Case Studies
Read a few highlights about how we’ve worked with some of our clients.
Customized Training
The Client
Fort Collins Volunteer Center; Directors of Volunteers in Agencies (DOVIA); Volunteers of America; and United Way of Northern Colorado.
The Challenge
As financial resources diminish and the need for services grows, nonprofit organizations find themselves in the difficult situation of trying to do more with less. Volunteers have been a highly valued resource in confronting this dilemma. Boomer volunteers will bring greater skills and challenges than most volunteer programs are equipped to handle. Effectively utilizing the skills and talents of Boomer volunteers requires organizations to make the shift from volunteer management to volunteer engagement.
The Solution
JFFixler Group created a series of three Volunteer Engagement workshops that were offered to members of the Northern Colorado Volunteers of America, Larimer County United Way Volunteer Center, and DOVIA. The workshops provided an interactive learning experience for nonprofit leaders that:
- Distilled research on Boomers and related the findings to engaging Boomers in the nonprofit sector
- Provided tools for nonprofits to assess their readiness for Boomer engagement
- Provided information and tools for creating a plan for Boomer volunteer engagement
- Helped nonprofit organizations gain a competitive edge in developing strategies to reach Boomers
- Helped nonprofit organizations shift from volunteer management to creating and maintaining a culture of volunteer engagement
The Results
Nonprofit leaders from 40 organizations in Northern Colorado participated in the three workshops during which they:
- Completed a Volunteer Readiness Assessment to determine their organization’s readiness to fully utilize Boomer volunteers
- Developed skills for creating a culture of volunteer engagement, focusing onthe seven core competencies:
- Needs Assessment
- Organizational Support
- Effective Recruitment
- Orientation
- Interviewing and Placement
- Supervision and Support
- Volunteer Retention
- Created volunteer Position Descriptions to put to immediate use in recruiting Boomer volunteers
- Created a Volunteer Development Plan
These nonprofit leaders returned to their organizations armed with new knowledge, skills, and tools that were put to immediate use in creating a culture of volunteer engagement and building organizational capacity.
Innovation
The Client
Metro Volunteers, Denver, Colorado, with partners Autism Society of Colorado, Butterfly Pavilion, Operation Frontline, Providers Resource Clearinghouse, and Stepping Stones.
The Challenge
Metro Volunteers is dedicated to “mobilizing and cultivating volunteers as a vital force in our community.” With the wave of Baby Boomers entering the volunteer force, Metro Volunteers leadership was very interested in exploring ways to deploy Baby Boomers into rewarding volunteer opportunities in the community while also preparing local nonprofits with the tools they would need to meaningfully engage these Boomer volunteers.
The Solution
JFFixler Group partnered with Metro Volunteers to develop a program that would leverage the skills of local Boomer volunteers to expand Metro Volunteers’ program offerings and provide valuable support and guidance to metro-area nonprofits. The program offered local nonprofits a trained facilitator to guide each organization through the process of Boomer volunteer engagement, which included using Boomer Volunteer Engagement as the textbook, convening a task force, providing coaching, sharing tools, and holding the team accountable. JFFixler Group provided technical assistance, developed the tools and trainings for use in the program, and participated on the Operations Team that managed the pilot. Together, JFFixler Group and Metro Volunteers:
- Created a four-month pilot version of the project in which JFFixler Group developed and implemented four trainings directly to representatives of five local nonprofits, helping them to build organizational capacity through Boomer volunteer engagement
- Cultivated an Operations Team of experienced Boomer volunteers charged with leading and managing this new initiative
- Developed recruitment materials and marketing plans to cultivate six Boomer facilitators and nonprofit organizations to participate in the project
- Developed a Facilitators’ Guide and trainings to prepare the six facilitators for their work with the nonprofits
- Supported the facilitators, each with an assigned nonprofit, as they guided their organizations through developing and implementing a pilot project of their own that demonstrated the power and potential of Boomer volunteer engagement
- Evaluated the impact and outcomes for each nonprofit organization and for Metro Volunteers
The Results
Staff and volunteers from five local nonprofits participated in a series of trainings and facilitated meetings and implemented their own pilot projects in Boomer volunteer engagement. A trained volunteer facilitator from Metro Volunteers guided them through the process. As a result they have:
- Completed an Assessment of Volunteer Engagement to determine their organization’s current strengths and opportunities to fully utilize Boomer volunteers
- Designed a Work Plan for a new initiative to pilot high-impact volunteer engagement
- Developed new opportunities for high-impact volunteers to attract Boomers and the generations that follow into their organizations
- Created and filled Volunteer Position Descriptions through strategic messaging
- Supported their new volunteers
- Evaluated the results of their pilot project
- Developed strategies to sustain the work and broaden the culture shift towards volunteer engagement
The program was so successful that it is now an ongoing volunteer-managed initiative that has expanded the scope and reach of Metro Volunteers beyond what their staff alone would have been able to accomplish.
