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A dashboard is a display of key indicators that help institutions steer their activities towards their declared strategic outcomes. The imagery, of course, is obvious to anyone who drives a car. Just like the dashboard on your 1981 Ford Fairmont, it’s critical that indicators be visible and the data easy for a user to assimilate. This typically necessitates graphic displays such as graphs, pie charts, or something more creative.

The In Trust has presented a webinar on how to use dashboard effectively. Here's a summary of it, along with a few helpful hints to get you started.

Cross-posted from Rebekah Burch Basinger's excellent blog, Generous Matters. Read her original post here. 

A flood of emails urged members of a ministry’s Outreach Committee to round-up prizes for the spring bike/walk fundraiser. We’re talking a veritable fundraiser’s dream team — networked, talented, and unafraid to ask big — being “challenged” to chase after everything from free movie passes and ice cream coupons to a $5-$10 gift certificate.  “Or whatever the owner is willing to give.”

It’s a toss-up whether I cry or scream about the colossal waste of volunteer time and connections.

While it’s important to thank faculty and show appreciation for their hard work and dedication, it’s not always feasible to demonstrate this appreciation through salary increases. When budgets are already tight, it may be impossible to accommodate the extra costs.

This doesn’t mean, however, that there's no way to thank faculty. Instead, it means that seminary leaders may need to get creative. A few years ago, In Trust published an article with some ways to say “thank you” when money is tight.

The Spring 2016 issue of In Trust was recently mailed to subscribers. Here are some of the highlights.

If you're a stakeholder at a theological school — especially if you're a board member, administrator, or faculty member — it's vital that you really understand your school’s financial standing, rather than solely relying on the CFO or other financial staff.

Central Baptist Theological Seminary president Molly T. Marshall was interviewed for the cover story of a recent issue of The Christian Century. The interview, by David Heim, addresses Marshall’s opinions and experiences as president.  

The annual fund is essential, even in institutions with big endowments. In a 2011 article in In Trust, Rebekah Burch Basinger highlighted the steps boards should take to ensure the success of annual giving campaigns.

In a January 20 webinar for seminary leaders, a researcher for the Association of Theological Schools highlighted sobering data gleaned from surveys of new students at the association's member institutions.

In a recent Christian Century blog post, Greg Carey provides a defense of tenure at theological institutions. He begins his post by acknowledging that in times of change and financial unrest, theological schools may be tempted to rely principally on adjunct faculty. After all, tenured faculty cost more --and some may be resistant to institutional changes. But Carey argues against the move toward adjunct faculty.

The deadline to submit letters of inquiry for the brand-new Luce Fund for Theological Education is March 15. The Henry Luce Foundation is encouraging requests from seminaries and other organizations for amounts of $250,000 to $500,000. A select number of inquirers will be invited to present full proposals.

Donors make bequests to make a difference after they're gone. Mary Goodman, a New Haven laundress who bequeathed her life savings (nearly $5,000) to Yale Divinity School to provide scholarships for African Americans, was especially successful in this regard: her bequest supported the school’s first black students, and continues to support students today, nearly 144 years later.

From golf tournaments to galas, big events are tried-and-true tools for raising funds and building relationships in higher education. But recently, some nonprofits have begun turning to "crowdfunding" as a vehicle for finding new friends and donors. Could this latest fundraising trend benefit theological schools?

The Graduating Student Questionnaire (GSQ) is a survey that compiles data from recent graduates of more than 170 member institutions of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). Jo Ann Deasy, Director of Institutional Initiatives and Student Research at ATS, recently wrote an article for In Trust on what the GSQ has to say about student debt. 

 The hardest thing is admitting what you don’t know. Tell It Like It Is: Truisms of Fundraising, by T. Christian Rollins, is a slim volume that delivers answers for building your institution's fundraising capacity.

Shooting straight from the hip, Rollins offers advice that will set new development staff on the right path for successful fundraising, but also challenge the assumptions of seasoned development professionals.

Ecumenical Theological Seminary (ETS) recently made an interesting choice regarding its seminary library. In order to deal with financial constraints, ETS negotiated with nearby Wayne State University to share their library. To explain this creative approach to addressing their financial issues, ETS president Stephen Murray said, “My mantra is, we don’t want to make cuts just to make cuts, we want to make cuts in such a way that we position the seminary to grow and to become strong.”

From crushing student debt to struggling seminaries to half empty church pews, much of the landscape of seminaries and finances seems bleak. As traditional funding sources change, the need to understand and gain mastery of fundraising is becoming increasingly important for theological schools. Offering research, tools, and customized training, the Executive Certificate in Religious Fundraising (ECRF) from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy is a bright spot during these challenging times.

Two months into his role as president, G. Douglass Lewis received the news that Wesley Theological Seminary was in debt. So, with the help of his development consultant and the Wesley staff, Lewis set forth a strategic plan for a program that would address their lack of fundraising ability.

