The Business Behind Fundraising
Welcome to the Business Behind Fundraising podcast where you’ll discover how to raise the kind of money your big vision requires without adding more events, appeals, or grant applications. Learn how to stop blocking overall revenue growth and start attracting investment-level donors, with Sherry Quam Taylor.
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The Slow & Steady Path to Large Gifts: A Case Study with Lauren M. Scott at Foundation for Fresh Produce
05/27/2025
The Slow & Steady Path to Large Gifts: A Case Study with Lauren M. Scott at Foundation for Fresh Produce
Lauren M. Scott is working on growing a healthier world to help change the trajectory of human health. Such a task might seem daunting, but the President of the Foundation for Fresh Produce has used her prior experience in crucial ways to help bridge the gap between sharing their big vision and providing tangible results. The process has not always moved at a rapid pace, but Lauren's patience is paying off in a big way for her organization. Sherry and Lauren discuss the importance of clear and effective communication - not just with your donors, but throughout the entire organization. There are a lot of moving parts that go into any mission, and taking the time to define and understand what they are can save you from headaches later on. What You Will Discover: ✔️ You are not desperate. Fundraising with a sense or urgency can create a scarcity mindset ✔️ Your community wants to be more informed to increase knowledge - make it easier for them! ✔️ Marketing should be integrated early in the fundraising process. ✔️ Your Case for Support sheet can take conversations to places you never would have imagined —————————————— Lauren M. Scott is the President of The Foundation for Fresh Produce, an organization founded by the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA), the largest and most diverse global association serving the entire fresh produce and floral supply chain. The foundation's vision and mission are to grow a healthier world by changing the trajectory of human health. Lauren previously held various marketing, strategy and leadership roles at PepsiCo, Colgate-Palmolive, and Diageo. She earned a BS in Marketing from Rutgers University, an MBA from the University of Maryland, an MS in Strategic Communication from Columbia University, and is a Certified Association Executive (CAE). Lauren proudly serves as the board chair of Food for Climate League and is passionate about combating food insecurities and perpetuating arts and culture. She loves spending time with her husband and son, affectionately known as The Allens. Her personal motto is to learn and laugh every day. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamlaurenmscott/ Website: https://www.freshproduce.com/foundation/ -------------------------- Welcome to the Business Behind Fundraising podcast, where you’ll discover how to raise the kind of money your big vision requires without adding more events, appeals, or grant applications. Learn how to stop blocking overall revenue growth and start attracting investment-level donors with Sherry Quam Taylor. Sherry Quam Taylor’s unique approach and success combine her background of scaling businesses with her decade-long experience advising nonprofit leadership teams. With out-of-the-box principles and a myth-busting methodology, proven results, and an ability to see solutions to revenue problems that others overlook, her clients regularly add 7-figures of revenue to their bottom line. If you need a true partner to show you how to fully finance your entire mission, both programs, AND overhead, year after year… You’re in the right place!
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Diversifying Your Human Service Org's Revenue: A Case Study with Carina Santa Maria at Shelter, Inc.
03/25/2025
Diversifying Your Human Service Org's Revenue: A Case Study with Carina Santa Maria at Shelter, Inc.
Carina Santa Maria is a first time ED making veteran moves at her organization. At Shelter Inc., Carina helps youth experiencing homelessness find emergency shelter, transitional housing, and clinical care, filling a crucial need for a vulnerable population within her community. Such a need requires great funding, and when Carina stepped into the role, things weren't where they needed to be. Fast forward to today - Shelter Inc. has seen their revenue grow nearly 5x thanks to changes in strategy implemented by Carina. Sherry and Carina discuss the growth and challenges faced by Shelter Inc., the journey of scaling the organization,and how their relationship with donors impacted the transition to their new funding model. The two explore the need for diversification in funding, the impact of innovative ideas, and the significance of infrastructure in nonprofit operations. What You Will Discover: ✔️ Infrastructure needs are often overlooked but essential for operations. ✔️ The ask doesn't have to be awkward. By staying open and consistent, your funders won't be caught off guard when you make the big ask, and even might be more proactive that you anticipate. ✔️ New initiatives can appear nice and shiny for donors, but communicating the importance of overhead funding is crucial. ✔️ An engaged team is vital for implementing change throughout your organization. —————————————— Carina H. Santa Maria, MSW, LCSW, was appointed Executive Director and member of the Board of Directors of Shelter, Inc, in June 2018. She was previously Director of Field Education with Dominican University’s School of Social Work where she managed and coordinated internship experiences for master level social work students while maintaining relations with community organizations to address the needs of clients needing social work intervention. While at Dominican, she also served as an adjunct instructor, teaching various graduate level social work classes, including a graduate level human trafficking course. Prior to her work at Dominican University, she was a Community Youth Counselor for Memorial Health Care Systems and partnered with the Broward Sheriff’s Office and their Juvenile Diversion program. She has also served as the Vice President of Education and Outreach at the Broward Human Trafficking Coalition, and as a residential counselor at Youth Villages in Memphis, TN. In addition, Carina has volunteered with Kristi House – Project GOLD and served as the Education Director for Traffick Free, a volunteer driver organization in the Chicago area that combats human trafficking. Carina is also a founding member of a local Arlington Heights community group called Voices of Community, Acceptance, and Love (VOCAL), whose mission is to bridge differences to create a supportive, connected community that celebrates diversity and practices tolerance and acceptance. She was recently awarded the NASW Illinois Chapter’s Emerging Young Leader Award as well as Delta Zeta National Sorority’s 35 women under 35. She graduated with her bachelor’s degree in psychology and criminology from the University of Tampa in 2007. In 2011, she received her master’s degree in social work from Dominican University. She resides in Arlington Heights, IL with her husband and two sons. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cnhomann/ Website: https://www.shelter-inc.org/ -------------------------- Welcome to the Business Behind Fundraising podcast, where you’ll discover how to raise the kind of money your big vision requires without adding more events, appeals, or grant applications. Learn how to stop blocking overall revenue growth and start attracting investment-level donors with Sherry Quam Taylor. Sherry Quam Taylor’s unique approach and success combine her background of scaling businesses with her decade-long experience advising nonprofit leadership teams. With out-of-the-box principles and a myth-busting methodology, proven results, and an ability to see solutions to revenue problems that others overlook, her clients regularly add 7-figures of revenue to their bottom line. If you need a true partner to show you how to fully finance your entire mission, both programs, AND overhead, year after year… You’re in the right place!
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Pressing Pause on Your Gala: A Case Study with Janelle Miller Moravek at Youth & Family Counseling
01/28/2025
Pressing Pause on Your Gala: A Case Study with Janelle Miller Moravek at Youth & Family Counseling
Janelle Miller Moravek describes herself as an "accidental" nonprofit employee, but when you see the thought and care she puts into her organization, the results are no accident at all! As the Executive Director at Youth & Family Counseling, Janelle works on providing and educating her community on affordable mental health care. She has done a bit of everything at the organization, and that experience has proven useful for understanding the needs of her team during a time of change and growth. Janelle and Sherry discuss the bold act of cutting her organization's gala out of the budget and how redirecting the resources spent on that event opened up new opportunities to spread their message to the community. What You Will Discover: ✔️ Trust and flexibility are crucial within a team when navigating change. ✔️ Being visible on platforms like LinkedIn can attract funders and like-minded individuals. ✔️ Fundraising and systems-level work require ongoing learning, growth, and patience. ✔️ Authenticity and inclusivity are key in building relationships and engaging with donors. —————————————— Janelle Miller Moravek has served as Youth & Family Counseling’s Executive Director since 2009, when she was promoted from her previous position as Development Director. She holds a BA in French Studies from Wesleyan University in Connecticut. Janelle’s vision, leadership, and passion for improving access to mental healthcare have steered YFC’s steady growth over her 14-year tenure. Janelle is a champion for YFC’s mission of opening doors to mental healthcare so people can cope, heal, and thrive. In service of this mission, she is responsible for overseeing programming, administration, and strategic plan implementation, as well as representing the organization to community partners and other stakeholders. In addition to her Executive Director role at YFC, Janelle is engaged with the Lake County human services community. She served as Co-Chair of the Lake County Behavioral Health Action Team (2016-2018), and currently serves on the board of the Lake County Alliance for Human Services and the Co-Chair Lake County Behavioral Health Action Team. Janelle lives in Libertyville with her husband and three children. Prior to joining YFC in 2000, Janelle served as Director of Development for Carmel Catholic High School, and Director of Annual Fund at Barat College. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janelle-miller-moravek-903a815b/ Website: https://counselingforall.org/ -------------------------- Welcome to the Business Behind Fundraising podcast, where you’ll discover how to raise the kind of money your big vision requires without adding more events, appeals, or grant applications. Learn how to stop blocking overall revenue growth and start attracting investment-level donors with Sherry Quam Taylor. Sherry Quam Taylor’s unique approach and success combine her background of scaling businesses with her decade-long experience advising nonprofit leadership teams. With out-of-the-box principles and a myth-busting methodology, proven results, and an ability to see solutions to revenue problems that others overlook, her clients regularly add 7-figures of revenue to their bottom line. If you need a true partner to show you how to fully finance your entire mission, both programs, AND overhead, year after year… You’re in the right place!
