Name: Molly Clayton
Number of years as a CEO or Executive: 6.5 years
Current Title: Executive Director, Texas Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy
Molly Clayton is responsible for advancing the mission of the Texas Campaign through leadership of strategic initiatives and efficient management of human and financial resources. Prior to this role, she served as the first Executive Director of the Texas Partnership for Out of School Time (TXPOST), a nonprofit statewide network dedicated to increasing the quality and availability of after-school and summer learning opportunities for Texas youth. Molly has also served as the Vice President of Statewide Initiatives…
So, you have new board members. You need to start them out right. Don’t make them take a year trying to figure it out on their own about your organization. You want to start them off with professionalism, enthusiasm, and ensure they have everything they need to get started off being an advocate for your organization’s mission.
To get this off on the right foot you need a new board member onboarding process. This process is critical in getting individuals up to speed. Unfortunately, most nonprofits underdeliver or don’t have a process in place at all.
Creating a good board…
I am a board member for a new nonprofit. I understand the complexities of fundraising during COVID.
There is a need for social distancing and a necessity in embracing virtual fundraisers. A successful virtual fundraiser involves technology that is simple to use for you and your participants.
I would like to share how we raised $5,000 in less than 30 days for our nonprofit using a restaurant partnership, Canva, and Facebook.
1. Partner with a locally owned restaurant with a strong reputation for good food and an awesome chef. You know the place where everyone wants to eat. It is…
Every nonprofit professional should know the fundraising cycle to include board members. Knowing the cycle reduces resistance by helping board members move past the idea that fundraising equals asking for money.
Knowing the 5 steps of the cycle will help your organization increase its fundraising capacity and strengthen its donor relationships.
Here is a breakdown of each step and some suggested best practices:
1. Identify: Who will you ask? You need to assemble a list much larger than the number of donors you really need. The best way to identify potential donors is to check your database. Hopefully, you have…
Over a year ago I wrote about free graphic design tools for nonprofits and that list had a whopping 3 on it (and one was actually a stock photo tool). Today, my world has grown! And you know I like free and graphic design. So, put those two together and I am on cloud 9.
These tools are excellent in helping you tell your nonprofit story. They can be used to help you enhance your website, post on social media, design your fundraising materials, and create an infographic.
With all tools, you must do your research and read the small…
Fundraising platforms provide nonprofits with a means to raise money online but not all are created equal. You must do your research and read the small print!
When evaluating each platform, analyze the features, fees, overall quality, online user reviews, and support services.
Below is a list of 12 free fundraising platforms available.
Provides events, peer-to-peer campaigns, and a CRM. The platform is free to the nonprofit. The donor covers the cost. Donors, ticket buyers, and purchasers are asked to provide a variable platform tip to BetterUnite — 5% of their contribution, capped at $20. …
Planned giving for many nonprofits seems complicated. Often time you don’t believe it is obtainable or you put off the process as something you will get around to. Sure, if someone leaves a gift in their will, you’ll take it, but many small nonprofits never quite get around to launching planned giving.
Setting up your first planned giving effort can be smooth and painless. For this initial phase forget the lawyers, accountants, legal documents, research… all the things that sound time-consuming and expensive.
The truth is planned giving programs come in various degrees of sophistication and scope. There are limitless…
How can board members be an event superhero? Regardless if the event is in-person or virtual here are 11 things they can do to ensure your next nonprofit event is a success:
1. Invite major donors and VIPs over the phone. Ensure your nonprofit ‘s biggest supporters know their presence would be missed at the upcoming event. Pick up the phone and extend a personalized invitation. Learn a little something about the donor. For example, if you’re holding an auction ask them what they would most likely bid on: (“We’re interested in offering some travel packages in our auction this…
Nonprofits are always continually fundraising and looking for prospective donors.
There are many different types of fundraising. Individual giving, corporations, foundations, grants are just a few. Usually, the type of fundraising is determined by what fits with your organization. However, a healthy organization does not have more than 20% of its budget come from one source.
The question becomes how to reach out to potential funders and attract attention to your nonprofit.
1. Know Your Target Audience
There is no such thing as a general audience. You must know your donor avatar. What motivates your donors to give, where do…
Sabrina Walker Hernandez
Certified Consultant, Coach, & Facilitator helping small nonprofit Staff & Board build relationships that convert into more donations.
