The good ol’ e-newsletter remains a very important communication tool for many (if not most) nonprofits. Though there’s debate on whether or not e-newsletters are effective, I sit firmly on the side of pro-e-newsletter. All three nonprofits I’ve worked at have distributed a regular e-newsletter, and all have been effective (to varying degrees) in keeping the organization connected with its audiences and driving action.

Greenlights newsletter has evolved quite a bit since I joined the team in 2009. If you’re subscribed to our email list, you know our newsletter as Greenlights2Go, but some of you really loyal Greenlights fans may remember an older version of our newsletter, Power Steering, the last of which was sent in 2009.

How we got from Power Steering to the Latest Greenlights2Go

In 2009, Power Steering was distributed every other month and consisted of 3-4 articles written both by Greenlights staff and guest authors. A theme for the articles was selected in advance and each article was about the length of a blog post, which were published on greelights.org, but not on our blog! Preparing Power Steering was really intensive with hardly any ROI. Something (or several things) needed to change.

Issues with Power Steering

• The open rate was inconsistent and on the decline.
• A lot of effort went into writing articles for Power Steering that only a handful of people were reading.
• The format of Power Steering was rigid and didn’t allow us to promote content other than the articles.

Know Your Audience

We took a look at the content that was most popular in both Power Steering and on greenlights.org, and then listed out the content we wanted to include to help reach our organizational goals. We reworked content that was important to meet our goals, but wasn’t popular with our audiences, like those articles. All articles that were previously written for Power Steering were now written for our blog and we put more constraints on the article content, like each article had to provide value (no more purely self-promotional stuff).

We also made sure to include content that was very popular with our audience but not necessarily important to meeting our goals, like nonprofit jobs, to help ensure that the newsletter was valuable to our readers. However, that content is at the bottom of the newsletter so that the reader scrolls through our other content first.

Rebrand and Redesign

In 2010 we changed the name of our newsletter from Power Steering to Greenlights2Go. The new name suited the new content, which featured top news, upcoming workshops/events, blog posts, and nonprofit news and jobs. It’s basically a monthly summary of activity at Greenlights and in our nonprofit community, but delivered via email, hence Greenlights2Go.

Along with changing the name, we also updated the design, which was temporary as we worked to update our brand identity. The newsletter got another redesign in 2011 to be consistent with our updated branding, which we describe as clean, professional and approachable.

Simple, Clean and Mobile-Friendly

Inspired by newsletters from the New York Times and Chronicle of Philanthropy, we decided to reformat the content of Greenlights2Go early this year. Each section has only 3-4 chunks of content which consist of a sub-headline and 1-2 sentences (or 200 characters) with links to more content on one of our sites. We also went to a single column layout and we try to keep the size between 40-45 KB.

These changes make the newsletter more mobile friendly; it’s short and easy to scan, and a mobile device will download all the content or, for larger issues, might cut off our less important content, like the quick links we list at the bottom.

Thinking of revamping your newsletter? Take a look at some of the articles in this nonprofit blog carnival on nonprofit newsletters and this report from Jakob Nielson on Email Newsletter Design to Increase Conversion and Loyalty.

Here’s a look at the evolution of our newsletter from 2009 to today:

I love a good plan! Without it, I know I wouldn’t meet my goals. The beginning of the year is a good time to revisit, renew and revise plans. Here’s a template and an example from two plans I’m working on this month: a 2013 communications calendar for Greenlights and a personal professional development plan.

Communications Calendar (or Project Planning Calendar)

I started creating annual communications calendars in my role as Communications Director at Girl Scouts of Central Texas. The calendar is a tool that helps me and my team coordinate all the activities it takes to support the marketing needs of the organization and individual departments, however, it also helps others in the organization understand what it takes to support their work from a communications perspective and the deadlines associated with each activity.

If you don’t have one, I highly recommend starting one, however basic, even if you’re a one-person team at a small nonprofit. Here’s a calendar template to get you started. The template can be modified to be any sort of project planning calendar you need it to be.

Professional Development Plan

Two years ago, I started creating professional development plans at the beginning of each year. The plan helps me think through my goals and how I will achieve them. These goals are then formalized in an overall goal setting form that we all complete here at Greenlights.

