Raising funds for charitable organizations can be difficult; certainly time-consuming. It’s a patient process, requiring considerable research, planning, and organization. The word “development” is a perfect fit to the process an organization goes through to generate a meaningful contribution. Having served the non-profit sector for over 20 years, I’ve seen many approaches, cultivation cues, and solicitation methods. All work and all fail…basically each donor is different and deserves a different, well-positioned approach.

Every project, task, and idea developed at NPcatalyst is built around two critical functions…

• Connecting donors and volunteer leaders to organizations
• Fostering strong relationship-building opportunities

When it comes to raising funds for your organizations, here’s a handful of tips to consider adding to your overall fund development strategy. They have represented the centerpiece of our success. They’re not listed in any specific order, but you’ll quickly recognize where and how they fit in your strategy.

Identify your organization’s strengths and weaknesses

Understand the organization – from operations to personnel to policies to financial management. Recognize the causes and implement solutions to each. Be sure to dot every I and cross every t. Resources like Charity Navigator and HeathCheck are excellent analytical tools. The biggest difference between the two is that HealthCheck produces a charity rating, as well as a best practices guide for improvement based on the organization’s analysis.

Offer innovative giving

The one constant between most non-profit organizations is the ability to accept cash contributions. Every donor knows this. However, savvy donors (charitable investors) seek greater information, transparency, accountability, and results from their contributions. A strong percentage of them seek unique and innovative giving methods. Tools like GiftingWishes, an online wishlist registry, and Viking Cares, a business expense solution/charitable revenue stream offer just two of the new and creative platforms that have been introduced in 2012.

Create solicitation strategies

Know your constituents. An engaged leader is a gem and, as nonprofit leaders, it’s our obligation to strive for their full potential. One great way to really get to know supporters is to design solicitation (or engagement) strategies for each. Start by creating a Prospect/Donor Profile for each, used to document their interest, involvement, willingness, and capability. Mapping a solicitation strategy will force you to be strategic about cultivating each constituent’s involvement. This one act involves and is influenced by the other six tips offered here.

Engage constituents

From prospect identification to board leadership to donor stewardship, your benefactors are your organization’s greatest vehicles of success. Engage them through key steps of the fund development process. You’ll be amazed at their ideas, insight, and perseverance.

Generate active awareness

Tell your story to the world. Shout it regularly through local media and through your social media avenues. Be sure you focus on strengths and opportunities and that any weaknesses (see above) are addressed. Distribute clear messages and keep your messaging timely. Encourage staff, volunteers, and donors to share the messages through personal, personable, and electronic means.

Network

It’s a seven-letter word that, for many non-profit leaders, is more like a four-letter word – work. There’s no better way to prospect new supporters, whether they’re future volunteer or donor leaders. It involves stepping out of your routine, forces you to fine-tune your 30-second elevator speech, and smile even if you’re having a difficult day. Ask any business leader, networking produces results. Get out there and make friends and share your organization’s story, needs, and opportunities.

Steward donors

Perhaps the most detrimental cause of recent organizational failure might not have been solely the economic crash. Is your organization at fault for not properly recognizing donations and, more importantly, developing strong relationships with its donors? Stewarding donors strengthens the lifeblood of non-profit organizations. Pick up the phone, send an email, direct a tweet, say hello in the store, high-five at a ballgame, and send a card. These are the little ways that magnify the “engage constituents” tip into truly rewarding alliances. Make each donor feel as if he/she is in the middle of the game.

Perhaps one that should be listed is “have fun”…development and non-profit leadership should be exciting, rewarding, meaningful, challenging, and fun. Make the most of it!

We thoroughly enjoy interfacing with existing and aspiring philanthropic leaders. We invite you to call (775-333-9444), email (info@npcatalyst.com), tweet (@NPcatalyst), or grab us to talk shop and learn more about our projects and resources.

Each non-profit leader who registers their wishes with GiftingWishes, represents an organization which we become instantly attached. Whether it’s the mission, their beneficiaries, their locations, or their future plans, we (the GiftingWishes team) become attracted as potential donors and voluntary leaders. It’s a “virus” that affects both John from YourVolunteers and Pete from NPcatalyst, but neither of us are looking for a remedy. Instead, we’re actively seeking to infect others with ways to support these organizations.