Deferred maintenance affects almost all institutions. According to a recent survey of 118 schools by the Association of Theological Schools, deferred maintenance costs ranged from $2,000 to $52 million, with a median around $437,500. Such high numbers can lead to an overwhelming feeling of discouragement, but there are ways to tackle deferred maintenance. 

With the approach of Reformation Sunday, celebrated by Lutherans and some other Protestants this weekend, I have been thinking again about Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses, which he nailed to the doors of the Wittenberg castle church on October 31, 1517. Back in 2007, I wrote a brief post for Luther Seminary’s blog on the Theses and their relationship with finances. I think the ideas are still relevant today, so I’ve updated them below for today’s readers. 

Does anyone quote Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses today? The answer is, surprisingly, “yes.”  The real shock is discovering who is doing the quoting. Economists!

I believe it is important for theological schools to think critically about their operational and educational models. We have not adequately addressed several issues that have been present for many years within theological education. 

As seminary leaders engage with donors, many find a reluctance about investing in theological education. North America’s changing religious landscape means that there are fewer people in the pews, at least in many churches. A growing number of seminaries is recruiting potential students, but the absolute number of seminarians has remained essentially flat over the last 20 years. Furthermore, the prohibitive cost of the traditional master of divinity degree can all lead potential donors to question whether their gift might be better given elsewhere.

Gold-tinged leaves and crisp morning air signal the return of fall. But autumn brings more than falling leaves, shorter days, and pumpkin spice; for many, the end of summer means "back to school." If you cannot return to a real-life classroom for a continuing education course, reinvigorate your inner student by diving into some serious reading.

The required reading list for the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving’s Executive Certificate in Religious Fundraising (ECRF) course is an insightful dip into the fundamentals of development.

Because the SIR has been completely revamped, the Association of Theological Schools has provided an overview article that explains how presidents and board members can use it. “Why the Strategic Information Report is an essential tool in every school’s toolbox,” by Chris Meinzer, explores ways to use the SIR as a tool in assessing their institution's overall health.

The attorney general’s interest is unusual in that it seems to be a pre-emptive action; the college is not in danger of closing. “I consider it my responsibility to promote and protect the nonprofit sector,” the New York attorney general told the New York Times — not only by prosecuting fraud, but by preventing mismanagement “before it starts.”

The Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB) recently published a blog post about how to find the right vice president for advancement for your school.

The post offers some great advice for institutions and search committees to consider as they look to fill this important position.

Last week the Summer 2015 issue of In Trust magazine landed in the mailboxes of people affiliated with the In Trust Center's member schools. Here are some highlights.

A Guide to Fundraising at Historically Black Colleges and Universities: An All Campus Approach by Marybeth Gasman and Nelson Bowman III is a comprehensive overview of how historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) can transform their fundraising. As leading authorities on HBCUs, Gasman and Bowman closely examine the unique roles that the school president, board, faculty, alumni, and student body have in capacity building.

A president called our Resource Consultants this week with a question:

If my school wants to explore a partnership or collaboration with another school, what are the options?

In an In Trust article that appeared a few years ago, Robert Cooley mapped out several options for partnerships. His list suggests just how creative such options can be.

Despite the mountains of fundraising advice that’s churned out daily via blogs and other online venues, remarkably little of what’s being written is new. Whether in 140 characters or in a full-length article, what passes as counsel these days is more derivative than innovative.

That’s the reminder recently tweeted by Steve MacLaughlin, director of Blackbaud’s Idea Lab:

“In 1932, Lyman Pierce spelled out the keys to a successful fundraising campaign. Still true today.”

I agree.

In Trust's Spring 2015 issue hit mailboxes last week. Here are some highlights from our latest issue: 

• "Two patterns of good governance." Part 2 of our excerpt from the latest report on seminary governance from researcher Barbara Wheeler.

Dashboards are a great way to track key metrics of your school’s performance. But which metrics should you track? And how do you know if you’re getting -- and sharing -- the numbers that matter?

The Chronicle of Higher Education recently published a provocative post about financial transparency on its Vitae blog. Allison M. Vaillancourt, an administrator at the University of Arizona, writes that frank discussion of financial issues with faculty and staff can benefit university employees. She argues that rather than avoiding the conversation or trying to protect people from a scary reality, it's best to give them the details they need to make changes.

The Spring issue of In Trust magazine, due to be mailed next month, includes an article about the roles that board members play in fundraising.

In it, Penelope Burk, president of Cygnus Applied Research, Inc., shares some of the insights from a recent survey of 4,500 nonprofit board members. Her conclusions are thought-provoking.

With insightful speeches, engaging conversations, and a few tears, the 2015 Development and Institutional Advancement Program (DIAP) was enlightening and educational. Your advancement staff members should consider going next year!

Some sad news in higher education this week: Sweet Briar College, a women’s liberal arts college in Virginia, announced that it was closing at the end of this semester because of "insurmountable financial challenges."

Sweet Briar has an endowment of more than $80 million, but its board decided to close the school nonetheless.

Next week, the In Trust Center presents our new live webinar: “Inviting participation: Understanding your role in fundraising.”

