Blog posts from July 2016

5 Ways The Social Sector Is Thriving At Your Library
The Funding Information Network (FIN) brings Foundation Center’s mission to life on a daily basis in communities across the country (and around the world!). After a recent road trip to visit FIN libraries, FIN manager, Kate Tkacik shares how these libraries are not only helping the social sector, but adding beauty through their impressive architectural design.

What Does It Really Mean To Be An Engaged Donor?
Do you know the amount of support your donors are willing to provide your organization? If not, then figure it out to learn which of them might be coaxed into doing more and which of them are comfortable, for the time being, at their existing level of engagement. If you can do that, more of your donors will be happy, you and your colleagues will be happier, and your organization's future will look a lot brighter.

5 Prospect Research Best Practices
Prospect research is the key to unlocking a veritable treasure chest of donor data. And with that treasure chest of data, your nonprofit can develop a well-informed strategy to cultivate, solicit, and steward your top prospects.

Neighborhood Leadership Development Program Seeks 2016 Applicants
Are you a passionate, committed Clevelander dedicated to taking an active role in improving your community? Could you use help enhancing your leadership skills?
The Neighborhood Leadership Development Program is a free community engagement training program for residents of Cleveland, and its inner ring suburbs, who are working on projects within the City of Cleveland.

From Pain To Gain: Growing Beyond The Startup Stage
Nonprofits often find themselves struggling to grow beyond the startup stage even when they have been successfully serving their community for years. Garnering capacity building funds poses challenges to many nonprofits and Michele Giordano, executive director of Choices in Childbirth, shares how her organization attracted these coveted funds to further their mission.

Identifying Major Donors: 4 Successful Strategies
Major gift acquisition isn’t an easy feat. But, few things that are truly worthwhile are. So you have to be strategic about how you plan every stage of the process: from identification to cultivation to solicitation to stewardship. We'll focus on the first stage: prospect identification.

4 Ways to Determine If You’re Ready to Scale
How do you know when it is time to scale your organization to grow beyond the start-up stage and into the "in-between stage" or, as we at Bikkurim fondly call it, "the awkward adolescence of nonprofit life?" Read on to learn how to determine if you're ready to scale your organization.

Love the Donor, Keep the Donor
Check out these first steps to identifying, assessing and moving forward with mid-level donors to leverage their valuable contribution to your fundraising efforts.