Here’s a brief sampling of the organizations registered on GiftingWishes and you may quickly recognize our “issue” or, really, opportunity!

• I am Love Farms (San Diego, CA) – a Veteran Equine Assisted Therapy Charity that helps Armed Forces Veterans heal the visible & non-visible wounds of war through the practice of love, equine assisted therapy & good horsemanship.
• Arbor Bay School (San Carlos, CA) – fosters academic and social success for children with learning differences through individualized instruction in a small classroom environment.
• The First Tee of Northern Nevada (Reno, NV) – impacts the lives of young people in northern Nevada by providing learning facilities and educational programs that promote character-development and life-enhancing values through the game of golf.

We encourage you to become familiar with these organizations and consider supporting them through your time and/or dollar. Even if you contribute an hour or a $10 donation, your leadership will go a long way toward fulfilling their wishes and helping pave the road to greater sustainability.

For more information about GiftingWishes, YourVolunteers, or NPcatalyst, click on those links or send a note to info@npcatalyst.com or call 775-333-9444.

Working with community leaders to build stronger communities!

We’re ecstatic to announce the addition of Viking Capital Management to the NPcatalyst family of corporate clients. Based in Westlake Village, California, Viking offers its clients the utmost in service, cash flow, and cost saving solutions. The NPcatalyst team is providing creative strategies and active management services for the company’s Viking Cares program.

The goal of company’s Viking Cares program is to implement a stream of continual income to deserving charitable organizations. “Viking Cares allows businesses to support their favorite charities through an innovative giving platform, which won’t adversely affect their bottom line”, according to Pete Parker, managing partner of NPcatalyst. “It’s a great fit to our mission of connecting donors and leaders to charities through innovative synergy”.

The Viking Cares process is simple and everyone wins. Every time that a business accepts a credit card from a customer, a sales representative gets paid a commission. In most cases this commission is 50% of net fees.  Through Viking Cares, the company will match each client’s current credit card rates and fees penny for penny but re‐direct the funds that are generally paid as a commission every month to the charity of its choice. This passive charitable donation will continue as long as each client continues to process with Viking.  It’s that simple.

“Businesses can increase their philanthropic endeavors with no advertising out of pocket expense; and every time a credit card is used, our partner charities or local schools will benefit”, says Gregory Augustine, partner of Viking Capital Company. “Simply coined, it’s passive to business, perpetual to charity”.

To learn more about how Viking’s services can benefit businesses and charities, please visit…

• www.VikingCares.com
• http://www.vikingcares.com/choc/ – special webpage created for Children’s Hospital of Orange County

Additional information can be gathered by calling 949-355-5145. You can also call us at NPcatalyst, as we’re happy to answer any questions. We can be reached at info@NPcatalyst.com and 775-333-9444.

The NPcatalyst team is targeting leaders on our college campuses to conduct a study on Greek Life and its impact on philanthropy. As past members and proponents of fraternity and sorority life, we’re seeking input from Greek Life advisors and campus leaders in three primary areas: chapter philanthropy, alumni/ae relations, and fundraising.

The study will help us design effective young professional community leadership models, determine future community involvement, and anticipate the development of future non-profit leaders. Our study will provide insightful data back to Greek Life advisors and staff members as they plan for the growth and development of their own Greek leadership programming.

The responses will generate outstanding information to be used in our upcoming blog (or series of blogs) under the title, “Greek Life as an incubator of future philanthropic leadership.”

To participate in the three-minute survey, please CLICK HERE.

For additional questions, please contact Pete at NPcatalyst at info@npcatalyst.com.

It seems that most nonprofits have more needs than they have resources to fill. By creating a “wish list”, organizations present donors, volunteers, and prospects with specific ways they can engage. Typically, some items on a wish list can be fulfilled with a monetary gift, but most are usually items that are needed.

According to noted non-profit professional, Deane Brengle (blog), “Wish lists are not unheard of within the fundraising community. They are, however, an under-utilized resource available to all nonprofit organizations no matter what the size.”

