AFP DFW Philanthropy in Action 2018: How Startup Nonprofits Can Break Into the Big Leagues

HOW STARTUP NONPROFITS CAN BREAK INTO THE BIG LEAGUES AFP DFW Philanthropy in Action Irving Convention Center June 15, 2018 Carolyn M. Appleton

BUILDING CREDIBILITY, INSPIRING SIGNIFICANT DONATIONS • •

IT TAKES TIME AND THOUGHT BUT LITTLE OR NO MONEY IS REQUIRED

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STEP INTO THE SHOES OF SOMEONE WITH THE CAPACITY TO GIVE

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WHAT QUESTIONS WOULD YOU ASK OF A “STARTUP” NONPROFIT BEFORE MAKING A COMMITMENT?

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HOW DO YOU GET TO THE GOAL AND NOT LOSE YOUR MIND? THAT’S THE FOCUS OF MY TALK …

HOW I GOT HERE

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AGREED TO HELP NONPROFITS WITH MODEST RESOURCES - SOME IN REMOTE LOCATIONS WITH LITTLE OR NO STAFFING - WITH MAJOR GIFT FUNDRAISING

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HAD TO DO, “MORE WITH LESS” ADOPTED USE OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND DIGITAL MEDIA

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JOINED NTEN: NONPROFIT TECHNOLOGY NETWORK

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DID YOU KNOW, MAJOR GIFT DONORS ARE FREQUENT USERS OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND MANY WERE “EARLY ADOPTERS”

DREW HENDRICKS FORBES “7 STEPS TO GETTING FUNDING FOR YOUR STARTUP”

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HAVE A PLAN OF ATTACK DO YOUR HOMEWORK START SEARCHING FOR MONEY

NETWORK BE PREPARED HAVE THE ULTIMATE PITCH DECK

BE PERSISTENT

• THE FOUNDATION CENTER: MORE THAN 1,500,OOO TAX-EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS

U.S. STATISTICS

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JOHNS HOPKINS CENTER FOR CIVIL SOCIETY: $11,900,000 PEOPLE EMPLOYED BY NONPROFITS (2018: https://goo.gl/UrWXUY)

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NONPROFIT QUARTERLY: $634,000,000,000 IN SALARIES (2013)

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NONPROFIT QUARTERLY: $17,348,000,000 GROSS VALUE ADDED TO U.S. ECONOMY (2014)

“IT IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND THAT ALTHOUGH THESE ARE THE BEST ESTIMATES OF THE SECTOR’S CONTRIBUTION TO THE ECONOMY, THESE VALUES UNDERESTIMATE THE CONTRIBUTION OF NONPROFITS.” – NPQ (HTTPS://GOO.GL/RB1DXU)

HOW WILL YOUR NONPROFIT STAND OUT?

Young organizations and startups frequently have limited staff and resources “Think smart” to get ahead Look your best online: like it or not, first impressions online can make or break your enterprise Realizing you have time and fiscal constraints, view your online presence strategically Focus your energies on your central credibilitybuilding activity “hubs” and polish …

HUB #1 | YOUR WEBSITE

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YOUR “VIRTUAL” OFFICE AND “FRONT DOOR” SETS TONE FOR THE ORGANIZATION’S PUBLIC IMAGE

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RESOURCE FOR INFORMATION ESSENTIAL TO DONATION AND INVESTMENT DECISION-MAKING

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SOME DONORS MAY NEVER MEET YOU IN PERSON, BUT THEY WILL BE WATCHING YOUR WEBSITE

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CONTAINS MISSION AND BASIC ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION WITH LINKS TO TANDEM SOCIAL PLATFORMS

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KEEP IT UPDATED POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA FROM THERE, DRAWING EVERYONE BACK TO YOUR WEBSITE

