RON MILAM CONSULTING  

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Category :: Fundraising

Bike Kitchen Fundraising

I'm excited to report one of my past clients, the Bike Kitchen, just launched a fundraising campaign. I'm really impressed with all of their work and just mailed in a check for $100 to help them reach their fundraising goal.  If you ride your bike in Los Angeles, I encourage you to also donate to their campaign so they can continue providing valuable services to the community. For more info and to donate, check out their blog at: http://bicicocina.blogspot.com/

Speaking of donations, I'm leading two fundraising workshops later this week.  One on hosting fundraising events this Thursday and another on researching and cultivating a donor base on friday. For more info, check out my
calendar

Thanks Bike Kitchen!



February News

Here's a link to my February newsletter - enjoy!

Creating a Fundraising Plan

I’m excited to be working with the leadership at LA Voice to create a fund development plan.  LA Voice is an interfaith organization engaging congregation members on a number of social change related issues in Los Angeles, including affordable housing, homelessness and health care.  For an inspiring video about the organization’s work, click here.

Over the years, I’ve worked with many organizations to create a fund development plan, including having recently developed a plan for SOAR Charter School.  A fund development plan helps chart a future fundraising course for a nonprofit organization and contains the following: 

  • An assessment of the organization’s current fundraising generated from a fundraising audit and leadership survey
  • A review of the organizations fundraising materials, including past grant proposals, cover letters and appeal letters
  • Development of an overall goal targeting specific strategies to achieve that goal
  • A timeline/workplan to implement plan
  • A list of possible funding sources
  • A staffing plan
  • An appendix with additional resources. 

By investing time to create an overall fundraising strategy, an organization is in a much better position to realize its fundraising goals.  Rather than reacting in a haphazard way to fundraising strategies that may sound good but yield weak results, it stays focused on strategies that have the highest chance of building strong donor relationships that lead to sustainable fundraising in the long term.  The process also engages staff and the Board of Directors in the process of creating the plan, which helps ensure they’ll be engaged when it comes to implementing the plan.

If you or your organization would like more information about how I may be able to assist you with the creation of a fund development plan, please contact me.

Working with SCANPH

I’m very pleased to be working with the leadership at the Southern California Association of Non-Profit Housing (SCANPH).   SCANPH creates affordable housing opportunities for low-income people by expanding the knowledge, capacity and influence of the nonprofit development sector.  Over the years, SCANPH has championed affordable housing in Southern California and helped build a strong network of local affordable housing developers that have generated housing that’s affordable.   SCANPH also has some excited plans to green development in the future, which I’m especially excited to see happen. 

I’m working with the organization’s leadership to build their fundraising capacity so that they’re able to bring in the needed resources to do their good work.  I’m excited to attend their upcoming Board meeting in March to work with the entire Board of Directors on engaging in the fundraising process.  For some tips on how to build a fundraising Board of Directors, check out my recent blog post.

Intern with Ron Milam

Many years ago, I benefitted from the work from an intern while directing the LA County Bicycle Coalition (my intern, Andrew, currently teaches in Mexico City and will someday be the Mayor of Detroit).  I later worked closely with an intern while working for Enterprise Community Partners in New York City (that intern, Matt, is currently in Law School and will someday be the Governor of Florida).   As Principal of my own consulting firm with a lot of work on my plate, I'm once again looking to bring on an intern to help me with my work.  In turn, I look forward to working with whoever I bring on to build their capacity as a leader in the nonprofit sector.  Here's the job description.  Please forward to anyone who you think might be interested:

Intern Job Description

 
Ron Milam Consulting is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Intern.  Ron Milam
has 12 years of successful experience in the non-profit sector and has consulted for 40 nonprofit organizations since 2005.  His mission is to provide capacity building support for leaders working to transform Los Angeles into a sustainable region.  Ron specializes in the areas of fundraising, strategic planning and leadership development.  He’s a skilled facilitator, presenter, coach and project manager.   For more info, check out www.ronmilam.com.

This position is ideal for someone wanting to gain real world experience as a consultant working for some of Los Angeles’ leading sustainability oriented nonprofit organizations.  It’s also a good place to build your skills as a leader in the nonprofit sector, particularly as a fundraiser and/or facilitator.  As part of the internship, Ron will identify areas in which the intern wants to build their capacity as a leader and discuss it weekly with the intern.   This part-time position is ideal for current graduate students wanting to gain some real-world experience and additional income on the side.  Specific responsibilities of the intern are as follows:

Fundraising

  • Research potential donors for Ron’s clients
  • Develop/write/review grant proposals
  • Copy-edit proposals Ron develops
  • Assist with logistical details of fundraising work Ron does for clients (fundraising assessments, leadership surveys, draft plans, etc.)

