Tip of the Month - January 2004

CELEBRATE YOUR NONPROFIT

By Yvonne Hundshamer 

How will your organization celebrate its upcoming anniversary or other significant landmark event? 

Beyond simply giving you cause to throw a big party, anniversaries are great opportunities to provide your organization’s stakeholders with perspective on your history and your strategy for growth, helping you strengthen donor and volunteer relationships along the way.  A thoughtful, well-defined anniversary campaign is an ideal opportunity to capture and communicate the values and philosophies that have made your organization successful.   

Regardless of whether you will celebrate a 10^th, 50^th or even 100^th anniversary, a landmark represents a major achievement, and certainly a time to celebrate accomplishments.  In addition, many organizations use this opportunity to introduce themselves to an under-developed audience or donor base, to expand their outreach or development efforts, to archive historical materials, or to prepare for a leadership transition. 

Planning for your anniversary is a highly creative process, and organizations are well served by taking full ownership of it.  No other organization, no competitor, can deny you your history. And as Henry Ford once said: “You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do.” 

So where will you start?

Most organizations begin by creating a committee, and charging them with planning and organization.  This can be a challenging process: it’s easy for people to get excited about the idea of a party, a new logo, or an ad campaign But tactics are seductive and often off-target.  To be truly effective and maximize the potential of this opportunity, a committee needs to assess potential, create key messages, and set objectives for the anniversary celebration well before looking for a caterer.  

For example, one local nonprofit asked their anniversary committee to develop a strategic plan that would align the goals and objectives of their anniversary program with tactics to achieve them.  The committee then used the outline as a tool to: 1) communicate their strategy to the organization’s board, leadership and staff; 2) assess their progress throughout the three-year program; and 3) serve as a “measuring stick” to ensure that all anniversary activities remain true to the fundamental strategy.

Don’t ignore the powerful opportunities that anniversaries provide to communicate with the multiple audiences that your organization works to reach   An integrated communications plan offers the chance to address employees, members, board members, donors, volunteers and the community at large with a coordinated, purposeful message.  Every outreach tool- website, letterhead, newsletter, emails, even pay stubs-can be used to convey purpose, values, history and reputation.  A special commemorative logo and tagline can certainly be a core element, but feel free to consider big ideas as well. 

Anniversaries offer an organization a unique opportunity to look both back and forward. Take full advantage, and create an anniversary celebration program that clearly outlines the organization’s strengths, culture and vision You can capitalize on your organization’s history and founding values while concurrently preparing for your future. 

Yvonne Hundshamer is president of Blue Grotto Inc. - specializing in anniversary planning and organizational culture research, analysis and communications.  Yvonne has led the planning and research efforts on more than 20 major anniversary projects for clients including the University of Minnesota Alumni Association, Hamline University, the Frey Family Foundation, and 3M.

View Past Tips of the Month

May 2004 - One Million Minnesotans Can See Your Form 990
April 2004 - Avoid Unexpected Cost of Directors, Officers, and Organizational Liability
March 2004 - Strategies for Reducing Operating Costs
February 2004 - What Can Nonprofits Due During an Election Cycle
January 2004 - Celebrate Your Nonprofit
November 2003 -Get Your Board on Board
October 2003- Take a Walk-About for Safety
September 2003- Exit Interviews-Learn from those who Leave
August 2003 - Participant Waivers: The Good the Bad and the Ugly
July 2003 - Practical Tips for Reference Checking
June 2003 - Evaluating Your Insurance Professional 
May 2003 - Supervising Volunteers
April 2003 - Protect Your Assets with Sound Internal Controls
March 2003 - Teaching Computer Users to Surf Safely
February 2003 - Involve Clients in Protecting Their Own Safety
January 2003- Managing the Risk of Board Discontent

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