Category Archives: Uncategorized

Proposal Writing in the Age of Twitter

Posted on August 25, 2009 | 3 comments

cheryl-clarkeWelcome guest blogger Cheryl Clarke. Here’s Cheryl’s words of wisdom on proposal writing in the age of twitter.

Twitter proposals.  That’s what I call those online grant application forms that ask a series of questions which applicants must answer within a specified word, or even character, count.  Can a nonprofit agency effectively tell its proposal story given such severe space restrictions?  It’s not easy, but it can be done. 

Online application forms require grantwriters to go on a verbal diet and write low-fat proposals rather than more caloric full-blown narratives.  For most of us, this means that online proposals are more challenging to draft.  Why?  Because we’ve got to make each word count.  We do not have the luxury of slowly building our case for support.  We’ve got to get straight to the point without taking a lot of descriptive detours.  Knowing what to include, as well as what to leave out, is essential.  What guides our decision-making?  Here are four “rules” I follow in preparing online applications.

• Focus on answering only the question that is being asked.  Unlike a tradition proposal narrative where the writer often has a little more flexibility in presenting the story’s sequence, the questions in an online application form dictate the narrative flow.  Writers must focus on the question at hand and should not digress into other topics as doing so will eat words and further limit the amount of available space. 

• Think of each answer as a mini story that must be complete in and of itself.  At minimum, each response requires a topic sentence that introduces the issue being discussed, a sentence or two that elaborates on the topic, and finally a concluding sentence that resolves the issue.  Naturally, if the application allows a greater word count, the mini story can be expanded.

• Don’t be afraid to use a descriptive word or phrase, just do so judiciously.  A well-chosen adjective or adverb adds color and often emotional depth to an answer.  Dispense with vague descriptive words such as “unique” and “innovative.”  Instead, show the reviewer what makes your agency’s work unique and how your agency’s service delivery is innovative.

• Write, review, edit, then edit again.  To ensure the required brevity of answers, first write a draft response to the question asked, then review and edit what’s been written, then edit again.  Be merciless with the editing pen and seek to eliminate all unnecessary words.

With a 400-word count for this article, this story’s end has been reached!

Learn more about Cheryl Clarke’s expertise, services, workshops and books!

3 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged ,

Boards and Fundraising: Common Complaints and Proposed Solutions

Posted on July 21, 2009 | Leave a comment
Is Your Board a Fundraising Board?

Is Your Board a Fundraising Board?

We hear a lot about boards and fundraising.  Below are comments and questions we hear from leadership and staff of organizations and from board members.  Do these sound familiar? Take a look.

Common staff comments and questions:

  1. How can we get our board more involved with fundraising?
  2. We give them a goal each year, but they never meet it.
  3. We can’t get 100% of our board to give.
  4. Our board is more interested in policy than in fundraising.
  5. Everyone agrees on our fundraising plan at the board meeting, but board members just don’t follow through.

Common board comments and questions:

  1. We are willing to get involved, but the goals are unreasonable.
  2. I didn’t join the board to raise money.
  3. They keep changing the fundraising goal – I need a strong and consistent case for support before I introduce my contacts to the institution.
  4. The CEO is unwilling to meet with prospective donors.
  5. I keep asking for training but I really haven’t gotten any yet.

It is always easier to point the finger at someone other than ourselves when we fall short of our goals. Here are some actions for staff and board members to take that can help increase collaboration in the area of fundraising. Circle each of the actions you are willing to take.

Staff Actions

  1. I am willing to meet individually with each board member to review our fundraising goals and objectives and to ask each board member how she or he would be willing to help us meet these goals.
  2. I am willing to let the board determine its fundraising goal.
  3. I am willing to secure ongoing fundraising training for the board that includes time for role playing, time for the board itself to agree upon a fundraising goal, and time for the development of strategies regarding how board members will achieve their agreed upon goal.
  4. I am willing to integrate quick and fun activities into all our board meetings that build the fundraising skills of the board.
  5. I am willing to work with the board president to learn how she would like to personally solicit each board member. I am willing to provide her with support, coaching, materials and training as needed so that she can take ownership of the board solicitation process and ensure 100% giving by all board members.
  6. I am willing to create a culture within our organization that is accountable, transparent and responsive to donor questions and requests.

