Blue Skies Ahead for Local Nonprofit

I spent a Saturday in February with a small, active nonprofit board with a passion for the outdoors and children. Blue Sky Fund is focused on transforming the lives of urban youth through outdoor education and experiences, and it is run by one of my favorite Richmonders, Lawson Wijesooriya. Lawson and I met several years ago as teammates at a Greater Richmond Challenge event, and we've stayed connected since.

Lawson asked me to spend some time with the board of the Blue Sky Fund during their annual retreat, and between us we hammered out an ambitious three-hour agenda – part board building, part brainstorming and part planning, our objective was to provide the team with some real traction as they dove into 2010.

Funny thing – as I often find with organizations – is that they didn't actually need me in the room.

That's probably an overstatement. I often find that the most powerful function I can play when organizations bring me into the room is provide focus, ensure everyone has a voice, and to mirror back the conversation in a way that helps people see a common path ahead of them.

The Blue Sky Fund board was no exception. To the one, they were clear on how they wanted to function as a board and on how their organization made a difference in Richmond's East End. They had set lofty goals in 2009, and were justifiably proud to have knocked them out of the proverbial park. They were ready to line up 2010 and knock it down, as well.

After some quick teambuilding fun, and a serious discussion about ways in which nonprofits can transition from hands-on, tactically minded boards to more strategic boards, we broke into two groups. One was focused on exploring ways in which Blue Sky Fund could build awareness in the community about its work, while the second group concentrated on beginning to build a process around the organization's successful fundraising initiatives.

If you're interested in seeing what sort of difference Blue Sky Fund makes, check out the annual Church Hill Games on May 1.

Launching the Process with Children Incorporated

It was a quiet but exciting moment for me. On a cold morning in February, I sat with the employees of Richmond-based Children Incorporated as its small leadership officially launched its year-long strategic planning process. There was no drama, and no lofty speeches. Powerpoint was not part of the conversation.

Instead, there were 30 of us sitting in chairs in Children Incorporated's conference room in a semi-circle. The preside nt of the nonprofit's board, the executive director and other leaders and managers sat, mingled together in no particular order with the rest of the employees. When we spoke, we spoke from our chairs.

I'm not sure if the employees of Children Incorporated (CI) recognized the subtle nod toward inclusion and engagement, but I certainly did.

This first "Town Hall" gathering is anticipated to be the first of several that will happen as Floricane works with the CI team to map out its long-term strategy. And inclusion and engagement are two words on the table that it seems everyone wants to put into practice at every opportunity.

Our first significant piece of work is an online assessment of the organization. We've invited hundred's of CI's employees, board, sponsors and donors, beneficiaries and program managers around the world to give us candid feedback on ways the nonprofit can more seriously and effectively deliver on its vision of helping children around the globe. To make the process even more accessible, we've provided paper surveys (to be mailed to Floricane or faxed to a secure line) and Spanish-language surveys to many individuals – especially those overseas.

Next week, I sit down for extensive one-on-one conversations with almost one-third of CI's employees. It's one of the more time-consuming but critical pieces of work we'll do during the front-end of this work, and I know from past experiences that these discussions – as well as the individual discussions I have scheduled with board members – will provide more insight, ideas and critical observations than any research or assessment could possibly provide.

As we move through March, gathering perspectives and ideas and identifying best practices in child sponsorship and global development, I'm also looking forward to the spring. That's when CI's project team and I will gather with a small group of key stakeholders, including several employees, to revisit and possibly revise the organization's vision, mission and guiding principles. And we'll nail down the final set of strategic objectives/outcomes for the real work of the project – crafting an ambitious, comprehensive strategic plan that will help Children Incorporated step into its 47th year with an eye toward transformation.

Getting Your Mouth (and Mind) Around #Steakchat

One of the more interesting projects I backed into when I started my business was "live blogging" a new series of community conversations organized by Morton's the Steakhouse and their PR firm, The Hodges Partnership. The idea was to bring influential people from the Richmond area together over dinner to discuss the issues of the day. Budgets being what they were, thoughts of compressing a two hour discussion into a 30 minute hi-def PBS series went into the can.

What emerged was one of Richmond's first genuine social media events – a private conversation that is broadcast through CoverIt Live's live blogging technology and a companion stream of Twitter commentary. We added an audio component to the mix, as well, but it's not posted until after the event.

There were three An Evening at Morton's events held last year with a focus on sports, the arts and the nonprofit community in Richmond.

This year, the ante has been raised, starting with this Tuesday's kick-off conversation, "Hot or Cold? Richmond’s Young Professional Business Climate."

In addition to a new co-sponsor and media partner – the folks at Richmond.com – An Evening at Morton's has expanded to six community conversations, starting this Tuesday. I've also made the move from the blogger's table to the faciliator's table, and will serve as the moderator for the six discussions.

Paul Spicer at Grid Magazine recently wrote about the new offering:

Hosted on Tuesday, February 23, from 6:30-8:30pm, an Evening at Morton’s will headline an all-star panel: Julie Bondy, founding member of HYPE; Kate Hall, founder of RichmondMom.com; Eric Lin, realtor with Keller Williams; Ergys Prenika, Leadership Associate, MWV and Joslyn Bedell, associate director, Career Development Center at University of Richmond.

The first discussion of 2010 promises informative discussion around the opportunities and challenges that young professionals currently face in the RVA business sector. As with the lively discussions in the past, the actual dinner is private but the beef inspired chatter will be open to the masses via live-tweeting from Trevor Dickerson (@TrevorDickerson) as #steakchat, while Tony Scida (@tonyskyday), of the Hodges Partnership, handles the live-blogging. John Sarvay (@Sarvay), founder of Floricane, returns to moderate the conversation.

