Ripple Effect | News
Celebrate Earth Day in a new way
By Sara Wilson, CPCC | Earth Day during COVID-19 could really be an Earth Day. It is overwhelming when paying attention to statistics on deaths, unemployment, businesses teetering… In small print, there is environmental good news like global decreased air pollution, vegetable seed sales skyrocketing, more people walking and on a light note, dogs are […]
How to celebrate Earth Day at a distance
By Sara Wilson, CPCC | If you work for an environmental or conservation organization, you no doubt had some fun, in-person activities planned for April 22nd. Activities that now cannot take place due to social distancing and stay-at-home orders. What to do? Here is a list of ideas: Create a downloadable toolkit that parents and […]
Don’t stop fundraising now!
By Julie Whelan Capell | In one month, we’ve gone from business as usual, to social distancing measures that have forced most organizations to cancel or postpone the special events, lunches and donor engagement activities essential to meeting end-of-year income goals. In this situation, it’s tempting to throw previous plans out the window, downsize fundraising […]
In times of financial difficulty, call on your partners
Judy Krause | Contributed by Judy Krause, MWA Associate, Certified Nonprofit Accounting Professional through the National Association of Nonprofit Accountants & Consultants (NPAC) The COVID-19 crisis is forcing every organization and business to reassess its financial plan, and nonprofits are no exception. You are making decisions daily about costs, people, programs, operations, and so much […]
Tips on working remotely
Sara Wilson, CPCC | Julie Whelan Capell With coronavirus forcing many employees to work remotely, and now even coffee shops limiting access, working at home is becoming the norm. We here at MAYES WILSON & ASSOCIATES are experts on this, so want to share our favorite work-from-home tools and strategies. We’re a group of independent […]
Special events and coronavirus
Sara Wilson, CPCC | Is COVID-19 affecting your upcoming special event? Many nonprofits are having to make the decision whether to postpone, go virtual, or cancel altogether. Postponing an event may seem like a good idea, but figuring out a new date and venue, or rebooking a speaker may be more difficult than going virtual. […]
How to communicate to external audiences during a crisis
Sara Wilson, CPCC | Today we are facing the proverbial hypothetical crisis that leaders always talk about preparing for. In case you are not prepared and are having trouble catching your breath while juggling staff, volunteers, constituents and events, accept that the virus isn’t going away immediately. As a leader you need to be communicating […]
What are you attached to?
Sara Wilson, CPCC | On my recent trip to Africa, what began as a simple act of generosity turned into a surprisingly strong mental challenge that made me reflect on attachment. We can be attached to things, people, our self perceptions, the list goes on and on. It turns out my attachment was to a […]
If your board does this, fundraising will be easier
Julie Whelan Capell | Building a culture of philanthropy is possibly the best way to increase your board’s fundraising success. I’ve seen this principle at work many times. Show me an organization where the board sees fundraising as strictly a staff responsibility, where board members only care about fund development as a line item on […]
Any moment is a good time to start Becoming
Sara Wilson, CPCC | I live in the Midwestern US where there is an effort to increase the monarch butterfly population because of the benefits they provide us and the planet. Two summers ago I “fostered” several monarch caterpillars through the phases of Becoming a butterfly. The transformation was phenomenal. Each stage was fascinating and […]