Salt For Nonprofit Organizations

A strategic development plan is your roadmap to success. If you want to maximize your resources and harness the full potential within your organization, you must start with a development plan. Many people have never seen a development plan, let alone created one, while many others have inherited them and been “stuck” doing what has always been done.

If you don’t know where to start, or need a fresh, outside perspective, Salt can help. We’ll start with a thorough analysis of your current and prior fundraising activities, assessment of your team and their roles, and your organization’s present needs and priorities for the future. Depending on what you need and where you want to go, the plan could be simple or highly complex. Our services are tailored specifically to your needs.

Do you have a strategy for relationship-building? If not, it’s time! Even if you’re a natural relationship-builder, a jolly “people person,” without a strategy and process in place it’s easy to get overwhelmed or let donors and prospects slip through the cracks. Perhaps you don’t know where to look within your organization or database to start the cultivation process. Even if you’re an “old pro” perhaps you’re not upgrading donors or haven’t considered database mining for major gift or planned giving prospects.

Whatever the case may be, Salt excels at planning and can help you build a strategy that not only increases revenue, but generates sustainability when executed properly. Sustainable major gifts come about as a result of diligent efforts to find donors, make genuine connections with them, and keep them informed about all that you’ve been able to achieve because of their support.

Congrats, you closed the gift – now what?! Do you have a stewardship plan? If you have any desire for a second gift, I hope you can answer yes to that last question. If not, Salt is here to help you learn the art of donor stewardship. We will work closely with you to design a stewardship plan that’s right for you.

Stewardship is much more than a thank you note. It’s the practice of gratitude throughout the donor cycle. It’s not one and done. Proper stewardship is keeping your donors informed, letting them know how their gift was used, and demonstrating impact. If your donor only hears from you twice – once when you ask for a gift and then again with a thank you letter or phone call – that’s not a relationship, it’s a transaction.

Grants are a great way to diversify your charitable revenue stream. But not every organization has the time or expertise to go after grants. With over 20 years of experience, Salt is ready to dive in and support your grant efforts. We offer grant writing services which include research, writing, and impact reporting. Perhaps you have a team member ready to take on grants internally, but they need some coaching. We do that too!

Direct mail is not dead! And don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. And it’s not just for the older generations either. Research indicates that millennials love getting mail, and while they may make their donation on your website, they are often motivated to give because of a mailed appeal.

Like all good fundraising, a great direct mail program is both an art and a science. The Salt team is highly skilled at writing, whether it be appeals or newsletters. We can also help you with your mailing lists. You can have a perfectly written piece, but without a good mailing list, you’re doomed before you start.

Direct mail is also a great way to feed your major gifts pipeline. It serves to keep donors engaged, allows opportunities for stewardship, and aids in upgrading as well.

We at Salt Nonprofit Strategies love to invest in people through coaching and mentoring. Our training and coaching can cover overall nonprofit development or specific topics.

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Whether you are establishing and building a development department or wish to strengthen existing resources, Salt will design a program to fit your needs. Coaching is available for teams or for individuals.

Who Could Benefit?

• Perhaps you were hired as CEO or Executive Director because of your extraordinary leadership skills, but don’t have a fundraising background.

• Or maybe you’re hiring your first development professional or creating your first team.

• You could also be a fundraising pro who is looking to expand your skill set into areas in which you aren’t as well versed.

• Anyone new to the nonprofit sector of fundraising field.

Available Topics

• Fundraising 101: An Overview of Nonprofit Philanthropy

• Building a Development Department

• Strengthening Your Development Team

• Strategic Development Planning

• Relationship-building & Major Gifts

• Donor Stewardship

• Grants

• Direct Mail

• Storytelling​

Most organizations have a team of eager board members with a variety of backgrounds and skill sets that serve the organization well. Most often, board members join because they are passionate about your mission, but many often lack experience serving on nonprofit boards or fundraising. Salt can strengthen your board, and thereby your organization overall, by providing specialized training.

Available Topics

• Fundraising for Board Members: Demystifying the Philanthropic Process

• Understanding Board Governance

• Policy Review & Development