{"appState":{"pageLoadApiCallsStatus":true},"categoryState":{"relatedCategories":{"headers":{"timestamp":"2025-04-17T16:01:16+00:00"},"categoryId":34246,"data":{"title":"Nonprofits","slug":"nonprofits","image":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Business, Careers, & Money","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34224"},"slug":"business-careers-money","categoryId":34224},{"name":"Business","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34225"},"slug":"business","categoryId":34225},{"name":"Nonprofits","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34246"},"slug":"nonprofits","categoryId":34246}],"parentCategory":{"categoryId":34225,"title":"Business","slug":"business","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34225"}},"childCategories":[],"description":"Journey through the magical, mission-driven land of grant writing, hosting events, holding board meetings, extending your reach, and surviving tax time.","relatedArticles":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles?category=34246&offset=0&size=5"},"hasArticle":true,"hasBook":true,"articleCount":94,"bookCount":6},"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34246"}},"relatedCategoriesLoadedStatus":"success"},"listState":{"list":{"count":10,"total":94,"items":[{"headers":{"creationTime":"2023-05-03T16:38:48+00:00","modifiedTime":"2023-05-05T19:43:01+00:00","timestamp":"2023-05-05T21:01:03+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Business, Careers, & Money","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34224"},"slug":"business-careers-money","categoryId":34224},{"name":"Business","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34225"},"slug":"business","categoryId":34225},{"name":"Nonprofits","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34246"},"slug":"nonprofits","categoryId":34246}],"title":"Nonprofit Management All-in-One For Dummies Cheat Sheet","strippedTitle":"nonprofit management all-in-one for dummies cheat sheet","slug":"nonprofit-management-all-in-one-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"This Cheat Sheet is a handy reference for finding nonprofit funding resources and advice on completing an e-grant application.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"Creating and operating a nonprofit organization can be a gratifying and worthwhile endeavor. Success depends on developing a good idea that meets a real need, testing that idea, planning (and then planning some more), and inspiring others.\r\n\r\nThough the work is demanding, it’s also deeply rewarding. Here, we include helpful information to help you raise money when you’re just starting out and apply for e-grants.","description":"Creating and operating a nonprofit organization can be a gratifying and worthwhile endeavor. Success depends on developing a good idea that meets a real need, testing that idea, planning (and then planning some more), and inspiring others.\r\n\r\nThough the work is demanding, it’s also deeply rewarding. Here, we include helpful information to help you raise money when you’re just starting out and apply for e-grants.","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":9440,"name":"Beverly A. Browning","slug":"beverly-a-browning","description":"Beverly A. Browning (AZ), CSPF, is the author of 43 grant-related publications, including seven editions of <em>Grant Writing For Dummies</em>, <em>Nonprofit Management All-in-One For Dummies</em>, <em>Nonprofit Kit For Dummies, 6th Edition</em>, and <em>Fundraising For Dummies, 4th Edition</em>. She holds degrees in Organizational Development, Public Administration, and Business Administration. Browning is a grant writing course developer and online facilitator for Ed2Go.com. Her four online courses are taught to thousands of students annually. Browning and her team members have raised over $750 million in grant and contract awards for her clients. She is an AFP member, mentor, and workshop presenter.","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9440"}},{"authorId":10392,"name":"Sharon Farris","slug":"sharon-farris","description":"<b>Sharon R. Farris,</b> MBA, is an accountant with more than 25 years of experience working in the public sector. She has worked as an independent consultant for government entities, universities, hospitals, and major nonprofit organizations. Farris is currently a public health professional liaison for Indian Health Service, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She is a certified grants manager and received her MBA from Troy University of Montgomery, Alabama. She is the author of <em>Nonprofit Bookkeeping &amp; Accounting For Dummies, 2nd Edition</em>.","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/10392"}},{"authorId":9470,"name":"Maire Loughran","slug":"maire-loughran","description":"<b>Maire Loughran</b> a certified public accountant and small business owner. Her professional experience includes internal auditing for a publicly traded corporation in the aerospace industry, accounting and financial reporting for the nonprofit sector, and even some experience as a U.S. federal agent. Her public accounting experience includes financial reporting and analysis, audits of private corporations, and forensic accounting. Interested in many different business-related fields, Loughran is the author of <i>Financial Accounting For Dummies</i>, <em>2nd Edition</em>; <i>Auditing For Dummies; </i>and <i>Intermediate Accounting For Dummies. </i>She is co-author of <i>Nonprofit Bookkeeping &amp; Accounting For Dummies, 2nd Edition.</i>","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9470"}},{"authorId":11355,"name":"Alyson Connolly","slug":"alyson-connolly","description":"<strong>Alyson Connolly</strong>, BFA, MFA , is a voice and public speaking coach and an expert in helping people overcome the anxiety of public presentations. She has built her career consulting with some of the top executives in Canada as well as up and coming business people trying to build their brand. She is the author of <em>Public Speaking Skills For Dummies.</em>","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/11355"}},{"authorId":9306,"name":"Shiv Singh","slug":"shiv-singh","description":"<strong>Shiv Singh</strong> is one of the leading voices in social media marketing. He's currently the Head of Global Brand and Marketing Tranformation at Visa, Inc. He previously was Head of Digital for PepsiCo. He is the co-author of <em>Social Media Marketing For Dummies, 4th Edition</em>.","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9306"}},{"authorId":8966,"name":"Stephanie Diamond","slug":"stephanie-diamond","description":"<strong>Stephanie Diamond</strong> is president of Digital Media Works, a firm that offers e-commerce and branding assistance to businesses. She is also author of <em>Prezi For Dummies; and Dragon NaturallySpeaking For Dummies, 4th Edition.</em>","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/8966"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":34246,"title":"Nonprofits","slug":"nonprofits","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34246"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":[{"articleId":192609,"title":"How to Pray the Rosary: A Comprehensive Guide","slug":"how-to-pray-the-rosary","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","religion-spirituality","christianity","catholicism"],"_links":{"self":"/articles/192609"}},{"articleId":208741,"title":"Kabbalah For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"kabbalah-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","religion-spirituality","kabbalah"],"_links":{"self":"/articles/208741"}},{"articleId":230957,"title":"Nikon D3400 For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"nikon-d3400-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["home-auto-hobbies","photography"],"_links":{"self":"/articles/230957"}},{"articleId":235851,"title":"Praying the Rosary and Meditating on the Mysteries","slug":"praying-rosary-meditating-mysteries","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","religion-spirituality","christianity","catholicism"],"_links":{"self":"/articles/235851"}},{"articleId":284787,"title":"What Your Society Says About You","slug":"what-your-society-says-about-you","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","humanities"],"_links":{"self":"/articles/284787"}}],"inThisArticle":[],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":234465,"title":"How to Organize and Interpret Survey Responses to Market Your Nonprofit","slug":"organize-interpret-survey-responses-market-nonprofit","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234465"}},{"articleId":234462,"title":"Survey Your Constituents to Gain Important Marketing Information for Your Nonprofit","slug":"survey-constituents-gain-important-marketing-information-nonprofit","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234462"}},{"articleId":234456,"title":"What You Need to Know about Building a Facility for Your Nonprofit","slug":"need-know-building-facility-nonprofit","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234456"}},{"articleId":234453,"title":"Know Your Mission Before Entering the Nonprofit World","slug":"know-mission-entering-nonprofit-world","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234453"}},{"articleId":234450,"title":"Realizing the Benefits and Risks of Capital Campaigns for Your Nonprofit","slug":"realizing-benefits-risks-capital-campaigns-nonprofit","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234450"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":298613,"slug":"nonprofit-management-all-in-one-for-dummies","isbn":"9781394172436","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1394172435/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1394172435/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1394172435-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1394172435/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1394172435/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/nonprofit-management-all-in-one-for-dummies-cover-9781394172436-203x255.jpg","width":203,"height":255},"title":"Nonprofit Management All-in-One For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":true,"authorsInfo":"<p><b data-author-id=\"9440\">Beverly A. Browning</b> (AZ), CSPF, is the author of 43 grant-related publications, including seven editions of <em>Grant Writing For Dummies</em>, <em>Nonprofit Management All-in-One For Dummies</em>, <em>Nonprofit Kit For Dummies, 6th Edition</em>, and <em>Fundraising For Dummies, 4th Edition</em>. She holds degrees in Organizational Development, Public Administration, and Business Administration. Browning is a grant writing course developer and online facilitator for Ed2Go.com. Her four online courses are taught to thousands of students annually. Browning and her team members have raised over $750 million in grant and contract awards for her clients. She is an AFP member, mentor, and workshop presenter. <b>Sharon R. Farris,</b> MBA, is an accountant with more than 25 years of experience working in the public sector. She has worked as an independent consultant for government entities, universities, hospitals, and major nonprofit organizations. Farris is currently a public health professional liaison for Indian Health Service, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She is a certified grants manager and received her MBA from Troy University of Montgomery, Alabama. She is the author of <em>Nonprofit Bookkeeping &amp; Accounting For Dummies, 2nd Edition</em>. <b><b data-author-id=\"9470\">Maire Loughran</b></b> a certified public accountant and small business owner. Her professional experience includes internal auditing for a publicly traded corporation in the aerospace industry, accounting and financial reporting for the nonprofit sector, and even some experience as a U.S. federal agent. Her public accounting experience includes financial reporting and analysis, audits of private corporations, and forensic accounting. Interested in many different business-related fields, Loughran is the author of <i>Financial Accounting For Dummies</i>, <em>2nd Edition</em>; <i>Auditing For Dummies; </i>and <i>Intermediate Accounting For Dummies. </i>She is co-author of <i>Nonprofit Bookkeeping &amp; Accounting For Dummies, 2nd Edition.</i> <strong><b data-author-id=\"11355\">Alyson Connolly</b></strong>, BFA, MFA , is a voice and public speaking coach and an expert in helping people overcome the anxiety of public presentations. She has built her career consulting with some of the top executives in Canada as well as up and coming business people trying to build their brand. She is the author of <em>Public Speaking Skills For Dummies.</em> <strong><b data-author-id=\"9306\">Shiv Singh</b></strong> is one of the leading voices in social media marketing. He's currently the Head of Global Brand and Marketing Tranformation at Visa, Inc. He previously was Head of Digital for PepsiCo. He is the co-author of <em>Social Media Marketing For Dummies, 4th Edition</em>. <strong><b data-author-id=\"8966\">Stephanie Diamond</b></strong> is president of Digital Media Works, a firm that offers e-commerce and branding assistance to businesses. She is also author of <em>Prezi For Dummies; and Dragon NaturallySpeaking For Dummies, 4th Edition.</em></p>","authors":[{"authorId":9440,"name":"Beverly A. Browning","slug":"beverly-a-browning","description":"Beverly A. Browning (AZ), CSPF, is the author of 43 grant-related publications, including seven editions of <em>Grant Writing For Dummies</em>, <em>Nonprofit Management All-in-One For Dummies</em>, <em>Nonprofit Kit For Dummies, 6th Edition</em>, and <em>Fundraising For Dummies, 4th Edition</em>. She holds degrees in Organizational Development, Public Administration, and Business Administration. Browning is a grant writing course developer and online facilitator for Ed2Go.com. Her four online courses are taught to thousands of students annually. Browning and her team members have raised over $750 million in grant and contract awards for her clients. She is an AFP member, mentor, and workshop presenter.","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9440"}},{"authorId":10392,"name":"Sharon Farris","slug":"sharon-farris","description":"<b>Sharon R. Farris,</b> MBA, is an accountant with more than 25 years of experience working in the public sector. She has worked as an independent consultant for government entities, universities, hospitals, and major nonprofit organizations. Farris is currently a public health professional liaison for Indian Health Service, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She is a certified grants manager and received her MBA from Troy University of Montgomery, Alabama. She is the author of <em>Nonprofit Bookkeeping &amp; Accounting For Dummies, 2nd Edition</em>.","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/10392"}},{"authorId":9470,"name":"Maire Loughran","slug":"maire-loughran","description":"<b>Maire Loughran</b> a certified public accountant and small business owner. Her professional experience includes internal auditing for a publicly traded corporation in the aerospace industry, accounting and financial reporting for the nonprofit sector, and even some experience as a U.S. federal agent. Her public accounting experience includes financial reporting and analysis, audits of private corporations, and forensic accounting. Interested in many different business-related fields, Loughran is the author of <i>Financial Accounting For Dummies</i>, <em>2nd Edition</em>; <i>Auditing For Dummies; </i>and <i>Intermediate Accounting For Dummies. </i>She is co-author of <i>Nonprofit Bookkeeping &amp; Accounting For Dummies, 2nd Edition.</i>","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9470"}},{"authorId":11355,"name":"Alyson Connolly","slug":"alyson-connolly","description":"<strong>Alyson Connolly</strong>, BFA, MFA , is a voice and public speaking coach and an expert in helping people overcome the anxiety of public presentations. She has built her career consulting with some of the top executives in Canada as well as up and coming business people trying to build their brand. She is the author of <em>Public Speaking Skills For Dummies.</em>","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/11355"}},{"authorId":9306,"name":"Shiv Singh","slug":"shiv-singh","description":"<strong>Shiv Singh</strong> is one of the leading voices in social media marketing. He's currently the Head of Global Brand and Marketing Tranformation at Visa, Inc. He previously was Head of Digital for PepsiCo. He is the co-author of <em>Social Media Marketing For Dummies, 4th Edition</em>.","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9306"}},{"authorId":8966,"name":"Stephanie Diamond","slug":"stephanie-diamond","description":"<strong>Stephanie Diamond</strong> is president of Digital Media Works, a firm that offers e-commerce and branding assistance to businesses. She is also author of <em>Prezi For Dummies; and Dragon NaturallySpeaking For Dummies, 4th Edition.</em>","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/8966"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;business-careers-money&quot;,&quot;business&quot;,&quot;nonprofits&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781394172436&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-64556e8f19890\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;business-careers-money&quot;,&quot;business&quot;,&quot;nonprofits&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781394172436&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-64556e8f1a08b\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Cheat Sheet","articleList":[{"articleId":0,"title":"","slug":null,"categoryList":[],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/"}}],"content":[{"title":"Fundraising resources for new nonprofits","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>New nonprofit organizations have the hardest time convincing potential corporate and foundation grant makers to give them the funds needed to start up a new 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.</p>\n<p>In fact, it’s rare for a new nonprofit to score a large grant that pays all the operating bills. So, where will you find the money needed to turn your dream into reality? Don’t fret. New nonprofits can raise money in many ways.</p>\n<p>Here’s a list of fundraising resources for new nonprofit organizations:</p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://afpglobal.org/join\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Association of Fundraising Professionals</a> (AFP): </strong>AFP is a membership nonprofit organization that requires a membership fee to join. Joining an international association for fundraisers comes with benefits. Although you’re new to fundraising, you’ll have joined the ranks of over 30,000 fundraising professionals. Meeting with potential donors and saying that you’re a member of AFP elevates you above other new nonprofit organizations knocking on potential donor doors for contributions.</li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://boardsource.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">BoardSource</a>: </strong>Your board of directors plays a critical role in the organization’s fundraising efforts. The BoardSource website is abundant in information to help you understand the role of your board members.</li>\n</ul>\n<p class=\"article-tips warning\">Don’t make the mistake of forming your first board of directors with your friends and family members. Why? Although they love and support you in all endeavors, friends and family members aren’t the best candidates for fulfilling a working board’s many responsibilities.</p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://donorbox.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Donorbox</a>: </strong>Your website must have a donation tab. If your funds are limited, just create your home page and a donate page. You can add the rest of your pages later. It’s important to let the public at large know that the new nonprofit exists, what it does, and how to support it with donations. Donorbox is a great website for giving your donors a seamless donation experience.</li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://www.qgiv.com/blog/fundraising-letter-templates\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Qgiv</a>: </strong>Potential donors need details when deciding whether to give or not, which is why you need an ask letter that may seem long and full of a lot of unnecessary details. But you’re trying to tap into the memories, emotions, and empathy of the reader. Qgiv is a great go-to website to help you with your fundraising letters with many templates.</li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://www.springly.org/en-us/blog/crowdfunding-for-nonprofits/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Springly</a>: </strong>Crowdfunding works really well for new nonprofit organizations. Your job is to spread the word to everyone you know by giving them your crowdfunding website link. Once you’ve done the upfront work, crowdfunding can result in passive revenue for your new nonprofit. Springly is one of the crowdfunding websites we recommend.</li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://uploads.donorperfect.com/PDF/DP-event-ebook.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">DonorPerfect</a>: </strong>Planning a successful fundraising event requires assembling a dream team to pull it off. You need to have goals for what you plan to achieve, consider the venue, decide whether you’re going to allow sponsors to have a vendor area to promote their nonprofits or businesses, and how you plan to get the word out about your big event. DonorPerfect has published an ebook, <em>How to Plan a Nonprofit Fundraising Event (on a budget).</em></li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://bloomerang.co/blog/peer-to-peer-fundraising/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bloomerang</a>: </strong>Peer-to-peer fundraising is one of the core avenues through which individuals donate to and advocate for the nonprofits they support. This type of fundraising is a strategy in which your board members, volunteers, and individual stakeholders organize one-on-one campaigns to raise money on behalf of a nonprofit organization. Bloomerang provides ideas for several types of peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns.</li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://www.wildapricot.com/blog/corporate-sponsorship-nonprofits\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Personify WildApricot</a>: </strong>When challenging economic times hit, individuals may be more hesitant to contribute to their favorite nonprofits. To maintain a steady flow of incoming revenues, it’s essential that you look at corporate sponsorships. Personify WildApricot offers a plethora of information on corporate sponsorships. Their FAQs are worth sharing with your board members.</li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://doublethedonation.com/nonprofit-membership-programs/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Double the Donation</a>:</strong> Consider creating a membership program, a means of incentivizing giving and involvement. Members pay monthly, quarterly, or annual dues in return for special benefits that aren’t available to nonmembers. Double the Donation specializes in setting up nonprofit membership programs, and their website has a wealth of information about the benefits.</li>\n</ul>\n"},{"title":"e-Grant Tips","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>Today, e-grants are the norm for most funders. Unfortunately, grant writers and others working in e-grant limitations tend to have the misconception that e-grants are a piece of cake.</p>\n<p>The reality is that e-grants aren’t any harder or easier to write than other formats. In an e-grant, you often can’t even see all of the application’s instructions or text box limitations until you complete a full login and start populating information in the text boxes.</p>\n<p>This list provides some tips to stay on top of the e-grants game and reduce common errors (and stress!) when the grant application submission time rolls around:</p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Log in and set up a password immediately for online submissions. </strong>The first step in writing an e-grant application is to log in so you can see what the requirements are. Read over all the questions and note how many characters you’re allotted for your answers. As you work on your application offline, you can make sure that all your answers fit. (Do not try to write your grant application on the fly in the online system.)</li>\n<li><strong>Fill in routine organizational information. </strong>You must generally immediately fill in routine information about your organization. Before you log in again, assemble all the following:\n<ul>\n<li>Your organization’s name</li>\n<li>The year for IRS 501(c)(3) incorporation</li>\n<li>Your organization’s physical address</li>\n<li>Your organization’s mailing address</li>\n<li>The name of the contact person and that person’s job title</li>\n<li>The contact person’s telephone and fax numbers and email address</li>\n<li>Your organization’s employer identification number (EIN)</li>\n<li>Your organization’s D-U-N-S number</li>\n<li>A copy of your most recent annual operating budget</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n<li><strong>Review the entire online application template. </strong>It’s likely that you’ll be viewing one page of instructions at a time from a multipage grant application template (a set of questions that you must fill in the answer for online). In some e-grant systems, you can’t advance to the next screen until you fill in the requested information on the current screen. In other e-grant systems, you can advance and see every page remaining in the online template without entering anything. Review as much of the e-grant application template as possible. Take notes on the information you need to assemble to complete the rest of your grant application.