Fund Development/Annual Giving
Contributor Assessment and Campaign Planning
Many groups assume that supporters will be contributors and are reluctant to become involved with contributor profiles or analyses. In order to effectively generate regular giving from a donor base, it is important to know who the donors are and why they are giving.
Regularize Current Annual Giving
Using time tested techniques, agencies are able to establish regular patterns of giving for their donors. This helps in the budgeting process, but, of even more value, is the regularizing of the cash flow for the agency.
Transforming Periodic Contributors into Regular Supporters
Public relations is the key to converting your sometime or periodic contributors into regular supporters. Most of the folks on your data base have only a sketchy idea of what you do and how you do it. If they become more involved and are invited, they will become regular contributors.
Why Have an Endowment?
What is the future of the organization and how is this reflected in your spending/saving plan? What is implied by an agencies refusal to invest for the future and are funding sources reluctant to fund agencies who 'hoard' funds? Devising a Rational Investment Policy
Governing boards ought to act as good fiduciary agents in planning for the agency's future. If it is a goal to work itself out of business within five years, then investments are not appropriate. If', on the other hand, the board believes in what it is doing and expects that the agency will continue to function into the foreseeable future, then it is important to put in place a rational investment policy that will guide the board and the funders.
Weighing Risk
Most private investors hold a relatively short investment horizon - five to fifteen years - with a goal of saving for a home, children's education or retirement. Most agencies have a much longer horizon since the funds are used to generate operating income or for a catastrophic occurrence. Therefore, the risk is balanced between bonds and equities in order to protect the investment over the long term and keep up with inflation at the same time.
Understanding Total Return
Typically, return has been defined as interest and dividends. Unrealized capital gain has normally been off limits to portfolio managers. More recently there has been an increasing awareness that income might be interpreted as the total return and the portfolio could be balanced to provide growth and income and, at the same time, a standard percentage of draw could be built into the policy. Developing a Philosophy of Investment
The fiduciary agents for any agency should determine how the mission of the organization can be enhanced by an investment portfolio. In so doing, they will define the goals of the Endowment and market that giving opportunity to the supporters. The philosophy should state how much risk the investment can handle and put forth a model portfolio and management responsibilities.
Developing a Controlled Spending Policy
A plan ought to be in place for the use of the income from the investment portfolio, whether or not a total return policy is used. If this plan is in place early in the process, there will be less debate from year to year as the operating budget is developed. The plan will devise a way to regularize the distribution of income, otherwise known as a standard percentage of draw against the account, so as to cushion the ups and downs of the market, keep the investment ahead of inflation and assure supporters that their contributions are being faithfully managed for the long term health of the organization.
Working with Existing Community Foundations
Private and public foundations receive a lot of press, but, in reality, they only account for less than ten percent of all charitable giving. They should not be ignored, but any planned giving program will not stop with grant writing.
Wills/Annuities/Trusts
The creative packaging of endowment gifts will help prospective donors as they devise ways to gift the agencies which they have long supported. Organizations need a tracking system that helps them identify prospects for planned gifts and, at the same time, provide interpretation of the many opportunities for tax relief, personal return on investment and support for the organization. Major Donors, Special Gifts Matching the donor to the gift opportunity has always been a curious task. Research shows that we will all give to something that we believe in and will give more when we know more about the mission and need of the organization. Agencies can do a meaningful evaluation of personal major gift potential based on sound research.
Identifying, Qualifying, Nurturing Prospective Donors Each organization has a unique mission and constituency. Doing sound research involves identifying those donors who have the potential for making substantial gifts. A good demographer can provide this research which will lead to qualified prospects who will then be nurtured as they think about making a long term investment in the organization.
Recruiting, Developing, Orienting and Organizing Boards and Committees Your Board is vital to your organization. Understand what you can do to influence board composition and skill. With careful planning, educating and evaluating, board members will provide entre into the community and expand your network.
Defining Management Structures
Management structures can be designed on personality models and can be used to create efficient collaborative environments or they can be so highly structured as to get in the way of efficiency. Understanding the personalities involved will help in structuring an organization.
Understanding Staff Issues
Some organizations are able to build program around the strengths of the staff and therefore maximize energies and skills. Having a people oriented staffing pattern helps these organizations care and nurture their most important assets - their staff.
Recruitment and Nurture of Volunteers
Locating, recruiting and training volunteers is more than hoping someone will walk through the door. It means an intentional effort and evaluative process so as to place well-meaning volunteers into positions where they can effectively serve the organization and will not frustrate themselves or the rest of the staff.
Report Writing
Clarity, whether in writing a case statement, a grant proposal or a summary report is of critical importance to communication with a constituency. There are techniques that can be employed to be sure that what is written makes sense to the reader and says what the writer intended.
Newsletters, Annual Reports
Printed communications ought to reflect the mission and program of the organization. They should be clear and well written and invite supporters to contribute to the operating as well as the long term financial goals.
Understanding Fund Accounting
There is a difference between the familiar cash basis for accounting and the type of accounting used by most not-for-profits. Your organization needs to know the dynamics of fund accounting and know how to capitalize on this unique management system.
Line Item Budgets
The line item budget provides an instant reflection of where the money is and becomes an indispensable tool in budget management.
Narrative Budgets
The narrative budget can be more flexible with the identification of program and staff costs. By assigning staff costs proportionally to different program and management areas, supporters can see how their dollars are being used directly in service to the clients or mission.
Budgeting For the Long Haul
Many small organizations budget like young families, from hand to mouth. Good fiscal management would have them be better stewards of their resources and budget for a rainy day and future growth.
Increasing the Annual Giving
It is a rare organization that has all the money it needs and is not looking for ways to maximize its donations and enlarge its donor base. We have found that collaborative thinking can produce new ideas unique to each campaign which will do both of these.
Capital Campaigns
Generally, an organization's greatest asset for a building campaign is its existing donor base. Most groups are shy about capitalizing on this asset since they depend so heavily on it for operating funds.
Feasibility Studies
In order to prepare for a capital or special fund drive, a serious study should determine the readiness of the donor base and what other areas of support exist within the organization's community.
Special Campaigns
Setting the goal and developing the case statement for a special campaign will go a long way to effective and successful fund raising.
Grant Writing/Creative Funding
Orientation to the Philanthropic Community
Individual fund raisers need to understand the public and private philanthropic communities and the goals of each. Whether located in the organization's community or in a national forum, there is a vast pot of money available.
Doing the Research
Learning the tools, whether available in a local library or on the internet, will help the grant writer prepare well-focussed proposals.
Grant Writing Workshops, Levels I and II
From learning the components of a good proposal in Level I to writing a practice grant in Level II, participants learn the nuts and bolts of grant writing.
Descriptions of recently published works with usability ratings
We will put together an up-to-date bibliography leading the client to the most recent and relevant materials published.
Trouble Shooting Marginal Programs
There are many ways to evaluate programs to determine their effectiveness. Is the program meeting its goals? Is it cost effective? Should it be re-directed or should it be phased out? These are questions that boards need to be asking of every program within the organization's sphere.
Growing Program Response Out of a Mission Statement and Issue Analysis
We can provide the analysis and resources to guide an organization in a refinement of its service areas based on its mission and capabilities.