Charities post wish lists and hope the items are hand-delivered to their doorsteps. While this may happen on occasion, it doesn’t happen as often as they’d wish.  Increasing the likelihood of this happening, these organizations can provide additional, specific information. This includes a detailed description of the items in need, the number needed, and its value to the organization or beneficiary. By providing descriptive information, prospective supporters will have a distinct idea in mind of what to purchase.

Fundraising expert Sandy Rees (blog) believes “You can include literally anything on a Wish List – everything from cleaning products to refrigerators, vans, and forklifts! I would suggest including a range of items from toilet paper and copy paper on the low end to whatever you need on the high end. Nothing is too strange because you never know when someone reading your list will have just what you need.”

Customarily, donors go out and purchase, then deliver wish list items to the charities they choose to support. This will always be an opportunity. But that’s not the only way to transact wish list giving.

Perhaps the charitable organization would accept funds for the necessary items but, rather than the donor purchasing and delivering, the organization’s staff or volunteers could go out and purchase them on their own. While this takes time away from their daily routine, by doing their own purchasing, charity leaders are benefiting in other ways. At a minimum, this presents an opportunity to begin building sustainable relationships with merchants, likely discussing (or receiving) items at further discounted prices, and purchasing exactly what they need (as opposed to using what the donor delivers).

According to Sandy, “The easier you make it for a donor to act, the more likely they will.”

Fundraising through wish lists is not a new concept within the non-profit sector. However, if properly utilized, leveraged, and promoted, it can become an integral part of an organization’s private funding model.

For more information about wish list giving, contact NPcatalyst at 775-333-9444 or info@npcatalyst.com.

Whether you’re raising funds for a local community-benefit organization or a chapter of a college fraternity, there’s one approach to generating donations that’s sure to prove successful. Consider how much time and effort goes into planning small and major special events.  Now, imagine that same effort strategically targeted toward cultivating a lifetime donor…a fan who loves and supports your organization and its mission over the long term.  This single concept, so often ignored, can make the difference between surviving from event to event and having a steady stream of program-sustaining money coming into your nonprofit.  Nothing will net rewards with your donors like relationship building.

The following Five Rs of Fundraising, was created by Fraternity Management Group, many years ago, and used when managing each of its clients. Its application, however, can be used by all non-profit organizations. While many organizations believe that coordinating special events is the ideal method for raising funds, building relationships with current and prospective donors generates far greater sustainability.

Consider the Five Rs of fundraising:

Research
This forms a solid basis of understanding of your chapter’s or organization’s fundraising endeavors, not to mention its individual alumnus and/or constituent relations. From basic records management to in-depth interviews, information is key to success. With proper research, the interests, needs, charitable backgrounds, professional experiences, personal connections and links to your chapter/organization are identified and recorded.

Recruiting
This phase is going on constantly, but primarily during the same time frame as heavy research. Volunteer leaders, including initiation/graduating class representatives, development committee members, and campaign steering chairpersons play integral roles in successful fundraising campaigns. The amount of work involved and the number of prospective contributors and volunteers connected with the chapter or organization, who must be contacted, requires proper recruitment and management.

Romance
Commonly called cultivation, this is perhaps the most important part of the process. All contact with prospective contributors is a form of cultivation. Every newsletter, email, phone call, tweet or Facebook message, event, and publicity item serves to inform and pique the interest your organization’s potential supporters. Romancing these alumni, parent, volunteer, and community leaders occurs on a regular basis leads to strategic and successful solicitations. The goal is to encourage prospects to become actively engaged and connected. 

Request
This is the good part, where individual prospects are asked, or invited, to invest in the chapter or organization. It’s important to note that the levels of gift size and donor satisfaction are increased with proper romancing or cultivation. Actual soliciting of contributions is carried out by key organization leaders and volunteers who are personally engaged in the organization and connected to the person(s) being solicited. 

Recognition
Early, frequent, and creative ways to thank volunteers and donors will insure that they stay involved and invested in your chapter or organization. It breeds proper stewardship of future donations of time and dollar. It also sets a pattern which other prospects will notice, which be a determining factor when they’re asked to contribute funds.

Every contact, with every individual prospect, involves one or more of the Five R’s. Planning ahead and maximizing the effectiveness of those contacts is what will drive your chapter or organizations closer to its fundraising goal.

