Takeaways from the 4th Annual National Small Nonprofit Summit

The Catalogue for Philanthropy team had a wonderful time hosting the 4th annual National Small Nonprofit Summit on April 20-21. This year, we intentionally chose our theme “A Balanced Approach” because, as our sector continues to recover from the pandemic and the systemic inequities it has both amplified and unearthed, nonprofit teams are often being asked to hold multiple things at once – be it balancing funder dynamics and power structures, balancing our time and expectations, or balancing priorities in our fundraising and marketing strategies.

Across 14 virtual sessions, we convened small nonprofit professionals to learn about setting strategic goals, creating a culture of accountability, driving engagement, and more, as well as to share their experiences, practices, and resources with each other. Overall, here are four of our key takeaways from the summit:

Key Takeaway 1: Incorporating Both/And Thinking Can Allow for More Nuanced Decisions

Beyond holding multiple things at once, it can be helpful to acknowledge that these multiple things can also be true at the same time. Nonprofit teams can be both excited about their work and stressed about the workload. Your fundraising strategy can focus on both retaining existing donors and acquiring new donors. Your organization’s overarching strategy can include both periods of growth and periods of rest.

While it is crucial to be realistic when setting goals, which requires prioritizing decisions, that does not mean you have to ignore lower priorities. Rather, you can use both/and thinking as a framework for being flexible with your decisions and for nurturing a culture of understanding in your organization. It is important for staff to feel like they can bring their whole selves to work and nonprofit leaders need to set clear expectations around what staff are responsible for, as well as how they can take ownership of their work.

Key Takeaway 2: Use Lenses from Multiple Perspectives When Storytelling

When communicating the impact of your organization, consider your storytelling from multiple angles and not only from the perspective of your donors or potential donors. Storytelling in a values-aligned way means the people whose stories you’re telling consent to that narrative framing – listen to them, get their input, and avoid over-dramatizing or simplifying. Give people an option to share anonymously. And recognize when it may not be the right time to share, as well.

Consider varying your focus between the community you serve and other members of your community, such as your staff, board, and supporters. You can also highlight different forms of impact and add complexity to the bigger picture of your organization’s work across a year’s worth of content.

Key Takeaway 3: Create a Sense of Community with Your Donors

In 2022, donors giving less than $100 decreased by almost 20%. For a variety of reasons, major donors are currently leading the way in giving. While we remain unclear about how the remainder of the year will continue to unfold economically, it is a good time to prioritize cultivating and stewarding your major donors now to secure their giving in the second half of this year.

It is also never a bad time to make your donors feel like their giving happens as part of a community, and not isolated in a vacuum. Establishing a giving circle or society is one way to recognize your donors while connecting them with each other. It does not have to cost much to send them a special newsletter to keep them in the loop or host small exclusive events where they can mingle and dive more deeply into your mission.

Key Takeaway 4: Structuring Your Relationships Can Open More Transparent Conversations

As nonprofit leaders, it is essential to identify, acknowledge and balance the power dynamics in your organization, especially between you and your board, as well as you and your staff. Doing so creates the space for more transparent and equitable conversations to happen, thereby shifting the culture of your organization over time, and clarifies your nonprofit’s decision-making process.

Structure check-ins with your board chair and use that time to set both individual goals and goals for your working relationship. Ongoing check-ins ensure that you are scheduling time to hold each other accountable, including on any joint goals you may have. Similarly, develop strong agendas for your board and staff meetings where you can communicate and define each person’s role, decisions, updates, and workflows. Add calendar reminders to continually review and update job descriptions, management, and performance.

Interested in learning more from the 2023 National Small Nonprofit Summit? Two of our plenary sessions – Both/And Thinking for Nonprofits and Mythbusters: Exploring Trends that Matter – are available to view on our YouTube channel!

For more topic-specific webinars, tools, and templates, you can also purchase an annual Learning Commons membership and gain access to 80+ live webinars a year, along with an action-oriented digital resource library. To dive more deeply into a sustained engagement with the Catalogue team, you can also inquire about our affordable and personalized consulting services. Contact Chiara Banez, our Director of Nonprofit Programs, for more information about both.