FAML 430 Week 12
“Work for a cause, not for applause. Live life to express, not to impress. Don’t strive to make your presence noticed, just make your absence felt.”
—Author Unknown
This week, you will explore nonprofit solutions for changing the world for good. Nonprofit charitable organizations are a modern invention. While good Samaritans and charitable giving have a long history as evidenced in Biblical teachings, fundraising for charity and organizing businesses to provide charitable programs and services began more recently, in the early 1800s, and expanded during the Progressive Era (1896-1916) which was a period of social activism and pollical reform. Andrew Carnegie’s 1889 publication of “The Gospel of Wealth” is sparked interest among the wealthy and middle class in charitable giving. Carnegie promoted the idea of owing a duty to society. The book is considered a foundation document in the field of philanthropy. One famous quote from the books suggests that “The man who dies thus rich dies disgraced.” Organized charitable fundraising on a national scale was first envisioned by Charles Ward and Frank Pierce of the YMCA. They hired a publicist, used corporate sponsors, celebrities, and paid ads to raise money for building projects and national expansion.
During World War II, service organizations such as the YMCA, the Red Cross, Salvation Army collaborated and pooled resources and campaign efforts to support the war and create the United Service Organization for National Defense (USO). This established a continuing tradition for collaboration and partnerships among service organizations.
The War on Poverty during the 1960s brought additional social reform, welfare support, and tax reform to support charitable organizations. In 1969, the Tax Reform Act established legal code for the IRS known as Section 501(c)3, which established tax exemptions to donors for charitable giving to organizations fitting the 501(c)3 status. This created the official nonprofit sector.
In 1991, the Internet and World Wide Web became available for private and commercial use. Nonprofit organizations have capitalized on this connectivity to spread their charitable messages and solicit online donations. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, have further extended the reach of nonprofit organizations. Campaigns such as the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge (01:02 mins; transcript requested) began as social media posts that went viral and became an enormously successful fundraiser. Over $220 million was raised in the 2014 Ice Bucket Challenge and as a result, the fight against ALS has accelerated.
Philanthropic work, and the nonprofit programs and services it supports, continues to expand and change the world for good. Career opportunities abound in the nonprofit sector for those wishing to dedicate their careers to a cause. And as citizens and volunteers—the possibilities are nearly endless to support children, families, and communities through organized charities.
But creating and sustaining a nonprofit is difficult. Many come and go because of mismanagement or insufficient funds. This week you will exam 1) the structural design of nonprofits and 501(c)3’s in particular, 2) tools and criteria for evaluating the trustworthiness and impact of operating nonprofits, 3) the best practices for fostering sustainability and effectiveness among nonprofits, and 4) grant writing strategies to support nonprofit solutions. Let’s begin by exploring why nonprofits are essential and how they profit us all.
| Public Charities | Private Foundations | |
|---|---|---|
| Primarily make grants | NO. Although some public charities can and do make grants, they more typically conduct charitable activities and provide services. | YES. Private foundations typically make grants (i.e., give funds) to public charities, although they sometimes conduct their own charitable activities. |
| Receive most of their support from the general public | YES. Public charities derive their financial support by raising funds from the public (i.e., individuals, government, corporations) by soliciting donations and/or grants. | NO. Private foundations typically derive all of their financial support from a single individual, family, or corporation. |
| Required to prove that most funding comes from public support | YES. To maintain their tax status, the IRS requires public charities to verify that they receive substantial support from the general public. | NO. Being self-funded is an advantage, enabling foundations to avoid the IRS tests that are required of public charities. Although not prohibited from doing so, private foundations do not typically engage in fundraising. |
| Required to pick a diversified board of directors | YES. A public charity must be governed by a board of directors reflective of the constituency it serves. The majority of the board must be not be related by marriage or blood. | NO. A private foundation may be governed solely by its donor(s) or by a board consisting of family and/or other individuals chosen by the donor(s). |
Nonprofits that have applied to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for 501(c)3 nonprofit status so that they can receive tax advantages for themselves and those who donate to them are required to meet certain requirements. If the requirements are met, then the IRS can grant 501(c)3 status to the organization. The requirements include having a purpose that fits within the IRS-approved categories—such as doing charitable work. The organization must not have any private interests—thus it is governed by board members who don’t individually profit from the enterprise but seek to advance the charitable cause. The creator or founder of the nonprofit does not own it. That would result in private interest which is not allowed. Nonprofits also cannot participate in activities that substantially influence legislation. Paid staff are paid fair market value and cannot be given a bonus. Nonprofits must also avoid inurement. These are a few of the core IRS requirements that allow 501(c)3 status to be granted. To learn more about the nature and structural design of nonprofits read the following informational resources. One contains an excellent summary video. As you study these resources, reflect upon the following questions:
- As the founder of a mission-driven nonprofit, are you the owner?
