Harvesting Results

Alright so I have talked a lot about choosing metrics that matter and it is amazing how many nonprofits think this is the end point. You define what you're trying to achieve, you create yummy metrics to demonstrate your impact and you even create key activities that will ensure you hit your metric goals done, done and done right? NO this is the starting point. Now you get to track the data and see if you're actually hitting your goals, if these metrics are even feasible to measure, if your data collection methods work…so I think one of the reasons strategic plans sit on a shelf and are underutilized is because people don't exactly know how to track the data. I can be done in a pretty simple way, but there does need to be intentional systems and processes put into place, or you'll get to the end of the year, when you're trying to draft your impact report and you'll launch a HUGE effort to retroactively go back and collect all the data you said you'd report on…which would make anyone want to crawl under a desk. Get your free one pager at forpurposelive.com/page

Get your free one-pager at http://www.forpurposelive.com/page PRACTICAL AND APPROACHABLE NONPROFIT STRATEGY THAT HELPS ORGANIZATIONS GET CLEAR, GET FOCUSED, and GET FUNDING SO THEY CAN BE IMPACTFUL without being overwhelmed by all the traditional nonprofit advice. Nonprofits don't have to be grueling and Executive Directors shouldn't be constantly exhausted. It takes courage to step out in faith and follow a calling and I believe the world needs the solution your nonprofit offers. Running a thriving nonprofit takes leadership, strategy, program evaluation and intentional fundraising but it doesn't need to be overwhelming. Everything you do can be maximized and leveraged to accomplish your mission in one solid, cohesive way. Stop working for a nonprofit and start working For Purpose, On Purpose. *********************************************************************** HELPFUL TOOLS & RESOURCES

Many nonprofit founders have a hard enough time trying to manage their nonprofit's brand with blog posts, newsletters, and social media that they don't even think about their brand. In fact, they think they're being humble by not promoting themselves and just promoting the nonprofit, but it is essential for founders to build their personal brand because the whole reason you are marketing is to make relationships, with donors, the community, strategic partners and we don't make relationships with businesses, we make relationships with people. We want to know who's at the helm, and who we're talking to, we want to know their heart. So today I'm gonna walk you through how to build that brand awareness WITHOUT adding just one more thing you need to manage to your plate Get your free one page funding template at http://www.forpurposelive.com/page

In this episode, I dive into how to use Chat GPT to write grants. Nonprofit founders and executive directors are best positioned to win funding for their mission and now it's easier than ever leveraging AI, Get your free one-pager at http://www.forpurposelive.com/page

Scale your nonprofit and make money by licensing your program model. Work less and impact more by allowing others to implement your replicable nonprofit program model. Get your free checklist at http://www.forpurposelive.com/model

Get your free webclass at http://www.forpurposelive.com/secrets

I was recently hired to write a million-dollar, 1-year grant, but after actually working through everything the project would take, it ended up being a 3-year, 3 million-dollar grant and this happens often when grant writing. We think we know the cost and scope but when we really start writing it out its actually a much longer and more expensive project and it's really important that you get the timeline and budget right because you don't want to be underpaid and you won't want to say you can do something in a certain amount of time and have it end up taking way longer. In this episode I'm going to bring you through how to develop your timeline and budget so you know you can deliver, and you can get funding for your nonprofit. Get your free proposal template at www.forpurposelive.com/proposal Get your grant writing course at www.forpurposelive.com/grant-course

Have you stepped out in faith to answer your calling by starting a nonprofit? If you have stepped out in faith to answer a calling by starting a nonprofit then I imagine you have found yourself praying for donations, or putting something off while you wait for God to move. In this video I'm invite you to step more fully into your calling by asking you to STOP just praying for your vision and I'm going to explore 3 mistakes nonprofit founders make and what they can do instead. Get your free FOR PURPOSE Method checklist at www.forpurposelive.com/method

