Ramp It Up, our annual fundraiser, is a little over three weeks away. Preparations are going great: the site is excellent, tickets and flyers are printed, the speaker is booked and his reservations are taken care of, a few donations have been pledged already, the food is nearly set and the caterer is the executive chef at a local resort. Trust me when I say the food will be amazing. Truth be told, I think the entire night will be exceptional. The only thing that remains is to get people there. In order to do that, I need to take off my Administrator hat and put on replace it with my Fundraiser hat. I find that my best communication comes not when I am trying to be funny or trying to be persuasive, but rather when I make my best effort to be real and honest. So before I launch into an impassioned case about why you should send your
hard-earned money to us, allow me to give a couple of my reflections on
fundraising.
I have tried writing this next part four or five times and it has not come out right yet. Hopefully this time will work. A fundraising conversation puts a lot of stress on its participants. If I am at the table with you, it is because I believe that we have a lot of common ground. I believe that you understand and support our mission: the work we do with the kids, why that is important and why we do not charge them much money to participate. I believe that you want to help in some way. I believe that you have resources of some kind that you are interested in investing into our mission. I believe that with time you could become the most valuable resource a nonprofit can have: a Partner.
See...the goal of fundraising is not just to find money to pay bills. It is to find money and to create a network of Partners who will hold up your organization. Partners connect the organization with resources in the community like money, volunteers, donations, clients and other Partners. They offer encouraging words after a demoralizing encounter. They provide creativity in problem solving. They are advocates who provide your organization with the stability to weather whatever storms may come. People can be Partners without money being involved, but it is rare for two reasons. The first reason is that the heart and the bank account are linked...we care about the things we invest our money into and we invest our money into the things that matter most to us. The second reason is that a lot of nonprofit storms revolve around money, specifically cash flow. If we cannot discuss money then there is a significant amount of problem solving that we cannot work on together.
So if I am sitting at the table with a potential Partner, the stakes are high for me. I want to be honest about our need...or opportunities if you want to rephrase it...while not scaring someone away. I want to build this potentially valuable relationship...but not at the expense of not asking about money. Again, most partnership involves money and if I have a lot of potential Partners but no money coming in then what I am left with is a lot of people who will feel bad when we close.
It helps to be strategic when sitting at that table. Give a concrete project that someone can give to (Help us pay off our building). Give a time frame so they don't feel trapped (The next 12 months). Perhaps provide a nifty slogan that they can remember ("Help Burst our Balloon Payment!"). Offer a set amount of money that they could donate ($50/month) and remind them of what that money would go towards (Joel's Place becomes a sustainable endeavor and permanent resource for the youth of our community). If necessary you can break the cost down into more bite size pieces ("That's the price of one cup of coffee per week to help the kids who can't help themselves.") But strategy only goes so far.
In the end it is about being able to be honest at that table. I want to be upfront with this person that I value what they bring to the table, not just their money. I want to be clear that I am not interested in manipulating them in order to get a check. We are sitting there in order to advance the mission of building up our youth...that's much bigger than any one check. The Foraker Group talks about nonprofits having 2 bottom lines: Financial and Mission. Partners will assist with both. And so I will ask about money and I will ask about helping further our mission. I have found that the only way that I can have these conversations go well is if I am not afraid of the outcome. If my value and the entire fate of Joel's Place hangs in the balance of this conversation...it will not go well...even if we get a huge check. I have learned to place my trust in a God who provides, allowing me to view these conversations as opportunities to see that provision in play.
Joel's Place is doing amazing work. We have a great mission, a great staff and great kids. We have a couple of large debts and an ambitious goal to pay them off...with the help of our Partners. If you would be interested in joining us, please let me know either by phone (907/452-2621) or by e-mail: joelsplacealaska@gmail.com. I would love to see you at Ramp It Up as we work on knocking out the Balloon Payment. I would love to sit down for a cup of coffee in order to talk about how to partner. I would love for you to pass this post on to others who share a passion for investing in youth.
Thanks for giving me a few minutes to share.
James
Friday, October 18, 2013
Friday, October 11, 2013
The Joel's Place Ride Team
I have been working around young people for a long time now. Coming up on a couple of decades now...which means that I am getting old. But that is beside the point. I have seen enough stupid behavior and been engaged in enough drama-filled conversations that very little will surprise me when it comes to teenagers. One element is usually predictably consistent: youth are incredibly self-focused and self-centered. That's not a bad thing, it is usually simply part of the process of young people discovering who they are and finding their way in life.
Kelli, my Program Director, called me into her office the other day to run a proposal past me. It involves the Joel's Place Ride Team. The Ride Team is a group of 5-10 youth who are regulars at Joel's Place and who wanted to take their riding to the next level. They agree to provide lessons, skate at exhibitions and make appearances at community events for Joel's Place. In exchange they have free riding sessions throughout the year. The Ride Team provided the volunteers for the A.Skate clinic, the lessons and demos at our fair booth and generally make it possible for me to show the community what we offer to youth without having to kill myself on a skateboard.
