Collidescope.io’s 5 in 3 Non-Profit Leadership Series: Marjorie Moore, Executive Director of VOYCE
Welcome to Collidescope.io’s 5 in 3 non-profit leadership series. We ask non-profit leaders all over the world to answer 5 question about their non-profit experience to create this 3-minute piece. Collidescope.io’s mission is to empower organizations to thrive, inspire, and serve the world. Though we primarily do this through technology, providing a platform to share the stories and experiences of leaders in the non-profit space is also an important part of executing on that mission.
I am pleased to introduce Marjorie Moore. She is the Executive Director of VOYCE, a nonprofit organization that advocates quality of life and quality of care for long-term care residents and those they love. Marjorie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast and Electronic Communications from Marquette University and certificates in CEO Fundraising and Business Administration for Nonprofit Leaders from Washington University in St. Louis. Additionally, she was a member of Focus St. Louis’ Leadership St. Louis Class 39 and the Network for Strong Communities’ Women Executive Director Leadership Academy.
Previously, Marjorie served as President and CEO of MindsEye, a St. Louis nonprofit serving people with vision loss, and as the Executive Director of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, St. Louis Chapter.
Marjorie serves as host and producer for the 501Crossroads podcast and has served on several boards and committees, including as President of the International Association of Audio Information Services. Currently, Marjorie serves on the Finance Committee for Home Sweet Home, a nonprofit furniture bank.
How did you get your start in the non-profit space?
I got my degree in broadcasting, but right before my senior year realized that the path that I was going on wasn’t the sort of life that I wanted. So, I started to pursue a PR track to finish out my degree. When I got out of college, I looked around for jobs and found a job promoting a little radio station to nursing homes. It sounded strange and interesting. When I got to know more about the job, I found out that it was a radio station for people who are blind or visually impaired, and I was intrigued. I became the volunteer and marketing coordinator for that organization, fell in love with radio reading services and the nonprofit world, and never looked back.
What is one challenge you’ve encountered that you didn’t expect while working for a non-profit?
Really, the whole administrative side of things. We prepare people a lot for programming, and fundraising, and marketing, and board governance, but we don’t prepare them for the paperwork. The budgeting. Picking health insurance. The payroll. The labor laws. These are the areas that I found actually really shine in. But it was nothing that I learned in any school. And it’s something that I end up helping a lot of my friends with, because they weren’t taught either.
What is one opportunity you’ve identified because of the changes due to COVID-19?
The current organization I work with serves nursing home residents, so our clients have been hit especially hard. As a result, we’ve been able to receive a lot of publicity about our organization and our work. It also looks like we’ve been tapped to be a part of a collaborative to help support mental health in nursing homes. It’s actually pretty exciting and will be something that’s going to help a lot of people during COVID and after.
What is your most effective fundraising medium?
Face to Face
What is one fundraising rule you live by?
Always, always, always use a handwritten note at the bottom of an appeal letter… Not a note that looks handwritten… actual handwritten. Right now, we’re in the process of writing handwritten notes to 1600 letters before the end of the week. It works!
Thank you for sharing your story Marjorie.
You can learn more about VOYCE and Marjorie below.
VOYCE Website: https://www.voycestl.org/
Marjorie on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/mlinkinm
