How to Measure and Communicate Your Nonprofit’s Impact

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In today’s highly competitive nonprofit sector, measuring and communicating your organization’s impact is more important than ever. Donors, funders, and community partners are increasingly savvy and expect evidence that their contributions make a real difference. Transparency and data-driven storytelling are no longer optional—they are essential for building trust, securing grants, and ensuring long-term mission success.

The link between transparency, strategic fundraising, and mission achievement is undeniable. When nonprofits can clearly demonstrate their impact, they not only boost donor confidence but also improve their eligibility for grants and other funding opportunities. Data-backed storytelling is a powerful tool in this regard, allowing organizations to showcase real-world results and inspire continued support.

What Does “Impact” Really Mean for Nonprofits?

Impact is a term often used in the nonprofit sector, but it can be misunderstood or conflated with related concepts like outputs and outcomes. To communicate your impact effectively, it’s important to distinguish between these terms and use them accurately.

  • Outputs: These are the direct results of your activities. 
  • Outcomes: These are the short- or medium-term effects of your outputs.
  • Impact: This refers to the broader, long-term changes that result from your work.

Let’s consider a hypothetical grant that funds an after-school tutoring program as an example:

  • Output: 200 students attended tutoring sessions.
  • Outcome: 90% of students improved their reading scores.
  • Impact: The local high school graduation rate increased by 10% over five years.

According to UpMetrics, impact measurement should be treated as an ongoing process, not a one-time event. Regularly revisiting your definitions and outcomes ensures your organization stays aligned with its mission and adapts to changing community needs. 

How to Measure Your Nonprofit’s Impact

Measuring impact requires a thoughtful, systematic approach. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started:

  • Define clear objectives: First, align your goals with your theory of change or logic model. Set measurable targets that reflect your strategic plan and mission. For example, if your mission is to reduce homelessness, a clear objective might be “Reduce the number of people experiencing homelessness in our city by 20% over three years.”
  • Identify key metrics: Use both quantitative and qualitative data to capture the full picture of your impact. Quantitative metrics might include the number of people served, dollars saved, or improvements in test scores. Qualitative data can include client testimonials, interviews, and shifts in community perception.
  • Select tools and methods: CRM systems, surveys, impact dashboards, and grant databases are all valuable resources. 
  • Collect and analyze data: Establish a baseline to measure progress, track changes over time, and segment results by program or demographic group. Always prioritize ethical data handling and obtain community consent.

To ensure your measurement process is robust, consider engaging external evaluators or partnering with local universities for independent assessments. This not only adds credibility to your findings but also provides valuable insights for continuous improvement.

How to Communicate Impact to Stakeholders

Once you’ve measured your impact, the next step is to share your story with stakeholders in a compelling and accessible way.

  • Tailor the message: Different audiences require different approaches, such as:
    • Donors: Focus on return on investment (ROI) and tangible results, such as “Your $50 donation provides clean water for a family for a month.”
    • Board members: Emphasize strategic alignment, financial sustainability, and long-term growth.
    • Grant funders: Highlight mission alignment, measurable outcomes, and the scalability of your programs.
  • Pick the right communication channels for your audience. For instance, annual reports, donor letters, email campaigns, and impact microsites are all excellent options. 
  • Combine real stories with statistics to create an engaging narrative. For example, you might say, “Thanks to your support, youth homelessness in our community decreased by 27% this year.” 

Consider creating a dedicated impact section on your website, where stakeholders can explore your results in detail. A website allows you to easily share interactive dashboards, infographics, and video testimonials, which can make your impact data more engaging and accessible. 

Best Practices and Common Pitfalls

Best Practices

  • Be transparent: Don’t just share the wins—talk openly about setbacks and what you’re doing to address them. Transparency builds credibility with donors, funders, and your community. When you acknowledge challenges, stakeholders are more likely to see your organization as resilient and responsible.
  • Report regularly: Instead of waiting for your year-end report, keep your stakeholders in the loop throughout the year with quarterly updates, email newsletters, or social media recaps. Regular updates help build momentum, improve donor retention, and keep your mission top of mind.
  • Build internal capacity for evaluation: Invest in staff training and tools that make tracking and reporting impact easier. Designate someone responsible for data collection and ensure systems are in place to make the process efficient and sustainable.

Pitfalls to Avoid

  • Focusing on vanity metrics: Don’t lean too heavily on metrics like social media likes, website traffic, or email open rates unless they directly tie to your mission. These numbers can look impressive, but often don’t reflect meaningful change. Instead, prioritize outcome-driven metrics that align with your goals.
  • Ignoring donor and funder feedback: If you’re not actively listening to the people who support your mission, you may miss out on opportunities for growth and engagement. Collect useful donor data by completing donor surveys, reviewing funder feedback, and incorporating their suggestions into your communications and strategy.
  • Neglecting staff capacity: Measuring impact takes time, training, and the right tools. If your team is stretched thin, even the best metrics won’t be tracked or used effectively. Make sure evaluation is seen as a shared responsibility and provide the necessary support to do it well.

Wrapping Up

Measuring and communicating your nonprofit’s impact is a mission-critical task that builds trust, improves fundraising, and ensures your organization is truly making a difference. By adopting a data-driven approach and sharing your story transparently, you can inspire confidence in donors, funders, and the broader community.

Take these next steps to get started:

  • Begin with one program or project, and build consistent systems for measuring and communicating impact over time.
  • Invest in the tools and training your staff need to track results and communicate them confidently.
  • Involve board members, volunteers, and community partners in your impact measurement efforts to foster a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
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Understanding Nonprofit Financial Statements for Boards

Your board is the glue that holds your nonprofit together. Composed of members passionate about your cause, your board provides the strategic direction and governance your organization needs to continue pursuing its mission.

One of the most important aspects of the job is financial management. Board members must work alongside your leadership team, finance committee, and accounting staff to keep your organization financially healthy.

Doing so requires board members to understand your nonprofit’s current financial standing, which starts with interpreting financial statements. We’ll start with the board’s role in the overall nonprofit financial management process and then cover the basics of nonprofit financial statements.

Role of Board Members in Nonprofit Financial Management

As a board member, you help your organization comply with financial regulations and steward funds responsibly by:

  • Creating financial policies. The financial policies, procedures, and controls your board instates govern how your organization uses its funds. Typical nonprofit financial policies include gift acceptance, conflict of interest, and expense reimbursement policies. You may also include budgeting, financial reporting, cash management, and grant management guidelines.
  • Approving the annual budget. Your board, leadership team, finance committee, and accounting staff each have a hand in the budgeting process; it’s the board’s responsibility to approve the final version, ensuring it aligns with your current overarching strategy.
  • Monitoring financial performance. Throughout the year, board members assess how well your nonprofit sticks to the budget and analyze overall financial performance. They also track key performance indicators (KPIs), such as donor retention rate, program services ratio, and months of cash on hand, to evaluate your financial health.
  • Helping with strategic planning. A strategic plan is a document that outlines your nonprofit’s priorities for the next several years. Your board plays a role here by creating financial goals, identifying financial priorities, and noting any relevant financial risks and opportunities.

Through these activities, the board provides financial oversight and applies members’ knowledge of your nonprofit’s priorities to its financial planning.

4 Main Nonprofit Financial Statements

As YPTC explains, the four main types of nonprofit financial statements are:

  • Statement of Financial Position
  • Statement of Activities
  • Statement of Cash Flows
  • Statement of Functional Expenses

Let’s explore each of these documents and what board members should know about them.