DO YOU NEED A WEB DEVELOPER? • • •

NO

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IF YOU DO NEED HELP, FIND A REPUTABLE FREELANCER

PRESET, FREE TEMPLATES AND MODEST MONTHLY/ANNUAL FEES ARE READILY AVAILABLE

I RECOMMEND WORDPRESS: LEARNED IT MYSELF, TEMPLATE VARIETY IS EXTENSIVE, HIGHLY SEARCHABLE, EXCELLENT ONLINE SUPPORT, “STATS” READILY AVAILABLE

I HAVE SEEN NONPROFITS PAY UP TO $50,000 FOR UNNECESSARILY COMPLICATED WEBSITES DON’T GO THERE

HUB #2 | GMAIL | GOOGLE DRIVE | YOUTUBE | GOOGLE PHOTOS (MOVIES, ANIMATIONS) ETC.

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GMAIL ACCOUNT FOR CENTRALIZED PLATFORM MANAGEMENT

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GOOGLE DRIVE HOUSES DOCUMENTS SECURELY IN THE CLOUD, EASY ACCESS, GREAT FOR SECURE SHARING AND COLLABORATIVE WORKING

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GOOGLE PHOTOS STORES PHOTOS, DIRECTLY LINKED TO YOUTUBE VIDEO EDITOR, GOOGLE MOVIE AND ANIMATIONS

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CONSIDER ADOBE SPARK FOR VIDEO AND SOCIAL POSTS (YOU CAN DOWNLOAD AND UPLOAD THOSE VIDEOS TO YOUTUBE), BASICS ARE FREE

HUB #2 CONTINUED | NOTES

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GOOGLE IS THE MOST USED SEARCH ENGINE YOUTUBE IS SECOND IN TERMS OF ONLINE SEARCH (OWNED BY GOOGLE) ICONTACT, MAILCHIMP, CONSTANT CONTACT AND MORE - WHILE NOT “GOOGLE” PLATFORMS, THEY CAN BE COORDINATED WITH GMAIL

MOST OF THEM HAVE FREE PLANS FOR EMAIL ADDRESSES AT BASIC LEVELS

HUB #2 CONTINUED | NOTES ON EMAIL

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EMAIL IS STILL ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO COMMUNICATE WITH DONORS AND CONSTITUENTS

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ESTABLISH A REGULAR SCHEDULE OF EBLASTING (BUT DON’T OVERDO IT)

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EMAIL IS A KEY FORM OF SPONSOR RECOGNITION; SOME SPONSORS SEEK THAT OPPORTUNITY WHEN MAKING FUNDING DECISIONS

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EMAIL PLATFORMS HELP NONPROFITS COMPLY WITH FEDERAL LAWS REGARDING “SPAM” (SUBSCRIBE /UNSUBSCRIBE ANY TIME)

HUB #3 | GUIDESTAR | GREATNONPROFITS

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GUIDESTAR IS WORLD’S LARGEST PUBLIC INFORMATION DATABASE ON NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

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GUIDESTAR HOUSES TAX RETURNS FOR EVERY NONPROFIT (YOU HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO APPEAR)

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NONPROFITS OF ALL SIZES BENEFIT BY FLESHING-OUT THEIR EXISTING PROFILE, SECURING AT LEAST THE GOLD SEAL FOR TRANSPARENCY

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EVEN THOSE WITH MODEST OR CHALLENGED FUNDRAISING TRACK RECORDS GAIN CREDIBILITY BY SECURING THE GOLD SEAL OR HIGHER

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IT IS NOT ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE, IT IS ABOUT HOW YOU OPERATE

ACCOUNTING | MEDIA | GIFT PROCESSING

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MEDIA EXPOSES ABOUT HOW NONPROFITS USE DONATIONS MEAN THE MORE TRANSPARENT YOU ARE, THE MORE LIKELY DONORS AND PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS WILL HAVE CONFIDENCE IN GIVING (BE OPEN AND HONEST)

