It only took less than a day, 1.3 million social media posts, and Mayor Michael Bloomberg's $250,000 "to the rescue" money to have the Susan G. Komen Foundation do a 180 degree turn from no longer funding, to ok we'll continue to fund Planned Parenthood (PP).
Let's set aside the politics of why Nancy G. Brinker, founder and chief executive for Komen and the board made the decision to stop making grants to PP last December and focus on two factors:
1. Nonprofits cannot send out Mixed Messages - Donors are Wise and they act quickly;
2. 95% of Weathly people believe nonprofits can solve problems over businesses and government - evidence Mike Bloomberg's gift to Planned Parenthood.
Factor One
The Mixed Message - Komen originally stated that it decided to cease funding (PP) because of its "improved grant making procedures." Drilling down a bit these new "improved grant making procedures" were designed to stop funding to groups that are "under investigation" (A Republican congressman from Florida is investigating if PP is using money for abortions....Ms. Brinker is a well known Republican donor....but let's leave politics aside!).
Yesterday when it was announded that in reversal of fortune the Komen Foundation would continue to make grants to PP (heaven bless social media's instant pulse on what NOT to do) the reason for Komen's initial decision was that it wanted to avoid duplicative grants.
Specifically it did not want to issue grants to health care providers that do not perform mammograms. PP provides the exams and if needed patients are sent to radiologists.
Adding yet more confusion, Komen camp said under the new policy only organizations under "criminal investigation" would not receive grants. In flash the "duplicative grant" reason evaporated or fell into that black hole of what you said and now want to take back.
In my 21 years of working with nonprofits there is one very strong lesson I learned...organizations that use mixed messages have an uphill battle to raise money because no one knows the organization's priorities AND everyone in the organization from the leadership level to the person who answers the telephone must be conveying the same message.
I do a workshop for nonprofits and businesses called "360 Degree Fundraising: How Everyone in the Organization Can Have a Role in Raising Money." Half of the entire session is devoted to an exercise in creating more than the "elevator pitch" - it is creating one or two sentences using quantifiable terms why someone should support you or invest in you. The next step is now have everyone saying this same message...you cannot believe groups that go from $50,000 to seven figures in one year or less.
So the Komen Foundation just experienced that very hardship of putting out...the Mixed Message.
Factor Two
In a 2010 Study of High New Worth Philanthropy http://www.philanthropy.iupui.edu/Research/docs/2010BAML_HighNetWorthPhilanthropy.pdf
95% believe that Nonprofits can solve big problems
This could not be any clearer than Mayor Bloomberg's immediate gift to PP of $250,000, and as Mayor Bloomberg said, " because politics have no place in healthcare" (I told you this was about...politics aside!) and "I never like people who complain without doing something about it." Go Mayor Bloomberg!
These are two powerful lessons hopefully all nonprofits and businesses can learn...and apply.
Let's set aside the politics of why Nancy G. Brinker, founder and chief executive for Komen and the board made the decision to stop making grants to PP last December and focus on two factors:
1. Nonprofits cannot send out Mixed Messages - Donors are Wise and they act quickly;
2. 95% of Weathly people believe nonprofits can solve problems over businesses and government - evidence Mike Bloomberg's gift to Planned Parenthood.
Factor One
The Mixed Message - Komen originally stated that it decided to cease funding (PP) because of its "improved grant making procedures." Drilling down a bit these new "improved grant making procedures" were designed to stop funding to groups that are "under investigation" (A Republican congressman from Florida is investigating if PP is using money for abortions....Ms. Brinker is a well known Republican donor....but let's leave politics aside!).
Yesterday when it was announded that in reversal of fortune the Komen Foundation would continue to make grants to PP (heaven bless social media's instant pulse on what NOT to do) the reason for Komen's initial decision was that it wanted to avoid duplicative grants.
Specifically it did not want to issue grants to health care providers that do not perform mammograms. PP provides the exams and if needed patients are sent to radiologists.
Adding yet more confusion, Komen camp said under the new policy only organizations under "criminal investigation" would not receive grants. In flash the "duplicative grant" reason evaporated or fell into that black hole of what you said and now want to take back.
In my 21 years of working with nonprofits there is one very strong lesson I learned...organizations that use mixed messages have an uphill battle to raise money because no one knows the organization's priorities AND everyone in the organization from the leadership level to the person who answers the telephone must be conveying the same message.
I do a workshop for nonprofits and businesses called "360 Degree Fundraising: How Everyone in the Organization Can Have a Role in Raising Money." Half of the entire session is devoted to an exercise in creating more than the "elevator pitch" - it is creating one or two sentences using quantifiable terms why someone should support you or invest in you. The next step is now have everyone saying this same message...you cannot believe groups that go from $50,000 to seven figures in one year or less.
So the Komen Foundation just experienced that very hardship of putting out...the Mixed Message.
Factor Two
In a 2010 Study of High New Worth Philanthropy http://www.philanthropy.iupui.edu/Research/docs/2010BAML_HighNetWorthPhilanthropy.pdf
95% believe that Nonprofits can solve big problems
This could not be any clearer than Mayor Bloomberg's immediate gift to PP of $250,000, and as Mayor Bloomberg said, " because politics have no place in healthcare" (I told you this was about...politics aside!) and "I never like people who complain without doing something about it." Go Mayor Bloomberg!
These are two powerful lessons hopefully all nonprofits and businesses can learn...and apply.
