Meetings, Events and Anniversaries… what works and what doesn't?!

BrittanyYeleyBrittanyYeley Posts: 13 ✭✭
First Compass Anniversary Photogenic 5 Likes Summit 2022

-Does your foundation host an annual meeting? How do you make it impactful year after year?

-What is most important to keep in mind for celebrating big anniversaries?

-Do you host special events that have been particularly popular?

-How do you engage non-donors in your community?

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Comments

  • GennaFreedGennaFreed Posts: 3
    First Compass Anniversary Photogenic

    Thanks for the conversation yesterday! I wanted to share the link to our June 2021 Annual Celebration that was really well received, especially since it was virtual. It was a quick around-the-county-style look at the impact our donors make possible. As we approach our 30th in 2022, we are hoping to use that same idea and build on it.

    I also shared for our anniversary we are using the following motto to make sure we reach as many of our key publics as possible: During our 30th anniversary, we celebrate our donors, partner, history and community. We are planning to have projects/programs/events that reach all of the people in those buckets.

  • KristieAmosKristieAmos Posts: 1
    First Compass Anniversary Summit 2022
    edited November 2021

    Thanks, Genna, for sharing! We just worked on a 2-year plan and I love this for our 2023 event and can start planning during 2022 to have all of the footage to do something similar!

  • TomWickershamTomWickersham Posts: 82 ✭✭✭
    5 LOLs First Comment Photogenic 5 Likes

    @BrittanyYeley,

    No annual "meeting" for us. We do host an annual "Celebration of Community," which is open to anyone.

    (For those who might be bored tomorrow night (11/5), the program portion of the event -- 15 or so minutes -- will be live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CFNEIA )

    Cheers!

    Tom

  • BrittanyYeleyBrittanyYeley Posts: 13 ✭✭
    First Compass Anniversary Photogenic 5 Likes Summit 2022

    I am really loving all of the responses on this topic! Thank you all so much for sharing

  • Hi Everyone! Thanks so much for participating yesterday. Please share other ideas for future Coffee Talks with us. Many thanks.

  • LesliePetersenLesliePetersen Posts: 4 ✭✭
    First Compass Anniversary Photogenic Summit 2022 CSuite

    @LaurenWolpin This has just come up in our office and I thought it might be an idea for a Coffee Talk (or maybe not - just a thought!). Some of these are going to be directed by National Standards, but I know every CF is different. What are everyone's policies and procedures for their Board of Directors and Committees? What term limits do you have for both? What processes do you have as far as new members for both? Do Board Members rotate committees? If so, how often? How often do both meet? How do your Board Meetings flow? Do you have any events or special things you do to engage your Board Members more? To encourage them to be an advocate for your CF? So often it feels like a rubber stamp situation.

  • loritrenholmloritrenholm Posts: 22 ✭✭✭
    First Comment Summit 2024 First Compass Anniversary 5 Likes

    We just completed our "Cheers" event last week, and it was a wonderful success. Everyone was so happy to be together again! It is the second "Cheers" event we've done but skipped 2020 due to Covid. We anticipated celebrating our 20th anniversary last year but instead celebrated 20+ 1 this year. We kept our guest list to only donors and organization funds, with a cap of 150 guests (we had about 125 attend) based on the space size. Our in-person Cheers event was at a local art gallery. We served beer, wine, non-alcoholic drinks, and catered with heavy horsd'œuvres passed through the guests by catering staff. We asked that everyone that attended to be vaccinated (honor system) and masks were required except while eating or drinking. We awarded grantees from two grant programs and celebrated the amazing generosity of our donors. We did not broadcast any of this event online or live.


    Hope this is helpful!

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