- How much control do nonprofit board members really have?
- What is the “fiduciary duty” required of the board members?
- If you were starting a nonprofit with a mission o , who would you want on your board?
- What is Inurement?
- How can you build a successful funding base?
- What is the difference between “governance” and “management?”
- How is a nonprofit started and what is the nature of its structure and legal standing?
Read
“It is every man’s obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it.”
—Albert Einstein
Charity Navigator
Charity Navigator is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization that evaluates nonprofit organizations in the United States and gives them a star-rating base on criteria that is considered best practice. The goal is to provide donors with measures that establish trust and ensure impact for their charitable giving. Charity Navigator reports on the financial stability, transparency, and accountability of nonprofit organizations so donors can identify the best and worst charities. Having a high Charity Navigator rating is important to the marketing and fundraising efforts of many nonprofits. Explore the Charity Navigator rating for the following two organizations and one you know. Select the DETAILS> link below the star rating. Does the rating impact your trust in the organization or your charitable giving? What concerns or excites you about the performance metrics?
Explore
Search Charity Navigator for ratings on:
- “Operation Underground Railroad Inc.”
- “Kars4Kids”
- Choose your own nonprofit
Effective Nonprofits
Surviving as a nonprofit is no easy task. Many new nonprofits are born each year and many also die—often because they have been unable to develop the community support and financial foundation to remain in business. Continuing to learn from mistakes and following research-based best practices will help a nonprofit to remain sustainable. Effective nonprofits that serve children and families have learned and apply the following "best practices."
Important:
In the next "Best Practice" sections, you will see a series of video interview with non-profit leaders which illustrate best practices. These videos are lengthy. Choose two of six "Best Practice" videos. Watch both videos in their entirety. You are invited to watch other videos (or skim), but you are not required to do so.
Best Practice #1: Be mission-driven and appropriately focused on programs and services.
(33:29 mins, "Nonprofits: Best Practice #1" Transcript)
A nonprofit's mission shapes its identity and focuses its efforts. Unfortunately, nonprofits are often tempted to expand or alter their mission to be eligible for new funding opportunities. While reevaluating your focus and changing with the times is good business—losing your identity and purpose as an organization is not. Many nonprofits fail because of loss of community support resulting from “mission drift.” Effectively doing a few things well is better than diluting efforts and impact by trying to solve too many problems. Instead, partner with other nonprofits to pick up where your mission leaves off. Changing one’s focus to chase money is a short-sighted strategy that is often hurtful to an organization’s identity. Being true to one’s name and identity is important to building community support and successful marketing.
“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.”
—Mark Twain
Best Practice #2: Use data to inform plans, make decisions, demonstrate accountability, and report on progress and effectiveness.
(26:26 mins, "Nonprofits: Best Practice #2" Transcript)
Collecting, using, and reporting data is critical to organizational success. Effective organizations use data to improve programs and services, build community support and donor confidence, demonstrate transparency and accountability, and make data-driven decisions about the growth and future direction of the organization. Without a comprehensive data tracking system, a nonprofit organization will not be able to secure grant funding or develop the trust necessary for receiving charitable giving.
Best Practice #3: Diversify funding while also maximizing individual donor giving through “mission-driven” efforts.
(32:30 mins, "Nonprofits: Best Practice #3" Transcript)
Donors give to a “cause”—not an organization. The most successful fundraising efforts are “mission-driven” strategies that remind the community of the “cause” and allow them to see the impact of the program. Highlighting success stories and reminding the community of the need will help make the organization’s cause—their cause. Fundraising gimmicks such as celebrity golf tournaments or gala’s run the risk of highlighting the organization—and not the cause. Or of significantly reducing the funds raised because of the elaborate event costs. While the best strategies likely vary by community—often simpler is better.
