Helping Children in Turkey to Start Learning Again

The BNI Foundation is Helping Children in Turkey to Start Learning Again

On 6 February, 2023 at 04:17 local time, southern and central Turkey and northern Syria were hit by the strongest earthquake in modern times. As of 10 March, 55,000 people are reported to have died, 2.4 million have been displaced, up to 24 million affected and over 200,000 buildings have been destroyed in an area the size of Germany.

Whenever such horrendous natural disasters occur, BNI members around the world, and understandably in particular those from the areas worst affected, turn to us and ask “what is the BNI Foundation doing to help?” Normally our answer is simple:

• The BNI Foundation is focused on Children & Education.
• We are not a disaster relief organization, not because we don’t want to help, but simply because we don’t have the resources to make an impact when faced with damage and suffering of such magnitude.
• At these times, well-known international aid organizations such as ICRC (The Red Cross) and UNICEF do an excellent job and have the financial and logistical resources to make a difference in the dramatic first days and weeks. Yes, part of their donation income is used to cover administrative costs, but donations to them really do make their work possible.
• If there is a Rotary, Lions, or other service club near to you, reach out to them and ask what they are doing. They have values which are well-aligned with those of the BNI Foundation and often work directly with other clubs in the affected areas to provide prompt and direct support.

After the initial intense media coverage has died down and the story is no longer in the headline news, the immediate flow of donations subsides. As the rebuilding process begins while much of the world turns its attention to other matters, the time comes when the BNI Foundation can have an impact on children and their education in schools which have been damaged or destroyed.

BUT for Turkey we are fortunate to already have our own BNI option! – Yardım – Herkesin bir gün yardıma ihtiyacı olabilir (bnisupportforturkiye.com).

BNI Turkey National Director Ayşe Aslan has launched an appeal to provide 100 families in the worst affected areas with a container to live in until they can return to permanent accommodation. In addition to the many homes lost, families are understandably afraid of returning to damaged properties for fear of further aftershocks. Being housed in a container will provide them with safe shelter as they attempt to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives. It will also enable children to feel more secure and slowly return to their school studies, something which is at the heart of everything that the BNI Foundation stands for.

Containers cost approx. TL45,000 or USD 2,500 each and the BNI Foundation in both Germany & Austria, where many of our Members have relatives in Turkey severely impacted by the earthquake, have donated to the BNI Support for Turkey appeal to purchase one container in the name of each country. BNI HQ has also donated $5,000 to accommodate two more families and we invite BNI Teams and regions around the world to do the same. Account details for international bank transfers are available via the link above, but the credit card option seems only to be available within Turkey. If an international transfer is not possible, please donate via the “Donate Now” button on www.bnifoundation.org, adding “Support for Turkey” and your name or that of your Chapter or Region in the text field. We will ensure that your donation is forwarded to Turkey promptly.

This is a unique way for the many BNI Members and Chapters around the world who would like to help directly if only they know how to make a difference in the lives of children in Turkey whose life changed so dramatically only a few weeks ago.

Thank you for whatever support you feel able to give!

Kevin Barber, March 17, 2023

Clear Goals to Propel Your Nonprofit

Clear Goals to Propel Your Nonprofit

Is your nonprofit organization moving towards its missions? If not, it may be due to a lack of clear and specific goals. The mission statement should act as a beacon. Look at it as the as the ultimate goal that everyone is always working toward. However, mission statements are often far-reaching by design and meant to encompass a broad set of goals and objectives. The goals that get you to your mission should be much more specific and measurable. They include the projects that staff and volunteers will work on throughout the year. Clearly stated goals can motivate staff, donors and volunteers.

Evaluation

Before setting goals, the first step is to evaluate where your nonprofit currently stands in terms of finances, donors, staff and volunteer engagement. You may want to focus on one or more of these when setting future goals. This is also the time to look at past and current goals. How effectively are those goals being pursued? Do the goals serve the mission? Determine where the organization is succeeding and what issues are outstanding. Goal setting should involve staff from all departments. Keep communication open and the process transparent.

Examine the forces outside of your organization that will affect your work. Developing trends, changing community needs and donor and volunteer motivations could all suggest directions for goal setting. An understanding of where your nonprofit stands on these issues should give you an idea of weaknesses to improve and strengths to bolster. Keep your mission statement in mind as you determine your short and long term goals.

SMART Goals

Having determined your nonprofit’s standing, it’s time to set the goals that will guide your future actions. SMART is a long-standing goal setting system used by organizations around the world. SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-based. Each of these aspects works to create goals that are clear and motivating to your staff and volunteers.

SpecificGoals are specific as possible to provide focus and clarity. 

Measurable:  Goals must have objectives and milestones that can be measured. These will serve to mark progress.