Table showing the purpose, main categories, and nonprofit-specific categories of each nonprofit financial statement.

Nonprofit Statement of Financial Position

The nonprofit Statement of Financial Position aims to convey your organization’s financial health through its assets and liabilities. This information allows you to assess your nonprofit’s liquidity and financial flexibility.

The three main categories of this statement are:

  • Assets. Assets are resources your nonprofit owns or controls, which may be current or noncurrent. For example, current assets may include cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, prepaid expenses, and inventory. Noncurrent assets may include land, buildings, and equipment.
  • Liabilities. You also have liabilities—financial debts or obligations. Current liabilities may include accounts payable, accrued expenses, and deferred revenue; noncurrent liabilities may include mortgages or long-term lease obligations.
  • Net Assets. Calculate your net assets by subtracting liabilities from assets. The difference represents your organization’s current financial position, with positive assets indicating your nonprofit is in a healthy spot and negative assets prompting you to adjust your resource allocation.

This document also has some nonprofit-specific categories, one of which is directly related to board members. Board-designated net assets are unrestricted funds that your board sets aside for a specific purpose. For example, board members may earmark funds for a future program or investment.

Nonprofit Statement of Activities

The nonprofit Statement of Activities summarizes your revenue and expenses for a monthly, quarterly, or annual period. It demonstrates how well your organization manages its resources and allows you to share this information with internal and external stakeholders.

This document includes the following categories:

  • Revenues and Support. Your nonprofit generates revenue and garners support from various sources. For instance, you may bring in funds from program fees, fundraising events, and rental income, which you would report under the Revenues and Support category.
  • Expenses. Your organization also incurs expenses, which are costs associated with program, management and general, and fundraising activities.
  • Change in Net Assets. To calculate your change in net assets, find the difference between your revenues and expenses. This figure shows how your financial resources have changed over the designated period.

The nonprofit-specific line items in this statement include contributions (monetary donations with or without donor restrictions), in-kind contributions (nonfinancial donations of goods or services), and net assets released from restrictions.

Nonprofit Statement of Cash Flows

Cash goes in and out of your organization on a regular basis. The nonprofit Statement of Cash Flows demonstrates how this cash moves through your nonprofit and whether it comes from investing, financing, or operating activities.

As such, this statement’s categories include:

  • Cash Flows from Operating Activities. Cash inflows from operating activities include cash generated from donations, program fees, grants, and membership dues. Cash outflows from operating activities include cash used for staff salaries and wages, utilities, supplies, and rent.
  • Cash Flows from Investing Activities. Any proceeds your organization receives from investment sales or maturities are cash inflows from investing activities. Cash outflows in this category include investments and property or equipment purchases.
  • Cash Flows from Financing Activities. Your cash inflows from financing activities include lines of credit and loan proceeds, and your cash outflows from financing activities include payments of debts like your mortgage.
  • Changes in Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash. Noting your cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at the beginning and end of the period allows you to evaluate changes in your cash flows over time.

You may also report on cash flows associated with donor-restricted funds to show which resources donors have designated for a specific purpose.

Nonprofit Statement of Functional Expenses

The IRS requires nonprofits to report on the nature and function of their expenses. While they can do so on the face of the Statement of Activities or as a schedule in the notes attached to the full set of documents, most choose to create a separate financial statement to keep this information organized: the nonprofit Statement of Functional Expenses.

The categories of this document include:

  • Program expenses. Program expenses are costs directly related to your services. For example, a soup kitchen purchasing kitchen supplies would incur a program expense.
  • Supporting activities. All other expenses fall under one of the three main types of supporting activities:
    • Management and general expenses, which are general operating costs.
    • Fundraising expenses, such as costs associated with soliciting donations and securing grant revenue.
    • Membership development expenses, including costs related to new member solicitation, membership dues collection, and member stewardship.

You’ll list each expense by its natural classification, such as personnel costs, professional services, office expenses, occupancy, utilities, and depreciation. Ultimately, the total expenses on your Statement of Functional Expenses should match those on your Statement of Activities.

When you understand each of these financial reports and their intended purposes, you’ll be better equipped to fulfill the financial management aspect of your role. If you run into questions or obstacles, don’t be afraid to consult other team members, especially your accounting staff, who are responsible for compiling these statements.

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Promoting Nonprofit Events: A Quick Checklist for Success

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Your nonprofit may already have a strong support base, but even the most passionate individuals need reminders and motivation to attend your events regularly. That’s where having a strategic event promotion plan comes in.

This quick checklist will walk you through essential steps to ensure your event gets the attention it deserves, drives registrations, and leaves a lasting impression on attendees. Let’s dive in.

1. Planning Your Event Promotion

Laying the groundwork before promoting your event can save time, prevent confusion, and maximize your reach. Take this time to clarify what you’re promoting, who you’re trying to reach, and how you’ll measure success.

Define Your Event Goals and Target Audience

Before crafting any promotional messages, take a step back and define what success looks like for your event. Are you aiming to drive ticket sales, attract new donors, increase gift sizes, or boost your nonprofit’s brand awareness?

Once you know your goals, hone in on your audience. Are you targeting current donors, lapsed donors, or potential corporate partners? Knowing who you’re trying to reach will shape your campaign’s tone, timing, and channels.

Prepare Your Promotional Assets

Set your campaign up for success by gathering everything you’ll need to promote the event, including:

  • Branded visuals and event graphics
  • Speaker headshots and bios
  • Sponsor logos and special offers
  • Core event messaging (tagline, benefits, key takeaways)

Having these assets ready ensures consistency across all channels and makes it easier for partners and team members to help spread the word.

2. Leveraging Your Owned Channels

Your organization’s owned channels, such as email lists, website, and blog, are some of your most powerful tools for promoting your event. These channels allow you to reach an audience that already knows and trusts your organization, making it easier to drive interest and registrations.

Promote Through Email Campaigns

Email is one of the most effective ways to notify your audience about upcoming events. Create a strategic email sequence that builds excitement and provides essential information over time, including:

  • Save-the-date email: Announce the event early and encourage recipients to mark their calendars.
  • Event highlights email: Share details about specific activities or benefits associated with your event.
  • Reminder emails: Emphasize registration deadlines, early bird pricing alerts, or last-chance reminders.

Segment your email lists based on characteristics such as interests, past event attendance, or giving history to personalize your messaging and improve engagement.

Use Your Website and Blog

Your website is the central hub for your nonprofit’s activities, so make sure your event is front and center. Add event banners, homepage CTAs, or pop-ups to direct users to your event landing page.

Consider writing blog posts about the event theme and impact. These articles can serve as both educational content and promotional tools, encouraging readers to learn more and register.

3. Expanding Reach With Earned and Paid Media

To promote your event effectively, you’ll want to look beyond your nonprofit’s email list and website. Expanding your reach through earned and paid media can help you connect with new supporters and potential attendees who may not already follow your work.

Collaborate With Partners and Sponsors

Your event partners, sponsors, and community allies can play a key role in spreading the word. These organizations often have their own audiences who care about similar causes. Reach out to them early and encourage them to help promote your event. Make it easy by providing a simple toolkit that includes event details, suggested social media posts, and promotional graphics they can share.

This kind of collaboration extends your reach and strengthens your relationships with key stakeholders who want to see your event succeed.