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Cultivating & Captivating Next Gen Board Members with Julia Patrick of American Nonprofit Academy
11/19/2024
Cultivating & Captivating Next Gen Board Members with Julia Patrick of American Nonprofit Academy
Julia Patrick exemplifies that it’s never too late in your career to make an impact on the world around you. After a career in media covering social, political, and cultural issues in Arizona, Julia pivoted and dedicated her life to helping the nonprofit sector through the American Nonprofit Academy. As the CEO and Founder, as well as being the co-host of The Nonprofit Show, Julia allows nonprofit professionals to engage in discussions on problem-solving, innovation, and change within the sector. Sherry and Julia discuss how growing up in Arizona influenced her passion for nonprofit work. Julia dives deep into how board members can set up their organization for future success by empowering the next generation of leaders. What You Will Discover: ✔️ Your processes are key to attracting and retaining younger talent. What’s going to happen to your organization after you leave it? If there is not a structure in place, your ideal candidates may not be comfortable stepping in to lead. ✔️ Be strategic with your approach to board recruitment, seeking individuals with diverse backgrounds, skills, and perspectives. Your board member’s tool kits are vital to sustaining success within the community you serve! ✔️ Next-gen board members are focused on impact and finding solutions, rather than simply giving money. Foster an environment that promotes this thinking! —————————————— Julia C. Patrick is the CEO and Founder of the American Nonprofit Academy and serves as the co-host of The Nonprofit Show, the only daily live program dedicated to the nonprofit sector. This platform allows nonprofit professionals to engage in discussions on problem-solving, innovation, and change within the sector. Julia is the author of Building Board Champions: Activating Impactful Nonprofit Board Members. In addition to her roles in media and nonprofit education, Julia has an extensive background in media management and production as the CEO and President of Patrick Media Group, based in Phoenix, Arizona. With over 34 years of experience, she has significantly impacted the media landscape in Arizona and beyond. She studied Economics at Claremont McKenna College, further grounding her expertise in strategic planning and economic analysis, which she applies to her entrepreneurial and philanthropic endeavors. Julia’s leadership continues to inspire and shape the nonprofit community, especially through her innovative approach to nonprofit education and philanthropic leadership. LinkedIn: Website: Book: —————————————— Welcome to the Business Behind Fundraising podcast, where you’ll discover how to raise the kind of money your big vision requires without adding more events, appeals, or grant applications. Learn how to stop blocking overall revenue growth and start attracting investment-level donors with Sherry Quam Taylor. Sherry Quam Taylor’s unique approach and success combine her background of scaling businesses with her decade-long experience advising nonprofit leadership teams. With out-of-the-box principles and a myth-busting methodology, proven results, and an ability to see solutions to revenue problems that others overlook, her clients regularly add 7-figures of revenue to their bottom line. If you need a true partner to show you how to fully finance your entire mission, both programs, AND overhead, year after year… You’re in the right place! #nonprofits #podcast
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Fall Funder Series: A Discussion with Aba Taylor Brookline Community Foundation
10/22/2024
Fall Funder Series: A Discussion with Aba Taylor Brookline Community Foundation
On the final episode of this year’s Fall Funder Series, Sherry Quam Taylor speaks with Aba Taylor of the Brookline Community Foundation. Located in the immediate suburbs of Boston, BCF partners with nearly 50 organizations, seeking to improve the financial equity and economic growth of vulnerable populations in their area. As Executive Director, Aba not only cultivates relationships with organizations seeking their assistance, but also fundraises on her own, helping secure the money from private donors that will then flow to community partners that align with BCF’s values. The importance of relationship building continues to be a theme throughout this series, but Aba dives deeper into the unique challenge of positioning a foundation within their communities nonprofit environment. Foundations have to seek funding on their own, so they are also doing the groundwork that nonprofit organizations. Because of this, foundations often understand the work that goes into securing funds, and they want to help those that they see making the greatest impact from that work, regardless of their size or reputation. What You Will Discover ✔️ Funders come in all shapes and sizes. Take the time to figure out what kind of organizations a foundation generally funds. Rather than shooting in the dark with someone you hope may notice you, find a foundation that works with organizations similar to your own. ✔️ Funders have a unique challenge on their hands: they sometimes are competing for the same resources as the organizations they intend to fund. Understanding your fundraising environment can help leverage these relationships to their greatest extent. ✔️ “Lead by listening.” Whether you’re an established organization or one just getting off the ground, funders will hear about you if there is motivation and action behind your cause. —————————————— Aba Taylor has spent the last two decades engaged in social justice as an educator, facilitator, organizer, consultant, and nonprofit executive. From working internationally at the United Nations to conducting civil rights trainings all over the United States, to leading high impact social justice organizations and efforts, Aba has committed herself to supporting the capacity and leadership of nonprofit, educational and philanthropic organizations dedicated to social transformation. Prior to joining BCF, Aba held multiple senior leadership roles at the Interaction Institute for Social Change (IISC). Prior to that Aba was the Executive Director of the Network for Social Justice, and before that the Deputy Executive Director of the Astraea Foundation for Justice. Aba has sat on numerous boards and is currently the Board President of the Neighborhood Schools Inc. where her daughter attends school. Aba holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia University and a Master of Arts degree in Nonprofit Leadership and Management from the School of International Training. She is a Rockwood Leadership Institute alumnus and a certified trainer with Quabbin Mediation. Passionate about arts, culture, and creative expression Aba is a closeted writer and a very out sci-fi nerd. For Aba, liberatory parenting as well as spiritual and healing practices are her North Star. LinkedIn: Website: —————————————— Welcome to the Business Behind Fundraising podcast, where you’ll discover how to raise the kind of money your big vision requires without adding more events, appeals, or grant applications. Learn how to stop blocking overall revenue growth and start attracting investment-level donors with Sherry Quam Taylor. Sherry Quam Taylor’s unique approach and success combine her background of scaling businesses with her decade-long experience advising nonprofit leadership teams. With out-of-the-box principles and a myth-busting methodology, proven results, and an ability to see solutions to revenue problems that others overlook, her clients regularly add 7-figures of revenue to their bottom line. If you need a true partner to show you how to fully finance your entire mission, both programs, AND overhead, year after year… You’re in the right place! #nonprofits #podcast
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Fall Funder Series: A Discussion with John Tracey, Program Director of the Simons Foundation
09/24/2024
Fall Funder Series: A Discussion with John Tracey, Program Director of the Simons Foundation
In the next edition of the Fall Funder Series, John Tracey of the Simons Foundation joins the show. As the Program Director managing the Science Sandbox, an incubatory portfolio focused on funding science communication practitioners, John helps organizations emphasize the importance of science in our everyday lives, helping build trust in modern practices and expanding access into new communities. Sherry and John dive into how organizations can get their foot in the door with larger funding operations. Spoiler alert: it’s not as hard or scary as you may think! Similar to working with the common donor, building an organic, mutualistic relationship can open the door to a world of opportunities. What You Will Discover: ✔️ Don’t be afraid to reach out. Ever heard the phrase “it doesn’t hurt to ask?” Take that mentality into your search for funding. Funders are looking for motivated organizations who are proud of the work their mission is accomplishing. ✔️ The power is in the programs. Having programs that are both well-organized and proven successful is key when attracting larger funders. ✔️ Things aren’t always going to be running exactly as planned. Transparency and honesty in conversations about challenges and reallocation of funds can lead to better outcomes and stronger relationships. —————————————— John Tracey joined the Simons Foundation in 2014 as part of a team to improve public engagement with science. As program director, Tracey works with the vice president of Science, Society & Culture to develop and execute funding strategy. He leads the division’s external communications and storytelling, including content development for the website, external media strategy, visual storytelling and more. Prior to joining the foundation, he worked at the American Association for Cancer Research, specifically on the Stand Up to Cancer initiative, where he managed grantee statistics and statistics reporting, and edited and produced website content. He holds a bachelor’s in English literature from the College of New Jersey. LinkedIn: Website: —————————————— Welcome to the Business Behind Fundraising podcast, where you’ll discover how to raise the kind of money your big vision requires without adding more events, appeals, or grant applications. Learn how to stop blocking overall revenue growth and start attracting investment-level donors with Sherry Quam Taylor. Sherry Quam Taylor’s unique approach and success combine her background of scaling businesses with her decade-long experience advising nonprofit leadership teams. With out-of-the-box principles and a myth-busting methodology, proven results, and an ability to see solutions to revenue problems that others overlook, her clients regularly add 7-figures of revenue to their bottom line. If you need a true partner to show you how to fully finance your entire mission, both programs, AND overhead, year after year… You’re in the right place! #nonprofits #podcast
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Fall Funder Series: A Discussion with Shireen Zaman, Program Officer, BUILD // Ford Foundation
08/27/2024
Fall Funder Series: A Discussion with Shireen Zaman, Program Officer, BUILD // Ford Foundation
Welcome to the Fall Funder Series, where Sherry Quam Taylor demystifies common misconceptions about how organizations can secure general operating revenue. First up is Shireen Zaman of the BUILD program at the Ford Foundation. As a Program Officer, Shireen works directly with organizations in identifying their greatest fundraising needs and preparing a funding strategy that best supports those efforts. Shireen gets real about what she looks for when choosing organizations to support. It's important to remember that there are real people behind these funding efforts who are eager to connect with motivated, resilient organizations. Sometimes, all it takes is a quick introductory email or message to access a grove of new funding opportunities. What You Will Discover: ✔️ Funders are human. Take the time to organically build a relationship with a funder by utilizing all of their available resources, attending webinars, or simply having a conversation. ✔️ Think about ALL of your overhead. Organizations may include the funding they need in the present, but will that be enough to sustain your mission in a way that attracts larger funders? ✔️ The most impactful relationships take time and consistency to build. Don’t be discouraged if your efforts don’t immediately produce results. —————————————— Shireen Zaman is a program officer on the BUILD team, working to advance the foundation’s efforts to support and develop stronger, sustainable, and more effective social justice organizations and networks across the globe. Shireen has more than two decades of experience in the philanthropic and nonprofit sector, spearheading organizational transformation, resource development, and program management at a variety of organizations. Prior to joining the Ford Foundation, she was the director of the RISE Together Fund, a donor collaborative at the Proteus Fund. At RTF, she worked to identify, invest in and build the capacity of grassroots organizations from Black/African, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim and South Asian communities in the US. She was a founding member and served on the advisory council of the Emergent Fund, a pooled fund dedicated to supporting US grassroots organizing and power building in communities of color, including Black, Indigenous communities. Prior to her work in philanthropy, Shireen was the executive director of the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, where she led the strategic expansion of a Michigan-founded think tank into the Washington, DC policy space. She was also the director of the Middle East and North Africa program at Vital Voices Global Partnership where she partnered with women leaders across the region to support their work in the areas of human rights, health and political leadership. Shireen was recognized as a White House Champion of Change for her work as an Asian-American woman leader. She holds a BA in human development from Boston College and an MA from the School of International Service at American University. She studied Arabic at the American University in Cairo and is currently completing a coaching certification program through Coaching for Healing, Justice and Liberation. LinkedIn: Website: —————————————— Welcome to the Business Behind Fundraising podcast, where you’ll discover how to raise the kind of money your big vision requires without adding more events, appeals, or grant applications. Learn how to stop blocking overall revenue growth and start attracting investment-level donors with Sherry Quam Taylor. Sherry Quam Taylor’s unique approach and success combine her background of scaling businesses with her decade-long experience advising nonprofit leadership teams. With out-of-the-box principles and a myth-busting methodology, proven results, and an ability to see solutions to revenue problems that others overlook, her clients regularly add 7-figures of revenue to their bottom line. If you need a true partner to show you how to fully finance your entire mission, both programs, AND overhead, year after year… You’re in the right place! #nonprofits #podcast
