When it comes to fundraising via the sales and distribution of products for nonprofit organizations typically there is only one way to participate; namely by a Traditional Event-Driven Campaign where net profits are generated from buying wholesale and selling at retail.
But today I point you toward an expanded vision that increases the possibilities.
But before I reveal it consider this from an article in Inc. Magazine entitled Six Ways to Save the World: A Practical Guide to Social Entrepreneurship
“It used to be that if you wanted to make a difference, you joined a nonprofit. And if you wanted to make money, you launched a business. These days, it’s not so simple. More nonprofits are being run like fast-growth start-ups. And more traditional companies are being built around social missions.”
This statement challenges the average non-profit because many, if not most, nonprofits are maintaining a level of status quo. On occasion, I’ve asked nonprofit leaders what they would do if they had double the funds. I am immediately inundated with a list of items and projects. This tells me that though they want to increase the impact, their level of income keeps them at a defined state of existence. And my guess is that a great deal of energy and planning is invested regularly only to keep the organization at the level they are now. God forbid that the economy was to vary in the wrong direction and put their very existence in jeopardy.
If you are a leader of a nonprofit, I am writing for you to consider an additional approach. This will mean educating yourself about the distinctions of social enterprise, also called social business, its development in the world today, and the fund raising potential connected to it.
First, let me say that the social enterprise marketing model, when implemented, could make a huge difference for nonprofits in the future. We are working to make the Hope Movement the nonprofit organization’s best friend.
Before I tell you more, please allow me to give you some of my history.
I have the better part of forty years of experience working with nonprofits. At first, it was the work I did with three churches as their pastor. One of which had a private school and all the fundraisers that go with it. I also ran a 501(c)(3) organization in the Midwest. I then worked as a Human Resource Director for a two-year Bible College in Texas for five years where I obtained the experience of working with a multi-million dollar nonprofit. I also started another 501(c)(3) organization, which I presently run, and which is supported, in part, by a donor base. My wife is a national keynote speaker and she has spoken at nearly 90 fundraising events for as many nonprofit organizations in 38 states. This has mostly been for women’s resource centers and among homes for unwed mothers. I have accompanied my wife to most of these events where we rub shoulders with nonprofit leaders and some of the most caring and hardest working people we know. All of them must raise tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars yearly. We also support orphanages in Belize and in the Dominican Republic through stateside nonprofit organizations. I can say experientially that I understand the idiosyncrasies of fundraising issues.
Another update is forthcoming. Or read in advance at Blog #34 by clicking here.
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