Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Assuring Your Financial Future: Strategies
to Sustain Your Program

January 21, 2016

2016 Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series
Planning Team

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Good to Know…

One week after the webinar, all attendees receive an email with:
 Instructions for how to access PDF of presentation slides and
webinar recording
 Link to the Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series webpage,
where all slides, recordings, and resources are posted.

Please help us out by answering survey questions at the end of the
webinar.

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Participate in Today’s Webinar

• All attendees muted for best sound
• Type questions and comments in

the question box
• Respond to polls
• Who is with us today?

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

DOJ Financial Guide Section on Fundraising

• OJJDP grantees must adhere to DOJ Financial
Guide Section on Fundraising

• “You may not charge as direct or indirect costs
against your award the costs of organized
fundraising, including financial campaigns,
endowment drives, solicitation of gifts and
bequests, and similar expenses incurred solely
to raise capital or obtain contributions”

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Dr. Susan G. Weinberger

• President of the Mentor Consulting
Group located in Norwalk, CT

• Pioneer in the creation of school-
based mentoring in America in the
early 1980s

• Served on the Board of MENTOR and
was Chair of its Public Policy Council

• Received President Clinton’s coveted
Volunteer Action Award at the White
House

• Has mentored a young woman since
age 7 who is now 29

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Jerry Dash

• CEO of VIP Mentoring,
Inc.

• Has led grant-seeking
efforts for 27 years

• Resulted in $15 million
in Federal, State and
Foundation grant
awards

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Dr. Susan Weinberger’s Presentation

Four areas for discussion

• The need for fundraising
• Board development and engagement
• Individual and annual giving
• Corporate and foundation giving

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Mentor Coordinators Job Description

• Create long range and marketing plans.
• Recruit, screen and train mentors and

mentees.
• Match the pairs and monitor the relationship.
• Keep accurate data reporting and tracking.
• Evaluate the program and celebrate success.
• Create long term marketing plans.

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

How can I do all that is required of me
in my busy job and FUNDRAISE, too?

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Fundraising

• If more than 30% of your budget comes from
only one source, you are already in a crisis
mode.

• We must get comfortable with the “f” word:
FUNDRAISING.

• Key to fundraising is to DIVERSIFY and work at
it 365 days a year.

• Number 1 reason people donate to charity –
because they are asked. Don’t be afraid to
ask…..

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Need to Fundraise - Why Diversify?

• One funding source could dry up.
• Don’t wait for the crisis.
• Building a stable, diversified base will give you

“breathing room.”
• Prospective donors and funders will be

impressed. They will only invest when they
know you are financially stable.
• Not when program is in final year of a grant.
• Not a solution to a crisis, but rather a
comprehensive effort over 365 days a year.

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Interesting Factoid

How important is each of the following reasons to
contribute to a charitable organization?
72.1% Someone I know well asked.
60.7% Have volunteered at the organization.
59.1% Asked by the clergy.
43.3% Read or heard a news story.
38.2% Asked at work

Door-to-door solicitations and
Phonathons. Where are they in the mix?

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Your Private/Public Partners

• Identify your current private and public
sources of funding.

• Consider both your successes in engaging
them along with issues and challenges you
have encountered.

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Challenges for Mentoring Programs

• Government funding cutbacks but good
news…NMRC portal – FREE TA & Training

• Shortfalls in traditional grant sources.
• Competition with other programs.
• Small staff with limited time beyond program

operations.

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Engaging the Private Sector
Program Components in Place

• By-laws and 501(c)(3) status.
• Clearly written mission statement.
• Compelling and well defined goals and objectives.
• Long range plan for long haul.
• Statement of critical need.
• Detailed budget.
• Financial statement of growth outcomes.
• Data collection procedures.
• Demonstrated fiscal responsibility and accounting

system.
• Track record of successful outcomes.. ”how do we know

it is working?”

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Program Components in Place

• Current funding from multiple and diverse
sources.

• Passionate and qualified manager.
• Trusted by the community.
• Responsive to changing needs.
• Strong, active, experienced, enthusiastic and

effective Board of Directors and Advisory
Council.

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Engaging Your Board of Directors/Advisory Council

Board for Directors

1. Has fiduciary responsibility for the agency.
2. Conducts year round fundraising.
3. Hires and fires Executive Director (Governance)
4. Appoints designee as liaison to Advisory Council.

