Nonprofit organizations in the United States are challenged by major demographic, economic, technological, and social factors out of their control. This means that many of them are facing financial hardship and uncertainty about the future.
In these situations, receiving a grant and the funding along with it can be extremely beneficial for nonprofits. Grantmakers have a complex role in the industry because they determine which applicants will receive grants to help them fulfill their purpose. The nonprofits then use and manage their grants to help them with their operations.
Every grantmakers wants to see its grantees succeed in raising the resources required to create impact and sustain their work. However, because grants are not always guaranteed to nonprofits, the best way to aid a nonprofit’s purpose is to help them become self-sustaining.
That’s where Bonterra’s Jumpstart program comes in. In this article, we’ll cover the four parts of the Jumpstart program and the benefits it can bring to your organization. Let’s get started!
4 parts of the Jumpstart program
There are many skills that make an effective nonprofit leader. While some nonprofits may not have the resources to hire and retain a full-time fundraiser, there are many resources available to help, such as the Jumpstart Program, which helps grantees move from episodic to sustainable fundraising. Intended for grantmakers and nonprofits, the program aims to build financial resilience and capacity. It helps grantmakers and nonprofits form the skills required to sustain their operations.
Jumpstart has four parts:
- Coaching and direct fundraising services. After completing their profiles, grantees choose a certified and accredited fundraising consultant, also known as a Personal Fundraising Coach. The consultant will meet with the grantee virtually two times per month for two years to create and implement a personalized fundraising calendar and activities. Additionally, each Coach allocates two hours of DeskTime a month, whereby grantees select from a menu of direct services that the Coach will fulfill directly—as if the Coach is a member of their team.
- Monthly live-streaming instruction and priority-setting. All fundraisers within each organization can attend monthly best-practice fundraising instruction to learn the best ways to leverage their existing technology, plan, and team for greater results. Each month, a different fundraising topic is presented by thought leaders in the sector. Grantees receive templates and task lists each week to help them implement instruction.
- Board and staff alignment. To bridge the fundraising gap between board members, staff, and the organization’s budget, a quarterly, virtual town hall meeting is held. During these town halls, the board chair and executive director are invited for visibility into the organization’s needs. Nonprofit staff are also invited to attend virtual workshops. The objective of these workshops is to alleviate the misconceptions around fundraising’s complexity and, instead, focus on what’s possible to align everyone on quarterly revenue goals.
- Technology and software integration. Grantees are also given licenses for Bonterra Donor Engagement’s (formerly Network for Good) Guided Fundraising solution to help them implement the fundraising plans created and supported by the Coach. The software easily integrates online giving, peer-to-peer fundraising, event ticketing, and email automation with the grantee’s existing website. It also utilizes a customer relationship management (CRM) system that is integrated with donor-facing fundraising tools.
The Jumpstart program has a larger impact on participating nonprofit organizations. These nonprofits saw a 27 percent increase in fundraising revenue and a 33 percent year-over-year increase in their donor base, resulting in more sustainable fundraising growth. And in cases where the technology, plan, and team were packaged with a program grant, net revenue equaled or exceeded the grant amount, resulting in the nonprofit sustaining the funded program before the grant period had even ended.
Use the Jumpstart program to help grantees establish sustainable funding
The Jumpstart program is a robust system designed to empower nonprofit organizations to establish sustainable funding practices. This means that they will be less reliant on grants to help them fulfill their purpose. Furthermore, nonprofits will be able to join an engaged learning community and receive personalized help from their dedicated Personal Fundraising Coach. With the Jumpstart program, grantmakers can effortlessly implement effective programs that help them support more nonprofits to create a greater impact on their community.
