The Influential Nonprofit Maryanne Dersch

As Founder & President of Travers Training & Consulting, Rhonda Travers fulfills her passion for creating a collaborative culture by helping businesses & nonprofits increase engagement, retention, and productivity. Rhonda leverages her 30-year corporate leadership experience to share her unique approach through business consulting, training workshops, and speaking engagements.



Key Takeaways:

In today's fast-paced world, offering flexibility in volunteer roles is essential for nonprofits to attract and retain volunteers. Showing sincere and specific appreciation is also critical, as it encourages volunteers to go above and beyond for the cause they believe in.
To keep volunteers engaged, nonprofits should inform them about their roles and the organization's mission through various communication channels that match their preferences.
Volunteers are more likely to stay when their personal motivations align with the nonprofit's mission. Rather than trying to make people care, nonprofits should focus on inviting those who already have a connection to their cause.
Finding the right fit between a volunteer's interests and an organization's needs is crucial for retention. Grassroots efforts through current volunteers and engaging with school programs are effective ways to find and retain volunteers.



“Your volunteers help you achieve your mission. And so retaining those volunteers is so important.”



“People want to feel appreciated. Those who feel appreciated will always go the extra mile.”



“People are going to be more likely to stay with you if they understand your mission as a nonprofit and their role in achieving that mission. They want to be empowered to make a difference. In today's world, we all want to make a difference.”

- Rhonda Travers



Reach out to Rhonda Travers at:

Website: https://traverstraining.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhondatravers/





Ask for and receive all you want need and deserve without feeling rejected, ineffective, or pushy. Learn to manage your mindset, lead yourself and others more effectively and have the meaningful conversations that drive your most important work.



Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.com



Book your quickie intro call with Maryanne here!



Connect with Maryanne Dersch: https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect

Kim Fisher is a nonprofit strategist who specializes in creating and implementing infrastructure for nonprofit start-ups. Kim does everything from completing the IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit application requirements, to board training and development.

She has over 30 years experience as a nonprofit executive in all areas of nonprofit management including business development, training, marketing and as CEO. Kim’s extensive experience in both domestic and international organizations gives her a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities of the nonprofit adventure.



Key Takeaways:

Nonprofit leaders and members really struggle with taking salary from the nonprofit organization. This is rooted from a poverty mindset that you have to let go of if you want to build a successful and sustainable nonprofit company.
The four main pieces of starting out a nonprofit: be incorporated into your state, work on board and bylaws, create a narrative on what you’re gonna do and how you’re gonna do it, lastly, make a budget.
It takes a lot of time for any business to gain some traction - it’s the same way for nonprofit organizations. It’s going to take a lot of investment of not only money but also patience and effort.
It’s hard to recruit members because we all want to be part of something that’s already successful. A base requirement for a board member should be commitment and persistence.



“It’s kind of a litmus test because it’s the question of if you’re not bringing it 3000 dollars to form your startup plus all the other startup costs… you’re gonna have a challenge in raising money to actually run the organization.” - Kim Fisher



Book a 30 minute discovery call with Kim Fisher by clicking on this link: https://calendly.com/kimberlyfisher/30min-discovery-cq?month=2022-01



Reach out to Kim Fisher at:

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/nonprofitsuccess?_rdc=1&_rdr

Website: https://visioncatalyst.org/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberfisher/

Email: kim@visioncatalyst.org





Ask for and receive all you want need and deserve without feeling rejected, ineffective, or pushy. Learn to manage your mindset, lead yourself and others more effectively and have the meaningful conversations that drive your most important work.



Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.com



Book your quickie intro call with Maryanne here!



Connect with Maryanne Dersch: https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect

Key Takeaways:

Ask and listen instead of pitching and selling. People are more likely to when they feel seen, heard, and understood. Your only job is to tap into somebody and have them feel seen, heard, and understood.
People decide based on their emotions. Listen to them and lead the conversation with empathy. If people feel misunderstood, they’ll become frustrated and guarded, the opposite is also true.
First, ask a vision question to know what their pain is or what they want to gain. Second, ask about the gap - the challenges that make the vision difficult to materialize. Third is the cost, ask them what is the cost of not solving this issue.
After asking those three questions, that’s when you can involve your organization in the conversation. Ask a qualifying question: “What do you feel is needed to close the gap?”



“If you want to increase the quality of the conversations that you have with anybody in your life, it is not what you say, it is the quality of the questions that you ask.”



“People will buy to the level that they feel seen, heard, and understood.”



“Keep people in their feelings, we make decisions from feeling not thinking.”

- Maryanne Dersch





Ask for and receive all you want need and deserve without feeling rejected, ineffective, or pushy. Learn to manage your mindset, lead yourself and others more effectively and have the meaningful conversations that drive your most important work.



Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.com



Book your quickie intro call with Maryanne here!



Connect with Maryanne Dersch: https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect

Jane Pfeiffer is the founder and President of Fieldtrip, a cause-focused agency dedicated to helping purpose-driven organizations help others. Fieldtrip is based on the belief that learning expands when you step outside with a sense of wonder and curiosity. Jane, and the Fieldtrip team, work across the country supporting important work including public and private education, homelessness, child abuse prevention, LGBTQIA+ advocacy, and other health and social services.



