fundraising Archives - Page 3 of 5

Yes, you need Julia Patrick’s 5 tips for annual nonprofit planning

#031 – Today I am speaking with Julia Patrick. Julia is the founder of the American Nonprofit Academy. Her mission is to bring education, leadership, connectivity and collaboration to the nonprofit community. She produces and hosts the nation’s ONLY daily 30 minute nonprofit broadcast called The Nonprofit Show. She interviews nonprofit leaders from around the country and world. There are almost 500 episodes in the archive.

Julia shares that funders are looking for financial commitments from your board.

“what percentage of your board is financially invested in your organization?”

“Newsflash, if it’s NOT 100%, then you’re going to lose some funding. And that doesn’t necessarily mean huge amounts of money. It could be a hundred dollars, it could be $10, but that is something that funders across this country are looking at.”

She adds that you can be creative by scholarshiping younger board members who may not be able to meet the financial hurdle.

Check out the American Nonprofit Academy at –

americannonprofitacademy.com

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Resources

4 Key Takeaways

#1 Be organized. Have all of your meetings defined and scheduled for at least 12 months out;

#2 Most funders are asking the question what percentage of your board is financially invested in your organization? If it’s not a hundred percent, then you’re going to lose some funding opportunities;

#3 The same people get asked to to join these boards so you’re probably going to hear a lot of nos before you hear yeses; AND

#4 The pandemic has forced overdue changes in the nonprofit world.

Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode

[2:13] There are about 1.8 million non-profits registered in this country. AND a lot more unregistered.
[3:02] Fiduciary responsibility of board members.
[3:27] Understand board responsibilities.
[4:00] Have a board liaison.
[4:23] Have all of your meetings scheduled out for 1 year.
[4:45] Understand the Give or Get Policy.
[5:50] Most funders are asking if board members are financially committed to the organization.
[6:38] Board Portal.
[8:13] The importance of DEI.
[10:36] Most grant applications ask if board members are financially committed to the org.
[12:08] Consider scholarshipping the Give or Get.
[13:57] Many boards are missing representation from the communities that they serve.
[15:58] You’re going to get a lot of NOs before you get YESSES.
[18:20] What have you learned from the pandemic?
[23:55] How to find Julia.

4 Nonprofit Branding Strategy Questions Every Nonprofit Should Be Asking

#030 – Today I am speaking with Maura Fitzpatrick. Maura is a nonprofit consultant, specializing in brand messaging and marketing strategy for nonprofit founders. Her superpower is helping nonprofits communicate their mission in a way that feels authentic to them and compelling their donors, service users, and volunteers.

Maura says that one of the keys to effective branding and marketing is you have to develop personas for your target audience – your audience should feel like you’re talking to them. Maura smartly tells us

“…if you’re for everyone, you’re for no one”.

Check out Maura’s services on her website –

https://www.maurafitzpatrick.com

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Resources

4 Key Takeaways

#1 Avoid mission creep – focus on one thing you’re doing and do it well before you start expanding;

#2 Who’s your target audience like specifically, an actual person or persona – if you’re for everyone, you’re for no one;

#3 Most of your content should not be asking for donations. Most of your content should be establishing authority as the expert in what you’re doing; AND

#4 You have to build trust and credibility with your community, and that takes branding and marketing.

Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode

[2:30] When people struggle with articulating their mission, they have disorganized thoughts.
[2:40] Describing your work comes down to 4 basic questions.
[3:50] It’s like an elevator pitch.
[6:10] My brand is cutting people off and cutting through the mission creep.
[7:52] What is the overarching theme in what you do?
[9:10] Big Aha moments.
[9:23] If you’re for everyone, you’re for no one.
[10:21] Know your audience.
[10:48] Creating your ideal persona.
[15:27] What kind of buy-in do you need to carry out your mission?
[16:29] Go where they are.
[17:08] Be consistent on one or a few platforms vs being on every platform.
[18:25] Just because you’re a good cause does not mean you are a good solution.
[20:10] Relationship building is a long game.
[24:43] Give more than you’re asking for.
[26:10] Potential donors will look you up to see if you’re legit.
[28:58] Maura raised $100k + for a nonprofit that had never raised more than $25k.
[32:13] How to find Maura.

