By Alina Emery, Volunteer Engagement Coordinator at Vantage Point

At Vantage Point, Knowledge Philanthropist (KP) is how we refer to our skilled volunteers. It is a term that spotlights the experience and value our KPs have to offer Vantage Point and its networking community. Our Knowledge Philanthropists share their lived experiences, expertise, and passions through a multitude of opportunities including facilitation, content creation and program enhancement, blog writing and sharing their knowledge as guests on our podcast, “From our Vantage Point”.  

Being the new Volunteer Engagement Coordinator for Vantage Point, I knew that the role would come with the great responsibility of not only getting to know our existing KPs and onboarding new ones, but really taking the time to get to know who they are as individuals: people with talent, passion, and the drive to give back. As a founder of a volunteer recruitment non-profit When I Becomes We, I understand the significance and value that volunteers bring to an organization. I hope to create deeper connections with Vantage Point KPs through our Knowledge Philanthropy model and really bring the focus back to them through collaboration, personalization and, at the forefront of it all, educating each other for the benefit of strengthening our non-profit sector.  

Our Knowledge Philanthropist model offers our experienced volunteers a unique opportunity to share their skills through facilitating trainings for non-profit leaders seeking to strengthen their organizations. These opportunities allow our KP Facilitators to dive deep with individuals and organizations teams to see where they are at now, and discover how they might improve or expand. The learning is not only a gratifying experience for our participants but our KPs too.  

The Knowledge Philanthropist model extends even further and offers our valued Digital Hosts the opportunity to support our facilitators by providing technical support and coordination for sessions. At the same time, these KPs are learning, networking, and supporting the session participants. They have an opportunity to learn from others, meet leaders in the sector, and put their tech skills to use. In a post-pandemic world, it is of incredible value to have our KP Digital Hosts fully support the tech portion of sessions so our KP Facilitators can deliver comfortably and confidently. 

As we have looked at the ways KPs can engage and participate with Vantage Point, a part of our mission is to collaborate with our Knowledge Philanthropists to find new and exciting opportunities for them to expand their involvement, and also brainstorm “out-of-the-box” ideas as to how volunteerism at Vantage Point can evolve. Our staff is committed to asking themselves when starting new projects, “how might a KP help support the success of this project?” to ensure that we prioritize a range of opportunities and offer our KPs, one of our most valuable stakeholders, the chance to get involved in internal projects. 

In addition to expanding the ways we engage our Knowledge Philanthropists, we hope that through the results of our BC Non-Profit Network Feasibility Study, we will be able to further extend our geographical reach and connect with more Knowledge Philanthropists outside of the lower mainland. This would include opportunities for session facilitation, digital hosting, speaking engagements and more. Follow our socials and newsletters to keep up to date with our progress and next steps from the study! 

This volunteer week, we hold gratitude for all our Knowledge Philanthropists that have contributed to Vantage Point’s 80 years in the sector. Should this be your first time encountering Vantage Point’s Knowledge Philanthropy model (or a nice reminder if you’re already involved), I’m always happy to set up a meeting to check in, brainstorm or talk through ideas our KPs have and to expand our thinking about volunteerism in non-profits. I’m just an email away!  

Happy Volunteer Week!  

Alina Emery
Volunteer Engagement Coordinator
aemery@thevantagepoint.ca

By Michael Ip MSocSc, RSW, Non-profit Strategist

It was a recent story from a non-profit community service center. The team in charge of education programs for married couples noticed that the program participants were mostly middle-aged couples and wanted to extend their reach to younger couples. They landed on Instagram as the main promotional channel to use. They thought this made perfect sense since Instagram users are typically younger.

Now, this is where it gets interesting. For the past few years, the teams have been using online forms for program enrollment, which means they have gathered a ton of user data in digital format. I spent some time sorting out the data and ran a simple Excel calculation to see if I could learn anything. What I found was surprising. The team serving parents, in fact, had previously reached out to several younger couples. My question was, why did they not then attend the programs? I raised this question to the two teams and together we came up with a conclusion that young couples with kids, who joined the parenting programs, were full-time mothers who could attend during the day while their kids were in school. However, they could not attend the marriage enrichment program with their spouses at night as they had no childcare resources to relieve them. The discussion shed light on the issue for the team and shifted their mindset. The promotional effort could reach out to young couples with kids, but they would not be able to attend the couple's program anyway. They needed to redefine their target audience for the couple's programs to people who were married without kids or those with access to childcare support. For those unable to afford childcare service, the team may have to work out alternatives for them to include them.

This story is not just about rethinking our target audience. It is about three important concepts of organizational change: digitization, digitalization, and digital transformation.

Digitization means converting our data into digital format.

Digitalization refers to using digital tools and platforms to make our operation more efficient.