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Case Study with Eve Turow-Paul of Food for Climate League: Creating Sustainability after extreme launch success
07/23/2024
Case Study with Eve Turow-Paul of Food for Climate League: Creating Sustainability after extreme launch success
Eve Turow-Paul didn’t set out to start a nonprofit, but once she identified a crucial need in her community, the pieces quickly fell into place. As the founder and Executive Director of Food for Climate League, she’s helping change the narrative of sustainable food systems by addressing the emotional underpinnings that drive people’s food choices. The women-led team is influencing culinary workers to reduce emissions, embrace plant-based options, and increasing biodiversity. Sherry and Eve discuss starting a nonprofit with little planning behind it, growing your organization through powerful storytelling, and how a case study with Google changed the trajectory of her work forever. to learn more about Eve’s case study with Google. What You Will Discover: ✔️ Factors such as anxiety, stress, and loneliness can influence people’s food choices and lead to chronic health issues in communities down the line ✔️ Having a clear, concise, and well-thought out plan is key when building quality relationships with mission-aligned donors ✔️ Tools Eve has used to help engage donors and track progress —————————————— Eve Turow-Paul a leading expert on Millennial and Gen Z global food culture, and founder and Executive Director of Food for Climate League. Her latest book is Hungry: Avocado Toast, Instagram Influencers and Our Search for Connection and Meaning (BenBella, 2020). By blending qualitative and quantitative methods, Turow-Paul explores the ‘why’ behind today’s biggest food and lifestyle trends. Through her writing, research, and nonprofit leadership, she connects the dots between climate, food culture, and human needs. Turow-Paul views food culture as a key lever for improving mental, physical, and environmental health around the world. Eve’s writing on food trends and human behavior has appeared in a number of publications including Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, Plate, Forbes, The Village Voice, on The Atlantic, FoodTank, Refinery29, Huffington Post and more. She was prominently featured in the documentary film WASTED! The Story of Food Waste, which premiered at Tribeca Film Festival. In 2019, with seed funding from the Food program at Google, Turow-Paul founded Food for Climate League, an all-female non-profit research collaborative working to make climate-smart food choices the norm by leveraging narrative and behavioral design. LinkedIn: Website: —————————————— Welcome to the Business Behind Fundraising podcast, where you’ll discover how to raise the kind of money your big vision requires without adding more events, appeals, or grant applications. Learn how to stop blocking overall revenue growth and start attracting investment-level donors with Sherry Quam Taylor. Sherry Quam Taylor’s unique approach and success combine her background of scaling businesses with her decade-long experience advising nonprofit leadership teams. With out-of-the-box principles and a myth-busting methodology, proven results, and an ability to see solutions to revenue problems that others overlook, her clients regularly add 7-figures of revenue to their bottom line. If you need a true partner to show you how to fully finance your entire mission, both programs, AND overhead, year after year… You’re in the right place! #nonprofits #podcast
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Nonprofit Decision Making During Times of Growth with Emily Taylor of teenyBIG
06/25/2024
Nonprofit Decision Making During Times of Growth with Emily Taylor of teenyBIG
As the principal of teenyBIG, Emily Taylor helps nonprofits at an inflection point make big decisions that affect their community so they can move from indecision to intentional, next-level growth. She empowers bold leaders to gather the information they need to make big decisions with buy-in so they can move from a holding pattern and into next-level growth. Emily discusses the need for nonprofits to reset and make strategic decisions in the post-COVID world, the challenges of strategic planning, and the importance of taking a step back before diving into the process. What You Will Discover: ✔️ Listening to the community and staying connected to the humanity behind the work of nonprofits is essential for making informed and impactful decisions. ✔️ Balancing vision and analysis is crucial in making strategic decisions. Organizations should consider both the big picture ✔️ Strategic planning is not always the right solution for every organization. It is important to customize the approach and create a useful tool that aligns with the organization's goals and needs. —————————————— Emily Taylor works with nonprofit leaders whose organizations are at an inflection point - they’re ready to catapult their mission into their next stage of growth. Leaders who seek Emily’s expertise know they need to shift their decision-making from intuitive to intentional but are unsure of how to start that process. She first grounds the organization in ‘who they are’ to help them prioritize the challenges that lie ahead. To achieve this, Emily applies her individualized strategic listening methodology with an organization's community, allowing teams to 'see their value' and align their decision-making as an organization, not just the CEO. She helps them prioritize their big decisions and builds a foundation for organizational decision-making. As a result of this process, Emily's clients are able to paint a solid picture of their organization, one that is viewed similarly internally and externally, preparing them for their next stage of growth. Her clients are empowered to move forward by shifting their decision-making from intuitive to intentional. Emily attributes her success to her unique ability to balance left and right brain thinking - to make sense of people’s emotions and motivations and apply them to strategic thinking, including all the perspectives that make us human. LinkedIn: Website: —————————————— Welcome to the Business Behind Fundraising podcast, where you’ll discover how to raise the kind of money your big vision requires without adding more events, appeals, or grant applications. Learn how to stop blocking overall revenue growth and start attracting investment-level donors with Sherry Quam Taylor. Sherry Quam Taylor’s unique approach and success combine her background of scaling businesses with her decade-long experience advising nonprofit leadership teams. With out-of-the-box principles and a myth-busting methodology, proven results, and an ability to see solutions to revenue problems that others overlook, her clients regularly add 7-figures of revenue to their bottom line. If you need a true partner to show you how to fully finance your entire mission, both programs, AND overhead, year after year… You’re in the right place! #nonprofits #podcast
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Case Study with Veronika Trufanova at the Emerald Necklace Conservancy: Preparing to Fully Fund your New Strategic Plan
05/28/2024
Case Study with Veronika Trufanova at the Emerald Necklace Conservancy: Preparing to Fully Fund your New Strategic Plan
Veronika Trufanova always had a passion for environmental sustainability, making her the perfect fit for her role as Director of Development at the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, a historic linear park system in Boston that introduced one the first example of green infrastructure in the nation. Nika now works to sustain the parks impact on the city while growing awareness for its rich history, a huge task in a city with over 650,000 residents. Nika discusses how Sherry’s fresh perspective has revamped her team’s strategic plan while generating morale throughout her organization. The two share about the power of curiosity in young fundraisers, and how that energy can translate to your relationships with donors. What You Will Discover: ✔️ A well-thought-out, purpose driven strategic plan can unlock the spark your organization needs to take on that big capital campaign ✔️ It’s important to take a step back from the everyday grind and celebrate wins, even the smallest victories, to boost morale in your staff and donors ✔️ The most important trait a young fundraiser can have is a curiosity for understanding their organization’s mission ✔️ By truly understanding the needs of your organization, you can create a personal and generous atmosphere that allows your donors to really feel like they’re making an impact —————————————— Veronika (Nika) directs the Conservancy’s fundraising program, including individual, corporate, foundation and government grants, the annual giving program, and other special fundraising initiatives. Nika previously worked at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, where she led the Institutional Giving program for over six years, raising unrestricted, project-based and campaign support from corporations, foundations and government granting agencies. She also held several roles on the development team at the Harvard Art Museums, encompassing database management, development operations and donor and member events. Nika holds a bachelor’s degree in Art History from Haverford College. She is an avid tea drinker and an unabashed Italophile. LinkedIn: Website: —————————————— Welcome to the Business Behind Fundraising podcast, where you’ll discover how to raise the kind of money your big vision requires without adding more events, appeals, or grant applications. Learn how to stop blocking overall revenue growth and start attracting investment-level donors with Sherry Quam Taylor. Sherry Quam Taylor’s unique approach and success combine her background of scaling businesses with her decade-long experience advising nonprofit leadership teams. With out-of-the-box principles and a myth-busting methodology, proven results, and an ability to see solutions to revenue problems that others overlook, her clients regularly add 7-figures of revenue to their bottom line. If you need a true partner to show you how to fully finance your entire mission, both programs, AND overhead, year after year… You’re in the right place! #nonprofits #podcast
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Case Study with Suzy Myers Jackson at Spark Youth NYC: Diversifying Revenue Beyond a Gala through Relationship Building
04/23/2024
Case Study with Suzy Myers Jackson at Spark Youth NYC: Diversifying Revenue Beyond a Gala through Relationship Building
Suzy Myers Jackson didn’t expect to have a career in fundraising, but when the opportunity to lead an organization that aligned with her passion for theatre presented itself, she hit the ground running. After 17 years at Opening Act New York, Suzy became the Executive Director of SparkYouth NYC. Now, she’s bringing a refreshing style of tried and true fundraising opportunities to expand opportunities for young people in New York City. What You Will Discover: ✔️ We all learn from experience, but establishing a process to evaluate and adapt to those experiences can make all the difference for your organization ✔️ Skills you have developed prior to becoming a fundraiser will always come in handy, like theatre! ✔️ Prioritizing relationship building leading up to the event makes a tremendous impact on how successful the event is for your organization ✔️ Relationships held by members of your Board of Directors can bring new energy to your events and lead to future connections —————————————— Suzy Myers Jackson is the Executive Director of SparkYouthNYC, an organization that ignites growth in community-based, youth-centered organizations through a three-pronged model of financial investment (trust-based, multi-year, unrestricted support), capacity building (SparkYouth's unique Cofactor Lab), and peer support (Executive Director Leadership Collective). Suzy became Executive Director at SparkYouth following 5 years of service on SparkYouth's Board of Directors and 6 years as a SparkYouth grantee. Suzy’s nonprofit background spans nearly 20 years and encompasses a diverse range of expertise, including: fundraising, board development, nonprofit management, strategic planning, leadership coaching, and program development. Suzy was the longtime Executive Director of Opening Act, where she grew the organization’s reach from 3 to 57 of NYC’s most high-need public schools and increased revenue by 80 fold. Under her leadership the organization became a leader in Social Emotional Learning outcomes. Suzy has also been a consultant for such organizations and corporations as Harlem Educational Activities Fund, HBO, the Center for Anti-Violence Education, Youth INC, Brandworkers, STEM From Dance, and INCLUDEnyc. She has developed multiple campaigns and professional development workshops that have been implemented by organizations to raise funds, deepen relationships with key stakeholders, and build a thriving organizational culture. Suzy received her BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. She currently lives in Brooklyn with her partner and young sons. LinkedIn: Website: —————————————— Welcome to the Business Behind Fundraising podcast, where you’ll discover how to raise the kind of money your big vision requires without adding more events, appeals, or grant applications. Learn how to stop blocking overall revenue growth and start attracting investment-level donors with Sherry Quam Taylor. Sherry Quam Taylor’s unique approach and success combine her background of scaling businesses with her decade-long experience advising nonprofit leadership teams. With out-of-the-box principles and a myth-busting methodology, proven results, and an ability to see solutions to revenue problems that others overlook, her clients regularly add 7-figures of revenue to their bottom line. If you need a true partner to show you how to fully finance your entire mission, both programs, AND overhead, year after year… You’re in the right place! #nonprofits #podcast
