philanthropy

Philanthropy: It’s More Than Just Money

June 21, 2018
, , Community Studies, The Art of Research, The Melior Group Results

This past week, Giving USA™ presented its report of charitable giving by individuals, corporations, bequests and foundations.  The extremely positive news was that in 2017, charitable giving was up 5.2% in the U.S.  Each of the donor groups increased its giving over the previous year, with the greatest overall percentage of giving attributed to individuals… whose giving represented 70% of all charitable gifts.

This philanthropy represents the true kindness and generosity of the American people.  When faced with a crisis, a need or the inhumanity of others, Americans step up and demonstrate our caring with both financial and other gifts.  While the classic definition of philanthropy is “the desire to promote the welfare of others, expressed especially by the generous donation of money to good causes,” today’s true “philanthropists” are more than that definition; they demonstrate passion and focus on positive change; and they are not solely defined by the amount they give.

What does it take, then, to encourage charitable giving to particular institutions, organizations and issues?  The following are words of wisdom, implications taken from research conducted by The Melior Group in community studies and for other non-profits:

  • Donors must be inspired. A performance, story or (hoped-for future) event can encourage prospective donors to consider gifts.
  • Donors want to be engaged. It is no longer a one-and-done gift:  donors want to feel a personal connection; they want to give time and expertise in addition to money, and to feel that they know the organization.
  • Donors want to make a difference. While donors recognize their role is not to actually solve the problems, they do want demonstration (such as tangible metrics) of the impact their contributions are making.
  • Donors recognize it’s their voices, as well as their money. It is important to consider the critical role of advocacy as a philanthropic mechanism; positive change comes from organizations that work from the inside as well as the outside to improve the lives of others.

Questions?  Comments?  Interested in learning more? Contact Linda McAleer at [email protected] or 215-545-0054 x104.

Eagles community

It’s a Community Thing!

March 29, 2018
Community Studies, The View From Walnut St.

Philadelphians have a unique relationship with our sports teams – especially our Iggles!   We wish for the best, but expect the worst.  So as each win occurred this season, we held our collective breath just a little bit more.  Could it be – could this be the year that the Philadelphia Eagles finally win the Super Bowl?

On Super Bowl Sunday the Philadelphia airport was filled with people “coming home” to watch the game in their community with their friends and family members – to witness history together.  I myself cut short a “girls weekend” in Nashville so that I could be home too.  Almost everyone on my flight to Philly was wearing Eagles paraphernalia – and we even had the flight attendants lead us in an “E-A-G-L-E-S!” cheer.

By now we all know how this turned out – and the resounding “yes we can” turned into “yes we did!” The Eagles overcame injuries, adversity and underdog status and came out on top!  But this is about more than just a group of very talented athletes and coaches who won a trophy.  This is about lifelong dreams finally coming true – about generations of families coming together to celebrate something they never thought they would see in their lifetimes.

As the new leader of the Community Studies initiative at The Melior Group, I look at this experience as an example of the unique culture of the Philadelphia community.  Each community across the country has its own culture, its own way of expressing itself and its own sense of what is important.  In our community studies projects, we ask the right questions to understand what makes a community tick, what is important to community members, how they make decisions and what the implications of those decisions are.

Philadelphians might leave the nest, but they flock home for the important things – like Eagles Super Bowl games and victory parades!  Fly Eagles Fly!

Want to talk about your community’s challenges and opportunities? Please reach out to Sindey Dranoff at 215-545-0054 ext. 108 / [email protected].

tax

Research is Essential to Fundraising in the Era of Tax Reform

January 18, 2018
, , Community Studies, Financial Services

The Melior Group is pleased to share this special guest blog post written by:
Michele A. Schiavoni, APR, M.S.
Schiavoni Consulting, LLC
Marketing, Communications & Fundraising Counsel
[email protected] 

Nonprofits throughout the nation begin a new era in 2018, in part because of the tax law changes going into effect this month.  Respected sources including Giving USA Foundation and the Lilly Family Foundation project that the overall impact to the nonprofit sector could be a staggering $13 billion loss in individual donations.

