Articles and Information to Help you

Are They On Your Board? Bank of America is Top Holder of Local Chamber Board Seats; Manufacturing and Banking Are Most Represented Industries
A new study indicates that Bank of America has the most executives serving on big-chamber boards throughout North America. Banks, accounting firms, and communications companies are among the best-represented firms on the boards of large chambers of commerce.

Board Bonding 101
The process of board bonding is all-important, and it has to begin with a new board member's very first meeting. Here's some advice for the board president on building that bond:

Get on Top of Your Game - A Top Ten List of Successful Development Tips
Resolve to follow one or more of these ten tips and you're sure to put your non-profit organization ahead of the game.

How Much Do I Get Paid to Be on this Nonprofit Board and Other Questions to Ask
One of the funniest questions I have ever been asked was, "How much money are you paid to be on the board of a nonprofit?" When I explained that nonprofit board members donate both time and money, the woman was aghast. Board membership is an honor, a privilege, a responsibility, and at times, a pain the neck. No one in the corporate world has an abundance of time. Asking the right questions will ensure that you not only don't waste your time, money or talents, but that you are not endangering the well being of those served by the organization by a poor fit between you and the organization.

How to hire and get the most from outside fundraising counsel
Terry Cusack was invited to speak to members of the Mid-America Economic Development Council at their Great Lakes Chapter meeting. He shared the podium with the author of the following article, who gave him permission to distribute it to readers of FUNDAMENTALS, the Stellar newsletter. It contains insightful and useful information from the viewpoint of the organization executive that I thought you would find interesting. TFN has permission from Terry Cusack to reprint this article here.

Program Relevancy to Achieve Greater Success
Too often, fund-raising focuses on a specific event when it should be emphasizing the organization’s overall program. By avoiding the “event trap,” you involve more of your constituents, engage local leaders more fully and increase the return on your investment of time and resources. The ultimate result is that your organization does more good for your community.

Regionalism & Public/Private Partnerships - Not a New Idea, But Still Underutilized
You’d be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t support the idea of a regional approach to economic development. Most would agree that such an approach moves an area forward better than any one individual effort. Why then do we still have such a proliferation of independent organizations struggling to make an impact at a time when everyone seems to embrace the concept of “Regionalism” and “Public / Private Partnerships?”

THE HONEYMOON NEVER HAS TO END: How to Keep Your Board Happy and Productive
Even people who aren't shy know how uncomfortable it can feel to walk into a room of strangers. Yet many non-profits don't recognize that a key ingredient in building a dynamic, productive board is helping people feel comfortable.

The Importance of Feasability When Raising Mega Bucks
Without question, the most important step in preparing for a campaign is to conduct a thorough and objective feasibility study.

Transitioning from a Membership Dues to a Corporate Investment Model Can Boost Funding for Economic Development Organizations
Historically, most economic development organizations that procured private sector funding did so by utilizing a membership-based model. Think chambers of commerce and other membership service organizations. A recent private sector funding trend – led by forward-thinking and successful economic development organizations – has been to move from a membership model to an investor-based approach. In doing so, these leading organizations dramatically have increased funding levels, developed more engaged volunteer leadership, begun generating greater long-term benefits for their communities and, in general, become more focused, measurable and accountable.

You're Fired!
You're fired! These words are feared by us all, but it is an unfortunate trend that many professional chamber executives and economic developers are hearing these words from their boards of directors.

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Spirit of Hockey Fundraising Keepsake Calendars
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