pic by bearman 2007

It is not what you get from a volunteer, it is what you accomplish with the volunteer.

Know how to be effective and reaching out.

Partner with your local community colleges

Partner with your local state colleges

Partner with your state universities

Partner with your private colleges

Partner with your local private universities

Partnerships with higher education institutions will provide a resource for creating a long term base for volunteers and donors.

Pic by Mister Bisson

pic by Miss Rogue

Having a perspective of the Past, Present and Future of the organization will improve the likelihood that partnerships can be formed.  Your partners will look to the nonprofit for past successes, an ability to deliver upon current goals, what is the strategic direction of the organization and the organizations ability to measure outcomes.

Lead and others will follow.

The use of symbols and the message jingle are sometimes more important than conveying the details of the work the organization does.

There are 1.6 million plus nonprofits from whom businesses and organizations can partner to create just the right message to effectively reach the audience intended. Nonprofits do not have to wait until they are contacted to show how they can be such a strategic partner. Reach out to the businesses and organizations in the community served by the nonprofit.

(Pics from VCU Tomkins & McCraw and Hamden Alliance)

 Asking for help does not mean you need to feel it is a sign of weakness.  It is actually a sign of strength to recognize what you need help with and communicating it to others.

To obtain corporate sponsorships you need to very specific. 

• Describe the problem.
• Explain to the corporation/organization why their involvement is benefical to the community in which they are located.
• Explain to the corporation/organization how their role would benefit the company/organization.
• Describe to the corporation/organization what role you feel is the best role for them but let them see all of the roles that are possible.
• Be prepared to describe the commitment of resources your requesting of their corporation/organization.
• If you have commitments already describe them.  Most entities are joiners not leaders.

Look to corporations and organizations as the students you wish to motivate to be involved in your class project.  Devise a stategy and campaign to use to convince individuals that your project is the one they should join? 

(Pics by adrian purser and turbojoe)

pic by wilhelm

The Obama choice to focus on the states that ran caucuses to elect delegates prove to be the game changer. Further, it highlighted that winning enough small states mobilized support and neutralize the large state approach.  It is a great example how winning big events does not always result in winning the prize.  The key is to reach a critical mass by building upon a consistency of a growth plan.

It further showed how the Internet has become the Game Changer in raising money.

Use volunteers and the Internet to evolve the organization into the next century.

pics by voxeix and shawnbulls

The recent Presidential campaign provided a good example of the difference of style.  The choice is between being consistent with a message and creating a theme compared to changing the message and themes though out the campaign.

One should not come away with whether a specific issue was what won the race but more about the themes that stuck with individuals.

The ease to which an individual can  remember a simple message provides the opportunity to have your organization more readily remembered.  The slogan provides an ease to voice what the organization represents. It creates opportunity for individuals to promote the organization in a simple manner.

 Thank you crystavisions for use of pic

A Person

A Focus

A Mission

A Vision

An Objective

Volunteers

Donations

2 years of Community Organizing

The Highest Prize Achieved

Now, it is your turn.

 pic by Pandiyan

Votes in from the first results Obama _15__ McCain _6_____

Dixville Notch, New Hampshire provides an example of how a small number of individuals (21) can bring a nation to be focused on their thoughts.  At midnight on the eve of the Presidential Election this community organizes to vote in effectively as a unit to bring about a result for a nation to hear far and wide.

Community organizing begins with one person and builds upon another. This small group of individuals by being able to agree to a process and an annual event have built a brand and an ability to control an ongoing public relations success.

pic by lawkevin 

It should not be about trying to out fox your future predicments.  However, just leaving your future to the faith of the world is unwise. Only you really care about your plans.

Age greatly affects how you plan for retirement. Predictably, your income needs and risk tolerance will be different in your 20s than they are in your 50s.

Adjusting your 401(k) so that it reflects your age is essential to reaching your retirement goals and to ensuring the success of your 401(k).

Here are some helpful tips on how you should approach your retirement strategy and your 401(k) plan based on your age:

Your 20s: This truly is the best time to start contributing to a retirement plan, time is on your side and compounded growth the name of the game!

Your 30s: That’s the age when many of us go through major transitions: marriage, kids, mortgage. Make sure that you factor in retirement savings with all the other expenses you have.

Your 40s: Another major fork in the road, retirement is not that far out anymore. At this age, you should be monitoring and adjusting your investment goals as well as your portfolio quarterly or at the very least, annually.

Your 50s: Now is the time to be more conservative with your investment selection and asset allocation. For example, what would happen if your nest egg disappeared because of a high-risk investment? You can’t afford for that to happen since you will need the money in a few years.

Your 60s: At this age, it’s all about withdrawal strategies and estate planning and what you’ll do with the rewards from years of smart planning and saving!

The best place to start? Contact your bank or ask your trusted friends for a referral to a Financial Advisor who can help you start planning your dream retirement.

This article comes to you from The Online 401(k), a provider of 401(k)s for small businesses. For more information or a free consultation on your 401(k) plan or to find out if Roth is right for you, call John Wasiejko at jwasiejko@theonline401k.com or call us at 415.477.8800 ext 828.