</li>\n</ul>\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">If you can’t advance to the next screen or page until you fill in the information on the current page, stop and log out. Call the funder to see if you can get a Word or PDF copy of the entire blank application template via email.</p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Copy and re-create the template in a word-processing program. </strong>When you access the first page of the e-grant application template, copy and paste what you see on the screen onto a blank word-processing page. Save your word-processing file early and often, in case your power goes out or the computer freezes up. When you’ve copied and pasted everything required in the online e-grant template, log out and get ready for the next step.</li>\n</ul>\n<p class=\"article-tips remember\">If you’re timed out of the grant application website, you can always log back in. Any information that you’ve entered and saved will remain intact.</p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Adhere to writing limitations in online grant e-portals. </strong>Look at the instructions for each information field box and note limits on the number of words, characters with spaces, or characters with no spaces. As you type your responses in the same word-processing document, monitor or track what you’re typing so you can make sure you’re fitting within the space allowed.</li>\n</ul>\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">Stop your writing at about 50 characters or characters with spaces less than what’s allowed. That way, you have a little wiggle room. Also, check with the funder’s staff via a phone call or email to see if your understanding of the formatting requirements (spaces and characters) is correct.</p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Convey without traditional graphics. </strong>When you work in an e-grant application template, you can’t insert graphics. You’re going to have to ditch your use of tables, maps, charts, and figures. In the coveted space that you’re allowed to respond, everything will need to be in narrative format. The first few times you create your narrative for this type of limited uploading environment, it may be challenging to communicate your point with words alone. But after you have a few e-grant applications under your belt, you’ll know the true meaning of the term <em>plain and simple.</em></li>\n<li><strong>Convey without traditional formatting. </strong>Many e-grant submission systems aren’t so good about special formatting — bold, italics, underlining, and different font colors. You just have to settle for plain text. Typically, the font doesn’t matter either, because when you paste it into the e-grant system, it’s all the same.</li>\n</ul>\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">Convert your text into RTF format before pasting it back into the online application. This will prevent formatting issues that can come up with Microsoft Word and the HTML interface. You can do this by saving your text into a simple text-editing app such as TextEdit or Notepad.</p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Recheck the funder’s website daily for modifications to the guidelines. </strong>Just like the federal funding agencies that post endless modifications and amendments to their initially posted grant application package, foundations and corporations that use e-grant application systems can also post changes. If you’re registered and you’ve started your grant application by entering the organizational information, you’ll likely receive an email notification of any changes that are made. Still, we recommend you develop the habit of logging on every day to look for notes or changes posted and follow their instructions accordingly. That way, you don’t have to change your narrative content or find out that you’re missing another required financial document at the last minute.</li>\n<li><strong>Confirm the due date time and time zone. </strong>Your funder could be located out of state across three time zones, so be sure you know what date and time the application is due in your location. If you want to be safe, plan to submit your application a couple days before the deadline, to reduce your chance of problems.</li>\n<li><strong>Hit submit. </strong>You’re ready to submit your online e-grant application. If you’ve followed the funder’s instructions, read and reread and reread (yes, read your text three times or more) your entries and edited them, you’re ready to hit Submit. Just do it!</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Make sure to look for a receipt confirmation in your email or in the viewing window after you submit, indicating that the application was received by the funder.</p>\n<p>If the confirmation appears in your viewing window, take a screen shot and add the photo to the grant application folder inside of the client’s folder. Yes, always keep everything!</p>\n"}],"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"sponsorAd":"","sponsorEbookTitle":"","sponsorEbookLink":"","sponsorEbookImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Advance","lifeExpectancy":"Five years","lifeExpectancySetFrom":"2023-05-03T00:00:00+00:00","dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":298675},{"headers":{"creationTime":"2016-03-26T13:40:39+00:00","modifiedTime":"2022-07-29T16:21:50+00:00","timestamp":"2022-09-14T18:19:49+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Business, Careers, & Money","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34224"},"slug":"business-careers-money","categoryId":34224},{"name":"Business","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34225"},"slug":"business","categoryId":34225},{"name":"Nonprofits","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34246"},"slug":"nonprofits","categoryId":34246}],"title":"How to Obtain Your Nonprofit Employer Identification Number","strippedTitle":"how to obtain your nonprofit employer identification number","slug":"how-to-obtain-your-nonprofit-employer-identification-number","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"The first thing to do for your nonprofit after you complete your incorporation is to apply to the IRS for an Employer Identification Number, or EIN. Even if you","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"The first thing to do for your nonprofit after you complete your incorporation is to apply to the IRS for an <i>Employer Identification Number,</i> or EIN. Even if you don't plan to hire employees anytime soon, you need this number for your application for tax exemption and for all your state and federal reports. The EIN will be attached to your nonprofit forever.\r\n\r\nGetting an EIN is easy and free. All you have to do is submit IRS Form SS-4. You can either download and print the form from <a href=\"https://www.irs.gov\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the IRS website</a> or complete the online application. You can even apply by telephone.\r\n\r\nAs IRS forms go, this one is simple and straightforward and only one page long. If you apply by phone or complete the online application, download Form SS-4 beforehand to get an idea of the questions you'll have to answer.\r\n<p class=\"Warning\">Choose only one method to apply for your EIN. Don't send in IRS Form SS-4 and apply by telephone. You may end up with two EINs, a confusing situation for everyone.</p>\r\n<p class=\"Remember\">The name of the applicant isn't your name; it's the name of your new organization. As with the incorporation papers, you need to identify an individual as the principal officer and include that person's Social Security number on the form. Here are some of the other items you need to fill out, line by line:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\r\n \t<li>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Line 9:</b> If your organization is a church or church-controlled organization, check that box in section 9a. If it's not, check the \"Other Nonprofit Organization\" box. Specify what sort of nonprofit organization you are. In most cases, \"charitable\" is sufficient. In section 9b, fill in the state where your organization is incorporated.</p>\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Line 10:</b> Most likely, your reason for applying for an EIN in line 10 is \"started a new business.\"</p>\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Line 11:</b> In line 11, the date on your incorporation papers is the date the business was started.</p>\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Line 12:</b> This line asks for the closing month of your organization's accounting (fiscal) year.</p>\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Lines 13 and 14:</b> These lines relate to the number of employees you intend to hire and your expected payroll tax liabilities over the coming 12 months. You can enter \"0\" and \"No\" if your organization doesn't plan to hire staff in the year ahead.</p>\r\n<p class=\"child-para\">If you do intend to hire people for whom you'll have to pay payroll taxes, you need to check <a href=\"https://www.irs.gov\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IRS</a> withholding tables and estimate the amount of payroll taxes that will be due to the IRS.</p>\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Line 16:</b> This line asks you to check the box that describes your organization's principal activity. You can check \"Other\" here, but try to be a little more specific when describing your activities in the blank space. You may say \"Charitable — Arts,\" for example.</p>\r\n</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThe IRS estimates that you'll receive your EIN in four to five weeks if you apply by mail. You'll receive your EIN immediately if you submit the online application.\r\n\r\nIf you want to apply for an EIN by telephone, the person named as the principal officer on the SS-4 Form must call the IRS Business and Specialty Tax Line at (800) 829-4933.\r\n<p class=\"Tip\">Be sure that you've completed the SS-4 Form before you make the call. An IRS worker takes your information over the phone and assigns an EIN to your organization. You must fax or mail the form to the appropriate IRS office within 24 hours of making the call.</p>","description":"The first thing to do for your nonprofit after you complete your incorporation is to apply to the IRS for an <i>Employer Identification Number,</i> or EIN. Even if you don't plan to hire employees anytime soon, you need this number for your application for tax exemption and for all your state and federal reports. The EIN will be attached to your nonprofit forever.\r\n\r\nGetting an EIN is easy and free. All you have to do is submit IRS Form SS-4. You can either download and print the form from <a href=\"https://www.irs.gov\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the IRS website</a> or complete the online application. You can even apply by telephone.\r\n\r\nAs IRS forms go, this one is simple and straightforward and only one page long. If you apply by phone or complete the online application, download Form SS-4 beforehand to get an idea of the questions you'll have to answer.\r\n<p class=\"Warning\">Choose only one method to apply for your EIN. Don't send in IRS Form SS-4 and apply by telephone. You may end up with two EINs, a confusing situation for everyone.</p>\r\n<p class=\"Remember\">The name of the applicant isn't your name; it's the name of your new organization. As with the incorporation papers, you need to identify an individual as the principal officer and include that person's Social Security number on the form. Here are some of the other items you need to fill out, line by line:</p>\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\r\n \t<li>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Line 9:</b> If your organization is a church or church-controlled organization, check that box in section 9a. If it's not, check the \"Other Nonprofit Organization\" box. Specify what sort of nonprofit organization you are. In most cases, \"charitable\" is sufficient. In section 9b, fill in the state where your organization is incorporated.</p>\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Line 10:</b> Most likely, your reason for applying for an EIN in line 10 is \"started a new business.\"</p>\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Line 11:</b> In line 11, the date on your incorporation papers is the date the business was started.</p>\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Line 12:</b> This line asks for the closing month of your organization's accounting (fiscal) year.</p>\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Lines 13 and 14:</b> These lines relate to the number of employees you intend to hire and your expected payroll tax liabilities over the coming 12 months. You can enter \"0\" and \"No\" if your organization doesn't plan to hire staff in the year ahead.</p>\r\n<p class=\"child-para\">If you do intend to hire people for whom you'll have to pay payroll taxes, you need to check <a href=\"https://www.irs.gov\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IRS</a> withholding tables and estimate the amount of payroll taxes that will be due to the IRS.</p>\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Line 16:</b> This line asks you to check the box that describes your organization's principal activity. You can check \"Other\" here, but try to be a little more specific when describing your activities in the blank space. You may say \"Charitable — Arts,\" for example.</p>\r\n</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThe IRS estimates that you'll receive your EIN in four to five weeks if you apply by mail. You'll receive your EIN immediately if you submit the online application.\r\n\r\nIf you want to apply for an EIN by telephone, the person named as the principal officer on the SS-4 Form must call the IRS Business and Specialty Tax Line at (800) 829-4933.\r\n<p class=\"Tip\">Be sure that you've completed the SS-4 Form before you make the call. An IRS worker takes your information over the phone and assigns an EIN to your organization. You must fax or mail the form to the appropriate IRS office within 24 hours of making the call.</p>","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":9524,"name":"Stan Hutton","slug":"stan-hutton","description":" <p><b>Dr. Beverly A. Browning</b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b>Stan Hutton</b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b>Frances N. Phillips</b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9524"}},{"authorId":9525,"name":"Frances Phillips","slug":"frances-phillips","description":"","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9525"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":34246,"title":"Nonprofits","slug":"nonprofits","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34246"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":[{"articleId":192609,"title":"How to Pray the Rosary: A Comprehensive Guide","slug":"how-to-pray-the-rosary","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","religion-spirituality","christianity","catholicism"],"_links":{"self":"/articles/192609"}},{"articleId":208741,"title":"Kabbalah For Dummies Cheat 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Nonprofit","slug":"organize-interpret-survey-responses-market-nonprofit","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234465"}},{"articleId":234462,"title":"Survey Your Constituents to Gain Important Marketing Information for Your Nonprofit","slug":"survey-constituents-gain-important-marketing-information-nonprofit","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234462"}},{"articleId":234456,"title":"What You Need to Know about Building a Facility for Your Nonprofit","slug":"need-know-building-facility-nonprofit","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234456"}},{"articleId":234453,"title":"Know Your Mission Before Entering the Nonprofit World","slug":"know-mission-entering-nonprofit-world","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234453"}},{"articleId":234450,"title":"Realizing the Benefits and Risks of Capital Campaigns for Your Nonprofit","slug":"realizing-benefits-risks-capital-campaigns-nonprofit","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234450"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":0,"slug":null,"isbn":null,"categoryList":null,"amazon":null,"image":null,"title":null,"testBankPinActivationLink":null,"bookOutOfPrint":false,"authorsInfo":null,"authors":null,"_links":null},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;business-careers-money&quot;,&quot;business&quot;,&quot;nonprofits&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[null]}]\" id=\"du-slot-63221b45d3719\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;business-careers-money&quot;,&quot;business&quot;,&quot;nonprofits&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[null]}]\" 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Money","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34224"},"slug":"business-careers-money","categoryId":34224},{"name":"Business","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34225"},"slug":"business","categoryId":34225},{"name":"Nonprofits","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34246"},"slug":"nonprofits","categoryId":34246}],"title":"Grant Writing For Dummies Cheat Sheet","strippedTitle":"grant writing for dummies cheat sheet","slug":"grant-writing-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"Here's a handy summary of grant-writing skills, including finding funding opportunities, writing approaches, and tracking your productivity.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"Building your grant seeking and grant writing skills is the best way to secure funding for your organization. The keys to finding grant funding opportunities and writing award-winning grant proposals are knowing where to find opportunities and understanding what funders want to read.\r\n\r\nIn terms of your professional development as a grant writer, it also helps to know how to document your productivity and impact. This Cheat Sheet provides the critical aspects of grant writing for quick reference.","description":"Building your grant seeking and grant writing skills is the best way to secure funding for your organization. The keys to finding grant funding opportunities and writing award-winning grant proposals are knowing where to find opportunities and understanding what funders want to read.\r\n\r\nIn terms of your professional development as a grant writer, it also helps to know how to document your productivity and impact. This Cheat Sheet provides the critical aspects of grant writing for quick reference.","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":9440,"name":"Beverly A. Browning","slug":"beverly-a-browning","description":" <p><b>Dr. Beverly A. Browning</b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b>Stan Hutton</b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b>Frances N. Phillips</b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9440"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":34246,"title":"Nonprofits","slug":"nonprofits","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34246"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":[{"articleId":192609,"title":"How to Pray the Rosary: A Comprehensive Guide","slug":"how-to-pray-the-rosary","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","religion-spirituality","christianity","catholicism"],"_links":{"self":"/articles/192609"}},{"articleId":208741,"title":"Kabbalah For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"kabbalah-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","religion-spirituality","kabbalah"],"_links":{"self":"/articles/208741"}},{"articleId":230957,"title":"Nikon D3400 For Dummies Cheat 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Tips","slug":"10-e-grant-tips","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/230564"}},{"articleId":230561,"title":"How to Build Relationships with Grant Funders via Email","slug":"build-relationships-grant-funders-via-email","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/230561"}},{"articleId":230558,"title":"Dealing with Failed Foundation or Corporate Funding Requests","slug":"dealing-failed-foundation-corporate-funding-requests","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/230558"}},{"articleId":230555,"title":"Handling Multiple Grant Awards","slug":"handling-multiple-grant-awards","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/230555"}}],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":234465,"title":"How to Organize and Interpret Survey Responses to Market Your Nonprofit","slug":"organize-interpret-survey-responses-market-nonprofit","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234465"}},{"articleId":234462,"title":"Survey Your Constituents to Gain Important Marketing Information for Your Nonprofit","slug":"survey-constituents-gain-important-marketing-information-nonprofit","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234462"}},{"articleId":234456,"title":"What You Need to Know about Building a Facility for Your 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Nonprofit","slug":"realizing-benefits-risks-capital-campaigns-nonprofit","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234450"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":282250,"slug":"grant-writing-for-dummies","isbn":"9781119868071","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119868076/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1119868076/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1119868076-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1119868076/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1119868076/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/9781119868071-203x255.jpg","width":203,"height":255},"title":"Grant Writing For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":true,"authorsInfo":"<p><p><b>Dr. <b data-author-id=\"9440\">Beverly A. Browning</b></b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b>Stan Hutton</b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b>Frances N. Phillips</b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University.</p>","authors":[{"authorId":9440,"name":"Beverly A. Browning","slug":"beverly-a-browning","description":" <p><b>Dr. Beverly A. Browning</b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b>Stan Hutton</b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b>Frances N. Phillips</b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9440"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;business-careers-money&quot;,&quot;business&quot;,&quot;nonprofits&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119868071&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-63221b1961781\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;business-careers-money&quot;,&quot;business&quot;,&quot;nonprofits&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119868071&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-63221b196209f\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Cheat Sheet","articleList":[{"articleId":155497,"title":"11 Places to Look for Grant Funding","slug":"11-places-to-look-for-grant-funding","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/155497"}},{"articleId":155600,"title":"9 Tips for Writing Effective Grant Proposals","slug":"9-tips-for-writing-effective-grant-proposals","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/155600"}},{"articleId":155599,"title":"3 Great Websites for Grant Writing and Grant Funding","slug":"3-great-websites-for-grant-writing-and-grant-funding","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/155599"}}],"content":[{"title":"Track your grant-related productivity and impact","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>Whether you&#8217;re an employee or a consultant, grant writing is a hard, arduous task. From researching the money to chasing the money to often having to manage the money, it&#8217;s like being a never-ending job or contract.</p>\n<p>Often, your employer or client will ask you about your win rate. It’s critical to steer them away from using the term <em>win rate</em>. Instead, focus on your grant-related productivity and its impact on your organization.</p>\n<p>At the beginning of your employer’s or client’s fiscal year, create a spreadsheet to track your hands-on time for everything grants. Here’s an example of the productivity tasks to track daily:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>Staff meetings related to grants</li>\n<li>Collaborative partner meetings related to grants</li>\n<li>Board meetings preparation and attendance related to grants</li>\n<li>Grant research time</li>\n<li>Funder communication and meeting time</li>\n<li>Grant project planning time</li>\n<li>Grant writing time</li>\n<li>Editing and draft feedback time</li>\n<li>Final grant application package submission time</li>\n<li>Overtime hours to meet grant application deadlines</li>\n<li>Grant management and reporting time</li>\n<li>Grant closeout time</li>\n<li>Number of grants you are juggling each year</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Your work as a grant writer never ends. This spreadsheet list says it all. Whether your grant applications are funded or rejected, you still spend countless hours on everything grants, from the idea to the production to the management to closeout.