Dundee & Angus Chamber of Commerce’s Post

Besides fundamentally reframing your approach from fundraising to philanthropy, from selling to helping, and from competition with other nonprofits to collaboration — hugely important cultural shifts discussed in Part 1 of my 3-part series for the Bloomerang blog about whether or not the so-called "Generosity Decline" is real – here are specific recommendations for meeting prospective donors where they are. Consider them your new core strategies. In the past, you may have considered some of these strategies “back burner” items or things to do “on the side,” as time allowed. No more. Not if you want to meet people where they are. Remember, your goal (why you do what you do) must encompass building community, facilitating human connection, and creating opportunities for people to find meaning. I'll offer three more in my final "part 3" article. Meanwhile, what would yours be? I'd love to include your responses in a final, final "part 4!"

A growing trend this year is incorporating philanthropy into events. From addressing climate change to tackling social inequality, there's a growing demand to incorporate acts of service and giving. It's also a great way to strengthen the relationships with and between your attendees. Here are 3 ideas to seamlessly integrate more purpose into your next event: 1. Add a fundraising component. Silent Auctions, Paddle Raises with Auctioneers, and selling experiences ($10 to dunk your boss is a time-honored winner 😆) will entertain and engage. 2. Include a day or afternoon of service. There are companies nationwide that your event can partner with to do things like building bikes, making lunches, or stuffing backpacks. Not only is it team-building, it's rewarding to give back to the planet and communities. 3. Engage keynote speakers who are also passionate about your company's philanthropic mission. They are practiced and skilled at getting audiences on board with the mission. From sustainability-focused conferences to fundraisers for local or global causes, tell us what you've done at your most recent event to drive change. #philanthropy #eventmarketing #eventprofessionals #marketingagency #digitalmarketing #eventplanning #eventsuccess 

Any cyclists in the house? I'm properly, genuinely excited about the Box Hill Super Climb, the new challenge event we're launching at Sense. Basically, the roads of Box Hill in Surrey are gonna be closed for the day and the challenge is to cycle up and down as many times as you think possible. Why am I excited? 1. It's novel – nothing like it exists out there in the fundraising landscape. Things that are out of the ordinary are more interesting to market. 2. It's got a super focussed audience – I think often about how charities have a hard time defining specific audiences. This bucks that trend. Having a properly defined audience and knowing them in great detail makes choosing creative and channels way more straightforward. 3. It's exclusive – the roads on Box Hill aren't often closed, so we're giving people something they can't easily get elsewhere. Plus, this is just for Sense supporters. In a crowded challenge event market, standing out and offering something special is the only way to succeed. Interested in signing up? DM me for the link and I'll give you a code for 25% off.

As the Halloween season creeps in, it's an excellent time for small businesses to collaborate on fun, festive community events that create a lasting impact. Imagine a haunted charity drive, a neighbourhood-wide trick-or-treat trail, or a spooky street fair where local businesses can showcase their products. Small businesses can maximize visibility, attract more foot traffic, and engage with the community meaningfully by working together. These events provide entertainment and strengthen the bond between companies and residents. Partnering with other businesses for a Halloween-themed event boosts your marketing efforts, too! From shared social media promotion to pooling resources for decorations, prizes, and giveaways, collaboration makes the event bigger and better for everyone involved. Not only does it increase the fun factor, but it also creates opportunities for cross-promotion, growing customer bases, and brand recognition. Hosting a joint event with a charity element—like collecting donations or hosting a spooky costume contest—shows your commitment to the community and leaves customers with a positive impression of your brand. Get in on the Halloween spirit this season and work with fellow local businesses to create a frightfully fun community event that benefits your business and your neighbours! #ABDC #cityofPG #takeonPG #indigenous #indigenousbusiness #indigenousentrepreneurs #community #entrepreneur #smallbusiness #homebusiness

Happy Friday & World Smile Day! Did you know Harvey Ball, a commercial artist from Worcester, Massachusetts, is known for creating the iconic smiley face symbol? Here are some ways business owners like you can observe this special day: 🌟 Show appreciation to staff with a special thank-you event. 💰 Offer discounts or promotions to your customers to make them smile. 🌎 Get involved in your community by organizing a charity event or volunteering. 📱 Start a social media campaign to raise awareness and inspire others to spread smiles. 💼 Implement internal initiatives that promote a happy work environment for your team. Remember, a smile is contagious - let's make the world a brighter place, one smile at a time! Spread some smiles today and every day! 😊💫 #WorldSmileDay2024 #SpreadJoy #PositiveImpact #EmployeeAppreciation #SpreadSmiles #CustomerAppreciation #KindnessMatters #CommunityInvolvement #MakeADifference #SpreadPositivity #TeamBuilding #PositiveVibes #SmileMore #SpreadHappiness