This blog was crafted for Fraternity Management Group, a leader in college fraternity alumni/parent relations and fundraising. However, it can easily be integrated into non-profit fund development programs. For more information about Fraternity Management Group, feel free to contact them at 800-228-7326 and info@fmgtucson.com.

A short ten months later, we’ve worked to address the needs of hundreds of non-profit organizations and community events. This occurred by managing projects like KOLOCares, which designs media partnerships to promote community and charitable events; Blue Moon Promotions’ One Community grant program, which awarded $20,000 to four organizations after analyzing the needs of many grant requests; and, Summer Of Service, which promoted volunteerism by linking community residents with volunteer opportunities at non-profit organizations.

Rather than fit a specific mold, the essence of the company was sculpted to offer innovative solutions to its clients so that, through these relationships, it could meet the ever-changing needs of local communities. “With relatively no direct competition, we’re seeing the greatest competition come from misunderstanding…where businesses don’t immediately recognize that they can generate business by effectively supporting local charities,” says Pete Parker, NPcatalyst’s managing partner. “We’re also hearing that we’re “ahead of our time” by thinking out of the box and offering innovative solutions in the charitable landscape, which has traditionally focused solely on the “check-writing” way of making donations.”

While the root of NPcatalyst’s operations and performance is earthed in strong relationships and communications, the firm recognizes that charitable support can be generated in other forms. In fact, the “success model” the firm designed five months ago has naturally morphed into a service model identifying the ways it’s working to meet the needs of today’s charitable organizations and local businesses.

The model illustrates the firm’s desire to service both non-profit organizations and local businesses, separately. The firm also found a niche in creating solutions which connects charitable organizations and potential supporters by designing mutually-beneficial partnerships or collaborations which, ultimately, benefit the larger communities.

Recently, NPcatalyst launched its Community Catalyst program, which features a charitable fund designed for small businesses. Through the Fund, businesses with annual revenues below $500,000 can pool their funds together to make significant, meaningful contributions to specific needs as identified by local charitable organizations. “Now that businesses which might only be able to donate $250 each quarter, can connect with other small business owners to contribute an amount exponentially greater,” according to Parker. “Not only are we creating opportunities for businesses to amplify their donation power, we’re creating new relationships between local businesses, potential customers, and the area’s charities.”

As the holiday season approaches, NPcatalyst is working on two new innovative projects aimed at generating funds for local charities. One project provides donors with specific information relating to their contributions, enabling them to know exactly how their donations will be used and what they’ll pay for. The other connects non-profits with local merchants to increase spending at the businesses and, in turn, drive income directly to specific charities.

“The heart of NPcatalyst is to drive dollars and leaders to charitable organizations…period,” says Parker.

Businesses and non-profit organizations seeking opportunities to ignite growth and financial impact are invited to contact NPcatalyst at 775-333-9444 and info@npcatalyst.com.

Do more Greek alumni support their universities than their non-Greek counterparts?

A research study conducted by the Center for Advanced Social Research at the University of Missouri showed that men and women who have had a Greek experience are far more likely to actively volunteer and participate in community activities. They are significantly more active in their religious and neighborhood organizations and show stronger financial support for non-profit organizations that do non-Greek.

In a January 2001 study entitled, “Alumni Giving of Business Executives to the Alma Mater: Panel Data Evidence at a Large Metropolitan Research University”, conducted by Albert A. Okunade (University of Memphis) and Phanindra V. Wunnava (Middlebury College and IZA), revealed the giving significance of male Greek alumni. “The novel contribution of this research is the estimation of an econometric model of gift-giving alumni business executives of a large public urban university using 10,192 individual donor observations [that is, a panel of 392 donors for 26 years]. Our theoretically consistent empirical results reinforce the earlier research findings that male alumni in Greek social organizations gave significantly more.” It went on to note, “compared to the non-Greeks, fraternal organization alumni membership (Greek) significantly increased donations by roughly 9 percent.”

