Author: Tom Ralser

Hundreds of organizations have utilized Tom’s sustainability planning techniques to ensure they can thrive in a tight money environment. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation, which provides the framework his Investment-Driven Model™ of fundraising, and led to the development of the Organizational Value Proposition®, which is widely used by corporations, foundations, and individuals as confirmation that the nonprofits in which they invest are truly delivering outcomes with value. His specialty of utilizing for -profit concepts and methods in the nonprofit world has helped nonprofits raise over an estimated $1.1 billion in the 18 years he has worked with them.

Giving Monday, Giving Tuesday, Giving Wednesday…

Can one day impact your nonprofit’s drive for sustainability? A lot is being said right now about Giving Tuesday. I don’t disagree with the strategy behind this much-publicized day of giving and think it’s a very useful tool in the fundraising toolkit for many smaller nonprofits. Make a game plan, get small donations, and they […]

5 Classic Fundraising Misconceptions

5 Fundraising Misconceptions and How to Address Them Adapted from ROI for Nonprofits: The New Key to Sustainability The original title of this section was “Five Classic Fundraising Campaign Myths,” but that implied that these misconceptions had a strong probability of being false. The fact is, they are not false, just no longer appropriate when ROI […]

ROI and Grant Proposals

ROI and Grant Proposals Tips for Nonprofits Grant proposals typically involve some type of ROI proof, but I often find that nonprofit executives struggle with this step in the grant-writing process. Determining ROI does not always come naturally, though the term itself is overused. Everyone from hotel chains to health insurance is proving ROI these […]

Charting Organizational Impact: 5 Questions You Must Ask

As I have traveled around the country in the past 20 years doing lectures and workshops, there has been one sentence that has resonated with all of my audiences: “If your organization doesn’t demonstrate its value to potential funders, they’ll fund an organization that does.” Many of us are familiar with Peter Drucker’s Foundation Self-Assessment tool, a valuable exercise […]

Donors v. Investors: 5 Differences You Need to Know

Over 20 years ago, the idea of discussing “investors” and “return on investment” in relation to nonprofit organizations seemed preposterous. Today, however, it is not uncommon to hear both terms used widely throughout the sector.

3 Steps to Become Less Reliant on Government Funding

Moving Your Nonprofit Away From Government Funding Many nonprofit organizations have been solely dependent on government funding for so long that the idea of pursuing private sector funding can be a bit intimidating. Where do you even begin? I recently had the opportunity to talk about effective fundraising processes at the National Coalition for Homeless […]