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Case Study with Melissa Hilton at Erie Family Health: Relational Fundraising for a $100M+ FQHC
03/26/2024
Case Study with Melissa Hilton at Erie Family Health: Relational Fundraising for a $100M+ FQHC
Melissa Hilton uses her diverse background to get the most out of the relationships she holds with her donors. As the Vice President of fundraising efforts for Erie Family Health, a $100M+ FQHC, you have to think outside of the box to not only maintain relationships with donors, but help them understand the most important needs of your organization, and the funds it requires to achieve that. Sherry and Melissa discuss FQHC's, the balancing act of managing your annual fund with a capital campaign, and dive into the details of how your relationships truly impact your fundraising efforts. What You Will Discover: ✔️ Fundraising is an opportunity to build relationships and communicate the great work of an organization. ✔️ Outside help, such as consultants and coaches, can provide fresh perspectives and valuable tools for fundraising success. ✔️ Tools like the conversation prompt and the case for support can simplify and enhance fundraising conversations. ✔️ Balancing the annual fund and a capital campaign requires strategic planning and understanding donor preferences. —————————————— Melissa Hilton joined Erie Family Health Centers (Erie) in 2012 and currently leads its fundraising efforts as Vice President, Development and Executive Director, Erie Family Health Foundation. In this capacity, she is responsible for developing and executing strategies to expand governmental and philanthropic support to advance Erie’s mission. A skilled relationship-builder, Ms. Hilton oversees a team of 10 and leads initiatives to deepen philanthropic partnerships to help sustain Erie’s capacity to bring affordable, holistic and exceptional healthcare to more than 88,000 patients—and growing. Earlier in her Erie career, Ms. Hilton also oversaw the Marketing team and grew this function to encompass internal and external communications, advertising and digital marketing, branding and graphic design, and community engagement. Prior to joining Erie, Ms. Hilton served in roles of increasing responsibility over 16 years at The Field Museum. Most recently, she was Vice President, Board Relations and Senior Director, Institutional Advancement, where she worked in partnership with the Museum President to manage the work of The Field’s 85-member board of trustees and directed planned giving. Her professional experience also includes working as a public finance investment banker, as a legislative assistant and press secretary for a member of Congress, and as press assistant at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Ms. Hilton received a bachelor of arts degree in English from Yale University where she graduated summa cum laude and a master of business administration from the Yale School of Management. Ms. Hilton is a member of the Advisory Council for GirlForward and serves as a member of the Yale Alumni Fund (YAF) Board of Directors and Co-Chair of YAF Agents for her undergraduate class. LinkedIn: Website: —————————————— Welcome to the Business Behind Fundraising podcast, where you’ll discover how to raise the kind of money your big vision requires without adding more events, appeals, or grant applications. Learn how to stop blocking overall revenue growth and start attracting investment-level donors with Sherry Quam Taylor. Sherry Quam Taylor’s unique approach and success combine her background of scaling businesses with her decade-long experience advising nonprofit leadership teams. With out-of-the-box principles and a myth-busting methodology, proven results, and an ability to see solutions to revenue problems that others overlook, her clients regularly add 7-figures of revenue to their bottom line. If you need a true partner to show you how to fully finance your entire mission, both programs, AND overhead, year after year… You’re in the right place! #nonprofits #podcast
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Questions you've always wanted to know about your Board of Directors with Mary Hiland
02/28/2024
Questions you've always wanted to know about your Board of Directors with Mary Hiland
With over 40 years of experience, Mary Hiland knows what it takes to truly grow your nonprofit. In the ever evolving landscape, relationships have always been the utmost importance, and that includes the relationship with your board of directors. Mary wants to reshape the way we approach these relationships to get the most for your organization. Mary shares how her journey in the nonprofit sector inspired a passion for supporting executives in their leadership role with their boards. They discuss the responsibility of boards in fundraising, the decision-making process for executive directors, and the transition from a working board to a governing board. Tune in to 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘗𝘰𝘥𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵 — Questions you've always wanted to know about your Board of Directors with Mary Hiland What You Will Discover: ✔️ Fundraising is a board responsibility. Your board members should be willing to make a financial contribution to the organization. ✔️ Keep your board in the loop. Providing the right amount of information to board members is crucial. Establish guidelines and have conversations with board members to determine their information needs and preferences. ✔️ Set clear financial goals. Executive directors have some discretion in deviating from the approved budget, but it is important to have clear spending policies to improve communication with your board. ✔️ Get creative with your approach. Customize communication to meet the needs of individual board members while also setting boundaries and compromises. —————————————— Mary Hiland, Ph.D. is a nonprofit governance expert and leadership development consultant dedicated to helping nonprofit leaders cultivate great boards and lead effectively. Mary has over forty years’ experience in the nonprofit sector – both as an executive and as a board member. She has been consulting and coaching nonprofit leaders for 20 years. Mary is a speaker, researcher, and a business professor at her local community college. She is author of the #1 international best-seller: Love Your Board! The Executive Directors’ Guide to Discovering the Sources of Nonprofit Board Troubles and What to Do About Them (2021) And Mary is a contributing author to four other nonprofit leadership books. Mary is the founder and host of the Inspired Nonprofit Leadership podcast: LinkedIn: Website: —————————————— Welcome to the Business Behind Fundraising podcast, where you’ll discover how to raise the kind of money your big vision requires without adding more events, appeals, or grant applications. Learn how to stop blocking overall revenue growth and start attracting investment-level donors with Sherry Quam Taylor. Sherry Quam Taylor’s unique approach and success combine her background of scaling businesses with her decade-long experience advising nonprofit leadership teams. With out-of-the-box principles and a myth-busting methodology, proven results, and an ability to see solutions to revenue problems that others overlook, her clients regularly add 7-figures of revenue to their bottom line. If you need a true partner to show you how to fully finance your entire mission, both programs, AND overhead, year after year… You’re in the right place! #nonprofits #podcast #
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Creating Accessible, Mission-Driven Websites with Maiya Holliday at Mangrove
10/10/2023
Creating Accessible, Mission-Driven Websites with Maiya Holliday at Mangrove
Maiya Holliday builds websites that make it easier for good people to do great work. And no, these aren’t just your corporate, run-of-the-mill, cookie cutter websites. These sites are built with accessibility at the forefront, making it easier for everyone to succeed and allowing businesses to reach new customers. Through her background in international development and nonprofit work, Maiya noticed many organizations lacked functioning websites and a sustainable web presence. As society became more dependent on the internet, many organizations were falling behind, unable to keep up with current trends and spread their mission with the masses. Maiya took matters into her own hands, teaching herself how to code and develop websites. Eventually, she founded Mangrove, a purpose driven digital design agency. Mangrove finds success in helping conscious companies tell their story in a meaningful way, while also making websites accessible for all to experience. Tune in to 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘗𝘰𝘥𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵 — Creating Accessible, Mission Driven Websites with Maiya Holliday at Mangrove What You Will Discover: ✔️ Accessibility does not mean sacrifice. It’s possible to create beautiful, high-performing websites that are accessible for all. For example, think of someone who is blind. Can your website cater to that person? Mangrove designs with everyone in mind, whether they are disabled or not, to create a more accessible web and empower customers around the globe. ✔️ Don’t go the cheap route. Like it or not, the world depends on the internet. If you haven’t taken the time to improve your website, you are likely missing out on a large amount of potential customers or donors. Take the time and invest in a website that will not only tell your organization’s story, but makes the customers the hero of the journey, creating a satisfying and memorable experience. ✔️ B Corps are changing the world. B Corp is a third party certification created by the nonprofit B Lab to identify companies that have met high levels of performance, accountability, and transparency in the areas of our environment, community, employees and customers. Mangrove became a certified B Corp in 2016, and they continue to push their standards of excellence to create a lasting impact in the web design industry. ✔️ Don’t be afraid of growth. Mangrove started small in 2009, but it has evolved into an international corporation thanks to Maiya being comfortable with change. Things can happen fast these days, but if you take the time to set goals and evaluate your processes, substantial growth can happen in the blink of an eye, allowing your mission to spread to potential customers or donors around the globe. —————————————— Maiya Holliday, CEO and Founder of Mangrove Web Development, is a creative leader and collaborator who crafts digital solutions to augment the impact of changemakers. She is a self-taught coder with over a decade of hands-on experience. Maiya aligns folks toward actionable goals that help articulate and communicate their organization’s purpose and impact on the web with people, planet, purpose and equity at the core. She has led over 200 website projects for changemakers and purpose-driven organizations. Maiya led Mangrove to become a Certified B Corp in 2016, and she has since championed the cause of socially and environmentally conscious businesses deepening their impact. She values working alongside a diverse team of talented people who are passionate about what they do. A Bay Area native, Maiya now lives in the mountains of Truckee, California with her husband Shaun and little humans Terner and Miles. You might also find her in Oakland or Australia, where she tends to show up on a regular basis. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maiyaholliday/ Website: mangrove-web.com/ —————————————— Welcome to the Business Behind Fundraising podcast, where you’ll discover how to raise the kind of money your big vision requires without adding more events, appeals, or grant applications. Learn how to stop blocking overall revenue growth and start attracting investment-level donors with Sherry Quam Taylor. Sherry Quam Taylor’s unique approach and success combine her background of scaling businesses with her decade-long experience advising nonprofit leadership teams. With out-of-the-box principles and a myth-busting methodology, proven results, and an ability to see solutions to revenue problems that others overlook, her clients regularly add 7-figures of revenue to their bottom line. If you need a true partner to show you how to fully finance your entire mission, both programs, AND overhead, year after year… You’re in the right place!