The Real Life Nonprofit Social Media Marketing Strategies of Julia Campbell, who swears by the Funky Grandma

#029 – Today I am speaking with Julia Campbell. Julia is a Speaker, Author, Nonprofit Consultant and self proclaimed Activist. She started the recycling program in her middle school when she was just in the 6th grade. She started her business 11 years ago to help more nonprofits figure out the digital age. Today, she shares her nonprofit social media marketing ideas that can be used by both beginners and pros alike.

“…stop thinking of social media as a transactional tool and really start thinking of it as a community building tool. It is not a money spigot you can just turn on. It is not an ATM….

….social media is a value exchange. People give you their time and attention and you give them something of value to them. So to build, start building a social media community, you have to know who is in your community and who do you want to attract to your community”.

Social media is Julia’s super power, but she also offers resources on:

1 Storytelling

2 Fundraising AND

3 Email Marketing

Check out Julia’s resources on her website – https://jcsocialmarketing.com/

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Resources

4 Key Takeaways

#1 Social media is NOT a transactional tool; it is a community building one;

#2 Social media is a place where you educate your audience and get them excited about what you do;

#3 Your message and content has to be strategically crafted for each channel; AND

#4 The 90-9-1 Rule: 90% of users are lurkers, 9% contribute a little, 1% contribute A LOT!

Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode

[2:00] Social Media is your front door
[2:52] Stop thinking of social media as a transactional tool
[3:19] Social Media is a value exchange
[4:00] Be clear on your goals
[5:02] Give more than you get
[5:35] Social Media is a place to start a 2-way conversation
[7:03] Don't focus on the tool first
[9:45] Start experimenting
[10:57] You need to strategically craft your message for each channel
[12:14] You have to understand each channel
[12:55] 90-9-1 Rule
[14:24] Curse of Knowledge
[16:38] The FUNKY GRANDMA
[18:52] Get niche and granular in identifying your target audience
[20:50] Be clear on your social media policies
[22:38] One of Julia's success stories

Little known hacks on how to apply for grants for nonprofit organizations – with Dr. Bev Browning

#028 – Today I am speaking with Dr. Beverly Browning. Dr. Bev is the author of 44 grant-related publications, including six editions of Grant Writing For Dummies and Nonprofit Kit For Dummies. Her online courses are taught to thousands of students annually. She also has a 16-week virtual Coaching/Mentoring Program. Dr Bev says….

“You will not get funded if you are not innovative, creative, and unique.”

Dr. Bev offers resources on:

1 Grant Writing and Funding

2 Board of Directors Training

3 Strategic Needs Assessment

4 Professional Development Training

5 Proposal Development and

6 Internal Peer Review

Check out Dr. Bev’s free resources on her website – https://bevbrowning.com/nonprofit-resources/

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Resources

4 Key Takeaways

#1 Funders are looking for nonprofit organizations that are filling gaps.

#2 Check in with your local United Way to find potential funders .

#3 The work is 80% research / 20% writing.

#4 Don’t go for funding until you’ve built a relationship with the funder.

Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode

[2:00] The first step is to do an organizational assessment
[3:01] Volunteers should ease the Executive Director's responsibilities
[3:22] Give or get policy
[4:50] Executive Director should NOT be leading the SWOT analysis
[6:36] Volunteers can have greater insights than paid staff
[7:40] Nonprofit leaders may have vision but may lack organizational management
[8:37] Funders are looking for organizations that fill gaps
[9:37] You will NOT get funded if you are NOT innovative, creative, and unique
[10:00] Look at the United Way for gaps in your community
[12:55] A grant is 80% research / 20% writing
[13:35] Look for buzzwords on the funder's website
[14:20] Don't apply for funding before you've developed a relationship with the funder
[16:25] The best board members put in 15-20 hours per month
[17:20] Good relationships can overcome bad writing
[18:13] Typical foundation proposals could take 1-2 weeks for a newbie
[19:23] Most new nonprofits cannot get federal grants
[23:25] A plan for building relationships with funders

A few secrets everyone should know before starting a new nonprofit organization – with Gigi Lawrence

#027 – Today I am speaking with Gigi Lawrence. Gigi founded Nonprofit for Newbies, a consulting and networking community, to help people start new nonprofits. Gigi is a mompreneur who started off in the financial consulting world, but didn’t feel fulfilled. She knew she wanted to help others, but was unsure how. After she took a job as a nonprofit financial literacy program director she knew she had found her calling. Gigi says….

