1. Continual Learning:
Never stop learning and be open to taking risks and making mistakes.
2. Authenticity:
Be your authentic self and stay true to the mission. Don’t strive for perfection but focus on the impact you want to create.
Erin Davison
Conversation Date: April 30th, 2024 12pm CST
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How to Grow Your Nonprofit with a Scalable Strategy: Insights from the Million-Dollar Nonprofit Podcast
If you’re driven to make a difference, to have an impact, and to grow your nonprofit to new heights, then the most important asset you need is a well-executed and scalable strategy. Hi, I’m Tom Kelly, your nonprofit catalyst. You may know me as the CEO of CharityAuctionsToday and DonorBooks, or as the author of The Million-Dollar Nonprofit.
What I help nonprofits achieve is a significant edge and a clear path to substantial growth through strategic fundraising and effective community engagement. And that’s what I’m going to share with you right here on the Million-Dollar Nonprofit Podcast. In each episode, I’ll take you behind the scenes to reveal the strategies, techniques, and tactics of successful nonprofits, helping you avoid common pitfalls and drive your organization forward.
Interview with Erin Davison: Leading Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Louisiana
Introduction
Welcome to the Million Dollar Nonprofit Podcast, your ultimate destination for discovering strategies and stories behind successful and impactful organizations. I’m your host, Tom Kelly, and I’m thrilled to introduce our guest today, Erin Davison, the CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Louisiana. With over two decades of experience in nonprofit leadership, fundraising, and program development, Erin oversees a vital mentoring network that connects adult volunteers with children in need, fostering positive relationships that have a lasting impact. Her dedication to justice, equality, diversity, and inclusion shines through in her work as she advocates for marginalized youth in her community.
Erin’s Journey in Nonprofit Leadership
Erin Davison’s journey in nonprofit leadership began with a deep commitment to social services, families, and community. With a background in social work and behavioral health, she has worked in various capacities, including healthcare nonprofits, community service societies, for-profit businesses, and higher education. Erin’s diverse experiences have prepared her to lead Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Louisiana, where she has served as CEO for nearly seven years.
Challenges and Strategies in Nonprofit Leadership
Erin shares valuable insights into the common challenges faced by small nonprofits and how to overcome them:
- Strategic Planning: Emphasize the importance of a strong strategic plan for sustainability and growth. This includes setting clear benchmarks and goals to ensure the nonprofit can be self-sufficient and thrive in the long term.
- Human Capital: Highlight the significance of investing in staff, offering competitive salaries, flexible hours, and a supportive work environment. This approach helps retain talented individuals who are committed to the mission.
- Storytelling and Communication: Stress the importance of storytelling to demonstrate impact and engage donors. Regular communication with donors, sharing successes and challenges, helps build trust and transparency.
Big Brothers Big Sisters: Mission and Impact
Big Brothers Big Sisters focuses on mentoring programs that provide critical support to youth. Erin discusses the organization’s mission to create positive and lasting change in the lives of children through one-on-one mentoring relationships. She highlights the three-pronged approach involving the child (Little), the volunteer mentor (Big), and the parent/guardian, which ensures holistic support for the child’s development.
Fundraising and Sustainability
During challenging times, such as the global pandemic and natural disasters, Erin emphasizes the importance of:
- Donor Communication: Maintaining regular and transparent communication with donors to keep them informed and engaged.
- Innovative Fundraising: Adapting fundraising strategies to current circumstances, such as organizing outdoor events like cornhole tournaments to ensure continued support.
- Strategic Partnerships: Building and nurturing relationships with funders and donors, emphasizing the organization's critical role in the community.
Advice for Aspiring Nonprofit Leaders
Erin offers advice for aspiring nonprofit leaders:
3. Relationship Building:
Cultivate trust and build strong relationships with your team, donors, and the community.
Getting Involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters
To learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Louisiana and how you can support their mission, visit bbbsswla.org. The website provides information on volunteering, donating, and other ways to get involved. Erin emphasizes the importance of community support in making a lasting impact on the lives of children.
Conclusion
Thank you for joining us for this insightful episode with Erin Davison. Her expertise and dedication to the mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters offer valuable lessons for anyone looking to make a difference in the world. Stay tuned for more episodes of the Million Dollar Nonprofit Podcast, where we continue to explore strategies and stories behind impactful organizations.
Erin Davison
Author, Founder
Erin Davison oversees the largest donor- and volunteer-supported mentoring network in Southwest Louisiana (BBBS of SWLA), facilitating impactful matches between adult volunteers (“Bigs”) and children (“Littles”) aged 6-18 across several parishes. With 30,000 youth waiting for mentors, Erin works tirelessly to promote justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion for marginalized youth. She is a passionate advocate dedicated to helping young people achieve their full potential.
With over 25 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, Erin has expertise in fundraising, grant writing, program development, community outreach, and human resources. She holds an MBA and a BS in Sociology with a minor in Social Work. Recognized for her vision and leadership, Erin has been honored as a Leading Lady in Business, CABL Leadership member, Thriving 30-Somethings, and Ellevate member. She successfully sustained her organization through a global pandemic and four natural disasters while building capacity.
Frequently
Asked Questions
Erin Davison has over two decades of experience in nonprofit leadership, fundraising, and program development. Her career began with a strong commitment to social services and community work. Erin’s diverse background, including roles in healthcare nonprofits and higher education, prepared her for her current role as CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Louisiana, where she has led the organization for nearly seven years.
Erin identifies strategic planning, investing in human capital, and effective storytelling as key challenges for small nonprofits. At Big Brothers Big Sisters, Erin emphasizes the importance of a strong strategic plan for sustainability, offering competitive salaries and supportive work environments to retain talent, and using storytelling to engage donors and build trust.
Big Brothers Big Sisters focuses on mentoring programs that provide critical support to youth. The organization’s mission is to create positive, lasting change in the lives of children through one-on-one mentoring relationships. Their three-pronged approach involves the child (Little), the volunteer mentor (Big), and the parent/guardian, ensuring comprehensive support for the child’s development.
Erin has emphasized maintaining regular, transparent communication with donors and adapting fundraising strategies to current circumstances. Innovative approaches, such as outdoor events like cornhole tournaments, have been used to ensure continued support. Building and nurturing strategic partnerships with funders has also been crucial for sustaining their mission.
Erin advises aspiring nonprofit leaders to continually learn and be open to taking risks. She stresses the importance of authenticity, staying true to the mission, and focusing on impact rather than perfection. Building strong relationships with team members, donors, and the community is also crucial for success in nonprofit leadership.
JEDI principles are central to the work of Big Brothers Big Sisters. The organization strives to create an inclusive environment where all children and volunteers feel valued and respected. Their programs are designed to address the needs of marginalized youth and ensure equal access to opportunities, advocating for a more equitable community.
Interested individuals can visit the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Louisiana website, bbbsswla.org, to learn about volunteering, donating, and other ways to support their mission. Community involvement is vital to making a lasting impact on the lives of children, and every contribution helps advance their work.
Erin encourages listeners to find a cause they are passionate about and get involved, whether through donating, volunteering, or raising awareness. She believes in the power of collective effort and emphasizes that every contribution, no matter how small, can make a significant difference in creating positive change.