Connect With Local Media and Community Outlets

Earned media coverage is another powerful way to promote your event without a large budget. Reach out to local news outlets, community blogs, radio stations, or industry publications that align with your mission. When pitching your event, focus on what makes it newsworthy, whether it’s:

  • The event’s impact
  • Stories illustrating why your cause is important
  • The involvement of notable speakers or performers

Don’t forget to submit your event to free community calendars and local event listings. These are often overlooked but can drive significant local attendance.

Invest in Paid Social Media Advertising

If your budget allows, supplement your organic promotion efforts with paid social media advertising. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram allow you to target specific demographics, locations, and interests—making it easier to reach potential attendees who care about your cause.

Consider creating ads that:

  • Highlight special event features
  • Promote early bird pricing or limited spots
  • Retarget people who have visited your website but haven’t registered

Even a modest social media advertising budget can make a significant difference in expanding your event’s visibility.

4. Maximizing Social Media Promotion

Social media is one of the most versatile tools in your event promotion toolkit. It allows your nonprofit to create buzz and actively engage your community online.

Create a Consistent Posting Plan

Rather than posting sporadically, build a schedule that promotes your event at regular intervals. Mix up your content to keep it engaging. Share:

  • Behind-the-scenes event planning
  • Speaker spotlights
  • Countdowns
  • Highlights from past events

Use eye-catching visuals and videos to stand out in busy newsfeeds. A consistent presence across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X (formerly Twitter) keeps your event at the top of followers’ minds and makes it easier for them to share it with their networks.

Encourage Conversation and Community Engagement

Social media is most effective when it’s interactive. Ask questions, run polls, or prompt followers to share why they’re interested in attending. You might invite past attendees to comment with their favorite moments from last year’s event or tag friends who should join them this time.

This kind of engagement helps build community around your event and can naturally extend your reach as people comment, like, and share your posts.

5. Tracking Performance and Optimizing

Effective event promotion doesn’t stop once your materials go live. Using your event management tools to track what’s working (and what’s not) allows you to make informed adjustments and improve your results over time.

Monitor Key Metrics

Start by identifying which metrics matter most for your goals. For registrations, keep an eye on website traffic sources, conversion rates, and email click-throughs. On social media, watch for engagement levels, reach, and link clicks.

If you’re running ads, monitor their performance daily. Platforms like Facebook Ads Manager provide insights into impressions, cost-per-click, and conversions, helping you make quick decisions to boost your results.

Make Data-Driven Adjustments

If an email has low open rates, try a new subject line and resend it to non-openers. If a social post isn’t getting traction, test a different visual or caption. Not seeing the registrations you expected from a particular channel? Reallocate your budget or efforts to the platforms driving better results.

By regularly reviewing your performance and optimizing based on real-time feedback, you give your nonprofit event the best chance of success.

Promoting a nonprofit event takes more than a few social posts and an email blast. It requires thoughtful planning, consistent communication, and strategic outreach. By following this quick checklist, your nonprofit can build awareness, drive registrations, and ultimately execute a successful event that powers your mission.

Remember, effective promotion isn’t just about filling seats; it’s about engaging your community, strengthening relationships, and creating meaningful connections that last well beyond the event itself. Use these steps as a guide, track your results, and refine your approach over time. The more intentional you are with your promotion efforts, the more impact your events will have.

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How to Build the Church-Home Partnership in Kids’ Ministries

When the time comes to reflect on your children’s ministry and demonstrate its impact on kids’ lives, who do you thank? While your ministry plays a crucial role in supporting kids’ faith, it’s the involvement of families that truly maximizes your impact. 

Collaboration between the church and home creates a broader environment where children not only hear spiritual lessons but also live them out daily. If your ministry wants to strengthen this church-home partnership, here are four steps to follow.

1. Establish Clear Communication Channels

Effective communication is the cornerstone of every partnership. To carry your ministry’s messages into the home, you must keep parents in the loop.

In addition to your usual outreach channels, you can use the following resources to connect with parents:

  • Sunday take-home materials: Provide parents with tangible resources to reinforce recent church lessons by continuing the conversation at home. This could include lesson recaps, discussion questions, memory verses, or other reminders.
  • Email newsletters: Summarize important information such as upcoming events, key lesson topics, and other essential ministry updates in an eye-catching email newsletter.
  • Social media groups: Many parents are already on social media, making private groups across platforms like Facebook an easy way to share updates and foster community.
  • Text message updates: For a quick and personal method of reaching parents, try engaging them through text. You can send automated texts to each parent in your contact list or send individual messages to parents as needed.

Keep parents’ communication preferences in mind when reaching out. For example, some families prefer to keep social media out of the home and apply that rule to parents as well. These families might prefer email newsletters instead.

2. Create Opportunities for Parental Involvement

Many parents are eager to get involved in their children’s spiritual growth—but they don’t know how. Your ministry can encourage their involvement by creating clear opportunities for them, such as:

  • Volunteering in classrooms: Invite parents to assist in teaching lessons, serve as classroom helpers, or even substitute when your usual Sunday school teacher is absent. Direct involvement in Sunday school equips parents to reinforce lessons at home.
  • Raising support for your ministry: Show parents how to support their children by supporting your ministry. For example, ask parents and their kids to write fundraising letters together that solicit the congregation’s support.
  • Events for the whole family: Host engaging events for kids, their siblings, and their parents to bond over their spiritual learning. This could include family worship nights, special ministry events like vacation Bible school, or even community service projects.

Through these opportunities, your ministry can also pour into kids’ parents, providing spiritual encouragement and support where possible. Their deepened involvement allows you to get to know parents and their families more closely, which can further improve your collaboration with them.

3. Provide Resources for Home Discipleship

Once parents get home from church, it’s important that they feel well-equipped to continue faith-building. Practical resources your ministry might provide include:

  • At-home activities: According to Wonder Ink’s guide to biblical curriculum, your Sunday school resources should provide at-home activities that families can complete together. For example, weekly devotionals or family discussion guides can show parents how to start important conversations and encourage kids to think critically about their faith.
  • Recommended learning materials: Help parents find the right resources for their kids by recommending children’s Bibles, books, and other learning materials.
  • Family-friendly, faith-based media: Animated Bible stories, interactive lessons, and games can be fun outlets to keep kids focused on faith-based topics outside of a dedicated time for learning. Encourage parents to check out reliable apps, such as the Bible App for Kids, with features like coloring pages, activity sheets, and videos.

Consider sharing these resources on an easy-to-find channel, such as your church’s or ministry’s website. If you apply for the Google Ad Grants for churches, you can even promote the page for free and ensure that your resources hub reaches as many parents as possible.

4. Encourage Two-Way Communication and Feedback

Although there’s plenty you can do to strengthen the church-home partnership in your ministry, this collaboration is a two-way street. Parents should feel heard and understood, whether they’re providing suggestions or voicing concerns.

You might ask for parents’ input or gather feedback indirectly through repeated interactions with them. For example, perhaps your ministry is still growing and needs to establish consistency in its lessons. You might ask for parents’ suggestions, or a parent might recommend a curriculum for small churches on their own accord! Either way, remaining open to their feedback is critical to a thriving partnership.

When directly asking for feedback, here are some easy ways to hear from parents:

  • Surveys: Allow parents to share their feedback anonymously through simple surveys that can be completed at their convenience. Ask questions like, “What resources do you find most helpful in supporting your child’s spiritual development at home?”
  • Parent meetings or roundtables: Create an interactive, face-to-face environment where parents can discuss concerns and share ideas. You can also use these meetings to present new ideas and gather parent feedback before implementing them.
  • One-on-one conversations: If you’re close enough with parents, invite them to have coffee or lunch with one of your ministry’s leaders. Parents may feel more comfortable providing their feedback in this less formal setting, and it’s a great way to get to know them better!