“If your foundation isn’t structured correctly and you don’t know how to explain your process. You don’t know how to explain your programs in a way that others are going to understand and be motivated to move forward with those services or that program and being involved…..

…you have to be able to sell yourself, sell your organization, and in order to sell it, you have to know what you’re selling and you have to believe in it.”

Nonprofit for Newbies either advises or refers “newbies” to one of the independent contractors in their network on:

Starting their nonprofit
Grant writing
Writing their business plan
Fundraising
Marketing
Accounting
Board Development, and
Mindset

As of this interview, her Facebook Group has over 10k members.

Gigi has a ton of free resources on her website

https://www.nonprofitfornewbies.com/social

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Resources

4 Key Takeaways

#1 Be able to clearly explain your programs and what you do.

#2 Get board members who will help you execute your mission.

#3 Have people you are serving represented on your board.

#4 Get local high school or college students to help with your social media at little or no cost.

Check out Groupfinity.com for the show notes and links for this episode.

Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode

[3:45] We have a vetted consultant netwrok
[5:30] It comes down to getting your foundation right....
[7:20] Most questions I get when people start
[8:12] Considerations when forming your board
[11:40] Have representation on your board
[12:40] Changes since the pandemic
[15:30] Use college students to help with social media
[16:45] Focus on the tasks that are a good use of your time
[17:27] Make sure you spend some time budgeting
[19:33] Voices of Color
[20:51] How Gigi got started

What nonprofit leaders ought to know about hiring a virtual assistant – w/ Vicki Burkhart

#026 – Today I am speaking with Vicki Burkhart, founder and CEO of The More Than Giving Company. The company supports nonprofits with Virtual Assistants who allow nonprofit leaders to focus more on their mission and less on tasks. Vicki says:

”In most cases, they will come to us and say, I don’t know where to tell you to start so things have gotten so out of hand that they are already in a chaotic state” ….. “once you have a VA, you will start to see the time come back in your day”.

The company takes a different approach because it ONLY hires VAs with nonprofit experience. In addition, their VAs typically have 3 – 5 years of experience as a VA and they are put through a certification program.

Some of the popular tasks VA’s take on include:

Basic bookkeeping;
Database / contact management;
Manage social media;
Assist in donor engagement; and
Draft communication.

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Resources

4 Key Takeaways

#1 Four Major Obstacles to Nonprofit Success – lack of a plan; wrong board make-up; fundraising capacity; and lack of action.

#2 Once you hire a VA, you will start to see time come back into your day.

#3 Volunteer boards are finding they are spending way too much time doing the detail work and not enough time cultivating donors.

#4 There is a direct correlation between time spent on the stuff you need to do and the minutia.

Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode

[2:35] Four major obstacles to the success of nonprofits.
[6:20] The cost effective piece makes the NPVA program really attractive to a lot of nonprofits.
[6:52] They find that relying on volunteers typically ends up with a lot of the work coming back to them.
[7:27] The back office of any organization can be well-run by a NPVA.
[9:02] You can contract for buckets of hours with us or you can customize a contract depending on needs.
[10:02] Our NPVAs can handle basic bookkeeping.
[10:45] NPVAs can help with multi-year pledges.
[11:48] In most cases, clients they tell us they don't where to start
[12:11] Once you have a NPVA, you will start to see the time come back in your day.
[12:40] Volunteer boards are finding they are spending way too much time doing the detail work.
[14:10] I don't know how I have survived this long without one.
[14:40] I was surprised how proactive she was.
[16:52] There's a direct correlation between the stuff you need to do vs the minutia.
[20:54] How much do NPVAs cost?

How to write grants for nonprofits organizations like a GURU (NO experience required) – with Teresa Huff

#025 – Today I am speaking with Teresa Huff. Teresa is a special ed teacher, turned stay at home mom, then turned grant writing guru. She began her grant writing career working with a team of grant writers, writing big federal grants. She later branched out on her own, working with clients 1 on 1. When she realized she could help more people, she developed online courses.

“I really liked teaching others because I can only write so many grants and I can only be an expert in so many areas, but I can teach other people to do it. And then they can go out and create a much bigger ripple effect together. That’s why I love doing this now – supporting other nonprofits so they can maximize their impact and teaching grant writers how to do this as well, and to be much more successful to shorten the distance from point A to point B.”