Although I do not think the changes in charitable giving are sound public policy, the nonprofit sector has to adapt to survive and thrive.  The unintended consequences of the tax changes have yet to be experienced and when the full impact is felt, we may see corrective action in the future.  But for now, nonprofits have to pivot.  These changes do provide a unique opportunity for worthy, mission-based organizations to take inventory of how they communicate their value to their philanthropic investors.  Research tells us that tax incentives are NOT the prime motivator for individual giving.  Donors tell us they give to causes that align with their passion, and savvy donors are more focused than ever on measurable outcomes.  To remain successful, you must ensure your donors see your organization’s work as essential in a competitive philanthropic marketplace.

Qualitative and quantitative research is essential to position your mission-based organization for success in a post-tax reform era.  Why?  The changes in tax law only tell part of the story. There is a cluster of compelling reasons for fundraisers to bring a new sense of rigor to their strategic planning.  The reality is, prior to the tax law change, the nonprofit sector in America was already evolving; funders have become increasingly attentive to donor’s expectations around accountability.

Nonprofits should take a brand strategy tip from the for-profit sector.  Research is required in order to truly understand how your donors experience your organization.  The closer you align with your donors and prospects, the more opportunity you have for enhancing loyalty and sustaining philanthropic investment.  Consider qualitative research to gain new understanding for how your donors experience and react to your brand.

Engaging professionals to conduct qualitative research such as interviews with your donors, either one-on-one or in focus groups, will provide extensive insights into how your mission is perceived.  This input is essential to fashioning an effective case for support.  The closer you align your organization with your most valued donors, the more effectively you can sustain loyalty and gain the added advantage of growing your donor base.  If you are an educational institution focused on increasing alumni giving, don’t launch new social media campaigns and direct mail strategies UNTIL you have invested in listening to your alumni.  You need to know: what prompts alumni to give; when are the best times for them to convene; what do they want to hear more about from their alma mater?

A second and equally important step is to ensure that your organization’s operating plan measures impact.  The days of counting attendance at events to gauge success are behind us.  Today’s donors want to see the social impact of their investment and this requires a new commitment to measurement and research.  Donors care less and less about transactions and more and more about transformation.  There is no escaping the reality that your nonprofit’s outcomes must be supported by research-based metrics.   Your donors need to understand what you are improving and whose lives are changing because of what you do.  Community impact studies play a critical role in telling that story.   This applies accords the board from arts organizations to shelters.

Research is an essential next step in your nonprofit’s sustainability.   Your efforts will uncover more effective strategies for engaging prospective donors and sustaining relationships with loyal donors.  To thrive in this new era, you must invest in research.

Interested in discussing a research project for your nonprofit?  The Melior Group can help.  Contact Linda McAleer at [email protected] or  215-545-0054 x104.

Federations

How Federations can make the “bets” that really count for their communities

November 30, 2017
, , , , , , Community Studies

In a recent eJewish Philanthropy post, Rabbi Elie Kaunfer crafts a compelling case for “making a big bet” when investing in the Jewish community.  He notes the transformative effects of “big bets” such as Birthright, PJ Library and OneTable (helping young Jews share Shabbat dinners).

Most Federations, however, don’t have the luxury of making one “big bet.”  Instead, they face myriad competing demands to support programs and services of undeniable value to both their local and global Jewish communities.  How, then, do Federations decide which funding priorities to “bet” on – the ones that will pay off, by eliciting donor support and making their communities flourish?

One key for Federations to creating an effective funding strategy is understanding the priorities of their community – that is, identifying the programs and issues their community believes Federation should support.  In our work with various Jewish communities, we have seen significant, often surprising, differences in what communities identify as their desired funding priorities for their Federation, including:

  • Education
  • Support for Israel and global Jewry
  • Safety/security-related issues
  • Social issues (e.g., supports for vulnerable populations including the elderly, Holocaust survivors, people with disabilities, etc.)

Knowing what a community wants its Federation to fund and aligning the allocation process with those priorities can help maximize the impact of Federation’s investments.  By incorporating the community’s voice, Federations invest more than just the dollars they’ve raised… they invest community aspirations, which is more likely to translate to greater community satisfaction, participation and financial support.  Therefore, it is likely that this “bet” will literally pay off for Federation – with increased growth in the value of individual charitable donations and number of donors.

If you aren’t sure what your community’s funding priorities are, contact us.  We can help you find out.

Contact Sue Levine at [email protected] or 215-545-0054 x107.

jewish community studies

What does “being Jewish” mean… not just now, but for the future?

