These are rocky times for all nonprofits, and especially those that rely on one major event or a handful of corporate sponsorships to get by.

All it takes is one cancellation or budget cut to spell the end of a mission.

That’s why we believe that diverse revenue streams are the key to sustaining nonprofit missions in any environment. And here’s the good news: you can start working now to adjust course and get your mission on track to a sustainable future.

Start by doing your homework to find key donor/funders – foundations, individuals, DAFs, etc. – that might be interested in supporting your kind of work. Look outside your own community for potential donors and reach out to program officers and financial planners, who represent vast sums of charitable dollars, to ask about their foundations’ and clients’ interests.

During these conversations you will need to be prepared to share a compelling story about your nonprofit. Before having any external conversations, dedicate some time to articulating your organization’s unique value proposition and creating a thorough overview of its purpose, work and impacts as well as the need for funding. 

Finally, you will need to develop systems for stewarding and managing all of your new dollars and donors. You will have to change your processes and mindset to accountability and sustainability. Take some intentional and proactive steps to evolve your nonprofit culture from one that views fundraising as a transaction to one that embraces authentic relationship development.

Taken together, these efforts will boost your mission by spreading the word about your good work and bringing more people in to support it. Your clients, staff and community will benefit too – not just your bottom line.