Spring Impact

Last week, our senior consultants, Alexandra Alonso and Madison Darbonne, visited Washington, DC, to facilitate the in-person Scaling Impact Coalition Convening, co-hosted by DiscoverE, National Girls Collaborative and STEM Education Coalition. Discover Engineering is a coalition addressing critical challenges in engineering from pre-k to work force through scaling impact, coalition building, and providing free programs and resources for volunteers and educators. As alumni of our #LeadersOfScale training program, the leaders of DiscoverE are leveraging innovative approaches to achieve impact at scale through collective action. During the convening, we: ✅ Highlighted inspiring examples of organizations achieving scalable impact through movement building and systems change ✅ Facilitated discussions to align strategies for scaling impact effectively ✅ Fostered key scaling mindsets to support sustainable impact in a coalition ✅ Identified systemic barriers and potential solutions for effective coalition collaboration We were honored to be included in this year's gathering and we are thrilled to collaborate with such impactful organizations that care about collaborating to solve the engineering workforce crisis and to reshape the future of engineering. #Leadership #ScalingImpact #SystemsChange #Collaboration #Engineering

USAID, UNICEF, WHO — these institutions can provide critical long-term funding. But how do you know if this type of funding is the right fit for your organisation? Bilateral and multilateral donors’ funding can be substantial —often in the millions—supporting programme expansion and strengthening credibility. But grants often come with strict reporting requirements and a highly restricted nature. As one non-profit leader shared in our study: "There’s lots of interest from bilaterals and multilaterals, but their machinery makes it hard to partner without consuming disproportionate amounts of time and capacity." Have a look at the trade-offs uncovered by our #SecuringNonProfitFunding report and see how non-profits secure and manage this type of funding. 💭 What has been your experience engaging with institutional donors? Let us know in the comments. ➡️ To dive into more insights, download the full report: https://bit.ly/4gn50Kb ________________________________ 👉 Follow Spring Impact for practical scale tips 🔄 Like, comment, or repost below 💌 Subscribe to #ScaleMail for a short weekly resource straight to your inbox: https://bit.ly/3WSHf5z

We couldn't agree more, and the analogy in this parody video hits the nail on the head. Unrestricted funding isn’t just helpful; it’s essential for driving the kind of impact and scale needed to address today’s biggest challenges. Our latest report on funding for scale highlights this reality: flexible, trust-based, long-term support is a common thread among organisations that have successfully achieved greater reach and impact. While many funders hope non-profits will eventually find alternative income sources, the truth is even those scaling at impressive levels still rely heavily on this type of philanthropic support. Reimagining and reshaping the funding landscape requires all of us, because right now, it can sometimes look a little like this 👇  - and this video, though 6 years old, remains as relevant as ever.

Thank you to everyone who joined our webinar, ‘Who Pays for Scale’, last Thursday. The discussion in the room highlighted just how important these conversations are—and how much more there is to explore about funding for scale. A special thanks to our panellists — Jaya Tiwari (BOMA.ngo), Abbie Noriega (Bridges to Prosperity), Amandine Muret (1001fontaines), and Alice Metcalf (#SpringImpact) — for sharing their invaluable insights. ➡️ If you missed the session, you can watch the recording here: https://bit.ly/3OPphvO. ➡️ Be sure to stay tuned for a follow-up blog with more insights on our ScaleMail and LinkedIn. #SecuringNonProfitFunding #PayersAtScale ________________________________ 💌 Subscribe to #ScaleMail for a short weekly resource straight to your inbox: https://bit.ly/3WSHf5z

Let’s face it - many non-profits have asked themselves: how do we tap into the hefty profits of private sector giants? Corporate funding can be an appealing prospect - not only do these companies often have budgets that dwarf those in the non-profit world, but partnering with them can also give organisations a shiny new profile boost. But here’s the catch: opportunities are limited, and smaller non-profits often face an uphill battle. Plus, there are risks - like mission alignment, shifting priorities, and reputational concerns such as greenwashing. Have a look the pros and cons revealed by our #SecuringNonprofitFunding report below. What do you think - is corporate funding worth the trade-offs? And what's been the key to accessing it? To see how other non-profits have navigated these challenges and secured this type of funding, read our report here: https://bit.ly/4gvvBnX #PayersAtScale #CorporateFunding #PrivateSector #Fundraising ________________________________ 👉 Follow Spring Impact for practical scale tips 🔄 Like, comment, or repost below 💌 Subscribe to #ScaleMail for a short weekly resource straight to your inbox: https://bit.ly/3WSHf5z