No matter what feedback you receive, the best way to respond is with transparency. After all, parents are placing a lot of trust in your ministry when they allow you to teach their kids—it’s up to you to maintain your trustworthiness!

This can be especially important for touchy topics like finances. As Foundation Group explains, a clear view of your finances can instill confidence in congregants that you’re using your funding for good. Be prepared to show parents the numbers and respond openly to any questions.

Just as Romans 12 points out, each member of the body of Christ has different functions, but works together to further His kingdom. In the same way, parents and your ministry can work together in their different roles to create a supportive environment for kids’ spiritual growth.

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Top 5 Recommended Components to Add to Your Digital Waiver

While it may not seem like it at first, whitewater rafting and your next fundraising event do have something in common—they (should) both require participants to sign waivers.

Waivers aren’t just for outdoor adventures. Any event comes with some level of risk, and waivers can help prevent your nonprofit from incurring costly legal damages if those risks come to pass.

While using waivers does introduce another step into your event planning process, digital waivers streamline the process for you and event attendees. However, it’s important to know what to include in these forms to prevent legal issues effectively. In this guide, we’ll explore some digital waiver basics and the key components to include in each one—let’s begin!

Why use digital waivers as a nonprofit?

As mentioned, waivers can function as a legal shield by naming the risks of engaging with a specific activity or event and limiting the organization’s responsibility for injuries and damages. While these documents aren’t foolproof, understanding their use cases, how to draft them, and the importance of working with a lawyer will strengthen your waivers.

As a nonprofit, you’ll most commonly need to obtain waiver signatures:

  • From event attendees: Events of any kind can come with risks, especially those with some kind of physical element. For instance, someone participating in your 5K fundraiser could sprain their ankle. By having attendees sign a waiver, they release your organization from liability for issues like these.
  • From volunteers: Similar to fundraising events, volunteer opportunities can have inherent risks. Often, these opportunities involve manual tasks like lifting heavy objects or caring for animals. Draft a special volunteer liability waiver covering specific risks volunteers may encounter.
  • For photo releases: A photo release is an agreement that permits your organization to use a person’s image for commercial purposes. Photos from your events make excellent marketing materials, but you’ll need to do your due diligence and secure a photo release from anyone featured in the images. This is especially important if you’re working with minors. Make this easy by adding a photo release clause to your waiver.

In addition to preventing legal issues, waivers can help you learn more about your supporters and personalize future interactions.

For example, you might reference all of the past waivers a specific donor has submitted, see that they frequently engage in fundraising events that include games and activities for kids, and send personalized invitations to similar events in the future. Or, you could reference all of the events a supporter has attended in your donor recognition efforts.

Digital waivers are also a much more eco-friendly option than paper forms, making them a great option for any organization that prioritizes sustainability.

What should you include in your digital waivers?

Below are some of the most important formatting elements you should consider adding to your waivers—keep in mind that you’ll need flexible, customizable software for this. But before you start drafting the form, find a lawyer who can help. 

As Smartwaiver’s guide to making a waiver explains, “waivers that do not mention all possible risks, use vague or unclear language, or violate local regulations” may face enforceability issues that negate the benefits of using a waiver in the first place. A lawyer can ensure you use sound legal language and comply with the specific regulations governing waiver usage in your state or country.

1. Signature boxes

Signature boxes are where participants actually sign the document, and they are one of the most important aspects of the waiver. You may have participants draw their signature with a mouse or stylus or simply type their name to agree to the terms in the waiver. Don’t worry—these signatures are as legally binding as a “wet” signature signed with pen and paper, thanks to the E-Sign Act.

If there are very specific parts of the document you want people to agree to, you might also add signature boxes. For instance, you might embed a safety video in the waiver and have participants agree to a statement saying they viewed the materials and will follow all safety instructions.

2. Training materials

Your event or volunteer opportunity may require participants to view training materials beforehand. This not only keeps them safe but also ensures the event runs smoothly and efficiently. For example, you could have volunteers at your animal shelter watch a training video on how to clean cages and properly greet and engage with animals. Or, you might have supporters participating in a charity soccer tournament watch a quick video with stretches and tips for preventing injury.

Including these materials in your waiver will also streamline event registration. Supporters can easily access the waivers before the event and complete the training process at home without wasting time when they arrive.

3. Flagged questions

Some questions may require a certain answer for the participant to submit the form. For instance, only adults can agree to a waiver. So, you might flag the question “Are you 18 years or older?” so participants who check “No” cannot proceed.

Flagged questions ensure each waiver is completed accurately and is legally sound, maintaining your peace of mind. Plus, this automatic method keeps incomplete waivers from slipping through the cracks and removes the chance of human error.

4. Parent/guardian relationship options

While it’s true that minors cannot agree to the terms in a waiver, there are plenty of activities that both require waivers and are appropriate for minors. For instance, Atlanta Habitat for Humanity has diverse volunteer opportunities for those 16 and older—how do you navigate situations like this?

Fortunately, there’s a simple solution. Just allow the user to choose who will participate in the activity (an adult, a minor, or both) and then direct them to the correct form. This way, parents and guardians can complete forms on behalf of their children.

5. Custom fields

Think of custom fields as the wildcards of digital waivers—you can use them for anything you like! Here are a few examples of why you might use this element:

  • Obtaining medical information or emergency contacts
  • Gathering input on health and safety preferences (e.g., dietary restrictions)
  • Asking supporters how they found out about your event to track marketing performance
  • Preparing for the event with event-specific questions (e.g., for an auction, auction item preferences, bidding limits, and overall budget)

Custom fields can help you better plan your event, customize the waiver to fit your unique needs, and obtain useful information about supporters that you can use to tailor future interactions.

When it comes to protecting your nonprofit from legal harm, digital waivers are definitely the way to go. However, be aware that while it sounds promising, free digital waiver software may not be the best option. These tools often have hidden fees, paywalled features, and lackluster tech support—plus, they have no incentive to go the extra mile with updates and stringent security measures.

Instead, select a provider within your budget that offers scalable, customizable, and secure forms as well as quality customer service.

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Using Direct Mail to Generate Interest in Planned Giving

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In the age of bloated inboxes and prevalent online scams, direct mail stands out to donors—making it a highly beneficial communication channel for nonprofits. Not only does receiving a letter surprise donors and give them a tangible reminder of your organization, but direct mail also helps you connect with supporters across generational divides.

This is especially true for some of your most influential donor prospects: those interested in planned giving. Planned giving donors are at the top of the donor pyramid, representing their immense potential to impact your mission. By cultivating these supporters with direct mail, your nonprofit can generate interest and ultimately secure more planned gifts.

In this guide, we’ll explore a few tips for using direct mail to engage, cultivate, and inspire donors to participate in planned giving.

1. Include visuals that showcase the impact of legacy gifts.

The number one reason donors make planned gifts is that they have a strong affinity for a cause and want to make an impact on it. To tap into this motivation, your direct mail campaigns must prioritize demonstrating impact. Make it clear just how much a legacy gift can do for your organization’s mission through your direct mail copy and visuals.