The Research Initiative examined the impact of fraternity and sorority membership on college and university graduates, and was jointly funded by members of the National Panhellenic Conference and the National Interfraternity Conference. More than 2,200 Greek and non-Greek alumni from 10 schools across the United States were surveyed through direct phone conversations. The pool of alumni queried was half non-Greek affiliated, one-quarter sorority members and one-quarter fraternity members.

A key finding in the research as that Greek alumni were more apt invest their time, energy and treasure to improve the quality of life in their communities. Other findings included:

• Membership in a fraternity or sorority helped boost overall university recruitment.
• Greek alumni were more satisfied with the social and cultural aspect of the college experience than non-Greeks.
• Greek alumni revealed greater match between what they studied in college and their first job, as compared with non-affiliated alumni.
• Greek affiliation had a significant impact on the current income of alumni.
• Greek alumnae and non-Greeks were more satisfied with their academic performance than were male Greek alumni. Greek women were very satisfied with the relationship they had with faculty, counselors and university administrators.

While we recognize that giving (in general) and giving by Greek alumni varies from campus to campus, the data derived from just these two studies revealed that giving by Greek alumni was significantly greater than their non-Greek counterparts. At Fraternity Management Group, we have found that the strong, unified relationships between university officials and members of their Greek communities translate into higher university donor giving rates. “Our quest, as a firm, is to serve the greater Greek community, by developing lifelong relationships with our clients, their respective universities, and all involved alumni”, says Matt Noble, president of Fraternity Management Group. “This translates into mutually-beneficial alumni and parent relations programs, ideal ties with university operations, and rewarding experiences.

For more information about Greek alumni giving, fraternity alumni/parent relations, and fraternity funding initiatives, contact Fraternity Management Group at info@fmgtucson.com or call 800-228-7326.

This blog was written by NPcatalyst for Fraternity Management Group

Executive transition

• In the 2006 study, it was found that 9% of executives were in the process of leaving their jobs and that 75% anticipated leaving their jobs within 5 years. Just five years later (in 2011), 7% have given notice and 67% anticipate leaving within five years.
• Several factors have delayed the rate of executive transitions. For starters, the recession forced older executives to reconsider their transition timing. Across all age groups, 12% reported that a shrinking job market contributed to delay. Another factor influencing turnover timing is the perceived lack of an appropriate successor.

Performance Evaluation

• 45% of executives did not have a performance evaluation last year. It should be known that without consistent, meaningful engagement in what the job requires, many boards are under-prepared for their critical role in executive transition.

Job Satisfaction

• Satisfaction with board performance was lowest among leaders on the job between one and three years. Rather than ending with the new hire, it’s recommended that boards provide intentional support and development of staff leadership as they build efficacy in their new executive roles.

Recession Impact

• The majority of organizations were negatively impacted by the recession. Eighty-four (84%) of leaders reported negative organizational impact. 20% of executives described the negative impact as significant. In the fourth quarter of 2010 when these data were collected, 26% of organizations had downsized.

Fund Development

• Forty-eight percent (48%) of executives reported that they had someone on their boards who participates in donor identification; 41% had someone who participates in donor cultivation; and 42% had someone who participates in asking for donations. In fact, nearly half of boards (44%) have not even achieved 100% giving, which is a standard expectation of board support.

Board Development

• Sixteen percent (16%) of executives reported spending fewer than five hours per month on board-related activity, yet nearly half of these executives described themselves as spending the right amount of time. 39% spend between five and 10 hours per month—just 6% of their time overall—and half of these executives said this was the right amount of time. Other studies have found that executives who spend 20% of their time on board-related activity have high rates of satisfaction with board performance.
• Overall executive satisfaction with board performance was quite low; just 20% of leaders described themselves as very satisfied.
• Many executives still struggle to define the return on investment (ROI) of board-related activity.

Suggested Next Steps

• Emergency succession and transition plans to ensure continuity in the event of an unexpected executive departure.
• A meaningful annual performance review process.
• Understanding on everyone’s part that financial stability is essential to effective executive transitions.
• Clearer understanding on the part of executives and boards about the financial condition of their organization, its business model, and the meaning of sustainability.
• Increased board engagement in fundraising.
• Support from boards of directors and funders for practices and activities that promote healthy work-life balance as an essential element of professional development and support for executive directors.
• Recognition by executives of their own important role in helping to improve the performance of the board—and the need to invest their time in identifying and cultivating board members and supporting the board in its work.
• Development of improved systems for placing and training board members that can address the huge, ongoing demand for skilled and engaged board members.
• Increased attention and higher expectations of boards and governance from funders, along with funds to help organizations strengthen their boards.