</p>\n<p>Prove that you are worth your weight in gold when your employer calls you in for your annual review or your client wants to know what you’re doing for them if the requests submitted are not fully funded or funded at all.</p>\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">Grant writers are superhumans! Remember to highlight your education, expertise, and experience and how you use these three Es to impact organizational and community-wide growth. Often, during the grant project planning process with internal and external stakeholders, you will find that the monetary and in-kind resources already exist to implement new programs or expand and improve existing programs. Grant writers are expected to create entire programs when no one has the time to provide input and the grant application is on a critical near deadline.</p>\n"},{"title":"10 places to look for grant funding","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>Before you get down to business writing grant requests, you first have to search for and qualify potential grant funding opportunities. Knowing who&#8217;s funding your type of organization, who&#8217;s funding in or near your location, and the range of their grant awards (past and present) is critical.</p>\n<p>Following are several tips that can help you zero in on the right opportunity quickly:</p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Sit down with your work associates and ask these questions: </strong>Who are our corporate vendors? What bank or credit union processes our payroll? What local funders have given us money or in-kind contributions in the past five years? Do we still have a good relationship with these funders? Can we approach them again for funding support? After you have some answers, start taking action.</li>\n<li><strong>Make an appointment to visit every bank in your town, city, village, and county. </strong>There&#8217;s hidden money everywhere — even at your local banks. Find out who heads up the trust department (typically a trust officer) at each institution. Trust officers manage trust accounts for living and dead money-giving individuals and families. These trusts are often not highly advertised sources of grant money. Ask and get some guidelines for finding them and applying to them for grants.</li>\n<li><strong>Stroll over to the nearest large public or university </strong><strong>library to access Candid&#8217;s <em>Foundation Directory Online</em>.</strong> This is your public-access, free-of-charge source for researching foundation and corporate funding sources.</li>\n<li><strong>Network with other grantwriters </strong>to find out about their funding resource subscriptions. Ask what works and check out these additional possibilities.</li>\n<li><strong>Head down to your city and county economic development agencies </strong>to find out about any public monies available (contracts or grants) for your project.</li>\n<li><strong>If you have a community foundation in your county, meet with someone there </strong>to ask about the possibility of applying for capacity building funds for your organization. With a capacity building grant, you can contract with qualified consultants for grant writing, fundraising, board training, and volunteer coordination services.</li>\n<li><strong>Don&#8217;t forget to call your governor&#8217;s office </strong>and ask about state agency grant funding and other monies that may be available for your organization or business.</li>\n<li><strong>Attend all public events where the “who&#8217;s who” crowd will be gathered </strong>and hand out business cards. Just make sure your agency&#8217;s mission and contact info are on the card!</li>\n<li><strong>Prepare and distribute a press release to all local and regional media</strong> announcing that you have a project in need of funding.</li>\n<li><strong>Most importantly, call your congressional team members</strong> to let them know more about your organization and its need for grant funding. Ask if they can start to track any federal bucks that fit your needs.</li>\n</ul>\n"},{"title":"9 tips for writing effective grant proposals","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>To make your grant writing stand out from other proposals and get your grant funded, you have to know how to write grant applications effectively. Do some research for your specific grant proposal and incorporate the following guidelines to spin written magic:</p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Use a storytelling approach</strong> (with supporting statistics) in such a compelling way that the reader can&#8217;t put down your application until they make a positive funding decision.</li>\n<li><strong>Incorporate a case study </strong>of a real client your organization has served. Of course, change the name for confidentiality reasons. Show a real need of a real person.</li>\n<li><strong>Take advantage of online dictionaries and thesauruses</strong> to expand your command of new words and capture the grant decision maker&#8217;s attention.</li>\n<li><strong>Write to government funding agencies</strong> and request (under the Freedom of Information Act) copies of funded grant applications. Use these documents as examples of how to write an award-winning grant application.</li>\n<li><strong>Research proven best practices</strong> for your proposed solutions and incorporate language from the experts.</li>\n<li><strong>When you find best practices, look for the evaluation results</strong> of previously implemented programs similar to yours. Know what works and what doesn&#8217;t work before you write your proposed solution.</li>\n<li><strong>Eliminate multiple drafts </strong>from your writing habits because the most creative and &#8220;wow&#8221; words are often the first words you type.</li>\n<li><strong>Hire a proofreader or editor</strong> to read your writing and clean it up. Don&#8217;t have any money? Ask a trustworthy and capable co-worker or friend.</li>\n<li><strong>Write in short, hard-hitting sentences. </strong>Long-winded sentences almost always lose the reader.</li>\n</ul>\n"}],"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"sponsorAd":"","sponsorEbookTitle":"","sponsorEbookLink":"","sponsorEbookImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Advance","lifeExpectancy":"One year","lifeExpectancySetFrom":"2021-12-15T00:00:00+00:00","dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":207734},{"headers":{"creationTime":"2016-03-26T14:15:50+00:00","modifiedTime":"2021-10-20T18:30:43+00:00","timestamp":"2022-09-14T18:18:42+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Business, Careers, & Money","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34224"},"slug":"business-careers-money","categoryId":34224},{"name":"Business","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34225"},"slug":"business","categoryId":34225},{"name":"Nonprofits","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34246"},"slug":"nonprofits","categoryId":34246}],"title":"10 Tips for Raising Money from Your Website","strippedTitle":"10 tips for raising money from your website","slug":"10-tips-for-raising-money-from-your-website","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"More and more people donate to charities online. Here's how to make sure your website makes the best case for your nonprofit.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"Although online donations still represent a modest percentage (13 percent as of 2020) of total giving to nonprofit organizations, that percentage is growing, and your nonprofit's website is an important fundraising tool.\r\n\r\nPeople give online because it's fast and convenient. Websites are particularly strong at reaching donors who know your organization well, trust it, and like the convenience of giving online. They can also attract donors who contribute on impulse. Charities that respond to emergencies have succeeded at raising money online when a disaster strikes.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_289015\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-289015\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/onlinefundraising.unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"630\" height=\"420\" /> © John Schnobrich / Unsplash.com[/caption]\r\n\r\nHow can you make your website do its fundraising job well? Here are ten tips:\r\n<h2 class=\"first-para\"><b>Evaluate your website's content</b></h2>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">If potential donors are meeting your organization for the first time through its website, you want them to quickly understand the essence of who you are and what you do. Ask yourself, what do they see when they arrive on your home page? Your purpose and mission should be clearly and succinctly stated. Don't use your full mission statement: instead, present your purpose in a phrase or short sentence.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"first-para\"><b>Pay attention to your website's look</b></h2>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">Don't present a cluttered layout or dense text. Remember that it's a visual medium. (You can search online to see examples of the previous year's best nonprofit websites for some great models.)</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"first-para\"><b>Invite your website's users to get involved</b></h2>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">Include sections labeled, \"What You Can Do,\" \"Join Us,\" or \"Make Change.\" In all online fundraising, using the word \"you\" is the most powerful way to get your readers' attention. When you have that attention, give that reader some choices. Making a donation should be a clear and prominent option, but it shouldn't be the only way for someone to help you.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"first-para\"><b>Show the outcomes</b></h2>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">Online donors want to know about results. They want to know your work is effective and that their contribution makes a concrete difference. You can show them the stack of school supplies their $50 gift could buy for refugee children or the well you could dig in a drought-parched part of the world for just $300.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"first-para\"><b>Keep it simple</b></h2>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">Make it, oh, so easy to find your \"donate\" option and follow the steps to make an online donation. Services such as Just Giving and Network for Good can help you collect and acknowledge your online donations.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"first-para\"><b>Be honest and clear about how you're spending your donors' money</b></h2>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">Earn their trust with your candor. And always provide an easy-to-use \"contact us\" feature so they can submit questions and comments.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"first-para\"><b>Ask directly</b></h2>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">Be clear about what actions you want your web visitors to take. Don't be shy about requesting donations and calling on them to take action.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"first-para\"><b>Use keywords to describe the work you do</b></h2>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">You want to make those words prominent in your headings and introductory copy. Remember that your online readers will include people who have come across you by searching online for information about the subject of your work, as well as those who are looking for your nonprofit by name. You want to be certain that those people \"searching by subject\" will find you.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"first-para\"><b>Experiment with investing in search engine marketing</b></h2>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">Google Grants and its paid-search service AdWords is a good place to begin.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"first-para\"><b>Pay attention to what people are saying about your organization</b></h2>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">Set up Google alerts to see when and how your organization is mentioned in blogs, the media, and other online contexts (and participate in the conversation whenever possible). Also, check to see how your organization is ranked on nonprofit rating websites such as Charity Navigator and BBB Wise Giving Alliance, and how your clients and volunteers rate you on <a href=\"https://www.yelp.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Yelp.com</a> or <a href=\"https://greatnonprofits.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">GreatNonprofits.org</a>.</p>","description":"Although online donations still represent a modest percentage (13 percent as of 2020) of total giving to nonprofit organizations, that percentage is growing, and your nonprofit's website is an important fundraising tool.\r\n\r\nPeople give online because it's fast and convenient. Websites are particularly strong at reaching donors who know your organization well, trust it, and like the convenience of giving online. They can also attract donors who contribute on impulse. Charities that respond to emergencies have succeeded at raising money online when a disaster strikes.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_289015\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-289015\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/onlinefundraising.unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"630\" height=\"420\" /> © John Schnobrich / Unsplash.com[/caption]\r\n\r\nHow can you make your website do its fundraising job well? Here are ten tips:\r\n<h2 class=\"first-para\"><b>Evaluate your website's content</b></h2>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">If potential donors are meeting your organization for the first time through its website, you want them to quickly understand the essence of who you are and what you do. Ask yourself, what do they see when they arrive on your home page? Your purpose and mission should be clearly and succinctly stated. Don't use your full mission statement: instead, present your purpose in a phrase or short sentence.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"first-para\"><b>Pay attention to your website's look</b></h2>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">Don't present a cluttered layout or dense text. Remember that it's a visual medium. (You can search online to see examples of the previous year's best nonprofit websites for some great models.)</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"first-para\"><b>Invite your website's users to get involved</b></h2>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">Include sections labeled, \"What You Can Do,\" \"Join Us,\" or \"Make Change.\" In all online fundraising, using the word \"you\" is the most powerful way to get your readers' attention. When you have that attention, give that reader some choices. Making a donation should be a clear and prominent option, but it shouldn't be the only way for someone to help you.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"first-para\"><b>Show the outcomes</b></h2>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">Online donors want to know about results. They want to know your work is effective and that their contribution makes a concrete difference. You can show them the stack of school supplies their $50 gift could buy for refugee children or the well you could dig in a drought-parched part of the world for just $300.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"first-para\"><b>Keep it simple</b></h2>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">Make it, oh, so easy to find your \"donate\" option and follow the steps to make an online donation. Services such as Just Giving and Network for Good can help you collect and acknowledge your online donations.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"first-para\"><b>Be honest and clear about how you're spending your donors' money</b></h2>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">Earn their trust with your candor. And always provide an easy-to-use \"contact us\" feature so they can submit questions and comments.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"first-para\"><b>Ask directly</b></h2>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">Be clear about what actions you want your web visitors to take. Don't be shy about requesting donations and calling on them to take action.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"first-para\"><b>Use keywords to describe the work you do</b></h2>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">You want to make those words prominent in your headings and introductory copy. Remember that your online readers will include people who have come across you by searching online for information about the subject of your work, as well as those who are looking for your nonprofit by name. You want to be certain that those people \"searching by subject\" will find you.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"first-para\"><b>Experiment with investing in search engine marketing</b></h2>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">Google Grants and its paid-search service AdWords is a good place to begin.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"first-para\"><b>Pay attention to what people are saying about your organization</b></h2>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">Set up Google alerts to see when and how your organization is mentioned in blogs, the media, and other online contexts (and participate in the conversation whenever possible). Also, check to see how your organization is ranked on nonprofit rating websites such as Charity Navigator and BBB Wise Giving Alliance, and how your clients and volunteers rate you on <a href=\"https://www.yelp.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Yelp.com</a> or <a href=\"https://greatnonprofits.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">GreatNonprofits.org</a>.</p>","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":9524,"name":"Stan Hutton","slug":"stan-hutton","description":" <p><b>Dr. Beverly A. Browning</b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b>Stan Hutton</b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b>Frances N. Phillips</b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9524"}},{"authorId":9525,"name":"Frances Phillips","slug":"frances-phillips","description":"","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9525"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":34246,"title":"Nonprofits","slug":"nonprofits","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34246"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":[{"articleId":192609,"title":"How to Pray the Rosary: A Comprehensive Guide","slug":"how-to-pray-the-rosary","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","religion-spirituality","christianity","catholicism"],"_links":{"self":"/articles/192609"}},{"articleId":208741,"title":"Kabbalah For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"kabbalah-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","religion-spirituality","kabbalah"],"_links":{"self":"/articles/208741"}},{"articleId":230957,"title":"Nikon D3400 For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"nikon-d3400-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["home-auto-hobbies","photography"],"_links":{"self":"/articles/230957"}},{"articleId":235851,"title":"Praying the Rosary and Meditating on the Mysteries","slug":"praying-rosary-meditating-mysteries","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","religion-spirituality","christianity","catholicism"],"_links":{"self":"/articles/235851"}},{"articleId":284787,"title":"What Your Society Says About You","slug":"what-your-society-says-about-you","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","humanities"],"_links":{"self":"/articles/284787"}}],"inThisArticle":[{"label":"Evaluate your website's content","target":"#tab1"},{"label":"Pay attention to your website's look","target":"#tab2"},{"label":"Invite your website's users to get involved","target":"#tab3"},{"label":"Show the outcomes","target":"#tab4"},{"label":"Keep it simple","target":"#tab5"},{"label":"Be honest and clear about how you're spending your donors' money","target":"#tab6"},{"label":"Ask directly","target":"#tab7"},{"label":"Use keywords to describe the work you do","target":"#tab8"},{"label":"Experiment with investing in search engine marketing","target":"#tab9"},{"label":"Pay attention to what people are saying about your organization","target":"#tab10"}],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[{"articleId":234465,"title":"How to Organize and Interpret Survey Responses to Market Your Nonprofit","slug":"organize-interpret-survey-responses-market-nonprofit","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234465"}},{"articleId":234462,"title":"Survey Your Constituents to Gain Important Marketing Information for Your Nonprofit","slug":"survey-constituents-gain-important-marketing-information-nonprofit","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234462"}},{"articleId":234456,"title":"What You Need to Know about Building a Facility for Your Nonprofit","slug":"need-know-building-facility-nonprofit","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234456"}},{"articleId":234453,"title":"Know Your Mission Before Entering the Nonprofit World","slug":"know-mission-entering-nonprofit-world","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234453"}},{"articleId":234450,"title":"Realizing the Benefits and Risks of Capital Campaigns for Your 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Follow these steps to gain that nonprofit status for your organization:</p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong> Choose a name for your nonprofit. </strong>While you’re at it, select and reserve a web domain name.</li>\n<li><strong> Form the incorporating board of directors. </strong>Often, only three people are needed, but more are recommended, and the total number of board members should be an odd number, such as 5, 7, or 9.</li>\n<li><strong> Check with the IRS to determine the requirements in your articles of incorporation, and then check with your state government to see what’s required. Then blend the two. </strong>Some states may not require the nonprofit dissolution article; however, the IRS does require this clause. Expect to pay a fee for the state filing. Be sure to authorize someone to submit the articles of incorporation.</li>\n<li><strong> Wait for a response from your state. </strong>In some states, you can expedite the process by paying a surcharge.</li>\n<li><strong> Obtain a federal employer identification number (EIN). </strong>To do this, you submit IRS Form SS-4.</li>\n<li><strong> Develop organizational bylaws. </strong>These are the rules by which you will operate. Record the date when the bylaws are adopted.</li>\n<li><strong> Hold your first board meeting. </strong>Remember to prepare the meeting minutes.</li>\n<li><strong> Review IRS Publication 557. </strong>It’s titled <em>Tax-Exempt Status for Your Organization.</em></li>\n<li><strong> Read the instructions! </strong>Carefully read the instructions for completing and filing IRS Form 1023 or Form 1023-EZ if you’re applying to become a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization (preferably within 15 months of the date of incorporation).</li>\n<li><strong> After filing the form, make a list of potential financial donors from your family and friends. </strong>Tell them your filing accomplishments, and get their commitment to provide contributions designed as seed money to get your nonprofit started. Celebrate when your letter of determination arrives and notify your potential donors!</li>\n<li><strong> Register as a charity within your state. </strong>While you’re at it, check your state’s laws: Some require you to apply for a separate (in addition to federal) tax exemption. If you’re planning to fundraise among the general public, check to see if your state requires a charitable-solicitation registration.</li>\n</ol>\n"},{"title":"Roles and responsibilities of a nonprofit's board of directors","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>Every nonprofit organization is overseen by a group of people called the <em>board of directors.</em> These generous board members agree to accept responsibility for making sure the nonprofit organization remains true to its mission and purpose.