Board Actions

  1. I am willing to make a gift to the institution that represents one of my largest annual philanthropic donations.
  2. I am willing to engage in fundraising as part of my responsibility as a board member even if feels uncomfortable to me.
  3. I am willing to invest the time it takes to become conversant in the mission, goals, programs and strategic plan of the organization I serve.
  4. I am willing to ask those I know whose values are in alignment with those of the institution I serve to make a gift to the institution or to a specific project.
  5. I am willing to ask questions of the organization’s leadership so that I can best respond to questions that other people may have about the organization. I am willing to ask the difficult questions that people talk about privately but won’t address publicly.
  6. I am willing to take the initiative to make sure that our board meetings always include active discussion and reporting by board members on the topic of fundraising and what we are doing to fulfill our agreed upon fundraising agreements.

It is always easier to point the finger at others. Our question is this – what are you willing to do?

Saad & Shaw provides organizations and institutions with creative and engaging board workshops. If you would like for us to work with you, please let us know. An easy first step is to work with How to Solicit a Gift: Turning Prospects into Donors. This book is written for fundraising volunteers. It walks the novice and the professional through the process of preparing to solicit, as well as guidelines for making the ask, and following up.

Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , ,

Women celebrities who give back

Posted on May 22, 2009 | Leave a comment

SelmaHayekThe May 2009 issue of More magazine features Ten Women Who Give Back. If you didn’t have a chance to read it you can view the slideshow online. So many women are busy giving not only of their time  but of their money. These are women who are involved with cause marketing programs, raising funds for non-profits, and managing their own foundations. Read philanthropy profiles Oprah Winfrey (of course!) as well as Salma Hayek, Gloria Estefan, Bette Midler and More! Learn who is supporting multiple sclerosis research, YouthAIDS, the ASPCA, New York City’s parks, breast cancer support services and research, victims of violence and abuse and more!

Leave a comment

Posted in People, Uncategorized

Tagged ,

Fundraising – Your New Career

Posted on May 4, 2009 | 1 comment

new_careerLinks updated: 2014

Is it time for you to start a new career? Is it time to make a difference in the world? To use your best skills for the benefit of those things you believe in the most? If so it may be time for you to become a fundraiser. Fundraising was listed as one of the top 30 careers for 2009 by US News and World Reports. (Thanks for Michael Magane for bringing this article to our attention!) What exactly is fundraising and why would anyone want to be a fundraiser?

Fundraising is a career with many opportunities for people with a variety of skills. We wrote about this  at the beginning of 2008. At that time real estate agents and mortgage brokers were reeling from changes in the housing market. We wanted people to know that the skills people have developed in these industries could be transferrable to fundraising. Today there is an even greater pool of people with strong skills, connections and experiences who can help build and sustain the fundraising capacity of non-profit organizations, hospitals, colleges, universities and churches. We updated our columns in 2009. (Links available at end of post)

We define fundraising as the process of bringing together organizations and institutions with the people and resources they need to deliver on their mission. It’s not arm twisting. Its’ not begging. It’s about partnership. It’s about helping individuals, families, businesses, corporations, foundations and government agencies identify those organizations who share their beliefs and who are bringing them to life.

Here is what we know about fundraising. People give to a diverse array of institutions, causes and programs. And there is a role for people with diverse skills, backgrounds, personalities and connections. Fundraising is conducted by professionals and even more so by volunteers. As a profession with a career-path there is room for introverts and extroverts, big-picture thinkers as well as people who are detail-oriented. It is for people who lean right politically and those who lean left. It is for people who are in career-transition, who are looking to make a difference and who are willing to learn. And it is for African Americans, Hispanics, Asian Americans and other people who until recently have not been well represented in all aspects of the profession. With changes in American demographics and the growth of the non-profit sector the need to diversify the profession creates new opportunities who people who have been volunteering with their churches, sororities, local schools, colleges and universities. And there are opportunities for people who are changing careers – whether voluntarily or involuntarily.

