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It’s November. You are probably trying to write an end-of-year appeal letter to your donors. Before the letter goes out the door, would you like to learn the #1 most important thing you can do to make your donors want to give?
Nonprofit communications expert Dennis Fischman will share the “secret sauce” you can add to your appeal letters to make your donors happy, proud, and generous.
Don’t let the year end donor feeding frenzy get you down! Come hear these simple, straightforward tips and bring your burning questions.
This free webinar will be conducted via Zoom video conferencing and will be limited to the first 25 participants that respond. You are welcome to share the opportunity with your friends and allies.
Wednesday, November 18
11:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time
(10:00 Central, 9:00 Mountain, 8:00 Pacific)
RSVP (ASAP!) to Robin Carton for login and additional information.
Dennis Fischman of Communicate! Consulting has generously shared the third chapter of his book, The No-Nonsense Nonprofit Guide to Social Media with Kayak Consulting Group. Dennis is passionate about social change. He left a senior management position at a nonprofit agency to help groups like yours tell their stories: in person, in writing, and through social media. As a Kayak Consulting Group associate, we look to him for insight on communications strategy, content, and social media management. You can read more expert advice on nonprofit communications on Dennis’ Communicate! blog.
People hear that I’m a communications consultant and they immediately ask, “What social media should I be using?” Here is my single, definitive, expert and unalterable answer:
It depends.
Seriously. And anybody who tells you different is wrong. I’m sure about it!
What does it depend upon? Before you decide which social media to use, consider the following questions:
- Am I ready for social media?
- Is my website up to date, easy to use, and full of content people will want to see?
- Do I blog?
- Do I collect people’s email (with their permission) and send them information that makes them like and trust me?
If not, take care of that before you worry about social media!
2. Are the people I’m trying to reach on social media? Don’t assume they’re not–people over 65 are the fastest growing group on social media–but don’t assume they are. Find out. If your audience habitually reads mail, or listens to Spanish-language radio, then maybe that’s where you should put your effort.
3. Which social media are they on? We know some broad generalizations. For instance, LinkedIn is more male, Pinterest more female. But those generalizations may have nothing to do with your specific audience. Search for them online. Do a poll. Or just ask them.
4. What’s the best thing I have to share? If you have a lot of great video, Youtube might be the way to go. For photos, Pinterest, Instagram, or Tumblr. Facebook is great for a mix of brief thoughts, links to longer posts, and images. Twitter is fantastic for pithy saying and links to your blog posts (or other people’s content that you want to share). Use what you have–or learn to create what you can use.
START SMALL
Let’s say you have already done the work. You’ve made your website attractive and useful, cleaned up your database, and started sending regular email to the people on your list. You’ve found your supporters online. Now what?
Here’s what I think will work for you: start small.
Pick one medium. Ideally, it should be the one your supporters use. If they’re on Facebook, choose Facebook. If it’s Youtube, choose Youtube. Practically speaking, you will probably pick the medium that your supporters use most which your organization uses already.
However you pick, do pick one, and only one–and then concentrate single-mindedly on learning how to use that medium better.
Give yourselves at least six months to become really good at connecting with your supporters on just one of the social media you use.
THE MAGIC FORMULA FOR CHOOSING SOCIAL MEDIA
“Okay,” you say, “I’ll start small, but where do I finish?” You’re sure there’s a secret to social media for a small organization with limited time and money. You twist my arm and ask, “What’s the magic formula?”
Listen closely: Facebook plus one.
WHY YOU NEED TO BE ON FACEBOOK
For now, Facebook is still an essential part of your social media. Yes, I know: it’s frustrating that people can “like” you on Facebook and still not see your posts in their news feed.
But there is nowhere online that you will find more people, and a broader range of people. Grandparents are joining Facebook every day to see photos of their grandchildren. Adults keep up with their friends on Facebook, even after they’ve moved to a different city or country. Teenagers are still joining Facebook. It may not be cool, but it’s a “have to have.” My best guess is that it will continue to be for years.