In a previous post, I outline my process in creating a professional development plan, including types of questions to ask yourself and types of learning opportunities to consider. In my plan this year, I list the goal, activities related to achieving the goal, and indicators of success. Here’s an example..

Goal 1: Improve my knowledge and implementation of marketing best practices, specifically related to individual donor cultivation, effective content marketing, and relationship marketing.

• Activities
• Participate in a six month Nonprofit Marketing Mentoring Program led by Kivi Leroux Miller: includes reading and completing assignments from the Nonprofit Marketing Guide, learning with and from other nonprofit marketers, one-on-one conversations with Kivi, and participating in regular webinars

• Indicators of Success
• Improve cultivation strategies and messaging for individual donors
• Develop new and enhance existing content marketing strategies; formalize all in Greenlights’ marketing plan
• Develop audience personas and strategies for improving engagement with each; share with staff

Putting my plans on paper can feel overwhelming, but it also gives me the security of knowing that my goals are achievable if I follow my plan. What types of plans are you putting to paper to help get you started off right in 2013?

Nearly three years ago, when I interviewed to join Greenlights, I presented the seed of an idea: taking what Greenlights does well in-person – convening nonprofit people to learn from and collaborate with each other – and extending it online. I wanted to create an online hub where nonprofit people can collaborate and gain access to the information, resources and connections they need.

Fast forward to today, and that seed of an idea has evolved and transformed into something that terrifies and inspires me each and every day.  I am thrilled (and still a bit in shock) to announce and share with you a dream-turned-reality: the 501(c)ommunity!

But how did we get from crazy-thing-I-said-in-an-interview to an online community developed for nonprofit collaboration?  …It wasn’t easy.

Putting the Dream to Paper

How do I describe this idea, what does it mean, what will it take to make it tangible? Through discussions with Greenlights staff, we talked about what an “online hub” means and what we wanted to achieve through this project. To create a safe, trusted, online environment for quality learning and collaboration, we felt that an online community was the best solution.

I drafted my first “online community plan” in January 2010. It consisted of a two-paragraph description and a few bullets related to goals and needs. Two years later, it had grown from less than a page to 6+ pages and included an outline of the project phases, plans for an advisory task force, and a project budget.

How will we pay for it?

Greenlights is a nonprofit organization, so, like most nonprofits our size, we don’t have a lot of extra investment income lying around to throw at new projects like this. After multiple grant proposals we found a winner with the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, who were also looking to create an online community to engage with their grantees — a perfect win-win scenario.

Now that we can pay for it, how will we build it?

We dove right into researching community platforms and talking with consultants and developers. After months of research, we decided that Small World Labs could provide the solution to build our community as well as the expertise to guide us in a project that would be completely new to team.

Preparing to Launch

Once we landed on a name and acquired the URL, things started moving fast. With only five months for design, development and testing, we started discussing project requirements with Small World Labs (which resulted in a 40+ page document) while gathering feedback from our members in focus groups and one-on-one meetings. We created use cases, talked through processes and procedures, drafted tons of copy for the website and marketing materials, and I lost countless hours of sleep wondering “if we build it, will they use it?”

In August, we brought on Evelyn Galante to manage the community and started testing the site with pilot groups. In September, we launched the community to a wider audience at the 2012 Texas Nonprofit Summit.

While we’re still in a beta phase, we’ve remained on schedule and are pleased with the level of activity in the community. However, a website is never “done.” We have a variety of upgrades planned out through the first quarter of 2013, and we continue to tweak the site and our processes to improve user experience and engagement.

Got a dream project you turned into a reality? I’d love to hear about it! And I’d love to see you in the 501(c)ommunity!

We’re honored and humbled to have so many recognized and celebrated community leaders in our “family,” each of whom is working in some way alongside Greenlights to strengthen nonprofits and the greater Austin community.

On the evening of March 3, the Austin Under 40 Awards gathered to celebrate some of the community’s most influential movers and shakers including 60 finalists. Our own President and ED Matt Kouri was awarded winner in the Nonprofit and Community Service category. In addition, six nominees and two other award winners are heavily involved with Greenlights, demonstrating that a strong commitment to community service and leadership, for many, starts with the strengthening of our nonprofit sector.

