Weak Website? Difficult Database? Let ESCH & UH help you!

ESCH and the University of Houston have established a cooperative program where Management Information Systems students enrolled at the University of Houston C. T. Bauer School of Business provide project assistance for non-profit client projects. Graduate and undergraduate students of U of H Professors Carl Scott and Janna Porra have successfully provided this valuable client service since 2004. ESCH identifies the projects and provides consultant mentors to the student teams. The program also provides students:

1. The opportunity to learn the value of volunteer work while completing their course work
2. Experience in proposing and executing a project and developing communication skills
3. The opportunity to work with an experienced ESCH professional
   

ESCH is now soliciting MIS (computer oriented) projects from our clients for the fall 2010 semester.

Typical projects that students have worked on are:

• Web site development and improvements
• Internet search engine optimization (to increase traffic to your web site)
• Database development and implementation
• Network Development
• Hardware selection and installation
• Software selection and installation
• ISP (internet service provider) selection and implementation
• Office automation & integration
• Accounting (e.g., QuickBooks) design and implementation

Constraints on the selection of projects include the following:

• project scope must be able to be designed and implemented in two months elapsed time
• in the accounting area, students cannot enter financial transactions or participate in an audit
• client must have staff available to provide requirements, answer questions, & test the final result
• client must provide all content for systems (e.g., actual information for a web site)

Please read the “Roles” document included with the application.

ESCH and the Bauer professors will review the client project requests to determine if they are appropriate candidates for student projects. Projects will be assigned to student teams soon after the semester start on Monday, August 23, 2010. If your project is selected, students will meet with you to organize the project and with your input, develop and implement the project. You should be prepared to have initial discussions with the student team within a few days of the semester start.

Past experience indicates we will receive more requests for projects than we can accommodate. Ensuring that your project request is well thought out and the project accurately described will increase your chances of being selected. If you have multiple potential projects, you are welcome to submit more than one. If you have questions or need assistance in preparation of your request, contact ESCH for assistance.

If you are interested in submitting a project for consideration, email the ESCH offices with your interest in the program and you will be sent an application. You should submit the completed project Request Form and MIS Assessment Form to the ESCH office no later than Friday July 30, 2010.

If you’re able to complete the forms electronically and submit them via email, that would be appreciated since it will simplify the sharing of the forms with the multiple people who need to review and use them. The email address is esch@eschouston.org. If you prefer paper, you can fax the forms to ESCH at 713-780-7764.

How YOUR Donation Can Help A Nonprofit

It costs ESCH only $40 to deliver an hour of professional consultation worth $160! Your $40 donation will be combined with other donations to provide:

12 hours of management consultation for 1 nonprofit: $500
Marketing plan development for 2 nonprofits: $1,000
Business plan development for 3 nonprofits: $2,500
Strategic plan development and implementation for 5 nonprofits: $5,000
Financial management systems and policies for 4 nonprofits: $7,500
Executive leadership coaching for 5 executive directors: $10,000

Every donation helps a nonprofit deliver new, more or better services. To make a donation, click here

eschouston.org and then click on the Donate Now button

Groceries, Shopping and Online Search: Ways to Help ESCH

Who knew that buying groceries could help the local nonprofit community? As of recently, ESCH has teamed up with Kroger’s and Randalls’ community outreach programs to bring you more opportunities to support ESCH. The following breaks down the different programs available to you for your shopping convenience.

To participate in Kroger’s program, you’ll need ESCH’s Customer Letter, which you can find on Kroger’s website at http://www.krogerneighbortoneighbor.com/search.php.
The next time you’re at Kroger’s, take the letter with you to link ESCH to your Kroger Plus Card. Every time you shop at Kroger and use your Kroger Plus Card, ESCH will earn a percentage of your eligible purchases. For more information about Kroger’s programs, please consult http://www.krogerneighbortoneighbor.com/qanda.html

If you have a Randalls Remarkable card, visit the Courtesy Booth to link your Remarkable Card to ESCH’s account. ESCH’s account number is 12159. Randalls will then pay ESCH a percentage of our account total. Download a form to link the account at:
http://shop.safeway.com/corporate/randalls/GN_HOUSTON_AUSTIN.pdf
Randalls also offers an opportunity to support ESCH through their Community Bucks program. For more information about Randalls’ programs, please visit their website at:
http://www.randalls.com/IFL/Grocery/Good-Neighbor.

Give to ESCH while searching the Internet or shopping online by using goodsearch.com at
www.goodsearch.com . Select ESCH as your Goodsearch charity and then enter your search criteria or go shopping. ESCH receives $0.01 for every search made. The pennies add up!
For more information about these programs, please contact ESCH Development Director Jennifer Hansen at 713.780.2208 or jennifer.hansen@eschouston.org.