Leadership
The Client
CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Natrona County, Casper, Wyoming.
The Challenge
Founded in 2000, CASA of Natrona County speaks for the best interests of abused and neglected children within the juvenile court system in Casper, Wyoming. By 2005, the organization was ready to take on its first strategic plan. CASA had previously engaged two different consultants to assist them with planning, but had experienced two aborted efforts.
CASA anticipated adding additional staff and volunteer advocates in 2005. There was concern about the impact of this growth on organizational priorities, their ability to raise the funds needed to accomplish this growth, changes in roles and responsibilities of board members and staff, and impact on the clients served.
With assistance from a local foundation, CASA was once again looking for a way to succeed at organizational development, fund development, board development, and strategic planning.
The Solution
JFFixler Group provided comprehensive consultation, facilitation, assessment, and coaching services to help them understand their internal and external environment and develop critical issues and strategies to develop their strategic plan. The following components were included in the project:
- Organizational and board assessment
- Review of all organizational collateral materials including bylaws, policies, website, marketing materials, and financial statements
- Facilitation of a stakeholders’ retreat to gain their perspective on how the community viewed the organization
- Facilitation of a two-day strategic planning board retreat
- Providing a strategic planning template
- Coaching members of the strategic planning task force on plan development
- Coaching the board president, incoming president, and the executive director on strategic plan implementation
The Results
The board and staff endorsed the strategic plan and committed to significant organizational change. Highlights of their strategic plan included:
- A significant overhaul of the organization’s mission statement
- Creation of a vision statement and organizational values
- A commitment to extensive board development, including board training, development of a committee structure for board work, expanded and targeted board recruitment, and a pledge to be vigilant in organizational evaluation and board assessment
- Development of a comprehensive fundraising plan
- Board commitment to staff development and volunteer retention
- A smooth transition of board leadership
Read a few highlights about how we’ve worked with some of our clients.
Customized Training
The Client
Fort Collins Volunteer Center; Directors of Volunteers in Agencies (DOVIA); Volunteers of America; and United Way of Northern Colorado.
The Challenge
As financial resources diminish and the need for services grows, nonprofit organizations find themselves in the difficult situation of trying to do more with less. Volunteers have been a highly valued resource in confronting this dilemma. Boomer volunteers will bring greater skills and challenges than most volunteer programs are equipped to handle. Effectively utilizing the skills and talents of Boomer volunteers requires organizations to make the shift from volunteer management to volunteer engagement.
The Solution
JFFixler Group created a series of three Volunteer Engagement workshops that were offered to members of the Northern Colorado Volunteers of America, Larimer County United Way Volunteer Center, and DOVIA. The workshops provided an interactive learning experience for nonprofit leaders that:
- Distilled research on Boomers and related the findings to engaging Boomers in the nonprofit sector
- Provided tools for nonprofits to assess their readiness for Boomer engagement
- Provided information and tools for creating a plan for Boomer volunteer engagement
- Helped nonprofit organizations gain a competitive edge in developing strategies to reach Boomers
- Helped nonprofit organizations shift from volunteer management to creating and maintaining a culture of volunteer engagement
The Results
Nonprofit leaders from 40 organizations in Northern Colorado participated in the three workshops during which they:
- Completed a Volunteer Readiness Assessment to determine their organization’s readiness to fully utilize Boomer volunteers
- Developed skills for creating a culture of volunteer engagement, focusing onthe seven core competencies:
- Needs Assessment
- Organizational Support
- Effective Recruitment
- Orientation
- Interviewing and Placement
- Supervision and Support
- Volunteer Retention
- Created volunteer Position Descriptions to put to immediate use in recruiting Boomer volunteers
- Created a Volunteer Development Plan
These nonprofit leaders returned to their organizations armed with new knowledge, skills, and tools that were put to immediate use in creating a culture of volunteer engagement and building organizational capacity.
Innovation
The Client
Metro Volunteers, Denver, Colorado, with partners Autism Society of Colorado, Butterfly Pavilion, Operation Frontline, Providers Resource Clearinghouse, and Stepping Stones.