WHY YOU NEED SOMETHING ELSE
Even if a lot of supporters are there, you should make sure not to put all your eggs in the Facebook basket. It’s not free media any more. You need a budget to pay for ads AND an expert to help you advertise effectively. And it’s only going to get more expensive.
Plus, there may come a tipping point. When enough people drift away from Facebook, a lot of people may decide to do so all at once. You should be collecting their email addresses, so you don’t lose them altogether–but many people prefer to hear about you through social media. When they go looking for an alternative to Facebook, you want them to find you there.
WHICH “SOMETHING ELSE” IS FOR YOU?
Think of three lines on a graph. One: the social media platforms your audience uses. Two: the one you find most comfortable. Three: the platform that lets you use what you have–whether that’s writing, photography, or video. Ideally, when you use Facebook plus one, that one is where those lines come together.
Twitter is growing fast. It forces you to be brief, but that’s good: you will catch people’s attention better that way. It’s ideal for sharing links to useful information, including your blog posts, and it’s recently become better for sharing pictures.
YouTube is the world’s biggest search engine, after Google. If you have great video and would like to be found, YouTube is the place to go.
Google+ has also been growing. Unlike Facebook, everything you post shows up for everyone who likes you there (or “adds you to their circles,” in Google+ lingo). Two big cautions, however: a lot of people are still not on Google+, and there are rumors that Google plans to make big changes to it soon.
Pinterest is clearly the best way to reach a female audience with photos. Instagram reaches a more mixed audience, and people say it’s easier to use, especially from your mobile phone.
LinkedIn is the only social media platform that reaches more men than women. LinkedIn Groups are a great vehicle for establishing your expertise in the field.
There are many other options, and feel free to choose the one that suits you best. You may also want to create accounts on social media you’re not planning to use for a while, just to reserve the name you want (and not let some other group create confusion by claiming it).
You’re best off concentrating on Facebook and just one other form of social media, if you really want to work your magic.
Andy Robinson is an extraordinary consultant, trainer, and author based in Vermont. His accessible fundraising advice has assisted hundreds of organizations over the years. Kayak Consulting Group is delighted to share this blog post and its insights with our readers.
Does your board resist fundraising? Do they find the whole subject distasteful? If so, you are not alone. I’ve been teaching boards to raise money for more than twenty years, and demand is endless – because the vast majority or nonprofit boards do a lousy job raising money.
Why is this so challenging? It boils down to three things:
- The money taboo. Many people believe money is private. You just don’t talk about it.
- Fear of asking. When you ask, you make yourself vulnerable, because you might be rejected, feel foolish, offend people, etc.
- Myths and misinformation about fundraising. The most common: “I don’t know anyone who has money.”
In truth, 70%-80% of North Americans contribute to charitable organizations, and more than half of that money comes from middle class, working class, and poor people – not wealthy strangers. If you know 150 people (a typical number for an American adult) then you know at least 100 “givers.”
Hey donor, tell us your story
Since donors are everywhere, let’s recruit them to train our boards. Imagine the following scenario:
Ask three of your most loyal supporters to attend a board meeting. Give them a few minutes each to talk about why they love your organization. I guarantee your board will be moved.
Then open it up to questions. (Prepare some in advance.) How do you like to be asked? When do you prefer to give? Do you like coming to events? How do we rank among the groups you support…and why? How can we do a better job thanking you?
If you want to be strategic, choose at least one or two donors who are willing to be solicited in person, and can talk about how and why that conversation is important.
When your board members interact with real donors – especially people they don’t personally know – it reduces their fear of the unknown. They begin to understand that people like to give, are willing to be asked, and want to feel connected to your organization and its valuable work.
May we practice with you?
After you’ve organized a donor panel with your board, try this. Choose a handful of your smartest, most engaged supporters and pick up the phone.