She has worked with over 2,100 students, helping many nonprofits triple their funding. Specifically, she:

Works with nonprofits to strategically lay the groundwork for grant readiness;
Trains and equips grant writers with the skills they need to be successful; and
Connect the dots between the two so we can all maximize our impact.

She has a ton of free resources on her website – https://teresahuff.com/

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Resources

Website

Fast Track to Grant Writer

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

4 Key Takeaways

#1 BUILD RELATIONSHIP – You’re not talking to dollar signs, you’re not talking to money. You’re talking to people and working with people.

#2 Funders want to see an established nonprofit and typically an established program that they can fund – they don’t want to be your first or last dollar.

#3 Be PATIENT – Grants can take a long time to write and it could take a long time to hear back.

#4 Start small with local foundations.

Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode

[2:14] The best place to start
[2:52] Make sure you have a really good foundation
[3:16] You're not talking to money... You're talking to people and working with people.
[4:07] Make sure you have nonprofit status
[4:40] Grant funders don't want to beat your first dollar or your only dollar.
[5:21] They want to see how many more people you can impact with the funds.
[6:26] Generally they'll want to see an established nonprofit and an established program.
[7:27] Have a good plan in place for how are you going to sustain this after the grant funding goes away.
[8:05] Grants usually take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.
[9:54] Federal grants and really large applications can take over 100 hours.
[10:51] if you've never written grants before, maybe start small, start with some local foundations.
[12:25] Follow the guidelines - NO extra stuff.
[12:48] Should I call the funder?
[16:13] Look for funders in your local community.
[17:10] Don't twist your program to fit the grant.
[19:57] Start with local foundations.
[22:10] Don't get discouraged if you get turned down.
[25:00] The Food Pantry story....
[31:48] The Grant Readiness Check-up.

The secrets to nonprofit fundraising in the age of coronavirus – with Brock Warner.

#024 – Today I am speaking with Brock Warner. Brock is an experienced and skilled fundraising executive. He has over a decade of experience fundraising for social causes at senior levels in a variety of sectors.

Brock is a best-selling author, coach, and digital fundraising professor. He is a sought-after conference speaker, at conferences throughout North America. He is actively shaping the next generation of professional fundraisers by bringing practical experience to life with engaging, honest advice.

He shares some great nuggets, but one that really resonated with me was:

“Ask for what you need, not just what you think you’ll get”

He has a ton of free resources on his website – www.brockwarner.ca

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Resources

Website

Twitter

Book

4 Key Takeaways

#1 You need to remain PERSISTENT with your social media strategy;

#2 People give to people so you need to develop relationships with your donors;

#3 Understand why people are giving to your cause; AND

#4 You CANNOT say thank you enough.

Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode

[1:37] Since the pandemic started, there has been a rapid embrace of digital.
[2:27] Organizations that put all their eggs into a single offline basket struggled.
[4:25] Orgs that lacked email marketing lists and active social media communities were left scrambling.
[5:27] I work with organizations to help them understand where big opportunities might exist...
[8:14] Social media strategies could fit into two buckets: 1) Persistence AND 2) Hot or Miss
[9:35] Persistence strategy is a bit like investing in your 401(k).
[11:43] You should build relationships with people who have been generous enough to give you money.
[13:42] GOLDEN RULE of FUNDRAISING - people give to people.
[15:32] Work closely with the people who love you the most.
[16:29] Your ideal entry way to a new donor is through a peer.
[16:45] People want to fund solutions.
[17:50] Individuals think about causes and issues vs organizations.
[19:04] Find a good partner and ask for need vs funding a budget.
[19:51] Building relationships takes time and effort.
[24:49] Take time to talk to your donors.
[26:48] Tips and Tricks...
[27:43] You can't thank people enough.

What every PTO volunteer ought to know about starting, maintaining, and fundraising for a parent-teacher organization – with Sandy Pfau Englund.

#023 – Today I am speaking with Sandy Pfau Englund. Sandy is a skilled nonprofit and tax law attorney. When parents at her kids’ elementary school recognized her articles, she was recruited to join the PTO.

The PTO did not have its own EIN – it was using the schools. Nor did it have tax exempt status. If you named the list of errors, it was making all of them.