Facilitation

  • Record notes for meetings Ron facilitates
  • Facilitate portions of the agenda
  • Assist with logistical details related to meetings Ron facilitates

 Marketing

  • Help research and identify new consulting clients
  • Assist with social media marketing
  • Assist with the development of marketing and training materials
  • Data-entry

There may be other projects that come up outside of the areas of facilitation, fundraising and marketing, depending on the needs of Ron Milam and his clients.

Desired Skills and Experience:

  • Passion and energy for implementing urban sustainability in Los Angeles
  • Experience and/or interest in the nonprofit sector
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills
  • Detail-oriented
  • Strong leadership ability and an entrepreneurial spirit that thrives in a start-up environment

Compensation:

$15/hour.  Part-time.  Flexible hours.

Application Submission – Deadline February 26th, 2008:

Please email your cover letter and résumé to rpm@ronmilam.com.

KCRW Fund Drive Lessons

Today is the last day of KCRW’s winter pledge drive. It’s also the last day to listen and learn some really valuable fundraising practices.  As a fundraising consultant, I’ve been listening to their fund drive all week and want to share with you some of the things they do really well that would be valuable to any non-profit organization seeking to raise funds from individual donors through a major donor campaign:

  1. They have an overall campaign goal for the amount of money they want to raise.  Not only that, they set goals for each hour and let listeners know the progress they are making towards reaching that goal.  They rally around these goals and folks who donate feel great for their contribution towards that specific goal.  
  2. They have clear deadlines – both for the overall campaign and for each hour.  These deadlines give a sense of urgency and compel folks to give.
  3. They ask for our support, repeatedly.  If they didn’t ask, most of us wouldn’t just randomly decide to give.
  4. They say “thank you” all the time and regularly thank people who have given on air.  “Thank you” are the two most important words in fundraising.
  5. They get everyone involved in the fundraising process.  All DJ’s, staff and a bunch of volunteers are involved.  Fundraising works best when all staff and board members are involved in the process.
  6. They make a clear case for why their station is valuable, which resonates with its audience. 
  7. They stress the individual benefits listeners receive and also throw in some nice give-aways (which were all likely donated from sponsors who wanted to support the fundraising drive and also reach out to a broader audience with their products).
  8. They use challenge grants.  When I heard the David Bohnett Foundation would double any gift people made, it inspired me to make another donation.
  9. They make giving really easy – it only takes a minute to pledge over the phone or online.
  10. They have fun with it.

I encourage you not only to tune in today on their last day to learn some great fundraising practices, but also consider making a gift yourself.  I’m a big fan of “Morning Becomes Eclectic” and “Which Way LA”. 

Fundraising 101 Seminar

I'm pleased to report that last week's Fundraising 101 Seminar I led at the Center for Nonprofit Management in Downtown Los Angeles went very well.  For those of you that missed this introductory course, I'm leading another one on  February 5th from 10am to 1pm at the Flintridge Foundation in Pasadena.  Below is the course description.

At today's seminar, we had a great session with lots of participation in the form of discussion, questions and role-playing.  Some memorable points made:

-be sure to thank your donors
-fundraising is an ongoing process
-think of fundraising as an opportunity for a donor to invest in your organization
-engage your Board of Directors in the fundraising process

Folks shared with me after the workshop they learned a great deal and incrased their confidence levels when it comes to fundraising.

Here's the course description:

Course Description
Need to raise funds for your non-profit organization? Where do you begin? What's the secret to success? This workshop will explore the key concepts that underlie the fundraising process, including the development of a case statement, prospecting, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship. You'll have the opportunity to practice what you learn through interactive exercises, such as practicing the art of asking for a major gift. The workshop will also provide a forum for you to discuss any issues you have with fundraising and connect with leaders from other non-profit organizations.

For more info and to register for the next workshop, check out the Flintridge Foundation.

Both the Center for Nonprofit Management and Flintridge Foundation host a number of seminars on a wide-variety of subjects that relate to the nonprofit sector. I encourage you to check out the many resources each offers.

