Starting and maintaining a nonprofit organization can be far more difficult than dealing with the same issues in a typical corporation. In a perfect world, this would make other aspects of successfully running a nonprofit simpler, but this isn’t a perfect world. Growing or expanding a nonprofit, for instance, is often far more tedious and trying than in traditional organizations. If you make the following efforts, though, you’ll be well on your way to growing your nonprofit into a successful firm.
Grow Your Team Without Breaking the Bank
One of the main obstacles to growing a nonprofit is finding the manpower to get things done. Many of these organizations start out with just one or two people handling everything, but it’s important to recognize the untapped resources already at your disposal.
Board members and employees, for instance, are often woefully untapped for their resources. These individuals likely have connections with others who can greatly assist the nonprofit in its endeavors. It’s also important to remember that people, ranging from Good Samaritans to college students who need course credit, are always looking for volunteer opportunities.
Between these resources, your team is likely much larger than you give it credit for, and utilizing these untapped resources can greatly assist in growth.
Don’t Neglect Useful Technologies
Fundraising and charities have histories extending much further back than anyone on earth, and current nonprofit laws have even been in existence for nearly half a century. This doesn’t mean, however, that your nonprofit should be using the same dated technology. If there’s some form of technology that you feel could help with your goals, it’s your responsibility to take advantage of it.
There are a variety of technologies that are perfect for nonprofit use. In fact, many of them have become widespread in just the past few years. Social media, for instance, allows your organization to target specific demographics so your efforts are more focused and successful. There’s also fundraising software that can be integrated with your online donation forms to make donors’ and your life simpler.
Those who fail to utilize technology will stagnate, so it’s a vital aspect of growing your nonprofit.
Utilize Videos to Tell Stories
Some of the most successful fundraising tactics include telling stories that explain why your organization is necessary. For organizations focused on the homeless, this could mean telling the story of a local homeless mother. For animal rights organizations, stories that focus on stray animal statistics could work.
Emails do great when these stories are included, but you can take your fundraising efforts to the next level by utilizing video. Video gives former and potential donors the ability to really connect with the purpose of the organization, and they’re also far more likely to be shared via forwarded emails and social media.
The result is your story being spread more widely, and this means your organization will see expansion.
Get Local Businesses Involved
In some instances, garnering monetary donations from businesses can be much more difficult than simply reaching out to individuals. As it turns out, though, this doesn’t mean that companies don’t want to help. In many instances, it’s simply a matter of figuring out how other organizations can help in their own way.
A company that can provide a few gift cards, for instance, will make running a silent auction or raffle a simple task. If a certain business owner can’t help financially but is willing to expand your reach by simply sharing your content and links, you’ll still see your reach increase. Once you realize that most companies can help in different ways, large scale reach is much easier.
From utilizing fundraising software to bringing in volunteers, there are countless ways you can grow your nonprofit. These tactics won’t typically work overnight, but they’re certainly the perfect way to get your organization on track for growth.
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