I’ve been talking with several folks lately who are working with new nonprofits that have recently gotten started.  They are so excited and have so many questions!

They want to know how to put a good Board together and how to get Board members to have ownership of the organization.  They want to know how to spread the word about the work they are setting out to do and how to get the attention of the local media.  They want to know how to apply for grants without having served any clients yet.  They want to know how to find donors and raise money. (See what I mean about lots of questions?)

Since I seem to be attracting these startups like moths to a flame, I’m putting together a coaching program just for them to get them up and running fast.  I’m calling it the Nonprofit Startup Jumpstart.  My intention is to help them speed up their learning curve on these issues and get moving fast.  It’s packed with information and affordably priced. You can read all about it at http://www.getfullyfunded.com/nonprofit-startup-jumpstart.

So here’s my question for you, my readers:  What does a Startup need to know?  What do you wish someone had told you when you first started your organization or when you first started working in fundraising?  I’d love to hear your thoughts!  Please hit the comment link and let me know what you think.

Oh, and if you know someone who might benefit from the Nonprofit Startup Jumpstart program, please share the link.  The program starts September 1 and the deadline to sign up is September 14.

Last Thursday, I had the honor of presenting at the AFP North Carolina Conference on Philanthropy in Charlotte.  My session was called “4 Simple Steps to Building Donor Relationships and Fully Funding Your Mission Using Donor-Based Fundraising.”

My intention for this breakout session was to help my students focus on building donor relationships and share my concept of getting fully funded. Here are a few notes from the session.

What does it mean to ‘Get fully funded?’ It’s a state of fundraising where you can easily raise all the money your organization needs to fulfill its mission.  Your organization has all the equipment, supplies, and staff it needs.  Fundraising is not only easy, it’s fun!

What is donor-based fundraising? It focuses on the donor and the relationship. It creates long-term sustainability for the organization and a satisfying experience for the donor.  It requires honest two-way communication.

When you follow the principles of donor-based fundraising, there are 4 simple steps to raising all the money your organization needs.

1. Tell your story.  Keep it short and simple, and tell people why they should care about your organization.
2. Ask for a gift. Ask multiple times during the year and use a variety of techniques.
3. Thank the donor.  Be warm, sincere, and prompt in your gratitude.
4. Build relationships. Get to know your donors and what peaks their interest in your organization.

I’ve used these principles and steps many times, as a Development Director and as a coach, tobring about some amazing results in fundraising. I’ve had donors thank me for giving them the chance to make a donation.  I’ve broken fundraising records.  And I’ve had an absolute ball doing it!

Stay tuned as I share more about what it means to Get Fully Funded and how you can do it, too.

I’m seeing signs of the economy improving.  Are you seeing them?  Restaurants and shopping malls are packed and I’m hearing positive news from trusted sources.

My clients are seeing more and bigger donations coming in (yay!).  I firmly believe that fundraising is going to get easier a little bit at a time over the next several months.  I don’t know if it will go back to where it was, but I don’t plan to spend any time worrying about that.  I’d rather focus my attention on what needs to be done now to set ourselves up for success both now and in the future.

Here are some things that smart nonprofit organizations are doing right now to prepare for success:

• Deepening donor relationships. Smart nonprofits are investing time into their donors.  They’re spending more time getting to know their donors.  They know that this is the best use of their time, because loyal donors will stick around for years to come.
• Showing their appreciation. Smart nonprofits are spending more time than ever before thanking and acknowledging their donors.  They’re making thank-you calls and sending handwritten thank-you notes. Some are getting their Board members involved in this!  They’re making sure that the donor knows how much they appreciate their support.
• Honing their Case for Support. Smart nonprofits are getting very clear about their reason for existence.  They have concise, razor-sharp answers for the questions about why someone should give to them.
• Strengthening their Board. Smart nonprofits are spending time to make sure their Board members understand their roles and responsibilities for leading the organization, and have the resources they need to do their job.  They’re helping their Board members find ways to comfortably participate in fundraising.  Instead of sitting back and expecting their Boards to know what to do, smart nonprofit staff are educating and supporting their Boards.

