Make Your “A” Program Into An A+++

A nonprofit identifies it most successful program serving high school children with disabilities. Karen Eber Davis Consulting helps them design ways to extend and enhance this programming. We also, discover new money to pay for it. Staff uses the resources and ideas to upgrade and expand their summer and after-school program. In turn, the resulting improvements attract additional resources. Energized by their new understanding of how to create excellence in their programming, the organization’’s leadership selects another program to upgrade.

Follow Your Bliss

A visionary nonprofit identifies a future funding stream in an area of their passion– youth service. Instead of waiting for the federal opportunity to be announced, Karen Eber Davis Consulting researches and studies best practices around the concept. It helps the nonprofit to develop a first-class program. When the federal funding becomes available, the nonprofit is already receiving local recognition for its new stellar efforts for youth. It wins top ranking in the federal application competition. In two years, the program obtains local, state and national funding from governments, corporations, foundations and individuals to expand and sustain it. In turn, they use these awards to increase the organization’s prestige and improve the morale and dedication of its staff as it follows (more of) its bliss.

To Do More of the Right Things
Doing Less of the Wrong Thing

To remain viable, a multifaceted family organization must close a program. Karen Eber Davis Consulting leads them through a process of discerning which program to close. We, also, help them to develop plans to implement the closing using proven techniques from respected nonprofits. Finally, the firm helps them to use the resources freed up to strengthen their remaining high mission, high-outcome programs. The organization gains improved community respect. It also improves its use of limited resources. Finally, the staff and board establish a new commitment to focus on what they do best and to refrain from engaging in weak-outcome, low-income efforts– even if someone else pays for them initially.

Manifesting Great Art
An art organization that receives local funding seeks help. From several new sources, Karen Eber Davis Consulting identifies opportunities and then creates the initial applications for them. In future years, staff uses them as templates. The process provides the organization with an ability to streamline their grant seeking process for these profitable, but cumbersome annual opportunities. With the templates in hand, staff obtains the funds every year while they juggle the demands of their key ten-day festival that occurs just after the deadlines. Karen Eber Davis Consulting, also, helps staff to learn new ways to convey its artistic excellence to donors. This communication increases their funding competitiveness. The organization receives local, state and national funding based on its excellence– awards which provide both money and increased prestige.

Establish An Effective Development Shop
An organization launches a massive growth campaign to double their yearly output. Their staff includes a new development officer with great community connections, but minimal development experience. Via a mentoring program that takes the shape of weekly meetings and follow-up activities, Karen Eber Davis Consulting directs him and the new team they develop to “board the train and while riding it–re-fuel it.’ The organization raises over $500,000 the first year and establishes the necessary long-term infrastructure for its growth goals.

Compete Better
A multifaceted social service organization that serves seniors has many needs–but minimal staff to execute the needed solutions. Karen Eber Davis Consulting provides the tools needed to organize their grant seeking and to keep the best opportunities on the ” front burner.”  At the same time, the firm identifies worth-the-risk new grant sources. The process results in impressive improvements in the organization’ s competitiveness for funds, plus a nine-fold return on their investment. Best of all for day-to-day sanity, when the organization pursues grant funds, it works from a base to pursue them without throwing the whole organization into chaos.

Establish New Programs For Funding and Branding
A new performing art agency’ main events take place in just a six weeks per year. Karen Eber Davis Consulting helps them to develop a program to provide art in nursing homes and other institution settings. This leads to earning more year-round income. It increases their year-round community recognition. In turn, they build on this recognition to increase their donor base. In a short time, the program receives a national award and the organization moves from being the “new kid on the block” to providing a recognized model for innovative social service-art programming.

Time Saver

People, with nonprofit dreams and often 501(c) (3) designations were contacting the Nonprofit Resource Center Director frequently. They had great passion and interesting ideas, but almost all most lacked a realistic nonprofit business plan. Listening to each story, took at least half an hour of the Director’s time.  We helped the Director create an opportunity, using existing resources, to provide next-step-help to these individuals in a way that required a minimum amount of the Director’s time. The Director assigned an experienced volunteer, with an interest in helping new nonprofits, to create a one-on-one monthly opportunity. Now, when the Director receives appropriate calls about new nonprofits, she recommends the opportunity. During the session, the volunteer listens, suggests next steps, offers appropriate referrals and collects data about community needs. Benefits: New nonprofit leaders are better served, heard and connected to appropriate resources to develop next step plans. The volunteer followed his interests and also collects information that helps to shape future programming at the Resource Center. Most importantly, the Director saved significant time each week.

Double in Less than Two Years

To meet community need, The Food Bank of Manatee needed more food. Fortunately, untapped resources existed. They included unsold local farm produce; delayed fruit shipments with little commercial value from the nearby port, plus meat and other food nearing expiration dates from grocery stores. With transportation and community connections this food, instead of being discarded, was transformed to feed the hungry. We helped The Food Bank to obtain a refrigerated truck, a refrigerated van, food collection barrels and other tools to make this happen. Benefits: These items allowed The Food Bank to retired several worn vehicles, serve over 40 new partner agencies and double the food they distributed.