From the article: The Nonprofit Hard Times Survival Guide
It's tough for everyone, no matter what your nonprofit does. Donations are down and demand is up. What is your organization doing to get through this difficult period? We all have inquiring minds when it comes to survival. Share your experience. No registration necessary. Share Your Experience
Sharing Resources
- Through my studies I have learned of npo's sharing resources such as office space and even bookeepers and hourly staff.
- —Guest npo helena
how to maintain our activities
- we are asking members to begin to contribute monthly so that donors too would know that we are also asking of ourselves!!!!
- —Guest larai ahmed
Being prepaired for tomorrow
- We are really a very small organization and so we are not living on a very big budget, but we set up our systems and structures to allow us being ready for the next day. We usually get to know that sometime you can loose the people who are supporting you, so w made it sure that we prepare for the next day by setting up attainable goals and programs which we can manage with the limited resources available. I do not mean we are not aiming higher, but we aim at a problem we can really find a solution for. Secondly by cutting down our expenses costs, like rent and so many others. By members contributing directly to these costs instead of waiting for an outside donor, we are really happy and moving on well with success in whatever we do.
- —Guest Isaac Ssamba-Uganda
Another Out of box idea
- I am amazed out how many nonprofit organizations are "stuck" in their mindset and have difficulty breaking out of the box to look at revolutionary concepts to provide them a revenue stream. It is inconceivable to me that based on some philosophical notions that are not even consistent an organization will forgo doing a basic simple task that could help to eliminate some of the pressures of today’s economy. So the problem is generation of an income stream to support the nonprofit. Now they ask members of an organization to donate dollars, help with rummage sales, silent auctions, athletic event participation, sell wrapping paper, sell books. So why not partake in a new program that allows an organization to have is followers change their buying habits and redirect their spending dollars to products that are green, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly. People are already buying these items at a supermarket or store of some form. Redirecting the spending into a better produc
- —Guest Bobby
Doing more with less
- We have given small targets to every member of the Fund Raising Effort which they have to achieve every month. This includes soliciting new donors and follow-up with existing donors to jack up their earlier donation keeping in view your difficulty in meeting your targets. This way we have minimum of at least three to five members on an active campaign of fund raising. We also let our donors know about the cut backs in our expenditures to make sure that funds are utilized only for the purpose for which they are being sought.
- —Guest Safeer Khan
Doing more with less..
- Unfortunately, we have had to cut some staff, including one in development. So we are all having to work harder because there isn't less work to do. We are using a few volunteers to help input data, draft thank you letters, and make follow up phone calls.
- —Guest Jennifer
Cutting Back & Letting Donors Know
- We have cut costs on several fronts and have then let our donors know that we are doing all we can to manage our expenses. They seem to appreciate that.
- —Guest Linda
