Capacity Building Investments from Funders

Capacity Building investments from funders is a growing area of opportunity for your nonprofit. Building a sustainable and capable organization to deliver on your mission is the primary goal of every nonprofit. We often get inquires from nonprofit leaders about working with them to create strategy, plans, and to implement next level operations. In many […]
Strategic Planning Case Study: The United States Coast Guard Academy

Background: Strategic Planning for The US Coast Guard Academy, established in New London, CT in 1932. The USCGA provides instruction and advising to over 1,700 cadets annually in nine major areas of study. Its main source of revenue is federal funding through an annual DHS appropriations bill, followed by alumni giving and membership fees. The faculty […]
Thinking Back; Looking Forward

Last year we had a number of conversations with our community about strategy and operations, exploring questions such as “Are you afraid your funding efforts aren’t generating enough revenue?” “Can you rely on your board for support?” “What type of new leadership can elevate our mission?” What we uncovered in these conversations helped well over […]
Philanthropy AND Fundraising – HDG Speaking @ Nonprofit Learning Lab

Philanthropy is different from Fundraising. One is a required strategy if the other is going to succeed.
Trust is a Must

Of the 5 elements required to build a sustainable philanthropic community – people, shared purpose, shared experience, shared resources, and trust, TRUST is the lynchpin to how everything else evolves.
Philanthropy AND Fundraising – HDG Speaking @ Nonprofit Learning Lab

Philanthropy is different from Fundraising. One is a required strategy if the other is going to succeed.
Virtual Event Case Study: The National Organization of Italian American Women

Case Study: Virtual Event – Planning, Production, and Management Overview/Situation for Virtual Event: Transferring a beloved, high-end, luncheon gala to a virtual event came with many associated risks for The National Association of Italian American Women (NOIAW). Located in New York City, this national membership organization was founded in 1980 by Dr. Aileen Sirey and […]
Fundraising decreased 5.6% in many nonprofits … how about yours?

Data is telling us that Fundraising is HOT this year!
“The Fundraising Effectiveness Project (FEP)” has released its results for Q1 2021, and they show that the number of donors grew by a projected 10% from the first quarter of 2021 compared to the first quarter of 2020, while the retention of new donors grew by 13.6% over the same time period, “just two signs that fundraising continues to fare well overall.”
As a reference, you will recall that last year’s 1st Quarter results for 2020 showed a growth of over 7% in fundraising from Q1 2019, so that is TWO years of Q1 growth!
But wait…you say you aren’t seeing these results?
Fundraising Case Study: Capital Community College Foundation

We conducted a strategic assessment of the Foundation’s philanthropic opportunity by auditing and assessing the Foundation’s internal administration and governance of fund development and the attitude, perception and beliefs about the college and philanthropy with key stakeholders. With that knowledge in hand, we identified strategic opportunities to generate the revenue needed to meet their objectives, and delivered findings for review and discussion by the foundation board that identified and outlined strengths; areas of opportunity for both short term and long term results.
Capital Campaign Case Study: Goodspeed Musicals

Our work with the Goodspeed Musicals included the development of a campaign strategy and plan including donor identification, as well as office and board structure enhancements for capital campaign success. During our engagement, training was developed and delivered to board members to create strategies for donor engagement and outreach. We worked closely with Goodspeed’s leadership to create a marketing and communications strategy and collateral materials and created reporting mechanisms to track donor solicitations, pledges, and gift acknowledgment. With the leadership and board members, several lead donors were identified and working with and alongside the Goodspeed team, guiding them through the cultivation and solicitation process with a donor.