Key Takeaways:

The three key attitude segments within the supporter population are these: first is culture or how they think about giving and supporting nonprofits. Second is if they believe the issues we’re facing today are solvable or at least improvable. The third is how they view the beneficiaries or the recipients of the mission.
Instead of trying to find the magic words that will make people care about your cause, talk to people and ask them what made them want to donate or support your organization. Once you determine their motivations, you can then know which of the three buckets they are in
As communicators in the nonprofit space, it’s our role to help supporters understand the sociological and systemic context of what puts the beneficiaries in need. We must also inform supporters how progress is being made in a particular mission. For many, constant progress is enough to motivate them to support.
Supporters who are disconnected from the cause will become more motivated to support the mission once they are able to personally connect with what issues the beneficiaries face. They will gain this connection either through personal circumstances and experience or through media and nonprofit communication.



“Demographics are typically the way we look at audiences. Don't worry about those details, let's focus on their mindset, and how they view both, important social issues, and the beneficiary. Then, what is their culture and approach around empathy.”



“What I run into so often is so many people think that if they're aware, they automatically care. And so people equate growing awareness with growing donations, and that's just not a guarantee”



“We either have to increase their level of understanding through the way we tell stories or wait for them to have some type of external exposure. They're ready to support but until it's connected to their world, they're gonna be less likely to.”

- Jane Pfeiffer





Beyond Donor Demos: Leverage Attitudes Over Demographics for Nonprofits - https://wearefieldtrip.com/lp/research/



Reach out to Jane Pfeiffer at:

Website: https://wearefieldtrip.com/





Ask for and receive all you want need and deserve without feeling rejected, ineffective, or pushy. Learn to manage your mindset, lead yourself and others more effectively and have the meaningful conversations that drive your most important work.



Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.com



Book your quickie intro call with Maryanne here!



Connect with Maryanne Dersch: https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect

Key Takeaways:

Creating a support network can help you stay connected, stay confident, stay grounded, and most importantly, stay sovereign.
Prioritize building deeper connections with people, and be intentional in getting to know them. Set dates, strive to meet consistently, and keep it fresh with different activities.
The lessons that you need rarely ever come from within. Most of the time, it’s by seeking out other people and giving them a listening ear that you’ll find the gem that you need.
Having a strong support network is not only about what you can get from it, it’s also an opportunity for you to give value to other people. Instead of worrying how your needs can be met, focus on being a value to others, knowing that your needs will be met.



“It's not about the outcome, it's about staying sovereign. You create, you decide, you set the pattern. No one dictates to you how you feel or [what you are] worth, you decide that for yourself. That's sovereignty and what helps us stay in that is a support network.”

“Allowing others to care for you and support you is an act of generosity. They get to have the gift of supporting you. It's not a burden, just like fundraising is not a burden.”

“Instead of thinking, ‘What do I need from people?’ , [think] ‘How can I be a value to my friends?’ Because I know when I'm a value to them, they’ll be a value to me, I don't have to worry about it. I know my needs will be met.”

- Maryanne Dersch





Ask for and receive all you want need and deserve without feeling rejected, ineffective, or pushy. Learn to manage your mindset, lead yourself and others more effectively and have the meaningful conversations that drive your most important work.



Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.com



Book your quickie intro call with Maryanne here!



Connect with Maryanne Dersch: https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect

With a career spanning over three decades, Karen Knight is a seasoned professional renowned for her unwavering commitment to the not-for-profit sector. Having navigated various leadership roles in both the private and public sectors, Karen’s journey highlights her adaptability and versatility.



Key Takeaways:

Before looking for volunteers, establish the roles that they will fill or come up with a list of tasks that they will do. Know who you are looking for and what they’re going to do.
Keep your volunteers happy by making them feel appreciated. Thank every volunteer in every shift and in specific if possible. If you can’t be specific, then show them that you see what they’re contributing.
Talk to your volunteers. If you listen, people tell you about what they want. Don’t spend time and energy arranging an event for the volunteers that they may not necessarily like. Instead, ask them what they want.
Volunteers are not merely “free workers”. The senior leadership needs to realize the value of investing in their volunteer program. One change that could make an impact is to hire a volunteer manager who’s qualified and appropriately funded. Being a volunteer manager is a senior leadership position.



“The more people who are involved in your mission, the faster it'll advance, you get to your mission sooner. The more people you bring in, the more ideas you have, the more enthusiasm you have - it just builds on itself.”



“You have to be ready for your volunteers. Otherwise, it's, you're frustrating them and you're not making any difference to your cause. Once you know who you're looking for, you will find them.”



“You need to have the buy-in of the senior executive of the board to invest in the [volunteer] program. You need to realize that [managing volunteers] is a senior leadership position and treat it as such and fund it as such.”

- Karen Knight



Reach out to Karen Knight at:

Website: https://karenknight.ca/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-knight-consulting/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarenKnightConsulting





Ask for and receive all you want need and deserve without feeling rejected, ineffective, or pushy. Learn to manage your mindset, lead yourself and others more effectively and have the meaningful conversations that drive your most important work.



Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.com



Book your quickie intro call with Maryanne here!



Connect with Maryanne Dersch: https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect