Speakers At BBB Charity Symposium: Charities Need Laser Focus On Mission

St. Louis, Mo., August 30, 2010 – Charity leaders need a laser focus on their mission and how to move it forward, speakers at the Better Business Bureau's eighth annual Charity Symposium told a crowd of more than 150 Thursday at the Chase Park Plaza.

It starts with your mission and really defining your mission,” said Karen Nolte, president of the Children's Home Society of Missouri, one of four speakers at the breakfast meeting.

Leaders need to be ready to restate that mission daily to staff, board members, the public and potential donors, Nolte said. They also need to be receptive to feedback so they know their message is getting across. They can then redefine the message so it is better understood in the larger community.

Bridget Flood, executive director of the Incarnate Word Foundation, said foundations are looking for synergies among grantees and other funding sources so that everyone gets the most out of limited resources. The foundation also looks favorably on charities that are responsive to community needs.

Sue Self, vice president of client services for Provident Counseling, said charities may need to look for alliances with other groups as non-profits struggle to find new ways to advance their missions. Mergers, such as the one between Life Crisis Services and Provident, may be the answer, but it can take time before they begin to bear fruit.

Beth Brown, associate director of Independence Center, said earned revenue like the resale shop her charity operates can have benefits in furthering an organization’s mission while providing a source of additional income. The center’s clients learn skills and gain self-esteem working in the shop, which provides a small part of the center’s over-all funding.

Justin Gioia of The Laclede Group Inc., chair of the Charity Information Service’s advisory committee, said the service has experienced record growth recently. In the first eight months of the year, the BBB has received more than 25,000 inquiries from donors seeking information about charities.

That’s about four times as many inquiries as the division saw six years ago, and we still have four months to go,” Gioia said. “CIS has also prepared more than 900 reports on charities in the metro area.  And that’s more than ten times the output of six years ago.  This work has led to 145 charities qualifying for BBB accreditation, and several others are knocking at the door.”

To obtain BBB Accreditation, charities must meet the BBB’s 20 Standards of Charity Accountability and sign a license agreement with the BBB.

The BBB presented an award to Dennis O’Brien, director of Non-Profit Advancement of St. Louis, in recognition of the exceptional support he has provided to the BBB Charity Information Service.

For more information on the Charity Information Service or to check out a charity online, go to www.stlouis.bbb.org/charity or call 314-645-3300.

Contacts: Michelle Corey, President & CEO, 314-645-3300, mcorey@stlouisbbb.org or Jim Judge, Director of Charity Review, 314-645-3300, charity@stlouisbbb.org