</p>\n<p>A board’s primary governance responsibility is <em>fiduciary,</em> or to uphold the public trust. The board must:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>Pay close attention to what’s going on and make decisions based on good information</li>\n<li>Put the welfare of the organization above other interests when making decisions</li>\n<li>Act in accordance with the nonprofit’s mission and goalsActive governance as a board member involves these tasks:</li>\n<li>Reviewing the mission statement and goals of the organization on a regular basis</li>\n<li>Participate in strategic planning</li>\n<li>If the organization has paid staff, hire the executive director and review their job performance</li>\n<li>Review the organization’s budget and keep well-informed of its financial situation</li>\n<li>Review the performance of the organization’s programs</li>\n<li>Raise money for the organization</li>\n<li>Set, evaluate, and — if necessary — revise policies</li>\n<li>Serve as an ambassador for the organization — make more people aware of its work</li>\n<li>Recruit additional board members and volunteers</li>\n</ul>\n"},{"title":"How to raise money for your nonprofit organization","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>Every nonprofit organization needs to raise money. Whether applying for grants, searching for individual donors, or throwing fundraising events, you’re always looking for new ways to bring in funds. These tips can help your nonprofit successfully raise money:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>Set clear and reasonable yet<em> ambitious</em> fundraising goals based on a clear assessment of your organization’s likeliest supporters.</li>\n<li>Plan to depend on more than one grant, one event, one donor, or one approach. Balance your resources among multiple sources.</li>\n<li>It costs money to raise money, and some approaches cost more than others. Make a fundraising budget.</li>\n<li>Remember that individual donors represent the largest total source of private contributions.</li>\n<li>Write a strong case statement for your organization, telling its story in terms of how it benefits the people (or trees&#8230;or salamanders) it’s designed to serve.</li>\n<li>Ask. If you don’t ask for a contribution, you won’t get one. Remember to create an elevator speech (maximum three minutes) for impromptu presentations to strangers who may have money!</li>\n<li>Make it easy to respond to your request. Provide self-addressed, stamped envelopes to mail individual donors and an easy-to-use Donate Now feature on your website.</li>\n<li>Begin by asking for support among those closest to your nonprofit — its board, volunteers, clients, and staff. Work outward from that core group, building a network of supporters through your first donors’ personal connections and those benefitting from your nonprofit’s work.</li>\n<li>Put the fun in your <em>fun</em>draising. Special events can win friends and inspire new supporters.</li>\n<li>The most important step in grant-writing is research. Examine each potential grant maker’s interests, focus, limitations, and policies. Adhere to their published guidelines for how to approach them the first time.</li>\n<li>The key to a compelling grant proposal is demonstrating the needs of the constituents your nonprofit wants to serve and presenting a clear, detailed plan for addressing those needs that includes validated reference citations to support your narrative. Acknowledge the work of others in your field and represent your organization’s distinct mission and approach.</li>\n<li>Organizations need capital — annual funds, buildings, endowments, cash reserves — to offer strong programs. Fundraising for capital campaigns and fund drives involves both large and small contributions. A standard campaign depends on one lead gift totaling at least 10 percent to 20 percent of the total money to be raised, and on 80 percent of the money being raised from 15 percent to 20 percent of the donors.</li>\n<li>If <em>ask</em> is the number-one rule of fundraising, <em>thank</em> is number two. Acknowledge your donors’ support, and work to deepen their involvement in your organization.</li>\n</ul>\n"},{"title":"How to make customer service a daily habit in your nonprofit","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>The trick to providing exemplary customer service for your nonprofit is to work at it in little ways all the time. Every staff member and volunteer needs to be aware of the importance of customer service. Here are five key areas to address if you want to improve (or maintain) your service levels:</p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Telephone and video calls:</strong> Talk to all staff and volunteers about how to answer the phone politely and otherwise use it to maximum effect. Provide a cheat sheet with lists of extensions, instructions for forwarding calls, and any other useful information. Simple additions to a greeting, like “May I help you?” or telling the caller the receptionist’s name can set a friendly, professional tone.\n<p class=\"Tip\">Make a rule for yourself to return all calls within 24 hours or, if that’s not possible, within one week. Let callers know, by your voicemail greeting, when they can expect to hear from you. If you’re selecting a voicemail system, make sure it’s user-friendly for callers.</p>\n<p>When you’re speaking with a donor by video call, it’s all about the tone of your voice and your facial expressions. Turn off your mobile phone and any video background screens. Close the office door. Make the client or donor feel as though they have your full attention. Don’t let donors and clients see clutter in your office.</li>\n<li><strong>At the door:</strong> Someone needs to (cheerfully) answer the door. If you’re in a small office with no receptionist and the interruptions are frequent, you can rotate this task among staff members or volunteers. If visitors must use a buzzer or pass through a security system, try to balance the coldness of that experience with a friendly intercom greeting and pleasant-looking foyer.</li>\n<li><strong>Before and after a sale or donation:</strong> If you have tickets to sell, make them easy to buy. Accepting only cash is far too restrictive. The banker managing your business account can help prepare you to accept credit card orders. Also, consider selling tickets over the web; a number of web services assist small businesses and nonprofits with web sales and online donations.\n<p class=\"Tip\">If a customer is dissatisfied with your service, invite the person to give feedback, and then listen carefully. Offer a partial or complete refund. Doing so wins loyalty.</p>\n</li>\n<li><strong>With a note:</strong> Keep some nice-looking stationery and a rough draft of a standard message handy so that writing thank-you notes is easy. Handwritten notes are more personal and often make a stronger impression than formal, typed letters or email messages. However, expressing your appreciation in a timely way is more important than the form of that appreciation. Use email if you can get to it more quickly. If your organization receives donations — like a theater group that receives play manuscripts or a natural-history museum that accepts scholarly papers for publication — have an acknowledgment email ready that confirms the item’s receipt and states when the person submitting it can expect to hear from you.</li>\n<li><strong>In the details:</strong> An old saying suggests that the devil lurks in the details, but that’s also where you find the heart and soul of hospitality and service. Keep notes about the interests and connections of your board members, donors, volunteers, and constituents. Find out the names of your board and committee members’ significant others and be prepared to greet them personally at events and on the phone.</li>\n</ul>\n"}],"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"sponsorAd":"","sponsorEbookTitle":"","sponsorEbookLink":"","sponsorEbookImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Advance","lifeExpectancy":"Two years","lifeExpectancySetFrom":"2021-09-23T00:00:00+00:00","dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":207838},{"headers":{"creationTime":"2016-12-19T17:11:49+00:00","modifiedTime":"2017-04-27T13:02:51+00:00","timestamp":"2022-09-14T18:18:37+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Business, Careers, & Money","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34224"},"slug":"business-careers-money","categoryId":34224},{"name":"Business","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34225"},"slug":"business","categoryId":34225},{"name":"Nonprofits","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34246"},"slug":"nonprofits","categoryId":34246}],"title":"10 Ways to Continue Building Your Grant-Writing Skills","strippedTitle":"10 ways to continue building your grant-writing skills","slug":"10-ways-continue-building-grant-writing-skills","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"You can always improve at grant writing Here, you find ten great tips on how to continue building your grant-writing skills. All the advice here comes from the ","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"You can always improve at grant writing Here, you find ten great tips on how to continue building your grant-writing skills. All the advice here comes from the school of hard rocks and hard knocks.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >Take on new challenges</h2>\r\nHow many times have you looked at a grant application and said to yourself, “No way. I can’t do this! It’s too difficult! There are way too many pages of instructions to read! Goodness, the grant-making agency wants 50 pages of single-spaced narrative. The application is due in ten days!” And in your mind, the list grows. It’s important to take on new challenges. Say “yes” to something completely outside your comfort zone. You’ll be surprised at what you’ll learn and how much more confident you’ll feel. The sky is your only limit!\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >Become a grant research specialist</h2>\r\nIf you don’t want to work on your writing skillsets yet, consider working on being the best-ever grant researcher. You can work on researching undiscovered grant-funding opportunities and presenting them to your supervisor, employer, or client, or you can focus on researching demographics and best practices for grant application topics.\r\n\r\nNew reports or studies are published online every day. Do you have the most up-to-date set of information? When will you need it and can you store it in electronic folders for future use? Work ahead, be prepared, and write like the wind when you find new grant programs and updated research information. Everyone in your work setting will look to you as the grant research specialist.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab3\" >Volunteer your services</h2>\r\nIf you’re a member of a nonprofit board of directors or of its “friends of” group (volunteers who raise funding through special events), consider volunteering your services as a grant writer for one or more projects. If you have a full-time day job, you can do your volunteer work in the evenings or on the weekends. Cast your net wide and start giving back to the community where you live.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab4\" >Become a peer reviewer</h2>\r\nOpen your web browser, go to your favorite search engine (like Google), and type <strong>call for peer reviewers</strong>. Scroll through the findings and look for state and federal grant-making agencies that have published calls for grant application peer reviewers. You’ll gain so much more experience and knowledge about what it takes to win a government grant award.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab5\" >Do copyediting for other grant writers</h2>\r\nYou can learn a lot by reading grant applications written by other grant writers and editing their content. Copyediting entails reading the formatting and content guidelines published by the funder and then reading the completed grant application narrative to see if the grant writer’s work is in compliance. You’ll learn formatting and graphic techniques, pick up new research websites for your own growing list, and contribute to your employer’s or the grant writer’s client’s success. This is a great way to build your own skillsets and become a successful grant writer.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab6\" >Work with an experienced grant writer</h2>\r\nOne of the most mind-opening experiences is to ask another grant writer if you can help her with her overage work. Maybe you only work with government grant-writing projects or exclusively write corporate grants. Working with another writer may open the doors to other types of grant writing which can help you improve and broaden your own grant-writing skills.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab7\" >Attend national professional development training</h2>\r\nFind a conference with workshops of interest to you, register, attend, and take copious notes. If you’re working in an environment where you’re a grant writer and you also manage the funded grant awards, your list of potential conferences just doubled. Check out these national conference possibilities and see what looks interesting to you:\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><strong><a href=\"http://www.grantprofessionals.org/conference\">Grant Professionals Association Annual Conference</a></strong></li>\r\n\t<li><strong><a href=\"http://www.agwa.us/agwa.us/grantconference2015\">American Grant Writer’s Association Annual Conference</a></strong></li>\r\n\t<li><strong><a href=\"http://ngma.org/annual-grants-training\">National Grants Management Association Annual Grants Training</a></strong></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab8\" >Review successful grant applications online</h2>\r\nSearch the Internet for previously funded grant applications that have been posted online by the <em>grantee</em> (the organization that received the grant award). Look at a mixture of grant applications that were funded by the federal government, foundations, and corporations. Rarely will you find a high volume of grant applications funded by state agencies posted online.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab9\" >Write and publish articles that require extensive research</h2>\r\nWhen you decide to become an author of articles that will be read by the public, you might panic first and then hunker down and start to research your topic before you begin the writing process. Whom can you write articles for? Your own blog (if you don’t have a blog yet, try <u>Blogger</u>, <u>Squarespace</u>, or <u>WordPress</u>) or for other publications and companies that continually update their websites with contributions from guest writers.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab10\" >Continue your formal education</h2>\r\nWhile resources like our <a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/business/nonprofits/grants/grant-writing-for-dummies-cheat-sheet/\">Grant Writing Cheat Sheet </a>are great sources of education, it is important for you to continue to formally educate yourself. Across the country and around the world, there are lots of community colleges and universities that offer degrees in nonprofit management. If you search the Internet for examples, you will likely find the following (not naming the institution, just the degree program):\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Masters in Grant Writing, Management, and Evaluation</li>\r\n\t<li>Grant Writing Certificate Program</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<a href=\"http://learningpath.org/articles/Grant_Writing_Degrees_Masters_PhD_Online_Class_Info.html\">LearningPath.org</a> has a list of possibilities for master’s and doctoral degrees in grant writing.","description":"You can always improve at grant writing Here, you find ten great tips on how to continue building your grant-writing skills. All the advice here comes from the school of hard rocks and hard knocks.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >Take on new challenges</h2>\r\nHow many times have you looked at a grant application and said to yourself, “No way. I can’t do this! It’s too difficult! There are way too many pages of instructions to read! Goodness, the grant-making agency wants 50 pages of single-spaced narrative. The application is due in ten days!” And in your mind, the list grows. It’s important to take on new challenges. Say “yes” to something completely outside your comfort zone. You’ll be surprised at what you’ll learn and how much more confident you’ll feel. The sky is your only limit!\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >Become a grant research specialist</h2>\r\nIf you don’t want to work on your writing skillsets yet, consider working on being the best-ever grant researcher. You can work on researching undiscovered grant-funding opportunities and presenting them to your supervisor, employer, or client, or you can focus on researching demographics and best practices for grant application topics.\r\n\r\nNew reports or studies are published online every day. Do you have the most up-to-date set of information? When will you need it and can you store it in electronic folders for future use? Work ahead, be prepared, and write like the wind when you find new grant programs and updated research information. Everyone in your work setting will look to you as the grant research specialist.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab3\" >Volunteer your services</h2>\r\nIf you’re a member of a nonprofit board of directors or of its “friends of” group (volunteers who raise funding through special events), consider volunteering your services as a grant writer for one or more projects. If you have a full-time day job, you can do your volunteer work in the evenings or on the weekends. Cast your net wide and start giving back to the community where you live.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab4\" >Become a peer reviewer</h2>\r\nOpen your web browser, go to your favorite search engine (like Google), and type <strong>call for peer reviewers</strong>. Scroll through the findings and look for state and federal grant-making agencies that have published calls for grant application peer reviewers. You’ll gain so much more experience and knowledge about what it takes to win a government grant award.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab5\" >Do copyediting for other grant writers</h2>\r\nYou can learn a lot by reading grant applications written by other grant writers and editing their content. Copyediting entails reading the formatting and content guidelines published by the funder and then reading the completed grant application narrative to see if the grant writer’s work is in compliance. You’ll learn formatting and graphic techniques, pick up new research websites for your own growing list, and contribute to your employer’s or the grant writer’s client’s success. This is a great way to build your own skillsets and become a successful grant writer.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab6\" >Work with an experienced grant writer</h2>\r\nOne of the most mind-opening experiences is to ask another grant writer if you can help her with her overage work. Maybe you only work with government grant-writing projects or exclusively write corporate grants. Working with another writer may open the doors to other types of grant writing which can help you improve and broaden your own grant-writing skills.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab7\" >Attend national professional development training</h2>\r\nFind a conference with workshops of interest to you, register, attend, and take copious notes. If you’re working in an environment where you’re a grant writer and you also manage the funded grant awards, your list of potential conferences just doubled. Check out these national conference possibilities and see what looks interesting to you:\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><strong><a href=\"http://www.grantprofessionals.org/conference\">Grant Professionals Association Annual Conference</a></strong></li>\r\n\t<li><strong><a href=\"http://www.agwa.us/agwa.us/grantconference2015\">American Grant Writer’s Association Annual Conference</a></strong></li>\r\n\t<li><strong><a href=\"http://ngma.org/annual-grants-training\">National Grants Management Association Annual Grants Training</a></strong></li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab8\" >Review successful grant applications online</h2>\r\nSearch the Internet for previously funded grant applications that have been posted online by the <em>grantee</em> (the organization that received the grant award). Look at a mixture of grant applications that were funded by the federal government, foundations, and corporations. Rarely will you find a high volume of grant applications funded by state agencies posted online.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab9\" >Write and publish articles that require extensive research</h2>\r\nWhen you decide to become an author of articles that will be read by the public, you might panic first and then hunker down and start to research your topic before you begin the writing process. Whom can you write articles for? Your own blog (if you don’t have a blog yet, try <u>Blogger</u>, <u>Squarespace</u>, or <u>WordPress</u>) or for other publications and companies that continually update their websites with contributions from guest writers.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab10\" >Continue your formal education</h2>\r\nWhile resources like our <a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/business/nonprofits/grants/grant-writing-for-dummies-cheat-sheet/\">Grant Writing Cheat Sheet </a>are great sources of education, it is important for you to continue to formally educate yourself. Across the country and around the world, there are lots of community colleges and universities that offer degrees in nonprofit management. If you search the Internet for examples, you will likely find the following (not naming the institution, just the degree program):\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Masters in Grant Writing, Management, and Evaluation</li>\r\n\t<li>Grant Writing Certificate Program</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<a href=\"http://learningpath.org/articles/Grant_Writing_Degrees_Masters_PhD_Online_Class_Info.html\">LearningPath.org</a> has a list of possibilities for master’s and doctoral degrees in grant writing.","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":9440,"name":"Beverly A. Browning","slug":"beverly-a-browning","description":" <p><b>Dr. Beverly A. Browning</b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b>Stan Hutton</b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b>Frances N. Phillips</b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9440"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":34246,"title":"Nonprofits","slug":"nonprofits","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34246"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":[{"articleId":192609,"title":"How to Pray the Rosary: A Comprehensive Guide","slug":"how-to-pray-the-rosary","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","religion-spirituality","christianity","catholicism"],"_links":{"self":"/articles/192609"}},{"articleId":208741,"title":"Kabbalah For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"kabbalah-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","religion-spirituality","kabbalah"],"_links":{"self":"/articles/208741"}},{"articleId":230957,"title":"Nikon D3400 For Dummies Cheat 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Nonprofit","slug":"realizing-benefits-risks-capital-campaigns-nonprofit","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234450"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":282250,"slug":"grant-writing-for-dummies","isbn":"9781119868071","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119868076/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1119868076/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1119868076-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1119868076/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1119868076/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/9781119868071-203x255.jpg","width":203,"height":255},"title":"Grant Writing For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":true,"authorsInfo":"<p><p><b>Dr. <b data-author-id=\"9440\">Beverly A. Browning</b></b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b>Stan Hutton</b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b>Frances N. Phillips</b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University.</p>","authors":[{"authorId":9440,"name":"Beverly A. Browning","slug":"beverly-a-browning","description":" <p><b>Dr. Beverly A. Browning</b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b>Stan Hutton</b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b>Frances N. Phillips</b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9440"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;business-careers-money&quot;,&quot;business&quot;,&quot;nonprofits&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119868071&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-63221afd90a56\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;business-careers-money&quot;,&quot;business&quot;,&quot;nonprofits&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119868071&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-63221afd90fdc\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Articles","articleList":null,"content":null,"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"sponsorAd":"","sponsorEbookTitle":"","sponsorEbookLink":"","sponsorEbookImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Advance","lifeExpectancy":null,"lifeExpectancySetFrom":null,"dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":230567},{"headers":{"creationTime":"2017-02-22T17:37:38+00:00","modifiedTime":"2017-02-22T17:37:38+00:00","timestamp":"2022-09-14T18:17:34+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Business, Careers, & Money","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34224"},"slug":"business-careers-money","categoryId":34224},{"name":"Business","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34225"},"slug":"business","categoryId":34225},{"name":"Nonprofits","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34246"},"slug":"nonprofits","categoryId":34246}],"title":"How to Organize and Interpret Survey Responses to Market Your Nonprofit","strippedTitle":"how to organize and interpret survey responses to market your nonprofit","slug":"organize-interpret-survey-responses-market-nonprofit","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"After you have survey results, you will need to utilize the responses to help you better market your nonprofit. You can compile the responses by hand or use a s","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"After you have survey results, you will need to utilize the responses to help you better market your nonprofit. You can compile the responses by hand or use a spreadsheet program such as Microsoft Excel or Google Spreadsheet to tally responses. Of course, if you’ve used an online surveying service, it will compile the answers for you.