How often do you worry about funding your organization? Do you lose sleep at night wondering how you’ll find the revenue necessary to fund all the activities your organization was created to produce? What steps have you taken to get to where you need to be?
I’ve worked with dozens of grassroots nonprofits who have outstanding missions, with leaders who are truly passionate about their cause. These selfless individuals have incorporated organizations that should provide vital services to their communities. Unfortunately, most of these organizations are continually struggling to make ends meet. Many will fail within the first few years of operations. It happens over and over again.
A common mistake made by the founders of grassroots nonprofits is that getting money will be easy. You are, after all, a charity. So why wouldn’t people line up to donate? You’re a 501(c)(3), so the grant money should come pouring in any time now, right? These are common misconceptions. Remember that you’re competing with 1.2 million other U.S. 501(c)(3) organizations who are also seeking donations. There simply aren’t enough altruistic individuals out there who have money to give away. So how will your organization succeed when so many others fail? Start with a solid fundraising plan. Know where you need to be, how you’re going to get there…..and WORK HARD.
Here’s some suggestions to get you started.
Ø Recognize that strategy is as important here as in the business world….okay, as important as in sports. Planning is critical to successful nonprofit management. Make a plan today, and get to work!
Ø Make sure your Board knows that they can’t just sit back and vote on a few things once a year. Directors should pull their weight in the fundraising efforts. And they should make a donation themself.
Ø Commit some resources to fundraising activities. You have to spend money to make money. Enough said.
Ø Get help. A 3 member Board with no paid staff can’t do it all. Search for volunteers, expand your Board, ask favors of your family.
Ø Educate yourself. There are tons of books and websites with information on fundraising tips and tools. Check them out. Learn something new.
Ø Diversify. Don’t count of funding your organization solely with one multi-million dollar grant. It’s not going to happen. You should be receiving revenue from a variety of sources- individual donors, corporate sponsors, grants, fundraising products, special events, maybe even program fees.
Ø Keep records. Any idea who it was that gave you that $20 donation last year? They probably don’t remember either.
Ø Ask and you shall receive. Be prepared for some rejection, but if you don’t ask, most likely people won’t give.
Ø SAY THANK YOU!! Nothing makes you want to do something again like being told how wonderful you are for having done it the first time.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Friday, August 8, 2008
Good Intentions Aren't Enough
Most of us know that planning is a way of looking forward and deciding what we will do in the future. We plan our personal lives in detail from our youth- what we will be when we grow up, what to study in college, who and when to marry, how many children we desire, and how we’d like to spend the golden years. That’s why it’s so bewildering that many organizations are not aware of the importance of planning their future. Beyond initial incorporation and attainment of 501(c)(3) status, generally grassroots nonprofit possess a “live for the moment” outlook. Unfortunately, this is a primary reason why many nonprofits do not experience success after start-up. As a nonprofit leader, if you’re a fan of getting things done you’re going to have to plan. However, priorities do not exist in a vacuum- together with your Board you’ll have to evaluate the context, cost, time requirements, and resources available each step of the way. To be successful in mission fulfillment, your organization will have to engage in strategic planning.
Strategic planning is a disciplined effort to produce decisions and actions that shape and guide what an organization is, what it does, and why it does it. It is a process that produces fundamental decisions that shape and guide the management of an organization. This process focuses on both the internal and external environments in which the organization functions. The process requires information gathering, identification of the mandates governing the organization, clarification of the mission that drives the organization, consultation with key stakeholders of the organization, identification of the issues facing the organization in the future, the development of strategic alternatives to address those issues, a plan for implementation, and evaluation of the implementation. Development of a clear vision of the future will then serve to motivate employees and to keep the organization moving toward achieving the goals identified in the strategic planning process. Additionally, strategic planning can function as a team building strategy facilitating communication and participation within the organization.
Ideally, the process of strategic planning leads to the development of strategic management. In strategic management, mechanisms are in place which facilitate the ongoing monitoring of the environment to identify potential issues that the organization may face in the future. The implementation, evaluation, and reassessment of the strategic plan are part of daily management activities increasing the flexibility of the organization to respond to changes in its environment.
For both strategic planning and management to be effective, a strong commitment from the organization's leadership is necessary. Each organization needs a process sponsor to endorse and legitimize the strategic planning process, and a process champion who takes on the responsibility of making the process work. With the support of management, strategic planning and management provide an organization flexibility to respond to a changing environment and to proactively plan its future. Strategic management, in essence, allows the road to success to be paved with good intentions. It beats the well known alternative.
