There is a Formula for Funding Success. It’s 60% Restricted Funds + 40% Unrestricted Funds. This distribution ensures program coverage, demonstrates to funders organization stability and viability, and allows the organization to be agile and responsive to the unforeseen.

There is a Formula for Funding Success. It’s 60% Restricted Funds + 40% Unrestricted Funds. This distribution ensures program coverage, demonstrates to Funders organization stability and viability, and allows the organization to be agile and responsive to the unforeseen.

There are always more applicants than money; that’s why it’s important to score high on eligibility screenings. Learn what things piss off Funders the most (hint: doing these could easily land your application in the “Rejected!” pile)

Funders don't Fund Events, Camps, Workshops. One time engagements don’t create change. Events are for visibility and are best aligned with marketing dollars. They sponsor them. Grants are for Projects/Programs that are administered over time. Funders want to see a change. If long term sustainability is your goal, you have to understand how Funders think so that you powerfully position your organization for opportunities.

No one lives forever. A responsible, forward-thinking Founder is going to have a Succession Plan and fill the pipeline with the next generation of leaders to ensure the longevity of the organization. Learn how to powerfully position your organization for stability, growth and sustainability with a Nonprofit Succession Plan.

The number 1 arsenal in a nonprofit’s tool kit will: build trust, provide constituents with quality info, maintain monthly/quarterly contact, allow it to prospect potential funders, offer the organization metrics and insight to what their funders like/support, generates revenue, and allows organizations to acknowledge staff and donors, and gets/gives visibility, announce new programs/events. The e-Newsletter ticks all the boxes. Learn how to maximize this powerful yet cost-effective resource.

Funders aren’t obligated to renew your grant. Learn how to turn a one-time award into a recurring stream of revenue by building a strong relationship with your Program Officer.

If your board isn’t fundraising it could be because it’s stacked with the wrong kind of people. Learn how to stack your board for fundraising success. Shift from “wondering” if your board will bring in consistent funding to guaranteeing it!

Cost savings should be a part of every Fund Development Strategy. Tax exempt organizations have been given a special status by the IRS to incentivize donations. Learn how to leverage your organization’s tax exempt status, the right way, to maximize budget savings and increase your organization’s flexibility.

Get more bang for your buck: increase engagement with potential funders by leveraging THEIR employee volunteer program. Using a project-based approach, complete your goals by partnering with corporations with employee volunteer programs. Learn how to increase your capacity, increase donor engagement, and increase revenue by helping corporations meet their Corporate Social Responsibility goals.

Stop viewing marketing as a traditional FTE “in house staff position” on payroll with potential costly benefits. Shift to project-based marketing that is outsourced, and focused on a particular goal (increase viewers, attract sponsors, increase SEO). This approach to project-based marketing with help increase your revenue without bogging your budget down with traditional staff positions. Get more done for less.

Learn how to shift your approach to compliance by learning how effective reporting can lead to 3x your revenue. Compliance as a part of your Fund Development Strategy will shift the way you approach tracking, monitoring, and reporting.

Side step the heavy lifting that comes with traditional hiring. Learn how project-based hiring can help increase your capacity, achieve short term goals, and strengthen your organization without the financial burden associated with traditional hiring.

Fiscal Sponsorship is a way to start up quickly, secure grants faster, and “do a test run” of being a nonprofit without investing thousands of dollars before discovering it’s not what you want. Learn how fiscal sponsors work and how one can help you bridge your knowledge gap while you learn to run an efficient, compliant, and effective nonprofit.

Nonprofits are businesses, with business expenses. It takes money to run a nonprofit. If you are trying to run your organization with no money (relying on donations and volunteers) your organization will never grow (and may be pulled away from its mission). Time to get real by embracing the facts: a nonprofit requires capital. Stop trying to skirt by and start doing what it takes to generate consistent revenue.

Are you saying “We” when actually it’s just “You”. You, running the programs, You fundraising, You doing everything? Stop creating a facade that is doing more harm than good. Shift from Faking It to actually building out a strong organization. Start with a real assessment of where your organization is so you can get it to where it needs to be.

Most nonprofits go about corporate sponsorships the wrong way; they focus on programs, themselves or the organization. Corporate sponsorships have very little to do with programs and a whole lot with marketing benefits. Learn the secret sauce to securing corporate sponsors.

The purpose of a Funding Organization is NOT to fund your nonprofit. The purpose of the funding organization is to accomplish their funding goals. They partner with the most qualified nonprofit to help them accomplish their funding goals. That’s why it’s important to cultivate strong relationships with your funders, because only speaking with them when it's time to ask for money is a sure fire way to dry out that funding source. Learn how to cultivate strong relationships that lead to more funding.

The thing about titles in the nonprofit sector is that they mean something. Don’t think that having an inappropriate title won’t impact your funding. Funders may view mislabeled titles as an indication that you don’t understand the nonprofit reporting structure. If the President hires and fires the CEO, if you have the title President/CEO it sends a red flag to the Funder. Titles in the nonprofit have different meaning in the for profit. Learn the truth about how it could impact your bottom line.

The thing about titles in the nonprofit sector is that they matter . . . to the IRS and to Funders, because titles in the nonprofit are tied to specific roles and responsibilities. They also come with power. Learn the importance of titles and why you should know what each title is responsible for in your organization.