What is your nonprofit doing right now that’s smart?  I’d love to hear!  Click on the comment link and share.

Let’s face it: most nonprofit newsletters are boring.  They’re full of jargon and insider news that leave donors feeling less than connected.  To make your donors read your newsletter from start to finish, it must include info that donors find interesting.

Put yourself in your donor’s shoes:  what would they care about?  What would make them take time from their busy life to pay attention to what you’ve put in print?  Here are some ideas for things you can write about that will keep your donors engaged.

• Client story. Tell a story about someone whose life has been changed by your organization.  Keep it short and focused on the person – not your organization.  Use a good photo or two and your donor won’t be able to stop reading.
• A Day in the Life. Share what a typical day looks like for one of your clients. This will help donors better understand the work you are doing and help them identify with the people you are serving.
• Common myths. What are the common myths about your cause?  Dispell them by stating them and then giving the real information.
• Testimonials. Let others do the talking for you.  Share a brief testimonial from a client, a donor, a volunteer, or a local celebrity about your organization.
• Statistics. Share a couple of shocking statistics about your cause or the work your organization is doing.  Don’t go overboard here – one or two good facts with a tidbit of supporting info is all you need.

What have you included in your newsletter that got people talking?  Share with us so we can all benefit.

I had the pleasure of spending time with the Board and staff of Prescott Area Habitat for Humanity in Prescott, Arizona last weekend.  Habitat is one of my favorite organizations and this group is full of heart and passion for the people they serve.

Here are a few highlights from the information I shared with them.

Passion is key. A nonprofit will best be able to serve people and fulfill its mission when the Board, staff, and volunteers are all passionate about the cause.  Our first activity of the day helped reconnect everyone with their love for the organization.

Mission takes money. In order to fulfill your mission, you must have money.  Unfortunately, many Board members are intimidated or downright scared to get involved in fundraising.  When Board members understand that there are lots of ways they can participate in fundraising without actually asking someone for a gift, they start to relax.  Once they understand how fundraising works, they can find a spot where they feel comfortable participating.

When we got to this activity on Saturday and every Board member identified and committed to their comfort zone, I was so happy for the organization I could have popped!  Some wanted to help solicit, others wanted to help thank donors, others wanted to help build relationships.  It was awesome!

People give for a variety of reasons. Part of my Fundraising 101 for Board members helps them understand the myriad of reasons why people give.  We dispelled the myth that people give for the tax benefit alone.

And the main theme for the day:  Good fundraising is based on relationships. Our donors are our partners in serving people.  The better we engage them, the more we develop relationships, which builds loyalty and keeps them involved for the long haul.

Thanks to Christine Wallace, Development Director for inviting me to spend time with Prescott Area Habitat!

I had a few minutes between appointments yesterday and got to stop in one of my favorite thrift stores. It’s one of the stores operated by Knox Area Rescue Ministries and it’s a really nice store.  Every time I go in there, I have to smile.  That store is there in part because of me.

More than 10 years ago, I took my first job in Development at the Rescue Ministries.  My job consisted of managing special events (don’t we ALL do that at first?), coordinating volunteers, and overseeing the thrift store.  At that time, there was one location for the store and it wasn’t doing well.  It had been operating in the red for sometime and the President of the organization was ready to close it.  But I wanted a shot at turning it around.

I didn’t have any experience in thrift stores, but I had worked in retail before. So I took a look around and started making changes. I fired the store manager and hired someone with a lot of passion for the organization’s mission.  I made a few common sense changes in the store like applying a fresh coat of paint, expanding the hours, and increasing the prices of a few items (like charging $2 for a shirt instead of $1).  And within 2 months, we were turning a nice profit.  In month 3, we netted $10,000.  It was awesome!  The Board Chair sent me a nice cookie bouquet!  Later that year, I wrote a business plan to further expand the store, opening multiple locations in the community.

