Limitless Philanthropy

After writing my last post I have been thinking a lot about the needs of a non-profit and new ways to fulfill them. It's interesting the way life sometimes chooses to answer questions for you through new people and experiences. As I was reflecting on this problem and potential solutions, I had several experiences which reminded me, this is a two-way street..

I believe many people have a giving heart and the desire to contribute to causes but believe that they aren't part of that elite group of prosperous philanthropists. Webster's Dictionary defines philanthropy as: "goodwill to fellow members of the human race; especially active effort to promote human welfare;" there are many ways this can be done.

I work for a non-profit which seeks to find quality homes for children who have been abused and abandoned in the foster care system, our ultimate goal being to eliminate the foster care crisis and find forever families for all the children who have been displaced in foster care. Although our goal is to find foster families, not everyone is suited to be a foster/adoptive parent, and it is a job that should not be taken lightly. However, everyone can contribute to this cause. For many people they see two paths: 1. I can give money; 2. I can adopt a child. But there are many paths to eliminating this crisis. We have an incredibly generous woman in our office who donates her time monthly assisting with our accounting. She has a powerful skill and a passion for our cause and because she is willing to donate her time and talents, we don't have to pay for this expense. I have a friend who works for a company who gives him free merchandise (books and toys for children). As a recent graduate he may not be able to donate his time or money but he is able to give these new toys to our organization who then gives them to children once they are placed in homes. We have many generous supporters who would like to be able to give more to our organization but don't have the means, so they are running in the Pasadena Marathon this Sunday (as am I), raising funds from their friends, family and colleagues who may not have known about our organization but are now tied into our cause through the voice of their friend.

These are just a few examples of ways you can give but there are many more. My point is, don't limit yourself--we always have something more to give. Look at what you have (skills, gifts, time, support, relationships) and therein lies something to share.

The Future of Non-Profits: Adopting a Business Model

When I tell someone I work in development for a non-profit the response I hear the most is: "Wow, how is that going with the current state of the economy?" My response: of course, as with everything else, it has created an environment of competition. There are only so many foundations, grants, and large donors out there and with the growing number of non-profits and waning number of individual donors competition is great. So what is the solution?

Consolidate and diversify.

Now this may sound contradictory at first but I will explain what this actually means.

Consolidate:
One major problem for non-profits is we keep aiming for expansion, yet behind closed doors we are all struggling to pay the rent. What is the solution? Partnerships. If my mission and your mission overlap, why not share services? And better yet, if you are a corporation looking to create a non-profit to give back to your community and help with tax write-offs, why not partner with an organization that already exists? According to NCCS (National Center for Charitable Statistics) there are over 1.5 MILLION tax-exempt organizations in the US. Among those 1.5 million organizations there is surely one that matches your goals and mission.


Diversify:
Non-profits need to stop limiting themselves to the practices of the past and adopt a business model. What many people don't understand is that a non-profit functions quite similarly to a corporation; the main difference being, rather than selling a product, you're selling a solution. So we need to begin to think like a business, think outside the box, and find diversified means of bringing dollars in the door. When the usual avenues become crowded, what do we do? Build bridges over them.

Consider the specific skills your organization has and the types of funding you lack. For many organizations, the most difficult type of funding to obtain is for operations and overhead. Look for new ways to cover these expenses. If you have an amazing web developer, consider sharing his skills outside of your organization, bringing in new income that can help cover his salary. If there is another organization in your community with overlapping interests, share services, resources, contacts. Think of these as mutually beneficial relationships.


I've said it before, and I'll say it again, get back to the mission. As the number of organizations grow, overlapping missions is inevitable. So let's learn to share, partner and use this new competitive environment to our advantage by finding innovative strategies toward new funding opportunities.

GivCause

If you haven't already, please check out my page on GivCause. I will be hosting my own "show" based on the ideas I share here on my blog. I hope you will take a look and explore the site and many other wonderful causes represented. More videos from Next.Gen.Giving coming soon!