Fundraising 101 this Wednesday

I'm leading another Fundraising 101 Seminar this Wednesday from 9:30am to 12:30am at the Center for Nonprofit Management in Downtown Los Angeles and welcome you to attend.  I'm also leading the same workshop on February 5th from 10am to 1pm at the Flintridge Foundation in Pasadena. 

Here's the course description:

Course Description
Need to raise funds for your non-profit organization? Where do you begin? What's the secret to success? This workshop will explore the key concepts that underlie the fundraising process, including the development of a case statement, prospecting, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship. You'll have the opportunity to practice what you learn through interactive exercises, such as practicing the art of asking for a major gift. The workshop will also provide a forum for you to discuss any issues you have with fundraising and connect with leaders from other non-profit organizations.

For more info and to register, check out the Center for Nonprofit Management.

January News

Here's a link to my most recent email newsletter I sent out.  Enjoy!

Top 10 Fundraising Tips

Earlier tonight, I met with several folks from the Bike Kitchen and helped them brainstorm some fundraising strategies for their fantastic organization.  They were already on the right track because they had five folks from the organization there ready to roll up their sleeves and help raise funds, including some volunteers, a board member and their staff person.  During our time together, I mentioned some of my top 10 tips for Fundraising and want to share a summary of this list for you:  

1. Ask:  Your job is to ask. The person you ask – their job is to decide. 

2. Thank:  The most important words in fundraising are “Thank you”. Thanking donors affirms their gift.

3.  Build relationships:  People give to people. Remember to build relationships with your donors.

4.  It’s an ongoing process:  The folks who are most likely to give large gifts to your organizations are folks who already give. 

5.  You might get nine “no’s” before a “yes”:  Don’t be afraid if someone you ask says no. Thank them for considering.

6.  Develop your case first:  Before you start asking for money, it’s important that you have a strong case for your organization.

7.  Research, Network and Cultivate:  Constantly work to develop potential new donors.

8.  Diversify your funding base:  Seek to raise funds from multiple sources: individuals, events, foundation grants, government grants and earned-income.

9.  Diversify your fundraisers:  Fundraising generates the strongest results when lots of people in the organization are involved in the process.

10.  It’s an ongoing learning process:  We learn fundraising by doing it. I wish you the best as you move forward.

I will elaborate on these in future blog posts and wish all of you the best as raise funds for whatever organizations you are affiliated with in 2010.  I also welcome any suggestions you have to raise money for nonprofit organizations.  Thanks!



 

December News

Here's a link to my December 2009 Newsletter.  Enjoy!
Happy Holidays,
Ron

2009 Year in Review

I’m pleased to report on what kept me busy in 2009 – consulting for 18 nonprofit organizations, which included facilitating nine groups, managing three projects, leading 20 trainings and coaching for several nonprofit leaders. 
Below is a short summary of my work as well as an accomplishment of the organization. I look forward to serving even more organizations in 2010 and hope you’ll contact me if you think there is a role I might be able to play for your organization.
Facilitation
Green LA Coalition – I facilitated a visioning process based on an organizational assessment that another talented consultant, Beth Steckler and I did for them. The Coalition sponsored numerous events that brought together the environmental community in LA and also supported many policy initiatives. 
Southern California Leadership Network– I planned and facilitated two learning-seminars for the Leadership LA and Leadership Southern California Programs. This leadership program built the capacity of 50+ leaders over the year.
Los Angeles Audubon– I facilitated a day-long board/staff retreat that helped them make some important decisions. The group sponsored many bird walks that raised awareness of the many birds in the region.
Ballona Creek Renaissance – I facilitated several meetings with their Board to prioritize a fundraising and board development strategy. The group recently celebrated the opening of a new gateway to the Creek.
Beverly Vermont Community Land Trust – I facilitated a day-long board retreat that help the group clarify some strategic goals. The group has continued to make progress on its first land purchase that will ensure long-term affordable housing.
Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition – I facilitated a day-long board/staff retreat where they prioritized their annual goals. The group has been working to ensure the City of LA develop a quality Bicycle Master Plan, among other things.

Hispanic Outreach Taskforce – I facilitated an afternoon session that developed a short-term strategy for raising funds. The group has continued to provide numerous programs for the community.

Urban and Environmental Policy Institute – I planned and facilitated a number of pre-meeting to the first annual Bike Summit which brought together 300+ advocates from the region.