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Tackling our Communities Biggest Social Challenges through Strategic Grant Writing with Arlene Siller
09/12/2023
Tackling our Communities Biggest Social Challenges through Strategic Grant Writing with Arlene Siller
When Arlene Siller reached a career crossroads, she knew she had a choice: continue trudging through a field that was no longer aligning with her personal values, or take a leap of faith and apply her skills in a completely new industry. She chose the latter and never looked back, entering the world of grant writing for nonprofits. Arlene’s research background proved valuable as a grant writer. She had experience securing funds, but now she could help the causes she was passionate about raise the money they needed to fund their mission and strategic vision. She hit the ground running, raising over $35 million in four years for a multi-state organization. In 2019, Arlene expanded her impact by founding Ascend Nonprofit and Business Solutions LLC, helping women and minority owned nonprofits around the country secure essential funding through grants. Ascend NBS offers so much more than just grant writing services. The group also works with leaders to improve their organizations strategic vision and workflow, allowing the grant writing process to blossom to new heights. Now, Arlene wants to help you secure the funding your organization needs to take that next step in your overall growth. Tune in to 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘗𝘰𝘥𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵 — What You Will Discover: ✔️We all have transferable skills. Arlene did not start in the nonprofit sector, but her experience researching, writing, and advocating for her work proved vital to her success as a grant writer. No matter where you are coming from or where you are going, take time to identify traits that make you successful in your current position. Those talents will certainly translate to whatever field you find yourself in. ✔️Don’t settle for less-than-ideal clients. If your clients are not as eager to work with you as you are to work with them, there is a strong chance the partnership will not work out. Use these moments as learning opportunities, both for yourself and for the client. A customer may not realize they could be doing more to hold their end of the bargain, and the results from a symbiotic relationship can greatly increase your revenue growth. ✔️ Create and evolve your processes. Everybody needs a plan, and when times get tough, that plan can be crucial to the success or demise of your vision. When Arlene founded Ascend in 2019, she factored in resources and plans to prepare for when times get tough. These processes helped her coast through the 2020 pandemic, with a little tweaking here and there. When other businesses crumbled, hers ascended, all because her strategic plan gave her buffer room for tough times. ✔️ Diversify your revenue streams. Get creative in where you look for grants, and if you feel like you’re hitting a wall, don’t be afraid to partner with and learn from other organizations seeking the same funding. We are all trying to improve our world, and sometimes teamwork is the key to doing that. This can apply to our personal ventures as well. When Arlene wanted to connect with clients who could not afford the full scope of her services, she created online courses that taught the same skills while not requiring a total financial commitment. She quickly began reaping the rewards. —————————————— Dr. Arlene Siller is an accomplished grant writing expert with a passion for democratizing grant funding. Her company, Ascend Nonprofit & Business Solutions (NBS) LLC, helps fundraising organizations improve their grant writing skills and secure funding for their missions. With over 29 years of experience in securing multimillion-dollar grants, she has built a reputation as an expert in her field. In 2020 she expanded her business, creating Grant Yourself Success® (GYS), the training arm of Ascend NBS. GYS offers comprehensive, affordable online courses covering every aspect of grant writing. Dr. Siller is a grant trainer for grantmakers, helping them offer capacity-building services for their grantees. Arlene is also a business coach for the SBA's T.H.R.I.V.E. program. Her business model has been featured in podcasts, blogs, and articles. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arlene-siller-ascendnbs/ Website: https://ascendnbs.com/ —————————————— Welcome to the Business Behind Fundraising podcast, where you’ll discover how to raise the kind of money your big vision requires without adding more events, appeals, or grant applications. Learn how to stop blocking overall revenue growth and start attracting investment-level donors with Sherry Quam Taylor. Sherry Quam Taylor’s unique approach and success combine her background of scaling businesses with her decade-long experience advising nonprofit leadership teams. With out-of-the-box principles and a myth-busting methodology, proven results, and an ability to see solutions to revenue problems that others overlook, her clients regularly add 7-figures of revenue to their bottom line. If you need a true partner to show you how to fully finance your entire mission, both programs, AND overhead, year after year… You’re in the right place!
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Attracting Donors with Your Unique Authority and Brand Visibility with Bofta Yimam
08/08/2023
Attracting Donors with Your Unique Authority and Brand Visibility with Bofta Yimam
Bofta Yimam has quite the story. After an award winning career in television journalism, where she was always on the move, Bofta felt called to shift gears and apply her skills in a new field. That’s when she created StoryLede, a minority owned, female led marketing agency with the expertise to help businesses and individuals reach their strategic vision. Bofta found that too many people were “burying the lede,” or not focusing on the human elements that made their story unique. How could a donor or customer trust you if they didn’t know who you were or what set you apart? With StoryLede’s services, your story becomes essential to your brand, and you are given the tools to communicate that message to the masses consistently and effectively. Today, Bofta and her team work with clients around the globe, communicating their organization’s messages through the age-old art of storytelling. The results have been impactful, with some clients tripling their revenue as a result of their newfound brand visibility. Now, Bofta wants to help you overcome any fears you might have and get your vision in front of customers or donors who want to listen. Tune in to 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘗𝘰𝘥𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵 — What You Will Discover: ✔️ Don’t let fear hold you back from telling your story. Whether you’re speaking at an event or just posting on LinkedIn, sharing your message can feel scary. What if people don’t listen, or what if they don’t like what you have to say? Worry no more, because if a donor or customer is willing to pay, they’re also willing to hear your organization’s vision. With Bofta’s team of experienced copywriters, the once difficult task of curating your message becomes quick, easy, and fun. ✔️ Leverage your personal brand. Behind every great marketing campaign is a story that customers or donors can relate to, and what better place to start telling that story than to our own audience. Be it through social media, email, or word of mouth, connect with your donors or customers and allow a personal, curated touchpoint to blossom into a long-term partnership. ✔️ Take time to plan ahead. For some people, writing is a task that can feel mundane or boring, and many wait until the last minute to craft the messages they want to convey to their clients. Start by thinking about the entire quarter ahead. What is the theme you want your audience to learn over that period of time? By planning ahead, you make sure your message is: clear and consistent across the board, being told to the appropriate audience, and giving you more time to focus on the nitty gritty of the business when the customers start calling. ✔️ Your audience will find you. You just have to make that possible. If you’re not communicating your message through various channels, how will customers know you’re there? By following a clear and consistent marketing plan, the likelihood of a new customer hearing your organization’s story increases exponentially. Eventually, things that once felt impossible become possible because you have a story to tell, and there are plenty of people out there who want to hear it. —————————————— Bofta Yimam is an Entrepreneur, Emmy® & Edward R. Murrow Award-Winning Journalist, International Speaker and the Founder of StoryLede®. Bofta is the first Ethiopian-American newscaster to receive an Emmy award and a sought-after speaker who has spoken to distinguished audiences in London, Africa, and across the U.S. After working as a TV Anchor/Reporter, Bofta took her passion for storytelling and empowerment to help business owners become dynamic marketing magnets. She is certified as a Women-Owned Business (WBENC) and Minority Business Enterprise (NMSDC). Bofta is also part of a select group of speakers who have earned the professional speaker designation by the National Speakers Association (NSA). LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boftayimam/ Website: https://boftayimam.com/ —————————————— Welcome to the Business Behind Fundraising podcast, where you’ll discover how to raise the kind of money your big vision requires without adding more events, appeals, or grant applications. Learn how to stop blocking overall revenue growth and start attracting investment-level donors with Sherry Quam Taylor. Sherry Quam Taylor’s unique approach and success combine her background of scaling businesses with her decade-long experience advising nonprofit leadership teams. With out-of-the-box principles and a myth-busting methodology, proven results, and an ability to see solutions to revenue problems that others overlook, her clients regularly add 7-figures of revenue to their bottom line. If you need a true partner to show you how to fully finance your entire mission, both programs, AND overhead, year after year… You’re in the right place!
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How To Use Your Strategic Plan to Really Influence Growth with Erin McPartlin
07/11/2023
How To Use Your Strategic Plan to Really Influence Growth with Erin McPartlin
Erin McPartlin’s organization was doing important work, but conveying their purpose proved more difficult than she anticipated. They were experiencing an identity crisis, and donors just weren’t getting the message. Rather than racing forward, Erin slowed down, rebranded, and got to work on creating an effective and malleable strategic plan. Breaking out of their routine allowed Erin and the newly renamed “Tutoring Chicago” to establish infrastructure that supported the growth of her organization. Her methods, procedures, and goals were clearly defined, and donors responded in a big way. Tutoring Chicago’s message was clearly defined, and they were ready to scale and properly improve the trajectory of students in their city. After decades of successfully leading Tutoring Chicago, today Erin consults other executive directors and leaders on how they, too, can change their trajectories and ensure their organizations have strong growth plans, leaders, and boards. Tune in to 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘗𝘰𝘥𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵 — How to use your Strategic Plan to Really Influence Growth with Erin McPartlin What You Will Discover: ✔️ Leading doesn’t have to be lonely. Let’s face it: most executive directors do not grow up thinking they would lead a nonprofit. Their passion for improving their community led them to the work. Connecting with other leaders and leaving room to improve your strategies is essential to sustaining that passion, and it can help you navigate your organization through whatever challenges come its way. ✔️ Be malleable. The world of nonprofits is constantly changing. After establishing procedures, create a plan to evaluate these procedures over time.“When you and I made this plan together, I really felt we needed to be flexible. We needed these strategic imperatives that guided us with our values, guided us with our identity. We knew who we were, we knew where we were going, we knew what we stood for. And then a few years later, COVID, right? And, man, that strategic plan worked. It took us through, we know who we were.” ✔️ Keep your message simple. Don’t make your donors waste energy figuring out what your organization is trying to do. When Erin and her organization, previously named Cabrini-Green Tutoring Organization, rebranded to “Tutoring Chicago,” donors responded instantly. Their purpose was defined, and now, they could spend more time on the details when connecting with donors. ✔️ Get everyone involved. A nonprofit thrives when each member brings their own unique skill set to the table. By championing your organization, you allow it to access partnerships and opportunities that can take your strategic plan to the next level. Develop your relationships with your board of directors; they’re connections and expertise can be key in growing and sustaining your organization. —————————————— With over 20 years of nonprofit management and leadership experience, Erin McPartlin is a strategic, visionary executive with a multifaceted leadership portfolio in nonprofit management and operations. Her expertise in program design, board and staff development, and fundraising financial management offers other executive directors, boards and leaders the experience and insights into the skills and mindset needed for strategic scale, impact, and sustainability - as well as a keen understanding of the clarity, leadership, organizational design, and infrastructure necessary to support this success. LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/erin-mcpartlin/ Website: erinmcpartlinconsulting.com —————————————— Welcome to the Business Behind Fundraising podcast, where you’ll discover how to raise the kind of money your big vision requires without adding more events, appeals, or grant applications. Learn how to stop blocking overall revenue growth and start attracting investment-level donors with Sherry Quam Taylor. Sherry Quam Taylor’s unique approach and success combine her background of scaling businesses with her decade-long experience advising nonprofit leadership teams. With out-of-the-box principles and a myth-busting methodology, proven results, and an ability to see solutions to revenue problems that others overlook, her clients regularly add 7-figures of revenue to their bottom line. If you need a true partner to show you how to fully finance your entire mission, both programs, AND overhead, year after year… You’re in the right place!
