Posted in NewsNotes Archive
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Top Ten Fundraising Tips (Excerpts)
Darian Rodriquez Heyman, former executive director of the Craigslist Foundation, will speak Friday, November 18, 1pm, at NEW's Get Connected event in Detroit. See details below under upcoming trainings. Join us to get the full value of Darian's expertise in fundraising.
*Note: All these tips and more can be found in this new handbook edited by Darian: Nonprofit Management 101: A Complete and Practical Guide for Leaders and Professionals.
1. How to get your board involved in fundraising: Stage a board member thank-a-thon.
Tons of nonprofits experience frustration with getting their boards to fundraise; in fact, it’s the second biggest reasons why executive directors leave their posts according to CompassPoint’s “Daring to Lead” study. Any easy way to give board members a chance to dip their toes in the waters of donor engagement is staging a thank-athon. The key is to make it easy for board members to participate, and to help them understand that fundraising is much more than making an ask. This will also help to improve relationships with your donors, who will be deilghted to receive a thank you call without an attached ask. 2. How to increase your chances of getting a grant: Never apply for a grant without contacting the foundation first As much as you might want to believe that grants are awarded simply due to the fit of the program and the excellence of the application, it simply isn’t true. In fact in our experience the odds of getting a grant that you send in without contacting the foundation are about 5-10%. Just as in individual (and all!) fundraising, developing relationships is critical. Program officers care deeply about the work they are funding and consider it an advantage to be able to scope out potential grantees. 3. How to secure a donation: Make specific and direct asks for money People give because they are asked –- if you don’t ask, the answer will always be “no.” It can be tough to look someone in the eyes and ask for money, but somewhere in your pitch, some variation of the words, “I’d like to invite you to invest $100 in our work” need to find their place, ideally followed by as long a pause as it takes to get an answer. Ask with pride for the cause you are so committed to raising money for, and be honored to be the potential bridge for that donor from need to impact -- donation to solution.4. How to build loyal, happy donors: Map donations to impact People don’t give to you because you have needs; they give to you because you meet needs. Donors and prospects don’t want to hear about the woes of the economy or your organizational struggles — no one wants to join a sinking ship. Instead, they want to know exactly where their donation will go, or has gone, and what impact your work is having on their community and the issues they care about. Use the power of personal stories to demonstrate how critical and important their support is to your work. Emphasize impact and stories in all your communications with donors, both in person and in your written materials.*Darian Rodriguez Heyman was the executive director of Craigslist Foundation for five years. While there, he helped launch Nonprofit Boot Camp, the Environmental Nonprofit Network, and the Next Generation Leadership Forum. He currently provides strategy, messaging, and fundraising consulting for nonprofits. He also teaches at the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley. |
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Navigating Your Nonprofit Career
AFP National Philanthropy Day Dinner
The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Greater Detroit Chapter invites everyone to their 20th annual dinner to recognize award recipients for exceptional philanthropic contributions and commitment to enhancing Southeastern Michigan. More information. See the list of this year's honorees. Detroit4Detroit is a movement of Detroit citizens, each committed to leading a critical community project in Detroit. Every project is 100% Detroit and defined by the needs of Detroit. Over the next year, Detroit4Detroit will bring 150 passionate Detroit citizens together and give them the tools and support to mobilize their friends, family, and social networks to complete 150 high-impact community projects. Detroit4Detroit is currently looking for five non-profit partners to provide these projects. Partners need to be registered 501(c)(3) nonprofits who have been working within the city limits of Detroit, MI for at least three years. Their work must include community-driven initiatives meeting the basic needs of the local residents. For example, work that address health, shelter, job skills, food security, urban revitalization and education all fit the bill. Each partner must be able to provide stand-alone projects with implementation costs ranging between $1,000and $10,000. To learn more or nominate your favorite Detroit non-profit, please visit this link.
Nonprofit Training: Building Your Board
Get Connected: Top Ten Fundraising Tips with Darian Heyman
After five years of service, Darian recently stepped down as Executive Director of Craigslist Foundation. While there, he helped launch Nonprofit Boot Camp, the Environmental Nonprofit Network, and the Next Generation Leadership Forum. At this session he will share practical, tactical solutions from his new book Nonprofit Management 101: A Complete and Practical Guide for Leaders and Professionals. Darian will provide concrete tips and tools for individual giving, foundation grants, corporate sponsorship, earned income, and online and peer-to-peer campaigns. Get some hints from the lead story above, but don't miss the opportunity to learn more from the source. The workshop will last 2 hours; stick around for another hour to network.
Nonprofit Training: Building Your Board
Nonprofit Training: Building Your Board
More information and registration.
Trends for Nonprofit Boards Today
Get Connected: Finding Grant Funding for Community Nonprofits Presented by: Karen Downing, Foundations and Grants Librarian at the University of Michigan, and Alexandra Rivera, U-M Detroit Center Liaison. This hands-on workshop will present an overview of online resources that can assist you in getting capital, operating, and programmatic grants for your nonprofit. Space is limited. Computers will be provided, but feel free to bring your laptop as a wireless connection will be available. More information and registration.
Financial Management for Executive Directors (Advanced)
Learn how to write grant proposals start to finish and how to locate and track relevant grant opportunities.
See other trainings and events on the Michigan Nonprofit Association website. NEW is hiring. We're looking for an IT Systems Administrator for npServ. As a member of the npServ team, providing IT services and support for nonprofits in SE Michigan, the IT Systems Administrator will assist clients and resolve IT issues in a friendly manner. Full job description on NEW's website.
Computers/Printers/Servers for Sale American Health Group, Inc. located in Maumee, OH has the following technology equipment available to nonprofit organizations at an incredible price.
Computers: 40 Dell Optiplex SX260 and Dell Optiplex GX260 Computers; Pentium 4, Windows XP with Microsoft Office 2003; Dell 17” Flat Panel Monitors; Excellent Condition; Prefer to sell in quantities of 10; Price: $150 each Please contact Jon Eckles via e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for info and to make arrangements for pick up. In your e-mail please include your name, organization's name and the phone number as well as the items and quantity you are interested in. Jon will respond on a first come, first served basis.
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