September 14, 2017
, , , Community Studies

The Melior Group works with Jewish organizations, including Federations and Day Schools, to help them better meet the current and emerging needs of the communities in which they operate.  Our approach includes developing community surveys, which usually contain attitudinal questions about Jewish identity.  Agreement with one such statement, “It is important that future generations of my family consider themselves Jewish,” is always high; generally, over 95% “agree,” and over two-thirds “agree strongly.”

Until recently, I have interpreted the nearly unanimous response this way:  in saying that they want their progeny to be Jewish, community members demonstrate their commitment to Jewish sustainability, and therefore – at least in some way – to the institutions and organizations which are essential to Jewish communal life.    A very smart colleague, however, has challenged me to look at this a little bit differently.

If I were to travel back in time to talk to my great-grandparents in Eastern Europe, I have no doubt that they, too, would strongly agree that “It is important that future generations of my family consider themselves Jewish.”  But, if they were to meet me today, would they feel that their hopes had been met?  In some ways, I have followed in their footsteps: for one thing, I would answer that attitudinal question the same way they would have.  I am a member of a synagogue, I’ve been to Israel and my family lights candles on Shabbat.  And yet…my daughters play soccer on Saturday, attend secular schools and love our annual lobster dinner.

Would my fore-fathers and -mothers claim victory, or even connect our Jewish practice to theirs?  I am not very confident that they would.

I’ve come to realize that while agreement with the statement “It is important that future generations of my family consider themselves Jewish” is high across the board, the expectations contained in that statement vary widely. This has implications for Jewish communal institutions, which both serve, and are sustained by, their communities. 

And this is why Melior’s work is so valuable; we can help individual communities learn about what it means to “be Jewish” there.  Our research asks questions and seeks answers that can help shape what “being Jewish” means in relation to Jewish communal organizations, such as:  What are the common denominators, the essential kernels of being Jewish?  How can Jewish communal institutions support and encourage participation among everyone who identifies as Jewish, in the spirit of inclusion and no judgement?  What can be done to nurture Jewish identity, while acknowledging and accepting that moving the needle toward greater involvement may or may not happen?

Through an exploration of how Jews within a given community define “being Jewish”, and their hopes for what future generations will believe and carry forward, Jewish community leaders can better serve their communities now and in the future, and leverage the widespread hope that Judaism – in its evolving shapes and forms – will live on.  

Interested in discussing a Jewish community studies project?  Contact Elizabeth Cohen at [email protected]/215-545-0054 ext. 103 or Sue Levine at [email protected] or 215-545-0054 x107.

jewish community studies

If You Ask, We Answer: Part 3 – Jewish Community Studies

August 31, 2017
, , , , , , , Community Studies, The Art of Research

Continuing our series about the common questions that our clients ask us:  our first post focused on the higher education sector.  This was followed by our post on the healthcare sector.  We now turn our attention to the world of Jewish community studies.

For 35 years and counting, The Melior Group has been in the business of answering questions for our clients.  And, while the techniques and methods we use to answer those questions have changed over time, many of the questions have not.

So when it comes to our clients in the Jewish community – Federations, synagogues, Day Schools and social services organizations – what kinds of questions is Melior answering, and how are our clients using the information?

At the most fundamental level, our clients want to know how they can make their Jewish communities more vibrant and their members more engaged.

Jewish communities these days often find themselves struggling to be relevant to their members.  While the needs of some in the community may be well-served by traditional communal institutions, new strategies and approaches are needed to combat decline and ensure long-term survival.

By using a consumer behavior approach to understanding community needs, interests, behaviors and attitudes, our work provides new insights into what makes these communities “tick”, and how best to leverage those insights to build stronger communities.  Community leaders want to know…

  • What does our community “look like” – demographically, attitudinally, spiritually, emotionally and even philanthropically?
  • What’s working and what’s not – programmatically and institutionally?
  • Where are the gaps? What do we need to do better?
  • How well do community members understand what we do? How can we better engage those at the margins of the community?
  • Where is the community headed?

The answers we provide have been used by our clients in a variety of ways, allowing them to:

  • Make informed policy decisions
  • Set priorities
  • Launch, grow, and sunset programs
  • Determine funding allocations based on credible data, not instinct
  • Bolster community planning efforts
  • Amplify development efforts

Though our findings can sometimes surprise, they provide a starting point for community soul-searching and ultimately, strengthening.

