The Next Level

To do the actual work, the money is necessary.  Many nonprofit leaders complain about the amount of time they spend fundraising.  While I don't mind the hours, it is legitimately shocking to realize how much of your time is spent chasing money.  Given our size, one way to address this is to begin seeking larger gifts that could allow for more time spent on programming by providing some financial security.  I have been exploring these possibilities in two distinct ways.  First, I have been trying to identify organizations with matching programs so that I can target those that work there, thereby doubling the impact of each donation.  Additionally, we have started creating a list of corporations, where we have connections, that might be willing to provide funding to Reach, Inc.  While corporate giving seems to take longer due to necessary relationship building, we hope that it will pay big dividends.  In the coming weeks, we have identified two organizations where we hope to build relationships, Federal Realty Investment Trust and CB Richard Ellis.  Building on connections we have to both organizations, we hope to be considered as a possible beneficiary for the companies' corporate giving programs.

Last week, we also began seeing, firsthand, why fundraising is so important.  We made payroll, without problem, but also got our first report indicating the taxes we owe to DC and the Federal Government.  On a monthly basis, we will have to pay the taxes withheld from paychecks, while adding the additional taxes for which employers are responsible.  Yikes!  The money certainly leaves us more easily than it comes.  

In closing, there are two other happenings of note.  First, Reach, Inc.'s facebook group is quickly approaching 300.  Who will be the 300th facebook fan?  Will it be you?  Additionally, it looks like we will be starting the conversation with Hyde-DC next week about the possibility of partnering to launch Reach, Inc.'s pilot program.  It will be exciting to find out whether it could be a good fit for our launch efforts.  We look forward to the beginning of the conversation.

My apologies for missing the usual Monday post.  I spent the weekend working at Camp Forget-Me-Not through Washington DC's Wendt Center for Loss and Healing, and I spent yesterday recovering.

Thanks, as always, for reading.

Mark 

Founder and President - Reach, Inc.