I broke down and bought a new iPhone this week and am having fun learning what it can do – pretty amazing!!  Last night I downloaded an application called Pageonce Personal Internet Assistant.  It stores the info for any travel, financial or other accounts and then connects you simply to check point balances or whatever.  Makes me a little nervous to have all my codes stored “out there” somewhere but it could be very helpful.  I went on their site today to do some more research on the service and after I logged in, a pop-up screen invited me to upload my contacts and for every person I referred, they would plant a tree through Trees for the Future.  Great idea!!

So…instead of paying a fee for referrals, what cause could you support through customer referrals that would show YOUR company values?  Help you “Do Good” and grow your business…a win/win proposition!

I am excited to offer these updated trainings next month on my all time favorite topic – strategic partnerships between nonprofits and business – as it is an especially important topic for our times. 

Attending the Nonprofit Summit in Denver this week, I was reminded again how only thinking “donors and fundraising” is an “old school” mindset and shuts down possibilities for win/win ventures.  This workshop provides great tips and tools for partnerships with mutual benefits and is a MUST attend for nonprofit staff and board members.

• Are you worried about having the resources to keep your organization and programs going?
• Are you seeing your cash donations shrinking?
• Do you feel your requests to businesses are being “lost in the noise” among all the other nonprofits also looking for support?
• Have you experienced difficulty receiving business support more than once or twice and wonder why they aren’t giving to you any more? 

Then Recession Proof Resources: How Smart Nonprofit Design Strategic Partnerships with Businesses is DEFINITELY for you!

I will be offering it two ways so the largest number of organizations possible can take part:

1.  LIVE in Denver on April 28th 1-5 pm.

2.  Via a 4-Part WEBINAR April 8, 15, 22 and 29 12-1pm ET so you can join in from anywhere!.

Click the appropriate link above for more information and to sign up.  Registration is limited so do it TODAY to make sure you get a seat!

I really look forward to sharing tips and tools to help you be more successful in acquiring the resources you need!

I have been a supporter of Metro Denver Partners, an organization that matches adult mentors with at risk youth, for many years.  Right now I have been a Senior Partner with a 13 year old girl for 2 years and have had two other Junior Partners each for a couple years previously.

Today I got an email from them about Good Search.  It looks like an easy way to give back so I thought I would share the information.

“What if Metro Denver Partners earned a penny every time you searched the Internet? Or how about if a percentage of every purchase you made online went to support our cause? Well, now it can!

GoodSearch.com is a new Yahoo-powered search engine that donates half its advertising revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. Use it just as you would any search engine, get quality search results from Yahoo, and watch the donations add up!

GoodShop.com is a new online shopping mall which donates up to 37 percent of each purchase to your favorite cause! Hundreds of great stores including Amazon, Target, Gap, Best Buy, ebay, Macy’s and Barnes & Noble have teamed up with GoodShop and every time you place an order, you’ll be supporting your favorite cause. Just go to www.goodsearch.com and be sure to enter [my charity] as the charity you want to support. And, be sure to spread the word!”

I went to the Good Search site to learn more.  It is VERY easy to use!  I typed in Metro Denver Partners and saw they had earned $.15 so far in 2009.  However, if their email campaign works, those numbers should be going up shortly.  I also checked Kiva another nonprofit I support…and there is a button to click that shows how much money has been generated by month from the service.  In 2009, Kiva has earned to date $948.47.  Not a ton but nothing to sneeze at either!

What’s not to like about using this as a way to search?  It took less than 5 minutes to install.  If you are used to using another search engine…you can do what I do…type that URL in Good Search to go there while making a donation and then do what you usually do…

Tell your nonprofit partners about this - it is a total “no brainer” way for them to earn some dough!  And in these times…every little bit makes a difference!

On Monday, I attended the O3 Nonprofit Summit in Denver; I was on a panel about Corporate Sector Response to our economic times.  I was struck by how many of the social sector staff attending the Summit still talk about “donors and fundraising” instead of developing integrated win/win partnerships with companies, especially smaller local ones.  For 10 years, I have trained nonprofits nationally on how to partner with businesses.  (Guess I need to do more work in my own backyard!)  I know from first hand experience that nonprofits that can expand their perspective past checkbook philanthropy to really think mutually beneficial partnerships with businesses are able to develop more substantial relationships that last over time.  I am back on my soapbox…   And I truly believe these times call for collective and creative efforts drawing on the best of all sectors.

Today I launched our 2009 survey for nonprofits to collect information about their partnerships with businesses.  I hope to add to the vast amount of resources I already have on the subject tand use it to inspire both nonprofits and businesses to get more invovled with each other.  The survey gauges nonprofits’ sense of their own effectiveness in six areas related to business partnerships.  It is also designed to collect information about nonprofit best practices in partnering with businesses, challenges experienced, tips and strategies for successful partnering, the types of benefits/resources received, and any impact of current economic conditions.

If you are with a nonprofit, I invite you to click the link and complete this survey.  I appreciate your time.  http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB228VWVAZBC4

A survey for small and mid-size companies will be released shortly.

Also, I will be doing a workshop in Denver on April 28th 1-4pm, Recession Proof Resources: How Smart Nonprofits Design Strategic Partnerships with Businesses.  It comes with a 4 hour workshop, 1 hour consultation with me, a 100 page workbook, and perspective and support from myself and the group.  A steal at $99…but I want to be sure that cost doesn’t limit smaller nonprofit’s participation.  I will have a page up here for sign-ups shortly.  So if you know any nonprofits in Denver, let them know!  And if you’d like me to give a workshop on this important topic in your city, drop me an email.