In addition to the questions we ask, our rigorous approach to figuring out who we need to reach in order to gather the information clients need, and determining the best methodology for gathering information, is central to our work.

Our research can help Jewish communities, their agencies and institutions, explore all of these issues and more.  Give us a call or send us an email and let us know how we can help.

For more information, contact Sue Levine at [email protected] or 215-545-0054 x107.

customer experience

Approach Community Studies With an Eye to Customer Experience

July 27, 2017
, , , , , Community Studies, The Art of Research

By looking at community members as “customers,” The Melior Group’s approach to community studies offers clients a unique perspective and innovative recommendations.  Our research methodology applies a marketing framework to the issues of interest to specific communities, and examines purchase decision-making, buyer behavior and the customer experience.

When this innovative approach is utilized, our clients are better able to understand how community members view the experiences, services and products being offered by the client.  Community leaders can then foster a more positive experience, driving a higher volume of “purchases” and/or more meaningful, engaging and successful interactions.

Recently, we’ve been sharing with our industry peers the efforts and successes of Melior’s Vice President Susan Levine and Senior Project Director Sindey Dranoff in the Jewish community studies sector:

  • Their article, “Jewish Community Studies as Seen Through a Business Lens” was published in a special edition of Contemporary Jewry: click here to read the article
  • Susan and Sindey presented at the Eastern Sociological Society’s 2017 Annual Meeting as part of the “The Transformation of Jewish (and Other) Community Studies” session: click here to learn more

To read more about our work with Jewish community studies, click here.  If you have questions about your own community study, please reach out to us and we will be happy to start the conversation.

For more information, contact Susan Levine at [email protected] or 215-545-0054 x107 or Sindey Dranoff at 215-545-0054 x108 / [email protected].

community studies

Community Studies: What Makes Your Community Thrive?

September 22, 2016
, , , , , Community Studies

We all belong to various communities, but we may not understand what defines them or what makes them thrive. Oxford Dictionaries defines community as: “A group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.”

In our experience, this definition begs further consideration. At Melior, our work often centers on exploring what truly defines a community, understanding what community means to people, and identifying drivers for assuring that the community thrives.

Why is it important to understand your community? Many leaders of mission-based organizations and government programs are wondering about the drivers of “thrivancy” and what makes the communities they serve special and unique… the factors that define them, make them worthy of support, and that represent their values.

We have worked with communities across the country, where our studies have been used to contribute insight into the distinctive drivers of growth and prosperity, health and well-being, and overall quality of life. These descriptors define the unique and complex characteristics of each community, which helps our clients can carry out their missions and meet the needs of their communities, developing successful programming and services for the future.

Community A vs. B vs. C: They Couldn’t Be More Different

Recently, we examined three different groups: Community A, Community B, and Community C. We asked each community the same type of question, and the results in each were different:

Community studies graphic

How Can Each Community Promote “Thrivancy”?

In exploring the quality that each community sees as vital to “thrivancy”, its members and leaders have the opportunity to best serve the community’s needs, and foster that quality within their community.

Community A chose “diversity”, signifying that these people value access to multiple ideas and options, and living among people of varied backgrounds. Knowing this, the community leaders could benefit their members by offering programming that promotes diversity, such as immigration support services, an inclusive interfaith dinner, and community lectures from guests sharing different viewpoints.

Community B chose “respectful leadership”, indicating that the community members value polite and considerate behavior from their elected and appointed leaders. In order to ensure this type of relationship, community leaders could organize regular town hall meetings to elicit feedback, and volunteer opportunities where everyone works together and leaders are integrated into the community.

Community C chose “quality of life and family-friendly initiatives” as the most necessary drivers for their community to thrive. Therefore the leaders of this community could focus on services surrounding wellness, transportation, and education, and emphasize family-friendly programs such as safe walking paths to schools and an annual carnival in the park.

Community A, Community B and Community C all have very different ideas about what elements are necessary for their community to thrive. Thus, the members and leaders of each community should not take the same actions as one of the other communities.

Rather than comparing themselves to or emulating other communities, each community should respond to their members’ specific thoughts and values. From small to big, there are actionable steps Communities A, B, and C can take to build stronger communities.

