Together We Can Change The World

Are you passionate about creating healthy, vibrant, and flourishing neighborhoods and communities?
(Awesome! We are, too.)
Read our Third Sector Connector Creed.

Do you wish you could easily put your hands on free resources to help you achieve your organization's mission and reach your vision?
(You guessed it. Now you can - right here, right now.)
Browse through our Tips.

Do you want to easily connect with other leaders, both locally and globally, to share best practices and innovative ideas?
(Bingo! You've found the right place.)
Check out our global forums or join a Get Local community.

Membership is free. Come join us!

Not sure? More on what you get as a member.

Featured Tip

Pink, red, hearts, ribbons...It's January and before you know it, Valentine's Day will be upon us. I've pulled together a list of 28 ways to "spread the love" within your organization this month:

Handmade Love: Do you work with children or other vulnerable populations? Have them create valentines to send to your major donors. Or, create paintings, beaded necklaces, or another homemade item with a heart theme.
Love and Logo: Send your Board members and key volunteers a special branded Valentine gift (an engraved glass paperweight, a heart-shaped crystal, a scarf or tie with hearts on it).
Love and Bellies: Invite your key program volunteers to an informal luncheon at your offices prepared by your staff to thank them.
Video Love: Make a "we love you" video and put it up on your website, Facebook, YouTube, and tweet about it.
Love and Stories: Seek out your strongest supporters, take them a small gift, and capture their stories, then share them throughout the year. More on storytelling.
Love and the Mission Moment: Start your February Board meeting by going around the room and asking Board members to share a moment when they have been most touched or inspired by your organization.
Email Your Love: Queue up e-cards to arrive in all of your key staff and Board members' email inboxes on the 14th (if you have home emails) or the 15th (if you are using work).
Blast Your Love: Send out a special "We Love You" e-blast to your mailing list on Friday, the 10th or Monday the 13th.
Court the Media: Plan something public and visible for Valentine's Day (Sunday) and let the media know so that you'll get coverage. More tips on engaging the media.
Love and Thoughtfulness: Look for small and surprising ways to thank your staff team throughout the month... a single rose, a coffee gift card, an unexpected afternoon off, tickets to a local performance or movie.
Love and Chocolate: If you have a reception area, keep it stocked with chocolates for visitors to enjoy.
Love and Inspiration: If you haven't done an "Inspiration Audit" recently, now's a great time. See more.
Love Connection: Who has acted as a mentor, and a coach to you? Find ways to touch base with each of them and share the impact that they've made on you.
Love on the Wall. Take pictures of your program volunteers and staff, place them in the center of hearts made of construction paper, and cover a wall with these hearts...add to it all month, and encourage others to do so, too.
Sprinkle Your Love: Buy some heart confetti and sprinkle it all over the office on the 14th so that people walk in on Monday morning to a festive surprise.
Love and Praise: Start your next staff meeting with personal, specific praise to each member of your team. Continue that tradition through the rest of the year. More about praise.
Love and Poetry: Write a silly, funny, or endearing poem about your organization, videotape yourself reciting it, and send it to your Board and staff. Stepping out of character and reconnecting with your own passion will help them reconnect, too.
Open Your Heart and Home: Host your next staff meeting at your house and include a lovely lunch to thank the team. If you're not much of a cook or housekeeper, treat them to a nice lunch out somewhere instead.
Love Songs: Hire a serenader or a Barber Shop Quartet to show up in the middle of your February Board meeting to sing a special "Love song" to the Board. Or, have your entire staff sing something at an unexpected point in the meeting.
Cheesy Love: Go to your local discount store and pick up little knickknacks. Heart-shaped sticky notes, pens with hearts on them, candy dishes, etc. Make little gifts baskets for your key team members that are filled with cheesy gifts just for them.
Love Certificates: Make your own special "Thank You Certificates" for each of your staff, and put them in an inexpensive frame. They'll likely keep them at work and be reminded of your thoughtfulness regularly.
Wear Your Love: Have special "I Love X Organization" t-shirts made and give them as gifts to your staff, Board and volunteers to wear whenever they want. Offer them for sale to your audience, supporters, program participants, and families.
Love and Learning: Give your team members a gift certificate to a local bookstore, and plan a joint trip to go book-buying.
Love and Mission: Make this mission month and make sure you've got it shared everywhere and anywhere you can. Get a checklist of locations here.
Love and Health: Adding "heart" also means getting and staying healthy. Start a lunchtime walking group or find ways to take walking breaks during the day with your team. It'll bring some new energy to your team, too.
Love and Money: Do you charge for your service or products? Put a Valentine's discount or special bonus offer in play.
Love and Exchange: Remember that February is also Heart Health Awareness Month and Black History month among other celebrations. Can you wrap these into educational programs, or other services you provide? If these aren't your service areas, could you offer to help staff another organization's event this month in exchange for their help at another time with yours? Or, is it just a great opportunity to collaborate in other ways?
Love and Social Media Karma: Pull together special quotes about love, heart, kindness, and mission and share them via social media all month. Look for others who are doing the same, and actively re-tweet them.

Whatever you do, use February as an opportunity to begin to "show the love" and then get in the habit of doing something special every month. You'll be amazed at the difference these small things can make for your entire Board, staff and volunteer teams.