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KEEP MEDIA INFORMED, INVITE ARTICLES, GET INTERVIEWED (EMAIL WORKS FOR MOST) ASK FRIENDS TO WRITE ABOUT AND ENDORSE YOU (REFRESHING CONTENT) NOMINATE YOURSELF FOR AN AWARD A GOOD ACCOUNTANT IS WORTH PAYING FOR (TAX PREP WITH NONPROFIT CONCERNS IN MIND, OBJECTIVE PERSPECTIVE) GIFT PROCESSING: MAKE IT EASY, PROVIDE VARIETY OF OPTIONS FOR PAYMENTS, AVOID “PLATFORM” FEES - I RECOMMEND QGIV

HUB #4 | SOCIAL MEDIA

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM & MORE

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CHOOSE SOCIAL MEDIA BASED ON THE PLATFORMS’ RESPECTIVE STRENGTHS AND YOUR ORGANIZATION’S STYLE AND PURPOSE

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STICK TO A FEW, AVOID SHINY OBJECT SYNDROME FACEBOOK IS ESSENTIAL BUT IT IS NOT YOUR “WEBSITE” TWITTER IS “QUICK NEWS,” EVENTS-FOCUSED INSTAGRAM AND PINTEREST ARE STRONG “VISUAL” PLATFORMS GROWING IN IMPORTANCE AS VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS ARE FAVORED OVER WRITTEN

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LINKEDIN HAS A SOLID, BUSINESS FOCUS

Google Suite & Email Platform

Social Media

GuideStar & Partners

ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS

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IF YOU LEARN HOW TO USE EACH SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM, YOU WILL NOT NEED AN “AUTO POSTING” SERVICE (TAKE THE TIME)

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DON’T

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GUIDESTAR WILL BECOME STRONGER AND IT WILL ADD MORE PARTNER PLATFORMS – BE WATCHING #TREND

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CONSIDER EARNED INCOME (MANY FUNDERS

INSERT THE EXACT SAME INFORMATION INTO EACH SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM AND EXPECT READERS TO THINK YOU ARE, “PAYING ATTENTION”

TODAY LIKE TO SEE FLEXIBLE THINKING WHEN IT COMES TO INCOME GENERATION)

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REPORT BACK ON A REGULAR SCHEDULE, QUARTERLY IF POSSIBLE – FANCY REPORT NOT REQUIRED (JUST AN HONEST ONE)

CAROLYN M. APPLETON BLOG | CAROLYNMAPPLETON.COM EMAIL | CAROLYNMAPPLETON@GMAIL.COM MOBILE | 512-954-4477

RESOURCES •CAROLYN’S NONPROFIT BLOG: HTTPS://CAROLYNMAPPLETON.COM/NONPROFITS-AND-STARTUPS-

BIRDS-OF-A-FEATHER/

•FORBES, “7 STEPS TO GETTING FUNDING FOR YOUR STARTUP”: https://goo.gl/TZmBN

•GUIDESTAR: HTTP://WWW.GUIDESTAR.ORG •IDEALWARE: HTTP://WWW.IDEALWARE.ORG •NTEN: NONPROFIT TECHNOLOGY NETWORK: HTTP://WWW.NTEN.ORG/ AND NTEN ONLINE GROUPS: HTTP://WWW.NTEN.ORG/COMMUNITY/ONLINE-GROUPS/

•TECHSOUP AND NETSQUARED: HTTP://WWW.TECHSOUP.ORG/ AND HTTP://WWW.NETSQUARED.ORG/

•TEXAS SECRETARY OF STATE: https://goo.gl/Muh5XN

CREDITS • • • •

PHOTOGRAPHS WITH QUOTES CREATED WITH ADOBE SPARK QUOTATIONS OBTAINED FROM BRAINYQUOTE POWERPOINT TEMPLATE FROM MICROSOFT SELF PORTRAIT BY IPHONE (INSTAGRAM: CMAPPLETON) ALL RIGHTS RESERVED CAROLYN M. APPLETON CAROLYNMAPPLETONINC.COM