It is also important to diversify funding sources to ensure continuity and stability. Grants often provide funding for a limited time and may not be renewable. Some funds also have restrictions on what they can be used for. Securing funds from private donors, charitable fund-raising events, grants, and foundations can help provide flexibility and security when one source dries up for a time. Diversifying funding spreads the risk.
“Wealth isn’t always measured in dollar signs. We each have time, talent, and creativity, all of which can be powerful forces for positive change. Share your blessings in whatever form they come and to whatever level you have been blessed.”
— Jon M. Huntsman, author of “Winners Never Cheat”
Best Practice #4: Clarify responsibilities and limits of the Board and the CEO.
All nonprofits are governed by a board. But the role of the board may necessarily differ depending on the maturity of the nonprofit. New or young nonprofits may have board members who are actively involved in decisions regarding daily operations. Board members may provide legal advice, personnel advice, or accounting help—generally without any pay or compensation. Young nonprofits often lean on the skills of board members to supplement the talents of the limited paid staff. As the organization grows—daily operations are increasing assumed by paid staff and the board involvement is more often limited to fundraising, fiduciary responsibilities, and maintaining the vision and identity of the organization. The changing roles and responsibilities that occur for board members and staff as an organization matures is often and significant challenge.
Having clear bylaws, policies, and procedures, and role descriptions are important to providing clarity on who does what and where each person’s responsibilities start and end. “Founder’s Syndrome” is the problem created when the founder of a nonprofit maintains disproportionate influence and power and fails to honor the boundaries and responsibilities given to different roles in the organization. In other words, they fail to let board members or paid employees do the jobs they’ve been asked to do without stifling oversite from the founder. Few things are more destructive to the morale of an organization than violating expectations and controlling the work that others see as theirs.
“You can do what I cannot do. I can do what you cannot do. Together we can do great things.”
— Mother Teresa
Best Practice #5: Develop a strong and trained volunteer base.
The limited resources of nonprofits can be leveraged through a strong volunteer base. Many succusses nonprofits have a very limited paid staff, but a strong volunteer base. The paid staff spend their time training and supporting the volunteers. Volunteers implement the programs and provide many of the services to clients. A wise stake president once commented that his job was primarily to train and support his bishops. The bishops could then better support ward leaders and the youth. And ward leaders could minister to the individual needs of members and help with the “perfecting of the saints.” All this is done without a paid local clergy. Enlisting the support of volunteers and then training and supporting them well so that they deepen their passion and stay with the nonprofit is better than money in the bank. Volunteers are necessarily intrinsically motivated, passionate about their work, and driven by a cause. Training and support are costly, but when bundled with appreciation and meaningful work—volunteers will work hard for free! Effective nonprofits develop a strong and well-trained volunteer base.
“The greatest leaderisnot necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.”
—Ronald Reagan
Best Practice #6: Respond to social changes, technological advances, and changing needs of clients while also staying focused and true to the mission. Occasionally services may need to be recast.
(12:57 mins, "Nonprofits: Best Practice #6" Transcript)
“Learning and innovation go hand in hand. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow.”
— William Pollard
While it is important to shape a meaningful identity that is focused and true to the mission, it is also important to change with the times. Today’s nonprofits need to understand the impact of social media and respond appropriately. Understanding cultural or generational changes and adapting appropriately is also a characteristic of an effective nonprofit. But changes are driven by the data and a sound understanding of the changing context or needs—not to chase a different funding source. The bestselling book, “Who Moved My Cheese?” written by Spencer Johnson is an allegory of two mice and two little people who search a maze each day to find cheese. Their approaches are different, but in the end, those tuned to their changing environment meet the greatest success. Watch this short segment from a video summary of the books and apply it to the best practices of nonprofits.
Watch
- Who Moved My Cheese
(10:59 mins, "Who Moved My Cheese" Transcript)
Best Practice #7: Establish a vision and a clear direction through effective and regular planning at all levels.
Dwight D. Eisenhower said, “Plans are worthless, but planning is everything.” What did he mean by this? He went on to explain that the planning process demands a thorough exploration of options and contingencies. And the knowledge gained during this probing is crucial to the selection of appropriate actions as future events unfold—even though it is unlikely they will unfold as exactly as planned. But the planning process will help prepare us to adapt and respond in effective and wise ways. Planning should be a regular part of nonprofit work at all levels. Not only does it educate and prepare leaders and staff to adapt, but it also deepens the personal investment of each individual in the organization and develops in them a sense of ownership. It recognizes the ideas and voices of all and generates positive goals, clarity of purpose, and collective wisdom. Planning isn’t just a boardroom activity. It should also engage those on the front lines.