The ride team came together and approached Kelli with an idea. They love riding for free and realize that it is a special honor. Instead of flaunting that to the other Joel's Place kids, they decided that they wanted to make a way for other riders to have the same experience. Skating is more fun when there are more people able to join and the way you get the most people is to offer it for free. So they asked Kelli if they could raise money to make "Free Ride Fridays." Kelli and I helped them draft a support letter and they are currently out in the community seeking funds to help their peers ride for free.
There is a lot that I wrestle with here. There are lots of questions that I ask. I have been taking classes in Non-Profit Management and have a list of 25 issues that need to be addressed immediately. This journey has frequently been a struggle...but then I see this band of young men and women who are willing to brave fundraising because what we offer at Joel's Place is so good...so good that they want to offer it to as many youth as possible. It's just skating, right? Well...we do offer food too. And it is a warm, safe place in the winter. And the staff...the staff offer support and boundaries and encouragement and laughter and accountability and challenge and hope. Joel's Place is somewhere that these youth can come and play and learn and become men and women of character. It is a place that offers a home to those who are searching...and better yet a home where you can run around without worrying about breaking things.
I am excited to see what happens with the Ride Team's project. I hope it is incredibly successful. I hope that partly because it would mean more kids for Joel's Place, which is always good. I also hope that because I want the Ride Team to know success and take pride in their efforts. They inspire me to continue working, continue trying to make this place the best it can be.
Thank you, everyone for how you continue to support Joel's Place. We are truly blessed.
Kelli, my Program Director, called me into her office the other day to run a proposal past me. It involves the Joel's Place Ride Team. The Ride Team is a group of 5-10 youth who are regulars at Joel's Place and who wanted to take their riding to the next level. They agree to provide lessons, skate at exhibitions and make appearances at community events for Joel's Place. In exchange they have free riding sessions throughout the year. The Ride Team provided the volunteers for the A.Skate clinic, the lessons and demos at our fair booth and generally make it possible for me to show the community what we offer to youth without having to kill myself on a skateboard.
The ride team came together and approached Kelli with an idea. They love riding for free and realize that it is a special honor. Instead of flaunting that to the other Joel's Place kids, they decided that they wanted to make a way for other riders to have the same experience. Skating is more fun when there are more people able to join and the way you get the most people is to offer it for free. So they asked Kelli if they could raise money to make "Free Ride Fridays." Kelli and I helped them draft a support letter and they are currently out in the community seeking funds to help their peers ride for free.
There is a lot that I wrestle with here. There are lots of questions that I ask. I have been taking classes in Non-Profit Management and have a list of 25 issues that need to be addressed immediately. This journey has frequently been a struggle...but then I see this band of young men and women who are willing to brave fundraising because what we offer at Joel's Place is so good...so good that they want to offer it to as many youth as possible. It's just skating, right? Well...we do offer food too. And it is a warm, safe place in the winter. And the staff...the staff offer support and boundaries and encouragement and laughter and accountability and challenge and hope. Joel's Place is somewhere that these youth can come and play and learn and become men and women of character. It is a place that offers a home to those who are searching...and better yet a home where you can run around without worrying about breaking things.
I am excited to see what happens with the Ride Team's project. I hope it is incredibly successful. I hope that partly because it would mean more kids for Joel's Place, which is always good. I also hope that because I want the Ride Team to know success and take pride in their efforts. They inspire me to continue working, continue trying to make this place the best it can be.
Thank you, everyone for how you continue to support Joel's Place. We are truly blessed.
Friday, October 4, 2013
The PFD (Proactive Financial Discussion)
Alaska, and Fairbanks specifically, is all abuzz in money talk at the moment. The first installments of the PFDs came out this week. PFD stands for Permanent Fund Dividend for those of you who do not have the fortune of living in this magnificent state. Without going into details, the PFD is the annual share of oil money that every resident of Alaska receives every year. This year the number is $900. For those of you who don't live here, I will let your imagination run wild with what would happen if everyone around you suddenly received an extra $900 to do with as they wanted...
So here is the reality: Everyone has some extra money and everyone else knows about it. The question on everyone's mind is "What are you doing with your PFD?" Every retailer has specials and sales going on. Airline tickets are especially cheap. There are opportunities to buy or rent or invest or donate or save or use money in some other way that only appear during this time of year. A few people will save their money. Many will use it to pay off debt. Many more utilize it for buying toys and special purchases.
As someone who raises money as a large part of my job, allow me to share some of what this time is like for me. On the one hand this is the perfect time to fundraise...a target rich environment, if you will. Lots of money is flowing in Fairbanks at the moment and surely at least a little of it could make its way here. However I do not want to just be another voice in the cacophony trying to convince you that this is the best place to spend your money. There are literally hundreds of those voices on the airwaves and in the papers at the moment. Don't get me wrong. I would be happy to accept donations. Money is really useful and we always seem to be right on the edge of not having enough. However there are two major factors that allow me to sit out the PFD frenzy.