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Case Study with Mandy Moody: How this Development Director turned Executive Director has doubled her revenue
06/13/2023
Case Study with Mandy Moody: How this Development Director turned Executive Director has doubled her revenue
Green City Market Executive Director Mandy Moody inherited an established nonprofit that’s growth was plateauing. Their work was essential in her community, but few outside of the nonprofit truly understood what that work was. How could she get their message to the world despite having so many responsibilities on her plate? The first step was figuring out what that message was. Then she had to communicate it to donors. With these goals in place, Green City Market quickly grew from $800k in annual revenue into a $1.6 million nonprofit. Now, they have both the resources and public knowledge to serve their community in the most effective way possible. Tune in to 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘗𝘰𝘥𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵 — Case Study with Mandy Moody: How this Development Director turned Executive Director has doubled her revenue What You Will Discover: ✔️ Take the time to identify, plan, and execute the bigger picture. It’s easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day tasks. The workload at a growing nonprofit can seem like an impossible mountain to climb. Strategizing how to practically scale your mission can be more beneficial in the long run than sending that one email. “...Before we were working together I was doing 100% of the HR, 100% of the accounting, 100% of all of these things that I know a lot of your listeners who are [running] young non-profits or they're just small right and they're looking to scale. As executive directors we can find ourselves grinding on everyone else’s stuff, right? [With this work underway,] “we now talk all the time internally about how Sherry helped us put the rock before the sand.” ✔️ Donors thrive on the confidence you portray. You’ve taken the time to understand the direction you are going. You’ve prepared for all the tough questions. Now put it to work! The confidence you portray when explaining the work your nonprofit accomplishes is the quickest way to get a major donor on your team. ✔️ Not every meeting has to end with an ask. Fundraising requires meaningful and symbiotic partnerships. Enjoy building that relationship with a donor, but don’t view it as purely transactional. While the time for an ask may not be right in the moment, the positive experience encourages the donor to stay in touch in the future. ✔️ You don’t have to do it alone. How can we build a successful team around us while focusing on our own responsibilities? Bring the team with you. Invite a new staff member to a meeting. Let them learn from experience. Having a seat at the table gives your team confidence that they can do it as well. —————————————— Mandy Moody is a purpose-driven, people-focused leader. She turns ideas into action, providing the leadership necessary to achieve an organization's vision and mission. As a results-driven professional, she balances visionary strategic thinking with innovative execution to drive record-breaking growth.Decisive and highly-organized, she is adept at bringing order to chaos while exuding a calmness that inspires confidence. Contrary to the nonprofit industry trend of high staff turnover, she creates stability and builds teams that are committed to the long-term strategies that ensure an organization's ability to exceed its greatest expectations. LinkedIn: Website: —————————————— All nonprofit leaders want to know how to secure the overall funding they need to accomplish their big vision. Sherry Quam Taylor's clients regularly add 7-figures of general operating revenue to their bottom line with her out-of-the-box principles, a myth-busting methodology, and an ability to see solutions to revenue problems that others overlook. Want to learn The BIG FUNDRAISING SECRET? Download the method I teach today [WHITE PAPER] to learn How Traditional Nonprofit Fundraising blocks your overall growth and keeps you from reaching your revenue goals every year. Subscribe to my YouTube for weekly updates. Tune in to The Business Behind Fundraising podcast on any of your favorite podcast apps!
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Setting Your Organization’s Strategic Vision with Brooke Richie-Babbage
05/09/2023
Setting Your Organization’s Strategic Vision with Brooke Richie-Babbage
Rapid growth entails rapid changes. It also means recalibrating your nonprofit’s vision to fit with the current times. Brooke Richie-Babbage joins us to share her expertise in creating an efficient and honest strategic plan in five steps, making your donors a part of the outcome, finding your North Star, and setting up a finance engine that can fully fund your vision. Tune in to The Business Behind Fundraising — Setting Your Organization’s Strategic Vision with Brooke Richie-Babbage. What You Will Discover: ✔️ Organic response to growth can only get you so far. Brooke suggests being intentional by writing a strategic plan, as it allows you to maximize limited resources. ✔️ A “North Star” is the anchor to all your nonprofit’s decisions. It’s the agreed set of priorities where all opportunities are filled. Organizations that had this have weathered the two-year pandemic well. ✔️ Do a strategic plan every three years. You can do this without outside help. It should contain: A one-pager Internal operations plan Finance plan Your North Star Your goals ✔️ Bring major donors into the vision. They want to know how it’ll change the community. ✔️ Be honest with your budget. How much do you really need? Your vision and budget should tell the same story. Your donors aren’t mind readers. They want to contribute in the best way possible. ---------------------- Brooke Richie-Babbage is an organizational design and social impact strategy advisor and consultant, the host of the Nonprofit Mastermind Podcast, and the founder and CEO of Bending Arc, a digital consultancy through which she supports mission-driven leaders across the country in launching and scaling high-impact nonprofits and social enterprises. Brooke has spent the past 22 years working as a nonprofit leader, social entrepreneur, and lawyer at social change organizations throughout the country. She has founded and led multiple successful organizations and initiatives, including the Resilience Advocacy Project (RAP), where she served as Executive Director for ten years. Prior to the founding of RAP, Brooke worked as an attorney and policy director at the National Center for Law and Economic Justice, as a health policy advocate at the Children’s Defense Fund- NY, a history and law professor at Tufts University and Brooklyn Law School, and a welfare policy consultant for the Center for Law and Social Policy. She has been a featured speaker and visiting lecturer at numerous law schools, including Harvard, Columbia, NYU, and Fordham, on social entrepreneurship and nonprofit leadership. She served as Chair of the Social Welfare Committee of the NYC Bar Association and as an appointed member of both the Governor’s statewide Child Care Policy Working Group and Mayor Bloomberg’s Adolescent Fatherhood Advisory Council. She has also served as a board member and officer for several non-profit organizations. Brooke received both her JD and MPP from Harvard and her BA from Yale. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two sons Website: www.brookerichiebabbage.com LinkedIn: Instagram: @bjrichiebabbage ---------------------- FREE How-to Guide: Unleash the Game-Changing Power of Planned Giving at Your Nonprofit Subscribe to my YouTube for weekly updates. Download White Paper The Big Fundraising Secret (How Traditional Nonprofit Fundraising blocks your overall growth and keeps you from fully funding your organization every year) Or, subscribe to The Business Behind Fundraising podcast on any of your favorite podcast apps!
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Case Study w/ Yamilée Toussaint Beach: How She's Using Her 5X Revenue Goals to Attract Major Donors
04/11/2023
Case Study w/ Yamilée Toussaint Beach: How She's Using Her 5X Revenue Goals to Attract Major Donors
How many books have you already read? Articles you've saved for reference? People you've consulted? Workshops you've already attended? When it feels like the faucet's left dry and your fundraising efforts are still not working for your organization, it's time to seek a better way to address areas needing improvement and get help. For STEM From Dance Executive Director Yamilée Toussaint Beach, she knew it was time to come to us when she decided it wasn't worth wasting months of her career and life trying to figure out how to reach donors on her own. She needed the right mindset in showing up for every meeting and the playbook to access unrestricted revenue that is not tied to foundations and projects. As a leader who takes action with the knowledge given to her, Yamilée's organization grew from just under $1 million and scaled fast. Her new strategic plan calls for her to grow from $2 million to become a $10 million organization. Coaching her team and her board equips them to reach these targets so they can confidently achieve them. Tune in to 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘗𝘰𝘥𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵 — Case Study with Yamilée Toussaint Beach: How She's Using Her 5X Revenue Goals To Attract Major Donors. What You Will Discover: ✔️ Nonprofit CEOs who understand that allocating resources to grow and develop themselves and their people are the ones that attract more investments in their business. Yamilée attributes thoughtfully investing in coaching & consultancy to spurring her org's growth from local and national to international, growing funding, and broadening donor base. ✔️ Make that shift from transactional to relational fundraising. In fundraising and life — the goal is, first, to be human. When you meet these potential donors face to face or send them emails, the key is never to come across as a transactional and inauthentic person. You can be casual and sincere instead of being seen as chasing after them. When the real person shows up, money will flow easily into your mission. 🙌 ✔️ Navigating conversations and preparing for meetings requires a shift in mindset. Working with Yamilée Toussaint Beach for a year allowed her to overcome the belief that, as an introvert, she couldn't become exceptional with fundraising. "I used to go in and feel like I had that one opportunity to make the ask. Now I can enter into meetings more confidently, knowing the trajectory, what to say, and having tools in hand that ease the donor into the ask. I don't feel like I'm chasing anymore or must ask for money. Now it feels more natural, and the conversation leads somewhere I've planned. I have less hesitation in asking because I feel more confident in discussions with donors. I simply approach donor communication in a completely different way." ✔️ Let's admit it. Loneliness follows the leader at the top. You first had the vision of creating change in the world and trying to work it daily, even with insufficient funds. Find someone who can hold your hand in the process and gently help you get out of your head as you go out and bring more people to support your mission. —————————————— Yamilée Toussaint Beach is the Founder & CEO of STEM From Dance. She personally experienced the extraordinary benefits of a STEM education and dance. After studying mechanical engineering and being an avid dancer for over 25 years, she switched gears to teach high school algebra in an underserved community in Brooklyn through Teach For America. She started STEM From Dance in 2012 with the hope that a program that infuses dance in STEM would help to increase the number of underrepresented minority girls across the nation who pursue a future in STEM. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from MIT and a Master of Science in Teaching from Pace University. She is also a recipient of Teach For America's Social Innovation Award, AnitaB.org's Educational Innovation Award, Brooklyn Magazine's 50 Most Fascinating People, and an AAAS/IF THEN® Ambassador. LinkedIn: Website: Instagram: —————————————— All nonprofit leaders want to know how to secure the overall funding they need to accomplish their big vision. Sherry Quam Taylor's clients regularly add 7-figures of general operating revenue to their bottom line with her out-of-the-box principles, a myth-busting methodology, and an ability to see solutions to revenue problems that others overlook. Want to learn The BIG FUNDRAISING SECRET? Download the method I teach today [WHITE PAPER] to learn How Traditional Nonprofit Fundraising blocks your overall growth and keeps you from reaching your revenue goals every year. FREE How-to Guide: Unleash the Game-Changing Power of Planned Giving at Your Nonprofit Subscribe to my YouTube for weekly updates. Tune in to The Business Behind Fundraising podcast on any of your favorite podcast apps!
