13th Annual Forum on Nonprofit Effectiveness

Hosted by the ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation: exists to advance nonprofit leadership practice so that organizations can better achieve their mission. Whether the mission is housing, youth development, recreation, or neighborhood revitalization, effective nonprofit organizations improve individual lives and enhance our entire community.  

 

WHAT: "A long-time corporate funder that has sponsored the event has stated that it will no longer provide table sponsorships. How can the nonprofit continue to build a funding relationship with the corporation?"

This day of learning included panel discussions on best practices for relationship building and working together towards common solutions. Facilitators also lead table discussions based on specific situations that involve funder/grantee scenarios. All the topics for the day will surrounded the theme of, "Nonprofit Grantees & Funders: Building Strong Relationships-Assuring Community Impact"
WHEN: Friday, March 4, 2011
WHY: To provide knowledge and tools to enhance the effectiveness of those who lead, manage and support nonprofits.
DETAILS: Featured keynote addresses from Charles Best, Founder and CEO of Donorschoose.org and Travis Manzione, Director of Assessment Tools, The Center for Effective Philanthropy.

• A panel presentation on the "Best Practices for Relationship Building" featured Nate Anderson, Ear Candy; Marilee Dal Pra, Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust; Karen Fisch, SRP; and Linda Lyman, Phoenix Youth at Risk. Brian Spicker from Valley of the Sun United Way served as the moderator. 
• Learned from national and local experts about building stronger grantee/funder relationships that assure community impact.
• Funders learned ways to help their grantees focus on what's most important.
• Nonprofits discovered ways to better engage their donors with their mission.
• Fresh ideas were identified for improving communication between funders and grantees.
• Strategies were outlined to work towards common solutions.
• Best Practices were discussed for collaboration and to apply new knowledge and skills for working together.
• Session on Arizona Collaborative Models - "Two Models: Grantee/Funder Collaboration in Action"

My thoughts: This was a really great forum and I was SO glad I was able to go. Charles Best was a great speaker and his organization is providing a great service for teachers around the nation. I particularly liked hearing Nate Anderson's story. He's from a family of entreprenuers, didn't know anything about the nonprofit sector and just...went for it. I'm coming from this same background as him, but  feel like I should know more about the sector. And that's just me being me because I can't just jump in. Granted, I did that with school in general, but starting a business is different. I want to be a little bit prepared and not depend so much on other people.

In case the whole opening-my-own-nonprofit idea doesn't come to fruition (but I'm going to be wholly optimistic that it will), I still want to serve in the nonprofit sector somehow. After attending this forum,  and talking further with the mentor from my HR course, I've decided to become a grant writer. I'm currently taking the Get Grants! course through the Scottsdale Business Institute and have been learning quite a bit. I figure since I'm a writer, I might as well utilize my writing skills and learn as much as I can about grant writing. Attending this forum gave me a little bird's eye view of the relationship between granters funders.

Takeaways:

Defining Relationships -

~ Fairness of treatment by foundation
~ Comfort approaching foundation if a problem arises
~ Responsiveness of foundation staff

Communications -

~ Clarity of communication of foundations goals and strategy
~ Consistency of information provided by different communications

Key Elements to Strong Relationships -

~ Understanding - funded organizations goals and strategies

~ Selection - helpfulness of selection process, mitigation of pressure to modify priorities

~ Expertise - understanding of the field and the community

~ Contact - initiation and frequency; be upfront

Best Practices for Relationship Building

~ All funders are not alike
~ The Golden Rule does not rule
~ All grantees are not alike
~ It's not about who you know when getting funding
~ The relationship does not end with a check
~ Help funders understand the issues your organization is facing
~ Stay in contact with funders beyond the yearly ask - 2 to 3 times a year
~ Have an annual request, not multiple times a year
~ Involve your board members
~ Measure your need: input - what did you put into it? Output - how do you succeed?
~ Grantors are your partners
~ Be transparent- tell funders about changes
~ Use board connections with funder
~ Be prepared
~ Ask funders for help
~ Listen to your funder

How to initiate relationship

~ Internal contact - find someone on the inside
~ Invite to event
~ Ask someone to be a volunteer

KICKSTARTER.ORG - a place where people can donate to your cause

Crowd sourcing - getting your customers to help you

WWW.AZGATES.ORG - a place to search for funding