Weak Website? Dull Database? Let ESCH and University of Houston Help!

ESCH and the University of Houston have established a cooperative program where Management Information Systems (MIS) students enrolled at the University of Houston C. T. Bauer School of Business provide project assistance for non-profit client projects. Graduate and undergraduate students of U of H Professors Carl Scott and Janna Porra have successfully provided this valuable client service since 2004. ESCH identifies the projects and provides consultant mentors to the student teams. The program also provides students:

• the opportunity to learn the value of volunteer work while completing their course work
• experience in proposing and executing a project and developing communication skills
• the opportunity to work with an experienced ESCH professional

ESCH is now soliciting MIS (computer oriented) projects from our clients for the spring 2010 semester.

Typical projects that students have worked on are:

• Web site development and improvements
• Internet search engine optimization (to increase traffic to your web site)
• Database development and implementation
• Network Development
• Hardware selection and installation
• Software selection and installation
• ISP (internet service provider) selection and implementation
• Office automation & integration
• Accounting (e.g., QuickBooks) design and implementation
  

Constraints on the selection of projects include the following:

• project scope must be able to be designed and implemented in one semester (16 weeks)
• in the accounting area, students cannot enter financial transactions or participate in an audit
• client must have staff available to provide requirements, answer questions, & test the final result
• client must provide all content for systems (e.g., actual information for a web site)
  

ESCH and the Bauer professors will review the client project requests to determine if they are appropriate candidates for student projects. Projects will be assigned to student teams on Thursday, January 21, 2010. If your project is selected, students will meet with you to organize the project and with your input, develop and implement the project. You should be prepared to have the initial meeting with the student team within five days after notification of project selection.

Past experience indicates we will receive more requests for projects than we can accommodate. Therefore, it is important that each project request is well thought out and the project accurately described. If you have multiple potential projects, you are welcome to submit more than one. If you have questions or need assistance in preparation of your request, contact ESCH for assistance.

If you are interested in submitting a project for consideration, you should submit a completed project Request Form and MIS Assessment Form to the ESCH office before Friday January 8, 2010. Completed electronic applications are preferred. The email address is esch@eschouston.org . If you prefer paper, you can fax the forms to ESCH at 713-780-7764.

Please email our offices for the application.

Cause Branding for NonProfits: Moving from Corporate Donationships to Deeper Relationships

It used to be that the corporate world supported non-profits simply because it was the right thing to do. But the days of philanthropic giving based solely on goodwill are coming to an end. Today, most companies expect a measurable return on their investment – and understandably so.

Several years ago, “cause marketing” was introduced as a new tactic to help companies sell their products by introducing a charity tie-in. Especially during holiday seasons, shoppers will notice products stating that a portion of proceed sales will benefit a charity. This is cause marketing – introducing a nonprofit tie-in to move products from shelves.

Over time, savvy charities have begun investing in a more long-term approach, known as “cause branding,” which moves the corporate-charity relationship to a whole new, more intense level. Cause branding is a community relations program designed to build brand equity and shape corporate character through a longer-term strategic alliance with a charity cause.

In 1999, Cone Inc., a leading authority on cause related marketing and the organization that coined the term cause branding, introduced the Cause Related Trends Report, which built a strong case for philanthropic giving as a useful corporate tool in fostering a favorable public image. According to the report:

Americans will take action to reward good corporate citizens.
For corporate executives, perhaps the most convincing evidence of the need for strategic philanthropy programs is the impact that they can have on the company coffers. The Cone/Roper report revealed that, with product price and quality being equal – as is perceived to be the case with many companies in any industry – nearly two-thirds of American consumers would likely change their brand or retail preferences based on whether or not an association exists with a community cause.

Corporate citizenship builds employee morale.
Corporations struggle to keep good employees. According to the Cone report, cause-related programs can help with employee retention. Of the workers at companies coordinating cause-related programs, 90 percent indicated a strong sense of pride in their employer as opposed to 56 percent of those whose companies do not engage in such community efforts.

September 11 intensified both.
Cone performed a similar survey shortly after September 11, 2001 to determine if and how consumer and employee expectations changed in the wake of the national tragedy. The results showed a significant spike of between 20 and 50 percent in both categories, leading to the conclusion that an active corporate community relations program is more important to a company's success than ever. While the Cone report focused on the retail sector, several of the themes also apply to other markets.

Since that first report, consumer expectations of companies have risen. And the charities that look for opportunities to make their corporate partners heroes – not just for opportunities for the charity to get a quick donation – stand to prosper over the longer term.