Attainable:  Goals are realistic. Set ambitious goals that you have the resources to accomplish.

RelevantYour goals fit the big picture. Goals are relevant to the organization’s mission.

Time-based:  Deadlines can bolster motivation. Use multiple shorter deadlines.

__

SMART Examples

The following are examples of specific goals that will nonetheless apply to many nonprofit organizations. Each one can serve as a starting point for formulating your own goals.

Raise Funds

Fund raising is certainly one of the most important goals that many nonprofits share. Some specifics of fund raising are how, how much, and by when. Sources include social media calls to action, fund raising events that can raise awareness and direct appeals to existing donors and volunteers.

Increase Awareness

Exposure and increased awareness will often help facilitate other goals, and a clear and specific mission and goals can make your audience more receptive. Concentrate on the communication channels you have in place that are most effective and new strategies you can introduce to increase your reach. Monitoring and measuring your impact is now easier than ever with online analytic tools.

Recruit

Recruit both volunteers and donors to maintain the effectiveness of your organization. Some will become both volunteers and donors so appeal to both altruistic impulses. A good place to start is by expanding your existing network and securing regular, ongoing donations. Increase donation channels to make it easy for your donors.

The new year can be a great time to reorganize and set upcoming priorities and goals for your nonprofit organization. Short and long-term goals should provide achievable and measurable steps to achieve the organization’s mission. Ensure that goals motivate your staff, volunteers and donors to action. With these points in mind, your nonprofit’s goals will help propel it to success.

Business Voices Future Leaders Week

What is Business Voices Future Leaders Week?

Business Voices Future Leaders Week (BVFL) is a simple way for BNI professionals to offer young people career orientation advice within their local community. During the week of October 17 – 21, 2022, we are inviting Chapters to hold their weekly Meeting in a local school, showcasing the way BNI teams work together. After the Meeting, volunteer Members will remain in the school to talk and answer questions about their chosen professions.

 

Why did the BNI Foundation create BVFL Week?

BVFL is designed to give students a real world understanding of what businesspeople do and how they got there. As BNI Members and Directors, we have unique experiences and are proud to have so many entrepreneurs who may not have a traditional educational background. At the BNI Foundation, we believe it is important for students to see that every educational and professional experience is important. Regardless of the path to your career, it is important to show students that success is achieves in many different ways. Business Voices Future Leaders Week also provides opportunities for BNI Members to give back to their communities and gives Chapters a reinvigorating experience to remind them of the importance of their networks for growing their businesses and the communities in which they live.

 

How to get involved

If your Chapter is interested in participating in BVFL, please register in advance by using the link provided below. To make the process as smooth as possible, you must register your team in advance. Once registered, a representative from our organization will email you the event packet with all of the materials needed to have a successful and fun day!

Our Goal for BVFL Week

Our goal is to provide career orientation advice to students ages 15- 18 years old as they prepare for their future careers.

 

 

Register today!

Business Voices Future Leaders Week

The 3 Pillars of the BNI Foundation

The 3 Pillars of the BNI Foundation

 

Every solid structure needs a good foundation. The BNI Foundation’s 3 Pillars are what make our organization succeed in making the biggest impact for as many young people as we can. Our 3 pillars are Business Voices, Givers Gain Grants, and the Misner Endowment Fund, all of which are essential to fulfilling our mission. Below outlines each pillar and how they work together to make us the BNI Foundation!

 

Business Voices

Inspired by a cry from an inner-city community, Co-Founder Elisabeth Misner was moved by one parent’s televised plea for help with the dire situation in that community’s schools, and thus, Business Voices was born. Business Voices (BV) allows BNI Members, Directors, and Chapters to use their time, talent, knowledge, and experience to help children in the communities in which they live and work. Through BV, you can make an impact on your community, supporting educators and students as they grow and learn. Our Business Voices teams are our volunteer teams that provide “boots-on-the-ground” support all over the world through utilizing the network of BNI Chapters.

 

Givers Gain Grants 

Our Givers Gain Grants are grant funds given to organizations whose mission is to positively impact young people. Our Givers Gain Grants help to fund programs that help young people by providing clothing, after school programs, tutoring classroom supplies, scholarships, and much more. Grants are generally $1,000 USD and are funded by donations received from our generous supporters. They are available to support educational organizations in countries around the world. Our Grant Cycle runs twice a year, once in Spring and again in the Fall, each lasting approximately 4 weeks.

 

Misner Endowment Fund

The Misner Endowment Fund was created in 2019 to ensure financial support for the BNI Foundation for years to come. Donations to the Misner Endowment fund grow with our organization through interest earned and will support children and education by funding grants and programs. Through their generous support, Misner Fellows are helping us achieve our goal of having $1,000,000 USD in the Endowment Fund — which was the dream of Co-Founder, Elisabeth Misner.