Struggling with financial constraints in your non-profit program?

Start with a simple development or fundraising plan of what you think you might raise in year one though annual fund. You might be surprised what will happen if you do 3 annual appeals and back that up with some email marketing. Then you can look at the other ways to raise funds, through grants, major gifts and planned gifts. Ask your boar members to commit to a certain level of giving, and just stick with the plan.

Una tendencia cada vez más aceptada es la transformación de los programas sociales de las organizaciones sin fines de lucro en iniciativas auto sostenibles. En esa línea, un presupuesto debe sustentar un modelo de retorno financiero que oriente la sostenibilidad. Por ende, debe incluir rubros alineados a esos objetivos. Por otro lado, los presupuestos deben reflejar el apalancamiento financiero vs el requerimiento que se pretende realizar al aportante.

One thing I’ve found very difficult is planning from a poverty mindset and right philosophy for budgeting. While budgeting it is rather helpful to think of where we need to be more effective with minimal costs rather than where do we need to cut to reduce cost. Usually the philosophy is where financial experts differ with the implementers or program experts.

Fundraising as a concept is difficult but looking at it as friend-raising and the fundraiser being a connector of friends wishing to do good improves ones perception of fundraising.

Keeping and sustaining donor interest is a priority area for NGOs to sustain their operations! Here are 4 points that can help plan and execute a fundraising strategy better: 1) What’s In It For Me?: Understand the donor’s perspective – what does the donor want from this relationship? 2) Talk about Impact: Create mechanisms to let donors know what is being done with their money. 3) Know thy donor, Know thyself: Strategise and plan fundraising campaigns while also providing useful analysis on what donors expect. 4) Communicate: Internet-based communication channels (like social media and blogs) and tools (emailers, mail bombers, graphic design apps) save you printing and mailing costs, and can help you reach out to tech-friendly users.

Fundraising is key for any non-profit, and having a smart plan can ease financial stress. Mix up your efforts with grants, donor campaigns, and community events. For example, host a charity event, apply for grants, and start an online crowdfunding campaign. This spreads the risk and brings in new funds. Share compelling stories about your impact to engage supporters and turn them into long-term donors. Building strong relationships with donors is just as important as asking for support, helping keep your programs financially healthy.

La diversificación de fuentes de financiamiento si bien esta orientada a reducir el riesgo de dependencia y por tanto, apuntar a la sostenibilidad financiera, debe incluir estrategias de autosostenibilidad, vía diseño de modelos de empresas sociales, apalancamiento en fondos públicos ( alianzas público privadas), fondos de impacto (impact fund), etc. La decisión de las fuentes de financiamiento y su participación deben ser analizadas desde la perspectiva programática con el fin de mitigar riesgos de dependencia de pilares del programa o proyecto muy sensibles. Finalmente, se debe considerar que cada vez más, los financiadores limitan su contribución para la administración y gestión, tema muy sensible.

Volunteers are invaluable to non-profits, especially when funds are limited. They can offer a variety of services, from administrative support to direct program delivery, without straining your budget. To maximize their contributions, integrate volunteers into your team effectively and ensure they clearly understand their roles. For example, if you run an educational non-profit, volunteers can tutor students or assist with event planning. Providing a rewarding experience is crucial for retaining volunteers long-term, which helps reduce costs related to recruitment and training. A well-supported volunteer base can sustain and enhance your organization's impact, even in financially challenging times.

La inclusión de voluntariado en las acciones de las organizaciones debe ser regulado y analizado en metodologías de riesgos, para que se gestione políticas de salvaguarda, debida diligencia, comportamiento ético, entre otras

Cooperation with volunteers is always a win-win situation. On one hand, volunteers are people seeking to either gain new hands-on knowledge and experience or give back to the community; on the other hand you as a non-profit is always on the lookout for talent that is driven, motivated, but also not going to cost you all the funding in the world. Looking at volunteers from this perspective really helps to identify who you are looking for and attract the right people. From my experience, volunteers have brought the most vibrant energy and ideas to our NGO. From young professionals to adults wanting to change their career path. You can always be the company that made that impact. It's the matter of communication and your positioning.

El control de costos debe estar alineado también con los requerimientos o exigencias de los donantes y la elaboración de presupuestos. En economías donde las politicas macroeconomicas emplean la devaluacion como medida fiscal, los costos pueden verse afectados significativamente. En este sentido adecuados procesos de compras, políticas de pagos a proveedores, estrategias de eficiencia y otros son recomendables

This is true for any business. Any penny in counts, any penny out counts even more. It can be a game changer to take a different look at your financial statements and identify activities that don't bring you any ROI (return on investment). This can be true for even the most exciting activities where you may end up spending more on customer acquisition than the returns it brings. However, it is always a tricky game and comes down to your business strategy and vision. NGOs at the end of the day have privilege of having a sort of "value returns," where the impact of their work can go beyond financial metrics. Quantify those and consider additional funding.

Es importante que la organización gestione de forma eficiente sus recursos y financiamiento Una lógica posible incluye la planificación financiera y su correspondiente monitoreo contrastado con los avances cuanti-cualitativos

Es importante generar un adecuado proceso de revisión de "debida diligencia" para valorar no sólo la compatibilidad de propósito y códigos de ética sino también su idoneidad y trabajo en equipo. Las alianzas usualmente deben generarse en propuestas de valor compartido, promover la complementariedad, las sinergias y la toma de decisiones compartidas. Temas clave que deben estar sobre la mesa son: gestión de recursos financieros, responsabilidades, rendición de cuentas y transparencia.

In the context of financial constraints, strategic partnerships, if done right, can reduce your project's financial burden by as much as 95%. First, identify your project needs and map out potential partners for each of those needs. Create a comprehensive list of potential partners, as many as you can. Then, establish a set of criteria for partnerships based on your organisation’s values and policies. Shortlist the eligible partners and develop your pitch deck, focusing primarily on the value your project will bring to your partner. Once your pitch deck is ready, reach out to potential partners and follow up diligently. By following these steps, you will be a step closer to managing your financial constraints through strategic partnerships.

Always remember that “not-for-profit” does not mean “for loss.” This advice was given to me by one of my mentors, Greg Campbell of Carthage College

La gestión de las organizaciones sin ánimo de lucro debe estar orientada a generar impactos sostenibles, respetar el principio humanitario de "do not harm" y promover una activa participación de los grupos meta o beneficiarios en todo el proceso, desde el diseño, la toma de decisiones y la evaluación como elementos que permitan la sostenibilidad comunitaria.