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How to Raise More Funds Using Your Voice with Tracy Goodwin
02/28/2023
How to Raise More Funds Using Your Voice with Tracy Goodwin
What’s in our head determines how we use our voice. Today we are graced by world-renowned voice expert, Tracy Goodwin, as she shares her prowess in how you can utilize your voice to attract more major donors and unrestricted revenue. She teaches us the importance of expression vs. words and the impact of mindset on the outcomes of your nonprofit conversations. Tune in to The Business Behind Fundraising — How to Raise More Funds Using Your Voice with Tracy Goodwin. What You Will Discover: ✔️ The way you use your voice can leave thousands of dollars on the table. You need to set your authentic self free for revenue and connection to follow. ✔️ Putting on a “professional” mask doesn’t work. Tracy works with clients to unpack the root of their inauthentic voice to avoid the stereotypical sales-y way of talking. ✔️ Introverts don’t need to change. The key is finding your best vocal energy. Where are you at your best? Turn every conversation into one with a person you know, like, and trust. ✔️ People are seeking more connection. The mask will only work against you. Speak from the right place. It’s the expression that matters. Emotional connection encourages people to buy more. ✔️ Show up vocally like never before. Even if it means talking about numbers. There are listeners who are interested in science and data. Give them this experience. -------------------------- Tracy Goodwin is an award-winning speaker and internationally renowned voice expert who has helped successful executives and teams increase their impact and influence by unlocking their greatest hidden asset: their voice. Her research-based Psychology of the Voice has become the secret weapon for leaders to shorten their sales cycle, increase revenue, build instant trust, and manage teams and operations more efficiently. She identifies how your listeners process you to a subconscious level to align what you perceive you are doing versus what they are receiving and ensure you are revealing the best version of yourself. LinkedIn: Website: captivatetheroom.com Instagram: @captivatetheroom YouTube: Tune in to Tracy’s podcast Captivate The Room on Apple Podcasts: -------------------------- FREE How-to Guide: Unleash the Game-Changing Power of Planned Giving at Your Nonprofit Subscribe to my YouTube for weekly updates: Download White Paper: The Big Fundraising Secret (How Traditional Nonprofit Fundraising blocks your overall growth and keeps you from fully funding your organization every year) Or, subscribe to The Business Behind Fundraising podcast on any of your favorite podcast apps!
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Case Study with Tre Moore: How he's reached his annual fundraising goals early every year (while working less hours)
02/27/2023
Case Study with Tre Moore: How he's reached his annual fundraising goals early every year (while working less hours)
Everyone knows that the way to fundraising growth is by putting relationship-building with donors first. After accepting a role as a fundraising director without prior experience, Tre Moore reached out to me, followed my advice, and has reached his organization’s revenue goals every year since. Freeing your organization from the spin cycle is possible if you know what to stop doing to align your hours with dollars. Tune in to The Business Behind Fundraising — Case Study with Tre Moore. What You Will Discover: ✔️ People won’t give their best gifts through transactions. The individuals you’re serving and your donors are human beings. Remind them what you’re advocating for and encourage them to make an impact with you. ✔️ Use the P-E-O model. This stands for “participant, engagement, and owner”. It’s a system Tre uses that allows his donors to grow at unique levels. ✔️ Play the long game. It takes time to cultivate relationships with donors and get to know them on a deeper level. Prioritize your time on the relational activities that bring more revenue down the road ✔️ Aim for sustainable growth. Hire people who can free your time and focus on the tasks that are keeping you from high-ROI revenue generation. ✔️ Invest in a mentor or expert. Knowledge brings self-confidence. The energy you carry attracts the donors you need when you’re confident in your skillset ✔️ Give ownership of what you do to your donors. This encourages them to share the organization’s cause among their network because they are excited about it. Tre Moore is the Executive Director for India Rural Evangelical Fellowship (IREF), a faith-based nonprofit working to break the cycle of poverty in South India. With a background in church ministry, Tre wasn’t sure he could transition to a career in fundraising and development. For Tre, fundraising success came quickly after working with Sherry. Within the first year of coaching, the nonprofit's charitable revenue nearly doubled from $700K to over $1.2M. Through years of coaching with Quam Taylor, IREF has found growth and sustainability. At the core of this growth is a desire to build deep relationships with partners while also creating intentional donor experiences. You can connect with Tre on Linkedin . Subscribe to my YouTube for weekly updates. Download White Paper The Big Fundraising Secret (How Traditional Nonprofit Fundraising blocks your overall growth and keeps you from fully funding your organization every year) Or, subscribe to The Business Behind Fundraising podcast on any of your favorite podcast apps!
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Case Study with Amy Fass: How to Manage Your Nonprofit's Extreme Growth
02/14/2023
Case Study with Amy Fass: How to Manage Your Nonprofit's Extreme Growth
With a small staff, the pressure and exhaustion were mounting on Amy Fass to keep up with her nonprofit’s multi-million growth. As the Executive Director of Shoes That Fit, she needed a thought partner to dig down issues with and craft a program that allows her to scale, support more kids, and invite unrestricted revenue. Working with Sherry was a life-changing decision. Tune in to The Business Behind Fundraising — Case Study with Amy Fass: How to Manage Your Nonprofit's Extreme Growth (And Keep Growing Year After Year). What You Will Discover: ✔️ Changing her operations was key to meeting expectations. The pandemic urged Amy to switch things up, but there was still not enough gas in the engine to keep the nonprofit running sustainably. ✔️ Restricted gifts can exhaust your staff. Amy sought help from Sherry, taking time to step back and give people a bigger picture of her nonprofit’s goals, moving into relational fundraising. ✔️ Treat your donors as both friends and business partners. Showing the numbers and making them part of the nonprofit’s story got Amy’s most loyal donors’ gifts from $100 to $10,000. It’s key to tell them stories that align with their interests. ✔️ This shift frees up time for larger growth opportunities. “I feel like I can breathe for the first time in years,” Amy says. Not rushing relationships has also strengthened her board’s confidence in spreading the word. ✔️ Learning comes with surprises. Diving into the data and utilizing the donor deck got her into more targeted asks and prepared for the next step in leading donors to their best gifts. ------------------------ Amy Fass was named the Executive Director of Shoes That Fit in February 2014. She joined the organization’s staff in 2013 as the interim Development Director, having consulted with the organization on strategic planning and development since 2008. She has worked in nonprofit management and development for over 20 years. Her development career began at Pomona College, where she served as Director of Foundation and Corporate Relations; she then worked for the University of California, Berkeley, securing major gifts. After the birth of her daughter in 1999, she began consulting non-profits on development and strategic planning; her clients included the Claremont School of Theology, the American Academy of Religion (Atlanta), Shoes that Fit, House of Ruth, Inc., and AMOCA (American Museum of Ceramic Art). She currently chairs the Board of Mt. San Antonio Gardens (retirement community) and the City of Claremont’s Architectural Commission and formerly chaired the boards of House of Ruth and Claremont Heritage. Amy earned her B.A. at Stanford University and holds a Master of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary. Get in touch with Amy Fass. LinkedIn: Nonprofit Website: Get her book The Business of Non Profit-Ing: My Why, the Journey and Perspective on Non Profiting on Amazon: ------------------------ FREE How-to Guide: Unleash the Game-Changing Power of Planned Giving at Your Nonprofit Subscribe to my YouTube for weekly updates. Download White Paper The Big Fundraising Secret (How Traditional Nonprofit Fundraising blocks your overall growth and keeps you from fully funding your organization every year) Or, subscribe to The Business Behind Fundraising podcast on any of your favorite podcast apps!
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Where to start with Planned Giving with Tony Martignetti
01/10/2023
Where to start with Planned Giving with Tony Martignetti
Stewardship is simple if you just treat people with respect. When donors are deeply connected to your organization’s goals and vision, their support doesn’t end in death. Tony Martignetti discusses the importance of tackling planned giving or “gifts by will”, how it benefits your organization long term, and fostering donor relationships. Tune in to The Business Behind Fundraising — Where To Start With Planned Giving with Tony Martignetti. What You Will Discover: ✔️ The biggest lesson learned in a decades-long career. Focusing on “gifts by will” yields a more successful and much easier planned giving launch. This type of gift is written in a person’s will. ✔️ Seventy-two percent of people who gift-by-will increase their other types of giving to that organization. Planned giving doesn’t hurt any of your other fundraising events. ✔️ Organizational criteria for a planned giving program. This includes: Five years of history More than one staff member Has individual donors ✔️ Keep donor relationships warm. Start a recognition society for planned donors. Track birthdays and send greetings via phone or handwritten letter. Set up insider donor communications and a VIP section during events. ---------------------------------- Tony Martignetti has been starting and growing Planned Giving programs since 1997. This is his 25th Anniversary year! He’s been consulting in Planned Giving since 2003. Now he leads Planned Giving Accelerator, a membership community to launch 1,000+ new Planned Giving programs in the U.S. It’s at . LinkedIn: FREE How-to Guide: Unleash the Game-Changing Power of Planned Giving at Your Nonprofit ---------------------------------- Subscribe to my YouTube for weekly updates. Download White Paper The Big Fundraising Secret (How Traditional Nonprofit Fundraising blocks your overall growth and keeps you from fully funding your organization every year) Or, subscribe to The Business Behind Fundraising podcast on any of your favorite podcast apps!
