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Tick tock...only a week left before my next round of x-rays!  Hopefully I will be free from the back brace I have been wearing since my snowmobile accident in early January.  The good news is I am pain-free for the most part and I am getting antsy to be done with this phase and onto physical therapy!

Lots of great things happening here.  The updated 4th edition of my Nonprofit Toolkit ("workshop in a box") on Designing Strategic Partnerships with Businesses will launch April 1.  If you want to get in on the pre-sales special pricing, using coupon code RPR-3 to save $30, if you purchase your copy before 3/25.  Click here for more information.

In April, I will again be offering the Recession Proof Resources Program for Nonprofits teleseminar program.  Click here for more information.  I am offering my newsletter readers a special $50 discount off this program using coupon code RPR-5 when you sign up.  Please feel free to pass the word along to nonprofit leaders and board members you know if you think this could be of assistance to them in their resource development efforts.

If you were interested yet unable to join my recent free teleseminars, here are the links to download the audio files to listen to at your convenience.

FOR BUSINESSES: 5 SUPER Strategies for Business Giving in 2010

FOR NONPROFITS: Designing Strategic Partnerships with Businesses

Enjoy the rest of the month!

Sue Hyatt | Business Giving Strategist

Starting A Nonprofit to "Do Good"

When talking with entrepreneurs and business owners, I often hear..."after my company becomes successful, I want to start a nonprofit to give back."  While I appreciate such people's desire to support local communities and make a difference, I can't help but cringe.  There are SO many other ways for businesses like yours to "do good" without having to create and run your own 501(c)(3).  Having worked with nonprofits for over 20 years, I know how much work it is to set up the nonprofit structure with the state and IRS, select and work with a board, run programs, do fundraising, manage staff, volunteers, and organizational systems; many business people naively assume that running a nonprofit must be "easy" - they aren't stressed with making a profit, right?  Some times I feel like a total killjoy but I always want to be sure business people understand that starting and running a successful nonprofit is no less work than starting and running their main business - and do you really have time to do both?

There are over 900,000 nonprofit organizations in the United States and all are competing for resources.  So, before you even start to think seriously about starting your own nonprofit, I strongly suggest you do the following steps for starters.

• Do your "due diligence" by looking into what nonprofit organizations already exist in your area that do similar work for the cause(s) you are most interested in.  Why not get involved with an existing organization since they presumably already have an functioning infrastructure?
• Research what programs the identified nonprofits offer.  Do you have new program ideas or expertise to help strengthen an existing program?  Have a conversation with staff or board members and see what might be possible.
• Call your local community foundation and see if they offer donor-assisted funds.  For a small fee, they manage your grant program for you.

From my perspective, there are so many ways to support nonprofits that starting your own organization should be one of your last choices.  And...for a tiny subset of you, perhaps starting your own nonprofit does make sense.  If you need help thinking this through given your company's needs and specific focus areas, please call me and set up a consultation so you can use your resources effectively.

Useful Resources: Check your state's nonprofit association, local volunteer centers, or chambers of commerce to learn about nonprofits in your area.  Also, every state has a commission appointed by the Governor to oversee AmeriCorps programs in the state and promote service and volunteerism - these are folks I have worked with for 15 years and they know a lot about local nonprofit organizations and how to best get involved to make a real difference.  Click here for a list of State Service Commissions. 

World of Good, Inc. is an excellent example of a company that was launched jointly at the same time as its "sister" nonprofit organization, the World of Good Development Organization, as a way to offer a hybrid, two-pronged approach to addressing issues of poverty in developing countries.  

Founded in 2005, World of Good Inc. is a for-profit social venture that connects artisans from developing communities with mainstream retail markets.  World of Good Development Organization aims to increase the economic livelihoods of women living in poverty in developing countries.  They accomplish this through building collaborative partnerships and technological tools that educate women homeworkers and businesses sourcing from homeworkers. 

According to a February 25, 2010, eBay has now fully acquired the World of Good, Inc. brand and related assets. GreaterGood/Charity USA has acquired its wholesale division and line of designer, Fair Trade products which will be re-branded, while existing relationships with retailers and artisan partners will be maintained. eBay's acquisition of the brand results from a two-year long collaboration between the two companies that led to the development of WorldofGood.com by eBay, the world's largest multi-seller marketplace for socially and environmentally responsible shopping. The online marketplace hosts hundreds of sellers, with tens of thousands of sustainable products from 85 countries.

To learn more about the World of Good hybrid model, check out my GIVING PERSPECTIVE: Thought Leader Interview with co-founder, Priya Haji.

Nearly eight-in-10 (79%) Americans who are active on new media believe companies and nonprofits should use these  channels to raise money and awareness for causes.  A full 60 percent have used some form of online or new media to  support a cause, primarily through email (33%), Web sites (29%) and social networks (27%), according to the 2009 Cone Consumer New Media Study.

"The excellence of a gift lies in its appropriateness rather than in its value."

-- Charles Dudley Warner

Nonprofit Teleseminar:

Recession Proof Resources: How SMART Nonprofit Partner with Businesses

Thursdays April 8, 15, 22 and 29 from 3:00 - 4:30 pm ET

Want to go from Service to Sensational? Grow your business authentically through a service mindset and remarkability marketing!  

Andrea Costantine who runs my Soulful Service Mastermind Group has teamed up with Sabrina Risley of Behind the Moon to offer an incredibly powerful two-part tele-seminar called “Service to Sensational” – a complete system of how to become remarkable through service, get repeat business, an army of referrals and much more! They are offering this program for a VERY low price – only $49.  Anything Andrea does is quality, so check it out!