The right visuals will get your message across more quickly and effectively than words alone, helping you touch the hearts of prospective planned givers. Think photos of smiling beneficiaries, compelling infographics and data visualizations, and other images that highlight the positive outcomes of your work. When you combine these visuals with heartfelt copy, you can drive home the message that your nonprofit and planned givers can achieve amazing results together.

To choose the right visuals, segment your donors based on the aspects of your cause they’re most passionate about. Look to their giving and involvement histories to clarify each individual’s unique charitable interests. Then, include specific visuals and stories that will resonate with each group.

Ensure that every visual you include in your direct mail:

  • Has a clear purpose (such as demonstrating impact).
  • Represents the diversity of your community, including both beneficiaries and supporters.
  • Aligns with the visual style of your letter, postcard, or brochure.
  • Aligns with your nonprofit’s and planned giving program’s branding.
  • Evokes positive emotions like empowerment, hope, and pride.
  • Is referenced or alluded to in the appeal copy itself.

Additionally, make sure that any small visual elements, such as icons, emojis, or other graphics, are tasteful and match the rest of the appeal. If you’re not sure how to choose the best visuals for your planned giving appeals or communicate your nonprofit’s impact effectively, consider working with a communications consultant who can provide professional expertise.

2. Send a brochure with clear information about how planned giving works.

Not every donor has heard of planned giving before, and many don’t know what it means or how planned gifts work. This makes providing informational materials a crucial part of planned gift marketing and cultivation. One of the best ways to do so is with a physical brochure.

Direct mail brochures can include more information (and visuals!) than a one-page letter and serve as a resource donors can refer to again and again. To be effective, however, they must include all the information and resources donors need to take the next step. This typically means providing:

  • The types of planned gifts you accept and what they mean. NXUnite by Nexus Marketing explains that common types of legacy gifts include bequests, retirement plans, life insurance, charitable gift annuities, and retained life estates. Your organization might also include charitable remainder trusts, QCDs, and more.
  • Benefits of planned giving for donors. Highlight the personal impact donors can make on your cause, their control over the funds’ usage, tax benefits, and the extensive recognition planned gift donors will receive from your organization.
  • Links or QR codes to informational pages on your website. For supporters interested in learning more, direct them to your website so they can explore opportunities at their own pace.
  • Impact data about what you’ve been able to do with planned gifts before. Include charts, graphs, and tangible results demonstrating planned gifts’ long-term impact.
  • Donor testimonials emphasizing how rewarding it is to make a planned gift. Collect a few quotes from current planned giving donors about why they decided to participate in planned giving and what it means to them.
  • The contact details of your planned giving officer. Include your planned giving officer’s email address or phone number so interested donors can reach out directly with any questions.

Throughout the brochure, remember to use accessible, donor-focused language. Avoid getting too technical or in the weeds about planned gifts. Instead, put yourself in the donor’s shoes and prioritize the information that will spark their interest.

3. Provide an easy-to-use pledge card.

Often, the next step for planned giving prospects isn’t to email your planned gifts officer or talk to their financial advisor right away. Simply expressing their interest in planned giving is a great way to begin the process.

Make it easy for donors to take this step by providing pledge cards and return envelopes in your appeals. You can even include these cards with other standard fundraising appeals, just as you might mention matching gifts or other opportunities to increase impact at the end of a letter. Pledge cards should be pre-addressed and stamped so all donors have to do is write their name and check a box to indicate their interest.

You might include a few options on your card with a checkbox next to each one, such as:

  • Please send me more information about [specific type of planned gift].
  • I would like to speak to someone about legacy giving opportunities.
  • I’ve already included [your nonprofit’s name] in my will.

Once you receive one of these cards back from a donor, contact them to discuss their interest (or get details about the planned gift they’ve already made, if applicable). Additionally, Meyer Partners’ direct mail guide recommends following up with a handwritten thank-you note to each donor. This small token of appreciation shows that you value the donor’s interest in your cause, even if they’re not ready to make a planned gift yet.

Whether you’re launching a dedicated planned gift fundraising campaign or just promoting legacy gifts in your year-end appeals, these tips will help you cultivate and inspire prospects. Pair direct mail with other strategic outreach through email, phone calls, and in-person conversations for a well-rounded approach.

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Dos and Don’ts of Text Fundraising: Avoid Common Pitfalls

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Text fundraising is becoming increasingly popular, and for good reason. According to M+R Benchmarks, revenue from mobile messages increased by 14% in 2023, and fundraising mobile messages generated $92 in revenue for every 1,000 messages sent.

Although this fundraising method seems simple, you must create a cohesive strategy to maximize donation revenue and provide a smooth user experience.

We’ve compiled a list of dos and don’ts to steer you in the right direction and help you launch successful text fundraising campaigns. That way, you’ll have an actionable list of steps to build your strategy and pitfalls to avoid.

Do: Select the right text-to-give platform.

Start by choosing text-to-give software that will enable your text fundraising campaigns. Qgiv’s text-to-give platforms guide recommends looking for a solution with the following features:

  • Customizable campaign options to tailor your initiative to your organization and audience
  • Real-time donation tracking to ensure you receive all contributed funds
  • Security measures like PCI compliance, fraud detection, and data encryption to keep donors’ personal information private
  • Integrations with your constituent relationship management platform (CRM) or accounting software for seamless data transfers and easy analysis

Additionally, you may seek a solution with engagement features like fundraising thermometers and activity feeds that you can display during events to maintain momentum and increase participation.

Don’t: Use complicated keywords.

After you select text-to-give software, the next step is to choose your text fundraising keyword. This keyword is what donors will text to your dedicated phone number to kickstart the donation process.

Picking a keyword that’s too long or difficult to remember may bar donors from getting involved. Prevent typos and encourage participation with short, relevant, and memorable keywords.

For example, an animal shelter raising money to fund its adoption program may use the keyword “PAWS,” while a homeless shelter collecting donations to purchase winter gear for residents may leverage “STAY WARM” as its keyword.

Do: Personalize your messages.

Build strong, individual relationships with donors and show them their contributions matter with personalized messages. Customize your texts by:

  • Pulling data from your nonprofit’s CRM to address donors by name. Unlike a generic “Dear Donor,” using supporters’ first names will grab their attention and make your messages more engaging from the very beginning.
  • Referencing past involvement. Recognize the contributions supporters have already made to your organization, such as previous donations or volunteer work.
  • Segmenting supporters into relevant groups. Customize your messages to speak to different segments, such as new, one-time, recurring, or major donors. For example, you may include a quick sentence summarizing what your organization does for new supporters and thank major donors for their generosity.

Test these strategies and track metrics such as message open and conversion rates to determine the most effective tactics.

Don’t: Overcomplicate the donation process.

Text fundraising should be quick and easy for donors, leaving them with a positive impression of your nonprofit. Make the process seamless by:

  • Giving instructions. Spell out the steps for participating in text fundraising so supporters know exactly what to do. Bloomerang’s text-to-give guide recommends including screenshots or creating a video to make your instructions even more intuitive.
  • Using a clear call to action (CTA). When promoting your campaign, implement a call to action that’s simple and action-oriented. For example, you may encourage supporters to “text PAWS to 23453 to donate to help a pet in need.”
  • Optimizing your donation page. Since your campaign will lead donors to your donation page, you’ll want to ensure it offers a positive user experience. Optimize the page for mobile users, making sure all visual elements resize for smaller devices, the text is large enough to read, and tap targets are appropriately sized. Additionally, make your donation page accessible by including alternative text for images, adding captions for videos, labeling form fields with descriptive text, and ensuring sufficient color contrast between background and foreground text.
  • Accepting multiple payment methods. Let donors contribute via their preferred payment methods. An overwhelming 63% of donors prefer to give online with a credit or debit card, but you should also accept ACH and digital wallets like Google Pay and Apple Pay.

