The holiday season is here! Festivities are in full bloom! Gifts are flowing – including those we give to the nonprofits we believe in. Nonprofits count on year-end giving to make ends meet so please give money – it is always needed, often more than you may realize. Then think about the “bow” you can place on top of your gift. Here are a few gift-topping ideas to consider. We’ve picked these as ways to help build capacity and infrastructure for 2022 and beyond.
Impact the bottom line with more than a check or online gift. Include your favorite nonprofit in your estate planning. If you own a business or manage a firm, provide a loaned executive. That means picking up the payroll costs while an employee works at a nonprofit – it could be once a week, or for six-months full-time, depending on the need and your resources. You can make a similar gift if you are a member of a professional, social, or faith organization: offer to give a number of volunteer hours. The greater the diversity of talents within your circle of associates the greater the types of services that can be offered through volunteer hours. Related to this, provide” simple” resources and in-kind services such as postage and copying, moving on up to graphic design, business strategy development, or developing a guide to building technology infrastructure.
Help build leadership, awareness, and donors. Nonprofits require volunteer talent, especially at the board level: you can help by identifying and recruiting board members. Awareness is an important prerequisite for fundraising and for increasing the number of people who know about a nonprofit. You can help increase awareness by forwarding emails within your circles, sharing information and including a personal note. While there’s only so much money any one for us can give you can multiply your impact by hosting a friend-raiser or a fundraiser at your home, office, or workspace. Recruit a “fund-buddy” to work with you to raise funds – you can double your reach when you ask a friend to join you in fundraising. You can multiply your giving even more with the “multiplier effect” – first challenge your fund-buddy to match your gift, and then ask her to challenge her circle of friends to match her gift.
More ideas. Underwrite a set number of hours of a grant writer’s time, or a series of workshops to help develop staff and volunteers. Honor a loved one or an associate by making a gift in their honor. Provide a consultant to address specific organizational needs. Become a “VIP host” introducing stakeholders to the nonprofit. Offer your home or workspace as a site for trainings, meetings, or events. Sponsor an awareness campaign by purchasing print and/or electronic ads.
You have talents and resources to share. Take a moment to think outside the box and put a bow on your financial gift. You’re a vital member of our country’s ever growing nonprofit community!!!
Copyright 2021 – Mel and Pearl Shaw of Saad&Shaw – Comprehensive Fund Development Services. Let us help you plan for 2021 Video and phone conferencing services are always available. Call us at (901) 522-8727. www.saadandshaw.com.