Start planning for bigger impact! As the year comes to an end, now is the perfect time to start shaping your goals for the year ahead. Have you mapped out your next steps for generating greater impact in 2025? Take a look at #GettingScaleReady, our 5-week online training course starting next February. This course will help you dedicate that much needed time for strategic thinking. You’ll be supported to identify the right pathway to drive meaningful change and develop a sustainable and actionable plan for success. But don’t just listen to us - see what our Alumni, Finemind, have to say below 👇 Sign up below and don’t miss this opportunity for early enrollment discount: 📅 Starting Date: 17 February 🔗 Sign Up Here: https://bit.ly/4goI38Y 💡 Early Bird Discount Code: EARLYBIRD #2025Goals #OnlineTraining #ScalingImpact #StrategicThinking

Every non-profit that achieved impact at scale walked through a unique path. There is no magic wand for bigger impact. But, as we found in our #SecuringNonprofitFunding report, most organisations typically navigate three key stages on their journey to scale: ☑️ Develop and Pilot: This is where you need to gather evidence that your solution effectively addresses a problem and explore various scaling models and strategies. ☑️ Refine Scale Model: Next, focus on the most promising models, iterating and validating them to ensure they work in real-life scenarios. ☑️ Scale Impact: Finally, advocate for and establish systems that address the problem at scale, adapting your model as necessary. These stages aren’t always distinct, and the journey is rarely straightforward, but they’re a pretty solid blueprint to be mindful of. Take Bridges to Prosperity’s journey for example. This global organisation is committed to eradicating poverty caused by isolation. Their journey involved transitioning from directly delivering solutions to advising governments, dramatically increasing their impact. Want to learn more about their journey and insights? Read the full report: https://bit.ly/3Zc24cV #ScalingImpact #InfrastructureForImpact #ConnectingCommunities #EndIsolation

It's "planning season" and, in the world of non-profits, metrics are crucial. But here’s the thing: not all metrics are created equal, and the distinction between meaningful metrics and “vanity” metrics could be the difference between real growth and just looking busy. Vanity metrics are seductive. They’re big numbers that (1) look great in a report and (2) are what funders might want to see. But they don’t necessarily mean you’re making a lasting impact. Instead, you should be tracking the metrics that are strong indicators for scalability - like cost-effectiveness, conversion and engagement rates, and impact rates. Meaningful metrics tell a story—one that’s essential for funders and boards to understand. If you’re looking to pursue impact, meaningful metrics are the only reliable GPS to guide those decisions. If you want to dig into actionable metrics for your organisation, check out our Critical Rates & Rough Costs Calculator tool: https://bit.ly/4fWiTP6 ________________________________ 👉 Follow Spring Impact for practical scale tips  🔄 Like, comment, or repost below 💌 Subscribe to #ScaleMail for a short weekly resource straight to your inbox: https://bit.ly/3WSHf5z

Want to understand how different funding strategies can help non-profits increase their reach? Join us on 5 December! Don’t miss out on our webinar which will delve into the findings of our #SecuringNonProfitFunding report and unpack the success factors behind financing bigger impact. You’ll hear from the brilliant leaders of three non-profits who successfully “walked the walk” and who will share what it took to get there: the real-world strategies, challenges, and lessons from successfully funding their journey to scale. 📍 Register now: https://bit.ly/3OcoAwe 🎙️ Speakers: Jaya Tiwari, Nivi Sharma, Amandine Muret and Alice Metcalf 🗓️ When: 5 December, 1pm GMT BOMA.ngo Bridges to Prosperity 1001fontaines

Should you consider charging those who use your solution? This week, we’re looking at end user revenue — one of five key funding sources highlighted in our #SecuringNonprofitFunding report—and a highly debated topic. So what are the pros and cons of this approach? ➕ For some, building a product that end users strongly value and are able to pay for is an avenue to financial sustainability. It can give non-profits greater autonomy, reducing dependence on unpredictable philanthropic or government funding. ➖ For others, however – especially those serving people living under the hardest conditions – charging end users poses significant risks. It can exclude the very people who need the solution the most, as they are often unable to pay. Take a look below at the overall trade-offs revealed by our report. What has been your experience? Should we charge end users? If yes, how can we do it effectively while ensuring no one is excluded? Let us know in the comments. To learn more, read the full report here: https://bit.ly/490b2h2 ________________________________ 👉 Follow Spring Impact for practical scale tips 🔄 Like, comment, or repost below 💌 Subscribe to #ScaleMail for a short weekly resource straight to your inbox: https://bit.ly/3WSHf5z