VATT- Events

General Membership Meeting
Thursday, February 5th, 2009

The planning committee recently met and reviewed the survey that was completed by our membership. Based upon your comments, we have planned our February meeting to explore four general “focus groups” with the emphasis on “Volunteer Management”. Each focus group will have a facilitator and a recorder and we are asking each member who attends to pick two focus groups of their interest to participate in. At the end of the meeting, all groups will reconvene and we will share our findings. This is a great opportunity to communicate with your peers and find out how they “do things” as well as to brainstorm new creative ideas to help you with volunteer management.

“Volunteer Management”
Focus Group I
Recruitment, screening, background checks

Focus Group II
Retention- meeting the needs of the volunteer, evaluation of volunteers
efforts & accomplishments, exit interviews

Focus Group III
Competency in orienting and training volunteers, matching
volunteers needs to that of agency.

Focus Group IV
Competency in protecting volunteers, clients and the
organization- confidentiality, HIPPA

Transforming Volunteers
into Donors and Fundraisers

How do you motivate volunteers to become contributors and to becoming fundraising powerhouses? Katherine Anderson of Kelmscott Consulting offered the VATT members who attended the November meeting some pointers, examples, and insights on how to recruit fundraising volunteers and involve them in major gifts, events, and other fundraising activities and turn them into active and generous donors.

Katherine said creating a totally volunteer-driven committee is key to making a signficant leap forward in generating dollars. She suggested each organization create a major gifts committee that would meet in a location away from the organization. They could brainstorm what the organization could accomplish if they had more revenue, then assign dollar amounts to the projects and discuss people who were passionate for the organization's work that could contribute. It is important to match projects with people, she said.

Another point Katherine stressed was that no volunteer should ever get a "Dear Friend" letter. Volunteers need special recognition. Take every opportunity to treat them special, invite them as a special guest of an event or opening, and pick up the phone to tell them thank you personally. "If you treat a volunteer respectfully and engage them closer to the organization, their capacity will show itself." You may never know how much a person could give unless you spend this time cultivating each and every volunteer.

Although Katherine did not suggest events are a great way to raise money, she did say an event that fits an organization and is cfomopletely volunteer run, can be significant. But she warned staff members to let the volunteers do their own thing. Let them shape the event, even if it means making some mistakes along the way. "An event will generate more good will - and will blossom - if it doesn't come from the organization," she said. "Volunteer ownership is absolutely crucial."

Katherine also reminded the group not to give up on a volunteer who has become angry with the organization. It just shows that they care. "Sow the seedsd. Do things right," she said. "The money will come."

People want to give to something that is meaningful and to something specific. Identify your project as 'special" and get peopole used to giving to "special" projects. And identify the categories that people have given to. It will motivate others.

The Golden Rule:
All things being equal, people do business with and refer people to people they know, like and trust.

Fred Ashforth, experienced speaker, trainer, writer, and consultant, told his audience at VATT's May workshop to have a system for networking.

He said the secret to real success is to subdue your ego and concentrate on others. Being a brilliant conversationalist is all about how you make people feel.

His strategy is to ask people what they do, and then listen! Look at them, listen, show you care and ask logical questions. People remember that, and they like a person that showed that much interest.

Ashforth said this information only helps if you use it. He suggested picking an event such as a business after business social to practice. Success at such an event requires planning your presence: be positive, have your business cards ready, plan a self introduction, dress up and don't eat! He shared ideas with the group on being proactive - not waiting to be introduced, on giving a proper handshake, and how to remember names.

"When leaving, you get points if you call people by name, shake hands and say it was great to meet you. It will astound them." Ashforth said.

Fred Ashforth provided the "sizzle" at

How to Be A Powerful Presenter

in May at the Corning Radisson, a seminar brought to the community by VATT. Fred Ashforth, an experienced speaker, trainer, writer and consultant, taught his audience a few etiquette skills about speaking in front of a group.

Visit Fred's website for a complimentary newsletter and more information!

Risk Proofing Your Volunteer Programs

How many of us have a Volunteer Handbook with procedures that describe a rhyme and a reason for the way we do things?

Three R's for Your Organization
Reputation
You're only as good as people think you are
Resume
What do you brag about that you do for the community?
Rolodex
The number of contacts you maintain

"Excellent, practical info! I am attending an afterhours next month as a brand new member, and this info will be so helpful."

"I work with groups and individuals regularly, and will apply the five roadblocks, 3 types of people WIIFM, etc."

"Excellent! I plan to use it more as I develop a home-based business or switch careers. Fred is extremely charismatic and makes it seem so easy!"

Comments from networking champion attendees:

"At the next place I encounter a group of people, I will apply this information."

"I plan to be more assertive, and will look to invite people in."

"Excellent...I haven't laughed like that in a long time."

"I will be more proactive in going to meetings without knowing people."

"Every point was valuable."

The interactive presentation was filled with "sizzle" as well as "steak" - a technique Fred described as providing the facts (the steak) but more importantly, making the audience remember the message through audience participation, demonstrations, and stories (the sizzle).

Fred told the group the most important thing they should remember from his discussion is to speak not to a entire group, but to individuals. He described a technique called "eye clasp" where the speaker makes eye contact with one person in the audience for 3-5 seconds while completing a thought.

Join VATT and increase your volunteer management aptitude - don't miss out on upcoming presentations for members, sharing knowledge and discounts for training events

"It's not an easy job to ask people to work for nothing," said Richard J. Gehring, President of Meals on Wheels of Western New York, Inc., Buffalo, at the VATT Educational Program in November. "The key is knowing where the major risks are."

Richard listened to the agencies who attended the program and then explained a few ways to minimize risk with their volunteers.

Are you a WOW agency? Do you stand out from the growing crowd of look-alikes?

Write a grant for a training video for your volunteers. It will provide clear expectations of the job you want them to do. And be sure management gets out in the field and eyeballs the volunteer work from time to time.

VATT MISSION:
To increase awareness and cooperation among persons in the Twin Tiers involved in the development, implementation, coordination and participation of volunteer programs.