Areas of Practice
Development Planning
Non-development staff think the money just shows up. We know it doesn’t. Just like your mission planning takes hard work and effort to achieve your goals and outreach, inspiring donors and funders to give so you can work takes a plan and hard work. Plan for your success. It is hard, but not impossible.
Grants Planning and Writing
Writing a winning grant is an art, not a science. Most do not know that writing a grant application is typically not the first step. A successfully written grant is often about the fourth step. And then, you have to do the work and report back. Grant writing is never over. Let our minds help.
Legal and Business Operations Support
Your mission-driven nonprofit organization may occasionally need legal services and management of back-office operations, like all businesses. Often, nonprofits have more need for outside support because the focus and purpose of the nonprofit organization is to look outward and elsewhere. Toward that end, let MiNDS support your “back office” work. Our lawyer on staff - an expert from the corporate world whose long-held dream was to turn professionally toward nonprofit work – can work in-house with you to cover any legal needs that arise. Contracts review, real estate questions, employment law issues – you can have it all covered with our legal MiNDS. We can also serve as your outside operations lead, letting your leadership and team members focus on their wheelhouses – raising funding, and spreading your services to those most in need. If this resonates with you, please reach out for a free consultation.
Revenue v. Expense Assessment & Analysis
Often, development teams are not valued properly in nonprofit organizations. Program staff and Executive Directors know how important revenue is, but do not always prioritize the expenses necessary to fundraise. This includes staff dedicated to fundraising and development, the cost to host events, as well as the expense and time required to network, position your nonprofit with corporate and foundation leaders, write and mail out annual appeal letters, manage your marketing costs and generally be visible in the community. If these topics are difficult to explain to your board of directors or ED, MiNDS can help frame up a Development Plan that outlines annual revenue goals along with the associated expenses. It takes money to make money. There is no silver spoon or pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Development teams need to have staff and expense budgets in order to bring in the revenue required to support the entire organization. If your team does not understand this or is not focused on revenue, MiNDS can help.
Capital Campaigns, Annual Appeals
During your fiscal year, we recommend two appeals to your donor base, plus a thank you. Many nonprofits do not ask for support in a formal way. You need to ask and then thank. In writing, with a postage stamp. Donors want to know how they can help. We will show you how to help them help you in your mission and work.
Volunteer Management
Nonprofits often rely on volunteers to perform the work of the organization. Many nonprofits are entirely volunteer run and led. Tracking these hours and efforts, recruiting and onboarding new volunteers, ensuring that the volunteer feels fulfilled and is performing meaningful work are all very important to successfully integrating volunteers into your nonprofit mission work. If you find you need help ‘getting organized,’ measuring results, finding, and onboarding new volunteers, or creating reports for your board of directors, we can help.
Events
Holding events was difficult before COVID-19 turned us upside down. Hosting in-person events is important to reconnect with your donor and volunteer base. Planning is key to your success. What are your goals? Whether hosting a small, intimate gathering for prospective major donors, an awareness session for volunteers or the community, or you decide to host an annual gala event for 400, detailed planning and proper execution is a must. MiNDS staff have planned, led and executed many successful events. If you need help planning your event, we can help.
Marketing and Social Media
In addition to the day-to-day work of a development team, marketing and a social media presence is now also a requirement. Nonprofits must promote their good work so that donors, community members, volunteers, corporate sponsors, foundation funders can see that your team is actively engaged in its mission and doing good in the community. When someone “Googles” your nonprofit, what do they see? Your website, eblasts, and social media pages all must be inviting and demonstrate your successful mission. Tell your followers why investing in your organization is necessary and beneficial. Invite the community to participate in your mission work. Marketing and social media is where you will find your friends and funders.
CRM Assessment & Build
If you have been using excel and paper to track and maintain your development and fundraising information and are finally at your wits end, let MiNDS help. We have team members who have worked with all of the major CRMs designed for nonprofits. We have also worked with and designed tracking tools that are not CRMs. If you know what you are doing today is not working but you need help to sort out the best way forward, give us a call or send us an email.