With a smooth donation process, donors are more likely to follow through with their contributions and give again in the future.

Do: Simplify your texts.

Text messages have a 98% open rate, proving just how effective this channel is for reaching your donors. However, once supporters open your texts, you’ll want them to read these messages all the way through so they take action.

The key to driving action with these messages is to keep them concise. In one or two sentences, grab donors’ attention by getting straight to the point about the purpose of your campaign and how donors can help. Then, provide the link to your donation page so donors can easily follow through with contributions.

Don’t: Rely on text fundraising alone.

While text fundraising is effective, you can maximize donations using a multi-channel approach. Combine text fundraising with these strategies for the best results:

  • Email fundraising. Older donors who aren’t as technologically savvy may be more inclined to respond to fundraising emails than texts. Additionally, you can use emails to promote your text fundraising initiatives so supporters can choose how they’d like to give.
  • Events. Text fundraising can add an exciting element to events and boost donation revenue. For example, you may pair your silent auction with a text fundraising campaign, allowing donors without winning bids to still contribute in a meaningful way.
  • Direct mail. Include a QR code on direct mail fundraising materials that leads donors to a text fundraising landing page or automatically creates a message to your text fundraising number that includes the keyword.

At the end of your campaign, survey donors to find out how they discovered your text fundraising initiative. That way, you can analyze which strategies most effectively promote your text fundraising efforts.

Do: Follow up with donors.

Don’t leave donors hanging once they contribute. Immediately after they donate, automate a text message that thanks them for their support.

Then, ask donors if they’d like to opt into campaign updates. If they agree, send them messages about your fundraising goal progress on a regular basis.

Once your campaign wraps up, thank donors again for their generosity, report on your final fundraising results, and let them know how they can stay involved in your organization.

Don’t: Forget to emphasize impact.

Throughout the campaign, keep impact at the forefront. By focusing on impact, you can motivate donors to participate and show exactly how their contributions will make a difference.

Let donors know what certain donation amounts will allow you to achieve. For example, a soup kitchen may indicate that $75 will allow them to feed a family of four for a week, while $250 will allow them to buy new kitchen supplies.

You should also include impact statements based on your final fundraising total in your follow-up. Explain how many beneficiaries you’ll be able to help and what donors’ funds will allow your organization to provide.

Whether you’re running a year-end appeal, supplementing fundraising event revenue, or just implementing a new donation avenue, text fundraising can help you raise more in an efficient and engaging way. Promote this option widely across various channels to encourage involvement.

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5 Nonprofit Staff Training Tips for Long-Term Success

From writing job descriptions to interviewing candidates, recruiting new talent can be a long and labor-intensive process. But once a new employee joins your nonprofit, they can be an invaluable asset to your team—as long as they have the right training.

You may think of training as a limited period of time when employees first join your organization, but in truth, nonprofits should continually encourage their employees to expand their skills and provide them with the resources to do so.

Whether an employee needs a tutorial on how to use your CRM or wants to learn new strategies to support your nonprofit’s strategic plan, there are numerous ways you can help employees continuously learn the skills they need. In this guide, we’ll explore five professional development tips to set your team up for long-term success.

1. Create an organized onboarding process.

After you’ve concluded the recruiting process, help your new hires hit the ground running in their roles. During onboarding, employees should receive the foundational training they’ll use for the rest of their time at your nonprofit. 

Your onboarding process should have a formal structure so it is clear when employees have officially been onboarded and are full-fledged members of your team. It should not end after an arbitrary amount of time, but after clear training objectives have been completed, such as finishing training modules, earning accreditations, or fulfilling specific new hire assignments.

Additionally, prepare an employee handbook that provides reference materials employees can look back on throughout and after onboarding. Since your employees will need to absorb a lot of new information quickly, they’ll appreciate having a reference book to refresh their memory.

2. Set up mentorships.

New hires have a lot to learn when they first join your nonprofit, and even with a thorough onboarding process, they’re likely to have questions about their day-to-day responsibilities. A mentorship provides someone they can turn to for any and all of these questions.

Since your employees already have managers, you might wonder what the point of mentors is. These roles differ in a few key ways:

  • Managers are formal supervisors who assess employees’ work, pass down assignments, and provide progress reports to leadership as needed.
  • Mentors are senior colleagues who handle many of the same responsibilities as new hires, provide informal advice, and aren’t expected to elevate new hires’ comments and questions.

Some mentorship programs may be more involved, such as requiring mentors to put together presentations or take new hires out to lunch. In general, however, employee mentors act as a comparatively informal resource new employees can turn to for guidance.

3. Promote training courses.

While your employees should always be learning, the formal training process can only last so long. Provide your employees with the resources they need to further their careers by promoting training opportunities they can enroll in.

Laridae recommends providing a range of training resources, including:

  • Virtual classrooms. Most training courses take place online. However, there’s a big difference between a course that auto-plays several videos in a row and one that puts attendees in a virtual classroom where they can interact with instructors and learn from their peers.
  • One-on-one coaching. Employees can receive tailored lessons, get specific questions answered, and set personalized professional goals with a dedicated mentor.
  • Take-home tools. Learning should continue even in between training sessions. Look for training courses that provide employees with guides and take-home tools they can continue to rely on even after the course wraps up.

When helping employees find and attend training courses, look for offerings that provide lessons relevant to employees’ career objectives, offer in-depth training, and use interactive teaching methods that will make lessons stick.

4. Attend nonprofit conferences.

Every year, thousands of nonprofit professionals gather at a number of conferences hosted across the world. These gatherings are opportunities to learn about the latest trends in the nonprofit sector, from microinteractions to AI technology.

Conferences usually consist of lectures and workshops where attendees can improve their skills. NXUnite provides a short list of nonprofit conferences your organization can consider sending interested employees:

  • Double the Donation’s Matching Gift Summit. Corporate funding, like matching gifts, often goes unclaimed because nonprofit professionals aren’t sure how to discuss it. Double the Donation’s Matching Gift Summit can answer your team’s questions and provide actionable insights into how to earn matching gift revenue.
  • The Association of Fundraising Professionals International Conference. Hosted by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, this conference covers a wide range of topics, providing workshops and lectures related to nearly every aspect of your nonprofit.
  • GrantSummit. Grant writing requires highly specific skills nonprofit professionals might not otherwise pick up through their day-to-day responsibilities. Allow your employees to improve grant-related skills and meet with foundation leaders to get your foot in the door with grantmakers.
  • Nonprofit Storytelling Conference. Nonprofits looking for actionable advice on improving their community outreach can upgrade their storytelling skills by attending this annual conference.
  • bbcon. Hosted annually by Blackbaud, bbcon provides a deep dive into updates and best practices for Blackbaud’s suite of nonprofit software, making attendance a necessity for nonprofits using Blackbaud tools.

Research conferences in your area or ones that are far away but worth traveling to. From community engagement to technology, nonprofit conferences cover a wide range of topics, so consider your training priorities and which staff members will gain the most from attending these events.

5. Encourage association memberships.

Many nonprofit conferences are hosted by associations. In between annual events, these associations continue to provide high-quality resources and opportunities to their members. Consider encouraging some of your employees to join nonprofit membership associations.

