It began in 2008.
As the economy slid over the edge of the cliff, the Nonprofit Sector knew things would change. But it never imagined things would change so drastically, that they would never be the same again.
"Disposable income", even among the wealthy, is no longer in the equation. Nor is "Discretionary Spending."
As in Capital Fundraising Campaigns, nonprofits should be looking not at income, but at assets.
Yours, not theirs.
It's time for the Nonprofit Sector to focus on building assets. Financial assets. Capital assets. Intellectual assets. Human assets. Relationships. Partnerships.
These are the assets that will drive revenue from this point forward. Fundraising is no longer the means of generating sustainable revenue. Asset building is where nonprofits need to focus their efforts.
Development will need to communicate the new focus. When soliciting investment in a particular project or program, it is not enough to show the process, then the outcome. It is not enough to demonstrate the positive impact on those being served. You must show that an asset is being developed for the community, that this asset is how the donor/investor can realize their Return on Investment.
And you leverage their investment to grow assets within the organization -- more revenue, intellectual property, human assets that maximize potential, capital projects that become part of the community infrastructure.
And that you build relationships with your partners, your investors, and your clients. Public/Private Partnership is no longer just a government/business alliance, it must include the Nonprofit Sector as a necessary partner.
As your organization builds these assets, it grows stronger, more sustainable. Until the organization itself is recognized as a valued asset in the community, one which attracts investment and more assets.
It's a New Day. Stop fundraising, start building assets.
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