Why fundraising? It's one of our most-requested webinar topics, and everyone has questions about it.

“I fear that whenever riches have increased, the essence of religion has decreased in the same proportion. Therefore, I do not see how it is possible in the nature of things, for any revival of true religion to continue long. For religion must of necessity produce both industry and frugality, and these cannot but produce riches. But as riches increase, so will pride, anger, and love of the world in all its branches.”

This famous speech from John Wesley points to the fascinating relationship between money and faith. There is often discomfort in the church with addressing the dynamics of money and power. Too often, we overly simplify these complex issues: Church leaders (who have the truth but not power or money) speak truth to leaders (who have power and money, but no truth). Money is evil. God’s people should hate money and have nothing to do with it.

But as we know, these issues are more complex than that. Therefore, it’s no wonder that seminaries struggle to teach “finances” to their students as they wrestle themselves with their financial futures.

During a recent conversation with a seminary president, we talked about consultants. How many consultants were presently being used in this president’s institution? “I simply don’t know,” he admitted. “Each department brings in and works with its own consultants. I just know we use lots of outside talent. We have to.”

When I think about sustainability, what immediately comes to mind is green. Green — as a concept and not just a color — dominates every conversation.

As I specifically consider leadership of a theological school, Green raises so many questions.

Questions about ecology and the environment: Is my campus kind to the environment? Are our buildings green or at least getting greener? Are our behaviors on campus environmentally responsible? At the very least, do we recycle?

And always, questions about money: Are our budgets balanced and our financial forecasts realistic? Where does our current financial path lead? Is our cash flow sufficient? How sustainable are our finances?

As leaders, we need our institutions to be sustainable, both financially sustainable and environmentally sustainable.

What is your board’s relationship to risk? Does its work reflect a culture of risk taking or risk avoidance? 

The question surrounding board culture and its engagement with risk seems to arise more frequently these days as boards are increasingly encouraged to travel two seemingly conflicting roads of risk -- the entrepreneurial road of risk taking and the security-conscious road of risk management.

Which road do you prefer to travel? Given your institution’s situation, which road must you travel?

This spring, the Association of Theological Schools issued its latest Colloquy newsletter online. Below are two items from that newsletter that are of interest to theological school board members.

Accrediting processes simplified. At its February 2014 meeting, the ATS Board of Commissioners approved changes to its policies and practices.

Continuing education for faculty: Five strategies that won't break the bank. Today, faculty must not only be masters of their disciplines; they must also master instructional design, educational technology, and more.

One particular piece of jargon that appears to me to have some staying power, simply because it does such a fine job of helping us visualize an idea, is the dashboard. There may be a risk that best practices start to require too many key indicators on the dashboard, but when someone uses the term...

Seminaries share little with the ambitions of corporate America, but it’s interesting to compare the matter-of-fact approach to mergers held up by the business world to the apprehension that talk of a merger can bring to a seminary boardroom.

According to Inside Higher Ed, Iowa Wesleyan College is cutting 22 of its 52 faculty positions and 16 of its 31 academic programs, saving the school $3 million per year out of its $20 million budget. After the cuts, there will be two faculty members in the English department, and none in math. Naturally, people are distraught, but I’m not inclined to criticize the radical pruning. This is a college with . . .

A recent article in Christianity Today showcases a new three-part study from the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) that examines what happens to schools when they weaken denomination ties. While some students welcome a broader, less sectarian . . .

Laura Otten, director of the Nonprofit Center at LaSalle University’s School of Business, recently posted a sad tale about a nonprofit board that neglected its financial oversight responsibilities over a period of many years, creating an environment in which an employee was able to embezzle almost three-quarters of a million dollars, and leading to a lawsuit by a former board member.

Anecdotal “evidence” has its place, but to make sound decisions, your board and administration alike need sound data. You need to hear not just the success story of one star alumna, but the trends among all your graduates. You need to hear not just an assertion that your school is providing the best seminary education in your denomination, but you need some facts about how you are performing with respect to your peer schools.

Much of this data is readily available —

A group of church leaders in Bozeman, Montana, is developing plans for a new graduate-level theological institute in their city, focusing on “emergent Christianity.” The institute’s first activities, held in summer and fall of 2013, were five-day immersion seminars that featured not only instruction, but also fly-fishing along Montana’s rivers and hiking . . . 

The Autumn 2013 issue of In Trust includes an article titled “More Schools, Fewer Students: What’s Your Seminary’s Position in the Changing Market of Theological Education?” Co-author Greg Henson, the VP for institutional advancement at Northern Seminary in Lombard, Illinois, has a blog that contains more . . .

Once upon a time, minding your board’s fiduciary P’s and Q’s consisted of dotting organizational I’s and crossing legal T’s and little more. But no longer. Or so say the members of an august panel of governance veterans featured in the March/April 2013 issue of Trusteeship magazine. As they tell it, fiduciary stewardship stretches well beyond the board’s attention to the bottom line.