In this video, I share valuable insights on how nonprofits can effectively demonstrate the impact of their programs. As a nonprofit, it's crucial to showcase the effectiveness of your programs to your donors and stakeholders. You need to prove that your efforts are making a difference and having a positive impact on the community you serve. In this video, we will discuss the following topics: The importance of measuring and demonstrating program impact How to set measurable goals and objectives Effective methods to collect data and evaluate outcomes We will also provide practical tips and tools to help you streamline your impact measurement process and communicate your program's impact in a clear and compelling way. If you're a nonprofit looking to demonstrate the impact of your programs, this video is a must-watch. Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn valuable insights on how to effectively communicate your program's impact to your donors and stakeholders. Subscribe to the channel for more valuable insights on nonprofit management and impact measurement. Get your For Purpose Method Checklist at http://www.forpurposelive.com/method

Looking for an innovative way to help your nonprofit stand out and communicate effectively with your audience? Look no further than ChatGPT! Our powerful language model can provide your organization with customized prompts to use in chat interactions, giving you a powerful new tool to engage with donors, volunteers, and supporters. Whether you're looking to boost engagement, streamline your communication process, or simply stay ahead of the curve, ChatGPT can help. So why wait? Download our free prompts today and start making your nonprofit life a whole lot easier. Get your free prompts at http://www.forpurposelive.com/prompts

f you want to really upgrade your nonprofit's revenue you want to secure funding from grants and corporate partners. If you are talking to the right people, at some point you will be asked to develop a proposal. Writing proposals doesn't have to be overwhelming, so in this episode I'm breaking down the basic elements so you can start feeling confident about asking for some big dollar amounts. Get your free editable template at http://www.forpurposelive.com/proposal

Get your free webclass at http://www.forpurposelive.com/secrets

Show Notes: Get your free webclass at http://www.forpurposelive.com/secrets In this episode, I explore the critical role of financial sustainability for nonprofits. Join me as I delve into the reasons why nonprofits must make money to effectively carry out their missions and make a lasting impact on their communities. As a nonprofit organization, you may wonder why generating revenue is crucial for your sustainability. We'll discuss how funding streams, including donations, grants, and earned income, play a crucial role in supporting your organization's operations, programs, and initiatives. We'll also explore how diversifying revenue streams can reduce dependence on a single funding source, providing long-term stability for your nonprofit. Discover how financial sustainability enables nonprofits to invest in their infrastructure, expand their reach, and create meaningful change. We'll share insights and case studies from successful nonprofits that have effectively leveraged financial resources to fulfill their missions and achieve their goals. Join us in this eye-opening conversation about the importance of nonprofits making money to support their operations and create lasting impact. Don't miss out on this valuable insight that can help your nonprofit thrive and make a meaningful difference in the world. Key Topics Covered: The role of revenue in nonprofit sustainability Diversifying funding streams for long-term stability Case studies of successful nonprofits leveraging financial resources Creating meaningful change through financial sustainability Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe to our channel for more informative content on nonprofit management, fundraising and strategy. Help your nonprofit thrive by understanding why making money is essential for its success. #NonprofitSustainability #FinancialStability #NonprofitManagement #CreatingImpact #FundingStrategies

Get your free worksheet at http://www.forpurposelive.com/skills

In this video, we'll be sharing tips and strategies for creating a strong and effective team that can help your organization raise more funds and achieve its mission. As you know, fundraising is a critical aspect of any nonprofit's success, and having a dedicated committee to lead those efforts can make a significant difference. We'll cover everything from identifying potential committee members to setting goals and creating a plan of action. Get your free funding one-pager at http://www.forpurposelive.com/page

Most nonprofits distribute some type of survey. Whether it is to evaluate their programs or gauge their staff satisfaction, nonprofits usually prioritize data collection of some sort. What nonprofits are not good at is using that data, or reporting it back out. So today I want to bring home how important it is to actually use your data and show you how to communicate findings with stakeholders. Get your free webclass at http://www.forpurposelive.com/secrets

Learn how to nurture relationships and innovation in your nonprofit by taking feedback like a leader using the LEARN Method. Stop avoiding conflict and lean into criticism with the LEARN Method Get your free print out at http://www.forpurposelive.com/learn

It is so important you are setting up automations for your nonprofit organization. Automations are system-triggered actions that happen automatically taking away a manual process or a need for more staff. So today we are talking about how you can make automations work for you. Get your free webclass at http://www.forpurposelive.com/secrets Zapier: https://zapier.com/ Handwrytten: https://www.handwrytten.com/

