Charter Member Roundup

Important Updates and Information for the Busy Fulcrum Leader

August 26, 2024

Dear Fulcrum Charter Members,

I hope you've all had a wonderful summer. Fall is basically here and that means most nonprofit leaders are entering a very busy season and a strong push through to the end of the year.

Like many of you, the work here at Fulcrum is accelerating. We are pleased to report that we are gaining important and significant momentum with our efforts to recruit Charter Members and build out the Membership Experience.

In terms of recruitment, Fulcrum has now secured 120 Charter Members on our way to 200. It's a truly impressive group of nonprofit leaders. We've extended 182 invitations to date, have 15 informational meetings on calendar, and have initiated outreach with another 78 nonprofit leaders. Can 200 Charter Members be secured by the end of October? We'll see but I certainly hope so.

In terms of the effort to develop the Member Experience, we have completed some important programming around the chat groups/forums accessible online when you log in. We have begun to develop the "Fulcrum 15" small cohort group applications that each member will access to track their group content, meeting schedule, members, and more. Additionally, Fulcrum has been developing the initial curriculum that all Fulcrum 15 groups will work through in partnership with their group facilitators for the first 6 months after they launch.

Every day there is more work being completed to make sure Fulcrum is the very best member organization in existence. As we build this organization and it's capabilities (together), please don't hesitate to reach out with any recommendations and guidance. I welcome everybody's input.

Don't forget to join the September 13 30-minute virtual mixer if your schedule permits. These mixers are fun and educational and never wasted time. Going forward in October, we will be moving the monthly virtual mixers to the second Wednesday of the month at 1:30pm PT, 3:30pm CT, and 4:30pm ET. Hopefully that provides an opportunity for some more folks to join who have standing meetings and other scheduling challenges on Fridays.

In leadership,

Chris Looney

Founder and CEO

Fulcrum Nonprofit Leadership

365 Nonprofit Leadership Truths (#11-20)

Fulcrum posts daily on LinkedIn the "365 Nonprofit Leadership Truths. Below you will find posts #11-20.

#11 For nonprofit leaders, it can be very LONELY at the top of the organizational chart. The higher you go, the lonelier it can get.

#12 To guard against the perils of isolation and insularity, where a leader functions in a bubble and listens to only their own advice in an echo chamber, nonprofit leaders must go out of their way to solicit different viewpoints and surround themselves with other talented leaders.

#13 Cultivating connections should be a core leadership mission for all nonprofit leaders.

#14 Nonprofit leaders should consider forming their own “kitchen cabinet” of advisors. This personal advisory board provides a support system that is not only safe but delivers wisdom from experience and expertise. Don’t go another day without the wise counsel of others.

#15 Nonprofit leaders work to develop and sustain a positive culture, which contributes to high employee retention and satisfaction, among many other important benefits.

#16 The real and perceived transparency provided by leadership to an organization's stakeholders strengthens an organization’s positive culture.

#17 Nonprofit leaders ‘light up’ and come alive when engaged with their programs. Being mission-minded individuals, this is no surprise.

#18 Nonprofit leaders will be the first to tell you that you can’t cut your way to profitability.

#19 Nonprofits strive for profitability, which translates directly into the capacity to increase mission and impact.

#20 The world demands more mission and more impact from nonprofit organizations, but unfortunately for all, prioritizes and celebrates the organizations that operate at starvation levels in terms of operating expenses.

HELP US BUILD OUR LIST. If you have any truths you'd like for us to include on the list, please send them to me at chris@fulcrumleader.com. If we choose to include it, we'll quote you and give you credit. Please also follow Fulcrum on LinkedIn, like the posts, forward them to colleagues and friends, and repost them.

Charter Member Virtual "Mixer" - Friday September 13 at 10AM PT

Please join our next Fulcrum Charter Member "mixer" next Friday, September 13 at 10AM PT.

This is a 30-minute virtual gathering to hear remarks from Fulcrum Founder and CEO Chris Looney, provide time for Charter Members to network, and explore key topics connected to nonprofit leadership.

A calendar invite will be sent out on or around September 1 but please put a hold now so protect the time if possible.

Additionally, there is an online calendar that you can access through the Fulcrum member site at www.fulcrumleader.com that allows you to subscribe and always be in the know of upcoming events.

Below is the Zoom link if you want to save the date.

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81135908771?pwd=XyfFRA7tEGj2aMFUTz9RPzfB9dFgtq.1

Reach Out to Us

Is there something good you'd like to share with Fulcrum and the Fulcrum membership? Please use this form to share good news: https://forms.gle/6YZY1jyYmRUXtk6V9

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