Advisory Council/Committee

1. Helps with fundraising and marketing.
2. Opens doors and rolodex to recruit mentors.
3. Offers internships, part time employment and expertise
for students.

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Preparing to Engage Your Advisory Council

• Formation or expansion of a strong Advisory
Council.

• Do you have a Council now? Who sits on it?
• Poll #3 – Who sits on your Council now?

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Advisory Council

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Provides input and leadership to the program.
• Provides a voice to constituents and stakeholders

as the program evolves over time.
• Ensures youth, volunteers, and others have a say

in how services are delivered and that the
program gets the support it needs to recruit
volunteers, provide meaningful match activities,
and effectively engages the community.

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Roles and Responsibilities

Select only the right volunteers to serve.

• Diversify your Council. Invite those who believe in
your mission, your mentees and mentoring.

• Consider current volunteers for the Council.
• Identify natural leaders for membership.
• Select among significant donors.
• Meet on a regularly scheduled basis.
• Indicate that serving is an honor and a privilege.

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Advisory Council - Three “t’s”
Time, Talent and Treasure

Business Leader Community Organizer

Financier-Accountant Fundraiser

Educator Politician

Philanthropist Grant Writer

Public Relations Media

Marketing Faith Community

Tax Advisor Attorney (only one!)

Physician Foundation Rep

Juvenile Justice Municipal Employee

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

How Effective is Your Council?

All members must be willing to:
1. Roll up their sleeves.
2. Work on the fundraising campaign.
3. Make the right contacts and ask for $$$.
4. Open their Rolodex.
5. Give annually to the mentoring program

themselves.

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Six Sources of Funding

1. Individuals/Annual appeal
2. Corporations
3. Private/Public Foundations
4. Government
5. Special or 3rd party events
6. Tax Credits, In-kind

And the art of grant-writing

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Additional Sources of Funding

• Planned Giving
• Program Events and Direct Marketing
• Direct Mail and Phonathons
• Fee for model replication
• United Way – designated donations

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Individual Giving - Some Good News!

• A total of 83% of all giving comes from
individuals.

(American Association of Fundraising Counsel & Giving Institute)

• Nearly 9 out of 10 families make charitable
donations.

• People give to something that satisfies them
on a deeply personal level.

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Individual Giving

• Misconception that only persons of wealth give.
• Most annual charitable giving comes from

middle-income, working-class, and poor people.
• Study showed that 19% of families living on

welfare give away average of $72/yearly.

(Blocks, Syracuse University)

• Seek Advisory Council/Board to help brainstorm

all people they know that could give.

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Best Time of Year for the Ask

• Varies but most solicitations arrive in December
before the holidays and year-end tax deductions.

• Consider shifting to a request during January,
National Mentoring Month. Make it the same
date in subsequent years.

• Annual campaign letter cosigned by you and a
Council member who knows them. Have them
write a personal note and follow up by phone.

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Engaging the Private Sector - Business

Benefits of a relationship with local
Chamber of Commerce

•Paying for membership: non-profit rates.
•Rub shoulders with businesses; serve on
committees.
•Chamber publishes a list for and about
members; potential donors will evolve.

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Engaging Business: Identify Funding
Decision-Maker

Typical title of employee making funding
decisions:

• Corporate Manager of Community Affairs
• Marketing Manager
• Community Relations Director
• Public Relations Manager
• Director of the company’s Foundation

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Approaching a Company/Foundation

• Identify whom among Board, Council, staff
and volunteers has a close contact inside the
company or foundation.

• If the company/foundation already provides
mentors, one or two of them become the
champions to contact top management. What
comes first – mentors or money?”

• Most companies and foundations would
rather give to a specific cause or need than
general operating.

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Getting to Know the Company/Foundation
Do Your Homework

• Research the company/foundation’s policies
for giving to nonprofits, giving priorities,
published grant guidelines, beginning and end
dates of their fiscal year and what types of
requests they honor.

• Read their Annual Report.
• Based on subject matter, geographic focus,

type of support and grant range, decide if your
needs can be met by their grant making
program.

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Research Focus of Business/Foundation

• Employee volunteer and matching gifts
programs.

• In-kind donations of services and goods.
• Sponsorship of events.
• Direct cash donations.
• Mentors and tutors.

