Happy Holidays!

Thanks to an invitation proffered by Stoller Foundation, Executive Service Corps of Houston enjoyed learning about Capacity Building at the Houston Grantmakers Forum yesterday. Capacity building is a term frequently bandied about that the group agreed can mean anything from building the capacity of individual donors to group capacity building to community capacity building (i.e. how is the agency meeting community needs). Kudos for the subject matter!

It was helpful to hear how the nonprofit consulting industry is faring at year-end from veteran agency representatives, Cynthia Nunn, President and CEO, Center for Nonprofit Management, Dallas, Matt Kouri, President and Executive Director, Greenlights for Nonprofit Success, Austin, and Dr. Will Brown, Associate Professor and Director, Bush School of Government and Public Service, Texas A&M University, as well as hostess, Ronnie Hagerty, VP, Community Relations, United Way Houston.  Times are difficult for nonprofits as has been reported throughout the year by Chronicle of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Times.  Funding has remained steady or increased only slightly with little hope of change. The fiscal cliff debate will affect how donations will be deducted and the thought strikes fear in charities who are reliant on donations for survival.

The sector is composed of optimists, and we frequently put the best face out to keep morale and income up. It is time for further assistance, however, according to these specialists and their peer, ESCH, from grant makers to help fund the education and training needed to make the nonprofits more self-sufficient and sustainable. Without vocal leadership from the funders, agencies will continue the same "bad" habits that keep them coming back for funding that might be avoided.  Grantors need to follow-up on requests to assure board diversification, strategic planning and funding diversification. Budget reductions and creative collaborations are embraced by leading nonprofits to strengthen the organization's core and keep the body healthy. Grantmakers have an opportunity to offer guidance to and assistance through these various resources and locally, we would add University of Houston David Underwood Nonprofit Leadership Alliance and Rice University's Center for Philanthropy & Nonprofit Leadership, as well as Association for Fundraising Professionals, as educational resources.

This will take creativity, dedication and hard work from both sides to be ready to find ways to evaluate mission achievement and improve reporting so that funding justifications can be more easily made. We run the risk of losing some of the more needed charities, often too mission-focused, that do not take the time to plan and adequately review.

ESCH applauds and respects those funders who help keep nonprofit boards "feet to the fire" and focused on best management practices. We, like all of you, are striving to improve our bottom line of mission success. It is our challenge to help you become more successful and report on those of you who are as a result of working with our professionals. In doing so, we must become more relevant, flexible, responsive, consistent and educated about our own nonprofit community. If you have suggestions, please do not hesitate to share them. We are listening.

Let ESCH Make Your Nonprofit Productive

Executive Service Corps of Houston has taught best management practices for over 27 years and we believe we have many of the answers you seek.

We hope this article from The New York Times demonstrates how ESCH can help your nonprofit organization perform better, better, best.

Please visit us at www.eschouston.org to learn more.

Executive Service Corps of Houston Joins Compassionate Houston

Through a recent Mayoral Leadership Conference, ESCH has become a Compassionate Partner and will join in a city-wide effort to display Houston's most compassionate side during a weekend of service on September 9th, 2011. Many of our current and past clients are already partners or ambassadors. We will be helping to promote this important service effort for the City of Houston. We look forward to your assistance and support of Houston's benevolent causes.

Client Spotlight

Summer 2011

The mission of Amazing Place is to provide fellowship, memory care and wellness for adults with mild to moderate memory loss and support to their families and the community. Amazing Place, formerly known as The Seniors Place, began with an idea from a visionary minister at St. Luke's United Methodist Church, Rev. Dean Robinson. His vision of providing a therapeutic day program to serve the increasing number of adults with early stage memory loss and their families became a reality in 1996. Amazing Place is celebrating its 15th Anniversary this year.

How ESCH Helped

Over the past seven years ESCH consultants Roger Rolke, Milt Rose, and Roy Serpa have worked with Amazing Place on a series of planning projects. The ESCH consultants created a Marketing Plan which quickly brought their original facility to capacity; a Strategic Plan which led to a capital campaign and construction of a five times larger, state of the art facility located on 3735 Drexel, Houston, Texas 77027 which was occupied in the summer of 2010; and a Transition Plan to guide the preparation for and move to the new facility.

Roger Rolke stated, "Working with Amazing Place has been very rewarding and has been a highlight of my ESCH experience. Their mission is meeting a crucial and growing social service need in the Houston community. Their exceptional staff and board are a joy to work with! Plans are thoughtfully prepared and faithfully executed. The continued growth of Amazing Place while improving upon their exemplary program quality is a real tribute to our partnership."

"ESCH consultants and their collective guidance have had a major impact on the growth and success of Amazing Place over the past six years," states Tracey Brown, Executive Director. "Each major step we have undertaken was first defined by a structured, well organized and thoughtful plan to move the organization forward, thanks to our ESCH consultants," adds Brown. "Roger, Roy and Milt have been instrumental in assessing our needs and helping both board and staff chart the path ahead -- we are very grateful to ESCH for their support."

Next Steps

A new Strategic Plan to help the organization reach and maintain capacity and evaluate future growth options was completed in June of 2011. Rolke is currently serving on the Advisory Board for Amazing Place. To learn more about Amazing Place, visit their website at http://www.amazingplacehouston.org/.