Show Me the Money, Tom. Resource Ideas for Coalition and Nonprofit leaders.

GIFY of Tom Cruise “Show me the money.”

“Show me the money!”

Ok, now that I have your attention.

Effective community coalitions and community-based nonprofits are always concerned about funding.

First, the good news, community coalitions rarely require a great deal of financial support as they are designed to maximize community resources.

What coalitions (those who are and who aren’t a 501c3) and other community-based nonprofits have in common is that they rely on the resources of individual members and organizations.

Resources, like sustainability, are not just about money.  Resources are also about expertise, access, influence, communication, and so much more. Today I want to share some brief thoughts about resources.

• Time is the most precious resource we all possess. Community coalitions do require a substantial time commitment from members. The ability to maximize the time of paid staff, and for staff to maximize the time of volunteers is critical if you are going to create the change in your community you envision.

• Access to people means partnering with the people you want to serve and the people who can help your cause. Access also means reaching out to people who can provide the expertise you need to be successful (accounting, fundraising, evaluation etc.)

• Influence includes those people who can make or break your success.

Create an effective social media and marketing strategy. It will increase your visibility, raise awareness about your work, and get the attention of potential donors and funders.

Maximize staff resources by working with your local community college or university. Students often need internships to complete their course requirements and build their resumes. (Just be sure you factor in time to train and supervise them).

In-kind contributions of meeting space, technology, media-marketing support, refreshments, incentives are all resources. Funders want to see that you are not just dependent on their support.

What about the money? Look for funding from foundations interested in your cause, your community, who want to support community capacity building efforts. Be sure and reach out to your local civic organizations (Rotary, Optimist Club, etc.) and ask for their support. You likely already have those relationships. Many times, you just need to invite them to support you.

Let me know what strategies you are using to maximize your resources.