Fundraising For Orphan Care and Vulnerable Children

In my last post, I told you about the Global Orphan Crisis, and the fundraising challenges facing nonprofits who serve these vulnerable children. So what’s an orphan care organization to do? How do you get fully funded, so you can truly pursue your mission?

Sponsorships Are Not Enough

Recently World Vision flipped the script on child sponsorships. I know it came across your news feed. It was worthy of the attention. This is a big, monumental shift in the world of child sponsorships. In essence, the kids World Vision serves now hold the control of selecting who sponsors them. I like this strategy for a big organization like World Vision, but for small nonprofits, is a monthly sponsorship program the right fundraising strategy? 

I don’t think so. 

If you’re an organization raising less than $500K annually, with 3 or fewer paid staff members, then I would suggest designing and launching your mid- and major-level gift programs first.

Also - weigh these concepts before you start:

• Child sponsorship programs with 1:1 assignments are highly time-consuming. Time is money in this situation - so every hour you spend fundraising must result in the size gifts you can see and feel on the bottom line.

• These donations are often restricted. And in order for you to grow your nonprofit, you need the majority of your giving to be unrestricted. 

• Will launching a child sponsorship program leave money on the table? Maybe. Your goal is to secure a donor’s best gift. I find many mid- or major-level donors have been asked to sponsor kids instead of giving their best gift. So, people who can write $10,000 checks are being asked to give $25 per month.

You can’t grow your organization into its founding mission if the programs and admin and fundraising aren’t all funded. And typically the sponsorship model is focused solely on programs.

So, when you’re small, this model tends to fragment your need - by not presenting the true and full need in its entirety. The admin and staff time it takes to run your sponsorship program is also part of your need. 

This might be hard to hear, I know. There are lots of things I love about this type of fundraising program, too. But I don’t love it as a small organization’s lead strategy. I’m not saying you should drop your sponsorship program - I’m saying you need to have a mid- and major-gifts plan, too. Be careful - what seems like ‘easy money’ in fundraising isn’t always. 

Raise To Your True Need

If you’re an Executive Director running a nonprofit where the programs happen overseas, it can be even harder to fully fund your organization. I hear comments all the time like,

“Our programs are funded, but nobody wants to fund our admin or staff.” 

If you have this problem, you have to ask yourself: Are you fundraising to your budget, or to your need?

Because raising to your need is the only way to move into the next level of existence and fully fund your entire nonprofit. 

So that means not just establishing the cost of an overseas project solely based on the cost overseas. You must factor in your staff time and the resources it will take to accomplish the project. 

That is the only way you’ll fund your programs, admin, and fundraising. It’s a simple and practical approach - but I work with so many groups who aren’t doing this and they are struggling with funding.

Maximize Your Fundraising Time

I recently asked a Development Director I’m working with how much time she was spending on one-on-one gift solicitation and cultivation meetings.

The answer:

“I’m really not doing it at all because my time is taken up by our Monthly Sponsorship Program.”

I love honesty and especially love the openness to change!

The truth is, I want you to start doing the things that generate the size donations that will fund your mission. AND I want you to stop doing the things that take too much time and have stalled your growth. 

This is the only way you will get time back in your schedule - by maximizing every hour you spend fundraising. This means not spending all your fundraising time on the types of quick-fix fundraising schemes don’t lead to the size gifts that will fully fund your programs and mission. 

Often my work is helping leaders see the things they need to stop doing so that they can repurpose that time and energy to the fundraising activities that will actually help them grow.

Speak Your Donor’s Language

My daughters have been in America for exactly four years - and do you know what? Teaching someone how to speak English is hard work! My eyes have been opened to how crazy the English language is. 

Case in point:

“Mom, why are reindeer called reindeer when they are in the snow?”

We can think someone understands what we’re talking about . . . and then a question out of left field confirms they’re not quite tracking with us.

Nonprofits have a similar language issue. 

Your donors are never going to give their best gifts if they don’t totally understand what you do. And I hate to say it - but sometimes we are the problem. We’re speaking our own language, and it leaves our donors out. 

Here’s what to watch for:

• Are you using internal or industry-related jargon?

• Are you talking about the technical aspects of your programs that are irrelevant to your donors?

• Are you spending more time talking about internal processes vs. impact on the lives changed?

• Are you talking program tactics vs. ultimate outcome?

Do a quick check. If you think a donor (or a board member) needs a refresher, meet with them and lean into some clarifying conversations. Clarity leads to cash.

Optimize Your Mission Trips

Executive Directors, are you exhausted by the number of folks who want to go on missions trips to physically see your work overseas?

I know, it’s such a tough spot to be in. Of course, you want supporters to witness first-hand the amazing work on the ground, but there are only so many days in a year. 

What do you do if you’re small but need to grow?

Get choosey. 

Only so many people can be on the ground, and you only have so many hours in a day to fundraise. So, if you’re small and trying grow into larger gift sizes, you’ve got to make selective decisions.

• The RIGHT PEOPLE must be on the trip. Don’t let a trip go without decision-makers on the team. Create specific profiles of the types of folks that would benefit your mission the greatest. That profile includes the ability to give. Then find those people.

• The RIGHT COST should be charged for the trip. So many times I see nonprofits lose money because supporters want to come visit. Create a budget that reflects the honest cost of the trip - including the staff’s time. Lean into this tough conversation - if the donor truly wants to help then they will understand.

• The RIGHT CONVERSATIONS should be happening on the trip. Don’t let a trip go by without a day set aside to sit and have an investment-level meeting. Even if you’re not soliciting for a gift on the trip - you still need to carve out the time to talk about the actual, real financial need of the organization. This avoids the chase for the awkward follow-up meeting once you’re home!

You Can Raise What You Need

If you’re an organization that serves orphans and vulnerable children, you can grow your fundraising. I know that for sure because I’ve helped organizations do it. If you want to raise more in 2020, join my Private Facebook Group. I’m talking about how to do these types of things every week! Join here: https://bit.ly/2BPKujE

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P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here are 3 ways I can help you grow your nonprofit revenue:

1. Follow me on LinkedIn for content and resources first
I give away trade secrets and insider info every week - the same lessons I teach my clients about what they can do to start attracting larger dollars and generate more unrestricted money for your nonprofit.

2. Read my WHITEPAPER to see if your overall approach to financing your mission every year might be keeping you from growing.
Here you’ll learn THE BIG FUNDRAISING SECRET that keeps organizations from having the funds to achieve what’s in their strategic plans. Click here to get it.

3. Work with me to reimagine your overall approach to revenue generation
If you'd like to add 7+ figures of charitable revenue to your nonprofit, just send me an email at Sherry@QuamTaylor.com with the subject line “grow.” Tell me a little about your nonprofit and what you need to raise this year. I’ll get you the details! 🎯