Five Ways This Nonprofit Found New Momentum
Energy, synergy, momentum – these are the goals of every team and organization. As a nonprofit with passion for your mission, getting into this zone is even sweeter because it enables you to expand your impact. Today I’m revealing five things my client, Change is Simple, embraced to accelerate their success. Co-founder Lauren Belmonte shares, “We have so much more productive traction now, and we’re excited to see what’s next!”
1) Engaging a pragmatic partner
Change is Simple (CiS) develops workshops and STEM curriculum that inspire children to achieve academic success and become mindful participants in creating a healthier and more sustainable future. When I first met CiS founders Patrick and Lauren Belmonte, their organization had numerous advisors and a lot of enthusiasm around them, but no objective, pragmatic partner who was helping them build a plan and execute on it. They recognized the importance of engaging an expert to help them bridge this gap.
2) Developing a roadmap
Through several scheduled sessions, I guided Lauren and Patrick through a strategic planning process. The deliverables included a completed plan, and detailed action plan with an implementation schedule, and a presentation to the board and key stakeholders to ensure engagement. Now a path towards their big vision is laid out in writing.
3) Fundraising with focus
“This wasn’t an area we were as effective in as we needed to be,” shares Lauren. “We were trying too many things and often not getting the return we needed to secure our organization and our growth.”
I worked with the CiS leadership team to define fundraising priorities, to set goals, and most importantly, to stay focused. Through a fundraising grid, each fundraising program was outlined with benchmarks and deliverables.
Our work together gave the Belmontes more confidence around fundraising. They also cite it having helped them achieve important benchmarks:
100% of their corporate partners renewed, and they began building relationships with two new and potentially significant contributors.
They exceeded the gross fundraising goal for their fall event by 25%. They also increased the event’s net revenue by 36% compared to the previous year.
4) Relationship-building
Fundraising relies on having the right people developing the right relationships. The Belmontes embraced my suggestion to mobilize their board members strategically around their fundraising efforts. This approach led to other positive outcomes. Two new board members joined them as a result of the outreach.
5) Embracing data
My strategic plan for CiS included measuring their success through data. An outcome of this recommendation was a longitudinal study, which is off to a great start: “The researchers began in May, and we have already gathered a lot of data,” shares Lauren. “They observed that students are engaged 100% of the time during our lessons, and our partner teachers are providing amazing feedback about the program and staff. We are very excited to have it all compiled at the end of this school year.”
The study researchers have also encouraged CiS to apply for National Science Foundation (NSF) funding, up to $500,000. They are familiar with NSF and the projects they have funded in the past, and they shared that Change is Simple is "doing so much more, and actually doing the work – it's not a plan or simply research. CiS is taking action and impacting students in a way that you don't see in the education field." CiS plans to frame the proposal around its training/professional development program for teachers, a program I recommended could ultimately become a revenue-driver for the organization.
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