Today, there are several locations throughout the city.  And I smile when I pass one. I know I helped create something wonderful that has lasted long after I left my job there.  Of course, the store has gone through some ups and downs since then, but had I not been there and gotten things going, the store would have been closed in 1998.  Today, the thrift stores provide jobs to people in the community and a source of revenue for the Rescue Ministries.

So, what legacy will you leave behind?  No matter what job you do, you have the ability to leave something wonderful when you leave.  I invite you to think carefully about what that will be and see what you can do to make it happen.

It’s been amazingly dry here lately.  Our pastures have become brown and crunchy.

Then yesterday, for the first time in weeks, we had a long, steady rain.  And again today, it rained.  It was so refreshing!

I started thinking about how sometimes working in fundraising can be like that.

We can have long dry spells, where we’re working as hard as we can, trying everything we can think of, but nothing seems to be happening.  When small nonprofit organizations go for long periods of time without income, in can become very stressful.

If you happen to experience these times (and I hope you don’t!), be sure to engage in activities that refresh you.  Make sure to schedule yourself some personal time for fun and rejuvenation.  Get a massage or go for a walk.  Do something you enjoy.  It will help you tremendously when it’s time to face the fundraising tasks again.

Personally, I love anything outside – weeding the garden, repairing a fence, or scratching a horse’s itchy neck.  There’s something about being outside in nature that feeds me.

I’d love to hear what you do that refreshes you.  Click on the comment link and share.

Too often, nonprofits get the gift and then move on, forgetting the most important parts of fundraising.

Acknowledgement and stewardship are crucial for building relationships with donors. Acknowledgement you probably understand.  It’s about thanking donors and recognizing them for their support.  But what is stewardship?

First, here are some definitions of a steward:

• —An administrator for the property of others —
• A person put in charge of the affairs of others
• —A person morally responsible for the careful use of money, time, talents or other resources of a community or group

Stewardship is important because it builds trust.  When your donors know that you are using their gift wisely, they’ll be more likely to want to give again. And when you get a reputation for using donations wisely, you’ll attract more donors.

As I see it, there are two key pieces to effective stewardship:  1, you have to do it and 2, you have to communicate it to your donors.

The first piece is simple – make sure that the donor’s money is spent appropriately and wisely.  Make sure their gift is set to work as it was intended when it was given.  The second piece requires you to let your donors know that their gift was used wisely and had the desired impact.

How do you do that?  A simple update email or letter can accomplish it, or you can include something in a print or email newsletter.  The important thing is that you are letting your donors know how their gift is being used and you’re connecting with them.  You’re respecting your donors and pulling them closer to your organization.

Your donors are not ATM machines.  They want to be a part of the work your organization is doing.  So, treat them as partners.  Be a good steward of their gifts and build relationships with your donors.  You’ll be glad you did!

For many nonprofits, July 1 marks the start of a new fiscal year.  It’s a chance to start over.  I’m guessing for many, this past fiscal year is one we’d like to forget!

As you think about starting fresh, I encourage you to really grab ahold of that idea.  Let your negative thoughts and feelings from last year go.  Let go of the disappointment you felt if you didn’t meet your fundraising goals.  Let go of blaming the economy.  Let it all go.

And start the new year with a fresh outlook.  It’s a new day.  Things are improving all the time.  You’ll have a better chance of being successful if you can be positive about the work you are doing.

Step back and have a close look at what you did that worked for you last year and what didn’t.  What do you need to work at doing better this coming year?  What would you like to nail by December 31?  The more clear you can be about what you want to do, the more likely you’ll be able to be successful.

If you need a little help fundraising this year, check out my books “Simple Success Fundraising Plan” and “Fundraising Buffet.”  Both are on sale this weekend!  You can find them at www.getfullyfunded.com/independence-day-sale.

I heard a wonderful presentation recently about storytelling.  It’s entirely possible to tell a very compelling story without using pictures.  Instead, you paint a picture with the words you use.

To see what I mean, check out The Girl Effect.  www.girleffect.org.

Then think about what you see in your mind’s eye as you watched the video.

Cool, huh?

What stories can you tell about the work your nonprofit does that will paint such a vivid picture in your reader’s mind’s eye?