What makes an NPO successful at fundraising?
Is it a really great vision? A charismatic ED? A board who pulls their weight with fundraising and recruiting?
Actually, in my opinion, there are a lot of things that will make your NPO a success, but they can be summed up into two categories:
- Your mindset.
- Your relationships.
If you want to really stick the landing in your first few years of leading your NPO, you have to make a few mindset shifts and focus on creating and maintaining authentic relationships. .
Mindset shift #1 – Not everything is for everybody.
Some founders are so passionate about the mission of their NPO that they think it needs no introduction. They feel that people should be sold on the vision or motivated to give simply because it’s a good cause. And then they’re shocked when the money isn’t flowing in.
There is a specific group of people with whom your mission will resonate. “If you build it, they will come.”
Mindset shift #2 – Rich people are just people like you and me.
When you take the time to understand your ideal donors’ psychographics–their dreams, their hopes, their aspirations–you give them something they can’t get anywhere else in return for their contribution.
Your job is to help them achieve their highest potential and affirm what they already believe about themselves.
Mindset shift #3 – Fundraising is about relationships, not transactions.
When you narrow down the playing field and remember that your job is to attract like-minded people to accomplish a common vision, you can start treating fundraising more like community organizing where everyone has an equally important role to play.
It’s not about you and your vision. It’s about championing the community’s vision. We can achieve more together than apart.
If you’re new to nonprofit leadership or thinking about starting up your own NPO, check out this week’s Nonprofit Lowdown with my friend Tiffany Allen, founder and president of Boss on a Budget!
🎤🎤🎤
We spill some piping hot tea about how to be the real deal when it comes to starting up your own nonprofit.
And let me tell ya…it’s not as easy as just slapping a 501c3 on your passion project and watchin’ the donations roll in. We debunk some major myths around funding and control that trip up many founder executive directors.
The key is building relationships, people! Donors are community too.
Tiffany shares straight truth about the pitfalls nonprofit newbies face, like lacking systems and support early on. We dish out some real talk around trusting others to carry the vision, finding the right “who’s” for your board, and avoiding burnout. Even us visionary bosses need help sometimes!
Overall, an enlightening convo you don’t wanna miss as a nonprofit newbie or nonprofit exec with a few years under your belt.
Tune in and level up with this episode, and don’t forget to leave a review!
Listen to the full episode here 🎧: Ep. #274 – Advice for NPO Start-ups with Tiffany Allen.