Bikestation– I facilitated numerous project management meetings that led to the development of an implementation study for a new Bikestation. The group recently opened a new Bikestation in Washington D.C. and is expanding throughout the country.
Project Management
Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust – Working with a Steve Cancian, a landscape architect doing fantastic work, we evaluated their current practices and developed a handbook for developing new parks in the future. The group recently hired a new Executive Director, Alina Bodke, who is has a strong track record in the environmental community.
SOAR Charter School – I created a fund development plan and secured a grant for $150,000. The school is in the process of launching and will open in the fall of 2010.
Behavioral Health Services – I worked with the organization’s leadership and developed a fundraising assessment for the organization. The group has provided needed social services for thousands of people over the year.
Trainings
Liberty Hill Foundation– I led a four-part fundraising series for their grantees working on numerous social change issues in Los Angeles
Alliance for Biking and Walking– I led three weekend “Winning Campaigns” trainings for them in Toronto, Denver and Little Rock. Participants developed campaign strategies that they took back and began implementing throughout the Country.
Center for Nonprofit Management – I led four trainings on fundraising at this great local center that provides numerous resources for local groups in LA.
Flintridge Foundation– I led three different trainings on fundraising, media and volunteer recruitment for this fantastic center that also provides nonprofits resources in Pasadena
L.A. Eco-Village – I led two trainings on facilitation for the CRSP Institute for Urban Eco-Villages, an exciting demonstration project for sustainability in LA.
My Own Fundraising Series – I hosted my own four-part fundraising series that sharpened the skills of folks that attended.
Coaching
I provided coaching for several environmental leaders throughout the year and helped build their capacity as leaders, fundraisers and facilitators.

I really enjoyed working with so many different leaders working on a variety of sustainability issues throughout our region.  I learned a great deal about so many different, but interrelated issues and greatly appreciate the work they are all doing. I look forward to serving even more organizations in 2010.
For more information about the services I provide as a consultant, check out any of the following pages: facilitationproject managementtrainings and coaching.
 
 

What trainings do you want?

I'm staring to plan what trainings I will lead in 2010 and would love to get your input.  Please take a few minutes to fill out my short survey on this.  I really value your input and will do my best to tailor my trainings to your needs. Thanks!

For a listing of the trainings I currently lead, check out my Workshops page.  For a listing of my upcoming tranings, checkout my Calendar page.

Happy Thanksgiving.

One Way to Raise $150,000

One way to do it is to write a big government grant, which is something I just did for SOAR Charter School, one of my clients. I’m pleased to report that the State awarded the school this grant!
The good thing about government grants is the amounts are often greater than what you can get from foundations (although in this shaky economy we’re also seeing some government grantmaking go down). The bad thing about these grants is writing these proposal usually requires A LOT of work and even more paperwork. 
I’ll be talking about how to write successful grant proposals at a Grant Proposal Writing Clinic I’m leading at the Center for Nonprofit Management. For each of the participants, I’ll be reviewing one of their proposals before hand and we’ll then use the seminar for me to give feedback and also go over some best practices.

Here's the course description:

"How do you turn a good grant proposal into a great one? This workshop will explore various strategies to strengthen your grant writing skills.  Our discussion of best practices will be based on real world examples that you bring to the workshop.  You'll also have the opportunity to receive specific feedback on your proposal.  Participants must submit a sample proposal in advance.  This workshop is not for beginners.

Maybe I'll see you there!

State of Nonprofit Sector

Last week, I led another fundraising workshop at the Center for Nonprofit Management focusing on creating a strong successful fund development plan.  We had a really good discussion as I went through the various elements necessary to develop a fundraising strategy that will yield the highest results.  I'm leading several upcoming trainings on fundraising and invite you to attend.

It turns out information regarding fundraising is what local nonprofits need most, according to a recent study by the Center for Nonprofit Management.  Their recent State of the Nonprofit Sector report provides a general overview of what current nonprofits are experiencing given the current economic downtown. 

Roughly half of the consulting work I do deals directly with building my clients capacity to raise money.  I've helped multiple nonprofits, including:

  • assessing their fundraising capacity
  • creating fund development plans
  • researching potential funders
  • engaging their boards in fundraising
  • writing grant proposals
  • coaching executive staff
  • providing general and customized trainings

If you would like more information about any of these services that I provide, please contact me.  I'm happy to send you additional information and follow up with you on the phone.