“The caliber of leadership associated with Greenlights and celebrated at the Austin Under 40 Awards is a perfect example of how surrounding yourself with great people leads to great things! Thanks to Matt and everyone at Greenlights for making me (and Explore Austin) better!” said Todd Hanna, award winner in the Youth and Education category and President/CEO of Explore Austin.

Wow! Ain’t it true! We’re so blessed to have such an amazing and accomplished extended family, including you, Todd.

Austin Under 40 Award Winners and Strategic Partners of Greenlights

Matt Kouri, President and Executive Director of Greenlights
Kouri leads Greenlights in strengthening nonprofits and has guided the organization through significant recent growth, including a 133 percent increase in nonprofit consulting business and a 75 percent increase in contributions since 2007. He has led several nonprofit mergers, including Austin Museum of Art with Arthouse, and strategic transformations for Habitat for Humanity, the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber, Komen Austin, Dallas CASA, Texas CASA, and several others. Kouri also leads an organization serving Ethiopian orphans and promoting local adoption. He’s a gubernatorial appointee to the Texas Adoption Review Committee and has volunteered with his church youth group and on several nonprofit boards.

Kristen Wicke, Partner – Maxwell, Locke & Ritter
Wicke has served as a member of Greenlights’ Board of Directors for four years and continues to serve on the board today. She was Greenlights 2011 Board Chair and was influential in leading the development of the Greenlights three-year strategic plan and in guiding the organization through its most successful year ever. Wicke is also a Partner at Maxwell Locke & Ritter where she leads their nonprofit niche by providing high quality services and acting as a trusted business advisor to clients.

Todd Hanna, President/CEO of Explore Austin
Hanna is a longtime Greenlights member and collaborator currently serving on Greenlights’ 501 Council. He’s also the President and CEO of Explore Austin where he works to ensure that all children have the opportunity to experience all that the outdoors has to offer. In addition, Hanna serves on the Board of Directors of Good Shepherd Episcopal School, the Seton Forum, and the LBJ Future Forum.

Austin Under 40 Award Finalists and Strategic Partners of Greenlights

Rob Bridges, Managing Partner at Wortham Insurance
Bridges served on Greenlights’ Board of Directors for six years, was the Board Chair in 2008, and is a current Business Partner and member of Greenlights’ Community Leadership Council. Bridges is a partner with Wortham Insurance and is active in the community as a board member of PLUS (Professional Liability Underwriting Society), a member of the Seton Forum, and a past member of the TCU National Alumni Board.

Sandra Jensen, Co-Founder and Principal at KELL Partners
Jensen is a longtime Greenlights funding partner, technology resource, presenter at the Texas Nonprofit Summit, and is a current Business Partner. A veteran of Cloud-based technology in Austin, Jensen has spent the last 15 years of her career helping early- to mid-stage start-up companies build and grow their service organizations. For the last eight years, she has focused these efforts toward nonprofit, public sector and higher education clients.

Ryan Leahy, Partner at Leahy and Associates Branch of Cornerstone Mortgage
Leahy is a member of Greenlights’ 501 Council. At Leahy and Associates, Leahy has formed a panel of trusted advisors composed of realtors, builders, attorneys, financial planners, CPA’s, and others, providing in-depth knowledge of the economics of the mortgage bond market and core financial planning principals for clients.

David J. Neff, Senior Consultant at Ant’s Eye View
Neff is a Greenlights member, frequent Greenlights workshop instructor and presenter at the Texas Nonprofit Summit, which is jointly produced by Greenlights and OneStar Foundation. Before joining Ant’s Eye View, he was the president of the Social Media Club Austin and a senior digital consultant for a variety of startups and nonprofits. He co-authored “The Future of Nonprofits,” was named “Nonprofit Social Media Marketer” of the year in 2009 by the American Marketing Association, and the Austin American-Statesman named him one of the top 20 social media people in Texas.

