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Mighty Penguin Speaks offers fresh insights and best practices in nonprofit management to help you stay informed and up-to-date on the latest trends.

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How to Choose a Grant Writing Agency for Your Nonprofit Not all grant writing agencies are created equal. During the selection process, there are several key factors to keep in mind to ensure you make the best decision for your nonprofit. Securing a grant writing agency that aligns with your mission, understands your goals, and delivers results is crucial for your success. What to Keep in Mind When Choosing a Grant Writing Agency Do They Have a Proven Track Record?  Look for agencies with a history of successfully securing grants for nonprofits. A strong track record is a good indicator of their expertise and effectiveness. Ask for examples of past proposals and the types of grants they have won. Do They Have a Skilled Team?  Grant writing is a specialized skill that often requires input from a team of experts, including researchers, writers, and editors. Ensure the agency has a well-rounded team with diverse skills. A collaborative approach can lead to more thorough and compelling proposals. Are Their Services Customized?  Avoid agencies that offer a one-size-fits-all approach. Each nonprofit is unique, and your grant proposals should reflect that. The agency should provide customized services tailored to your organization’s mission, vision, and goals. They should also adapt their strategies based on the specific requirements of each grant. Does the Agency Share Your Values?  When meeting with potential grant writing agencies, ask about their values. You want to work with an agency that demonstrates integrity, commitment to customer service, and a passion for your cause. They should care about your mission as much as you do.  Assess Their Understanding of Your Mission  The agency should take the time to understand your nonprofit’s mission, vision, and goals. Will they take the time to get to know your organization? They should ask insightful questions and show a genuine interest in your organization. This understanding is crucial for writing proposals that accurately reflect your needs and appeal to funders.   Check Their Communication and Responsiveness  Effective communication is essential in the grant writing process. Is the agency responsive? Do they meet deadlines? The agency should be responsive, keeping you updated on progress and involving you in key decisions. Being able to meet in person, or regularly over Zoom or Google Meet, can foster better communication and understanding. This connection, and their ability to meet deadlines, can be crucial for developing effective grant proposals.  Review Testimonials and References  Look for testimonials and references from past clients. Hearing from other nonprofits about their experiences can provide valuable insights into the agency's strengths and weaknesses. Positive feedback from satisfied clients can give you confidence in your choice. Understanding their Fee Structure  Cost is always a consideration, but it shouldn't be the only factor. Be wary of agencies that offer very low rates, as this can be a sign of low-quality work. Instead, look for an agency that provides good value for money, with clear and transparent pricing. Make sure you understand what is included in their services and if there are any additional costs. Conclusion Selecting the right grant writing agency is a critical decision for your nonprofit. By taking the time to assess their track record, expertise, and values, you can find an agency that will help you secure the funding you need to achieve your mission. If you're unsure where to start, Mighty Penguin is here to help. We offer personalized, professional grant writing services tailored to your nonprofit's unique needs. Contact us to learn more and schedule a consultation. We’d be happy to meet in-person or Google Meet and are always excited to learn more about new nonprofits and how we can help them achieve their goals.

How to Choose a Grant Writing Agency for Your Nonprofit

July 3rd 2024

Not all grant writing agencies are created equal. During the selection process, there are several key factors to keep in mind to ensure you make the b

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major fundraising

Your Major Gift List is About Offering Opportunities, Not Asking for Money

July 3rd 2024

Picture this: You’re the Executive Director in a meeting with trustees and a development consultant, discussing the approach for major donor fundraisi

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The Proof is in the Media

The Proof is in the Media

June 28th 2024

Social media is often how people verify the legitimacy of companies and organizations. They want to see the social media accounts to get to know the m

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The Power of Networking for Nonprofits

The Power of Networking for Nonprofits

June 12th 2024

Did you know the average person knows about 600 people? This same person likely interacts with 16 contacts per day, and in their lifetime, they will p