“It was overwhelming for the other volunteers. That’s why I got recruited. You don’t have someone that does tax exempt and non-profit law that’s the mom of the kids in your elementary school. It’s not just an everyday thing.”

That led her to start Parent Booster USA – to help PTAs, PTOs, booster clubs, and chapters remain in compliance with the IRS and state regulators. She wanted to make it easy – at least more accessible for groups to keep up with these regulations.

She has a ton of free resources – her policy is that “for every paid service, we have to have a do it yourself guide” so that if someone wants to be a weekend warrior, they can.

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Resources

Parent Booster USA

My RENOSI

Book – School Fundraising – So Much More than Cookie Dough

Amazon Smile

4 Key Takeaways

#1 Don’t decide who can give and who can’t – let them decide for themselves if they can give or not;

#2 To be eligible for grants, you need to make sure your registration is up to date;

#3 There is no such thing as a tax deductible, Christmas Tree or anything else – if buyer is getting something of value, you need to identify that value for them; AND

#4 Fundraising benefits need to be for the WHOLE group, not for only one individual.

Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode

[3:48] Members have hung in and done a little bit of online fundraising, if they could.
[5:18] Can we just disband for a year and then come back?
[5:45] What are the burning questions are you getting?
[6:40] Be transparent with you donors...
[8:31] You can't use 501(c)(3) for personal gifts/benefits...
[9:46] Don't be afraid to fundraise in tough times.
[12:18] Leave the funding decision to the donor...
[18:44] States are getting more aggressive with compliance.
[19:35] For every paid service, we offer a DIY guide.
[20:49] I want to make it easy...
[21:19] Information drain when leadership turns over...
[22:07] IRS letter shows up and we don't know what to do...
[23:23] There is no such thing as a tax deductible Christmas Tree.
[24:00] Booster club participation and donations can't be mandatory
[25:10] Benefits have to be for the whole group, not just one member...
[28:00] Best practices is to cover big expenses that benefit the entire group.
[30:12] It should not be this hard

How to build effective community partnerships: Kristine Ensor shows you how to find the right partners to put your small nonprofit on a path to financial stability.

#021 – Kristine Ensor is an experienced and successful fundraiser and freelance writer.

She has figured out the power of community partnerships to drive long-term support. The great news is YOU can do what Kristine has done! Anyone can. You just have to put in the work of finding the right partners and then cultivate those relationships.

Kristine gives some great insight on just how to do that. Collaborating with a few good partners can free you from the stress of dialing for new dollars every year.

Be sure to stick around until the end to hear Kristine’s first-hand account about how one volunteer day unexpectedly turned into years of financial and board support from the local office of a national cable tv provider.

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Resources

Kristine Ensor – Linkedin

Donor b ox

4 Key Takeaways

#1 Companies look for partners who actually do the work for the causes they believe in;

#2 Networking is ESSENTIAL – relationship building is at the core of building strong partnerships;

#3 Participating with your local chamber of commerce is GREAT way to meet potential partners; AND

#4 Don’t stop after you’ve received a check – sit down with your partners periodically and find out what is working for them and figure out how you can provide more value to them.

Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode

[3:00] The FIRST step in identifying community partnerships.
[5:42] Companies look for nonprofits with expertise in the causes they care about.
[6:22] Get clear on WHY you want a community partnership WHAT you can offer the partner.
[6:48] It's all about relationships.
[8:35] Who do you know and who do they know....
[9:48] Looking for grants....
[11:04] Start a networking database.
[12:13] Networking is essential.
[13:05] Chamber groups LOVE nonprofits.
[15:51] If both sides are excited, that is a sign of a good partnership.
[16:08] Communication is key.
[17:22] Bring solutions instead of just asking for a check.
[17:45] Get testimonials when you do good work.
[19:33] Do regular reviews with your partners to ensure objectives are being met.
[21:03] You have to be ok cutting loose if it's not a good fit.
[22:13] Comcast Cares Days

Yes, you need Julia Patrick’s 5 tips for annual nonprofit planning

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4 Key Takeaways

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A few secrets everyone should know before starting a new nonprofit organization – with Gigi Lawrence

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What nonprofit leaders ought to know about hiring a virtual assistant – w/ Vicki Burkhart

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What every PTO volunteer ought to know about starting, maintaining, and fundraising for a parent-teacher organization – with Sandy Pfau Englund.

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