Fund Planning Tip #1

Fund Planning Tip #1:  Engage your Board of Directors in the Process of Creating a Plan
Creation of a fund development plan is a great way to get your Board involved with fundraising. If they help create the fundraising plan, they are more likely to implement it. Successful implementation of fund development plans depend on board involvement.
I’ll be talking about this and lots of other topics relating to creating a fund development plan this Tuesday, October 20th, from 9:30am to 12:30pm at the Center for Nonprofit Management, which you are more than welcome to attend. 
I’ve worked with multiple nonprofit organizations and a general rule is that if the board is involved with fundraising, then the organization has a much higher likelihood of being successful at fundraising. Those that don’t’ have involved board often struggle with fundraising.
My workshop on Tuesday explores the steps necessary for creating a fund development plan. Too often, when organizations do engage in fundraising, they do in a haphazard, unplanned way which often leads them frustrated, exhausted and without much success in raising funds. This workshop will discuss the timing of a plan, the overall process, who you need to have involved, what a strong plan consists of and ways to evaluate your organization during the process.  As always, my workshops will be fun, fast-paced and interactive. 
The workshop is designed for folks new to fundraising or for folks that have had some experience and want to brush up on their skills, please RSVP with the Center for Nonprofit Management if you would like to attend. 
As usual, I have a number of other workshops also coming up and invite you to attend. For more information, check out my calendar page.

Back from Denver

This last weekend I kept busy with two consulting projects on the other side of the Continental Divide in Denver Colorado.
I led another 2 ½ day training for the Alliance for Biking and Walking, which led folks from state and local bicycle advocacy organizations through the process of developing a campaign to improve cycling conditions in their communities. The workshop was fun, fast-paced and very productive.  I will lead a similar training in Little Rock, Arkansas in two weeks.
I also am helping raise funds for an exciting new charter school in Denver, and met with the schools leader and two of their board members to brainstorm strategies for a new fund development plan.   The school is called SOAR Charter School, and is led by the former Principal of the Future Leaders Institute Charter School in Harlem, a place I helped raise over $600,000 for several years back when I lived in New York City.
The other joy for me in spending time in Denver was staying with my grandfather’s sister’s side of the family. My great-aunt and uncle were community leaders that organized to integrate the Park Hill neighborhood in the 1960’s at a time when similar communities across the country experienced “white flight” and fell into decline. My great-aunt passed away nine years ago, but my great uncle is still going strong along with two of his three daughters who also live in Denver, along with their families.
I also really enjoyed bicycling the Cherry Creek Bikeway into Downtown Denver.   I wish that someday Ballona Creek, the LA River, Dominguez and Compton Creeks will someday look more like Cherry Creek. Even though Cherry Creek has walls, there’s lots of natural landscaping and rapids that make it a very pleasant place to ride.

Liberty Hill Workshops

I’m leading another series of fundraising workshops for the Liberty Hill Foundation, starting this Thursday with a two-hour peer learning session focusing on upgrading donors. How do you take someone who may have made a small donation to your organization on the spur of the moment and transform them into a regular donor? More often than not, nonprofit organizations that are so busy doing good work fail to build meaningful relationships with their donor base and in turn, lose out on needed funds they could have raised.
The series is for Liberty Hill grantees. During these sessions, I lay a foundation by presenting some best practices for the first 20 or so minutes and then for the remainder of the session, I facilitate a dialog between participants. We learn by sharing experiences, asking questions and getting answers from our peers. 
While this Thursday’s workshop is full to capacity, email me if you are interested in attending a future workshop. There are a limited number of spaces available for social-justice oriented nonprofit organizations.
Future Liberty Hill Trainings include:
THE ART OF ASKING DONORS, Oct. 15, 10 am to 12 pm
MANAGING DONOR INFORMATION, Nov. 19, 10 am to 12 pm
ENGAGING YOUR BOARD WITH FUNDRAISING, Dec. 17, 10 am to 12 pm
 
In addition to these trainings, I’m leading numerous trainings on a variety of fundraising, facilitation, volunteer and campaign related topics. More information can be found on my calendar page. I welcome you to attend any of these and/or forward the link to anyone you think might be interested. Thanks.

