nonprofits, we have the best local media partners who have gone above and beyond in getting the word out about Idaho Gives this year.  We have provided dozens of Idaho Gives webinars to help our nonprofits prepare and we have lined up some of the best prizes for Award Pool Funds once again.

​​The nonprofit sector is unlike any other. It is competitive with long staff hours and limited resources. However, the employees make it special, unique, and successful. These individuals show up every single day ready to advocate and work for the cause. Staff members dedicate 40+ hours a week to insure that the organization's mission is going to be successful and properly integrated into the community. 

Staff members are the champions of “wearing many hats.” No nonprofit employee has just one task or skill to do. In fact, many support various avenues of the organization and possess diverse skills in order to do this. In the for-profit world, these roles are commonly distributed as multiple separate positions. And that accomplishment of nonprofit staff is something to accept, celebrate, and foster.

The individuals who dedicate their careers to the nonprofit sector are very good at what they do, but no one stops learning or is an expert in all fields.

Investing in the people who make the mission happen should be a top priority for any nonprofit organization.

​If you’re like me, you look forward to buying a new calendar or tearing off each completed month on your desk calendar (yes, I have a paper calendar on my desk). But, as the year comes to a close and you begin to tidy up your year-end giving, it’s also important to plan for the future. 

What donors will you reach out to and when? How will you thoughtfully engage them? And what cultivation strategies do you have planned? Like any good planner, it’s time to fill in your annual fundraising plan and calendar.

​Rebecca has over 20 years of grant writing experience in the nonprofit world. Experience writing federal, state, local, and foundation grants with nearly 2 million dollars awarded to the grantee organization. Rebecca is a full-service grant consultant with services ranging from research and development, grant writing and grant administration. Individual services or package prices are available. Rebecca Lovelace Oaxaca Enterprises is a new business affiliate of the Idaho Nonprofit Center and also a woman-owned business. 

Call for your free 30-minute consultation. 208-899-5294 or email [email protected]

Recently Independent Sector published an article titled “2018 Giving is Dropping. Now What?” that cited analysis from The Fundraising Effectiveness Project. In the article they note that their research shows a 2% decline in the amount given to charities and close to a 7% drop in the number of donors. This analysis was derived from analyzing the second quarter fundraising returns for over 13,000 organizations.

​The same report also noted a 6% decline in donor retention year to date. New donors are down 9% and new retained donors are down 18%. Recaptured donors are down 5% and repeat retained donors are down 2.1%.

The report itself is derived from software providers such as Blackbaud, Donor Perfect, and Bloomerang. The data reporting is a sampling from organizations that have raised $5,000 or more, with 25 or more donors in each of the last 6 years.

What this tells me is that we are only looking at one part of the picture. When you only look at the numbers you aren’t asking organizations critical questions such as:

• “As a result of assuming donors would not give at the same level in previous years, did you spend less time engaging, cultivating, and recognizing your donors?”

When I see the results that show such declines not only in new donors but also in donor retention I have to ask that question. At the end of 2017, and early in 2018, the message was sent far and wide that the tax incentive to give was no longer available to most donors and therefore giving would decline. 

How many of us reduced efforts and or staff that support donor engagement? How many of us instead of doubling down on our efforts, pulled back? How many of us directly or indirectly told our donors that their gifts were no longer tax deductible? 

The bottom line is whether or not we did things any differently in 2018 assuming the worst, instead of hoping for the best. I can’t answer these questions, and again I can only draw my own conclusions that may be fair or unfair. I’ll admit to that.

What I see here in Idaho is the opposite. I see every fundraising event that I’ve been to this year doing better than ever before. Our own annual Idaho Gives raised a record $1.55 million for Idaho’s nonprofit community. ​

The Vision, Values & Goals of Wells Fargo details the enduring principles that guide all Wells Fargo team members in the work they do every day — in serving customers and helping each other. Wells Fargo has 70 bank locations in Idaho. Click here for locations and cities.

Our Vision
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We want to satisfy our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially.
This unites us around a simple premise: Customers can be better served when they have a relationship with a trusted provider that knows them well, provides reliable guidance, and can serve their full range of financial needs.