| You may have heard of the term "seed money." | | | | These are prepared prior to the end of a person's life. |
| Basically, it refers to how funders prefer to fund a | | | | The gifts are given when the person transitions. |
| project the first time, planting seeds for future growth. | | | | According to Giving USA, over $22.66 Billion was given |
| Funders expect that you will be able to sustain the | | | | in bequests in 2008. |
| program once it has started. | | | | Create a Development office, if you don't already |
| Why? Donors are not interested in adopting a project | | | | have one. In addition to grants, a Development office |
| indefinitely. | | | | can coordinate Planned Giving, an endowment |
| Funders want insurance that the project they fund - | | | | campaign, various campaigns, and other forms of |
| and the benefits it generates - will endure over time. | | | | fundraising. |
| Ask yourself 2 questions... | | | | Create a special campaign. Capital campaigns are |
| | | | popular initiatives to pull resources and people together |
| 1. What kind of assurance can you give that the idea | | | | to focus on raising money to build a building. You can |
| or project you're proposing will endure over time? | | | | also create a campaign for almost anything, like a new |
| 2. What strategies can you implement that will increase | | | | wing of your medical building, a scholarship fund, or to |
| chances that what you start will be sustained and | | | | fund hip replacement surgery for a local dancer |
| maintained over time? The Sustainability Plan is the | | | | without insurance (that's happening right now for a |
| weakest part of most grant proposals. In this article, | | | | friend). |
| you will learn 21 strategies to create a sustainability | | | | Create a scholarship office, if you don't have one |
| plan that will leave your competitors in the dust. | | | | already. Pool your efforts to assist students or clients |
| But, first, allow me to share my personal experience | | | | in finding grants and loans to pay for their own |
| with Sustainability Plans, or lack thereof. I learned the | | | | education or programs. Consolidate everything in a |
| "sustainability" lesson the hard way. Here's my story... | | | | one-stop location. The university from which I received |
| In 1993, the $2.5 million in federal grant funding (my first | | | | my first Bachelors degree says that at least 86% of |
| grant) came to an end. I didn't realize until it was too | | | | its students receive scholarships. I love how students |
| late that the Fed's were serious about only giving | | | | personally get involved in helping other students find |
| grants for five years. | | | | scholarships. |
| We had no sustainability plan in place. | | | | Get state funding or create a special tax initiative. |
| Sadly, I had to let go of 25 teachers and tell 3,000 | | | | Connect with a U.S. or state Senator or |
| students - newly legalized immigrants - that they no | | | | Representative who is sympathetic with your project. |
| longer had classes. We were able to sustain some | | | | Brainstorm with them how to get state funding or start |
| classes on a fee-for-service basis. However, the heart | | | | a tax initiative. One community college and high school |
| of the program died with the funding. I was | | | | in Florida combined their efforts along with state |
| devastated. | | | | representatives to secure $1 million in a "planning grant" |
| I hadn't realized until it was too late that getting grant | | | | to build a new tech center that could be shared by |
| "seed money" is a blessing AND a curse. On the one | | | | high school students by day and college students by |
| hand, the money can create many great projects and | | | | night and weekends. Time your initiative well, so you |
| do great things. On the other, you are responsible for | | | | don't overburden tax payers. |
| coming up with your own ways to sustain your efforts | | | | Do what you do best. Delegate the rest. Perhaps |
| after they've started, if you know how. Now, you do... | | | | some of the aspects of your program could be picked |
| 21 SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGIES | | | | up by another organization. For example, your intake |
| Here are 21 "proven" strategies to choose from for | | | | could be picked up by an agency that specializes in |
| your sustainability plan... | | | | that. Your marketing could be absorbed by another |
| Apply for other grants from other sources. Keep in | | | | agency who has the expertise to do that. Then, you |
| mind that other funders may not want to keep a | | | | specialize in what you do best. |
| program going either. | | | | Create a Facebook "Cause" . This social media |
| Let the organization absorb future funding | | | | fundraiser online is especially helpful when someone on |
