Sourcing Help for SMALL Nonprofits

"Excuse me, did you hear what I just said?" I asked the consultant trainer. "My clients are very small. They file a 990N. They don't have an executive director."

The long moments of silence these interactions cause make me feel like an odd fish among nonprofit consultants, but I remain undeterred in my advocacy. According to IRS data, three-quarters of nonprofit organizations file the 990-N, the tax form required of those with less than $50,000 in income.

Three-Quarters. Less than $50,000. These groups have major impact on our society thanks to the hard work of their volunteer board members.

So if the majority of nonprofits are in this category, why don't we see more attention focused on them? Why do so many trainers seem flummoxed by the idea that small, unstaffed organizations exist?

Here's my theory: because small nonprofits don't hire consultants. They don't tend to send people to training, so most workshops are filled with paid staff even when the topic is board-related. Volunteer board members are less likely to buy a book about nonprofit management than an executive director is. Small nonprofits are a hard-to-serve market. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't try.

Of course, any interested volunteer looking for information about how to best run their organization can do an internet search and come up with thousands of links in nanoseconds. It's knowing what to trust that causes difficulty, along with the overwhelm that can occur while clicking hither and thither. How can one find high-quality information that is genuinely applicable to small organizations? Here are some strategies time-strapped volunteer board members can try.

1. Start with "Capacity-Building" Organizations. Yes, that is jargony, but these are nonprofits that serve other nonprofits. They often have robust resource libraries on their websites, informative newsletters and blogs, and active social media for tips and tidbits. If you serve on a nonprofit board, find and follow these organizations and press your questions. The more people from small groups get engaged, the more responsive the big groups will have to be.

• National Council of Nonprofits and its State Affiliates.
• BoardSource.
• Candid
• Nonprofit.Courses

There are hundreds of other such groups, ranging from general to quite specialized. I've put together a list of 50-some capacity-building organizations that teach everything from fundraising to risk management to outcomes measurement. You can access my list as a free pdf download on my website.

2. Look for Management Support Organizations. Often associated with a college or community foundation, MSOs are local nonprofit development centers that provide capacity building resources like training and online libraries for the nonprofits in the surrounding area. Here in Virginia Beach we have The Academy for Nonprofit Excellence at Tidewater Community College. Northwest Ohio has the Center for Nonprofit Resources and Central Florida has the Edyth Bush Institute at Rollins College. Where-ever you are, there is sure to be an MSO within 100 miles.

3. Check Out Online Resources Offered by For-Profit Companies. Consultants, CRM companies, and board portal providers often have excellent resource libraries, informative blogs and newsletters, and plenty of video-based content designed to help their customers and potential customers gain knowledge and build skills. You don't have to buy services from Bloomerang, Board Effect, or Harbor Compliance (to name a few favorites) to benefit from the wealth of information they post on their websites and social platforms.

4. Don't Forget the Government Regulators. Believe it or not, the websites and newsletters of the IRS and most state Secretaries of State or Attorneys General are filled with useful information about what you need to know to stay legal. A requirement is a requirement whether you have a $10,000 annual budget or a $10,000,000 annual budget. The law does not distinguish, so make sure to go straight to the source to see what you are supposed to do. Many states publish a downloadable Guide for Nonprofit Board Members (or something similar.)

5. Get Involved with Associations and Groups. Formal and informal associations of similar organizations can be a great source of information. For example, I often work with Friends of national wildlife refuges. While I always encourage these board members to make sure to take advantage of resources available to all nonprofit organizations nationally and in their communities, I know they often get the most help from colleagues in other Friends groups. The Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates is a Facebook group where lots of sharing goes on. The Public Lands Alliance offers top-notch capacity building opportunities and the National Wildlife Refuge Association shares news from around the system. Whether your nonprofit serves children, seniors, veterans, or something else, look for an association of similar groups and make contact.

Now, just because these sources are free or very low cost does not mean they are automatically oriented to small organizations. Consumers of information will always have to be a bit skeptical that what they are learning is applicable to small groups. So engage the providers and press for real, relevant answers. Don't be shy just because everyone else seems to be from much larger organizations. Small organizations represent 75% of the total - let's make ourselves visible!

Ready to dig in, do the hard work, and grow your small nonprofit? The Level Up Nonprofit Accelerator might be just what you need! A cohort-based learning community that pairs weekly live sessions with online resources and networking, the LUNA program is taking applications now. Full scholarships are available for groups that qualify. Find out more at our website: www.LUNAExperience.org.