1. Strategies for Fundraising and Corporate Partnerships
National Military Spouse Network Conference
October 17, 2016
Presenter: Renette Oklewicz

2. Key Ingredients for Successful Fundraising
Visionary Leadership
Effective Programs
Solid Organizational Capacity
Diverse Relationships

3. Building a Reputable Nonprofit
Highly-valued programs delivered by competent staff working to achieve defined outcomes
Led by an energetic, resourceful and engaging executive director
Supported by a diverse, involved and talented board
Well-managed organization and financial structure
Diverse funding strategy
Broad brand awareness
Strong community partnerships and relationships

4. Your Approach to Funding
Develop a balanced funding model
Majority of funding is derived from individuals
Seek out local and regional foundations and businesses
Research the funder’s priorities
Tailor your approach to each funder
Use relationships to open doors

5. Funding Sources
Foundations
Businesses
Individuals
Events

6. Foundations Build a relationship with the grant officer
Find an internal connection
Examine their grant portfolio
Be enthusiastic, make your case for meeting their goals
Ask them for guidance about seeking funding
Attend funder workshops
Follow proposal guidelines
Find programmatic synergy – be flexible
Follow-up – build a relationship

7. Government Funding Local, state and federal grant opportunities
Arduous proposal and demanding reporting process
Seek out partnerships with other nonprofits
Meet with government representatives
Talk with your fellow nonprofits
Hire a professional grant writer with expertise in crafting government proposals – can be very costly

8. Individual Donors
Individuals are the greatest source of sustainable funding reaching 72% of all donations
Engaging individual donors takes time, money and hard work
Board of directors
Staff
Volunteers
Build an individual donor fundraising goal and strategy
Consistently support your donors – build relationships
Benevon model

9. A Business Nonprofit Partnership is a Win-Win
If there’s a single mistake behind the majority of failed partnership attempts, it’s this. Too many non-profits approach companies with their cause in mind, rather than explaining how working together will help the corporation.

10. Approaching a Business
Understand their business drivers - position a partnership as a benefit rather than a burden
Strengthens goodwill in the community
Attracts customers
Supports employee pride, satisfaction and loyalty
Show the corporation how working together will increase their customer community engagement
Celebrate the corporation’s social impact earning customer loyalty, goodwill and sales
Design a role for leadership in your partnership efforts
Use metrics to justify the cost to the leadership

11. Business Partnership Ideas
Businesses are often looking for nonprofit partners to promote their brand and build their social responsibility reputation
What you can offer:
Build brand awareness: events, press conferences, website
Cause-related marketing
Employee volunteer opportunities
Program-related services
What they can offer in addition to funding:
Board members
Employee volunteers – web design, newsletters, HR, accounting, tech support
Matching gifts and/or Dollars for Doers
In-kind donations/drives

12. Event Fundraising More than just fundraising
Builds brand awareness through promotions
Offers opportunities to partner with businesses
Engages volunteers, board and supporters
Print and broadcast media coverage
Building your brand awareness is vital to a successful fundraising strategy
Take serious stock of your capacity to plan and execute an event, including raising sponsorships, selling tickets, etc.

13. Resources Foundations and government funding resources
Foundation Center, Washington DC
GrantWatch.com
(federal grants)
DC Office of Partnerships and Grants
Fairfax County Office of Public Private Partnerships
Maryland Nonprofits
Other nonprofits doing similar work