“The secret to change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.”
— Socrates
Best Practice #8: Implement programs with appropriate safeguards, legal assurances, and ethical practices.
It only takes one lawsuit, one abuse situation, or one mishandling of funds to destroy the reputation of a nonprofit and end it as a business. Policies and procedures must be in place and practiced that ensure appropriate safeguards for staff, clients, and donor contributions. Operating legally and ethically will protect the reputation and 501(c)(3) status of the organization. Without a nonprofit status granted by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), it is illegal to collect funds as a charity. When starting a new nonprofit, it is wise to utilize experts to help establish organizational protocols that are transparent, ensure accountability, and set the organization on a sure foundation.
“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”
— Charles Dickens
Best Practice #9: collaborate with other organizations to leverage resources, fill gaps, and extend services.
Effective nonprofits extend and leverage their resources by partnering with other organizations. Clients often need more than a single nonprofit with a focused mission can offer. Partnering with for-profit businesses, educational institutions, churches, and service groups can strengthen support for clients and for the organization itself. Nonprofits often recruit board members who work for organizations that are useful partners. For example, a professor and social scientist from a research university might be invited to assist with program evaluations. Many grant applications require letters of support from community partners because it is widely recognized that effective partners strengthen the sustainability and effective reach of a nonprofit program.
"It is the long history of humankind (and animal kind, too) that those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed."
– Charles Darwin
Best Practice #10: Create community awareness of programs and services through effective marketing and a broad base of volunteer, board, and staff advocates.
(22:15 mins, "Nonprofits: Best Practice #10" Transcript)
Effective nonprofits are known and supported by the community. Programs and services are promoted via social media and venues that reach the targeted populations. Many nonprofits share current content regularly as a means to generate website traffic, promote services, and raise donations. Keeping it fresh by regularly sharing impact stories, research findings, and useful information is important. Static web content or social media can quickly lose interest and community support. Most nonprofits have small marketing budgets because they want to message to donors that funds are primarily being used for direct services. Word of mouth promotion by clients, volunteers, staff, and board members is a low-cost and indispensable method of marketing programs and services. Developing partnerships is also a helpful means of creating a community for nonprofit services.
“Remember the difference between a boss and a leader; A boss says “Go!” a leader says “Let’s go.”
— E.M Kelly
Best Practice #11: Develop a governing board and working committees appropriate to their needs.
(22:56 mins, "Nonprofits: Best Practice #11" Transcript)
Just as volunteers need training and clarity in their responsibilities, so do board members and working committees. The limited paid staff of most nonprofits rely heavily on the contributions and connections of board members and working committees. The expectation for working committees should be clearly articulated in advance. Participants should understand the time commitment and expected outcome or deliverables. The work of committees and boards should be supported with adequate training and support and guidance from paid staff or more seasoned volunteers or board members. The board and committees should be created by intentional design and invitation—not convenience or who shows up. Many nonprofits have rotating term limits to ensure new ideas and a transfer of responsibilities without anyone feeling as if they’ve been fired. A staggered rotation ensures experienced board members or working committee members will be available to train and support new members in their responsibilities.
“Great things are brought about and burdens are lightened through the efforts of many hands anxiously engaged in a good cause.”
— Elder M. Russell Ballard, "Be Anxiously Engaged" October 2012 General Conference
Analyze One Nonprofit: Camp Belong
Each nonprofit is at a different point in its growth or maturity as an organization. Let’s explore one nonprofit and measure it against some of the best practices discussed above. You won’t see all of the inner workings of the organization, but if you were hired as a consultant to help them grow and become sustainable—what advice would you offer? As you watch the video, reflect upon the following questions:
- What practices help ensure the sustainability of the mission of “Camp Belong”?
- What is the story and work “behind” the story?
- What are five strategies you would recommend to “Camp Belong” to help them continue their valuable mission? Be specific.
- What are the 501(c)3 status requirements for “Camp Belong”
- Does the founder answer to anyone regarding the future direction of the program?
- What logistical arrangements, partnerships, and financial resources would be required to implement a “Camp Belong” program?
- What might the Logic Model of Camp Belong look like?
