Fundraising
Meeting Fundraising Goals: A Strategic Guide for Nonprofit Leaders
Welcome, nonprofit leaders! I'm Sarah Olivieri, and today, we’re going to explore how you can meet your fundraising goals efficiently and effectively—without the added stress. As a seasoned nonprofit strategist and creator of the Impact Method™, I have extensive experience as a coach, consultant, and leader in the nonprofit sector. Let’s unpack the fundraising conundrum together.
Understanding the Fundraising Landscape
Fundraising can often feel overwhelming, but it's crucial to focus on the right activities at the right stage of your growth. Here are some of the major fundraising categories to consider:
Relevant Personal Issues: Not every personal issue needs to be shared at work. However, if something is affecting your availability or mental space, it’s worth discussing. For instance, my son’s meltdown impacted my workday, shifting everything slightly.
Work’s Impact on Personal Life: It’s also crucial to recognize when work impacts your personal life. Work-life balance is more about integration than strict separation. Understanding this helps us address how work might be negatively or positively affecting our personal lives.
Tip 1: Discuss Issues Openly at Work
One effective approach is to hold issues meetings where team members can share their challenges. This isn’t about airing every minor inconvenience but addressing significant issues that impact work. By creating space to discuss these matters, we can find solutions before they escalate into bigger problems.
Issues vs. Challenges: We use the term “issues” instead of “challenges” because issues can be pre-challenges, meaning they haven’t yet become problems. Addressing them early can prevent them from becoming full-blown challenges.
Tip 2: Seek Creative Solutions
When work and life collide, the solution doesn’t have to be a total trade-off. It’s not about choosing work over life or vice versa. Often, creative solutions can satisfy both needs.
Outcome Focused: Focus on the desired outcomes rather than specific tasks. This perspective allows for flexibility in how goals are achieved. For example, if you need time off work, perhaps a colleague can monitor your emails or an auto-responder can provide necessary information.
Tip 3: Use Crises as Opportunities
Crises can force us to rethink and improve our systems. When a significant life event impacts work, it might reveal assumptions we can let go of, leading to more efficient and effective ways of working.
Reevaluating Assumptions: Sometimes, in moments of crisis, we are more willing to let go of outdated practices. This can lead to lasting positive changes in how we approach our work and personal lives.
Evaluating Roles with GWC
In our Thrive Program, we often talk about evaluating roles using the GWC framework from the book Traction. GWC stands for "Get it, Want it, Capacity to do it". This means ensuring that employees understand their roles, desire to fulfill them, and have the capacity to do so.
Capacity Issues: If personal issues are affecting an employee’s performance, it might be time to reassess their role. This could mean a role change or adjusting the role to better fit their current capacity, ensuring the organization still meets its needs.
Final Thoughts
Life happens, and it affects us whether we like it or not. Acknowledging this reality allows us to address issues more effectively and create win-win solutions that benefit both our personal lives and our work.
For more discussions on these topics and real-life issues faced by nonprofit leaders, join us in the THRiVE Program. Visit pivotground.com/application to apply. If you’re looking for more tips and training updates, sign up at pivotground.com/signup.
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Our Mission
PivotGround will empower you with the tools to free up the time and brain space to focus on what matters most at your nonprofit.
Got questions? Send them to sarah@pivotground.com
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