Most nonprofits have the same basic need—“Money! (or resources)”—to save the world, accomplish our mission, pay our staff, buy copy paper, keep the lights on and so forth. There are lots of ways to raise funds from a bake sale to securing a $1,000,000 estate gift.
Most Annual Fundraising Plans use a variety of approaches.
- Individual Regular Donors
- Foundations Grants
- Major Gifts
- Government Grants
- Direct Mail
- Special Events
- Social Media
I can help you design and manage your Annual Plan. Let’s talk about what is most effective for your non-profit. What resources do you have to implement the plan? (staff, volunteers); what skills are needed? (It’s tough to plan a special event for 1,000 when you have one staff member and one volunteer!); what will work best for the short-term, long-term? (sometimes you implement a short-term strategy such as, grants, while preparing to initiate long-term growth through individual donors and major gifts). We’ll consider all of the options and create a plan using a mixture of approaches to help YOU reach YOUR goals!
Capital Campaigns can be a lot of fun and can really energize a non-profit. Imagine seeing your Vision burst into reality! They can also take a big toll on staff and volunteers, especially for smaller non-profits. I can help provide the extra planning, strategy, energy and encouragement to make it work. Capital Campaigns can range from a few thousand to several million. I have experience in small and medium-sized campaigns from $30,000 to $6,000,000.
I can help you with all aspects of the Campaign.
- Determine feasibility.
- Create a Campaign strategy.
- Train your team.
- Design the materials.
- Launch the Campaign.
- Finish with a flourish.
My first Capital Campaign was for a small, rural church. We didn’t have big Foundations or Corporate donors, we had to figure out how to engage the community in our cause. No one knew how to ask for big gifts and we made up the rules as we went along. But, together, we did it. I still feel a lot of pride when I drive by that building. As part of the campaign, I preached from the rooftop!
Most recently, I worked with a large and well-connected Capital Campaign Steering Committee. We did engage national and local Foundations, individuals and even some special events to purchase and renovate an additional building.
Successful nonprofits have a solid infrastructure. You need a well-constructed framework that supports your organization. Do you have a Working Board of Directors, an Advisory Board or something in between? How does your staff function? Do your programs work well together, do you have community partners? Are you using your resources effectively and wisely? How do you train and empower your volunteers?
I’ve worked with Boards of all sizes and configurations. In one organization, we faced a challenging transition from a Board that was responsible for mowing lawns and supervising volunteers to a Board that helped raise and oversee more than $4 million a year! Transition is tough, but it can be done.
How do you utilize your most accessible resources, staff? Do they know what to do, are their talents and dreams fully engaged? It’s important to reward, motivate and deploy them well.
Review your programs. Are they serving your mission? Are they effective and efficient? Do they use your resources well? It’s important to take an objective look and make changes when necessary.
Never forget your volunteers. They should be empowered, engaged and enlisted to support every aspect of your work. If you make your volunteers feel important, they’ll help you accomplish great things!
I have experience with training Boards, staff and volunteers. I’ve been fortunate to work with all sizes of organizations and had volunteer programs from about 30 to more than 4,000 a year. I can help you create a plan to put your best resources (Board, staff and volunteers) to work and to keep them motivated. Hint: saying “Thank You!” is always a good start.
