Recorded Presentations on Nonprofit Resiliency
August 12, 2020
Bainbridge Community Foundation has heard from many nonprofit leaders about the challenges they face as a result of the global pandemic. Most fundraising events have been cancelled, donations may not be coming in as planned, programs have shifted or paused in unexpected ways, and jobs could be at risk. We know leaders are working hard to adapt and pivot their work to ensure their organizations—and their staff—are able to continue both short-term and long-term operations. To help local nonprofits strategize on where to go from here, we are launching a two-part workshop series focused on increasing the resilience of nonprofits during times of financial uncertainty. This workshop series will be delivered via Zoom, and will include interactive activities with facilitators and attendees. While we recommend attending both workshops in sequence, attending only one could still be helpful. Workshops topics are:
Part 1 – Managing Scarce Resources in Times of Uncertainty
The first workshop in the series will explore how the philanthropic sector manages resources during times of economic uncertainty. We will examine foundation and individual giving data from past recessions to help us predict potential changes in revenue for nonprofits in 2021 and 2022. With these insights, we will review creative ways that nonprofits can manage limited resources such as deferring expenses, finding in-kind providers, managing payroll carefully, and pooling efforts with nonprofit partners. Looking to the future, we will work through strategic decision-making frameworks in order to examine financial scenarios, ask big questions about mission and business models, and create nimble solutions as the COVID-19 pandemic remains unpredictable.
Click here to watch a recording of the presentation from September 1st 2020.
Part 2 – Raising Funds During a Crisis
In the second workshop, we will turn our attention to how nonprofits can engage donors in their evolving work and align funding to their financial reality. We will explore what it means for nonprofits to have diverse and sustainable sources of revenue, which fundraising types are most effective, how to set realistic revenue targets, and how to evaluate your fundraising efforts beyond just dollars in the door. We will also discuss how to communicate candidly with donors and grantors about tricky topics like layoffs, depleting reserves, cancelling programs, or changing your program focus—especially in a way that strengthens relationships and sets the stage for sustained giving.
Click here to watch a recording of the presentation from September 8th, 2020.
This series is right for you if:
- You are an Executive Director, board member, or staff leader at a nonprofit organization in Kitsap County or Bainbridge Island
- You have experienced any changes to your revenue or expenses as a result of COVID-19
- You are building budgets and need help projecting revenue in a time of uncertainty
- Your board is asking difficult questions about your organization’s mission or business model and how you will adapt to changing circumstances
- You are unsure if the fundraising methods you have used in the past will help you in the future
About the Facilitator
Brittany Kirk is a nonprofit fundraisi
ng and strategy consultant who specializes in building the capacity of nonprofit organizations to achieve their missions. In typical nonprofit fashion, Brittany has worn all the hats; she has direct experience in executive leadership, fundraising, programs, operations, and boards of directors. She is currently a collaborating consultant with The Ostara Group, a ten-year-old fundraising consultancy based in Seattle, Washington. At Ostara, she has helped lead teams of consultants that work in grantwriting, capital campaigns, strategic planning, and fund development for more than 300 nonprofit clients throughout the Puget Sound region and beyond. She also consults independently with a knack for crafting cohesive and compelling grant applications, creating usable systems to streamline fundraising processes, and charting a path between present day nonprofit realities and long-term visions. Across her various roles, Brittany has individually raised more than $13M in public and private funding for over 30 diverse organizations, including several on Bainbridge Island. Brittany holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Washington’s Evans School of Governance and Public Policy. She has been highly-rated presenter at events by the Puget Sound Grantwriters’ Association (PSGA) and Washington Nonprofits, and is a member of both PSGA and the national Grant Professionals Association (GPA). Brittany is also a member of the Community Impact Committee at BCF. She is a Bainbridge Island resident, and lives in Fort Ward with her husband and two kids.
Brittany has written on the topic of nonprofit management during times of crisis, and her most recent article can be found
here.
ng and strategy consultant who specializes in building the capacity of nonprofit organizations to achieve their missions. In typical nonprofit fashion, Brittany has worn all the hats; she has direct experience in executive leadership, fundraising, programs, operations, and boards of directors. She is currently a collaborating consultant with The Ostara Group, a ten-year-old fundraising consultancy based in Seattle, Washington. At Ostara, she has helped lead teams of consultants that work in grantwriting, capital campaigns, strategic planning, and fund development for more than 300 nonprofit clients throughout the Puget Sound region and beyond. She also consults independently with a knack for crafting cohesive and compelling grant applications, creating usable systems to streamline fundraising processes, and charting a path between present day nonprofit realities and long-term visions. Across her various roles, Brittany has individually raised more than $13M in public and private funding for over 30 diverse organizations, including several on Bainbridge Island. Brittany holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Washington’s Evans School of Governance and Public Policy. She has been highly-rated presenter at events by the Puget Sound Grantwriters’ Association (PSGA) and Washington Nonprofits, and is a member of both PSGA and the national Grant Professionals Association (GPA). Brittany is also a member of the Community Impact Committee at BCF. She is a Bainbridge Island resident, and lives in Fort Ward with her husband and two kids.
Brittany has written on the topic of nonprofit management during times of crisis, and her most recent article can be found here.