Here's the plug from the folks at The Hodges Partnership:

Feel like there are important conversations happening in Richmond that you’re not a part of? Morton’s The Steakhouse, along with Richmond.com, is looking to change that... Each of the six Evening at Morton’s discussions this year will assemble 5-6 Richmond-area “experts” to discuss a range of issues over dinner. NOTE – this is a virtual event so go to Richmond.com to participate!

John Sarvay, founder of Floricane and the popular Richmond blog “Buttermilk and Molasses,” will moderate the event. And this year, the online discussion will be hosted by Richmond.com, where the public can find the live-blog posts and pose questions online to the panelists. While the actual dinner at the Shockoe Slip restaurant is private, Richmonders can participate in the discussion by submitting questions and comments to @TrevorDickerson, #steakchat on Twitter and by way of the live-blog on Richmond.com.

I'm looking forward to Tuesday's discussion, as well as the other conversations planned this year (which will focus on Richmond neighborhoods, the James River, Richmond as a "foodie" town and more).

Connecting Your Values and Your Creative Vision

As a poet, I don't officially catalogue myself as artist, but I'm married to an amazingly talented artist. And I know more artists than I can count – painters, craftspeople, cooks, singers and performers, writers.

Those countless relationships certainly don't qualify me to gather 15 people together on February 27 at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond to consider the relationship between our core values, our beliefs and the art we create – o r creative endeavor for which we have genuine passion.

But for the past decade, I have worked – sometimes instinctively, other times by design – to help individuals and groups create a stronger sense of alignment between their actions and the universe (or team or organization) that they want to co-create.

All of which is to say that the deadline for registering for my full-day workshop at the Visual Arts Center – "Climbing the Right Mountains: Create Your Personal Vision" – is fast approaching. The workshop runs from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 27. You can register here.

Here's how I describe the workshop at the Visual Arts website:

Are you climbing every mountain? Are you even climbing the right mountains? During this workshop, participants will chart out their own personal mountain ranges in a discussion centered on creating a creative life built around the things that matter most to you. Come prepared to explore how your personal values and your beliefs about yourself, others and the world can provide focus and energy for your creative work.

I'm probably more excited than you are about this workshop. Pieces of it feel very familiar to me, such as working with people to identify and explore the beliefs they hold about themselves, about others, about the world. Other aspects – specifically, helping people visualize their learning through some tactile and creative activities – is less familiar.

But what I do know, and what I experience almost every time I sit down to facilitate individuals and groups through work like this, is that the answers are in the room. The participants will take the space I help to create and redefine it in ways I simply can't envision in advance.

And that's what I am beginning to love about this new teaching space I am beginning to explore at the Visual Arts Center, through VCU's Nonprofit Learning Point, and with my own clients.

Number One Rule Is No Rules

I recently attended the first of four BizFit workshops organized by the Greater Richmond Chamber and presented by Alex DerHorvannessian (aka Alex D). Alex wrapped the hour discussion around a notion I've always found very appealing – "Breakingthe Rules, and Being Successful!"

Alex's first question – "What is one rule that is important to your organization or business" – brought to mind the lyrics of a hardcore/punk rock band I used to love, 7 Seconds.

"Number one rule, no rules.
Number two, they're not for you.
Number three, they're not for me.
Number four, don't be ignored.
Number five, to live our lives we must break down stagnant rules."

Keep in mind, those lyrics were screamed out at a rapid-fire clip with a pulsating guitar rhythm pushing them forward, but it's not surprising that I had a sudden realization last week that a great deal of my strategic planning and organizational development theory was born out of my love affair with the do-it-yourself, invent the rules ethos of early American hardcore punk music. I guess I should let my mom know that all those late nights booking shows at clubs in downtown Richmond and touring the East Coast as a roadie while I was in high school weren't wasted.

I think that now, more than ever, organizations and the people who believe in them, are looking for ways to rewrite the rules. Which makes my work more punk rock than I ever thought it could be.

SPOTLIGHT ON: Richmond Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau

Floricane Assists Diverse Partners with Regional Arts Calendar

The Richmond Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau (RMCVB) is the primary marketer of the Richmond Region to potential visitors. RMCVB was asked the take the lead on one of several dozen initiatives launched by the Richmond Region Cultural Action Plan, an effort by local cultural organizations to boost alignment, collaboration and visibility.
 
By helping to bring the right people into the conversation, Floricane facilitated a series of brainstorming sessions to consolidate the region's arts and cultural activities into one calendar system.

download a PDF of the Regional Arts Calendar Case Study

Floricane Assists Diverse Partners with Regional Arts Calendar

The Richmond Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau (RMCVB) is the primary marketer of the Richmond Region to potential visitors. RMCVB was asked the take the lead on one of several dozen initiatives launched by the Richmond Region Cultural Action Plan, an effort by local cultural organizations to boost alignment, collaboration and visibility.
 
By helping to bring the right people into the conversation, Floricane facilitated a series of brainstorming sessions to consolidate the region's arts and cultural activities into one calendar system.

download a PDF of the Regional Arts Calendar Case Study

Classroom: Connect Your Vision to Your Creativity

It's not too late to register for the one-day creativity workshop I'll be facilitating at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond! Here's how I framed it in a previous post:

At the end of February, I'll be teaching a workshop at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond focused on the alignment of your personal values, beliefs and creative endeavors. The six-hour session will help participants recenter their lives -- especially their creative lives -- around those things that matter most to them.

What excites me most about this workshop is that the space -- the Visual Arts Center -- demands a very different sort of instruction than most of the environments I find myself engaged as a teacher, trainer or facilitator. My goal will be to make the day as interactive, tactile and fun as possible, even as I push participants to dig deep to identify and define their core values and beliefs.

You can register here.