Posts Tagged ‘Non Profit Organization’

An incorrect but sometimes common stereotype of the non-profit sector is a poorly-funded or maybe even ramshackle group of operations. Yes, you’ll still find those traditional “soup kitchens” out there to this day, supported by local churches or an occasional donation drive, but there is a lot more to this sector than that. Charities can be regional or nationwide, which means they need to market and promote themselves like any other big organization does. Bring on the promotional products!

Take a closer look at large charitable organizations like the Red Cross and you’ll see something that represents a well-oiled machine like any for-profit business. Does this mean that they need to approach promotional products the same way any for-profit business would? Sometimes. Context is always important in marketing; one route doesn’t meet the needs for everyone equally, and this applies to a non-profit organization as much as it would for anything else.

Potentially the difference would be the availability of funds to spend on marketing efforts. A business has things like profit (of course) that can be converted into money to spend on the more ethereal things like marketing and branding. Budgets at non-profits can end up very limited, especially because the reputation of a non-profit can be a huge factor in its success. Some non-profits see it as a priority to keep the amount of money they spend towards “administrative costs” as low as possible. Critical to their reputation, even. In the case of a charity, how likely are you to give if they seem to spend half of their donations on themselves?

That said, the similarities to a normal for-profit business do mean following some of the usual guidelines. If a non-profit is going to be at a trade show and intends to give away corporate gifts to drum up some awareness they’re going to want to keep the giveaways small. No one is going to want to carry them around all day if they’ve been given cumbersome promotional products. Avoid the temptation to just toss money into purchasing any little trinket you can find, either. Giving out an easy to carry but completely useless promotional item is just going to be a waste of money. Money that may more difficult to come by in a non-profit environment!

It can be really important to avoid letting budgetary concerns scare a non-profit from being creative. In fact, less room to maneuver might mean letting those creative juices flow and use promotional items that aren’t entirely obvious or common! Charities can attract a younger and creative group of employees or volunteers, so it is important to tap into that resource. Take advantage of the fact that many people don’t look at non-profits as a business, which can mean more freedom. Picking a promotional item that might not be entirely professional could be a bigger benefit to a brand than a hindrance!

If you are in the promotional products industry, it is important to not write off the non-profit sector as a source of potential clients. They’re out there and they need your help! If you are a non-profit, the promotional items out there could be a critical contribution to getting some awareness out there and some contributions rolling in.

Chris Ellis has been around imprinted promotional items for many years now, and has guided countless successful marketing campaigns. This marketing and author is here to guide you through the many pitfalls of promotional products.

Author: Chris Ellis
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Many organizations need ideas for non profits fundraising. Non profits need to raise money for their operating costs and for programs to help other people, the environment, or other causes. Non profits occupy an important aspect in society and they need to raise money throughout the year.

Non profit organizations choose from many different fundraising ideas. In many cases, the fundraiser is related to the non profit in some way. For example, a historical museum may sponsor a historically accurate dinner or hold lectures on topics related to the museum. Other non profits may choose to focus on the needs of the community when putting together a fundraiser. For example, a youth organization might put on a community fair or offer yard work for donations.

One of the most important aspects of doing non profit fundraising is the relationships between people. It may become easy to get caught up in getting donations, but building relationships between the organization and donors is very important. Individuals who are invested in the non profit organization are more likely to continue to support the organization both financially and emotionally.

The ideas that work for your non profit will depend on the demographics of your organization and the individuals you are hoping will donate. An organization using teenage volunteers will likely have a very different fundraiser than an art museum with adult volunteers. An organization focusing on low income individuals may not want to have a fundraiser that excludes these individuals because of cost.

For some non profits, sponsoring cruises or other travel is a great way to help gain donations and build relationships. Most people like to travel and non profits can usually work with travel companies to get a portion of the profits from the tour. This also helps people in the community get to know the organization. Afterward, a dinner could be used to show pictures and a discussion of the tour.

Other ideas for non profit fundraising include things like sponsoring themed dinners, holding a festival or fair, or organizing a race. If you are organizing a non profit fundraiser, you should think about your organization and the people who will be volunteering and donating. Don’t force an idea just because you think it could raise a lot of money. The fundraiser should be right for your organization and its members.