I personally believe we are facing a potentially serious leadership drought within our communities. Whether it’s due to our economic obstacles, transition of generational leadership, or authoritative burnout, it’s incumbent upon all of us to work together to manage or guide the many outstanding non-profit organizations in our communities.

If you’re interested to read the full report, be sure to download it at http://meyerfoundation.org/downloads/Daring-to-Lead-2011-Main-Report-online.pdf. Also, more information can be found at the report’s home website, located at http://daringtolead.org/.

When I entered the seventh grade of a Catholic grade school in North Hollywood, Calfornia, I informed my parents…and Mr. Strub (the president of Santa Anita Park), that I would be studying horse racing as my career path. If I didn’t have the grades when I graduated high school, the only alternative would be to go to work for Mole-Richardson Company, our family motion-picture lighting business. The only school offering a program for my career path was (is) the University of Arizona and its Race Track Industry Program.

Fast-forward, this recent trip back home was very special. While I’ve been an extremely fortunate and humble recipient of awards and recognition, there’s only be one award I’ve ever wanted. When I was an undergraduate member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity, it was my wish to someday live up to the ideals and successes of our chapter’s key leaders. While I’ve lived my life according to my own ideals and principles, the A.L. Slonaker Hall of Fame Award has always been on my mind.

And while I believe the award was presented far too soon, I’m blessed by the many friends and brothers who bestowed upon me an award which I will always cherish.

Below is a bio written by my good friend and brother, Craig Lowden, and featured in the Hall of Fame program and on the Gamma-Rho Chapter website.

+++++

After waking up to find the echoes of Notre Dame High School behind him, Pete “Spidey” Parker enrolled at the University of Arizona and joined the Kappa Sigma Fraternity.

While Spidey didn’t swing around Manhattan fighting crime in his pajamas, he was a superhero for Gamma-Rho. During his time at the U of A he held the posts of Grand Master for which he won Grand Master of the Year, Grand Procurator, Grand Scribe, Social Chair, Philanthropy Chair, and Rush Chair. It was swell of Pete to leave a few offices for the other members. Before graduating in ’93 with a degree in Animal Sciences , with an emphasis in Race Track Management, he also won the Noble Award for outstanding senior. In honor of his accomplishments on our behalf, the Chapter created the Pete Parker Hustle Award, presented to the active who best embodies his frenetic spirit.

Since that time Parker has held numerous posts including time as the Fraternity Management Group staff motivator (“Make Your F-in Calls!”), executive director of the American Heart Association, director of development for Sage Ridge School, and owner/president of Parker Development Services. He is currently the managing director of NPcatalyst, LLC.

As one might expect from a former Philanthropy Chair, he’s been active in the community as well. He has served as Board President of Northern Nevada Children’s Cancer Foundation, Board President of the U of A Race Track Industry Program Alumni Association, board president of the U of A Sierra Cats Alumni Chapter. He has also been awarded the Volunteer of the Year in Northern Nevada from the Points of Light Foundation and was awarded with a Twenty Under 40 by the Reno Gazette-Journal. His new venture, NPCatalyst, was recently recognized by StayClassy as one of 25 of the nation’s finest Small Businesses in Philanthropy through its CLASSY award, an incredible honor for a company founded in January of this year.

He is also an at-large member of the Gamma-Rho House Corporation.

Parker lives in Reno with son Caden, 14, and daughter Tessa, 11.

“Gamma-Rho was the ideal chapter for me. Becoming active with a small chapter filled with diverse and fun guys allowed me to learn about myself and others, giving me the confidence to seek or create opportunities, interests, and great times. I owe my success as a person to my mom, family & friends, and Kappa Sigma. This trifecta of support gives me the courage to fight for what I believe, what I aspire to, and how I live my life. This award, one which I hardly deserve, is dedicated to every person who has ever touched my life and every person whose life I have touched.”