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Zimmerman Lehman has served the nonprofit community since 1988, offering a broad range of services to help nonprofit organizations maximize their board, volunteer, financial and staff resources. The energetic approach of Zimmerman Lehman's consulting team is appropriate for all types of agencies, from large to grassroots organizations, regardless of the area of focus. We'll show you that board of director's work can be exciting, empowering and fun. Our array of specialized services includes board assessments, training and recruitment, coaching, planning and facilitation, and fundraising, all of which build the foundation for a healthy nonprofit.

Zimmerman Lehman acts as a catalyst for boards and organizations. We motivate board members, staff and other volunteers, teaching them the art and science of board governance, planning and fundraising, while offering timely, expert assistance to success. The end product will be a sturdy and prosperous agency.

Zimmerman Lehman can craft your nonprofit into a well-run organization through our expertise in:

• Boards of Directors
• Executive and Board Coaching
• Strategic Planning
• Fundraising & Marketing
• Executive Search

Zimmerman Lehman has provided valuable services to numerous and diverse organizations. See our Client List.

Enhancing Board Effectiveness
Zimmerman Lehman assists organizations in developing and strengthening their boards. This can start with a board self-assessment and evaluation of current practices. We then develop and implement training programs based on the findings of the assessment. Our assistance will help board members increase their effectiveness, governance, accountability, planning, transparency, fiduciary, fundraising capacity and advocacy skills.

Assessment and Evaluation: A strong and effective board of directors is a benchmark of a healthy organization.  A periodic check-up can ensure that you are not just surviving but thriving in today’s environment. To check your board’s vital signs, or to put in place practices and strategies for a healthy and energized board, the best place to start is with a board self-assessment. To help make this easy for board members we recently launched a new online self-assessment tool that board members can access easily from their home or office. The process of developing benchmarks for board evaluation helps identify the standards for peak performance and can energize members and improves relationships by encouraging open discussion of the results. This helps board members make certain they are functioning at their highest level and working to implement your mission and vision.

Training and Facilitation: Effective training and facilitaion for the board of directors keeps an organization on the leading edge of quality service. We combine our passion and can-do attitude with practical and straightforward methods. Zimmerman Lehman's interactive sessions draw on our combined experience working in the nonprofit sector variously as staff, executive director, board members and consultants. Our insightful facilitation skills ensure all are heard and are joined with proven adult learning techniques. Whether it is basic board training on roles and responsibilities, developing a plan or vision, discussing a new program or endeavor, brainstorming ideas, or reviewing a mission statement, Zimmerman Lehman combines extensive knowledge and awareness of the nonprofit sector with intuitive and skilled assistance.

Recruitment: We provide advice in assembling boards of directors that will provide financial, administrative, and programmatic leadership for their organizations. We can assist with developing strategic recruitment plans that focus on your nonprofit's mission and vision. This will guarantee that your organization takes an organized rather than episodic approach to recruitment, ensuring that you have all the necessary skills and diversity on your board to be truly effective.

Board Members Rule: How to Be a Strategic Advocate for Your Nonprofit and Boards That Love Fundraising: A How-To Guide for Your Board are Zimmerman Lehman publications and training manuals that help busy board members learn their roles, responsibilities and how to fundraise with enthusiasm.

(Ann Lehman) Thank you for all your thoughtful time and effort to plan and carry out such a successful meeting (to the Board). We covered a lot of ground in a very short time. I thought you did an excellent job, both in general, and particularly in really hearing what everyone said and helping reflect the comments back for constructive thought.  I think you have already helped us a great deal.
-Sandy Sohcot, E.D., Rex Foundation (The Grateful Dead Foundation) October 2011

(Ann Lehman) "The Board learned a lot, and enjoyed your company."
-Dr. Brian Kelly, President, Live Chiropractic College West, October 2012

"Zimmerman and Lehman have more than two decades of hands-on experience helping board members know how to do their job. This workbook distills their knowledge into helpful and easy exercises and tips that everyone in the nonprofit can use to raise more money."
- Kim Klein, author of Fundraising for Social Change, and publisher of Grassroots Fundraising Journal

Executive and Board Coaching
Zimmerman Lehman offers effective, friendly coaching for your staff and board and those interested in entering the nonprofit world. Leadership positions are always demanding and often isolating. As coaches we offer expertise in the nonprofit world with a sympathetic ear and can-do attitude to help you move forward. We provide coaching on a regular basis or as needed, in half-hour/fifteen minute phone conversations or in-person sessions.

"Simply invaluable. I found Ann Lehman's counsel and coaching to be straightforward, supportive and insightful. It gave me the tools to solve challenging organizational issues."
-Janet Knipe, Caifornia Youth Connection

Strategic Planning
Creating a solid vision and plan for the future is an essential step for molding a successful organization. Zimmerman Lehman helps strengthen organizations by examining their planning needs, benchmarking and identifying areas that require attention. We will conduct effective strategic and program planning to ensure a focused mission, stimulating vision, and strategies to turn your objectives into realities. We emphasize the process in addition to the end product. For more information, see our article Strategic Planning for Nonprofits.

Fundraising & Marketing
Zimmerman Lehman guarantees successful fundraising by imparting a systematic approach. We offer techniques to package your organization in such a way that donors can't help but be proud to invest in your nonprofit. Our methods will rejuvenate your organization and give it the inside track in the battle to secure funding. Whether it is a capital or major donor campaign, special event, fundraising audit and plan, annual fund drive, marketing plan, or planned giving program our team members will offer timely, expert assistance to help you succeed. The end product will be a sturdy and prosperous agency.

Major Donors: The Key To Successful Fundraising is Zimmerman Lehman's popular training manual for capital and individual campaigns.

Executive Search
Recruiting high-quality executive and management staff can be a complex and time- consuming process. On-target hiring decisions will reduce staff turnover, thus lowering hiring costs and increasing productivity. Zimmerman Lehman works with staff and board members to hire top executive directors, development directors, and management and policy staff.

© 2012 Zimmerman Lehman

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