Learn how to build strategic one-pagers for your nonprofit that will help you secure funding and grants. Our free template provides founders, executive directors, and other for-purpose professionals with the tools they need to develop successful fundraising conversation starters. Get your free template at http://www.forpurposelive.com/page

Discover how to keep the faith while you are following your calling and running your nonprofit. Learn how to change your perspective and live for purpose and feel rewarded while following God. Get your free web class at http://www.forpurposelive.com/secrets

Discover how to find your purpose and calling in life. Learn how to use God, nonprofits, and more to uncover your true calling and make a difference in the world. Get your free web class at http://www.forpurposelive.com/secrets

Does your nonprofit need help developing a logic model? Learn why logic models are essential for nonprofits, and how they can help with determining metrics that matter, program evaluation, fundraising, grant writing, and creating a theory of change. Discover the three key reasons why every nonprofit should create a logic models for all their programs. Get your logic model template at www.forpurposelive.com/logic Check out my new course at www.forpurposelive.com/logic-model

Discover how women can navigate leadership roles in the nonprofit sector. Learn 3 key strategies to help women become successful nonprofit employees and leaders. Get insights on the unique challenges women face when taking on a nonprofit leadership position. Get your free webclass at http://www.forpurposelive.com/secrets

I think we can all agree that metrics matter and that we must be measuring the effectiveness of our programs if we want to demonstrate impact… if you know me at all I believe it is our duty as people running nonprofits to demonstrate our impact. You don't get the luxury of taking the public's money to offer a public good without proving that you actually do what you say you do. If you have a mission…which if you're a nonprofit you do…then you need to be able to measure in quantifiable terms how successful you're being in accomplishing that mission. But I know we get overwhelmed by deciding what to measure, how to track it, and nonprofits find themselves often floating in a sea of data that may or may not be all that meaningful. So today I am talking to you about really the only metric you should care about and how you can measure it

Wooohooo its a new year… how many of you still have your head down, still motoring through from last year? You haven't stopped to take a moment and reflect or set yourself up for the year to come. Well, thats fine I think a lot of nonprofits do this because there is so much to do and the show must go on right? But you owe it to your staff, board, volunteers and yourself to pause briefly to be thoughtful and strategic about making this year intentional adn better than the last. You don't have to take any extra time to do this. Do it at your next staff or board meeting. Questions like this break up our autopilot and bring us back to our why. Ok lets talk about it.

We're at the end of the year and as much as I'm always talking about strategic planning and getting your IMPACT roadmap done, it's all for nothing if you don't report back on what you actually accomplished and that is where your impact report comes in. Every nonprofit should have an impact roadmap (that's my version of a simplified strategic plan) and an impact report every year. Every nonprofit should be great stewards of their mission and the funds they receive to support that mission so you have to publicly lay out what you plan to accomplish and then follow that up with how ya did. But, you don't need to feel super overwhelmed or even like, shoot we didn't even do a strategic plan..you can still start now with your first impact report - or first, good one - and I'm gonna show you how to create an impact report that actually means something to someone besides you. www.forpurposelive.com/secrets

So I'm a pretty direct person and the only reason being direct is perceived as being bad is because of the potential for the receiver to be offended…right? I tell clients that I'm going to shoot it to them straight and that my intention is to help and encourage them to not take anything personally. Most people get that, but why do I feel like I need to do this spiel? Because honestly most of us DO take things personally. It is impossible for us to not have some level of bias colored by our unique experience, upbringing, culture, and community but nonprofit founders might just be the worst about taking things personally and it's for good reason. They followed a calling. Their business is their life's calling and I get that. I actually think being protective and even defensive of your mission is a good thing, but not to the extent that it hurts your mission. Taking things personally or not being able to be objective definitely clouds our ability to make non-emotion, business decisions. So I think it's important for nonprofit founders to strengthen their objectivity muscle and today we're going to talk about exactly how to do this and why it is so beneficial as a leader of a public good. Get your free webclass at www.forpurposelive.com/secrets

