Community Resource Centre

What the Non Profits Said

Most of the non-profits operate on a “fee for service” basis and have little extra room within their budget.  In most cases the fundraising is a function of the board, and usually the managers or directors are the ones that look for and apply for grants. 

Three non-profits surveyed had bought a subscription with a company that has a large database listing foundations that grant to non-profits. They felt satisfied with their expenditures. 

The most recurring theme was a sense of isolation and  lack of communication.  This is seen as a real issue when fundraising locally.  Often organizations have held events on the same day or weekend as other organizations which in the end has a negative effect on all their events.  There is also the feeling of competition between organizations as they approach businesses for donations and support.   

The feeling of isolation between non-profits really came out in many of our discussions.  Some of that isolation could be from the sheer numbers of part time positions within NPO's.  It is not uncommon to have three different people performing similar tasks for, 1, 2 or 3 days a week respectively within one NPO and coordination with other groups becomes difficult.   Another issue is that many NPO's simply do not have the staff numbers to be 'open for business' and to attend a meeting.  The choices are simply one or the other, but not both.

 Some of the suggestions that came up to try and solve some of these communication and isolation issues are listed in the column on the left hand side of this page.  If anyone is interested in following up any of these suggestions or wish to add to those suggestions please call Liz or email her at liz@prcrc.org.

What the Experts Said

Know your local Champions: In a small town like Powell River it always helps to know who your local champions are.  Champions are usually people involved in your local politics, government officials, and executive directors of large organizations.  These people can have a huge impact on helping you jump through hoops if needed.  Some people have suggested personal approaches such as sending thank you notes for their help and making sure supporters receive articles referring to projects they are funding. 

Brainstorm: have your board members all brainstorm about who they know in important places when asking for support, or donations for an event you are planning.  Again in small communities, it quite often comes down to who you know.

Know your organization: Know as much about your organization as possible.  This includes your mandate, philosophy, board members, staff, programs you run, budget, where you’re funding comes from, and when it runs out.  The more you know about your organization, the better you can promote it.  This is especially important when applying for grants. 

Grant Writing: Having someone experienced in grant writing is extremely valuable for an organization.  If anyone from your organization has the opportunity to take any courses on grant writing, you should definitely take advantage of that.

The Value of In-Kind Contributions: Many non-profits are facing the challenge of finding the donations they need, whether it is cash, prizes, or office supplies.  You may have more success if you can get business to donate office space to you, or donate their professional time, even something as minor as photocopying can really add up to a lot of saving for your organization.  When applying for grants you can use all these contribution as “in-kind” contributions towards your portion of the cost.

Have a Plan: No matter what your are doing, whether it be trying to organize a car wash, to applying for a $100 000 grant, the more thought out and organized your plan is, the better success you will have.  Try to have several meetings to strategize, and assign tasks to volunteers and board members.  It is always good to have a meeting at the end of your event as well to discuss how the event went, what issues you faced, and how you feel you could improve next time.  If you document this and keep your records, it can be a very useful tool for the next event you are planning.

Thank You: Make sure to take the time to thank everyone that was involved in helping make your event a success, from your volunteers to board members, businesses, and the people that attended the event.  A thank you in the local paper is a great way to express this so everyone in the community can see it.