The first factor is a long-term view. One time donations are great. They allow us to pay off large expenses and really give this time of year a big boost for our annual budget. I love months where our income is significantly higher than our expense. However there is a donation that is even more valuable: the monthly donation. Monthly donors are the people who really feel like partners. They will meet with you, talk with you, encourage you, network for you and pray with you. This is a relationship business and there is always a question when approaching a donor for an annual gift. "Do we have enough relationship that they will want to give this year?" Consistent monthly donors are the gold standard in this industry. It would be great if they were all in a position to give $200 every month, but that is not reality. I cherish our monthly donors that give $10-100 each month. They are the foundation that we are able to build our structures on. The big annual gifts will fund the buildings, but without the foundation they will not last.
The second factor that helps me step back from the frenzy is our stance as a faith-based organization. I believe that God will provide for our us. I still put in the work of asking because that is my faithful response, but I have the freedom to ask without fear or panic. I often say that I do not need your money. God has unlimited resources and creativity. We give because it is a joyful way of living. Your gift will bless you as much as it will bless myself, the staff and the kids of Joel's Place. Transactions in the kingdom of heaven never only have one person who benefits. The gift will grow relationship and allow us to partner together in caring for the young and the poor, both of whom God holds in a special place in His heart. My hope is that if you hold these views as well, you will listen for God's invitation and respond. If He invites you to give, we are eager to receive. If He invites you to invest elsewhere, blessings upon you and your money.
One other money-related note for our readers of faith: If you are not committed to a community of faith, I would invite you to consider sending part of your tithe to Joel's Place. Scripture is filled with encouragements to give 10% of our earnings towards the work of the kingdom. The easiest way to do that is to put it into the offering plate each sunday. If we are not attending a church community, it becomes really easy to intend to give and just never get to it. Giving is hard for me and I don't say this lightly: it is important for the health of our souls that we freely bless others with our money.
Money is a great tool. There are lots of things I would love to fix up with it. It is not a substitute for relationship. Let's be intentional about how we use our stuff (that includes our PFD's) in order to build what really lasts...
...that's relationship, in case I was being too subtle.
So here is the reality: Everyone has some extra money and everyone else knows about it. The question on everyone's mind is "What are you doing with your PFD?" Every retailer has specials and sales going on. Airline tickets are especially cheap. There are opportunities to buy or rent or invest or donate or save or use money in some other way that only appear during this time of year. A few people will save their money. Many will use it to pay off debt. Many more utilize it for buying toys and special purchases.
As someone who raises money as a large part of my job, allow me to share some of what this time is like for me. On the one hand this is the perfect time to fundraise...a target rich environment, if you will. Lots of money is flowing in Fairbanks at the moment and surely at least a little of it could make its way here. However I do not want to just be another voice in the cacophony trying to convince you that this is the best place to spend your money. There are literally hundreds of those voices on the airwaves and in the papers at the moment. Don't get me wrong. I would be happy to accept donations. Money is really useful and we always seem to be right on the edge of not having enough. However there are two major factors that allow me to sit out the PFD frenzy.
The first factor is a long-term view. One time donations are great. They allow us to pay off large expenses and really give this time of year a big boost for our annual budget. I love months where our income is significantly higher than our expense. However there is a donation that is even more valuable: the monthly donation. Monthly donors are the people who really feel like partners. They will meet with you, talk with you, encourage you, network for you and pray with you. This is a relationship business and there is always a question when approaching a donor for an annual gift. "Do we have enough relationship that they will want to give this year?" Consistent monthly donors are the gold standard in this industry. It would be great if they were all in a position to give $200 every month, but that is not reality. I cherish our monthly donors that give $10-100 each month. They are the foundation that we are able to build our structures on. The big annual gifts will fund the buildings, but without the foundation they will not last.
The second factor that helps me step back from the frenzy is our stance as a faith-based organization. I believe that God will provide for our us. I still put in the work of asking because that is my faithful response, but I have the freedom to ask without fear or panic. I often say that I do not need your money. God has unlimited resources and creativity. We give because it is a joyful way of living. Your gift will bless you as much as it will bless myself, the staff and the kids of Joel's Place. Transactions in the kingdom of heaven never only have one person who benefits. The gift will grow relationship and allow us to partner together in caring for the young and the poor, both of whom God holds in a special place in His heart. My hope is that if you hold these views as well, you will listen for God's invitation and respond. If He invites you to give, we are eager to receive. If He invites you to invest elsewhere, blessings upon you and your money.
One other money-related note for our readers of faith: If you are not committed to a community of faith, I would invite you to consider sending part of your tithe to Joel's Place. Scripture is filled with encouragements to give 10% of our earnings towards the work of the kingdom. The easiest way to do that is to put it into the offering plate each sunday. If we are not attending a church community, it becomes really easy to intend to give and just never get to it. Giving is hard for me and I don't say this lightly: it is important for the health of our souls that we freely bless others with our money.
Money is a great tool. There are lots of things I would love to fix up with it. It is not a substitute for relationship. Let's be intentional about how we use our stuff (that includes our PFD's) in order to build what really lasts...
...that's relationship, in case I was being too subtle.
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