\r\n\r\nIf your survey responders identify themselves and you want to keep track of information and opinions they share to inform your fundraising or volunteer-recruitment staff, you want to incorporate their information into the database you’re developing of your supporters.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">Check <a href=\"http://www.idealware.org/\">Idealware</a> for recent reviews of Constituent Relationship Management software options. Such programs allow you to record every point of connection — from workshop attendance to dance contestant to donor — you may have with an individual. If you don’t want to go that route, Microsoft Access and Filemaker Pro are commonly used tools that can be adapted to your needs.</p>\r\nYou may discover that you serve several distinct groups of people. For example, low-income students may use the library after school and visit your exhibits while they’re there. Middle-income mothers from the immediate neighborhood may bring their toddlers to the library for afternoon story time and take advantage of your programs. And wealthy older adults may volunteer as docents, serve on your board, and attend your organization’s panel discussions.\r\n\r\nWith this valuable information, you may be able to recognize ways to reach more people who resemble the ones you’re already serving. The more challenging task is to reach and entice new groups of people.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">Do people you don’t know gather at your organization’s programs? Sponsor free drawings in which contestants compete for prizes by filling out forms with their names, email addresses, and phone numbers.</p>\r\nAn advantage of designing a survey online is that you can make it engaging by using the techniques of branching or piping. In such a survey, someone’s answer to one question alters the next question she’s asked. For example, if you were to say that you preferred ice cream to pie for dessert, you would next be asked if you preferred chocolate, vanilla, or spumoni.\r\n\r\nIf you discover that your target audience likes your program offerings but finds the times you offer them inconvenient, do you want to experiment with new times and formats? For instance, do people find Sunday afternoons (when the library is closed) to be more convenient? What other barriers inhibit their involvement? Maybe mothers with toddlers want to come to your lectures but need childcare. Perhaps you charge a modest admission fee for lectures but students find that charge to be too high.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips remember\">One of your most difficult marketing tasks is analyzing the very basis of what you do and how you do it. You may feel that your historical society’s close working relationship with libraries is its greatest asset, but the surveys may point out that those libraries are cold and musty during winter months. You may do better by taking over a neighborhood restaurant and creating a “warmer” atmosphere — even offering hot gingerbread and cider.</p>","description":"After you have survey results, you will need to utilize the responses to help you better market your nonprofit. You can compile the responses by hand or use a spreadsheet program such as Microsoft Excel or Google Spreadsheet to tally responses. Of course, if you’ve used an online surveying service, it will compile the answers for you.\r\n\r\nIf your survey responders identify themselves and you want to keep track of information and opinions they share to inform your fundraising or volunteer-recruitment staff, you want to incorporate their information into the database you’re developing of your supporters.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">Check <a href=\"http://www.idealware.org/\">Idealware</a> for recent reviews of Constituent Relationship Management software options. Such programs allow you to record every point of connection — from workshop attendance to dance contestant to donor — you may have with an individual. If you don’t want to go that route, Microsoft Access and Filemaker Pro are commonly used tools that can be adapted to your needs.</p>\r\nYou may discover that you serve several distinct groups of people. For example, low-income students may use the library after school and visit your exhibits while they’re there. Middle-income mothers from the immediate neighborhood may bring their toddlers to the library for afternoon story time and take advantage of your programs. And wealthy older adults may volunteer as docents, serve on your board, and attend your organization’s panel discussions.\r\n\r\nWith this valuable information, you may be able to recognize ways to reach more people who resemble the ones you’re already serving. The more challenging task is to reach and entice new groups of people.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">Do people you don’t know gather at your organization’s programs? Sponsor free drawings in which contestants compete for prizes by filling out forms with their names, email addresses, and phone numbers.</p>\r\nAn advantage of designing a survey online is that you can make it engaging by using the techniques of branching or piping. In such a survey, someone’s answer to one question alters the next question she’s asked. For example, if you were to say that you preferred ice cream to pie for dessert, you would next be asked if you preferred chocolate, vanilla, or spumoni.\r\n\r\nIf you discover that your target audience likes your program offerings but finds the times you offer them inconvenient, do you want to experiment with new times and formats? For instance, do people find Sunday afternoons (when the library is closed) to be more convenient? What other barriers inhibit their involvement? Maybe mothers with toddlers want to come to your lectures but need childcare. Perhaps you charge a modest admission fee for lectures but students find that charge to be too high.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips remember\">One of your most difficult marketing tasks is analyzing the very basis of what you do and how you do it. You may feel that your historical society’s close working relationship with libraries is its greatest asset, but the surveys may point out that those libraries are cold and musty during winter months. You may do better by taking over a neighborhood restaurant and creating a “warmer” atmosphere — even offering hot gingerbread and cider.</p>","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":9524,"name":"Stan Hutton","slug":"stan-hutton","description":" <p><b>Dr. Beverly A. Browning</b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b>Stan Hutton</b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b>Frances N. Phillips</b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9524"}},{"authorId":11062,"name":"Frances N. Phillips","slug":"frances-n-phillips","description":" <p><b>Dr. Beverly A. Browning</b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b>Stan Hutton</b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b>Frances N. Phillips</b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/11062"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":34246,"title":"Nonprofits","slug":"nonprofits","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34246"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":[{"articleId":192609,"title":"How to Pray the Rosary: A Comprehensive Guide","slug":"how-to-pray-the-rosary","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","religion-spirituality","christianity","catholicism"],"_links":{"self":"/articles/192609"}},{"articleId":208741,"title":"Kabbalah For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"kabbalah-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","religion-spirituality","kabbalah"],"_links":{"self":"/articles/208741"}},{"articleId":230957,"title":"Nikon D3400 For Dummies Cheat 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Need to Know about Building a Facility for Your Nonprofit","slug":"need-know-building-facility-nonprofit","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234456"}},{"articleId":234453,"title":"Know Your Mission Before Entering the Nonprofit World","slug":"know-mission-entering-nonprofit-world","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234453"}},{"articleId":234450,"title":"Realizing the Benefits and Risks of Capital Campaigns for Your Nonprofit","slug":"realizing-benefits-risks-capital-campaigns-nonprofit","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234450"}},{"articleId":234443,"title":"Pre-Proposal Tasks for Your Nonprofit Grant Application","slug":"pre-proposal-tasks-nonprofit-grant-application","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234443"}}],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":234462,"title":"Survey Your Constituents to Gain Important Marketing Information for Your Nonprofit","slug":"survey-constituents-gain-important-marketing-information-nonprofit","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234462"}},{"articleId":234456,"title":"What You Need to Know about Building a Facility for Your Nonprofit","slug":"need-know-building-facility-nonprofit","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234456"}},{"articleId":234453,"title":"Know Your Mission Before Entering the Nonprofit World","slug":"know-mission-entering-nonprofit-world","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234453"}},{"articleId":234450,"title":"Realizing the Benefits and Risks of Capital Campaigns for Your Nonprofit","slug":"realizing-benefits-risks-capital-campaigns-nonprofit","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234450"}},{"articleId":234443,"title":"Pre-Proposal Tasks for Your Nonprofit Grant Application","slug":"pre-proposal-tasks-nonprofit-grant-application","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234443"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":282423,"slug":"nonprofit-kit-for-dummies","isbn":"9781119835721","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119835720/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1119835720/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1119835720-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1119835720/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1119835720/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/nonprofit-kit-for-dummies-6th-edition-cover-9781119835721-203x255.jpg","width":203,"height":255},"title":"Nonprofit Kit For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":true,"authorsInfo":"<p><p><b>Dr. <b data-author-id=\"9440\">Beverly A. Browning</b></b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b>Stan Hutton</b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b>Frances N. Phillips</b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University. <p><b>Dr. Beverly A. Browning</b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b><b data-author-id=\"9524\">Stan Hutton</b></b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b>Frances N. Phillips</b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University. <p><b>Dr. Beverly A. Browning</b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b>Stan Hutton</b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b><b data-author-id=\"11062\">Frances N. Phillips</b></b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University.</p>","authors":[{"authorId":9440,"name":"Beverly A. Browning","slug":"beverly-a-browning","description":" <p><b>Dr. Beverly A. Browning</b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b>Stan Hutton</b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b>Frances N. Phillips</b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9440"}},{"authorId":9524,"name":"Stan Hutton","slug":"stan-hutton","description":" <p><b>Dr. Beverly A. Browning</b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b>Stan Hutton</b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b>Frances N. Phillips</b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9524"}},{"authorId":11062,"name":"Frances N. Phillips","slug":"frances-n-phillips","description":" <p><b>Dr. Beverly A. Browning</b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b>Stan Hutton</b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b>Frances N. Phillips</b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/11062"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;business-careers-money&quot;,&quot;business&quot;,&quot;nonprofits&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119835721&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-63221abe15bb2\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;business-careers-money&quot;,&quot;business&quot;,&quot;nonprofits&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119835721&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-63221abe161d5\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Articles","articleList":null,"content":null,"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"sponsorAd":"","sponsorEbookTitle":"","sponsorEbookLink":"","sponsorEbookImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Advance","lifeExpectancy":null,"lifeExpectancySetFrom":null,"dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":234465},{"headers":{"creationTime":"2017-02-22T17:31:57+00:00","modifiedTime":"2017-02-22T17:31:57+00:00","timestamp":"2022-09-14T18:17:33+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Business, Careers, & Money","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34224"},"slug":"business-careers-money","categoryId":34224},{"name":"Business","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34225"},"slug":"business","categoryId":34225},{"name":"Nonprofits","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34246"},"slug":"nonprofits","categoryId":34246}],"title":"Survey Your Constituents to Gain Important Marketing Information for Your Nonprofit","strippedTitle":"survey your constituents to gain important marketing information for your nonprofit","slug":"survey-constituents-gain-important-marketing-information-nonprofit","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"You may never discover who reads about your nonprofit organization in the newspaper or sees your sign every day on the bus, but some people — those with whom yo","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"You may never discover who reads about your nonprofit organization in the newspaper or sees your sign every day on the bus, but some people — those with whom you directly communicate — can be identified. Start by defining your core group — your most important constituents — and work out from there.\r\n\r\nSuppose that your organization is a small historical society that organizes exhibits and panel discussions at three libraries in your town, publishes a quarterly newsletter, and maintains a website featuring news and information about its collection. Your current constituents (or stakeholders, if you want to use a common nonprofit term), working from the core to the outer boundaries, include the following:\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Your board and staff (and their friends and relations)</li>\r\n\t<li>Your docents and volunteers</li>\r\n\t<li>Families and organizations that donate materials to your collection</li>\r\n\t<li>Local library staff and board members</li>\r\n\t<li>People attending your panel discussions</li>\r\n\t<li>Schools and other groups visiting your exhibits</li>\r\n\t<li>Scholars and other archivists writing to ask about your holdings</li>\r\n\t<li>Patrons of the three libraries</li>\r\n\t<li>Subscribers to your quarterly newsletter</li>\r\n\t<li>People visiting your organization’s website</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDrawing up this list of interested people is easy enough. But for marketing purposes, you need to know as much as possible about the characteristics, backgrounds, and interests of each group. Some things you can do to collect this sort of information include\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Creating a database of your supporters by gathering names and addresses from every possible source within your organization — items like checks from donors, subscription forms from online newsletter subscribers, sign-up sheets from volunteers, and email messages sent to the “contact us” address on your website.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Enter these names and addresses in a database that can sort them by last name, type of contact, and date of entry; if you’re planning to send traditional mail to them, sort them by zip code. Articles at <a href=\"http://www.idealware.org/\">Idealware</a> can help you choose a database software program.</p>\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">Review the zip codes appearing most frequently on your list. If you’re in the United States, you can visit the <a href=\"http://www.census.gov\">U.S. Census Bureau website</a> and get demographic information about residents in those zip code areas.</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li class=\"BulletItem\">Asking a few standard questions of schools or other groups when they call to sign up for a tour. Don’t engage in a lengthy interview, but find out how they heard about your program, why they want to visit it, and whether they have other needs you may be able to address. You can gather similar information when collecting registrations online.</li>\r\n\t<li class=\"BulletItem\">Inserting brief, clearly worded and inviting surveys in the programs at your public events. At the beginning and end of an event, make a public pitch explaining why it’s so important for people to respond to the surveys. Make pencils or pens available. Create incentives for completing the form, such as a free museum membership for a person whose survey is drawn at random.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p class=\"Bullet\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Make it easy for visitors to your website to subscribe to announcements or services, and send a brief survey to them by email. The higher your response rate, the more accurate and useful the survey information will be.</p>\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">Your surveying may be quantitative (measuring the degree to which people do something or believe something) or qualitative (going deeper into understanding their beliefs and behaviors). Generally quantitative surveys are distributed and collected — either as paper documents or online — and qualitative surveys are presented by an interviewer in a guided conversation.</p>\r\n<p class=\"article-tips remember\">Be aware that there’s an art and a science to writing an effective survey: The way questions are worded can influence the answers you get, and you want to receive clear, candid responses. If you want help developing your survey, check with local colleges and universities for faculty members or graduate students who understand survey techniques and who may be willing to give you some guidance.</p>\r\nYou can also find survey subscription services and sample surveys on the web that give you ideas about wording questions. Three such services are <a href=\"http://www.surveymonkey.com/\">SurveyMonkey</a>, <a href=\"http://www.zoomerang.com/\">Zoomerang</a>, and <a href=\"http://www.surveygizmo.com/\">SurveyGizmo</a>. Each offers somewhat different features and pricing models. All of them will distribute your surveys by email and tally the results for you.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">At the <a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/go/nonprofitkitfd5e\">Nonprofit Kit page at Dummies.com</a>, you can find two sample surveys that may suggest wording for your survey questions.</p>","description":"You may never discover who reads about your nonprofit organization in the newspaper or sees your sign every day on the bus, but some people — those with whom you directly communicate — can be identified. Start by defining your core group — your most important constituents — and work out from there.\r\n\r\nSuppose that your organization is a small historical society that organizes exhibits and panel discussions at three libraries in your town, publishes a quarterly newsletter, and maintains a website featuring news and information about its collection. Your current constituents (or stakeholders, if you want to use a common nonprofit term), working from the core to the outer boundaries, include the following:\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Your board and staff (and their friends and relations)</li>\r\n\t<li>Your docents and volunteers</li>\r\n\t<li>Families and organizations that donate materials to your collection</li>\r\n\t<li>Local library staff and board members</li>\r\n\t<li>People attending your panel discussions</li>\r\n\t<li>Schools and other groups visiting your exhibits</li>\r\n\t<li>Scholars and other archivists writing to ask about your holdings</li>\r\n\t<li>Patrons of the three libraries</li>\r\n\t<li>Subscribers to your quarterly newsletter</li>\r\n\t<li>People visiting your organization’s website</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nDrawing up this list of interested people is easy enough. But for marketing purposes, you need to know as much as possible about the characteristics, backgrounds, and interests of each group. Some things you can do to collect this sort of information include\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Creating a database of your supporters by gathering names and addresses from every possible source within your organization — items like checks from donors, subscription forms from online newsletter subscribers, sign-up sheets from volunteers, and email messages sent to the “contact us” address on your website.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Enter these names and addresses in a database that can sort them by last name, type of contact, and date of entry; if you’re planning to send traditional mail to them, sort them by zip code. Articles at <a href=\"http://www.idealware.org/\">Idealware</a> can help you choose a database software program.</p>\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">Review the zip codes appearing most frequently on your list. If you’re in the United States, you can visit the <a href=\"http://www.census.gov\">U.S. Census Bureau website</a> and get demographic information about residents in those zip code areas.</p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li class=\"BulletItem\">Asking a few standard questions of schools or other groups when they call to sign up for a tour. Don’t engage in a lengthy interview, but find out how they heard about your program, why they want to visit it, and whether they have other needs you may be able to address. You can gather similar information when collecting registrations online.</li>\r\n\t<li class=\"BulletItem\">Inserting brief, clearly worded and inviting surveys in the programs at your public events. At the beginning and end of an event, make a public pitch explaining why it’s so important for people to respond to the surveys. Make pencils or pens available. Create incentives for completing the form, such as a free museum membership for a person whose survey is drawn at random.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p class=\"Bullet\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Make it easy for visitors to your website to subscribe to announcements or services, and send a brief survey to them by email. The higher your response rate, the more accurate and useful the survey information will be.</p>\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">Your surveying may be quantitative (measuring the degree to which people do something or believe something) or qualitative (going deeper into understanding their beliefs and behaviors). Generally quantitative surveys are distributed and collected — either as paper documents or online — and qualitative surveys are presented by an interviewer in a guided conversation.</p>\r\n<p class=\"article-tips remember\">Be aware that there’s an art and a science to writing an effective survey: The way questions are worded can influence the answers you get, and you want to receive clear, candid responses. If you want help developing your survey, check with local colleges and universities for faculty members or graduate students who understand survey techniques and who may be willing to give you some guidance.</p>\r\nYou can also find survey subscription services and sample surveys on the web that give you ideas about wording questions. Three such services are <a href=\"http://www.surveymonkey.com/\">SurveyMonkey</a>, <a href=\"http://www.zoomerang.com/\">Zoomerang</a>, and <a href=\"http://www.surveygizmo.com/\">SurveyGizmo</a>. Each offers somewhat different features and pricing models. All of them will distribute your surveys by email and tally the results for you.