Funding Tip #4: It’s a Process

Once people have supported your cause, continue to steward that relationship by sending them updates, inviting them to events, meeting with them, sending newspaper clippings and asking for their feedback. The folks who are most likely to give large gifts to your organizations are folks who already give. 
Successful fundraising depends on an engaged staff and board involved with all aspects of the process. I’ll be talking about this and lots of other topics relating to building a fundraising culture within your nonprofit organization this Wednesday, September 16th at fourth in my fundraising series, which you are welcome to attend. 
This workshop explores fundraising responsibilities for board and staff, opportunities to engage them in the fundraising process, ways in which to hold them accountable and provide you an opportunity to discuss the challenges and opportunities you face.  You’ll have the opportunity to apply what you learn through interactive exercises, such as practicing the art of asking a reluctant board member to get involved with fundraising.  The workshop is designed for folks new to fundraising or for folks that have had some experience and want to brush up on their skills. Please email me if you would like to attend.
This workshop takes place from 3pm to 5pm at 634 S. Spring St. in Downtown Los Angeles. Cost for this workshop is $50. More information about this workshops workshop series can be found on my last blog
I’m also leading 10 other workshops on fundraising, facilitation and campaign planning before the year ends and welcome you to attend any of them. For more information, check out the calendar page on my blog

Funding Tip #3: Relationships

So much about fundraising is relationships. People give to people. People will want to support your cause because they want to support you. These include family friends, neighbors, coworkers and many more.

I’ll be talking about this and other topics related to raising money from foundations to folks tomorrow, Wednesday September 9th, which you are welcome to attend.  This workshop explores the key concepts that underlie raising funds from foundations, including researching appropriate funders, developing relationships and crafting strong grant proposals. You’ll have the opportunity to apply what you learn through interactive exercises, such as practicing the art of asking making a pitch for your cause to a potential funder.  The workshop is designed for folks new to fundraising or for folks that have had some experience and want to brush up on their skills.
Please email me if you would like to attend.

This workshop takes place from 3pm to 5pm at 634 S. Spring St. in Downtown Los Angeles. Cost for this workshop is $50. 
More information about this workshops workshop series can be found on my last blog. 

Fundraising 101 Tip #2: Thank

Fundraising 101 Tip #2: Thank
The most important words in fundraising are “Thank you”. Thank them immediately in person when they give. Write a personalized thank you note immediately after you meet with them. Thanking donors affirms their gift. So many donors don’t renew their support for organizations because those organizations so often forget about them until its time to ask for more money…not a good idea!
I’ll be talking about this and lots of other topics related to buiding a base of donoros to folks on Wednesday August 26th at my Fundraising Strategies: Targeting Individuals workshop, which you are welcome to attend. 
This workshop provides an overview of various strategies to raise funds from individuals such as annual appeals, events and one-on-one donor meetings. It also discuss different ways to meaningfully engage with your donors so they will upgrade their donations to your organization. You’ll have the opportunity to apply what you learn through interactive exercises, such as practicing the art of stewarding a relationship of an existing donor. 
The workshop is designed for folks new to fundraising or for folks that have had some experience and want to brush up on their skills. Please email me if you would like to attend.
This workshop takes place from 3pm to 5pm at 634 S. Spring St. in Downtown Los Angeles. Cost for this workshop is $50 (Cost for the whole series of four is $125 – sliding scale available for those that need it). More information about this workshops workshop series can be found on my last blog.
 

Fundraising 101 Tip #1: Ask

Your job is to ask. The person you ask – their job is to decide. 80% of people give because they are asked. Most will not give if they are not asked. If you don’t do your job, then they can’t do theirs. If they say yes, great. If they say no, that’s not the end of the world.
I’ll be talking about this and lots of other topics introducing fundraising to folks tomorrow, Wednesday August 19th at my Fundraising 101 workshop, which you are welcome to attend.  This workshop explores the key concepts that underlie the fundraising process, including developing a case statement, prospecting, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship.  You’ll have the opportunity to apply what you learn through interactive exercises, such as practicing the art of asking for a major gift.  The workshop is designed for folks new to fundraising or for folks that have had some experience and want to brush up on their skills. Please email me if you would like to attend.
This workshop takes place from 3pm to 5pm at 634 S. Spring St. in Downtown Los Angeles. Cost for this workshop is $50 (Cost for the whole series of four is $125 – sliding scale available for those that need it). More information about this workshops workshop series can be found on my last blog. 

10 Fundraising Event Tips

Last week, I led another “Choosing the Right Fundraising Event” seminar at the Center for Nonprofit Management .   As always, we had an engaging conversation about multiple aspects of putting on a successful fundraising event.  Here are 10 quick tips from the seminar:

1.  Give yourself six months to plan a major fundraising event
2.  Engage your board and volunteers early on in the process
3.  Tailor your event to your audience
4.  The space you choose sets the tone for your event
5.  Write a budget and stick to it
6.  Think outside of the box
7.  Have fun
8.  Keep the event program to 45 minutes or less
9.  Thank and follow up with donors that attend
10. Connect fundraising events to other parts of your organization’s fundraising strategy

During our workshop, I also gave participants the opportunity to practice asking for money, which is something you can also do at your event.  We generated a lot of good ideas and based on our discussion, participants had the opportunity to share their successes and challenges with the rest of the group.  They also walked away with a number of articles on the subject. 