The Challenge
Metro Volunteers is dedicated to “mobilizing and cultivating volunteers as a vital force in our community.” With the wave of Baby Boomers entering the volunteer force, Metro Volunteers leadership was very interested in exploring ways to deploy Baby Boomers into rewarding volunteer opportunities in the community while also preparing local nonprofits with the tools they would need to meaningfully engage these Boomer volunteers.
The Solution
JFFixler Group partnered with Metro Volunteers to develop a program that would leverage the skills of local Boomer volunteers to expand Metro Volunteers’ program offerings and provide valuable support and guidance to metro-area nonprofits. The program offered local nonprofits a trained facilitator to guide each organization through the process of Boomer volunteer engagement, which included using Boomer Volunteer Engagement as the textbook, convening a task force, providing coaching, sharing tools, and holding the team accountable. JFFixler Group provided technical assistance, developed the tools and trainings for use in the program, and participated on the Operations Team that managed the pilot. Together, JFFixler Group and Metro Volunteers:
- Created a four-month pilot version of the project in which JFFixler Group developed and implemented four trainings directly to representatives of five local nonprofits, helping them to build organizational capacity through Boomer volunteer engagement
- Cultivated an Operations Team of experienced Boomer volunteers charged with leading and managing this new initiative
- Developed recruitment materials and marketing plans to cultivate six Boomer facilitators and nonprofit organizations to participate in the project
- Developed a Facilitators’ Guide and trainings to prepare the six facilitators for their work with the nonprofits
- Supported the facilitators, each with an assigned nonprofit, as they guided their organizations through developing and implementing a pilot project of their own that demonstrated the power and potential of Boomer volunteer engagement
- Evaluated the impact and outcomes for each nonprofit organization and for Metro Volunteers
The Results
Staff and volunteers from five local nonprofits participated in a series of trainings and facilitated meetings and implemented their own pilot projects in Boomer volunteer engagement. A trained volunteer facilitator from Metro Volunteers guided them through the process. As a result they have:
- Completed an Assessment of Volunteer Engagement to determine their organization’s current strengths and opportunities to fully utilize Boomer volunteers
- Designed a Work Plan for a new initiative to pilot high-impact volunteer engagement
- Developed new opportunities for high-impact volunteers to attract Boomers and the generations that follow into their organizations
- Created and filled Volunteer Position Descriptions through strategic messaging
- Supported their new volunteers
- Evaluated the results of their pilot project
- Developed strategies to sustain the work and broaden the culture shift towards volunteer engagement
The program was so successful that it is now an ongoing volunteer-managed initiative that has expanded the scope and reach of Metro Volunteers beyond what their staff alone would have been able to accomplish.
Leadership
The Client
CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Natrona County, Casper, Wyoming.
The Challenge
Founded in 2000, CASA of Natrona County speaks for the best interests of abused and neglected children within the juvenile court system in Casper, Wyoming. By 2005, the organization was ready to take on its first strategic plan. CASA had previously engaged two different consultants to assist them with planning, but had experienced two aborted efforts.
CASA anticipated adding additional staff and volunteer advocates in 2005. There was concern about the impact of this growth on organizational priorities, their ability to raise the funds needed to accomplish this growth, changes in roles and responsibilities of board members and staff, and impact on the clients served.
With assistance from a local foundation, CASA was once again looking for a way to succeed at organizational development, fund development, board development, and strategic planning.
The Solution
JFFixler Group provided comprehensive consultation, facilitation, assessment, and coaching services to help them understand their internal and external environment and develop critical issues and strategies to develop their strategic plan. The following components were included in the project:
- Organizational and board assessment
- Review of all organizational collateral materials including bylaws, policies, website, marketing materials, and financial statements
- Facilitation of a stakeholders’ retreat to gain their perspective on how the community viewed the organization
- Facilitation of a two-day strategic planning board retreat
- Providing a strategic planning template
- Coaching members of the strategic planning task force on plan development
- Coaching the board president, incoming president, and the executive director on strategic plan implementation
The Results
The board and staff endorsed the strategic plan and committed to significant organizational change. Highlights of their strategic plan included:
- A significant overhaul of the organization’s mission statement
- Creation of a vision statement and organizational values
- A commitment to extensive board development, including board training, development of a committee structure for board work, expanded and targeted board recruitment, and a pledge to be vigilant in organizational evaluation and board assessment
- Development of a comprehensive fundraising plan
- Board commitment to staff development and volunteer retention
- A smooth transition of board leadership