“We are working with our board to improve their fundraising skills, and several trustees want to learn how to meet with donors and ask for gifts. You’ve been so generous in the past. May I bring a board member so we can practice with you?
“Just so we’re clear, it’s a real ‘ask.’ We hope you’ll contribute. But more than money, what we really need is practice. I think you’d give us great feedback. When can we meet?”
The approach lowers the pressure, because everyone knows it’s a practice session. Furthermore, you’re likely to get a yes – out of sympathy, if for no other reason. Most importantly, you are building a stronger bridge to your donors by asking for advice. Best of all, you’re using the board to help build the bridge.
It’s not really about money – so what are we afraid of?
By introducing board members to donors, they can experience one of the great truths in fundraising: it’s not about money, it’s about building relationships.
The best way to reduce their fear is to create proactive, transparent opportunities for the board to engage with donors. In doing so, you will deepen relationships all around, increasing everyone’s connection and commitment to your organization.
***
Andy Robinson is a consultant, trainer, and author based in Vermont. To learn more, visit www.andyrobinsononline.com or www.trainyourboard.com. To check out his new board training video series, go to www.boardtrainingvideos.com.
Good, solid research is essential to identifying prospective funders and crafting a solid grant proposal. Randomly sending letters of interest or a cookie-cutter application will almost certainly engender ill will from the funder who processes the information. It is far more efficient (and beneficial!) to send out a few well-researched requests that speak directly to a funder’s interests and guidelines.
A successful research strategy includes these four steps:
- Develop a broad list of prospective funders.
There are tens of thousands of foundations that award grants, including public charities, corporate giving programs, and private and community foundations. These funders provide a range of support – everything from cold, hard cash to technical assistance and training. However, only a small portion of these funders will be a good match for your organization.
Public charities and private foundations are what most people think of when a foundation comes to mind. These two types of entities may have very similar funding interests and application guidelines; however, they are differentiated by the number and variety of people who support them.
A public charity receives significant financial support from the public-at-large, other foundations or government agencies. Community foundations are also public charities. Grantmaking decisions are often made by a panel of community members, stakeholders and allies. Examples of public charities that provide grants are: The Ms. Foundation for Women, the Appalachian Community Fund, New Mexico Community Foundation and the Fund for Idaho.
Conversely, a private foundation is often controlled by members of a family or by a few individuals. A private foundation receives a majority of its income from a small number of sources and/or investment income. In addition, corporate foundations are private foundations whose resources come from for-profit businesses. In these foundations, grantmaking decisions are generally at the discretion of family members, their proxies or company employees. The Pew Charitable Trust, Newman’s Own Foundation, Annie E. Casey Foundation and the UPS Foundation are examples of private foundations.
As noted in Part 2 of this series (Insider’s Guide: Research Strategies and Finding Information), there are a significant number of resources available to help grant seekers find potential funding matches. In order to maximize the possibility of receiving a grant award, it is critical to start with a broad list of funders based on their fields of interest, geographic restrictions, and grant size.
The indices of foundation directories can be quite helpful in narrowing down your list. Many of these directories list funders by interest area, geographic region, or target population. Hone in on the foundations that seem to have the greatest degree of overlap with your work.
- Refine the list to focus on the most viable funding prospects.
If your organization’s mission is to preserve wetlands, you want to ensure that the funders you approach share your vision. A foundation that focuses on improving the quality of public schools will not be interested in your work – even if there are public schools that are adjacent to endangered wetlands. A grant maker that has funded organizations working to reclaim prairie land, however, may be willing to consider your work as well.
How do you refine your list? Start by paying attention to the type and size of grants a funder has given in the past. You can often find this information on the foundation’s web site or in their annual report. Usually there will be a short blurb about each of their grantees and information on the size of the grant. Look not only at the current year’s giving, but also the prior two years. This will provide insight into the direction of the funder’s strategic priorities.