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">At the <a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/go/nonprofitkitfd5e\">Nonprofit Kit page at Dummies.com</a>, you can find two sample surveys that may suggest wording for your survey questions.</p>","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":9524,"name":"Stan Hutton","slug":"stan-hutton","description":" <p><b>Dr. Beverly A. Browning</b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b>Stan Hutton</b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b>Frances N. Phillips</b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9524"}},{"authorId":11062,"name":"Frances N. Phillips","slug":"frances-n-phillips","description":" <p><b>Dr. Beverly A. Browning</b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b>Stan Hutton</b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b>Frances N. Phillips</b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/11062"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":34246,"title":"Nonprofits","slug":"nonprofits","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34246"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":[{"articleId":192609,"title":"How to Pray the Rosary: A Comprehensive Guide","slug":"how-to-pray-the-rosary","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","religion-spirituality","christianity","catholicism"],"_links":{"self":"/articles/192609"}},{"articleId":208741,"title":"Kabbalah For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"kabbalah-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","religion-spirituality","kabbalah"],"_links":{"self":"/articles/208741"}},{"articleId":230957,"title":"Nikon D3400 For Dummies Cheat 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Building a Facility for Your Nonprofit","slug":"need-know-building-facility-nonprofit","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234456"}},{"articleId":234453,"title":"Know Your Mission Before Entering the Nonprofit World","slug":"know-mission-entering-nonprofit-world","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234453"}},{"articleId":234450,"title":"Realizing the Benefits and Risks of Capital Campaigns for Your Nonprofit","slug":"realizing-benefits-risks-capital-campaigns-nonprofit","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234450"}},{"articleId":234443,"title":"Pre-Proposal Tasks for Your Nonprofit Grant Application","slug":"pre-proposal-tasks-nonprofit-grant-application","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234443"}}],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":234465,"title":"How to Organize and Interpret Survey Responses to Market Your Nonprofit","slug":"organize-interpret-survey-responses-market-nonprofit","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234465"}},{"articleId":234456,"title":"What You Need to Know about Building a Facility for Your Nonprofit","slug":"need-know-building-facility-nonprofit","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234456"}},{"articleId":234453,"title":"Know Your Mission Before Entering the Nonprofit World","slug":"know-mission-entering-nonprofit-world","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234453"}},{"articleId":234450,"title":"Realizing the Benefits and Risks of Capital Campaigns for Your Nonprofit","slug":"realizing-benefits-risks-capital-campaigns-nonprofit","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234450"}},{"articleId":234443,"title":"Pre-Proposal Tasks for Your Nonprofit Grant Application","slug":"pre-proposal-tasks-nonprofit-grant-application","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234443"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":282423,"slug":"nonprofit-kit-for-dummies","isbn":"9781119835721","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119835720/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1119835720/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1119835720-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1119835720/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1119835720/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/nonprofit-kit-for-dummies-6th-edition-cover-9781119835721-203x255.jpg","width":203,"height":255},"title":"Nonprofit Kit For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":true,"authorsInfo":"<p><p><b>Dr. <b data-author-id=\"9440\">Beverly A. Browning</b></b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b>Stan Hutton</b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b>Frances N. Phillips</b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University. <p><b>Dr. Beverly A. Browning</b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b><b data-author-id=\"9524\">Stan Hutton</b></b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b>Frances N. Phillips</b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University. <p><b>Dr. Beverly A. Browning</b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b>Stan Hutton</b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b><b data-author-id=\"11062\">Frances N. Phillips</b></b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University.</p>","authors":[{"authorId":9440,"name":"Beverly A. Browning","slug":"beverly-a-browning","description":" <p><b>Dr. Beverly A. Browning</b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b>Stan Hutton</b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b>Frances N. Phillips</b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9440"}},{"authorId":9524,"name":"Stan Hutton","slug":"stan-hutton","description":" <p><b>Dr. Beverly A. Browning</b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b>Stan Hutton</b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b>Frances N. Phillips</b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9524"}},{"authorId":11062,"name":"Frances N. Phillips","slug":"frances-n-phillips","description":" <p><b>Dr. Beverly A. Browning</b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b>Stan Hutton</b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b>Frances N. Phillips</b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/11062"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;business-careers-money&quot;,&quot;business&quot;,&quot;nonprofits&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119835721&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-63221abdf185a\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;business-careers-money&quot;,&quot;business&quot;,&quot;nonprofits&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119835721&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-63221abdf1e76\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Articles","articleList":null,"content":null,"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"sponsorAd":"","sponsorEbookTitle":"","sponsorEbookLink":"","sponsorEbookImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Advance","lifeExpectancy":null,"lifeExpectancySetFrom":null,"dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":234462},{"headers":{"creationTime":"2017-02-22T17:14:27+00:00","modifiedTime":"2017-02-22T17:14:27+00:00","timestamp":"2022-09-14T18:17:33+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Business, Careers, & Money","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34224"},"slug":"business-careers-money","categoryId":34224},{"name":"Business","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34225"},"slug":"business","categoryId":34225},{"name":"Nonprofits","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34246"},"slug":"nonprofits","categoryId":34246}],"title":"What You Need to Know about Building a Facility for Your Nonprofit","strippedTitle":"what you need to know about building a facility for your nonprofit","slug":"need-know-building-facility-nonprofit","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"What if no existing building suits your nonprofit organization’s needs? You may be in for a major effort to substantially renovate a space or construct a new bu","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"What if no existing building suits your nonprofit organization’s needs? You may be in for a major effort to substantially renovate a space or construct a new building. If you’re one of these brave and hardy types, here is some information you might need before you jump into the project.\r\n\r\nEven a small organization with the right board and campaign leadership can manage a successful capital campaign if its expectations are reasonable. So can organizations whose projects are happening at the right place and at the right time — such as those organizations based in community redevelopment areas or low-interest bank loans for community development.\r\n\r\nTo determine whether your organization can manage a capital campaign, you need to plan (no surprise, right?). Your facility plan should ask hard questions, including the following:\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>What will the project cost?</li>\r\n\t<li>Are your board members in a position to contribute to a capital campaign above and beyond their usual annual gifts to your organization?</li>\r\n\t<li>Do public or foundation resources in your region support capital projects? Are they likely contributors?</li>\r\n\t<li>Do you have staff knowledge and time to contribute to this effort?</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nHaving examined these preliminary questions, organizations that are considering capital campaigns often go through a planning step called a <em>feasibility study</em> — research most often led by a consultant who interviews people who support the organization and other generous donors in their communities whose grants and gifts are essential to its success.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips remember\">As with other types of planning, you’re gathering information from key stakeholders, but you’re focusing your attention on those who may become contributors. Through these interviews, the consultant estimates how much the organization is likely to raise with a capital campaign.</p>","description":"What if no existing building suits your nonprofit organization’s needs? You may be in for a major effort to substantially renovate a space or construct a new building. If you’re one of these brave and hardy types, here is some information you might need before you jump into the project.\r\n\r\nEven a small organization with the right board and campaign leadership can manage a successful capital campaign if its expectations are reasonable. So can organizations whose projects are happening at the right place and at the right time — such as those organizations based in community redevelopment areas or low-interest bank loans for community development.\r\n\r\nTo determine whether your organization can manage a capital campaign, you need to plan (no surprise, right?). Your facility plan should ask hard questions, including the following:\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>What will the project cost?</li>\r\n\t<li>Are your board members in a position to contribute to a capital campaign above and beyond their usual annual gifts to your organization?</li>\r\n\t<li>Do public or foundation resources in your region support capital projects? Are they likely contributors?</li>\r\n\t<li>Do you have staff knowledge and time to contribute to this effort?</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nHaving examined these preliminary questions, organizations that are considering capital campaigns often go through a planning step called a <em>feasibility study</em> — research most often led by a consultant who interviews people who support the organization and other generous donors in their communities whose grants and gifts are essential to its success.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips remember\">As with other types of planning, you’re gathering information from key stakeholders, but you’re focusing your attention on those who may become contributors. Through these interviews, the consultant estimates how much the organization is likely to raise with a capital campaign.</p>","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":9524,"name":"Stan Hutton","slug":"stan-hutton","description":" <p><b>Dr. Beverly A. Browning</b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b>Stan Hutton</b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b>Frances N. Phillips</b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9524"}},{"authorId":11062,"name":"Frances N. Phillips","slug":"frances-n-phillips","description":" <p><b>Dr. Beverly A. Browning</b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b>Stan Hutton</b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b>Frances N. Phillips</b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/11062"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":34246,"title":"Nonprofits","slug":"nonprofits","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34246"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":[{"articleId":192609,"title":"How to Pray the Rosary: A Comprehensive Guide","slug":"how-to-pray-the-rosary","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","religion-spirituality","christianity","catholicism"],"_links":{"self":"/articles/192609"}},{"articleId":208741,"title":"Kabbalah For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"kabbalah-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","religion-spirituality","kabbalah"],"_links":{"self":"/articles/208741"}},{"articleId":230957,"title":"Nikon D3400 For Dummies Cheat 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Important Marketing Information for Your Nonprofit","slug":"survey-constituents-gain-important-marketing-information-nonprofit","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234462"}},{"articleId":234453,"title":"Know Your Mission Before Entering the Nonprofit World","slug":"know-mission-entering-nonprofit-world","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234453"}},{"articleId":234450,"title":"Realizing the Benefits and Risks of Capital Campaigns for Your Nonprofit","slug":"realizing-benefits-risks-capital-campaigns-nonprofit","categoryList":["business-careers-money","business","nonprofits"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/234450"}},{"articleId":234443,"title":"Pre-Proposal Tasks for Your Nonprofit Grant 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Kit For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":true,"authorsInfo":"<p><p><b>Dr. <b data-author-id=\"9440\">Beverly A. Browning</b></b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b>Stan Hutton</b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b>Frances N. Phillips</b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University. <p><b>Dr. Beverly A. Browning</b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b><b data-author-id=\"9524\">Stan Hutton</b></b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b>Frances N. Phillips</b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University. <p><b>Dr. Beverly A. Browning</b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b>Stan Hutton</b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b><b data-author-id=\"11062\">Frances N. Phillips</b></b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University.</p>","authors":[{"authorId":9440,"name":"Beverly A. Browning","slug":"beverly-a-browning","description":" <p><b>Dr. Beverly A. Browning</b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b>Stan Hutton</b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b>Frances N. Phillips</b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9440"}},{"authorId":9524,"name":"Stan Hutton","slug":"stan-hutton","description":" <p><b>Dr. Beverly A. Browning</b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b>Stan Hutton</b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b>Frances N. Phillips</b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9524"}},{"authorId":11062,"name":"Frances N. Phillips","slug":"frances-n-phillips","description":" <p><b>Dr. Beverly A. Browning</b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b>Stan Hutton</b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b>Frances N. Phillips</b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University. 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The overall goal or purpose of a nonprofit is known as its <em>mission.</em> Taking the time needed to clearly outline a nonprofit’s mission is time well spent because the mission guides the activities of the organization, helps the nonprofit’s directors decide how to allocate resources wisely, and serves as a measure for evaluating the accomplishments of the group.\r\n\r\nIt’s also important to examine your personal mission before launching a nonprofit. You’re creating a legal entity that has responsibilities for reporting to both the state and federal governments. If the organization grows to the point where you must hire employees, you’re responsible for paying regular salaries and providing adequate benefits. And although you can be compensated for your work as a nonprofit staff member, you can’t develop equity in the organization or take away any profits at the end of the year.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >Setting up a nonprofit</h2>\r\nNearly all nonprofit organizations are established as corporations under the laws of a particular state. If you’re located in Iowa and you plan to do most of your work in that state, you follow the laws in Iowa to set up the basic legal structure of a nonprofit corporation. Although you’ll find some differences from state to state, in general, the process requires writing and submitting articles of incorporation to the state and developing <em>bylaws,</em> the rules under which the corporation will operate.\r\n\r\nAfter your nonprofit is established under your state laws, the next step is applying for 501(c)(3) status from the IRS. This step requires completing and submitting IRS Form 1023 or Form 1023-EZ. If you submit Form 1023, you will need to specify in some detail the proposed activities of the new organization, and you’re asked for projected revenue and expenses for the year in which you apply and two years into the future.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">You can’t complete this form in one afternoon. It requires substantial time and thought to develop the necessary material and should be reviewed by an accountant and legal representative before filing.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >Making plans and being flexible</h2>\r\nAfter you start managing a nonprofit organization, you’ll discover that planning is your best friend. Every task from budgeting to grant writing requires that you make plans for the future. And you need to do a substantial amount of planning before you’re ready to send in your IRS application for tax exemption.\r\n\r\nDon’t be frightened by this recommendation to plan. The act of planning fundamentally comes down to thinking through what you’re going to do as well as how and when you’re going to do it. Your plan becomes the map that guides you toward achieving your goals and your nonprofit mission. Planning is something that you should pay attention to every day.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips remember\">You should always begin with a plan, but that doesn’t mean that plans shouldn’t be altered when the situation calls for it. Circumstances change; flexibility and adaptability are good traits to nurture if you’re running a nonprofit organization.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 id=\"tab3\" >The nonprofit world is bigger than a breadbox</h2>\r\nThe nonprofit sector is larger than many people realize. Here are some figures from the National Center for Charitable Statistics, based on IRS data, and the Independent Sector, regarding 501(c)(3) public charities in the United States:\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Nearly 1.2 million organizations were registered as public charities with the IRS in 2015.</li>\r\n\t<li>Assets held by these groups in 2013 totaled more than $3 trillion.</li>\r\n\t<li>The number of public charities increased by nearly 23 percent between 2008 and 2015.</li>\r\n\t<li>Nearly 30 percent of public charities that reported to the IRS in 2012 had annual expenses of less than $100,000.</li>\r\n</ul>","description":"People form nonprofit organizations in order to work toward changing some condition in the world, either for a specific group of people or for society in general. The overall goal or purpose of a nonprofit is known as its <em>mission.</em> Taking the time needed to clearly outline a nonprofit’s mission is time well spent because the mission guides the activities of the organization, helps the nonprofit’s directors decide how to allocate resources wisely, and serves as a measure for evaluating the accomplishments of the group.\r\n\r\nIt’s also important to examine your personal mission before launching a nonprofit. You’re creating a legal entity that has responsibilities for reporting to both the state and federal governments. If the organization grows to the point where you must hire employees, you’re responsible for paying regular salaries and providing adequate benefits. And although you can be compensated for your work as a nonprofit staff member, you can’t develop equity in the organization or take away any profits at the end of the year.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >Setting up a nonprofit</h2>\r\nNearly all nonprofit organizations are established as corporations under the laws of a particular state. If you’re located in Iowa and you plan to do most of your work in that state, you follow the laws in Iowa to set up the basic legal structure of a nonprofit corporation. Although you’ll find some differences from state to state, in general, the process requires writing and submitting articles of incorporation to the state and developing <em>bylaws,</em> the rules under which the corporation will operate.\r\n\r\nAfter your nonprofit is established under your state laws, the next step is applying for 501(c)(3) status from the IRS. This step requires completing and submitting IRS Form 1023 or Form 1023-EZ. If you submit Form 1023, you will need to specify in some detail the proposed activities of the new organization, and you’re asked for projected revenue and expenses for the year in which you apply and two years into the future.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">You can’t complete this form in one afternoon. It requires substantial time and thought to develop the necessary material and should be reviewed by an accountant and legal representative before filing.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >Making plans and being flexible</h2>\r\nAfter you start managing a nonprofit organization, you’ll discover that planning is your best friend. Every task from budgeting to grant writing requires that you make plans for the future. And you need to do a substantial amount of planning before you’re ready to send in your IRS application for tax exemption.\r\n\r\nDon’t be frightened by this recommendation to plan. The act of planning fundamentally comes down to thinking through what you’re going to do as well as how and when you’re going to do it. Your plan becomes the map that guides you toward achieving your goals and your nonprofit mission. Planning is something that you should pay attention to every day.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips remember\">You should always begin with a plan, but that doesn’t mean that plans shouldn’t be altered when the situation calls for it. Circumstances change; flexibility and adaptability are good traits to nurture if you’re running a nonprofit organization.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 id=\"tab3\" >The nonprofit world is bigger than a breadbox</h2>\r\nThe nonprofit sector is larger than many people realize. Here are some figures from the National Center for Charitable Statistics, based on IRS data, and the Independent Sector, regarding 501(c)(3) public charities in the United States:\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Nearly 1.2 million organizations were registered as public charities with the IRS in 2015.</li>\r\n\t<li>Assets held by these groups in 2013 totaled more than $3 trillion.</li>\r\n\t<li>The number of public charities increased by nearly 23 percent between 2008 and 2015.</li>\r\n\t<li>Nearly 30 percent of public charities that reported to the IRS in 2012 had annual expenses of less than $100,000.</li>\r\n</ul>","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":9524,"name":"Stan Hutton","slug":"stan-hutton","description":" <p><b>Dr. Beverly A. Browning</b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b>Stan Hutton</b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b>Frances N. Phillips</b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9524"}},{"authorId":11062,"name":"Frances N. Phillips","slug":"frances-n-phillips","description":" <p><b>Dr. Beverly A. Browning</b> is the author of 43 grant-related publications and six editions of <i>Grant Writing For Dummies.</i> She has raised over &#36;750 million in awards for her clients.</p> <p><b>Stan Hutton</b> is Program Consultant for the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. <p><b>Frances N. Phillips</b> teaches grant writing at San Francisco State University. 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Nonprofits Articles