We believe our three-part series on the topic of careers in fundraising  may be even  more relevant now than it was originally written.  Here are a few key points:

  1. Positions are available with grassroots organizations, colleges, hospitals, national organizations, foundations, advocacy organizations, research institutes, churches, radio and television stations… — all types of organizations and institutions that are categorized as “nonprofits.”
  2. If you are able to secure work with a hospital, college or public radio or television station, you will learn the systems and procedures that represent best practices in fund development and fundraising. Working for one of these institutions can provide you with insight into the many different strategies and activities that comprise fundraising.
  3. If you can remember that your work is about the organization and those it serves and not about you, then you can be successful. People won’t be giving to you; they will be giving to the organization you represent. Your job will be to best promote its successes, the vision of its leadership and how donations are used to advance goals and programs.
  4. There are many entry-level, midcareer and senior-level positions within fundraising and fund development. There is also a gap between the number of positions that need to be filled and the number of individuals who are qualified to fill them. (Part three of the article lists common fundraising job titles and provides descriptions for these).

Part One  – Fundraising and fund development in the nonprofit sector are close cousins to sales and marketing in the private sector.  Learn about the benefits of a career in fundraising and fund development.

Part Two  – Find out what positions are available within the fields of fundraising and fund development

 

1 Comment

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , , , ,

Help is on the way

Posted on May 3, 2009 | Leave a comment
San Francisco Foundation logo

San Francisco Foundation's new non-profit transitions fund

If your organization is grappling with whether or not to merge with another organization or close altogether, you are not alone. The current economic climate is posing many challenges to the very existence of some organizations. For many donations are down, grants are smaller or postponed, and government funding that used to be relied on may simply no longer be available.

If your organization is grappling with difficult issues due to the downturn in the economy, there is help. The San Francisco Foundation has created a new fund called the Nonprofit Transitions Fund to help organizations reduce costs, increase productivity, merge, dissolve, or reorganize. The following is a list of the activities they are prepared to support.

  • Back office collaborations (including rent, equipment, group insurance joint purchasing, and centralizing human resources, payroll, and benefits administration and financial and grants management). Such collaborations can reduce operating and administrative costs.
  • Merger, acquisition or consolidation
  • Dissolution (voluntary/involuntary)
  • Bankruptcy or reorganization
  • Post-merger integration or closure costs
  • Service delivery joint ventures

If your organization would benefit from any of these activities you may want to consider completing the Foundation’s short and straightforward application form. You will be asked to identify which activity your organization is considering, the efforts you have already made in pursuing such an option, and what condition or situation is triggering this consideration. The application is online at http://www.sff.org or you can call (415) 733-8527.

All applications will be reviewed and select organizations will be asked to submit a more detailed proposal. That proposal will ask you to communicate information such as:

  • Evidence of buy-in from staff, board, and constituencies
  • Clear and realistic expectations of benefits/risks
  • What niche or role your organization(s) serves locally or regionally
  • An understanding of your organization’s relative competitive position and its financial strengths

If you are considering a merger, the Foundation will want to know about mission compatibility between the two or more organizations and the extent of a cultural fit, including board and staff compatibility. You should also be prepared to communicate your awareness of obstacles such as asset restrictions, endowment/bequest issues, current liabilities, deferred revenue, and other legal barriers.

While economic conditions may be the driving force behind these considerations, some organizations may become stronger and more effective by pursuing difficult choices.

There are a lot of things to consider and help is available.

Copyright 2009 – Mel and Pearl Shaw

Leave a comment

Posted in FUNdraising Good Times, Uncategorized

Tagged , ,

How To Ask Your Donors For More Money

Posted on May 1, 2009 | Leave a comment
Soliciation Meeting - Fundraising, Donors Who Give

Soliciation Meeting - Fundraising, Donors Who Give

Are you willing to ask your donors for more money? What would it mean to your organization if you asked your current donors for a second gift? Do you think that because they have given once this year you shouldn’t ask them again?

If you are willing to ask your donors for more money, here are ten things to consider as you prepare to ask.

