Luke Reed’s Post

As a former director of the Bush Foundation's #BushFellows program (2013-14) which awards $100,000 to 24 individuals across the MN/ND/SD region every year, I'm often asked by potential applicants, "Who gets Bush Fellowships?" Thanks to the Foundation for sharing updated data on the last five years of 120 selected Bush Fellows (2019-2023) via the post below. "2019-2023 Fellows by areas in which they work: Nonprofit - 39% Public - 30% Academic - 18% Business 13% 2019-2023 Fellows by geography: MN – 76% SD – 14% ND - 10% 2019-2023 Fellows by race/ethnicity: Black/African American – 37% American Indian/Alaska Native – 25% Asian/Asian American – 17% White only – 14% Hispanic or Latino – 9% Multiracial – 7%"

A big part of being a radically open organization is sharing more about how we work. We want people to understand what we do and why we do it. We launched a performance scorecard earlier this year to do exactly that, and now we're introducing a companion piece called "community questions." We did a bunch of community outreach to better understand what people want to know about us. But this isn't your average Q&A! This is about being truly transparent, not just responding to a few frequently asked questions. From, "Where does your money come from?" to "Can small organizations get a grant?" your questions — and our answers — are now available on our website. https://bit.ly/47tgLtY

Thanks Bush Foundation for helping answer the question, "Who gets Bush Fellowships?" Data from 2019-2023 #BushFellows cohorts summarized below: "2019-2023 Fellows by areas in which they work: academic – 18%; business – 13%; nonprofit – 39%; public – 30% 2019-2023 Fellows by geography: MN – 76%; ND – 10%; SD – 14% 2019-2023 Fellows by race/ethnicity: American Indian/Alaska Native – 25%; Asian/Asian American – 17%; Black/African American – 37%; Hispanic or Latino – 9%; White only – 14%; multiracial – 7%"

I don’t know everything about the industry, how will I be able to help my own community? I have heard too many people waiting only because they don’t know everything it needs to build a community. I get it. You don’t even need to know! Leslie Greenwood, the founder of Chief Evangelist Consulting says the best guiding principle is to build with the community, not for it. You’re not supposed to be the expert who has all the answers. You’re supposed to facilitate the development of an active, thriving community. Start with basics, talk with your community - and grow with them! So, what's stopping you to build your own community? #communitybuilding #dishishares

Question for you: when was the last time you shared or spoke about your community? I get asked ALL the time how to grow people's communities and how to increase engagement but when I ask people who they're talking to about their communities they often tell me 'no one' or 'I don't know'. This is a BIG problem and your community isn't going to grow if you don't put in the work to grow it. I spoke about this on my Instagram the other day but the idea of 'build it and they will come' that I often hear the gurus talk about is in my opinion utter b*ll*cks!! In this video, I share two places where you can talk about your community but if you'd like more help to build your community and increase its engagement then you need to join me for my workshop at the end of the month. Click the link in the comment section to join the workshop waitlist 🤩

🌟 Focus on People, Not Money 🌟 Over the last couple of weeks I’ve had the chance to meet 1:1 with some Neon One clients, and a powerful pattern emerged: a laser focus on people. The conversations were not about chasing dollars and increasing fundraising revenue; they were all about nurturing connections, both with the people they serve and the people who support their mission. 🔍 Get to know your Community: - What do you know about your community?  - Who are they?  - What are their needs?  - What drives them? 🤝 Connect Authentically: - How do you connect with your community?  - How do you engage with different members of your community?  - Are your interactions personal and meaningful? 💻 Leverage Technology: - How do (could) you use technology to facilitate building community? 💡 AH HA!: Let's shift the focus from chasing funds to nurturing relationships. Because in the end, it's the people behind the cause who truly make the difference.

Last week I shared 5 strategies for an outstanding membership experience. Today, let's talk about building a community. It's more than just access; it's about creating a space where members help and learn from each other. Here’s a few things you can do. **Start Talking** Be active in discussions. Your voice encourages others to join in. **Be There** Show up regularly. Your presence invites others to do the same. **Make Connections** Introduce members to each other. Friendships make the community stick. **Celebrate Together** When someone achieves something, celebrate it as a community win. **Keep it Real** Treat members like friends. Genuine connections mean people stay longer. Put these steps into action, and your membership will become the go-to place for engaging, learning, and growing together. #Community #Membership

Building communities is no easy feat, and measuring/testing in a community is even tougher. Watch Andrew Miller (Mounier) discuss how to measure community involvement and how your organization can start and scale its community growth efforts. 👉 https://bit.ly/3C9XQXJ #B2BMarketing #community #B2BSocialMedia

3️⃣7️⃣days left in the year! Is your community membership renewing soon? How are you thinking about your community involvement? How does it align with your professional and personal objectives? Time to evaluate. Share some ideas 💡 below. #communityengagement #communityvalue

Up early attending the Community-led World conference! Looking forward to a few sessions including: + When to Say “NO” to Community: Exploring When Building Community Isn’t the Answer (because too many companies think community will solve their problems and they are not ready or equipped) + The Community Superstars Era: Turn Ordinary Community Members Into Passionate Advocates (something I am super passionate about and is a core tenant of my community-building approach) + Avoiding Pitchforks - How to Regain the Trust of Your Customers Through Community Programs (having first-hand experience with this, community is more than a following, it's a cultural movement) Go get your ticket: https://lnkd.in/gH_NTfNk