Ideas for non profits fundraising are everywhere and you just need to do a little searching to find the ones that are right for your non profit. Remember to also consider the fact that building relationships with donors and organization members should be just as important as the donations.

Are you running out of ideas for your non profits fundraising activities? Visit Red Hot Fundraising to find some creative ideas such as online fundraising that you might not have considered.

Author: Steven Roberts
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Just how are you still standing, were the words uttered to the executive director of the arts organization as he sat down with the others! This was a meeting of non profits and many of which where on the verge of or had recently closed their doors for good and no one could figure out how this particularly small organization was not only staying afloat but thriving during this economic recession!

This scenario is being played out all around the country as the non profit organizations are faced with grim reality of looking for operational and program funding without the support of the community, city or government. The money for many of these projects and organizations simply isn’t there and their constituents in many cases are not in a financial position to invest into the vision of the organization.

In the last 18 months we have witnessed an unprecedented number of closures in the non profit arena with experts predicting that things will continue to get worse as more people lose their homes and jobs! The people simply do not have the monies to donate to worthy causes in many cases because they are already behind on their current obligations and when it comes down to it, their personal bills comes before the non profits mission.

Couple that with the already cumbersome grant process and you truly have a recipe for disaster where one has to seriously consider if there is a plot to destroy all non profit organizations. It’s truly very hard out there for a non profit organization to exist. Even the major non profits are having issues with donation shortfalls and operational budget overruns.

Is there a solution? Of course there is and I am thankful for the opportunity to share some of these ideas with you!

The first tip is know that because this is a recession you will really need to run a super tight ship that has no room for excess expenditures. Many non profits were already running with skeleton crews but during a recession that problem gets even worse so as hard as it may seem you will need to ensure that you only have paid staff persons in the most critical positions. You will also want to ask for volunteers with specialized knowledge to lend their time in light of their money.

You will then look for what I call innovative monetization strategies. Basically what part of your non profits mission and scope of work can be broken down into products that consumers and supporters will want and/or need to purchase. We can go a couple ways with this one so let me give you a few examples of what I am talking about here. Lets say your non profit creates art projects for public display.

You could have an annual calendar displaying 12 of your projects from the last year that you could distribute for donations at the end of the year. This serves 2 primary purposes with an added intangible benefit. First it puts your organization right there in the home of your supporter where they see it all the time and get a constant reminder that your non profit still exists and is depending on them for support. It also now serves as a conversation starter as others will see it and inquire which could potentially lead to a new supporter or donation even.

You also now have a growing database of potential new volunteers and supporters from the people new to your organization who purchase a calendar. These initial contacts when followed up over time can produce huge dividends for a growing non profit that is always seeking more resources.

The last and most important part of this involves the actual commerce and product creation mindset. Understand that as a progressive non profit organization you must continue to look for ways to push the envelope and create residual income streams. Having a panel or sub committee who continually works on new funding opportunities based off the current portfolio of projects should be a part of every boards make up.

Over the last 15 months we have perfected a innovative fundraising system that is quite simply the best thing to happen in the non profit world since the creation of the 501c3 designation. Powerful words but when you implement our fundraising system you begin to experience some things not seen often in your smaller non profit organizations who seem to always struggle financially. With our system we are taking small non profits who are on financial life support and we literally walk them through a no cost process that in as little as 48 hours can create a growing monthly residual income stream for the organization.

So in essence, once you implement our system in your area you will begin to see instant results that will simply blow you away! For instance, Jackson State University in Mississippi just recently raised over $25,000 using our system! Now what would an extra $25,000 do for your organization, do you think you could complete a few more outreach programs or green light that big project you have been wanting to do.

Can I guarantee your organization will raise that kind of money, of course not, but what if you only did 20% as good as they did! And did I mention that the income stream comes back next month and next month and next month and I think you get the picture.

So just how do you get your hands on this program and all of the details you ask?

Raise Money Now

Author: Tyron Mcdaniel
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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There’s no question about it: we are seeing the most challenging economic times since the Great Depression. Every day, we read about lost jobs at this company or that, but when was the last time you heard about lost jobs and closing doors at a non-profit organization?