So I've been in the nonprofit world for my entire career and although I am an expert in the space there are a lot of things about the industry that I don't like and am in fact on a mission to change. The good news is that there is nothing inherently wrong with nonprofits, they're a great way to structure a business offering a public service. They require a board for checks and balances and give community members, funders, and other stakeholders the opportunity to give back to causes that speak directly to their heart…but nonprofits are messy because well..humans run them. The majority of problems nonprofits face are the direct result of the leadership that runs them. That's right…its a YOU problem, but that's actually the good news because YOU is something we can change, and when we do not only will the nonprofit be better off, but those you serve, your volunteers, and staff will be better off too. And it's not your fault that you may have some limiting beliefs that hold you back…I also had these limiting beliefs it's not because I wasn't confident or because I even came up with them, no, the industry fed me these beliefs and I had to fight through a lot of imposter syndrome before I felt confident saying, “ya know what…the whole industry has this wrong”…and trail blaze my own path. So today I'm going to go through some myths that I think only hold nonprofits back, and I hope it gives you permission to think differently. Get your free webclass at www.forpurposelive.com/secrets

One of the biggest questions I ask clients during our IMPACT ROADMAP strategy sessions is, what sets you apart? You could have the best mission, and programs but if you aren't super clear on what sets you apart from another organization, then you haven't answered the question of why a funder should support you. Your “what sets you apart” statement is your competitive edge and it also gives you a confidence boost. Write a good “what sets you apart statement” and then read it every morning to resolidify your identity in your purpose to serve exactly the way you do. It really makes a compelling addition to your impact roadmap, where you say what your doing, for who, why and how you do it but then you specifically call out WHY YOU. WHY are you the best person for the job? So in this episode I walk you through how to write a good “what sets you apart” statement. Get your free what sets you apart worksheet at www.forpurposelive.com/apart

Have you done your 2023 strategic planning yet? I know a lot of nonprofit leaders are overwhelmed by the strategic planning process and for good reason. As nonprofit leaders we want to make sure we are spending our time on high ROI activities and the old way of strategic planning just seems, well kind of pointless. I know you think you spend your time on things that matter, but you HAVE to be able to articulate that to stakeholders and funders, and the way you do that is through a strategic plan…or a document that says exactly what you are trying to do, why, for who, how you're going to measure success and the exact key activities you're going to focus on to get you there. Every year you need to state your intended goals and key activities to get you there, so at the end of the year you can prove you did what you say BUT you don't need to be a slave to the old strategic planning process where you spend 6 months dissecting every piece of your existence, the industry landscape and developing a 20 page document. As someone who has founded a nonprofit myself and been a nonprofit consultant for years, I HATE spending months or even weeks on planning and talking just to have the plan sit on a shelf. It ends up being more of a philosophical document than a practical one. So I have reinvented the strategic planning process to one that require less talk, and is all about more action so we can make BIG impact. I call this reinvention an IMPACT ROADMAP and you can create yours in a day and be ready to kick 2023 off right

What breaks my heart is that there are people who stepped out in faith to follow a calling to serve this world and now they are overwhelmed, burnt out, questioning the sustainability of their organization, wondering if they've done more harm than good, and just completely confused to why they'd be given a calling to step out in faith if they weren't going to be supported in that decision. This breaks my heart because this was me. And after going from struggling nonprofit developer to scaling my program nationwide and now consulting, I find common themes among founders, so today I want to break down the top three barriers for nonprofit founders and ways you can overcome them.

There are so many online courses out there now and if you made it through the the COVID era without developing an online course, then you may find yourself irrelevant pretty soon. Maybe not, but we all know people's attention spans are less and we have to find fun and creative ways to get our message through. People are getting used to online learning and because of this, other ways we used to get our material across is becoming well….ineffective. Aint nobody want to read about your research….sorry but its true. Creating ecourses for your nonprofit can breath new life into the cause that you stand for, while keeping community members engaged and bought into your brand. Today I talk to you about the two platforms I have used Kajabi and Thinkific. Check out a more detailed analysis at https://www.kotulo.com/learn

There are so many online courses out there now and if you made it through the the COVID era without developing an online course, then you may find yourself irrelevant pretty soon. Maybe not, but we all know people's attention spans are less and we have to find fun and creative ways to get our message through. People are getting used to online learning and because of this, other ways we used to get our material across is becoming well….ineffective. Aint nobody want to read about your research….sorry but its true. Creating ecourses for your nonprofit can breath new life into the cause that you stand for, while keeping community members engaged and bought into your brand. Today I talk to you about the three ways you can use ecourses to set your nonprofits ON FIRE Check out the platforms I like https://www.kotulo.com/learn Free trial of Thinkific: https://bit.ly/3QepBlX Free trial of Kajabi: https://bit.ly/3B9PJKA

