Geoffrey Brailey’s Post

Check out CCS Fundraising's Fundraising Forecast Template! In this article, find out how to navigate the uncertainties of the year ahead and forecast fundraising revenue with the help of our handy template. Read the article and download TODAY : https://lnkd.in/eHitCSFe #CCSFundraising #Nonprofits #Fundraising

Libraries often face unique challenges when it comes to raising funds for new facilities. Funding the gap between public dollars and the full cost of your building project will likely have you you considering a library capital campaign. Read now! #nonprofitfundraising #nonprofitcapitalcampaign #capitalcampaign #capitalcampaignconsultant

January can be a slow month in nonprofit fundraising. Here are my suggestions for key projects that can help to set the foundation for the year. What else are you doing this month to prepare for the year ahead? #planning #nonprofitfundraising

Libraries often face unique challenges when it comes to raising funds for new facilities. Funding the gap between public dollars and the full cost of your building project will likely have you you considering a library capital campaign. Read now! #nonprofitfundraising #nonprofitcapitalcampaign #capitalcampaign #capitalcampaignconsultant

Capital campaigns can be critical fundraising strategies for nonprofits, universities, and other organizations. They are especially useful for groups that need to raise a significant amount of funds for a specific goal or project. Importantly, organizations can utilize this strategy no matter their size. If you aren’t familiar with capital campaigns or you’ve never run one, we’ve created an outline for you to get started - https://bit.ly/3vQJwCZ

Here's a pretty standard fundraising problem I see as a consultant: a mid-sized nonprofit is expecting a shortfall of about $200,000. One time it was a $3-million arts organization with a $250,000 shortfall. Another time it was a human-services organization with five employees and a $150,000 shortfall. There's five things you can do to raise the money: 1) Ask all board members to make an additional monthly pledge in addition to their annual gift. 15 board members with an average gift of $75 - $100 a month is $15,000. 2) Ask the board to team up to hold a house party for their friends. Two people, one of whom has a suitable home, can raise $5,000 each. That's $35,000. 3) Ask each board member to go on calls to current and prospective donors with the executive director. They just have to go on one call every two months. They can pick from the current donor list if they don't want to ask friends or colleagues. If all they raise is $1,000 gifts, that's 90 calls in a year for $90,000. 4) Recruit five new board members to the board. If they make the above three commitments - $1,000 in giving, hold two parties amongst the five that raise $5,000 each, and go on one call every two months to raise just $1,000 - that's an additional $45,000. 5) Finally, find two new corporate donors, one for $10,000, and one for $5,000. If you recruit the five board members as top executives from local corporations, you should find that at least two of them will be able to ask their company for a gift or sponsorship. That's $200,000. Is this doable? Sure. Here are three results I've coached: * A non-profit arts organization was 12 weeks' away from the end of their fiscal year, and $250,000 in the red. My team set up appointments with current donors. In 11 weeks, they raised $250,000 AND had an additional $100,000 in pledges for the fiscal year starting the following month. * The total revenue raised for a human services organization was $380,000 for the previous fiscal year. They were three months into the new year, and wanted to raise $500,000. They exceeded that goal. * A think-tank has just one donor for $1 million and the only fundraising staff was a 25-year-old woman. In ten months we raised $500,000 in new money from 80 new donors. If you say "We don't have 15 board members" or "We don't have board members who will raise money" or "We don't know how to do a house party" then I can post how to do this in future blogs. If you're not getting results like this already, contact me and let's talk.

I attended a great event today at AFP Greater Hudson Valley, my local chapter of Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP Global). The event was called Meet the Funders. On the panel were representatives from several local foundations and the discussion covered topics ranging from trust-based philanthropy and Dan Pallotta’s, Uncharitable Movie, to how funders use and think of data and how “data” differs from “metrics.” And I learned a whole bunch. What I heard from *these funders* is: 🤝 They want to know and trust you. So, call them when you are trying to decide whether your organization or program is a good fit for their funding priorities. Talk with them about your needs before you go through the process of completing the application. 🤝 They want to say yes, and they want to help you complete the application effectively. So call them when you have questions about the application. 🤝 If they’ve granted you funding, they want to collaborate, so you are meeting the goals. If something changes or goes awry, call them. They are sometimes willing to adjust goals, reporting requirements, parameters. 🤝 They want to fund worthy causes. So, call them if your application was denied. Meet with them to find out why your application didn’t make the cut. If you incorporate their feedback into a new application, you may get funded next time. They also shared that they have to distill the applications they receive into digestible reports for all kinds of stakeholders involved in the decision-making process to read before an application is approved. That’s why so many questions are asked and that’s why they are as specific as they are. Now, the question was asked whether the foundation community is moving in the direction of trust-based philanthropy. And some of *these funders* indicated that yes, they either had made changes or were talking about making changes that would shift their process more toward 👉 long term relationship-based giving 👉 unrestricted funding 👉 simpler applications and 👉 less arduous reporting However, they were also clear to say that: 1. A lot of the foundation world is unlikely to make this shift. 2. Some organizations, such as community foundations, despite recognizing the value of shifting, have restrictions that will not allow them to do so fully. For example, a community foundation stewards a lot of funds that they don’t make the decisions about.  3. The opinions shared were for *these funders* only But, regardless, the big takeaway for me was yet another reminder that funders are people too and you should treat them that way. If you have a question, a concern, are confused, need help, something went off track, call them. They may be able to help. And if not, you’re not in worse shape than you were before you called.

Are you preparing to create your organization’s annual fundraising plan? Let’s talk about how you can develop accurate funding projections and create an effective fundraising plan for your nonprofit. Read our full blog at https://lnkd.in/e8wDxfcR #nonprofit #fundingforgood #fundraisingplan

Nonprofits often leverage various methods for fundraising, including social media, silent auctions, and even the classic walkathon. However, it’s crucial to remember that to successfully raise funds long term, a fundraising strategy that your team can tangibly implement is essential. Check out this article by Rochelle Greaves, Co-founder of Story Point Consulting, for seven strategies to boost your fundraising efforts. ⬇️ https://okt.to/XeikrY #article #blogs #leadership #charity #nonprofit #philanthropy #charities #nonprofits #notforprofit #blog #blogging #nonprofitwork #nonprofitlife #network #association #nonprofitorganization #community #leadership #Canada #fundraising #fundraiser #donations #donors #strategy

Forget dusty bake sales and endless silent auctions. AOK ushers in an era of Philanthropic Shopping, where everyday purchases become ripples of positive change. Imagine a curated online haven meticulously crafted by your cherished education charity, bursting with quality products from brands you know and trust.  #AOK #aoksocial #charity #education #philanthropy #donate