The Nonprofit Consultant

APRIL 28, 2006

CompassPoint Nonprofit Services and The Meyer Foundation have just released a new report, "Daring to Lead 2006," exploring the leading causes of nonprofit executive burnout; in particular, widespread frustration with boards of directors and funders, and dissatisfaction with their pay. We've heard much of this before - this report is a follow-up to their 2001 Daring to Lead - but the numbers are updated, and some of the recommendationsn are fresh.

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The Nonprofit Consultant

APRIL 27, 2006

The California Association of Nonprofits (CAN), in partnership with the Community Foundations of Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties, are presenting Show Me the Money , a one-day conference on nonprofit finance practices. The conference -- which will be held one week from today: Thursday, May 4, 2006 -- is designed to help you: * Manage your finances. * Enhance your human resources. * Align management with mission. * Get the inside scoop on policies impacting the way you work.

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The Nonprofit Consultant

APRIL 25, 2006

When fundraising discussions get around to "who should we ask?" a few answers typically appear: "If only we could get Bill Gates.," "What about Oprah? Let's send her a letter." I'm sure you've been a part of one of these discussions. They're fun, but not very productive. The reason why this is not a fruitful road to go down is that you're only qualifying prospects by one criteria: They're rich.

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The Nonprofit Consultant

APRIL 25, 2006

Blue Sky Collaborative's blog has an excellent post about Squidoo Lenses and Nonprofits , and specifically, why nonprofits are not flocking to Squidoo the way founder Seth Godin thinks they should. What was that? Squidoo? Lenses? In brief, Squidoo is a free web site that allows users to build one-page mini-sites - called "lenses" - that focus on a particular topic that the "lens master" is an expert in.

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The Nonprofit Consultant

APRIL 22, 2006

The other day, I posted about a great general grants resource newsletter from Charity Channel. Today, I'd like to share one that is a little more specific. It is the Join Together Direct Funding News from jointogether.org. There are far fewer resources listed each week in this newsletter, but they are all specifically targeted to fighting alcohol and drug addiction and related issues.

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The Nonprofit Consultant

APRIL 20, 2006

All grant opportunity research can be divided into two general categories: passive or active. When I have a new client or project that needs funding, I go into active mode, which includes specific searches in various databases and web sites for particular keywords. Today, however, I want to talk a little bit about passive prospecting, and one of my favorite resources.

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The Nonprofit Consultant

APRIL 18, 2006

Did you remember to file your personal income taxes on time? I'm sure you did. And I'm sure you put a lot of care and effort into it. What about your nonprofit organization's filings? As a public charity, your 990 filing each year is public information. You should be sure to remember that when preparing it. Most of us would be content to let the accountants handle the 990 and send it in without reviewing the text, but that would be a mistake.

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The Nonprofit Consultant

APRIL 14, 2006

According to a new report by the nonpartisan research organization Public Agenda, "typical giving tends to be based on personal experience and emotional connections." Hopefully most of us knew that already, but it's good to be reminded of it occasionally anyway. The report, The Charitable Impulse , finds that "American donors are passionate and positive about the charities and nonprofits they support.

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The Nonprofit Consultant

APRIL 12, 2006

Does your organization's web site include a blog? Why not? Nonprofit agencies need to communicate with their constituents just as much as any other company - maybe more. By adding a blog to your web site you can tell your potential supporters what you are up to, brag about success stories, explain the need that your group fills, and how the reader can become a part of that solution through volunteering or donating.

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The Nonprofit Consultant

APRIL 13, 2006

Are you thinking of hiring a fundraising consultant or independent grant writer for your organization? (That's likely the search that landed you on my site). I just came across a great article by Kim Klein in the Grassroots Fundraising Journal (pdf file) with some sound advice on how to go about it. Ms. Klein goes beyond the obvious (check references, make sure you're compatible) to explain exactly what a consultant can - and cannot - do for your organization.

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The Nonprofit Consultant

APRIL 11, 2006

Many restaurants will allow your organization to claim a night (or day), promote it to your supporters, and earn anywhere from 5-15% of their order as a donation. So, are these restaurant fundraisers worth it? First, you need to put together the numbers. What is the average cost of a meal at the restaurant? Usually, these offers are available at low-cost, family eateries, not top-of-the-line dinner places.

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The Nonprofit Consultant

APRIL 10, 2006

An article in the New York times the other day looked at "something called 'face-to-face' or 'street fundraising,' trolling city streets and taking credit card information from donors on the spot." This, the Times says, is in response to donors no longer responding to phone calls (thanks to caller ID) and being burnt out on TV telethons, etc. They call this one-on-one, in-person fundraising a return to raising money "the old-fashioned way.

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The Nonprofit Consultant

APRIL 7, 2006

A question I often hear in nonprofit discussions is, "How do you define 'major gifts'?" Which always makes me wonder, "Do you consider any gifts to be 'minor'?" Most organizations have a dollar threshold for what they consider "major." That figure can range from as low as $500 to as much as $50,000+. Which is right? A better answer I've heard from a few organizations is to define your major gifts as the top 10% of your donors.

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The Nonprofit Consultant

APRIL 6, 2006

Would you rather have an event that brings in $30,000, a direct mail letter that brings in $25,000, or a grant for $25,000? Some of you may be jumping for that $30,000 event. But that might not be the best answer. The first question about each of these fundraisers is, "How much did you spend to bring that money in?" Let's take a closer look at how it might work out: Event Letter Grant Gross $30,000 $25,000 $25,000 Expenses $12,000 site, food, entertainment, invitations $3,250 printing, postage $

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The Nonprofit Consultant

APRIL 5, 2006

We all want to raise more money, that's obvious. So " Raising More Money " (RMM) seems like a great name for a fundraising company. And it is. RMM has a very specific method and strategy for helping nonprofits build their base of individual donors, and make it a sustainable and growing effort. Their system involves having regular, free, "point-of-entry" (POE) events where you introduce your organization to potential supporters.

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