Summer can be a great time to relax and rest up for the busy season. But don't be fooled —nonprofit leaders know there is still a ton that can be done to set your organization up for success.
We talked to a handful of nonprofit leaders about how they're upping their game this summer, and compiled their insights into these 7 tips for summer productivity!
1. Celebrate your wins... and your losses.
A lot of things are winding down when summer rolls around, so take stock of how it all went. Reflect on your successes and be honest about what went wrong. It’s ok to #failfast, and the smartest nonprofits know summer is a great time to lay the groundwork for even bigger future wins.
“Summer is the time when our grassroots leaders are taking a step back to look at what went well and what could have improved over the last year. It’s time to reset, recharge, and take stock of what investments need to be made to ensure positive future outcomes.” — Monika Johnson @unausa
2. Take the time to think big.
Give your team space to get creative about big goals. Creativity often falls by the wayside when things get busy, so take advantage of the sunny weather, get outside, gather your team, and try to spark some fun new ideas.
“We are using this time to gear up some of our own programming for next fall...from attending educational programs to presenting at conferences and performing on the ground trainings with community organizers.“ — Erin Mazursky @RhizeUp
3. Look beyond the horizon.
Remember all the times you’ve said “I’ll think about that later?” Later is now. Take advantage of the summer hiatus to plan for the future.
“Summer is great time for long-term planning at Bitch. We are working on strategic planning, a magazine redesign and plans for our 20th anniversary in 2016!” — Julie Falk @BitchMedia
3. Start shaping next year’s leaders.
To really make things happen, you need dedicated leaders at all levels who can help you spread the word, grow your base, and raise your budget. Use this time to identify your biggest supporters and most influential advocates. Prep them to lead, host, and advocate for your upcoming campaigns, events, and fundraising efforts.
“Throughout the summer, we focus on building new audiences and strengthening our leadership network…Over the last year, we have seen quick growth of the campaign, so we want to make sure its infrastructure is strong enough fulfill its potential.” — Monika Johnson @unausa
4. Get your digital ducks in a row.
Your tech platform will be essential to helping you achieve scale throughout the rest of the year. Focus on websites that facilitate action, systems that sync your data, and communication platforms that allow you to leverage multiple mediums (text, social, email) for diverse audiences.
“We're getting ready to launch a new website!” — Julie Falk @BitchMedia
5. Take advantage of the dead space.
Media coverage is a great way to drum up interest in advance of your busy season. Especially when there are fewer stories to cover and more room on the airways.
“This summer we have a handful of projects happening... NCL tested Extra Virgin Olive Oil by buying 11 bottles of EVOO from 4 stores in Metropolitan DC and sending them for testing at an accredited lab in Australia; 6 were found to be mislabeled and were not EVOO, which means consumers overpaid for the products and aren’t getting the health benefits. NCL’s testing was featured on the Dr. Oz show.” — Sally Greenberg @ncl_tweets
6. Get that money, honey.
While crowdfunding efforts and donation drives are common (and effective) later in the year, institutional fundraising from foundations and elsewhere is best done as early as possible. Prep your people and your tech to make a big impact in the fall, and start sharing your story with potential funders as early as possible.
“We may plan a conference on consumer protection and veterans for the fall. We have a proposal out to several funders and partners.” — Sally Greenberg @ncl_tweets
7. Don’t skip the vacation — make it work for you.
Working hard over the summer doesn’t mean you have to forgo fun travel opportunities. Take advantage of that work trip you’re normally too busy to make, or sign-up for the conference you’ve had in your inbox since 2014!
"Summer does hold quite a bit of traveling, from attending educational programs to presenting at conferences and performing on the ground trainings with community organizers." — Erin Mazursky @RhizeUp