Lots of nonprofits develop their own programming, because they have an idea to serve a population in a unique way and they have to come up with what that will look like. Unfortunately there isn't a whole lot of sharing that goes on because even though we are all looking to serve people, there is still ownership issues, intellectual property issues and even ego when it comes to the nonprofit world. Program developers and nonprofits should be sharing their innovative ideas but you don't have to give it all away. You can license your program model which allows you to keep ownership, while serving potentially the whole world with your model and you can bring in a nice revenue from it. Maybe its because I'm a global thinker but I LOVE licensing and in this video want to convince you that you should also be sharing your secrets and serving more people.

If you do any type of strategic planning or program development or even you run a program, you should have KPIs. They're so important because we all need goals - but we don't need goals just to have goals, we need goals that help us determine whether or not we are working toward accomplishing our mission. In this episode, I'm going to walk you through a free worksheet to develop meaningful KPIs so you can start measuring what matters. Get your free worksheet at: https://www.kotulo.com/metrics

I know a lot of grants ask for a theory of change and people get really overwhelmed by this…like a deer in headlights - i've seen it, but you don't need to be overwhelmed. What's super cool is you already know all this information, you just need to get it down, and once you do you'll feel so much lighter and have more clarity. In this episode, I walk you through a quick exercise to map out your theory of change and then condense it down into a 250-word paragraph, which some grants ask for. This is good because not only can you use this to look good when applying for grants you'll have a meaningful elevator speech to use anytime you are promoting your program. Get your free editable theory of change template at: https://www.kotulo.com/theory

As organizations grow, and start hiring team members they usually assign a whole bunch of nonrelated tasks to different people. The same person who answers customer emails may manage social media. Or the person who handles accounting writes blog posts and manages events. It happens because you don't have enough budget to hire a dedicated staff and once you find great people you want to involve them in everything, but as your org grows and you will need to make more hires. Ideally, your staff would have expertise in their dedicated role. There comes a time when you need to pause, understand what everyone is doing, and more importantly, what they should be doing so you can be intentional about your hiring and make sure everyone is in the right seat on the bus. One tool to help you do this is a skills and interest assessment and in this episode, I walk you through exactly how to do that. Grab your free skills & interest assessment at https://www.kotulo.com/skills

Whether we like it or not, we're going to run into problems and, as a leader of a nonprofit, we can't ignore these problems. You may have a couple things you can think of right now where mistakes were made, or an event happened and you haven't quite known how to address it. Today we're going to discuss root cause analysis as a formal process you can take anytime something goes considerably wrong. This process should help you feel confident in attacking issues and making sure they dont happen again. Get your root cause analysis guide here: https://www.kotulo.com/rca Join our facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/kotulononprofitacademy

If you haven't read Atomic Habits by James Clear it's a must read - simply because we all have habits and we should understand how habits work. This book not only covers the psychology of habits and why most people have things they want to do but don't do them, but also gives you super practical action items to build positive habits and break negative ones. Nonprofits just like individuals have habits that either over time lead them to accomplishing their mission or derail efforts and in this episode I talk about how the principles in the book can be applied to your nonprofit and ultimately get you where you want to be quicker.

Many of the nonprofits I speak to don't have an email list yet, or they are just getting started and don't have much of one. In this episode we discuss prioritizing that email list and give you practical advice to build and use it. Get your free masterclass at http://www.kotulo.com/startup

Even after I realized that I had to start paying myself from my nonprofit, I didn't know how to do that. Our donations were irregular, I wasn't landing big multi-year grants that included my salary, so I wasn't sure how to pay myself. Do I just take more money some months and none the others? In this episode, I show you exactly how to pay yourself from your nonprofit regardless of how little revenue you are bringing in.