Strategic planning is a disciplined effort to produce decisions and actions that shape and guide what an organization is, what it does, and why it does it. It is a process that produces fundamental decisions that shape and guide the management of an organization. This process focuses on both the internal and external environments in which the organization functions. The process requires information gathering, identification of the mandates governing the organization, clarification of the mission that drives the organization, consultation with key stakeholders of the organization, identification of the issues facing the organization in the future, the development of strategic alternatives to address those issues, a plan for implementation, and evaluation of the implementation. Development of a clear vision of the future will then serve to motivate employees and to keep the organization moving toward achieving the goals identified in the strategic planning process. Additionally, strategic planning can function as a team building strategy facilitating communication and participation within the organization.
Ideally, the process of strategic planning leads to the development of strategic management. In strategic management, mechanisms are in place which facilitate the ongoing monitoring of the environment to identify potential issues that the organization may face in the future. The implementation, evaluation, and reassessment of the strategic plan are part of daily management activities increasing the flexibility of the organization to respond to changes in its environment.
For both strategic planning and management to be effective, a strong commitment from the organization's leadership is necessary. Each organization needs a process sponsor to endorse and legitimize the strategic planning process, and a process champion who takes on the responsibility of making the process work. With the support of management, strategic planning and management provide an organization flexibility to respond to a changing environment and to proactively plan its future. Strategic management, in essence, allows the road to success to be paved with good intentions. It beats the well known alternative.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Nonprofit Websites: Avenues to Attract Potential Donors
Today’s nonprofits are realizing that the presence of increased competition in the sector is necessitating exceptional promotion of their organizations. Nonprofit administrators are continually developing new marketing and fundraising strategies to help them become better communicators of their missions, to foster growth, and to increase the impact of their causes; thus making the world a better place. With the emergence of the World Wide Web, charities and churches are awarded an outstanding new opportunity to market thier services, build their reputations, and attract potential donors.
Thus, leaders in the nonprofit sector are faced with the task of developing a website that will not only advertise services, but also stand out as unique, comprehensive, and, most importantly, inviting to potential donors. Charities are asking how they can and should be
harnessing the web’s power and seeking to understand how to integrate it into their overall marketing mix. Looking through the eyes of a potential donor, nonprofits must seek to understand and harness the power and the potential of the Internet so their organization will become more effective and better equipped for the future.
So what works? Items that are most advantageous in attracting a potential donor, and that must be easily viewable on any nonprofit website include:
1. Your name, logo, and MISSION. Possibly add captioned images that clearly represent your mission.
2. Photos of people-those who you have served or who represent your primary target.
3. Some way to get questions answered quickly- search on site capability or a FAQ link.
4. Encryption whenever you ask for anything beyond email address, especially donations.
5. A call to action. Make the ask! Request donations, volunteers, etc.
6. An invitation to future communication. Sign up for our e-alerts or e-newsletter, etc.
7. A link to on and off-line contact information.
8. Images or statements indicating how gifts are used.
9. Appreciation for previous donors. Thanks, logos, recognition, etc.
10. Last, not least, search engine optimization. (the process of improving the volume and quality of traffic to a website from search engines via targeted keywords)
Thus, leaders in the nonprofit sector are faced with the task of developing a website that will not only advertise services, but also stand out as unique, comprehensive, and, most importantly, inviting to potential donors. Charities are asking how they can and should be
harnessing the web’s power and seeking to understand how to integrate it into their overall marketing mix. Looking through the eyes of a potential donor, nonprofits must seek to understand and harness the power and the potential of the Internet so their organization will become more effective and better equipped for the future.
So what works? Items that are most advantageous in attracting a potential donor, and that must be easily viewable on any nonprofit website include:
1. Your name, logo, and MISSION. Possibly add captioned images that clearly represent your mission.
2. Photos of people-those who you have served or who represent your primary target.
3. Some way to get questions answered quickly- search on site capability or a FAQ link.
4. Encryption whenever you ask for anything beyond email address, especially donations.
5. A call to action. Make the ask! Request donations, volunteers, etc.
6. An invitation to future communication. Sign up for our e-alerts or e-newsletter, etc.
7. A link to on and off-line contact information.
8. Images or statements indicating how gifts are used.
9. Appreciation for previous donors. Thanks, logos, recognition, etc.
10. Last, not least, search engine optimization. (the process of improving the volume and quality of traffic to a website from search engines via targeted keywords)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
