List of Recommendations | CRCharityWritersW231

Recommendations: MHCR Five Next Steps Towards Better Networking

After research and local studies of Non profit networking and growth, we have come up with 5 recommendations that we believe will aid in the growth process within the Mars Hill Charity Riders and improve the experience for both members and community.

Recommendation #1: Immediate Start - Compile Reporting in Preparation for your Next Grant Cycle

Your recommended goal: The Treasurer & Board compiles the foundational record for Charity Riders grant information by 01 June 2024; internal audits should be conducted bi-annually in February and September; both allow for an approximate two-month buffer to catch any oversights before tax, end of year, and grant application deadlines.

Here’s the How: Keep detailed records of the information needed by prospective grant opportunities up-to-date and accurate. We recommend starting a ‘balance book’ for reporting. At minimum, include sections for Funds, Personnel, Collaborations, and Resources] Funds are anything monetary. Personnel includes the volunteers, paid members, and any consultants hired - with contact information compiled and encrypted to maintain privacy. Resources are anything not money or people, including supplies, time/hours spent, and Meeting Minutes. Collaborations are central information of dates, resources, and the point(s) of contact with people/organizations outside of Mars Hill Charity Riders. This would work best in a database format.

For additional subsections you might want to include, please see APPENDIX A -

Reporting categories & subtopics. Any programs used in this collaboration should support the Charity’s Treasurer, ideally using the programs & formats most requested by collaborating organizations.

Recommendation #2: By 1 February 2024 - Establish a Social Media Team

Your recommended goal: The Social Media Team works to achieve 1,000 followers on each platform (Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok) with an engagement rate of at least 5% within the first 90 days.

Here’s the How: Assign a ‘Digital Marketing Manager' to loadshare/lead a team with two social media specialists for Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. This team should create a content calendar (Hootsuite can help with scheduling) at least three Instagram posts and two TikTok videos per week (which may be crossposted). Social Media Managers should also be engaging with other community members/pages, and moderating the comment sections. We also recommend tools like Canva for graphic design and InShot for video editing.

Focus on creating content that showcases community impact stories and behind-the-scenes of events to foster emotional connections. Monitor trending hashtags and the highest engagement topic weekly using TrendTok to make sure you post at times when people are likely to see your content. Your Social Media team should conduct a bi-weekly review of social media metrics and then report the results quarterly to your board (or as requested).

List of recomenations

Recommendation #3: By 1 February 2024 - Establish an Event Analysis Team

Your recommended goal: The Event Analysis Team works to achieve a minimum 70% response rate for post-event surveys, with a 30% improvement in attendee satisfaction over the next six months.

Here’s the How: Designate 'Event Analysis Coordinator' to lead data collection and analysis post-event. This Coordinator should collect direct feedback on event satisfaction, and attendance metrics. We recommend using SurveyMonkey for initiating post-event surveys within 24 hours of the event conclusion. Compile and analyze your data using Google Sheets, with a detailed report created in Tableau.

Complete data analysis within one week post-event for presentation in the monthly board meeting; report the results quarterly to your board.

Recommendation #4: By 1 February 2024 - Establish a Communications Director

Your recommended goal: The Communications Director works to achieve a 25% open rate and 10% click-through rate for email campaigns to gain at least three major collaborators through donor referrals per year. Explore the possibility of supporting physical mail campaigns or neighborhood canvas for collaboration opportunities in 2025.

Here’s the How: Your Communications Director will manage monthly donor update newsletters. Their updates should emphasize how donors' contributions directly impact the community. Each email should include a link to online donations & contributions toward the next upcoming event/fundraising campaign. Make sure to include tax-deductible information incentives for referrals that lead to sponsorships/donors/partnerships– such as an additional ticket to a special event, or entry in a raffle. We recommend using Mailchimp for designing and sending segmented newsletters– theme them to tell a cohesive story over time. You can also create content that highlights specific projects and their outcomes, personalized for different donor groups (e.g., one-time donors, recurring donors, major donors).

Send your newsletters to donors the first week of every month (after the board or staff meeting), with quarterly reviews to assess and tweak the email strategy.

Recommendation #5: By 2 April 2024 - Establish Marketing & Partnerships Manager

Your recommended goal: The Marketing & Partnerships Manager supports the Communications Director to spark partnerships with five local influencers within the motorcycle, Mars Hill, or Indianapolis mutual aid communities within the next year.

Here’s the How: Develop a structured campaign or event schedule where influencers meet (coffee, dinner, etc.) and share about upcoming charity events and their impacts. Offer an incentive structure (as previously mentioned) for collaborators based on the engagement and conversion rates they achieve. Make sure that the people you designate choose partners that align with the charity's targets and goals. With collaboration, Mars Hill Charity Riders should aim for at least 2,000 total (individuals & community organizations within Indianapolis) addressed invites sent for each event with an increase to event attendance by 20% through influencer collaborations (compared to the same or similar event, this time the prior year).

Initiate partnerships six months prior to major events, and evaluate the impact of the collaboration post-event, adjusting accordingly.

Reporting Categories & Subtopics

Several important things need to be reported to ensure transparency and accountability. A nonprofit report should include various aspects of the organization’s activities and financial health. Here are some key elements that should be included in a nonprofit report:

Organizational Mission, Goals, and Objectives: This section clearly outlines the organization’s vision & mission statements, goals, and objectives. This helps stakeholders understand the purpose and direction of the nonprofit, and keep the organization aligned.
Governance Structure: This section can outline the organization’s board of directors, their roles, and responsibilities, and any changes or updates in board membership.
Program Outcomes and Impact: This report should highlight the impact of the organization’s programs and initiatives. This can include data on the number of people served, success stories, and any measurable outcomes achieved.
Financial Statements: It is essential to include financial statements in the report. This includes information on revenue sources, expenses, assets, liabilities, and fund balances. It’s important to have each purchase listed and detailed; copies of any receipts should be scanned immediately and kept organized by date in a separate folder. Financial statements provide a comprehensive view of the organization’s financial health.
Donor Distributions: It is important to disclose how donor funds are being utilized. This can include information on how donations are allocated to different programs or projects.
Fundraising Activities: It’s important to highlight the organization’s fundraising efforts and any significant campaigns or events that were conducted. This can include details on the amount raised, donor engagement, and the impact of fundraising initiatives.
Partnerships and Collaborations: If the nonprofit has formed partnerships or collaborations with other organizations, it can be valuable to mention these relationships in the report. This helps demonstrate the organization’s network and collective impact.
Volunteer Engagement: Nonprofits often rely on volunteers to support their operations. Including volunteer recruitment, training, and the number of hours distributed can showcase the organization’s community involvement.
Networking Events: Attend industry conferences, workshops, or seminars where you can meet representatives from other organizations. This can provide an opportunity to build connections and explore potential collaborations.
Based upon the type of organization created, ensure that community programs and involvement are aligned in a way that would credit the organization. (This point ties in with points 7, 8 and 9)
Challenges and Lessons Learned: It can be insightful to discuss any challenges or obstacles faced by the organization during the reporting period. Sharing lessons learned and strategies for improvement demonstrates a commitment to growth and adaptability.
Intracompany Reporting: Employees of the organization should have reports turned in at appointed reporting periods, with a log or record kept for easy reference for updates. This will inform the organization on what needs to be fixed or considered.