Many people go into starting a nonprofit thinking they will do this for free…but that's not a good idea. You need to build a sustainable business model so your mission and organization will live on long after you can run it and nobody else will be willing to run your baby for free. So, you need to build your organization to a point where it can sustain staff. Not just you, but a whole team. Get your free masterclass at http://www.kotulo.com/startup

If you want to really upgrade your nonprofit's revenue you want to secure funding from grants and corporate partners. If you are talking to the right people, at some point you will be asked to develop a proposal. Writing proposals doesn't have to be overwhelming, so in this episode I'm breaking down the basic elements so you can start feeling confident about asking for some big dollar amounts. Get your free editable template at http://www.kotulo.com/proposal

As a busy Executive Director you might be overwhelmed by all the leadership paradigm shifts that are being offered out there, but good leadership is actually pretty simple and there are a couple of foundational things, that if you focus your time on getting those qualities right - you will have a ton going for you as a leader. Get your free masterclass at http://www.kotulo.com/startup Join our facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/kotulononprofitacademy

Managing a team is tough. Many Executive Directors don't have any supervisory or leadership experience before starting their nonprofit and unfortunately, that is all too evident to their volunteers and staff. Good culture can make or break an organization. Is this a place where everyone works together, feels valued, and feels like their contribution is meaningful, or is this a place that is disorganized, some people get treated differently or worse than others, and people aren't really sure where they fit in. A lot of nonprofit leaders KNOW they have poor culture but they don't know what to do about it so today we are going to help you with that in very practical terms. Get your free masterclass at http://www.kotulo.com/startup Join our facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/kotulononprofitacademy

When developing an advisory council you want to make sure you define the core elements upfront. What's the purpose of the council? How do they function? What are its policies? Who do you need and how and when do they meet? With all this laid out upfront, you are much more likely to have engaged advisory council members.

How do you feel about your surveys? Do you get a good response? Do you use all the data you get? As evaluation gains traction, more and more organizations are launching surveys. There are so many surveys, collecting so much data, but the truth is there are so many BAD surveys. Bad surveys ask for a whole bunch of data, take too long and worst of all are never really used for anything. In this episode, you will learn the survey basics to make sure your surveys have a purpose and are actually utilized for that purpose.

In this episode, I want to help you apply an evaluation lens to your operations and processes. Hopefully, you have written some SOPs or policies, but we don't just want those sitting on a shelf, right? We want to make sure they're being followed and ensure that they are helping our organization be a well-oiled machine. So, process evaluation can help you get there. Here is the episode on developing SOPs: https://youtu.be/DYhaHogEziQ Get your free masterclass at http://www.kotulo.com/startup Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/kotulononprofitacademy

When I started my nonprofit, measurement & evaluation was the last thing on my mind. I don't even know if I had heard of it, but eventually, I realized even though I knew the work I was doing was impactful, I didn't have much to show for it. I wasn't collecting the right data to be able to really demonstrate my impact. This led me on a path to pursuing my master's degree in Program Evaluation and now I look at everything with an evaluation lens. So, I want to break down what that means so you can start asking the right questions and collecting the right data to ensure your programs are impactful. In this episode you will learn: How to define what you are measuring How to actually measure your key indicators for success How to utilize the data you've collected Get your free masterclass at http://www.kotulo.com/startup Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/kotulononprofitacademy

I'm amazed by how many nonprofits I work with, even big ones, that don't have standard operating procedures. This causes huge headaches because EDs feel like “how” to do everything lives in their head, and they are afraid if they delegate tasks, they will lose work quality. With SOPs you have a set protocol for staff and volunteers to follow so you don't have to do everything and you know things are getting done correctly. Plenty of nonprofits know they should have SOPs but stopping to create protocols for everything they do can seem super overwhelming, so in this episode I'm breaking down SOP development to make it easy and useful. Get your free masterclass at http://www.kotulo.com/startup Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/kotulononprofitacademy

One of the biggest complaints I hear from Executive Directors is that they do everything, or they wear ALL the hats. While the ED hat can encompass a whole bunch of things, you shouldn't be wearing all the hats. In this episode I discuss the top three things that Executive Directors should be doing so you can make sure you're spending your time where it counts. Get your free getting focused worksheet here: http://kotulo.com/focused Check out our episode on getting focused: https://www.kotulo.com/blog/get-focused Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/kotulononprofitacademy