| responsibilities (if it is large enough). This happened in | | | | the board is having a birthday. One way to celebrate |
| the case of a Single Parent - Displaced Homemaker | | | | the birthday is by promoting and giving to the cause |
| program at the local college. The President and college | | | | online. |
| administration found ways to use more secure state | | | | Let other businesses raise money for you. A local |
| funding combined with various federal and state grants | | | | grocery chain features a different nonprofit every |
| to keep the program going, but only after it had proven | | | | month. A certain percentage of all purchases on a |
| itself. | | | | certain day goes to the nonprofit. You may see this a |
| Use fee-for-service. Charge the clients a portion of the | | | | lot in the fall (I do) when businesses donate office |
| cost as tuition or fee, even a "sliding scale" if | | | | supplies and needed items to children, based on |
| necessary. When my first grant funding dried up, we | | | | purchases. |
| convinced the county and city to fund a portion of the | | | | Engage clients in your campaign. Empower clients to |
| cost of the classes. We charged the students the rest. | | | | get involved in Pay It Forward or other campaigns that |
| This reduced students' costs. | | | | get them involved in fundraising and giving back. For |
| Use sponsorships or 3rd party subsidies. For example, | | | | example, take a look at alumni organizations for |
| a local summer camp for handicapped children gets | | | | colleges and universities. This can take place "after" |
| corporations and individual donors to "sponsor" a kid | | | | clients have received your services. Or, it can take |
| for the summer. Create an adopt-a-_____ campaign, | | | | place "during" the time when clients are receiving |
| like adopt-a-pet, adopt-a-school, sponsor-a-child or | | | | services. This is great because clients have a vested |
| adopt-a-whale. | | | | interest in keeping the funding coming and the program |
| Start a for-profit enterprise. Put your clients to work. | | | | continuing. |
| Our local disabled adults do projects like running a | | | | Create and sell products online. The Food for |
| clothing story, putting labels on envelopes for large | | | | Everyone Foundation has written some great books |
| mailings, and even helping with horticulture projects. | | | | on organic gardening. These are available online with |
| Do annual fundraisers. Select a "high return on | | | | proceeds going to the Foundation. Create products - |
| investment" fundraiser that you can do on an annual | | | | like eBooks, MP3's, Special Reports - using your |
| basis, like a golf tournament, celebrity event, concert, | | | | nonprofit's expertise. I produced a CD of a "live" |
| raffle, dinner, or roast. | | | | presentation done by a thought leader on a topic of |
| Develop recurring revenue models, like membership | | | | much interest. 50% of all proceeds go to the |
| programs. For example, create a "membership | | | | Foundation for Conscious Living. |
| website" that takes what your agency does and | | | | Do a telefundraiser. One mentor and colleague |
| shares something every month with members (your | | | | interviews different thought leaders every month. |
| monthly donors). One local nonprofit records interviews | | | | People pay $20 to listen in. All proceeds go to |
| of visiting monks and scholars and provides these as | | | | micro-finance loans for entrepreneurs in third world |
| MP3's for member donors month-after-month to | | | | countries. This colleagues interest is entrepreneurship, |
| download from their membership website. | | | | so this is a perfect fit. |
| Create an Endowment campaign. Most large charities | | | | Become an affiliate. Align yourself and your agency |
| have caught on that one of the best ways to sustain | | | | with a product or service in your area. Then, when you |
| programs is by creating an endowment fund. Basically, | | | | refer someone, your agency receives a commission. |
| an endowment fund invests money received and | | | | It's important that the affiliate product or service is |
| spends 5% or so every year from the interest made | | | | aligned with your mission and that you check with your |
| from the investment of its assets. This is how many | | | | accountant. In the worse case, the revenue may be |
| foundations work. You're able to spend the interest | | | | counted as "taxed" and not "tax-exempt". |
| from investing your assets each year without touching | | | | Apply for membership in federal fundraising initiatives. |
| the principal. | | | | For example, apply to the United Way for ongoing |
| Create a Planned Giving program. Planned Gifts may | | | | funding from corporate donations. |
| be referred to by other names like a "will" or "bequest." | | | | |