How to Outsmart your Nonprofit Peers
@Fundraising

And 3 reasons why You Shouldn't

Productivity

The untold Explanation why So many

nonprofits miss out on

Millions in Foundation Grants

Year after Year?

It's MATH

Stephen covey b&w
Dr. Stephen Covey

first things first:

Begin With the End in Mind

I had the privilege of freelancing as “acting coach” for the late Dr. Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Together in 1988, through 6 weeks of production, we honed his on-camera delivery, sharing the Seven Habits with millions!

Our collaboration intensified my recognition that people, just like your donors, have a near insatiable drive to demonstrate their significance.

Solve For Success: Your Formula for Outsmarting Nonprofit Peers

The Finish Line

You’ve crafted an incredible partnership with your supporters!  You’re headed to the stage for the welcome address at your nonprofit’s Annual Gala. 

Now, marching to the stage for your welcome presentation, you’re giddy, because this year, rather than pressure people to bid on crappy silent auction items, you foster relationship building. You encourage guests to turn to their table-neighbors and share their vision for the betterment of the entire community as a whole.

Shared Enlightenment

Your team develops processes that consistently win grants & funds from donors & foundations you may not even know!

The metamorphosis has been game-changing, inspiring  confidence for nurturing supporter relationships. 

Together, you and your nonprofit peer partners successfully (and profitably) catapult community capacity!

The Real Elephant in the Room

*(Hint) it's not the money

I have to take issue (and personal responsibility) with the way we treat the passionate individuals and families who seek out our causes, based on issues that are important to their families.

They show up with all the right intentions

They come, fully committed, with all the right intentions, ready to accomplish the most menial tasks we assign to them, (usually time-sensitive, busywork as a pending fundraising gala approaches), that impact our bottom line for the preservation of the mission of our organizations.

What we neglect to take advantage of is the professional experience and insights they show up with, equipped to share,  that could catapult us toward conquering our organization’s vision.

Please note: I’ve volunteered, served on committees, campaigned and won an elected Governing Board seat on the second largest school district in the state of Arizona and I currently serve on the Board of Directors for an international nonprofit that teaches Coding to more than 500,000 elementary school children.

a girl with braids wearing a backpack. Representative of the Bootup PD and Amazon Future Engineer Comprehensive Coding curriculum for students across America - preK through 6th grade
Bootup PD & Amazon Future Engineer
Professional Development: a nationwide initiative to teach coding through all disciplines, to elementary students (preK-6th grade)
Coding Starts Here
Niche best schools badge 2024
Voted AZ's #1 School District
Elected Governing Board member of Arizona's fastest growing, high performing school district
CUSD Ed Foundation
DFE speaking at Casteel HS
Governing Board
Elected Governing Board Member: A+ Rated Schools, 47,000 Students
Visit CUSD

Still though, I have to take issue (and personal responsibility) with the way we treat the passionate individuals and families who seek out nonprofits, based on causes that are important to their families. They come, with all the right intentions, committed to accomplishing any tasks we assign to them, (usually time-sensitive, busy work approaching fundraising galas), that impact our bottom line for the preservation of the mission of our organizations.

Articles to move your EFRTTTTTTs forward . . .

EFRTTTTTTs: endowment fundraising as a resource of time, talents, treasures, ties, Testimony & trust

Outsmart your nonprofit peers at fundraising
3 chihuahua dogs dressed in traditional mariachi outfits (albeit very small ones" including hats. Outside of the Senior Center at Balboa Park, San Diego
Philanthropic giving is not only an artform. It's a cacophony of acronyms, shorthand and jargon that cause people to hesitate in their nonprofit giving

FUNDRAISING IS ABOUT THE MATH THAT NONE OF US WANTS TO CALCULATE, BUT STAY WITH ME FOR JUST A FEW MINUTES

  1. 76 million Baby-boomers will turn 65 by 2030.
  2. Estimates vary but Baby-boomer transfer of wealth is approximately $90 TRILLION: that’s 90 + 12 zeros
  3. Famous names like Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Alice Walton and 700 other Billionaires screw up the math
    1.  foundations and sophisticated trusts add an additional $2.5 trillion
  4. The median net worth for a Baby-boomer is closer to $300,000, each. If they own a house it’s closer to $500,000 or a million per couple.
  5. only 1/3 of Americans have a formalized plan for what happens to their assets when they die
  6.