• Strengthen Your Boards- The staff can only do so much. If you find and recruit new board members that can be passionate about your organization and help you raise money, then you will be in a much better place by the end of the year. New board members can open doors and help you access and raise new dollars.
• Embrace Social Media- Today’s world requires immediate and up to date information. A stale Web site and a printed newsletter distributed a few times a year is not enough. You are missing opportunities to market yourself and let the larger community know what is happening with your organization. If you haven’t already done so, then start a Facebook page, connect your organization on LinkedIn, tweet on Twitter, create an electronic newsletter and begin to write a blog. All of these tools are essentially free. It is just a matter of taking the time to learn and implement. There are plenty of people that are knowledgeable about social media that would be willing to assist you.
• Get in front of the Public- Clubs, organizations and business groups often meet every week. They are always looking for speakers. Make an effort to develop a presentation that you, your staff and your volunteers can use. Then make the contacts with Rotary, Kiwanis, Lion’s, Civitan, Chambers of Commerce, VFW’s, American Legion and many other clubs and ask them to get on the calendar for a presentation about your organizations. Many professional associations allot part of their meetings for presentations from nonprofits. Only good things can happen from these efforts. People will learn more about your organization and they may be willing to volunteer and even donate, once they are informed.
• Be Efficient- Spend wisely. Seek “in-kind” services. Some company may not give you money but they might print a brochure for free. In my former fund raising life, I asked a bank for a financial donation. They said no but they offered me five billboards for a three-month period all over town. They put me in touch with their ad agency and the agency donated the cost to prepare the billboard. Because the bank was such a good customer, the billboard company put the five signs up for free. We had free advertising for three months at no cost to our organization.
• Network- We can all learn something from each other. When you attend a workshop or conference, make sure you walk away from the event with at least one new contact and, hopefully, at least one new idea. If someone is doing something that is working, there is no reason it can’t work for you. It is worth a try.
• Be Willing to Change- Often times, we get use to doing things a certain way. We get stuck in our own organizational mindset. Be willing to welcome change. Look for new ways to grow and improve your organization and yourself. If the old model is not working, then change course. If your ideas are no longer enough, then find new ideas by learning from other people. It can only help your organization move forward progressively and positively and that is what you want.
There are no easy solutions to complex problems in today’s nonprofit world. Many times cost prohibits us from accomplishing certain goals. However, there are other ways to grow and succeed that do not cost anything other than your time and energy. I encourage you to consider these “tips” as you move forward in 2011. Remember the old adage “Nothing ventured; nothing gained.” Now is your opportunity to try a few new things that will, hopefully, bring positive results and at little or no expense.
Tom Keith is the president of the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina
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