There are many donors and resources for foundations to utilize, but what will compel those people to give? Sometimes, it comes down to the simplest things. People want to hear your story, to hear about tiny miracles, to get a sense of your passion. It is one thing to provide statistics, but often the connecting point for donors are those small stories.
The David and Lucille Packard Foundation conducted a survey to see how much individuals knew about the foundations serving in their community. The general result was that these foundations were “little known among key players in the efforts they seek to support.” While some foundations may prefer to work quietly behind the scenes, there are many people who would desire to partner in these efforts. But how can people know about these efforts if foundations aren’t sharing their stories?
“Fifty-six percent of those surveyed, for example, could not name a foundation on their first try, 60 percent considered themselves somewhat or not at all informed about foundations, only 15 percent could cite examples of a foundation’s impact on their community, and only 11 percent could give an example of a foundation’s impact on an issue they care about,” the Inside Philanthropy reports on the Packards’ survey.
So does this mean we should be frustrated by the lack of visibility foundations have? No! Every foundation has a story to share, and with the ways to share these stories continually growing, there is only cause for hope. It just takes one step. Set up a blog, a website, post videos, share photos. The list goes on and on.
With simple steps in creating a better picture of your foundation, you can unlock so many resources and perhaps be the start of change in your community. There is much potential in the non-profit arena. However, first you must make others aware. What is your story?
Jessica High is a Research Assistant at Christian Foundation Grants (www.christianfoundationgrants.com) which is a subscription database of foundations that provide grants to faith-based organizations. iDonate.com is a website (www.iDonate.com) that allows ministries to receive non-cash gifts online