How Melior Can Help You Engage Your Community

Clearly, the drivers that define “community” and “thrivancy” are different between Communities A, B and C, as are the reasons these drivers were rated so highly by community members. And that’s an important point to this endeavor: it’s not only knowing how members define their own communities, but why they do so.

The Melior Group is highly experienced in community studies and identifying community drivers. We utilize state-of-the-art methodologies, incorporating creative approaches to gathering community-based information. We also analyze the data specifically with the goals of our clients in mind, offering insightful, action-oriented information. Our clients are thus able to address community concerns and ensure that their community will thrive.

The key takeaway is this:  it’s important to know the drivers that make your community thrive, so you can best position your organization to carry out its mission and meet your community’s needs.

For more information on our work, please visit our Government/Civic Entities page or Mission-based Organizations page or contact Elizabeth Foley at 215-545-0054 x111 or [email protected].

Polling v Research

Polling v. Marketing Research

February 11, 2016
, , , , , , Community Studies, The Art of Research

As the presidential election cycle heats up, pre-election polling – which is used to gauge candidates’ support and predict election outcomes – is under increased scrutiny.  Publications such as the New York Times, Washington Post, US News and World Report  have written about recent “disasters”, that is, election outcomes which were not aligned with pre-election polling results.

If Polling is Flawed, How Accurate is Marketing Research?

All of this publicity about flawed polling has generated a degree of panic among some of our clients (and us!).  The Melior Group works with all kinds of organizations that are interested in developing quantitative evidence – which some equate with a “poll” — to support decisions including introduction of a new product or service, development of a new marketing strategy, and myriad other information needs.   While unexpected election results and the pursuant head-scratching about flawed polling generate headlines, it is the marketing researchers in the trenches who bear the brunt of our clients’ angst.   They wonder about the accuracy of quantitative research, and question its role in their decision-making.

Cost-effective, Thoughtful, and Accurate Assessments

So what are marketing researchers to do when their client wants, say, to assess the impact of a marketing campaign through pre- and post-campaign research?  In the old days, the knee-jerk approach might be a telephone survey to collect a statistically rigorous sample with a low margin of error – the better to see real “movement” in the data.

But in this new world of ours, we say to our client, “that statistically rigorous sample with the low margin of error is increasingly difficult — and expensive! — to collect.”  Just showing them the costs is often enough to change the conversation to, “how can we assess the impact of the new marketing campaign in the most cost-effective, thoughtful, and accurate way possible?”

Meet People Where They Live

One approach is to focus on specific market segments, that is, to truly conduct Marketing Research.  Instead of trying to get a representative sample of the whole universe via one polling method, i.e., telephone or online, we recognize that more success can be had by meeting people where they live. For millennials, creative uses of social media can be surprisingly fruitful for marketing research purposes. And for middle-class boomers, online surveys can be just the right approach.

Focusing on specific market segments, and tailoring data collection appropriately, has other benefits too.  Just the very process of reconsidering the approach can propel us to be more thoughtful in our determination of what we truly want to learn.  Is it more important to see small movements in percentage of awareness and advertising recall, or might our client gain additional benefit from a deeper understanding of  attitudes, impressions and brand, within and in comparison to key segments?  We would argue that the latter can often be of greater use.

So does that mean we think that pre-election polling is for dinosaurs?  Not at all.  For a presidential race, say, margins of error can mean the difference between giving up on a state, and doing a full court campaign press.   But for marketing research purposes, reflecting on the true usefulness of measures that rely on statistically perfect samples may have unintended, and very positive, consequences.

 

For more information please contact  Elizabeth Cohen at [email protected] or 215-545-0054 x103 or please contact us.

Community Demographics infographic found on ejewishphilanthropy

We’ve Been Featured On ejewishphilanthropy.com!

November 13, 2015
, , Community Studies, The Art of Research

The good folks at ejewishphilanthropy have published a piece by Susan Levine, Melior’s community study expert. Our post talks about the usefulness of community demographic studies as a tool for future planning.

Take a look at the article here.

Melior’s approach to these kinds of studies is simple, yet powerful: “Understanding the character of the community – its needs, attitudes, and perceptions – in a way that leads to action, will better position communities to ensure their long term futures.”

For more information on our work with Jewish communities, please visit our page on Jewish Community Studies or contact Susan J. Levine, at 215-545-0054 x107 or [email protected].

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