What Have you Done for me Lately?

I had the most refreshing meeting with a nonprofit last week – we had a great conversation and much to my relief they didn’t ask me for money. We did, however, come up with some great ways Avnet could support them.

We all know that times are tough and that donors aren’t giving as much money as they used to. The smart nonprofit thinks to ask for in-kind contributions … non-traditional revenue, if you will.

In fact, even when funding budgets aren’t so tight, this is a question nonprofits should still ask: “what else can you do for me, today?” I’m sure my peers are the same as me — no matter how much we are doing for a charity, we always wish we could do more. So, when someone comes to us with ideas of additional ways we can help them, other than just cutting a check, we are thrilled to help. Be creative. Make our jobs easier.

And while I’m on that topic, the easier you can make our jobs, the more help we can provide to you. I know that nonprofits like to send snail mail invitations to their gala events because they are so much prettier than e-Vites. Do both, please. If I have to fill a table of ten, it’s much easier for me to forward an email than retype all the info from a hard copy invitation … no matter how pretty and attention-getting your invite is!

Requests for grants should be short, sweet and to the point. Funders don’t have time to read five to 10 pages of supporting documentation. And, don’t bury the lead. If I have to get to page two before I figure out what you want, you are toast.

What else have we done for you lately? Can you turn on a dime, and, if so, I might have some tickets to an event I can give you because the customers we were taking to xyz sporting event can’t go and we now have seats to fill.

Do you need training or services? I have an employee who does strategic planning I can lend you for your next board retreat. Need someone with marketing or IT expertise? We can help.

And, really, what have I done for you lately? I’ve probably forgotten. It’s a function of how much I have going on in my life, not a function of my age … that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. So, dust out your old notes and see what we did together a year or so ago and then remind me because we may be able to put a twist on it and recycle that old stuff into something brand-spanking new! Then, next year, when you ask me, “what have you done for me lately” it will be like we have a whole new list.