 

Upcoming Trainings

I continue to provide a number of capacity building trainings that are open to the public and invite you to attend one of them.  To date, I have the following workshops scheduled and expect to lead several more throughout the year:

·         Hosting a Successful Fundraising Event (3/25)

·         Fundraising 101 (4/2)

·         Winning Campaigns (4/27/-4/29)

·         Introduction to Facilitation (4/28)

·         What’s your Message: Getting Media (5/7)

·         Essentials of Effective Meetings (Date TBD)

In addition to leading trainings that are open to the public, I now also lead customized trainings directly for clients (often for nonprofit staff and Boards of Directors).   Below is a list of trainings I’m able to lead.

 1. Fundraising 101

2. Developing a Strategic Plan

3. Developing a Fundraising Plan

4. Finding Funders: 

5. Tapping into the Wealth of Individuals

6. Crafting a Successful Annual Appeal Letter

7. Introduction to Grant Writing

8. Advanced Grant Writing

9. Hosting a Successful Fundraising Event

10. Building a Strong Board

11. The Art of Cultivation

12. Fundraising Infrastructure

13. Balancing Fundraising with your other Responsibilities

14.  What’s your Message? Getting Media

15. Campaign Planning 101

16. Finding, Engaging and Thanking Volunteers

17. Introduction to Facilitation

18.  Running Effective Meetings

Please contact me if you would like for me to create a customized training for your organization.   I hope to see you at a future training!

 

 

Fundraising 101

I’m leading another one of my favorite workshops, Fundraising 101, on April 2nd from 9am to 12pm. This time, I’m presenting it at the Flintridge Foundation, which builds the capacity of nonprofit organizations serving children and families in Northwest Pasadena and Altadena.
This workshop explores the key concepts that underlie the fundraising process, including the development of a case statement, prospecting, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship. Participants will have the opportunity to practice what they learn through interactive exercises, such as practicing the art of asking for a major gift and describing the mission of their organization.
The workshop is geared for folks involved with nonprofit organizations that are new to fundraising. Like all of my workshops, it will be fun, fast paced and very interactive. My goal is that participants leave the workshop more aware and comfortable with fundraising, which plays a critical role in ensuring a nonprofit makes it through these tough economic times.

Fundraising During Tough Times

“Will Nonprofits Survive” was the recent title of a panel sponsored by Zócalo Public Square (a great series that focuses on LA related issues). The answer is yes, though some may not during these challenging economic times. What nonprofits can do is develop short-term fundraising plan to solidify support from their existing funders and pursue strategies that generate new sources of income. 
 
This last weekend, I facilitated a three-hour fundraising strategy session for Hispanics Outreach Taskforce (HOT), which sponsors a variety of programs in South East LA County. HOT is a member organization of the Long Beach Nonprofit Partnership, which referred me to the organization.
 
We discussed a number of topics including assessing the organizations past fundraising efforts and setting some short and long-term goals for 2009. After going over some fundraising fundamentals and the fundraising process, we developed a short-term fundraising strategy that engaged the entire Board of Directors, as well as their Advisory Board, in the organization’s fundraising.   After three hours, the organization’s leadership had created an action plan and looked forward to implementing it. By jointly developing this action plan, as well as everyone committing to implement portions of it, HOT is well on its way to surviving through these tough economic times. 
 

Engaging Staff in Fundraising

Last week, I attended the annual fundraising dinner for LAANE (the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy). Besides being a fantastic event, I especially enjoyed it because as a consultant, I played a role in its success. 
A few months before the event, LAANE asked me to lead a staff training to fire everyone up about fundraising, and help demystify this sometimes feared, yet critically important part to any nonprofit organization. I led a fun, fast-paced, interactive seminar that engaged the staff on this issue.
After practicing the art of asking for money, I knew the workshop was a success when one of the LAANE staff asked me if I would buy a ticket for the event. 
At the event, I learned from LAANE’s Development Director that they wound up breaking their ambitious fundraising and attendance goals for this event, which is especially impressive given the current downtown in the economy. This shows that when all of an organization’s staff is engaged in the fundraising process, the likelihood for success increases dramatically.   Ensuring an organization’s staff is engaged in the fundraising process may require a little more investment up front (like hiring a great consultant to lead a short-seminar), but the investments often lead to greater returns.
 