Ten Steps to Asking Your Donors For More Money:

  1. Share what your organization is doing now
  2. Share organization’s  recent (and current!) successes and how donor’s gift made a difference
  3. Share your vision and goals – what you are seeking to accomplish. Be concrete.
    “The current economy is impacting our students ability to stay in school. There are 32 seniors who will be unable to graduate this June because they have lost their jobs or their parents have lost their jobs. We are seeking to raise $232,000 to help ensure all our seniors graduate.”
  4. Communicate what it will take for your organization to deliver on its vision and goals. Let your donor know how much money you need to raise, how many volunteers you need, what type of technology you want to implement, what size building you want to rent or buy, what type of training your clients are seeking…
  5. ASK for opinions, questions and advice –
    “How do you think we should go about trying to accomplish this?” 
    “How should we proceed?”
    “You’ve been a volunteer for a long time, do you think this will work?” 
    “I know your graduating class tried something similar – what guidance would you offer us as we move forward?”
  6. LISTEN and affirm. If you ask someone for advice, questions or guidance, take it in. Do not argue or negate what the person says. You asked for his opinion, listen to it and respond in a positive manner.
    “Jack, I like that idea. I’ll share it with Monique and see if she can integrate that into our plan.”
  7. Share your plan for how you will raise the additional money you need.
    “Sonya, I am looking for 15 people to give $500 between now and June so we can meet the projected $7,500 shortfall in the after-school program.” PAUSE.
  8. ASK the person you are talking with if they are interested making this happen and who they think would want to join them.
    “Rev. Chang, would you be interested in supporting the new breast cancer survivor program at the hospital?” PAUSE. Are there people who you feel would want to join you?”
  9. ASK the person you are talking with if they would be willing to increase their giving.
    “Ramon, would you and your partner be willing to increase your pledge from $5,000 to $10,000?” PAUSE.

Note: we write PAUSE after so many of our suggested talking points  because we want to make sure you pause and let the other person share their thoughts. Giving the other person time to talk and LISTENING to what they have to say is vitally important to sustaining your relationship with your donors. And with your friends!

Word of Caution: Do not treat your donors as an ATM machine. Do not expect that because your organization has a financial need that your donors should AUTOMATICALLY fill that need.

– Mel and Pearl Shaw

Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged ,

One million women for women

Posted on March 28, 2009 | Leave a comment

Barack Obama has introduced his economic stimulus package. Cities and states around the country are creating theirs. What will be the women’s economic stimulus package? How can we as individual women and men invest in changing the current and future conditions for women and girls in California and ultimately our country and the world? The One Million Women for Women Campaign launched by the Women’s Foundation of California is one way to invest in this change.

This campaign is asking one million women (and men!) to support change in California. Together we can increase women’s economic prosperity, access to affordable healthcare, safety and leadership. With one million women (and men!) giving $10 each The Women’s Foundation of California will raise $10 million to help change public policy and conditions in our homes, on our streets, and in the workplace.

Giving $10 each we can stimulate investment in organizations and advocates who change the conditions of women’s lives.

Together we can fund grassroots organizations focused on changing the economic conditions of women working in low-wage jobs, part-time jobs, and jobs where women are still not paid a wage equal to that of men. Our $10 gifts – when combined – can fund advocacy and services that provide women with access to affordable health care including a full range of reproductive health services. Together we can provide funding that increases the safety of women and children in our homes, schools, workplaces and communities. And together we can train and mentor California’s women in the ins-and-outs of Sacramento and how to successfully advocate for policy changes that positively impact large numbers of women. Right now 32 women from all over California are participating in the Women’s Policy Institute working on environmental health, reproductive justice, economic and educational justice, criminal justice and elder women’s issues.

As a nonprofit public foundation The Women’s Foundation of California invests in women and girls to build a more just and equitable society for all. The Foundation believes that California’s potential will only be realized when women and girls lead and thrive as full participants at all levels of society.

Let’s join together with our gifts of $10 (or more!) and invest in a stimulus package for California’s women. Take the time to invest in our future and change the lives of California’s women and children.

Copyright © 2009 – Mel and Pearl Shaw

Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged ,

How To Solicit a Gift

Posted on March 21, 2009 | Leave a comment

How To Solicit A Gift!Have you been asked to raise money for a non-profit, college, hospital or church? Are you willing but not sure how to proceed? Is it your job to prepare volunteers and staff to solicit gifts? If so, How to Solicit a Gift was written for you!

We wrote How to Solicit a Gift: Turning Prospects into Donors for two reasons. To help people learn how to ask others for a gift to an organization or institution they believe in. And to help the staff of non-profits, colleges, churches and hospitals understand how to best prepare volunteers to solicit gifts.

Fundraising is much more than simply asking people for money. 90% of fundraising is preparation. Only 10% is actual solicitation. Learn what it’s all about and how you can succeed.

Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized, Workshops, Conferences, Trainings & Events

Tagged , , , ,