Criteria for successful cause branding programs

Charities should be able to offer their corporate partners cause branding strategies for integrating your mission and stories into every aspect of their business. Start by helping your partners define what would constitute a successful outcome and then work your way backward to develop a program that meets those criteria. Successful cause marketing:

Is designed as a long-term program.
Branding campaigns, corporate or charity, are not six-month or one-year endeavors. They take several years. Deliberate planning and active commitment are key.

Addresses a highly critical, timely, and visible social cause.
Find companies that are not tied to a particular cause and who could benefit from an association with your brand. There are lots of companies who would love to be perceived as a champion for a cause if they only knew how. Show them how they can help people. How they can engage the media. How they can connect with important decision makers and politicians. And how their employees can rally for your cause. The contributions will follow.

Integrates into the corporate values and business model.
A focused cause program must become a part of the sponsor’s corporate culture. Everyone in the company must understand and buy into the effort. It must be included in strategic business planning discussions and become a company program, not a marketing function.

Involves employees.
Some companies encourage pro bono activities or service in non-profit organizations. But few companies actively offer their employees specific and ongoing volunteer opportunities. Cause-related partnerships offer employees the chance to share a common commitment, instilling a sense of pride in their role in the company and the community.

Is supported with money, time, volunteers, promotion.
Many companies are looking to do more than just give money. Show them how they can get involved with the cause from many angles. Charities need to provide account management support to help design and implement multi-faceted campaigns.

Can make a measurable impact.
Your goal is to demonstrate to sponsors exactly how they are making a difference in the lives of people living in their communities. Make sure they can see how and when they are moving the needle.

Cause branding programs are not easy. And not every corporation will be the right fit for a partnership. But when done right, cause branding relationships provide a much bigger benefit to both the for-profit, and non-profit partners than just a one-off donation.

Petri Darby, APR, is a partner with BrightBox, a Houston brand marketing, design, and strategic communications firm. He served in the Make-A-Wish Foundation national office as the first brand manager in the charity arena, and has managed cause/corporate partnerships from the corporate side. He can be reached at pdarby@brightboxonline.com or (281) 252-0979

ESCH Comes To YOU!

The wonderful people at Montgomery County United Way are partnering with us to host an ESCH seminar in their offices at a reduced rate! See details below.

December 9, 2009 from 11:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m.
Volunteer Management

"The 3 R's of Volunteerism". A vital and crucial resource for most non-profits is their volunteers. How you get them (Recruit), use them effectively (Retain), and then show your sincere appreciation for them (Recognition) is of paramount importance. Come to this interactive discussion at ESCH to learn the tools and techniques to be successful in this critical area and to share and learn from each other what works best for your nonprofit.

Price: $15.00

Where: Montgomery County United Way located on
731 West Davis
Conroe, TX 77301 - map

When: Wednesday, December 9 from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

How: Call Yeiry at 713-780-2208 to register. Payment can be taken over the phone as well.

Note: Please feel free to bring your lunch. Brown bags are welcomed!


Presenter Dave Teall has vast
experience from his
32 year career with Shell.
He has helped over 20 organizations
with his expertise through ESCH.

Please Note - Cost: $15 per person unless otherwise stated; Seminar fees must be received at least 72 hours prior to the event. You may call with credit card information or mail a check to ESCH. Seating is limited to 20. To reserve a place, please call Yeiry (713-780-2208) and pay by credit card (all major cards except American Express) or send registration fee to:
ESCH, 2630 Fountain View, Suite 428; Houston, TX 77057.
For a refund, a cancellation must be received 72 hours before the event. In case we need to cancel the seminar, it is important that we know that you intend to come. If a seminar is cancelled, a full refund will be given.

Strategic Plan Brings More People to the Theater

The Dominic Walsh Dance Theater (DWDT) wanted to make improvements throughout their entire organization, but like many nonprofits in need of help, they did not know where to start. They asked ESCH for help. The first step was an organizational assessment (Shell Oil Company generously supports ESCH’s assessment services). As a result of the assessment, organizational strengths, weaknesses and subsequent priorities were identified. ESCH and DWDT agreed to develop a strategic plan as the next step, and an ESCH consultant, Ivan Mayers, helped DWDT do this.

Domenico Luciano in Dominic Walsh's Amadeus for Anita.
Photo by Amitava Sarkar, Photography InSight

DWDT’s previous strategic plans had lacked necessary components and a driving force behind them. ESCH’s approach, however, produced a comprehensive and detailed plan, with clear objectives and expectations. Ivan also began attending executive committee meetings to push the plan as a discussion topic at these meetings, to keep the board focused on the plan’s goals and strategies. DWDT is now moving toward a goal of more efficient operations to reach a larger audience. As the plan is implemented, more people will enjoy the performances that DWDT brings to our community.