Operational audits are a valuable tool for nonprofits to maintain good governance, financial integrity, and effectiveness in achieving their mission. They contribute to the long-term sustainability and success of the organization and reinforce trust amongst stakeholders.
The DevoCenter Compliance Checklist is divided into 4 sections:
An annual appeal is a request for donations sent at the end of the year for something specific. According to NonprofitsSource.com, 30% of annual giving occurs in December, so it's important for nonprofits to position themselves and be prepared for the ask. Below is a template and sample letter to help guide your writing.
This year we’ve made great strides towards our efforts to help female founders of educational nonprofits deliver meaningful youth programs and have fulfilling careers in community service. In December we will complete the 2nd year pilot of our Changemakers Leadership Program. We also launched our digital library for nonprofit leaders who want to get organized and prepare for funding. We’re excited to share the successes that our leaders have had, the challenges that they still face and give you an opportunity to get involved and support women at work with our kids.
The women we serve are enthusiastic, connected their causes, and dedicated to learning that uplifts and prepares young people for the future. They are knowledgeable, creative problem solvers who selflessly devote their time to improving the lives of others. These nonprofit leaders need support in the form of resources and capacity to continue their important work. In 2022 through our Changemakers program we delivered more than 300 pro bono hours, resulting in operational audits, brand kits and funder packages that help demonstrate organizational readiness and articulate programmatic impact.
In 2023 we intend to continue our work with existing Changemakers. We learned through the pilot that more work is needed around data collection, program evaluation and measurement of outcomes. Assessing program performance is essential for decision-making and inspiring confidence in supporters. Our goal is to raise $12,495 in support of this project.
Please consider a gift of $125 or more in support of women entreprenuers and the young people who rely on them for personal development, out-of-school learning experiences, community service opportunities and holistic care. Your donation can be made securely online at devocenter.org/donate.
Thank you for your consideration and for believing that local women can and should be empowered to make positive change in our neighborhoods. Please contact us if we can be of service in any way, and connect with us online: linkin.bio/devocenter.
With sincere love and gratitude,
Charlene Turner
Executive Director
DevoCenter for Service-Learning
ABC Organization Project Charter
Project Name: “A Wonderful Winter” Fundraiser
Project Description: A one night event celebrating successes over the past year.
Justification: This project supports our goals of:
Increasing donations by 25% over last year
Encouraging stakeholders and inspiring donors through storytelling
Deliverables:
Fundraiser invite printed mailer
Landing page for ticket sales
Venue, decorations and meals
Event handouts, presentation media, entertainment and speaker lineup
Benefits:
Raise awareness about a cause
Strengthen donor relationships
Recognize outstanding teamwork
Reflect and celebrate!
Risks:
We have to monitor the budget and projected income as to not spend more than we take in.
The team lacks experience producing events
Budget: Not to exceed $5,000
Milestones:
Convene a planning team and assign tasks by August 1, 2023
Reserve a venue by September 1, 2023
Publish landing page and mail invites by September 15, 2023
Second round and follow up invites by October 15, 2023
Prepare event handouts, presentation media, entertainment and speaker lineup by November 15, 2023
Second round and follow up invites by December 1, 2023
Confirm decorations and meals by December 7, 2023
Event date: December TBD, 2023
Team Members:
Project Manager
Event Coordinator
Graphic Designer
Marketing Coordinator
A logic model is a visual way to illustrate the resources or inputs required to implement a program, the activities and outputs of a program, and the desired program outcomes (short-term, long-term).
Logic models assist in program planning, implementation, management, evaluation, and reporting. They help define program requirements, stakeholders, activities, deliverables, goals and impacts. They are useful tool to for developing letters of inquiry and proposals, and they are essential to program assessment. Experts agree that there are connections between program success and using logic models.
A compelling, well-organized, and succinct letter of inquiry to describe your organization and programs to prospective funders is an essential document for all nonprofits. It should be 1 - 2 pages long, and each letter should be customized to meet individual funder requirements or requests.
A letter of inquiry (LOI) introduces your organization to a funder. It’s purpose is to provide a brief but persuasive overview of your nonprofits mission and programs. The funder should be able to relate to and be excited about the work.