To ensure your employees receive valuable resources for improving their skills, look for associations that provide:

  • Credential programs. Along with networking opportunities, many professionals join associations to access credential programs. These courses can advance your team’s skills and allow them to step into new roles.
  • Research reports. Many associations conduct research on their fields. These published reports can provide insights into the future of your industry but are often locked behind membership paywalls. When your employees have access to these resources, they can better map out their skill development goals.
  • Community. One of the strongest resources any association membership can provide is access to a community of experienced professionals. Look for associations with online community platforms that your members can join and use to connect with other nonprofit professionals. With these tools, they can ask questions, participate in discussions about developments in your field, and even promote job opportunities at your nonprofit to aid recruitment efforts.

You can help your team join associations by offering to help pay for their membership fees. If you do so, consider asking members to use what they learn to help train the rest of your team. For instance, you might ask an employee who comes back from a members-only conference to give a short presentation on what they learned.

Training your nonprofit’s employees isn’t just about getting them up to speed on day one. Instead, effective training involves providing employees with the resources they need to continually improve throughout their careers.

Encourage employees to take their training into their own hands with external courses and conferences, or even consider bringing in a consultant for nonprofit organizations to help your employees develop specific skills. From there, continue to encourage professional growth so your team can power your nonprofit’s success from each year to the next.

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6 Quick Questions to Determine Your Fundraising Event Format

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Picture this—you’re brainstorming ideas for next year’s fundraising event. Some team members think you should try online or virtual fundraising while others hold fast to in-person events. You’re at a decision-making crossroads and aren’t sure which way to go.

This is a common occurrence for many organizations as more new and innovative ideas spring up each year. With all of these options, it’s difficult to know which one makes the most sense for your organization.

That’s why we’ve created this quick guide to help you take a step back and narrow your fundraising event choices. Together, we’ll review these questions you can use to inform your event decisions:

Infographic showing questions you can use to guide your fundraising event decisions, as explained throughout the text below.

1. What are your event goals?

Every fundraising event should be a vehicle for helping you meet clearly defined goals. First, it must help you meet your revenue goals. Your team should conduct research on both your fundraising history and current fundraising event trends to find a profitable solution.

In addition to raising revenue, your organization should consider what additional engagement or awareness goals you’d like to target with your new fundraising event. These could include:

  • Acquiring new donors. Large-scale community events are a great opportunity to expand your existing supporter network and tap into new donors. Ask your volunteers and existing donors to invite their friends and family.
  • Cultivating relationships with existing donors. Fundraising events offer another chance to engage regular supporters and invite them to delve deeper into your cause. For instance, if you host an event to fund a new project, you’ll be able to educate existing donors on your organization’s growth.
  • Encouraging community or school spirit. Fundraising events bring communities together to support worthwhile causes. You can use yours as an opportunity to enhance these community bonds or boost school spirit.
  • Promoting your cause. If your nonprofit is new to the area, or you’ve just revamped your elementary school, fundraising events can act as an impactful promotional tool. Just be sure to thoroughly explain your mission and how you’ll use the funds raised.

Ideally, your fundraising event will help you accomplish multiple goals at once. And, if you’d like to take your event one step further, you can partner with sponsors or other like-minded organizations to increase your resources and reach.

2. What is your budget?

Look at your budget holistically to determine which fundraising event combination will offer the best return on investment (ROI). For instance, live events require more upfront costs and planning but tend to bring in more revenue. On the other hand, online events are more flexible but may not generate as many donations.

Consider the following event-related expenses when narrowing down your event format:

  • Venue
  • Fundraising software
  • Catering
  • Entertainment
  • Staff
  • Decorations
  • Sound and lighting equipment

Ensure you have enough space in your budget for a contingency fund in case you fall short of your revenue goals. This way, you’ll be prepared should unexpected expenses or last-minute cancellations sneak up on you.

3. Who is your audience?

Knowing your audience helps determine which events will appeal to them. For instance, a large nonprofit organization might find success with upscale silent auction events while an elementary school might plan more family-friendly events like a fundraising field day or carnival.

Dig into your donor database to get the most relevant audience insights. Pay special attention to the following characteristics:

  • Age. Different age groups tend to have different donation habits and preferences. For instance, 40% of Millennials are enrolled in a monthly giving program, while 58% attend fundraising events.
  • Location. The location of your supporters is a deciding factor as well. For example, an online or hybrid event format may work best for organizations with a large global audience and limited planning time.
  • Income. Looking into the average income of your supporters can help you better understand how much you can expect to raise from your event. This way, you can plan one that appeals to their interests and takes their giving capacities into account.

Use these insights to adjust your current event format or opt for a new one completely. As an example, if you are set on running an auction, use your donor’s giving capacity to guide your auction item pricing choices.

4. What will your main revenue streams be?

Different event formats use different revenue streams. Often, one event format will rely on multiple methods to generate the most funds. For instance, a fundraising concert may use ticket sales in addition to merchandise sales or text-to-give options. Here is a full view of revenue streams you can explore for your event:

  • Ticket sales
  • Peer-to-peer or crowdfunding revenue
  • Merchandise
  • Auction revenue
  • Text-to-give
  • Raffle tickets
  • Recurring gifts
  • Matching gifts
  • In-kind contributions

Make sure you have the right software systems in place for your decided revenue streams. For online donations, you’ll want to choose a secure credit card processing platform that offers donors the ability to donate using their preferred payment option.

5. What time of year will your event be?

Choose an event date that does not conflict with your organization’s other plans or interfere with the plans of your supporters. Both of these criteria will differ depending on the nature of your organization and its supporter base.

On the nonprofit side, there are seasonal considerations an organization needs to grasp before deciding on an event. Funds2Orgs points out these noteworthy seasonal statistics:

  • On average, nonprofits raise 26% of their revenue in December.
  • 45% of donors enroll in a monthly giving program.
  • 10% of annual giving occurs in the last three days of the year.
  • GivingTuesday in 2023 saw a total of $3.1 billion in donation revenue in the U.S. alone.

On the school fundraising side, popular fundraising event seasons are back-to-school and springtime to energize your school community. Additionally, SchoolAuction.net suggests fundraising year-round to take the pressure off of a few event dates and tap into small amounts of consistent income.

6. What support will you need?

Event planning and coordination needs should be top of mind when considering your event format. If you have limited staff and planning time, you may opt for a few online fundraising events. On the other hand, if you have a knowledgeable and available support team, you might undertake more elaborate in-person fundraising opportunities.

Consider what volunteers, event staff, technical support, nonprofit board member support, and software support you need to make your event successful. Then, make your staff recruitment plans ahead of time so you’ll be ready once the event date rolls around.

Using these questions, your organization can choose your next fundraising event with confidence knowing you’ve done the research upfront. Once your event is over, be sure to update your internal records to indicate the revenue and engagement outcomes. That way, you’ll have fresh data to turn to for future event planning.

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Grant Project Kickoff Meeting: Free Template & Explainer

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Writing a winning grant proposal is no easy feat. These projects have many moving pieces and require cross-team collaboration. Mastering grant writing means mastering organization and communication.

A successful grant writing process fosters clear internal communication from the very start. This is why grant writing experts recommend hosting a kickoff meeting for everyone who’ll be involved in the grant application process.