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The Perfect Corporate Sponsorship Packet A corporate sponsorship packet varies from nonprofit to nonprofit, depending on needs and board preferences, but they all have one goal:  to build mutually beneficial relationships with potential corporate sponsors and raise funds for your cause. Essentially, a corporate sponsorship packet is a sales pitch. To have an effective pitch, readers need to be swept up by the mission, vision, and impact of your organization, but also enticed by the benefits of becoming a sponsor. The Title Page Your corporate sponsorship packet should start with a cover or title page. This should include your nonprofit’s name, the name of the fundraiser, the date, your logo, relevant photos, and a link to your website. Make this page visually appealing to grab the reader's attention right away. A Letter From the Executive Director Include a letter from your Executive Director (ED). This letter should explain the mission, vision, and goals of your organization and briefly state the impact of your work. The ED should invite the corporation to become a sponsor for the event and express gratitude for their consideration. This personal touch can help establish a connection and convey sincerity. Impact Report Help potential sponsors understand where their funds will go and why your impact is critically important. Keep this section brief and visually interesting. Use charts, infographics, and photos to make it engaging. The packet shouldn’t be cumbersome to read through; it should be concise and impactful. Read our previous article ‘Making Your Impact Resonate’ for more ideas on conveying your impact. Sponsorship Levels Clearly outline the different sponsorship levels. Include the buy-in price for each level and highlight the benefits. Donors want to see the value in their contribution, so make the benefits enticing. This might include brand recognition opportunities, such as logo placements, mentions in press releases, and tickets to the event. Reply Form Include a reply form with your organization’s contact information. Provide space for the donor to input their information, including name, phone, email, and the sponsorship tier they would like to commit to. Offer several payment options, including credit card, check, and an online link or QR Code for easy access. Most corporate sponsorship packets are 3-6 pages long. You want your packet to include all necessary information but also to be light on text, keeping it as visual as possible. Striking this balance is crucial. When asking for large donations, especially those in the range of $10,000 or more, go the extra mile to ensure your packet is tastefully designed and well thought out. There are many different options for the packet format formats, such as regular 8.5 by 11 PDFs, tri-folds, or bi-folds. The sizing can vary depending on how you plan to deliver the packets, who you are delivering them to, and what type of event you are hosting. Put yourself in the shoes of your potential donors. Would they prefer a longer, glossier packet or something simple and brief? Know your audience and plan accordingly. There is no right or wrong way to create a packet; just ensure that the benefits to the sponsor and the impact they are supporting are clear. By crafting a thoughtful and visually appealing corporate sponsorship packet, you can effectively communicate the value of partnership with your nonprofit, making it easier for potential sponsors to say "yes" to supporting your cause. For more tips on creating effective sponsorship packets, contact Mighty Penguin today! We're here to help you make the most of your fundraising efforts.

The Perfect Corporate Sponsorship Packet

June 7th 2024

A corporate sponsorship packet varies from nonprofit to nonprofit, depending on needs and board preferences, but they all have one goal: to build mut

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event planning tips and tricks

Maximizing Event Fundraising: Tips and Tricks

June 7th 2024

Event fundraising is a crucial component of any nonprofit's strategy. Whether you're raising funds for a specific cause or aiming to increase organiza

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Passion drives the mission. Whether your cause is refugee aid, animal welfare, equitable transportation, or community upliftment, your dedication to making a difference is what fuels your work. However, passion alone is not enough to secure grants. To be successful, you need to supplement your enthusiasm with solid quantitative data. The Importance of Data in Grant Applications Donors often have several key questions they need answered before they can support your cause. Understanding and addressing these questions with concrete data will make your grant applications more compelling and increase your chances of success. Is there a genuine need in the community?  Do you have the data to justify it? What is the project?  What makes this project necessary and valuable? Are your goals matched with data points?  Clear goals backed by data are more compelling. What is your expected outcome?  Can you quantify the impact you foresee? Are you confident in your outcomes?   "We know" or "we calculate" is more powerful than "we hope" or “we believe”. Statements of certainty are stronger than statements of belief. Gathering and Using Data Showing impact through quantitative data can be challenging but is essential. Here are some methods to gather and utilize data effectively: Surveys: Conduct surveys to evaluate community needs, desires, and key issues. Consider using a third party to administer and aggregate survey data to avoid bias. Surveys can provide firsthand data that is highly specific to your target group. Existing Data: Leverage existing data such as income statistics, demographic information, and other relevant metrics. Use this data to justify the need for your program and highlight the gaps it will fill. Comparables Document: Create a document comparing your organization with others in the area. Highlight similar services and identify gaps in services that your program addresses. Show how your program bridges these divides and provides unique value. Testimonials and Success Stories: Include testimonials or client success stories to add a personal touch. These stories can be powerful in demonstrating the human impact of your work. Writing a Compelling Grant When preparing your grant application, avoid ambiguity, presumptions, and unsupported claims. A truly compelling grant will: Convey a Clear Need Use data to show the need for your project in the community. Detail the Project Explain what your project entails and why it is necessary. Show Evidence Provide concrete data and evidence to support your claims. Describe Expected Outcomes Paint a vivid picture of your expected outcomes and long-term impact. Include Long-term Benefits Assess the potential for long-term change and benefit to the community. Avoiding Common Pitfalls One major pitfall in grant writing is ambiguity. Vague statements and unsupported claims can weaken your application. Here are some tips to avoid this: Be Specific: Clearly define your goals and how you plan to achieve them. Use Data: Back up your statements with solid data. Avoid Presumptions: Do not make assumptions without evidence. Show Impact: Clearly demonstrate the potential impact of your project. For more detailed guidance, check out our blog article “Ambiguity - The Fundraising Killer.” You will also enjoy ‘Leveraging Your Impact Report for Grants and Donor Engagement’ to fully understand the importance of presenting your nonprofit's successes effectively in a grant proposal.  The Role of Mighty Penguin At Mighty Penguin, we understand the challenges nonprofits face in gathering and utilizing data for grant applications. We offer grant writing assistance and can help you incorporate quantitative data into your grants. Our services include: Survey Assistance: We help design and conduct surveys to gather necessary data. Data Analysis: We assist in analyzing data to remove bias and ensure accuracy. Grant Writing: We provide expert grant writing services to help you create compelling applications. Conclusion Incorporating quantitative data into your grant applications is crucial for success. By understanding the importance of data, gathering it effectively, and presenting it clearly, you can significantly enhance your grant proposals. Let Mighty Penguin be your partner in this process, ensuring your passion is backed by solid evidence and compelling narratives. For more information or to get started with our services, contact Mighty Penguin today. Let’s work together to build your capacity so you can make an even bigger impact.

