How to Sustain our Work
Sustain Programs, Increase Impact
Presenters
Davies and Associates
Carol Smith Davies, MPA
Joan A. Minasian, MA
Allison Hensleit, MBA
Housekeeping
Learning Objectives
Participants will…
• Learn how to identify & develop a funding model
• Practice how to methodically assess funding
opportunities;
• Increase use of an intentional approach of where and
how to invest in development capabilities;
• Be able to support organizational alignment to attract
dollars to achieve programatic aspirations.
What IS Sustainability
Sustainability in Non Profits
• Study of 2,000 organizations – TCC Group
• Are you financially sustainable?
• Leadership
Sustainability in Non Profits
Highquality
Capacity
Learning
Reputation
Credibility
Strategic
Sustainable
Reflective
What is Sustainability
Leadership
Adaptability
Program
Capacity
Sustainability
The Sustainability Formula Leadership
The Sustainability Formula –
Financial Adaptability
The Sustainability Formula –
Program Adaptability
The Sustainability Formula –
Program Capacity
Recommendations for
Sustainability
It’s a Paradox
Characteristics of Funding Model
Type of
funding
• Single type
Funding
decision
makers
• Dictate flow
Funder
motivation
• Natural
matches
Finding Your Funding Model
1
2
3
4
5
6
• Analyze your current approach to funding
• Learn from the funding approaches of peers
• Identify and narrow your range of funding model options
• Evaluate the revenue potential and costs of short-list funding models
• Select funding models to implement
• Develop an implementation plan
Why bother?
Are you ready?
Financial
distress?
Annual
revenues?
Clear goals?
Willing to
make
investments?
Smaller organizations?
Natural matches
Who are decision makers
Why do they support
Identify
Invest
Share the work
Tips for getting started
Clarify your
goals
Organize your
resources
The Team
The timeline
The steering
committee
Sample Workplan
In review
1. What is your ultimate goal for this process?
2. What are your organization’s short-term and
long-term goals?
3. Where is there disagreement or lack of clarity in
your organization around those goals?
4. Are you clear on the roles and responsibilities
your staff will play as you work to establish a
funding model for your organization?
1
•
•
•
•
• Analyze your current approach to funding
Analyze historical financials
Understand motivation of current funders
Understand your current capacity
Share what you have learned with internal
stakeholders
• Determine sources most attractive to explore
2
• Learn from the funding approaches of peers
• Identify small group of peers
• Determine essential characteristics
• Identify key programmatic, financial
& governance differences
Peer benchmarking interviews
• Identify the right contact point
• Be upfront
• Make connections
• Make it a two-way street
• Share results
• Respect their time
3
• Identify and narrow your range of funding model options
• Identify funding models used by peers
• What is feasible for you?
Example: Public Provider
Example: Policy Innovator
4
• Evaluate the revenue potential and costs of short-list
funding models
• Availability
• Fit
• Investments
5
• Select funding models to implement
Don’t throw baby out
with bath water
6
•
•
•
•
• Develop an implementation plan
Investments
Steps and milestones
Learn and adjust
Communicate, communicate, communicate
Sample model and milestones
1
2
3
4
5
6
• Analyze your current approach to funding
• Learn from the funding approaches of peers
• Identify and narrow your range of funding model options
• Evaluate the revenue potential and costs of short-list funding
models
• Select funding models to implement
• Develop an implementation plan
Resources
Federal government grant resources
www.grants.gov
www.subsidyscope.org
Private giving
http://www.milliondollarlist.org/data
http://www.urban.org/center/cnp/
http://www.impact.upenn.edu
http://foundationcenter.org
Sustainability research/Informing Social Change
tccgrp.com/pdfs/SustainabilityFormula.pdf
Ssireview.org Stanford Social Innovation Review
This presentation was created by California/Nevada Community Action Partnership in performance of the California Department of Community Services and
Development CSBG Discretionary Grant #13F-3122. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the
author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families.
Learning Objectives
Participants will…
• Learn how to identify & develop a funding model
• Practice how to methodically assess funding
opportunities;
• Increase use of an intentional approach of where and
how to invest in development capabilities;
• Be able to support organizational alignment to attract
dollars to achieve programmatic aspirations.