 

Learning from Each Other

Last week, I attended a Green LA membership meeting and ran into some folks that work at Liberty Hill Foundation. For those of you that don’t know, Liberty Hill “partners with innovative and effective Los Angeles grassroots organizations to combat poverty and injustice, and help transform the "City of Angels" into a place that promises safety, equality and opportunity for everyone who lives here.”
For the last year, I’ve had the privilege of facilitating a quarterly peer roundtable for Liberty Hill grantees, with the aim to build participant's capacity for fundraising.  In addition to facilitating, I serve as a resource for the group and wind up sharing different lessons I’ve learned over the years as a fundraiser.  
I’m a big fan of peer-based learning and have enjoyed facilitating these sessions, where we have explored topics such as earned-income strategies, annual appeal letters, building a fundraising culture and hosting successful events. Peer-based learned provides a space for people to learn from each other and build stronger relationships at the same time.  The more nonprofit leaders can develop networks with each other to share best practices, the stronger the overall sector will be. 
 I’ve been inspired by the work of Liberty Hill’s grantees and am glad that Liberty Hill not only provides funding for these organizations, but that they also actively work to build the capacity for their grantees.

The Joy of Presenting

How do you start a nonprofit organization? And how do you raise money for a nonprofit?
I spent today and yesterday leading two different workshops on these topics for the annual Iota Phi Theta Summer Leadership Conference.
 
As always, my presentations were fast-paced, interactive and fun. Success in starting a nonprofit depends a great deal on leadership, and how that leadership prioritizes and implements its work. Successful fundraising depends on being aware of the fundraising process and constantly working to build relationships with people and institutions that would be interested in funding your work.
 
I really enjoy leading trainings like these. I ask a lot of questions and do my best to tap into the knowledge of people in attendance. Rather than just talk about these subjects, I usually throw in some interactive exercises where participants can practice and experience the different subjects we’re discussing. Action makes for good reflection. While I do present much of the information, it’s really just the beginning framework to start a conversation, which I then facilitate. Ultimately, I hope to foster a dynamic learning environment that engages people in the subject matter and gives them the tools to then make positive changes in their communities.
 
I’m leading several other trainings later this summer and fall that are open to the public and welcome you to attend.

Engaging Philanthropy

I’ve been raising money for a long time. While I’m extremely grateful for the $3+ million I’ve raised over the last 11 years, I often wonder if there aren’t more engaging philanthropic alternatives from the traditional foundation.
 
I’m happy to report I’ve found one in Los Angeles: Los Angeles Social Venture Partners (LASVP). Rather than depending on one large donation at the start like most foundations, LASVP has a venture philanthropy approach where participants pool their money together, jointly decide what entrepreneurial nonprofit organizations they want to support, and then engage those partners in a working relationship to strengthen the nonprofits they invest in.
 
I’m excited to now be a part of LASVP as a David Rimer Fellow and will work closely with one of the LASVP grantees, KIPP Charter School.   Having worked for a charter school in Harlem, NYC, I’m looking forward to getting more engaged with this charter school here in LA. Through this experience, I expect not only to provide needed resources to KIPP, but also learn through the process as I collaborate with other LASVP partners on this project. 

Welcome to my Blog!

Greetings,
Welcome to my new website! In addition to describing the services I provide, background on my experience and my past clients, I’m excited to launch a blog where I will share with you valuable lessons I’ve learned about nonprofit management over the last 11 years.  Every week, my goal is to capture a bit of wisdom I’ve learned that will hopefully be a resource to you and your organization.  Over time, I hope to build an online library that you can access anytime, on a series of different topics.  If there are certain areas you would like for me to address, or questions you have, please email them to me.  If you would like to discuss any of these areas in greater detail, please contact me.  Thanks and keep up the good work!
Cheers,
Ron

Fundraising 101: The Ask

The best fundraising advice I ever received was from a seasoned fundraising veteran name Susan.  Shortly after I launched my first nonprofit organization, she said “Your job is to ask.  The person you ask’s job is to decide.  If you don’t do your job and ask, the other person will never have the opportunity to decide.”  The key moment in the fundraising process is the ask.  Get comfortable with it.  Remember, it is your job.  And if you don’t do your job, the person you ask will never do their job – decide on whether or not to give your organization money.

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