Watch:
- Turning Point- Camp Belong
(24:25 mins, "Turning Point- Camp Belong" Transcript)
While private donations are the preferred source of funding for most nonprofits, enduring nonprofits have learned to diversify their fundraising through mission-driven events and applying to private foundations and government entities for grants. Grants funds are typically available for something “new,” something “different,” or something “expanded.” It is less common for grants to be given to maintain the status quo of existing programs and services. Grants are also given for a specific time period—usually a few years or as a single award. Requests for Proposals (RFP) also spell out the specific requirements and types of projects that will be funded. Each Foundation or Government entity has an interest in funding projects in different areas. Thus, grants generally have some strings attached, including data collection, reporting, and accountability requirements. But the significant size of some grants makes them alluring to nonprofits despite the work they entail. For this reason, nonprofits often aggressively seek grants and frequently tweak their mission focus to propose some new, different, or expanded that meets the eligibility requirements of the RFP.
Most smaller nonprofits don’t have full-time grant writers on staff. Instead, the program director or fundraising personnel prepare grant applications along with their other responsibleness. Or frequently, nonprofits will contract the services of skilled grant writers in their community. For parents who desire flexible work or part-time employment that pays well, becoming a skilled grant writer is a great option. The grants they secure often pay their own salaries.
Finding Grant Opportunities
An obvious first step in effective grantsmanship is knowing where to find grant opportunities. Government grants are typically requested using the Request for Proposals (RFP) process at key government websites. Foundation grants are more often obtained by studying the funding goals of the Foundation and submitting a letter of inquiry to see if they are interested in your type of project. There are also paid subscriptions to businesses such as “Grantwatch” or “Foundation Directory Online” that track grant opportunities and have searchable databases and report emerging opportunities to members using keywords or grand categories identified in their profiles. Below are starting points for finding grant opportunities that fund social projects that benefit children, families, and communities.
- Grants.gov. Federal funding opportunities published on Grants.gov are for organizations and entities supporting the development and management of government-funded programs and projects.
- Federal Grants Wire. Is a free resource for federal grants, government grants, and loans.
- Children’s Bureau. This is an office within the Administration for Children and Families that provides government grant information for child-related projects.
- The Dibble Institute. Provides grants alerts in the area of relationship development and social skills.
- Candid is an umbrella organization that sponsors numerous subsidiary websites that support social causes, including Foundation Directory Online. While some resources are free, it is a commercial enterprise with superscriptions services.
- America’s Promise Alliance. The collective work of the Alliance involves keeping Five Promises to children and youth that form the conditions they need to achieve adult success. They provide information about grant opportunities that relate to the Five Promises.
- FundsNet—Children, Youth, and Family Grants. FunNet provides a free fundraising and grants directory. It also provides information about grants, fundraising, philanthropy, foundations, and 501(c)(3) non–profits organizations.
- Youth Today. Youth Today is a digital media publication that keeps readers informed regarding current youth issues. It includes a section that announces grants for youth-related projects.
The Grant Writing Process
“The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.”
— Rob Siltanen
The grant writing process can be described in twelves steps or tasks. We will explore each briefly.
- Identify Need and Focus. Explore your Logic model and identify a need or fundable project that is in harmony with your mission, resource needs, activities, and desired outputs, outcomes, and impacts.
- Find Prospective Funders. Use online tools and professional networks to identify potential government or Foundation funders that provide grants in our focus area.
- Develop General Proposal and Budget. Develop a general or “generic” proposal with the core objective, key activates, and working framework. But leave it vague enough that it can easily be tailored to the specific requirements and idiosyncrasies of a specific funder or opportunity. Likewise, develop a draft budget with anticipated costs. This general proposal will allow you to articulate your plan briefly when you submit a letter of inquiry. It often includes the following sections:
- Title page
- Abstract
- Introduction (statement of the problem, purpose of research or goals, and significance of research)
- Literature review
- Project narrative (methods, procedures, objectives, outcomes or deliverables, evaluation, and dissemination)
- Personnel
- Budget and budget justification
- Specific Forms
- Submit Letter of Inquiry. Many funders prefer that the funding request be made using a conceptual sketch of the project or a brief proposal conveyed in a letter of inquiry rather than a full-blown proposal. This allows the funder to see if they are interested enough to request a full-blown proposal and also provide feedback that would strengthen the likelihood of it being funded. Components of a letter of inquiry may be spelled out by the funder, or general templates are found among the support resources on many grant websites. Government grants have a more formal process for grant application and do not generally require or want a letter of inquiry.