Before we fully dived into the topic of how we can inspire young people to feel responsible for their local communities, we sent a questionnaire around to our 13 to 18-year-olds to get a sense of how they currently perceived and interacted with their community 🗒️ The results show that: 91% of our young people feel like they’re part of a community They value their community on a scale of 8/10 on average However, the average rating for how responsible they feel for their community sits at 6.1/10 Alongside the above, it was great to see that 63% have taken action in their community in an attempt to make it better 🙌 From fundraisers and litter picking, to creating school clubs and supporting one another, it’s wonderful to see how eager they are to get involved! #surveyresults #communityaction #localcommunity #youngminds #SuperSquad

As a #SmallBusinessOwner, there's no limit to finding ways for building your company. There's one solution that can makes a BIG impact by... 🌟 Connecting employees to the company values 📰 Spotlighting the business brand/culture in your community 🤝 Making new connections (outside of networking events!) 🚀 Boosting strategic effectiveness THE SOLUTION: Align with a local Non-Profit! Like you, there are many local NP's that are doing great things. Here's two simpler ways to get you started... OPTION 1: Maximize The Team Engagement 📆 Not everything has to be about volunteering. Many organizations throw fun events as fundraisers like chili cookoffs, art exhibits, galas, or bingo/trivia nights. It's a great opportunity to extend the impact having staff invite their friends or family to join. 🔎 Use these to explore the organizations in your area, meet their staff, and find one that aligns best with your people. OPTION 2: Maximize Accessibility Not every team can commit to a weekend event, an evening out, or day trip. Bring the impact to the office by fundraising or hosting a drive. 👀 Have the organization to come out to tell the team about who they are and what they do. Put up trackers in the office, online, or a weekly email cheering on the team. 📣 Celebrate events publicly. Take team pics with the donations, sharing on your website/social media, tag the organization and their leader, and communicate the business's "why" to everyone. 🎙 Ask others that connect with the cause to help support too! NP's love this kind of exposure to expand their message to new spaces. This has helped many businesses not only accomplish all that's mentioned at the start of this post, it's also helped breathe life into their #Culture (including mine!). Here's a pic of my business with the 24 Foundation's Development Director Audrey Hood. A hot sweaty mess after their weekly 🚲 training ride. We're participating in their 24 Hours of Booty cycling event July 26th-27th to support those going through their cancer journey. Leave a comment if there's a cause your business supports and let other leaders hear about them! #GivingIsLiving #EmployeeEngagement #SupportLocal #NonProfit #SmallBusinessOwner

Don’t Miss Our EARLY SUMMER SALE: First 50 people who buy 3 Build-a-Hand DIY Kits get the 4th FREE! With our Build-a-Hand DIY Kits you will receive everything you need to succeed. They’re perfect for charity team building experiences, company meetings, families, or volunteer events. We Make It Easy: 1) You Build it. 2) You Customize it. 3) We Deliver It. Here’s what a customer had to say about our kits: “Odyssey Teams makes it easy to create a sensational team building experience with these kits. Plus, the team journey has the uplifting power of giving back to the community. Win-win. They are well worth checking out.” - Dale Wallace (VP Talent Management at Reliance Matrix) ➡ If you're ready to make an impact, head here: https://lnkd.in/gGSqt3Jp   🙌 ❤️ #inspireodyssey #teambuilding #odysseyteams #buildahand #charityteambuilding #corporatetraining #csr #philanthropicteambuilding #eventprofs

Here's the thing - community initiatives thrive on participation. They need people like you and me to get involved, contribute ideas, and lend a helping hand. So, how can you be part of the movement? 👉 Stay informed: Keep an eye out for local initiatives happening in your area through community centers, social media, or local newspapers. 👉 Volunteer your time: Whether it's dedicating a few hours to a weekend clean-up event or joining a committee to plan a community project, every bit of support counts. 👉 Share your skills: Do you have expertise in a particular area like marketing, fundraising, or event planning? Consider offering your skills to help drive the success of community initiatives. 👉 Spread the word: Don't underestimate the power of word-of-mouth! Share information about community initiatives with your friends, family, and colleagues to encourage broader participation. At The Community Initiative we believe in the power of collective action to make a difference. Another organization making a difference is One Kind Act a Day is a fantastic organization dedicated to spreading kindness and uplifting those in need. YOU can be a part of it too! Whether it's lending a helping hand at a community event, donating to a worthy cause, or simply spreading kindness in your everyday life, every act - big or small - contributes to our collective impact. Together, we can build stronger, more vibrant communities through collective action. Let's roll up our sleeves and make a difference, one initiative at a time!  #CommunityInitiatives #GetInvolved #MakeADifference #CommunityImpact #OneKindActADay