Journey through the magical, mission-driven land of grant writing, hosting events, holding board meetings, extending your reach, and surviving tax time.

Articles From Nonprofits

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Nonprofits Nonprofit Management All-in-One For Dummies Cheat Sheet

Cheat Sheet / Updated 05-05-2023

Creating and operating a nonprofit organization can be a gratifying and worthwhile endeavor. Success depends on developing a good idea that meets a real need, testing that idea, planning (and then planning some more), and inspiring others. Though the work is demanding, it’s also deeply rewarding. Here, we include helpful information to help you raise money when you’re just starting out and apply for e-grants.

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Nonprofits How to Obtain Your Nonprofit Employer Identification Number

Article / Updated 07-29-2022

The first thing to do for your nonprofit after you complete your incorporation is to apply to the IRS for an Employer Identification Number, or EIN. Even if you don't plan to hire employees anytime soon, you need this number for your application for tax exemption and for all your state and federal reports. The EIN will be attached to your nonprofit forever. Getting an EIN is easy and free. All you have to do is submit IRS Form SS-4. You can either download and print the form from the IRS website or complete the online application. You can even apply by telephone. As IRS forms go, this one is simple and straightforward and only one page long. If you apply by phone or complete the online application, download Form SS-4 beforehand to get an idea of the questions you'll have to answer. Choose only one method to apply for your EIN. Don't send in IRS Form SS-4 and apply by telephone. You may end up with two EINs, a confusing situation for everyone. The name of the applicant isn't your name; it's the name of your new organization. As with the incorporation papers, you need to identify an individual as the principal officer and include that person's Social Security number on the form. Here are some of the other items you need to fill out, line by line: Line 9: If your organization is a church or church-controlled organization, check that box in section 9a. If it's not, check the "Other Nonprofit Organization" box. Specify what sort of nonprofit organization you are. In most cases, "charitable" is sufficient. In section 9b, fill in the state where your organization is incorporated. Line 10: Most likely, your reason for applying for an EIN in line 10 is "started a new business." Line 11: In line 11, the date on your incorporation papers is the date the business was started. Line 12: This line asks for the closing month of your organization's accounting (fiscal) year. Lines 13 and 14: These lines relate to the number of employees you intend to hire and your expected payroll tax liabilities over the coming 12 months. You can enter "0" and "No" if your organization doesn't plan to hire staff in the year ahead. If you do intend to hire people for whom you'll have to pay payroll taxes, you need to check IRS withholding tables and estimate the amount of payroll taxes that will be due to the IRS. Line 16: This line asks you to check the box that describes your organization's principal activity. You can check "Other" here, but try to be a little more specific when describing your activities in the blank space. You may say "Charitable — Arts," for example. The IRS estimates that you'll receive your EIN in four to five weeks if you apply by mail. You'll receive your EIN immediately if you submit the online application. If you want to apply for an EIN by telephone, the person named as the principal officer on the SS-4 Form must call the IRS Business and Specialty Tax Line at (800) 829-4933. Be sure that you've completed the SS-4 Form before you make the call. An IRS worker takes your information over the phone and assigns an EIN to your organization. You must fax or mail the form to the appropriate IRS office within 24 hours of making the call.

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Nonprofits Grant Writing For Dummies Cheat Sheet

Cheat Sheet / Updated 02-07-2022

Building your grant seeking and grant writing skills is the best way to secure funding for your organization. The keys to finding grant funding opportunities and writing award-winning grant proposals are knowing where to find opportunities and understanding what funders want to read. In terms of your professional development as a grant writer, it also helps to know how to document your productivity and impact. This Cheat Sheet provides the critical aspects of grant writing for quick reference.

