Metrics for Mission Impact How Nonprofits Can Strengthen Outcomes through Quantitative Measures

March 25, 2020

In their seminal article, "Nonprofit Starvation Cycle", Ann Goggins Gregory and Dan Howard exhort nonprofit finance professionals to report to funders the real costs of running nonprofit organizations. The authors explain that the popular trend to restrict funding to specific programs without accounting for infrastructure expenses leads to an unintended consequence, a "nonprofit starvation cycle", where charities cease to function because they can't pay for overhead costs, such as administrative employees, computers and electric bills. To break this unhealthy cycle, the article encourages nonprofits to recalibrate funder expectations by providing accurate financial reports and other supporting information to reflect the true costs of nonprofit operations.

Spotlight

International Fundraising Consultancy

IFC is an award-winning consultancy specialising in fundraising, management, marketing and communications. A UK-based company, it has offices in 12 countries across 4 continents and an international reputation for excellence, gained over the past 17 years. IFC works with a wide range of clients on a local, national and international level, from small charities to global NGOs. IFC continues to demonstrate its commitment to the sector through both its world class professional consultancy advice, and its free services, such as its regular First Friday fundraising advice clinics, its Top Table events for fundraising directors and the wikifund.info website. They believe that not for profit organisations can and do have a huge and lasting positive impact on life at the local, national and international level. IFC’s central mission is to strengthen and support these civil society actors, to allow them to be the agents for change that they aspire to be.

OTHER WHITEPAPERS
news image

Charity sector developments

whitePaper | April 1, 2022

This year there are increasing macroeconomic headwinds on the horizonaltogether. As we continue to operate in an uncertain environment this will undoubtedly increase the importance of the work of charities in our society. In this publication, we consider these headwinds, and the sector risks they present as well as the opportunities and practical considerations for charities. A particular focus will be on climate change and how charities can develop their response in this area. We also review wider developments in the charity world, including in relation to specific risks and external audit, as well as in the areas of tax and VAT.

Read More
news image

How to deliver more impact

whitePaper | October 25, 2021

Delivering social impact is the main purpose for a nonprofit organization, so anything that gets in the way of that must be reduced or eliminated. The right technology can help remove these barriers, but it must fit the needs of the business and be approached strategically – with cloud ERP systems designed specifically for the sector.

Read More
news image

Emerge Ready: Fundraising During & After Covid-19

whitePaper | January 13, 2021

As nonprofits begin to emerge from the COVID-19 crisis, many priorities and concerns have shifted. In May, we sent a brief questionnaire to our database of thousands of nonprofits. The response was telling, and a clear picture of the challenges ahead surfaced from the organizations surveyed. This white paper details the survey results and what they mean for the future of nonprofits nationwide. Use the form here to have the whitepaper sent to your inbox!

Read More
news image

Grow Together 2023 Report: Building value for nonprofits in a digital economy

whitePaper | May 1, 2023

The second part of the annual Grow Together Report surveyed 120 decision makers in nonprofits in April 2023 to understand the current state of nonprofit organizations in Canada. The survey reveals that financial pressures for nonprofits have eased somewhat in the last 12 months, although organizations continue to struggle with rising costs and with securing skilled talent to help drive strategic initiatives, including digital transformation.

Read More
news image

Messaging Strategies in the Nonprofit and For-Profit Worlds

whitePaper | May 24, 2021

In 2011, Jared, Joel, Jon, Jordan, J. Austin, Josh, and Jesse Stanley formed Stanley Brothers, a for-profit proprietary hemp company. A year later, Paige Figi contacted Stanley Brothers looking for a non-intoxicating natural alternative for her five-year-old daughter, Charlotte. Charlotte suffered from Dravet syndrome, a rare, severe form of epilepsy that caused her to have an average of 300 seizures a week—one every thirty minutes. With the help of the Stanley Brothers’ hemp product, Charlotte’s seizures reduced to just one a day, and in 2015, Charlotte was able to attend school for the very first time.

Read More
news image

What Your Nonprofit Needs to Know About Software Subscription Fees

whitePaper | April 16, 2020

Online fundraising has revolutionized the giving landscape and created exciting new opportunities for nonprofits. Instead of direct mail and telephone fundraising, nonprofits are turning to advanced fundraising software that allows them to gain valuable insights about their supporters, streamline their fundraising campaigns, and massively expand their reach.

Read More

Spotlight

International Fundraising Consultancy

IFC is an award-winning consultancy specialising in fundraising, management, marketing and communications. A UK-based company, it has offices in 12 countries across 4 continents and an international reputation for excellence, gained over the past 17 years. IFC works with a wide range of clients on a local, national and international level, from small charities to global NGOs. IFC continues to demonstrate its commitment to the sector through both its world class professional consultancy advice, and its free services, such as its regular First Friday fundraising advice clinics, its Top Table events for fundraising directors and the wikifund.info website. They believe that not for profit organisations can and do have a huge and lasting positive impact on life at the local, national and international level. IFC’s central mission is to strengthen and support these civil society actors, to allow them to be the agents for change that they aspire to be.

Events