Don’t be put off by foundations that say they will not accept unsolicited proposals. If the foundation looks like it would otherwise be a perfect match, it’s time to do some research. Many foundations have a public list of their staff, founders, board members and major donors. Once you have identified some of their key players, you can play “who knows who knows who” with your own staff, board and members. Given the adage of “six degrees of separation,” you may find connections between your networks and the funder. Use those connections to gain an introduction and begin to develop a relationship.
- Verify information found in directories with the funder in question
Unfortunately, foundation directories may contain information that is either incomplete or outdated. Deadlines, focus areas, grant sizes and applications may change without being reflected in on-line or printed resources. Most on-line databases ask the funder to update their profile on an annual basis. However, this task often falls to the bottom of a busy program officer’s to do list.
To make sure your information is current, cross-check the data with the funder’s web site or their program staff. If you are not certain, request the most recent copy of their funding guidelines and application. Then follow the directions!
- Contact the program officer before sending in your application.
Most grant applicants are wary of contacting a foundation’s program officer. However, program officers can provide information that may make a huge difference in an applicant’s quest for funding. In general, most program officers are willing to speak with grant applicants. Unless there is a specific “no call” policy, it is safe to assume that you can initiate contact.
Although it seems obvious, it is good to remember that program officers are people too. As with any new relationship, first impressions can have a lasting impact. A positive set of interactions will influence the way the funder will think about your organization and talk about you with colleagues. Yes, funders do share information with each other and a negative first impression can become a hot topic when funders gather.
In addition, take advantage of the most opportune moments to make contact. Make sure to initiate contact well before the proposal deadline. This indicates that you have given some thought to the process and provides the program officer the mental space to answer your questions more thoroughly. Don’t call just before a proposal deadline when phones are ringing off the hook. In these moments program officers can become quite harried and they will not be able to focus their attention on your organization.
Before placing a call, read the foundation’s grantmaking guidelines thoroughly and compile a list of clarifying questions that will help you craft a strong proposal. Finally, ascertain that you have the correct pronunciation and name of the program officer. There is no quicker way to start off on the wrong foot than to ask to speak with a long-departed staff person or to mangle the program officer’s name.
Remember, foundations receive a large number of inquiries about their funding. They also receive stacks of unsolicited materials. By identifying and then refining your list of prospects, you stand a better chance of having your proposal move forward instead of ending up in the recycling bin.
Determining which foundations might be willing to fund your organization should not resemble finding a needle in a haystack. The information is out there, you just need to know what you need and where to get it.
The first step in the grantseeking process is to make a list of the names and addresses of foundations that might support your organization or the project in question.
The most comprehensive listing of grants and grantmakers can be found in the network of libraries around the United States affiliated with the Foundation Center (foundationcenter.org). The Foundation Center libraries have a range of directories that provide information on specific foundations. They also have specialized funding directories that cover particular fields of interest, geographic locations, and types of support
Your local public library can also be a good source of information. Reference librarians are underutilized gems who can help find books on researching foundations. And if they are not in the library’s collection, they may be able to order them from regional libraries.
Finally, there is a wide range of independent books and magazines that are available for purchase. A few places to get started include: The Grassroots Fundraising Journal (grassrootsfundraising.org), Klein & Roth Consulting (kleinandroth.com/books), Andy Robinson Consulting (andyrobinsononline.com), and books published by Wiley/Jossey-Bass (wiley.com). This is by no means an exhaustive list of options. Merely a starting point.
Once you have compiled all the information you need, you are ready for the next step – contacting the grantmakers!
For eighteen years I had the opportunity to work in a national foundation. During that time I read over 6,000 grant proposals and participated in awarding over 2,500 grants. This means that I have seen good proposals, bad proposals and ones that should never have left the writer’s grasp. It also means that I have spoken with hundreds of grantseekers about their work and their potential for funding.
Whether you are a grassroots activist group, a social service provider or an educational institution, there is a good chance that you will spend time attempting to raise funds from a foundation. Truthfully, there are no secret stores of knowledge that will enable you to become a successful grantwriter. There are, however, a variety of commonsense steps you can take to increase your chances for success.