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Nonprofits 10 Tips for Raising Money from Your Website

Article / Updated 10-20-2021

Although online donations still represent a modest percentage (13 percent as of 2020) of total giving to nonprofit organizations, that percentage is growing, and your nonprofit's website is an important fundraising tool. People give online because it's fast and convenient. Websites are particularly strong at reaching donors who know your organization well, trust it, and like the convenience of giving online. They can also attract donors who contribute on impulse. Charities that respond to emergencies have succeeded at raising money online when a disaster strikes. How can you make your website do its fundraising job well? Here are ten tips: Evaluate your website's content If potential donors are meeting your organization for the first time through its website, you want them to quickly understand the essence of who you are and what you do. Ask yourself, what do they see when they arrive on your home page? Your purpose and mission should be clearly and succinctly stated. Don't use your full mission statement: instead, present your purpose in a phrase or short sentence. Pay attention to your website's look Don't present a cluttered layout or dense text. Remember that it's a visual medium. (You can search online to see examples of the previous year's best nonprofit websites for some great models.) Invite your website's users to get involved Include sections labeled, "What You Can Do," "Join Us," or "Make Change." In all online fundraising, using the word "you" is the most powerful way to get your readers' attention. When you have that attention, give that reader some choices. Making a donation should be a clear and prominent option, but it shouldn't be the only way for someone to help you. Show the outcomes Online donors want to know about results. They want to know your work is effective and that their contribution makes a concrete difference. You can show them the stack of school supplies their $50 gift could buy for refugee children or the well you could dig in a drought-parched part of the world for just $300. Keep it simple Make it, oh, so easy to find your "donate" option and follow the steps to make an online donation. Services such as Just Giving and Network for Good can help you collect and acknowledge your online donations. Be honest and clear about how you're spending your donors' money Earn their trust with your candor. And always provide an easy-to-use "contact us" feature so they can submit questions and comments. Ask directly Be clear about what actions you want your web visitors to take. Don't be shy about requesting donations and calling on them to take action. Use keywords to describe the work you do You want to make those words prominent in your headings and introductory copy. Remember that your online readers will include people who have come across you by searching online for information about the subject of your work, as well as those who are looking for your nonprofit by name. You want to be certain that those people "searching by subject" will find you. Experiment with investing in search engine marketing Google Grants and its paid-search service AdWords is a good place to begin. Pay attention to what people are saying about your organization Set up Google alerts to see when and how your organization is mentioned in blogs, the media, and other online contexts (and participate in the conversation whenever possible). Also, check to see how your organization is ranked on nonprofit rating websites such as Charity Navigator and BBB Wise Giving Alliance, and how your clients and volunteers rate you on Yelp.com or GreatNonprofits.org.

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Nonprofits Nonprofit Kit For Dummies Cheat Sheet

Cheat Sheet / Updated 09-23-2021

Creating and running a nonprofit organization can be a gratifying and worthwhile endeavor. Success depends on developing a good idea that meets a real need, testing that idea, planning (and planning some more), and inspiring others. Though the work is demanding, it’s also deeply rewarding.

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Nonprofits 10 Ways to Continue Building Your Grant-Writing Skills

Article / Updated 04-27-2017

You can always improve at grant writing Here, you find ten great tips on how to continue building your grant-writing skills. All the advice here comes from the school of hard rocks and hard knocks. Take on new challenges How many times have you looked at a grant application and said to yourself, “No way. I can’t do this! It’s too difficult! There are way too many pages of instructions to read! Goodness, the grant-making agency wants 50 pages of single-spaced narrative. The application is due in ten days!” And in your mind, the list grows. It’s important to take on new challenges. Say “yes” to something completely outside your comfort zone. You’ll be surprised at what you’ll learn and how much more confident you’ll feel. The sky is your only limit! Become a grant research specialist If you don’t want to work on your writing skillsets yet, consider working on being the best-ever grant researcher. You can work on researching undiscovered grant-funding opportunities and presenting them to your supervisor, employer, or client, or you can focus on researching demographics and best practices for grant application topics. New reports or studies are published online every day. Do you have the most up-to-date set of information? When will you need it and can you store it in electronic folders for future use? Work ahead, be prepared, and write like the wind when you find new grant programs and updated research information. Everyone in your work setting will look to you as the grant research specialist. Volunteer your services If you’re a member of a nonprofit board of directors or of its “friends of” group (volunteers who raise funding through special events), consider volunteering your services as a grant writer for one or more projects. If you have a full-time day job, you can do your volunteer work in the evenings or on the weekends. Cast your net wide and start giving back to the community where you live. Become a peer reviewer Open your web browser, go to your favorite search engine (like Google), and type call for peer reviewers. Scroll through the findings and look for state and federal grant-making agencies that have published calls for grant application peer reviewers. You’ll gain so much more experience and knowledge about what it takes to win a government grant award. Do copyediting for other grant writers You can learn a lot by reading grant applications written by other grant writers and editing their content. Copyediting entails reading the formatting and content guidelines published by the funder and then reading the completed grant application narrative to see if the grant writer’s work is in compliance. You’ll learn formatting and graphic techniques, pick up new research websites for your own growing list, and contribute to your employer’s or the grant writer’s client’s success. This is a great way to build your own skillsets and become a successful grant writer. Work with an experienced grant writer One of the most mind-opening experiences is to ask another grant writer if you can help her with her overage work. Maybe you only work with government grant-writing projects or exclusively write corporate grants. Working with another writer may open the doors to other types of grant writing which can help you improve and broaden your own grant-writing skills. Attend national professional development training Find a conference with workshops of interest to you, register, attend, and take copious notes. If you’re working in an environment where you’re a grant writer and you also manage the funded grant awards, your list of potential conferences just doubled. Check out these national conference possibilities and see what looks interesting to you: Grant Professionals Association Annual Conference American Grant Writer’s Association Annual Conference National Grants Management Association Annual Grants Training Review successful grant applications online Search the Internet for previously funded grant applications that have been posted online by the grantee (the organization that received the grant award). Look at a mixture of grant applications that were funded by the federal government, foundations, and corporations. Rarely will you find a high volume of grant applications funded by state agencies posted online. Write and publish articles that require extensive research When you decide to become an author of articles that will be read by the public, you might panic first and then hunker down and start to research your topic before you begin the writing process. Whom can you write articles for? Your own blog (if you don’t have a blog yet, try Blogger, Squarespace, or WordPress) or for other publications and companies that continually update their websites with contributions from guest writers. Continue your formal education While resources like our Grant Writing Cheat Sheet are great sources of education, it is important for you to continue to formally educate yourself. Across the country and around the world, there are lots of community colleges and universities that offer degrees in nonprofit management. If you search the Internet for examples, you will likely find the following (not naming the institution, just the degree program): Masters in Grant Writing, Management, and Evaluation Grant Writing Certificate Program LearningPath.org has a list of possibilities for master’s and doctoral degrees in grant writing.

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Nonprofits How to Organize and Interpret Survey Responses to Market Your Nonprofit

Article / Updated 02-22-2017

After you have survey results, you will need to utilize the responses to help you better market your nonprofit. You can compile the responses by hand or use a spreadsheet program such as Microsoft Excel or Google Spreadsheet to tally responses. Of course, if you’ve used an online surveying service, it will compile the answers for you. If your survey responders identify themselves and you want to keep track of information and opinions they share to inform your fundraising or volunteer-recruitment staff, you want to incorporate their information into the database you’re developing of your supporters. Check Idealware for recent reviews of Constituent Relationship Management software options. Such programs allow you to record every point of connection — from workshop attendance to dance contestant to donor — you may have with an individual. If you don’t want to go that route, Microsoft Access and Filemaker Pro are commonly used tools that can be adapted to your needs. You may discover that you serve several distinct groups of people. For example, low-income students may use the library after school and visit your exhibits while they’re there. Middle-income mothers from the immediate neighborhood may bring their toddlers to the library for afternoon story time and take advantage of your programs. And wealthy older adults may volunteer as docents, serve on your board, and attend your organization’s panel discussions. With this valuable information, you may be able to recognize ways to reach more people who resemble the ones you’re already serving. The more challenging task is to reach and entice new groups of people. Do people you don’t know gather at your organization’s programs? Sponsor free drawings in which contestants compete for prizes by filling out forms with their names, email addresses, and phone numbers. An advantage of designing a survey online is that you can make it engaging by using the techniques of branching or piping. In such a survey, someone’s answer to one question alters the next question she’s asked. For example, if you were to say that you preferred ice cream to pie for dessert, you would next be asked if you preferred chocolate, vanilla, or spumoni. If you discover that your target audience likes your program offerings but finds the times you offer them inconvenient, do you want to experiment with new times and formats? For instance, do people find Sunday afternoons (when the library is closed) to be more convenient? What other barriers inhibit their involvement? Maybe mothers with toddlers want to come to your lectures but need childcare. Perhaps you charge a modest admission fee for lectures but students find that charge to be too high. One of your most difficult marketing tasks is analyzing the very basis of what you do and how you do it. You may feel that your historical society’s close working relationship with libraries is its greatest asset, but the surveys may point out that those libraries are cold and musty during winter months. You may do better by taking over a neighborhood restaurant and creating a “warmer” atmosphere — even offering hot gingerbread and cider.

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Nonprofits Survey Your Constituents to Gain Important Marketing Information for Your Nonprofit

Article / Updated 02-22-2017

You may never discover who reads about your nonprofit organization in the newspaper or sees your sign every day on the bus, but some people — those with whom you directly communicate — can be identified. Start by defining your core group — your most important constituents — and work out from there. Suppose that your organization is a small historical society that organizes exhibits and panel discussions at three libraries in your town, publishes a quarterly newsletter, and maintains a website featuring news and information about its collection. Your current constituents (or stakeholders, if you want to use a common nonprofit term), working from the core to the outer boundaries, include the following: Your board and staff (and their friends and relations) Your docents and volunteers Families and organizations that donate materials to your collection Local library staff and board members People attending your panel discussions Schools and other groups visiting your exhibits Scholars and other archivists writing to ask about your holdings Patrons of the three libraries Subscribers to your quarterly newsletter People visiting your organization’s website Drawing up this list of interested people is easy enough. But for marketing purposes, you need to know as much as possible about the characteristics, backgrounds, and interests of each group. Some things you can do to collect this sort of information include Creating a database of your supporters by gathering names and addresses from every possible source within your organization — items like checks from donors, subscription forms from online newsletter subscribers, sign-up sheets from volunteers, and email messages sent to the “contact us” address on your website. Enter these names and addresses in a database that can sort them by last name, type of contact, and date of entry; if you’re planning to send traditional mail to them, sort them by zip code. Articles at Idealware can help you choose a database software program. Review the zip codes appearing most frequently on your list. If you’re in the United States, you can visit the U.S. Census Bureau website and get demographic information about residents in those zip code areas. Asking a few standard questions of schools or other groups when they call to sign up for a tour. Don’t engage in a lengthy interview, but find out how they heard about your program, why they want to visit it, and whether they have other needs you may be able to address. You can gather similar information when collecting registrations online. Inserting brief, clearly worded and inviting surveys in the programs at your public events. At the beginning and end of an event, make a public pitch explaining why it’s so important for people to respond to the surveys. Make pencils or pens available. Create incentives for completing the form, such as a free museum membership for a person whose survey is drawn at random. Make it easy for visitors to your website to subscribe to announcements or services, and send a brief survey to them by email. The higher your response rate, the more accurate and useful the survey information will be. Your surveying may be quantitative (measuring the degree to which people do something or believe something) or qualitative (going deeper into understanding their beliefs and behaviors). Generally quantitative surveys are distributed and collected — either as paper documents or online — and qualitative surveys are presented by an interviewer in a guided conversation. Be aware that there’s an art and a science to writing an effective survey: The way questions are worded can influence the answers you get, and you want to receive clear, candid responses. If you want help developing your survey, check with local colleges and universities for faculty members or graduate students who understand survey techniques and who may be willing to give you some guidance. You can also find survey subscription services and sample surveys on the web that give you ideas about wording questions. Three such services are SurveyMonkey, Zoomerang, and SurveyGizmo. Each offers somewhat different features and pricing models. All of them will distribute your surveys by email and tally the results for you. At the Nonprofit Kit page at Dummies.com, you can find two sample surveys that may suggest wording for your survey questions.

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Nonprofits What You Need to Know about Building a Facility for Your Nonprofit

Article / Updated 02-22-2017

What if no existing building suits your nonprofit organization’s needs? You may be in for a major effort to substantially renovate a space or construct a new building. If you’re one of these brave and hardy types, here is some information you might need before you jump into the project. Even a small organization with the right board and campaign leadership can manage a successful capital campaign if its expectations are reasonable. So can organizations whose projects are happening at the right place and at the right time — such as those organizations based in community redevelopment areas or low-interest bank loans for community development. To determine whether your organization can manage a capital campaign, you need to plan (no surprise, right?). Your facility plan should ask hard questions, including the following: What will the project cost? Are your board members in a position to contribute to a capital campaign above and beyond their usual annual gifts to your organization? Do public or foundation resources in your region support capital projects? Are they likely contributors? Do you have staff knowledge and time to contribute to this effort? Having examined these preliminary questions, organizations that are considering capital campaigns often go through a planning step called a feasibility study — research most often led by a consultant who interviews people who support the organization and other generous donors in their communities whose grants and gifts are essential to its success. As with other types of planning, you’re gathering information from key stakeholders, but you’re focusing your attention on those who may become contributors. Through these interviews, the consultant estimates how much the organization is likely to raise with a capital campaign.

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Nonprofits Know Your Mission Before Entering the Nonprofit World

Article / Updated 02-22-2017

People form nonprofit organizations in order to work toward changing some condition in the world, either for a specific group of people or for society in general. The overall goal or purpose of a nonprofit is known as its mission. Taking the time needed to clearly outline a nonprofit’s mission is time well spent because the mission guides the activities of the organization, helps the nonprofit’s directors decide how to allocate resources wisely, and serves as a measure for evaluating the accomplishments of the group. It’s also important to examine your personal mission before launching a nonprofit. You’re creating a legal entity that has responsibilities for reporting to both the state and federal governments. If the organization grows to the point where you must hire employees, you’re responsible for paying regular salaries and providing adequate benefits. And although you can be compensated for your work as a nonprofit staff member, you can’t develop equity in the organization or take away any profits at the end of the year. Setting up a nonprofit Nearly all nonprofit organizations are established as corporations under the laws of a particular state. If you’re located in Iowa and you plan to do most of your work in that state, you follow the laws in Iowa to set up the basic legal structure of a nonprofit corporation. Although you’ll find some differences from state to state, in general, the process requires writing and submitting articles of incorporation to the state and developing bylaws, the rules under which the corporation will operate. After your nonprofit is established under your state laws, the next step is applying for 501(c)(3) status from the IRS. This step requires completing and submitting IRS Form 1023 or Form 1023-EZ. If you submit Form 1023, you will need to specify in some detail the proposed activities of the new organization, and you’re asked for projected revenue and expenses for the year in which you apply and two years into the future. You can’t complete this form in one afternoon. It requires substantial time and thought to develop the necessary material and should be reviewed by an accountant and legal representative before filing. Making plans and being flexible After you start managing a nonprofit organization, you’ll discover that planning is your best friend. Every task from budgeting to grant writing requires that you make plans for the future. And you need to do a substantial amount of planning before you’re ready to send in your IRS application for tax exemption. Don’t be frightened by this recommendation to plan. The act of planning fundamentally comes down to thinking through what you’re going to do as well as how and when you’re going to do it. Your plan becomes the map that guides you toward achieving your goals and your nonprofit mission. Planning is something that you should pay attention to every day. You should always begin with a plan, but that doesn’t mean that plans shouldn’t be altered when the situation calls for it. Circumstances change; flexibility and adaptability are good traits to nurture if you’re running a nonprofit organization. The nonprofit world is bigger than a breadbox The nonprofit sector is larger than many people realize. Here are some figures from the National Center for Charitable Statistics, based on IRS data, and the Independent Sector, regarding 501(c)(3) public charities in the United States: Nearly 1.2 million organizations were registered as public charities with the IRS in 2015. Assets held by these groups in 2013 totaled more than $3 trillion. The number of public charities increased by nearly 23 percent between 2008 and 2015. Nearly 30 percent of public charities that reported to the IRS in 2012 had annual expenses of less than $100,000.

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