A preliminary meeting can go a long way to simplify grant writing, freeing up more of your mental bandwidth to craft a truly standout proposal that will win support, diversify your funding, and bring your plans to life. Let’s review how these meetings work and walk through a sample meeting agenda you can use for your next grant project.

What’s a grant kickoff meeting?

A grant kickoff meeting is a gathering of the key team members in a nonprofit who will contribute to the grant proposal in some capacity. These meetings typically involve the grant writing lead(s) and individuals from the organization’s finance, program, and leadership teams.

This meeting should occur early in the grant writing process, once the project lead has identified the grant opportunity and distilled its requirements into a detailed outline but before actual information gathering or drafting has begun.

The purpose of this meeting is to align the whole team on a few essentials, including:

  • Details about the grant
  • The project your nonprofit is proposing
  • The grant application’s requirements
  • The specific resources needed to meet the requirements
  • Your schedule for meeting all deadlines

A successful meeting will put everyone on the same page with a shared understanding of the grant, your project, what’s needed from each team member, and by when. This level of organization and efficiency leads to smoother experiences and more cohesive narratives to impress funders.

As you already know, grant applications and their requirements can be complex and often lengthy. An organized agenda and clear communication before, during, and after the kickoff meeting will significantly streamline the entire process and set you up for success.

Template for your grant kickoff meeting agenda

Learn Grant Writing’s guide to writing a proposal recommends drafting a kickoff meeting agenda and sending it to all participants a day in advance. So what should your agenda include? These templates and steps will walk through the most important elements to include:

1. Meeting logistics

Start your agenda with the basic meeting logistics and key grant details that team members can reference quickly.

Date:

Time:

Grant writing lead:

Attendees:

Subject: (“Kickoff for ____ Grant,” etc.)

Title of grant:

Funder name:

Value of grant:

Final application deadline:

2. Introductions

In many cases, not everyone involved in the kickoff meeting will know each other. If you are a freelance grant writer hired by the nonprofit (or if you’re a staff member helping a freelancer set up the meeting), introductions will definitely be in order.

In any case, it’s always a good idea to start the meeting with a brief overview of each individual’s role in the organization and to establish why you’re meeting. You may even want to explicitly write out the objective and intended outcome of the meeting to give everyone an immediate shared understanding.

Objective: To review the grant requirements as a team, determine who will be responsible for which deliverables, and align on deadlines.

3. Project overview

Next, orient the team to the project being proposed, its current state, and what’s still needed to accomplish it. This section will naturally vary greatly between organizations and projects. You’ll likely want a team member directly involved in the project or program to lead this portion of the meeting.

Project overview: [Provide background information on project planning and needs]

Cost estimate:

Funding secured and sources:

Funding needed:

[Include other relevant details as needed]

4. Immediate questions

During the process of reviewing the grant’s requirements and putting together the agenda, you as the grant writing lead will likely encounter specific and miscellaneous requirements. Round up those for which you can get quick answers from the team to knock them out in one go.

Bigger or more open-ended questions can be held until you discuss the full requirements and tasks.

Quick questions:

  • [List of specific questions raised by the grant requirements, for example, whether the organization is registered on Grants.gov or has a specific policy in its bylaws]

5. List of Requirements

Now you can get into the meat of the grant application: the full list of required sections and attachments that your team will need to draft or gather.

Create a simple bullet list of the specific resources that you’ll need to include in the full application. If you can, go ahead and include the name of the team member who you think will best be able to provide each resource.

Narrative and attachment requirements:

  • Grant narrative – [Name]
  • [Other required attachments specified by the funder, like IRS forms, other government forms, budgets, schedules, letters of support, and Board Resolutions, with names of relevant team members]

Grant databases and other resources may provide lists of opportunities’ requirements, and while these can be extremely helpful at a glance, do not over-rely on them. The grant itself is the source of truth—take the time before your meeting to read the requirements several times and copy a direct outline of what it asks of you.

6. Tasks for the complete application

In this portion of the meeting, you’ll walk through the sections of the grant requirements as a team and confirm who will be responsible for which elements.

Pre-assigning these responsibilities helps to streamline the process of facilitating the meeting and reduces extra back-and-forth. However, if you assign a task to someone who actually isn’t in the best position to handle it, take a moment to quickly decide who should be responsible for it instead.

Other open questions will likely crop up, as well, which you can likely save for the end of the meeting. The goal at this early stage is to walk through a straightforward outline as a team and divvy up tasks, not necessarily to pause and talk through granular details and strategies. Many required sections of grant proposals, like program or project budgets and impact projections, are essential for completing later sections, so it pays to get the ball rolling on them quickly.

For this portion of your agenda, literally convert the grant’s required sections into an outline, copying its language word for word. This outline will look very different for every grant you pursue, so here’s an excerpt of a general example:

Rating Factor 1

  • 1.1 Organizational Capabilities
    • 1.1a Managerial and Technical Staff
      • Descriptions and relevant experience from the past five years on similar projects – [Name of assignee]
    • 1.1b Audits
    • Copies of audit results from the past two fiscal periods – [Name of assignee]

…

Rating Factor 2

  • 2.1 Need and Extent of Problem
    • 2.1a Narrative section: Need and viability – [Name of assignee]

…

Create a complete outline for your particular grant and add assignee names like in this example. This process helps ensure that nothing falls through the cracks and that your finished proposal will exactly echo what the funder is looking for.

7. Schedule

Compile all of the requirements and assignments into a comprehensive schedule. Determine due dates for individual sections and attachments based on the grant application’s final deadline (ideally aiming to get everything completed several days before the final deadline).

During the meeting, you can update any assignee names as needed but try to avoid drastically reworking your timeframes. As the grant writing lead, you’re in charge of overseeing the big picture of the project and keeping it on track.

Schedule of Deadlines for Grant Requirements

Sample calendar template for grant kickoff meeting, listing key deadlines and meeting dates

Note the inclusion of team meetings—use the calendar to centralize all relevant deadlines, meetings, and other details that the grant team will need on their radar.

A simple table or spreadsheet will work fine at this stage. You may come up with your own abbreviation or color-coding system to keep the schedule from becoming visually overwhelming, but ensure that everyone is aligned on what the system means, perhaps by including a key. You should also make sure that the calendar is easily accessible by everyone. Provide team members with both printed and digital versions of the finalized calendar.

8. Questions and next steps

In this final section of your kickoff meeting agenda, leave some time for questions that haven’t yet been covered.

You should also clearly spell out the next steps for team members, including the first upcoming deadlines, who to send which deliverables to, and the date and time of the next team check-in meeting, if it’s been determined.

Next Steps

  • Next meeting: [Date and time]
    • [Or, create an action item to decide on a date as a team.]
  • Send all deliverables to: [Name and email address]
  • First deliverables due:
    • [Deliverable – Assignee name – Deadline]

Remember, clear communication will create a smoother overall grant writing process. Very explicitly spell out what you need to progress, and encourage all team members to stay responsive to requests and questions from one another as the project moves forward.

The importance of project management for grant writing

As you can tell from the kickoff meeting process, grant writing requires the right approach. Project management, a collection of logistical and decision-making skills that encompasses organization, communication, task and time management, and more, is a critical but often overlooked asset for grant writers.

For long-term success as a nonprofit professional or grant freelancer, you need the right approach and resources, like the examples in this guide. Get familiar with the components of a kickoff meeting and why it’s such a valuable exercise, and then adapt this recommended process to best suit your organization’s needs.

Stay mindful, keep improving as you go, and get ready to write a winning proposal.

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