A thorough approach to finding appropriate grantmakers requires a clear focus on the particular needs and goals of your organization. In addition, grantseekers need concise information about potential funding sources, basic steps to follow when researching and applying for grants; and suggestions on how to contact grantmakers.
As a grantwriter, following these three guidelines will enable you to determine which foundations are the best match for your needs and what approaches you should use when applying for funding:
1. Do your research;
2. Identify prospective funders; and
3. Contact the funder before you apply.
Will following these three simple steps guarantee that you will find funding? Of course not! But they will definitely increase your chances of success and give you a better grantseeking road map to follow.
Meetings can be an important step in developing strategies, coordinating work or ensuring that people are on the same page with information and responsibilities. A good meeting lifts spirits, creates action plans and does not drag on forever. A poorly run meeting can make you want to stick a fork in your eye.
While they may evoke memories of kindergarten or recess – ground rules are an essential tool for effectively managing meetings and keeping people involved. The goal is to determine guidelines for group process and individual behavior that participants are willing to accept. And when meeting attendees jointly create a few straightforward ground rules, they are more likely to respect these limits.
Ground rules may include, but are not limited to, the following suggestions:
- Begin and end on time. Everyone has somewhere else they need to be. This places a value on people’s choice to work together and respects their need to have a defined time commitment.
- Distribute and read all necessary materials prior to the meeting. If there are documents that are central to the work of the group (e.g. agendas, reports, minutes or articles) they need to be provided in a timely fashion. Once provided, each member should come prepared to work – having read the materials.
- Follow an agenda. The meeting is convened for a particular purpose and the agenda is the group’s roadmap. Change is inevitable – so create a process for amending the original agenda. Otherwise, stay on task and avoid getting sidetracked by unnecessary conversations or topics.
- Take turns speaking. As a sign of respect for the input of colleagues, only one person should speak at a time. Create a fair process that ensures all attendees have a chance to be heard.
- Listen before responding. The goal is to understand the point a person is trying to share, not to immediately contradict them. Brainstorming requires listening without responding
- Attack the problems, not the people. Begin from a place of trust. Assume that each group member is operating from a place of good intentions. Keep the conversation on the issues at hand and the potential solutions to the problems. Avoid identifying issues with specific individuals. Personalizing issues breaks down good will and creates defensive behaviors.
- Ask clarifying questions. As a listener, do not make assumptions about the point that is being made. As the speaker, do not assume you are being attacked if someone does not understand your position.
- Encourage debate. Not everyone will agree on all decisions or action plans. However, members can respect each other’s opinions without having to agree with them. The mere fact that someone disagrees does not make them the enemy. So check all egos at the door and find a way to make the dialogue productive.
- Silence = consent. When participants do not voice an opinion, the group will assume that they are in agreement with a particular position or course of action. The burden falls to each individual to raise alternative points of view.
- Bring closure to decisions. Identify the process for making decisions and highlight when a decision is being made. Ensure all members have sufficient information to take a stand. Be clear what the result is and the action steps that will follow from the decisions. Decision need to be in writing and available for reference.
- Define confidential information. While transparency is good, not all information may be available for public consumption immediately. Together, determine the pros and cons of sharing information Work that is in process may need to be held within the group until there is agreement. Certain parts of the process, participants’ positions or problems may remain permanently within the group as a means of building solidarity and trust.
- You can’t always get what you want. At its core, a meeting is the art of compromise made manifest. This means that inevitably there will be some grumbling about the concessions. But even if every member does not get their way, hopefully the group will still effectively meet its needs.
- Obviously, there are no guarantees that meetings will be smooth sailing – even with a set of ground rules. However, ground rules provide an operating framework that decreases the potential for conflict, maximizes participation and ensures clarity around decision-making. Smooth sailing or a fork in the eye – which kind of meeting do you prefer?