Well, it’s true; it’s actually happening. The non-profit sector is struggling in a big way. The timing could not be worse: we rely on so many non-profits to provide their services – from soup kitchens to health care – and the prospect of scaling back (or closing their doors) is happening when they are more desperately needed than ever in communities, both large and small, all over the country. As a point of reference, we must remember that an organization receives its IRS non-profit status only after proving its charitable benefit to the constituency it serves.

If we review the series of key events over the past months, several specific issues have combined to form that so-called ‘perfect storm’ – we have just completed the most expensive presidential campaign in the history of our country (and, before Obama could deliver his acceptance speech on election night in Chicago, many people were already very seriously concerned about the economy), state budgets have been squeezed, many of the failing private-sector organizations (even Freddie and Fannie) were large contributors to the non-profit sector, and individual donors have seen their savings drop more than any other time in their lifetime.

Let’s face it; the magnitude of the current financial situation – and its effects on the non-profit sector – is huge.

But, the purpose of this article is to provide some positive steps to help proactive non-profits achieve success (survival?) even during difficult times. True, just as in the for-profit sector, not all non-profits will survive. We cannot change that fact in a capitalistic society. However, we can encourage non-profits to exude excellence and compete successfully among their peers for precious funding dollars.

I received an email on March 26, 2009 from a group, whose information I try to follow, known as “IT Solution Journal.” The subject line read as follows: “Compliance Rules: Tools, Policies and Best Practices That Are Cost Effective”

Wow! That’s the subject near and dear to my heart: non-profit compliance in the areas of ethics, governance, and accountability. As I have stated in previous articles, I believe that pro-active compliance is a sure way for a non-profit, charitable organization to signal its commitment to excellence.

So, in part, here is what that email had to say:

“Organizations of all types and sizes, industries and professions have long been mindful of the need for legal and regulatory compliance. In the current economic environment, however, forward-thinking organizations now are shifting their focus somewhat. Mere adherence to laws and regulations is no longer enough. Thanks to tight economic conditions and a fiercely competitive business environment, proactive managers and executives are committed to implementing strategic email and Hosted Service management…”

The good news: My experience has been that non-profit organizations have been extremely resilient over the years. And, my belief is that non-profit organizations are better-suited to address a number of our most pressing problems than either the government-sector or the private-sector organizations.

And, the bad news: I am concerned that most non-profits have not been as diligent as they should with their regulatory compliance. To date, the critical document for a non-profit, charitable organization has been the IRS Form 990, filed annually. It is my opinion that this will begin to change more and more (as I have mentioned in previous articles regarding the focus that Congress has placed on non-profit compliance and the increased scrutiny it has mandated to the IRS.

Foundations are watching their endowments drop, thereby making the case for less grant funding and their boards struggle with eroding investment portfolios. The same is true with individual donors. So, how does a struggling non-profit gain an edge?

I have five suggestions:

1. Don’t panic. Now is the time for calm, cool, collected thinking.

2. Make necessary changes. If there are board members or staff members who are not serving the organization adequately, replace them. Now is the time to rally your best and brightest minds and your most ardent supporters.

3. Review your IRS compliance requirements. Make sure you have your policies in place – and, make sure you are following them. Ethics, governance, and accountability measures will speak volumes.

4. If you are fortunate to have an endowment, use it. Avoid watching the stock market numbers every day. Keep your mind focused on the future.

5. Talk to your donor base, membership base, and continue to seek grant funds. This time, however, do it from a position of excellence. Don’t be reluctant to tout the professionalism of your organization over your peers.

In conclusion, this is a time of tremendous challenge; however, it is also a time of exciting opportunities. It’s time for non-profits to compete like never before (not in petty terms) but in all things that exude excellence, confidence, and strong business acumen.

Rob Glenn is the founder and president of The Center for Ethics, Governance, and Accountability (CEGA). His organization seeks to provide non-profit organizations with compliance policies that will provide a competitive edge for grant writing, donations, and charitable support. More information about CEGA can be found at http://www.centerega.com

Author: Rob Glenn
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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