WEATHERING THE DOWNTURN
Image credit: Ken Teegardin
When the economy wanes everyone is affected, not least of all charities and non-profits. Often the first thing our corporate partners are forced to cut is charitable giving and support. Despite the importance of the services offered by local charities and NPOs, and the fact that during the downturn more people need access to these services, decreased support means our ability to help is hindered.
Already running on minimal staff and with minimal resources, there’s little left to cut during these times. Many charities and NPOs already lack budget for marketing, human resources, capital equipment or special projects and initiatives, all of which are necessary to support and grow our programs.
The good news is that there are a number of locally available (free or very low cost) tools for charities and NPOs to fill some of the staffing/resource gaps to continue offering their services and assist them in weathering the downturn.
Human Resources
hrcouncil.ca (http://hrcouncil.ca/home.cfm) has an online check-up for you to evaluate your current HR performance and assess your organization’s core functions, which results in useful recommendations. They also have a plethora of resources to clarify HR related inquiries. And it’s all free.
For posting a job or volunteer position, Charity Village has a specialized job board for Canadian non-profits to find appropriate talent for the unique charity/NPO world (http://charityvillage.com/). They also have a number of relevant tools for charity/NPO professionals to enhance their skills (eLearning courses, volunteer and event listings, webinars, newsletters, articles, tools and resources).
Skills-based volunteers are a great option to consider when hiring a specialist isn’t possible, especially during a downturn when experts without full time employment might be looking for pro bono charitable projects to enhance their resumes.
The Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations (ECVO) (https://ecvo.ca/) is another organization focused on leading, building capacity within and giving a voice to the non-profit sector. Members have access to job boards, funding resources, special events and networking and discounted rates on training and meeting space. Annual membership fees range from $50.00 – $300.00.
Marketing and Advertising
Key to a charity/NPO’s success is reaching the right people, at the right time. This means having the right content combined with the right delivery tools and access to the right audience. For-profit organizations dedicate a big budget to this, a luxury often not accessible to charity/NPOs. The downturn is a great time to focus on building compelling content and planning strategic delivery methods.
Research shows that your website has some level of influence over 97% of people who are considering working with you. So it’s important that it sends the right message.
Creatives without borders (http://www.creativeswithoutborders.org/) is an international group focused on connecting designers, thinkers and doers with non-profit associations in need of creative expertise. If you need help launching your website, generating valuable content and/or determining your core audience, they might be able to help (at no cost). Talented and experienced volunteers offer their skills in exchange for exposure and a number of other perks provided by CWB.
The first place most people will look for you is online, so you need to be front and centre. Once your website is up and running with optimized content, you can apply for Google Ad Grants (https://www.google.ca/grants/). Approved recipients will receive access to $10,000.00USD of in kind AdWords advertising each month. It’s a simple application process and well worth the effort. The program includes a top-notch keyword planner and plenty of additional tools to help maximize your online efforts.
In addition to these resources, many ad/sponsor selling properties will offer discounted rates to non-profits and charities for advertising and/or sponsorship, as well as custom payment plans. This is also true for association (and other) memberships. Asking about NPO/charity rates and programs during your first discussion is the best way to maximize limited marketing budget and potentially receive additional perks and benefits.
Finding Opportunity
You probably already know who you need to talk to and what you need to achieve from the conversation, but getting access to the right people isn’t that simple. Cold-calling isn’t always effective, or welcome.
Networking events and industry specific conferences and trade shows offer the opportunity to meet the right people and gain relevant exposure in a warm environment. B2B Connect Edmonton (http://b2bconnectedmonton.com/) has a fairly comprehensive list of networking groups in the Edmonton area and is a great place to start. When investigating industry specific events, remember to mention your NPO/charitable status.
Collaboration with other NPOs/charities is another great way to expand your reach and create mutually beneficial partnerships that also offer better services and programs to the community as a whole. The Chamber’s annual Not-For-Profit Network Mixer (held in March) is a fantastic opportunity to meet some of the NPOs/charities in your area and start those discussions.
Event & Meeting Space
Many charities/NPO’s aren’t operating out of attractive high rise office towers with access to well-appointed meeting space, and sometimes the local coffee shop just won’t cut it for the big meeting. There are organizations willing to lend space at no cost to charities/NPOs. Managed by the Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations (ECVO), Edmonton Space Finder (http://www.edmontonspacefinder.ca/) is a great resource for finding spaces that might not be well known or advertised elsewhere.
Tech and Office Equipment
Even charities/NPOs need access to current hardware and software to stay relevant, and finding budget for these items can be tough. Techsoup Canada (https://www.techsoupcanada.ca/en) is an incredible resource for all things tech (hardware and software). You simply sign up as an individual, register your organization and submit your documents (certificate of Incorporation or Certificate of Status, issued by the province of Alberta). Once approved, you will have access to donation programs and learning resources. Techsoup can give your group access to specialized, professional software at extremely low prices.
And just in case your staff doesn’t include an IT expert, Edmonton based SC Systems http://scsystems.ca/ helps nonprofit organizations to maximize their IT budgets with a computer donation program and NPO cloud offerings. Utilizing a skills based volunteer is another great option for IT related requirements.
For hardware – ERA (www.era.ca) has a refurbished computer donation program available to charities/NPOs throughout Alberta and Canada.
If your charity/NPO is youth based, Alberta’s Promise (http://www.albertaspromise.org/) is another great organization focused on connecting you with relevant corporate donors based on needs. They’re able to help you source a wide variety of resources depending on your requirements.
Financial Grants
Sometimes what we really need is money; if you’ve planned an initiative that requires financial aid to get off the ground, and have a solid outline of the plan, consider applying for a grant through the Alberta Government: http://www.culture.alberta.ca/about/grants/default.aspx. The Edmonton Community Foundation (http://www.ecfoundation.org/), a group focused on encouraging philanthropy and the funding of charitable initiatives, may also be able to help – they facilitate in excess of 20 million in grants each year.
*Written for the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, abbreviated version here:
http://www.edmontonchamber.com/news/blog/weathering-the-downturn-tools-for-non-profits/