In this weekâs @AvalonFYI dispatch, an operations update, advice on advertising in an election year, gender norms in fundraising, sailing and leadership, and bees! đ Read it here:
Todayâs Avalon Dispatch is guest-authored by Mary Meredith, senior vice-president and director of digital innovation.
Dear friends,
As you know, Allison Porter is on sabbatical through July 27, and I’m pleased to report that everything is running smoothly. This is no surprise, but itâs worth mentioning! Our seamless operations are a testament to Allisonâs leadership, Avalonâs strategy for developing leaders at every level, and the incredible talent across our agency. It is very cool to see this in action, and Iâm proud to be part of it.
Nationally, the news is more challenging. Like most Americans, I was saddened and alarmed by last weekendâs political violence. Saturday’s events leave no room to doubt that our country has a long road ahead. Iâve been thinking a lot about the role of nonprofits to provide stability and hope during times of crisisâand how fundraisers help make that possible. Doing my best to support our clients gives me a sense of purpose and shared mission, and that steadies me. Iâm so grateful for this work we do together.
To that end, one area of focus is digital advertising. As politics (and uncertainty) intensify, the Forbes Agency Council released guidance on advertising in an election year. Their advice is targeted to commercial brands, and it does require some translation for nonprofits. However, itâs a helpful overview of the media landscape. Big picture, the Council acknowledges that political advertising will impact brands, they caution against slashing budgets, and they recommend agility:
It may be tempting to sit it out or slow it down, but resist. Pulling back advertising spend during challenging times can hinder growth. As evidenced by research from McKinsey, marketing during uncertain times can drive resilienceâŚWatch campaigns closely, be patient and move quickly when you need to.
In our sector, NonProfitPRO compiled a list of marketing challenges currently facing nonprofits. I was happy to see that web development is a priority, as many nonprofits act to improve outdated sites. The article emphasizes the importance of frictionless interfaces, easy mobile payments, and accessibility, all areas we are working with our clients to implement.
In DEI news, analytics VP Sarah Birnie circulated an interesting post by Vu Le on gender norms in fundraising. For example, âour conditioning to be excessively thankful to donorsâ and language around âcourtingâ donors can reinforce outdated hierarchies. While it will always be important to thank donors, a framework of partnership and mutual appreciation is more aligned with todayâs values than one-way gratitude. Le writes, âOur traditional fundraising philosophies and practices often perpetuate heteronormative patriarchal norms, and itâs time we move beyond that.â Itâs a thought-provoking piece and good food for thought.
On a personal note, I love to sail and have spent many hours and days on the water. I find it to be a great teacher for leadership and life. If youâre curious about the connection between sailing and leadership, check out Fast Companyâs 6 lessons in teamwork from competitive sailing, or read this first-hand account in CEOWORLD Magazine. Some business schools even incorporate sailing into their MBA curriculum.
Finally, itâs summertime and my bees are buzzing. I once gave the Avalon team a presentation on my hives, and I recently shared this fascinating 1-minute video about how flowers talk to bees. Nature is so cool. đ đ¸