MIGHTY ALLY

Too many nonprofits are unseen, unheard, and underfunded. "There are myriad reasons African-led organisations in Africa do not get the attention or funding they deserve. There are multiple, overlapping barriers that allow this inequity to persist: lack of proximity to funder networks, philanthropy’s definitions of risk that do not value lived experience, lack of formally recognised status and well-documented implicit bias. But we can overcome that. We can fund groups that live, breathe, work and speak even the most nuanced language of their communities. At this moment, when we see funders starting to apply new, equity-based approaches to funding black-led organisations and movements in the US, we must also apply those approaches to funding across Africa." — Dedo N. Baranshamaje and Katie Bunten-Wamaru

Philanthropy’s irony: funding inequality unequally. The data is damning. ???? Local & national NGOs receive just 0.4% of all international aid. ??? Endowments at BIPOC-led organizations are four times smaller. ?? Refugee-run nonprofits get less than 1% of humanitarian aid funds. ????♀? Indigenous Peoples are 6.2% of the world, but get 0.4% of funding. ?? Just 5.2% of U.S. foundation grants for Africa go to African leaders. ?? Half the climate funds go to 20 orgs: 90% white-led, 80% male-led. ♀? Only 1 in 100 gender equality dollars goes to feminist organizations. Time to flip this script. “Shifting our giving... is not only more just, it is more effective,” says Katie Bunten-Wamaru and Dedo N. Baranshamaje. “Grassroots organisations are consistently delivering impact at the frontlines without the benefit of frontline funding.” That’s why: ???????????????? ?????? ?????????????????? (global inequality)... ???? ???????????????????????? ?????????????? ?????????????????? (keeping local, BIPOC, feminist, refugee, and Indigenous leaders in the #nonprofit starvation cycle)... ???? ?????? ??????????????. Let’s rewire #philanthropy. And finance fairness. Fund justice. Not just us. ?????? ______________________________________ Repost ?? to shift the power Follow Kevin L. Brown

So where and how do you tell these stories? It all starts with your #messaging and #storytelling platform. Get our beginner’s guide with seven tools that drive clarity, confidence, conversions. https://lnkd.in/eWdrgxBi

Your impact data isn’t the fundraising problem. The issue is how to use it. Because: 1?? Everyone else is claiming ‘evidence-based’ these days. 2?? Testimonials often outperform other forms of measurement. 3?? You can’t raise money with a randomized controlled trial alone. 4?? A monitoring and evaluation report (itself) doesn’t land you funding. Here’s the deal. ? Nobody has figured out how to solve poverty and injustice. That’s why donors mostly place bets on you as a leader, your big idea, your organizational health, and signs of progress. Not because of perfect impact data. We train the Dovetail Impact Foundation early-stage portfolio. This funder is big on results. But we spend the entire first year guiding nonprofits on their theory of change, positioning, messaging, and pitch deck (or #brand). Only in the second year do allies start training on impact measurement. Why? ?? Sure, statistics matter to donors after the #storytelling honeymoon ends. ?? Sure, measuring impact is how we stand accountable to those we serve. ?? And sure, data matters a lot more as you scale beyond the growth stage. But many of you are still just trying to find sustainability. To get out of the #nonprofit starvation cycle. So let this sink in: Donors will remember a fact wrapped in a story 22 times more. And data are only the condensed version of untold narratives. “Tell a few of those stories to help make the data meaningful.” — Made to Stick ?????? ______________________________________ Follow Kevin L. Brown to get fundable & findable. Then repost ?? to help your network.

30% of nonprofits fail within 10 years. The killer isn’t #fundraising. You’re more likely to die from mismanagement, lack of focus, no product/market fit, #leadership issues, burnout, and trying to scale too quickly. To name a few. So get 15 laws of success for #nonprofit leaders, adapted from the legendary Y Combinator. (Most lessons apply to bigger nonprofits too.) Then repost ?? to help your network. What would you add to this list? ?????? ______________________________________ Follow Kevin L. Brown to get fundable & findable.

My book’s final draft is done! Coming 2025. ??????

Make your #writing sing, and #fundraising will harmonize. ??????

Nonprofit leaders never want to dwell on the issues or use deficit-based language. But all good #fundraising communications begin with a problem statement. Audiences must understand the issue you’re addressing before they can care about your mission. They need to lean in. Be invested first. So learn more about the power of problems, on our blog: https://lnkd.in/dah6JYjW

Your #fundraising story can’t be doom and gloom. Nor all puppies and rainbows. Your #messaging must communicate the intersection of a problem, your impact wins to date, ?????? the vision for a brighter future. Like this infographic. The need. The work. The results. If your #storytelling lacks one of these theory of change elements, donors have an incomplete picture and aren’t motivated to give. Balance hope with hardship. And darkness with dawn. Three truths make one compelling case. ?????? ______________________________________ Follow Kevin L. Brown to get fundable & findable. Then repost ?? to help your network.

More and more people are talking about our Fundable/Findable Framework. As demand for our expertise increases, public speaking has become an important element of our own theory of change. And testimonials include: “??????????’?? ?????????????? ?????? ??????????????????????.” “??????’?? ???????????????? ???????????? ?? ?????????????????????? ???????? ???? ?????? ?????????????? ???? ?????? ??????????.” “???????????????????? ???????????????? ???? ???????????? ?????? ?????????????? ???? ?????? ?????? ?????? ????????????.” Want Eve Wanjiru or Kevin L. Brown for your next event? Watch the latest keynote: https://lnkd.in/dyac5GND