Don't let Qualitative Reasoning Guide Grant Proposals

May 24th 2024

Passion drives the mission. Whether your cause is refugee aid, animal welfare, equitable transportation, or community upliftment, your dedication to m

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What to Do with Untaxed Profits

What to Do with Untaxed Profits

May 10th 2024

As a nonprofit, being tax-exempt doesn't mean you can't make a profit. In fact, nonprofits can generate surplus revenue, which remains untaxed. But wh

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Importance of Choosing the Right Represenatives

Importance of Choosing the Right Represenatives

May 5th 2024

Who can legally represent your organization? In simple terms, anyone acting on behalf of your organization is the agent, while the nonprofit itself is

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Engaging staff, volunteers, and board members in social media marketing efforts offers numerous benefits to nonprofit organizations. Picture your social media platforms thriving with an active audience: likes, shares, comments—all contributing to increased exposure for your mission and even potentially boosting donations!  Generally speaking, the majority of a nonprofit's income, around 80%, comes from individual giving, rather than grants, government funds, or corporate sponsorships.   Building your 80% starts with cultivating trust and an engaged community on social media.  Encouraging Ownership Nurture a sense of responsibility and ownership among your staff, volunteers, and board members in growing your social media presence. Instill pride in being part of the organization, prompting them to share posts and invite others to follow your cause. This grassroots effort to raise awareness of your mission is more impactful than any paid advertising!   Give More Than You Take Outside of specific campaigns, maintain an 8:2 ratio of providing value to making requests. For every eight social media posts, dedicate one or two to asking for something from your audience, such as a donation. The remaining posts may offer value through educational content, team member spotlights, event updates, quotes, freebies, mission statements, impact stories, goals, testimonials, or discussions. While giving is crucial for eliciting support for your cause, avoid burnout by ensuring you're not overextending beyond your capacity.   Build Your Lists Social media is among the most effective ways to engage with your community. In addition to providing value through quality content, freebies, and connections, encourage email sign-ups to develop a robust email and phone list. This is also an opportunity to ensure your CRM is fulfilling its purpose—keeping contacts organized, launching email campaigns and sending text alerts. Ensure thoughtful segmentation, and seamless integration with your website.  Funding with Community By creating a sense of community within your social media networks, you pave the way for future success. Whether it's launching a crowdfunding campaign or organizing a fundraiser on Giving Tuesday, having a strong community aligned with your cause makes your fundraising efforts more impactful. Don’t expect to launch a successful campaign if your “crowd” doesn’t exist. Put the time and effort into building community and then work to launch a fundraiser down the road. Remember if you “build community”, you can also “fund with community”.  The Law of Prosperity is generosity. Giving more leads to receiving more.   Read our previous article ‘Nonprofit Legal Insights & Best Practices’ to learn more about how much you should be spending on fundraising and what return you should be seeing! Hiring a Community Builder Recognize the importance of hiring a community builder—be it a social media content creator supporting development and grant writing teams, or someone focused on outreach, communication, or planning community events. Regardless of titles, ensure there's a role dedicated to community building. An experienced professional understands that it takes a community to build a community! Engage your staff, board, and volunteers on social media. Encourage friends and connections to follow your business pages, and facilitate interactions such as likes, shares, and comments. You also will want to encourage them to come to events, invite a friend or two, and be good ambassadors to your mission.   In conclusion, foster an online environment where your organization collectively supports your digital efforts. Typically, the founder or executive director sets the tone for the entire organization. Even if you decide to hire a community builder, the founder or ED, needs to be a major driving force to building community. The best leaders lead with heart and let their passion and dedication bleed into the online networks, inspiring a following that stands by to support your organization when needed most.

Building and Funding with Community

April 23rd 2024

Engaging staff, volunteers, and board members in social media marketing efforts offers numerous benefits to nonprofit organizations. Picture your soci

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