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Case Study with Emily Norton: Why she confident growing her budget by 40% (when it's only ever grown by 10%)
12/13/2022
Case Study with Emily Norton: Why she confident growing her budget by 40% (when it's only ever grown by 10%)
Everything is sales. Whether you’re selling a product or a vision for the future, you want people to connect and feel its urgency and importance. Putting a focus on forming lasting donor relationships took Emily Norton’s organization, the Charles River Watershed Association, to new heights. Listen as she walks us through her experience working with me, building her confidence, and thinking big. Tune in to The Business Behind Fundraising — Case Study with Emily Norton: Why She is Confident Growing Her Budget By 40% (When It’s Only Ever Grown By 10%). What You Will Discover: ✔️ Think big. The starvation mindset holds nonprofits back from growing. Put into practice the activities that allow expansion. Changing their strategic plan helped Emily Norton grow her budget by 40% this year. ✔️ Do things with confidence. The more honest you are about your organization’s financial need, the more donors want to support you.. They want to be on the same winning team. ✔️ ‘The ask’ is only one step in the donor’s journey. Sometimes, calling a donor to say thank you or provide a resource can help cultivate a stronger relationship. It’s how all the small steps fit together for maximum relationship building. ✔️ Slow down. Connect your goals to their interests. You may have donors who aren’t giving their best gift because they don’t have a clear picture of what you do or what your organization needs. Emily Norton has served as Executive Director of the since August 2018. She previously served as Massachusetts Chapter Director for the Sierra Club, where she focused on advocating for stronger renewable energy policies at the state and local levels. Prior to that, she spent ten years as a research and communications consultant to groups such as Conservation Law Foundation, Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, Environmental Defense Fund, and the US EPA ENERGY STAR Program. Emily also spent several years working in politics as a fundraiser for the Democratic Leadership Council in Washington, D.C., and as Finance Director for a Congressional campaign on Cape Cod. LinkedIn: Subscribe to my YouTube for weekly updates. Download White Paper The Big Fundraising Secret (How Traditional Nonprofit Fundraising blocks your overall growth and keeps you from fully funding your organization every year) Or, subscribe to The Business Behind Fundraising podcast on any of your favorite podcast apps!
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How to Get Your Fundraising Team off the Communications Spin Cycle with Erin Straza
11/08/2022
How to Get Your Fundraising Team off the Communications Spin Cycle with Erin Straza
Do you know exactly what to say to inspire your donors? Nonprofits have solid, metric-based missions, but putting those activities into words that the average person can understand can be tricky. Hiring a short-term writer may help. Or even giving the task to the development team. But this won’t work in the long run. So what can you do to attain clarity on communications? Tune in to The Business Behind Fundraising — How to Get Your Fundraising Team off the Communications Spin Cycle with Erin Straza. What You Will Discover: ✔️ How a case for support acts as a filter every time you write. It must answer: The problem you want to solve How your organization will solve it What happens when it’s solved ✔️ How to talk about your programs and models. Do your donors know exactly what you do or the problem you solve? ✔️ Why donor segmentation matters. Write profiles for three to five segments. Identify your audience and target your messaging towards them. This helps foster a strong, consistent relationship with your donors. ✔️ Have a branding guide. Choose fonts, color palettes, photos, and layouts that align with your goals. Prepare relevant sentences you can sprinkle in your messaging. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Erin Straza’s professional work has lived within the nonprofit sector. She works with nonprofits across the country, helping them make their mission irresistible to donors with communications strategies that resolve mission-critical blind spots. In addition to advising and training nonprofit teams, she also has corporate clients for whom she provides creative messaging support and strategy for brand development and promotional campaigns. Website: ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe to my YouTube for weekly updates. Download White Paper The Big Fundraising Secret (How Traditional Nonprofit Fundraising blocks your overall growth and keeps you from fully funding your organization every year) Or, subscribe to The Business Behind Fundraising podcast on any of your favorite podcast apps!
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When Professional Development is the First Thing to Get Cut From the Budget
08/23/2022
When Professional Development is the First Thing to Get Cut From the Budget
One of the biggest factors contributing to the Great Resignation is professional development being the first thing to get cut from the budget. Because of this, our fundraisers aren’t equipped to handle investment-level conversations and lead donors to major gifts. So what should be done? Investing in your staff is the top priority. Tune in to The Business Behind Fundraising — When Professional Development is the First Thing to Get Cut From the Budget with Sherry Quam Taylor. What You Will Discover: ✔️You have control over donors’ gifts. If you feel your donors only want to fund projects, that’s a problem, but it can be fixed. What it actually means is they aren’t confident with your numbers and conversations. ✔️ Don’t default to transactional sponsorships. Raising too much restricted revenue isn’t a win and doesn’t allow for growth. This is why staff training is important so your team can get to major gifts. ✔️ Investing in your team is a game-changer. They should know how to handle investment-level conversations and lead donors to unrestricted gifts. This is when you’ll see your revenue grow 2x, 3x, or even 10x. ✔️ Major donors need more. The story, the problem, and the solution are important. But if your team can satisfy them with a deep understanding of your true financial need, everything shifts for the better. Subscribe to my YouTube for weekly updates. Download White Paper The Big Fundraising Secret (How Traditional Nonprofit Fundraising blocks your overall growth and keeps you from fully funding your organization every year) Or, subscribe to The Business Behind Fundraising podcast on any of your favorite podcast apps!
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Why Your Fundraisers Don’t Have Time For Major Gifts
08/16/2022
Why Your Fundraisers Don’t Have Time For Major Gifts
I love talking about time allocation. Your organization may be spending too much time on the wrong solutions. Even if you think you know so much, you still need someone to tell you, “Have you tried this? Have you thought of it this way?” For me, my coach helps me see what it looks like to actually have the money to accomplish a client’s strategic plan. So what have I learned from looking through an objective lens? Tune in to The Business Behind Fundraising — Why Your Fundraisers Don’t Have Time For Major Gifts with Sherry Quam Taylor. What You Will Discover: ✔️ Split roles for efficiency. What will bring you confidence? Divide different tasks and delegate them to the right people. The more you invest in your people, the more money that comes back to you. ✔️ Hire the right people. Ask the right questions. Find someone who can: Raise the RIGHT kind of money Align hours with dollars Build your reserve Secure unrestricted gifts ✔️ Don’t combine fundraising and marketing communications. These are two completely different roles with different skill sets that require different pay structures… and two very different parts of the donor pyramid. Create a financing plan and see. Often, you CAN actually afford to hire two people. ✔️ Objectivity shows the path to the money. Time allocation can be a pain. But there ARE solutions. Be open to looking at it from different angles. Invest and do things differently to get different results. Subscribe to my YouTube for weekly updates. Download the Ultimate Checklist Does your team create a fundraising plan or financing plan? Only one will fully fund your nonprofit Or, subscribe to The Business Behind Fundraising podcast on any of your favorite podcast apps!
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What You Need to Know Before You Hire Your Next Fundraiser
08/09/2022
What You Need to Know Before You Hire Your Next Fundraiser
Let me guess. Right now, you’re looking for your next developmental director. It’s pretty crazy. And I admit, it’s the most difficult hire for an organization. The worst-case scenario would be ending up with the wrong person on the bus. And we don’t want that, right? But today, let’s make it a little bit easier as I share the things you need to watch out for in your next fundraiser so your organization can hit revenue goals! Tune in to The Business Behind Fundraising — What You Need to Know Before You Hire Your Next Fundraiser with Sherry Quam Taylor. What You Will Discover: ✔️ Rethink the qualifications. Once you look deeper into your current challenges and your true need, you’ll determine what your future director should be able to do and what skills they should have. ✔️ Knowing the path to get fully financed is a must. Your future developmental director should know how to plan your year around your organization’s cash flow and be able to secure unrestricted funds for full flexibility. We don’t want to depend on grants and events all the time. ✔️ Look for a proven track record. COVID-19 has taken a toll on nonprofits. See if your potential hire has experience in securing 50-75% of revenue from top donors. ✔️ Fix root problems to ensure success. Your director can’t work their best if the groundwork isn’t established, such as your donor fully knowing your need, what you do, and the problem you’re solving. Get rid of what’s blocking revenue generation. Subscribe to my YouTube for weekly updates. Download the Ultimate Checklist Does your team create a fundraising plan or financing plan? Only one will fully fund your nonprofit Or, subscribe to The Business Behind Fundraising podcast on any of your favorite podcast apps!
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Why You Should Invest More MONEY into Overhead (Fundraising Staff)
08/02/2022
Why You Should Invest More MONEY into Overhead (Fundraising Staff)
Welcome to Season 3 of The Business Behind Fundraising! For this season, we’ll be going in-depth on a few of the factors impacting the Great Resignation that I want you to reflect on. Today’s episode will be all about why you should invest more money into overhead, especially your fundraising staff. Spoiler: No new grant appeal, board member, or celebrity shout-out is going to fix your insufficient overhead cash. It’s all about solid groundwork and being honest with our needs and numbers. Tune in to The Business Behind Fundraising — Why You Should Invest More MONEY into Overhead (Fundraising Staff) with Sherry Quam Taylor. What You Will Discover: ✔️Spend enough money to generate the dollars you need. Are you raising the same money every year? More fundraising activities won’t fix this. What you need is more gas in the engine. Sometimes even a different engine! ✔️ Start with the math. It’s only until you’ve been honest with yourself and created a true needs-based budget that you will be able to craft an accurate financing plan for your fundraising team to reach or exceed. ✔️ Spending mistakes to avoid. Ever feel like you can’t afford to hire fundraising staff? Too often, you’re spending too much on programs, and that’s keeping you from investing enough in staff and overhead. ✔️ Answering the tough questions yields growth. Consider these: What is the true financing plan? How can you raise or exceed a truly balanced budget? How can you design a funding model that supports your true need? What should your team be doing? Does your team have the right skillset? ✔️Never cut corners. Organizations that lean into risk tend to make consistent revenue leaps. Be brave when spending money to RAISE more money. Subscribe to my YouTube for weekly updates: Download: The Big Fundraising Secret (How Traditional Nonprofit Fundraising Blocks Your Overall Growth and Keeps You from Fully Funding Your Organization Every Year): Or, subscribe to The Business Behind Fundraising podcast on any of your favorite podcast apps!
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