Use these tips as a loose guideline for creating your LOI.
Open by explaining how your program is a best fit for the funders priorities
Describe your organizations history, vision and mission - be succinct
Provide the program overview in 1 paragraph - including intended outcomes and the budget
Include a statement of need which describes the problem you are solving, why your project deserve to be funded, and how funding will make a difference in your work
Explain how you will evaluate the program and how you will know if the program is a success. List specific activities.
Provide a statement about the program budget. Here you might also include the cost per participant and additional funding sources expected or applied for. If the 100% of board members have contributed financially to the program, or the organization carries no debt or operating deficit you should include this information as well.
Close by providing contact information, and offer to answer any additional questions. If you are including attachments, note them. Thank the funder for their consideration of your work.
LETTER OF INQUIRY TEMPLATE
Purpose. The purpose, or mission, of the organization.
Organization Profile. What it is and what it does.
Organizational Strategy. The approach the organization uses to achieve its mission (high level only, details not required).
Population Served. The primary persons served by the organization and their need for services (what problems you address).
Program Description. Snapshot of the program for which you seek support—what it seeks to achieve, for whom, and how.
Outcomes. What outcomes the program achieves for the persons served—changes in behavior, skill, knowledge, attitude, or situation.
Use of Funds. The exact purpose for which funds would be requested.
Contact Person. The name and contact details for the person who would submit a Grant Proposal, if approved (the Foundation will respond to this person and copy the author of the Letter of Inquiry, if different).
Website. The organization’s website, or the program’s if it has a separate site.
As nonprofit leaders we are one of our organizations key representatives - a cheerleader for our teams, and an advocate for the people we serve. As nonprofit leaders we are developing strategies to address lack and celebrating every win. We have to be prepared to communicate a powerful and compelling stories about the need in our communities and our readiness to provide solutions.
Storytelling is how most people are introduced to our organizations. Our websites, social media, videos, proposals and presentations should all tell a consistent story about who we are, what we're doing, who we're doing it for, and what we hope to achieve. Storytelling motivates staff and partners to give their best effort and share our stories with others.
STORYTELLING TEMPLATE AND SAMPLE
Title: No Stones Movement is Connecting Young Adults Ready Serve and Lead in Atlanta Georgia
Who We Are: No Stones Movement is an educational nonprofit based in Atlanta, GA
What We're Doing: Offering Mentorship, Service-Learning and Career Training Opportunities
Who We're Doing It For: Young Adults Ages 18-25 in Atlanta, GA
What We Hope To Achieve: Students who participate in the program will:
experience improved relationship building and leadership capabilities
contribute to community service in a mindful and meaningful way
acquire new knowledge and skills in preparation for college and career opportunities
Participant Narrative: Mellitia is a graduate of TSK Preparatory Academy. In the summer before college she wanted to connect with her peers to serve in her neighborhood, and learn what it takes to organize and lead important projects. She joined the Seeds Connect Volunteer Club to show her community love, improve her resume and have some fun! Continue the story...
Call to Action: What do you want people to do after reading or hearing your message? Donate, Volunteer, Register, Connect on Social Media
A nonprofit program is a set of activities and resources to provide a service. It is a system with inputs, processes, outputs, outcomes and feedback.
Inputs: resources needed to run a program
Processes: how services are delivered
Outputs: what is produced, delivered or supplied with numerical value
Outcomes: the impact or result of service delivery
Feedback: performance data and reporting to evaluate the program
PROGRAM OVERVIEW TEMPLATE
Target Population: define the age range, race, gender, location and socio-economic status of those you serve.
Participants: what else can you say about program participants characteristics, needs and interests?
Reach: what the maximum number of students your program will serve?
Duration: how long is your program in hours, days or months?
Frequency: how often will you meet with participants?
Program Content: what documents and materials are required to run the program?
Program Deliverables: what will participants deliver, produce or create during the program?
Program Impact: how will you define success and measure program outcomes?
Program Partners: what external organizations or individuals will assist with the program?
Human Resource Requirement: what internal role(s) will support this program?
Financial Resources Requirement: what is the total annual cost of the program?
Cost Per Participant: what is the total cost of the program divided by the number of participants?