Julia
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What to say when it feels SO awkward

Photo by Raj Eiamworakul on Unsplash

Our conversation with Janice Meighan about the Empowerment Dialogue approach

In our work, we’ve noticed that while there are a lot of resources out there for non-profit organizations, it isn’t always easy to find out who is doing what.

In the rest of the pond series, we feature people and companies who have solutions for small shop non-profits.

In our first installment, we connected with Janice Meighan who, alongside Ken Ramsay, leads the Empowerment Dialogue approach. This includes a book and training methodology for better fundraising conversations.

Image credit: Janice Meighan
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Julia
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Salvaging value from a failed grant application

Photo by Kace Rodriguez on Unsplash

Aww, bummer! They have announced the recipients of the funds from the foundation to whom you applied and your organization didn’t make the cut. It’s a disappointing scenario that I’ve been part of many times.

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Julia
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We got it! Now what?

Photo by Pablo Heimplatz on Unsplash

Hooray! You got the grant. Let’s do a happy dance and throw those dollar bills up in the air!

Now here are a few things you need to know before you start spending.

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Julia
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How to get it done – the real deal on doing the work for a successful legacy giving program.

Photo by Samuel Zeller on Unsplash

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”

Mark Twain

We know you are probably on board with planned giving, or legacy giving, as we like to call it around here. Who wouldn’t want to fundraise at the lowest cost per dollar raised? Who wouldn’t want a sustainable source of revenue for the future? And who wouldn’t want to engage more with their donors, building a deeper connection and working with them to connect on what’s next for the future of your organization?

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Julia
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Six surprisingly simple ways to build your donor database, even if you are not a fundraiser

Photo by Gioavana Thayane on Unsplash

It’s hard to tell how your earliest jobs will fit themselves into your overall working life. I had some of the usual teenage jobs, such as babysitting and a paper route. But one job, the one I could do in my bathrobe, led me down a path that still influences my work today.

And it’s all my father’s fault. (Or something like that.)

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Julia

Receive a grant that funds what matters most to your organization

Photo by Joe Green on Unsplash

Today’s article is part of our series on grant writing, one area in which Tiny Frog Strategies works with organizations to get from where they are to where they want to be.

So here’s the problem: you need money for the ongoing core activities of your organization, things like paying staff, paying rent and buying toilet paper. Grant funders want to give money to activities that connect directly with your beneficiaries, like an innovative meal program or a new initiative with a local artist. You aren’t opposed to being innovative, but first you need to make sure there is toilet paper in the washroom.

Welcome to the ultimate catch 22 of being a nonprofit. The bad news is that this tension has been around for a while and is probably not going to be fixed any time soon. The good news is that your organization isn’t the only one who feels frustrated and others have managed to buy toilet paper AND try out new ways of doing things.

So let’s talk about how to deal with this problem.
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Julia

Where to find grant opportunities?

Today’s article is part of our series on grant writing, one area in which Tiny Frog Strategies works with organizations to get from where they are to where they want to be.

Where do I find grant opportunities for my organization?

Let’s talk about where to look for grant opportunities. (If you need a refresher on what grant funding is all about, click here.) To know where to look, you need to know where you are coming from. So today we’re going to use my favourite imaginary charity, Save the Pond, located in a quiet corner of Vancouver, British Columbia.

Freida Frog, the Executive Director of Save the Pond, was sitting in her office watching raindrops hit the pond. She was thinking about the upcoming activities at Save the Pond and wondering how she would make sure there was enough to pay for it all. Read more

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Julia
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The basics: what dancing and frogs have to do with grant writing

frog in pondDigital Echo Photography

This article is the first of a series written on grant writing, one of the many areas in which Tiny Frog Strategies works with organizations to get from where they are to where they want to be. Upcoming posts will be linked as they are released in the newsletter.

Let’s start at the beginning, shall we? When we talk about grants, what are we talking about? Read more

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Julia
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Measuring the unknown

Photo by Gerrie van der Walt on Unsplash

Imagine this math problem:

You have an unknown amount of money that will appear at an unknown time and will fund unknown areas at your organization. Give me the number I should put in next year’s budget for legacy giving revenue.

Hmmm, not so easy.

This is the reality of forecasting legacy giving. Read more

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Julia
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Why is this SO hard? – Asking for big bucks at a vulnerable time.

“Dogs have no money. Isn’t that amazing? They’re broke their entire lives. But they get through. You know why dogs have no money? No pockets.” ~ Jerry Seinfeld

 

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