Heather Summers Parsons, Development Director for Texas CASA
Parsons is a longtime Greenlights member and collaborator. A fundraiser with 15 years of experience, Parsons currently serves as Development Director for Texas CASA, where she is responsible for raising money for the organization and providing fundraising education and training to the statewide CASA network of 69 programs. She’s President of the Greater Austin Association of Fundraising Professionals chapter, serves as a volunteer with CASA of Travis County, and is a member of the Junior League of Austin and Past President of the Young Women’s Alliance.

Michele Walker-Moak, Project Manager of Applied Material’s Central Texas Community Affairs
Walker-Moak is a longtime Greenlights funding partner and workshop instructor. At Applied Materials, she has led project teams for Global Community Affairs overseeing the company’s education grant funding for Central Texas. Walker-Moak also worked in Applied Materials’ North America Corporate Affairs where her responsibilities included employee communication, media relations, governmental affairs, Internet communications, employee events and large-scale community projects.

Okay, that sounds a bit melodramatic… but I believe it.

Whether or not you choose to embrace it, we are surrounded by a highly-connected, always-evolving social ecosystem that has found its voice online. Our up-and-coming leaders are willing to turn down a car or higher salary for flexibility and connectedness. And, let’s face it, many of us are unprepared for an era where the most important skill is the ability to acquire new skills.

How “Social” Is Your Culture?

The organizations who do not work hard to develop and embrace a social culture will struggle to survive in the coming years and many will fail. So, how social is your culture?

Developing a social organization, or a networked nonprofit, requires a certain type of organizational culture, let’s call it a social culture, that supports the organization in developing and cultivating valuable, long-term relationships, online and off.

You have a Facebook account, right? And maybe you’re using Twitter, or maybe you’ve gotten creative and are using social media in innovative ways. But don’t let the shiny tech toys distract you. The organizations that attempt to be social, but do not evolve their culture, will likely find themselves called out by the social masses. Organizations need to adopt a philosophical commitment to being social, rather than focusing on the tools.

Developing a Values-Driven Social Culture

Where to start? There are certain steps to develop and sustain a winning organizational culture, but how do you ensure that your culture supports your work as a social organization? While there is no single answer that is right for everyone, I’ll share what has worked for us at Greenlights.

At Greenlights, we recently evaluated and modified our core values to ensure that they’re still relevant to our staff and our goals as an organization, many of which are hinged on our ability to develop and sustain valuable relationships between Greenlights and our constituents. Many of our core values, if not all, support our work in developing strong relationships. Particularly, our values of integrity, collaboration, learning and service excellence are integral to our work and our ability to create a social culture at Greenlights.

To incorporate our values at Greenlights, we evaluate each other on them annually and ask value-related questions of all new hires, including our interns. On occasion, we revisit our values and update them to make sure they remain relevant. We post them on our website, in our office and in our individual offices so that our core values are always accessible and top-of-mind.

Developing a “Social Staff”

Another important element to creating a social culture at Greenlights has been to encourage social behaviors among all staff, like monitoring and participating in the conversation online, reading blogs authored by our colleagues in the nonprofit sector, and recommending new ways to enhance our work through social media. We share our listening dashboard with all new hires and encourage everyone to help us engage in social media, with training from me, the Communications Manager.

Leadership and culture go hand-in-hand. To ensure our values and social behaviors are demonstrated by leadership, President and Executive Director Matt Kouri is evaluated by all staff on his demonstration of our values, and he’s active in social media!

You can find Matt on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. He writes for Greenlights’ blog and does great when needed to, ohhhh I dunno, play a Micheal Scott-like character for the video we premiered at our 10^th Anniversary, The Greenlights Office.

And we have room for improvement. We’re currently updating our social media policy and will be sharing it with all Greenlights’ staff, interns and anyone who communicates online on Greenlights’ behalf. I also hope to improve our work in tracking social media data, especially engagement, in our CRM so that we have a better picture of a stakeholder’s full engagement with Greenlights, online and off.

It takes a lot of work, but it seems clear that such efforts are going to be increasingly necessary if Greenlights – and other nonprofits – are to be vital and relevant in years to come.

Do you see the need for such a social culture at your organization?  What tips or ideas do you have about creating social culture in the workplace?