- Receive Request for Formal Application (RFA). If the funders are interested or if it is a government grant, a specific RFA or RFP will be given that outlines the specific requirements and proposal format for a full proposal. You must provide exactly want is requested and not add unnecessary additions.
- Prepare Specific Proposal. With the added knowledge of a specific grant opportunity’s RFA or RFP and the feedback provided by the funder’s response to your letter of inquiry—turn your generic proposal into a very specific one that used the language, categories, and funding goals of the funder. Make their interest—your interest. But do so in a manner that does not compromise or misdirect you from your own mission and focus. Never be the ugly stepsister trying to slip into Cinderella’s glass slipper. If the grant doesn’t fit—don’t force it, and don’t apply. Once the proposal is written, proofread it carefully and share it with other stakeholders in the organization to make sure it is well written, clear, doable, and professional in every way.
- Submit Proposal Before Deadline. Deadlines are taken very seriously by funders. If it is late—it is out of the competitive process. Days and perhaps weeks of work will be wasted simply because you weren’t punctual. But missing a deadline also tells a story about your integrity and follow-through.
- Agency Reviews Proposal. It may take some time for your proposal to be reviewed and vetted. Many government funders and some foundations will use subject area experts and practitioners to review and judge proposals. Volunteering to review proposals if the opportunity arises is a great way to become familiar when the grading rubrics and qualities of an exceptional grant proposal.
- Receive Award Letter. If your grant proposal was accepted, you will receive an award letter sharing the good news and stipulating details. Study it carefully and don’t ask questions of a funder that might already be outlined in the award letter.
- Accept or Decline Award. Counsel with your organization stakeholder and determine if the award, stipulations, and proposed project are still doable, and if carrying out the project will move forward your mission in a meaningful way? Don’t take on a project that makes promises that you can’t deliver on. A funded project with a failed implementation will damage the integrity of your organization and impact future funding opportunities. Whether you accept or decline share your gratitude to the funder for their support of your project.
- Carry Out Project. Implement the project with appropriate documentation and data collection so you’ll be able to demonstrate accountability with funds given and provide the necessary reports.
- File Reports with Funding Agency. Complete the reports as requested by the funding agency. Be on time and thorough.
(Long image description of The Grant Writing Process)
In preparation for your weekly Zoom meeting, please study the following resources.
Read and Watch
- Edwards [National Resource Center] (2010) Building Multiple Revenue Sources (pgs. 5-8 ONLY)
- Fritz (2021) How to Write a Winning Grant Proposal
- Nonprofit Grant Writing Tips for Beginners
(14:07 mins, "Nonprofit Grant Writing Tips for Beginners" Transcript)
As you study, consider the following questions:
- What revenue sources are common to a diversified funding stream?
- Is there a preferred balance or percentage for different funding sources?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of different funding sources?
- What are the common pitfalls of proposals that fail?
- What are some tips when preparing a grant proposal that can succeed?
You Try: Funding for Abandoned Babies
Citizen and nonprofit efforts can accomplish amazing things when our hearts, minds, and goodwill organize around a meaningful cause. In preparation for your Zoom meeting discussion, read the following case study and consider the following questions be prepared to respond to the following questions:
- If you were creating a new charitable nonprofit, 501(c)3, to address the problem of abandoned babies in South Africa:
- Who would you want as board members?
- What would your mission and specific focus be?
- What might your Logic model look like?
- How would you elicit volunteers and community support?
- How would approach the problem as serving rather than fixing or helping?
- What would you do to ensure your nonprofit is sustainable?
- If you needed to obtain funding and create security through diversification so your nonprofit to keep its commitments to the children it serves, and the community that supports you:
- Where would you look for grant funding? Find a potential funder from the websites listed above. Be prepared to share your source with your team.
- How would you prepare a grant proposal? Prepare a one-page outline with section headings and a few key ideas of what your grant proposal might look like?
Case Study #1—Abandoned Babies*
Ezra was three months old when he died. Or at least we think he was; perhaps he was older, or younger… it’s hard to tell.
All we know is that he was about six weeks old when someone dressed him in a white baby gown, wrapped him in a fluffy blue blanket andleft him to diein a large hole in the ground next to a highway in Johannesburg.