As the team in my story above previously adopted online registration; they had already received users' profile in digital format. Then they could more easily use the data for the digital process of program registration and follow-up communication.

Digitalization enhances our filing systems and makes our work more efficient as users' data can be stored and retrieved in a breeze. However, that data remains underutilized until we dive in and use it to gain a better understanding of our work. We still rely on our personal impressions and assumptions until we take advantage of the data for a holistic profile.

Lacking a deeper understanding of their users through the data, the team had jumped to a premature conclusion deciding quickly to shift their resources to a new strategy.

Digital transformation can help organizations gain a better understanding of their users and adapt their programs to better serve their needs. Digital transformation is a mindset change in which we intentionally make use of data analysis as a significant input in ourdecision-making, strategic planning, and monitoring. Digital data is not only for making our filing system more efficient. It should be used to provide insight into our target communities, and the process and outcomes of their engagement journey.

By utilizing data analysis and adopting a digital mindset, we can make better decisions and provide more effective services to the non-profit communities we serve.

By Bryna Dilman, Fundraising Kit

Technology has revolutionized the way we live, work, and communicate, and the non-profit sector is no exception. Technology has the power to transform the way organizations operate and achieve their missions. By harnessing the power of technology and staying on top of technology trends, non-profits can increase their reach, streamline their operations, and grow their impact. 

In our latest podcast episode, Strengthening the Non-Profit Sector through Fund Development, with Bryna Dilman from Keela, she talked with our CEO, Zahra Esmail about how data-driven technology, and inclusive fundraising practices can help inform and transform the capacity building opportunities for non-profits. Their conversation explored the depths of how non-profits work, how they can come together, and where the responsibility for the sector lies.

Bryna is passionate about helping mission-focused organizations make a lasting difference in the world. She continues to pursue her vision of a more equitable and impactful non-profit sector, driven by data and tech. 

In this blog, Bryna shares more about her vision and passion for strengthening our sector through the power of technology:

Can Technology Transform the Non-profit Sector? 

Technology has already transformed the way non-profit organizations operate. Every area of a non-profit is impacted by technology, but adopting tech doesn’t mean that your organization needs to undergo a full digital transformation. It is equally important for non-profits to keep in mind that technology is intended to enhance the work being done by non-profits, not replace them. Human interaction will always play a critical role and technology should act as a sidekick, not the main star. The goal of tech options should be to relieve some of the administrative burdens that may be taking staff away from more important tasks such as strengthening relationships. With the right tools and strategies, technology can help non-profit organizations achieve greater impact and reach more people.

The COVID-19 pandemic only furthered the need for digital transformation and tech will play a huge role in the future success of non-profit organizations that are seeking to build their capacity, such as:

1. Streamlining operations: Tech tools and platforms can help automate administrative tasks, freeing up staff time to focus on more important tasks.
2. Improving communication: Technology allows non-profits to communicate more effectively with their supporters, volunteers, and staff, through social media, email, and messaging platforms.
3. Enhancing fundraising potential: Online fundraising platforms and donation pages have made it easier than ever for non-profit organizations to raise money and reach new donors.
4. Measuring impact: Reporting is a longstanding challenge within the non-profit sector, however there are tools available that can analyze data to generate quick, digestible reports that accurately track progress and measure impact. 

How Can Non-Profits Use Technology?

Non-profits can best use technology by focusing on the specific needs and goals of their organization, supporters and volunteers. 

When considering tech options, it's important to choose tools and platforms that address the unique needs of non-profit organizations. For example, non-profit software solutions like Keela offer a range of features designed to help manage operations more effectively, including donor management, fundraising tools, volunteer management, and CRM functionality. 

One of the most important pieces of technology for a non-profit organization is a CRM (customer relationship management) tool that will safely store and manage all people data. According to a survey conducted by the Non-profit Technology Network, non-profits that use a CRM have seen a 29% increase in their donations, and yet only 53% of non-profits are currently using a CRM. A proper CRM is the most important piece of technology for a non-profit as the data collected provides critical insights allowing non-profits to make important decisions. 

Technology has become increasingly important for non-profit capacity building in recent years and is a key component of day-to-day operations. With the right technology tools and strategies, non-profits can streamline operations and engage with their supporters more effectively. 

As the non-profit sector continues to evolve, technology will play an increasingly critical role, providing non-profits with the resources they need to succeed. By embracing technology and adopting the right tools and strategies, non-profits can achieve greater efficiency, effectiveness, and impact, and continue to drive positive social change.

--

This blog is brought to you by Fundraising KIT.

Fundraising KIT was built by a nonprofit leader to support the nonprofit community. Fundraising KIT’s data-driven toolkit helps nonprofits raise more for their cause. Integrating with leading nonprofit databases, KIT identifies supporters ready to give, segments donors for targeted communications, and tracks fundraising progress, all while saving time and resources in the quest to increase revenue.