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Is your program and the
Company/Foundation a good fit?
• If your program fits corporate/foundation
giving priorities, ask to set up a visit. Invite key
person to visit your program first. This person
should be the decision-maker for giving.
• Don’t waste your time if not a perfect match.

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Remember the A, B, C’s

Any company or foundation you plan to
approach must be researched first.

• Ability to give you money;
• Belief in your mission;
• Contact in the organization to get YOU in

the door.

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Forms Of Corporate/Foundation Support
General Operating VS Specific Cause

• Direct unrestricted to your program
• Specific activities or projects

– Special after-school activity
– Sponsorship of events such as a conference or

fundraiser
– In-kind donation of equipment such as furniture

or computers
– Transportation to a group activity such as the

museum, zoo or baseball game
– Summer program
– Donations to a scholarship program for mentees

heading to post-secondary education

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Practice Makes Perfect

• Practice your presentation “ask” over and over
again in front of the mirror, to your family,
friends, and even the family dog.

• Never go along. Bring a mentor and/or
mentee to the “ask.”

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Benefits to Company/Foundation

• Expect the company/foundation to ask what is
in it for them.

• Be prepared to state the benefits:

– Publicity in the local press
– Recognitions
– Placement on a yearly Corporate Honor Roll
– National Mentoring Month celebrations
– Sponsorship acknowledgements
– Website features

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Bringing Closure

• Never leave an “ask” without discussing next steps.
• Ask when you can expect a decision.
• Infeygooutriaatsek. is not within their budget, offer to
• Send a thank you note for the visit.
• IcInfaynsopruietresrueobqfmuyoietusatrtiesafdfloaertnteisre,ddw,ahnteae.tviefrtghievecoump.pAasnkyirfeyfouuses?
• cmCooimlnetmsitnouunneeictsaoatsinoednnsdoupicnecfneo.srsmeas.tiIotnkeaebposutthyeoluinrepsroogfram’s

Never give in to potential requests to alter
your “focus.”

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Preparing for Support

1. Identify challenges you will encounter. Ask
Board, Council and others to help you.
2. Establish tracking system to collect data and
monitor revenue sources.
3. Identify mentor alumni to help fund your
program.
4. Join the Chamber of Commerce.

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Preparing for Support

5. Identify a champion among local,
state, or federal legislators.
6. Cre.ate a list of companies with
a strong history of support for your program.
7. Invite attorney and insurance agent to serve on
your Council and provide pro bono advice.
8. Create written policies around fundraising.
9. Be timely to say “thank you” to donors.

10. Prepare for rejection.

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Corporate Philanthropy
Volume 30, No. 4 April 2015

• Youth Mentoring offers social and business benefits.
Mentoring:

• Engages employees, provides opportunities for skill
building and improving retention.

• Develops future talent.
• Strengthens local community.
• Aligns mentoring programs with corporate strengths.
• Fosters employee engagement.
• Facilitates increased peer learning and idea sharing.

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

References

• Weinberger, S.G. (2013) Program Funding. In D. L.
DuBois & M.J. Karcher (Eds.), Handbook of Youth
Mentoring (2nd Edition). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Publications

• Weinberger, S. (2005). Direct corporate support. In
M. Garringer (Ed.), Sustainability planning and
resource development of youth mentoring programs.
(pp.41-49). Portland, OR: Education Northwest

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Q&A

Type your questions in the
question box:

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Introduction to Grants

Writing
compelling
grants is an
art, not a

science!

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Grant Definition

A grant is a financial award given
through a fierce competitive
process to an organization to be
used toward a specific purpose that
is deemed worthwhile by the grant
giver

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Writing Grants is a Fierce Competitive Process!!!!!

Writing compelling grants is a
competition!!!!!

Reducing the Betting

Winning the

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Writing Grants is a Fierce Competitive Process!!!!!

To compete effectively (and write compelling grant
,applications) you need to develop a Game
Plan (and have some fun in the process!)

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Writing Grants is a Fierce Competitive Process!!!!!

The first step to developing a great game plan:
Identifying and understanding who you are

playing against (who you are targeting)!

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series

Writing Grants is a Fierce Competitive Process!!!!!

Identifying and Understanding Who
You are Targeting

1. Identifying potential funding sources.
2. Information gathering.
3. Rating compatibility.
4. Identifying relationships.
5. Scheduling meetings.
6. Making a decision.

Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series