It was midnight on a cold night in May and, with the curfew in place, he shouldn’t have been found. But he was. Three homeless men looking for a place to keep warm heard him crying. As two of the men climbed into the hole to find the baby, the other flagged down a police car patrolling the area. The officer called for backup and the second responder, a policewoman, rescued Ezra. Poignant photographs show her cuddling him on her lap in the police van. His rescue was miraculous; the stuff of fairy tales.
But with abandonment, “happily ever after” is never a given. After six weeks of love and pampering at the “baby home” whose “baby saver” (a place where a baby can be safely abandoned) is 3km from the place where he was abandoned, Ezra began struggling to breathe. It was sudden. Frantic efforts to save him failed. Within 24 hours, he was dead.
Ezra’s abandonment came just days after the same baby home admitted a traumatized nine-month-old girl, Nonkululeko*, who had been left with a stranger outside a shop while her mother bought groceries. Her mother never returned. The two stories inspired the baby home to start collecting statistics from the media and other baby homes. The information that poured in was devastating.
By the beginning of June, 26 - over the first two months of lockdown - 50 abandonments – mostly babies – were found in sewage pipes, rubbish dumps, in shallow graves, buckets, streets, outside homes and most tragically, in a dustbin. Thirty-two (two-thirds) of these children were found dead.
These statistics includean unusually high number of older children,all with heartbreaking stories. One of the saddest accounts is that of 30-month-old Kuhle*.
The toddler was discarded in a dustbin outside a hospital in the first month of lockdown. Mercifully, he was found by a hospital social worker on her way to work that chilly autumn morning. He survived, but as an older child capable of both remembering and interpreting the experience, the psychological scars of his ordeal, and the rejection and loss it embodied, will be harder to heal.
Two weeks after Ezra’s death, the same policewoman who had held him on that freezing night in May had the grim task of recovering the body of another abandoned baby, a newborn, also covered in a blanket – but this time left naked in a bin. As with many unsafely abandoned babies, help came too late.
Help also came too late for a baby left propped up on a pillow outside a house in Tembisa one bitterly cold night in June. The family who found the child as they left for work are tormented by the unanswered questions: why didn’t they hear the baby cry? Could they have done anything to save its life?
These incidents, and many others, saw newspaper headlines declaring that abandonments hadspiked during lockdown.
*Adapted from “Lockdown: abandoned children left to die” by Shaun Smillie, Kashiefa Ajam, and Sheree Bega; and Daily Maverick, “The Truth Behind SA’s Shocking Child Abandonment Statistics,” by Robyn Wolfson Vorster
Spoiler Alert: Now that you’ve explored your own creative solution to the problem of abandoned babies, you may want to watch the solution created by Acres of Love.
Watch
- Turning Point—Acres of Love
(24:47 mins, "Acres of Love" Transcript) (Captioned video of "Turning Point Acres of Love")
“To handle yourself, use your head; To handle others, use your heart.”
— Eleanor Roosevelt
Conclusion
Nonprofit charitable organizations are modern inventions that have developed in sophistication and complexity over time. Most nonprofits in the USA now enjoy tax benefits of 501(c)3 status and are a recognized sector for employment. They operate in ways similar to many for-profit businesses but aren’t owned by the founder. They operate with a working or governing board and depend on the charity and service of volunteers and donors. Like other businesses, they have marketing plans and fundraising strategies that capitalize on social media and often expand to national and worldwide audiences. And also like many businesses, nonprofits must employ best practices and good wisdom to forward their mission and remain in business. Granting writing is an important activity for most nonprofits. Knowing where to find grant opportunities and how to write a winning proposal is an important and marketable skill. While good Samaritans and charitable giving have likely always existed, organized giving through modern nonprofit work is changing the world for good. Nonprofits are essential and directly or indirectly profit us all.
“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.”
— Mohammed Ali
Optional Readings and Resources
If you desire to expand your understanding of nonprofits and grant writing, you might explore the following resources.
Read and Watch
- Foundation Group, Inc. (2017) Successfully Starting a New Nonprofit
- What's the Profit in Nonprofits? | Areva Martin | TEDxCrenshaw
(10:16 mins, "What's the Profit in Nonprofits?" Transcript) - Grant Writing: Developing & Submitting a Killer Nonprofit Grant Proposal
(50:14 mins, "Developing & Submitting a Killer Nonprofit Grant Proposal" Transcript)
Watch
“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”
—Winston Churchil
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