Fundraising
DCG specializes in increasing private sector funding from foundations, corporations, and individuals including major donors, broad-based support, and annual appeals. DCG can help:
- Develop new fundraising strategies that diversify and expand income
- Initiate a corporate and foundation grantsmanship program
- Design an effective major donor fundraising program
- Research new prospective funders and develop a strategy for each ask
- Create compelling case statements, model proposals, and other donor communication pieces
- Coach staff and volunteer leaders in cultivating funders and asking for donations
We introduce our clients to new and innovative fundraising methodologies including capital campaigns, planned giving, membership programs, social networking methods, and earned income revenue streams. Our work with grantmakers enables us to understand the funders’ perspective, which helps organizations reach their fundraising potential.
Capital Campaigns
DCG works with staff, Board, and campaign leadership to implement a visionary yet realistic campaign to meet an organization’s needs. A capital campaign may be appropriate to expand an organization’s facilities, upgrade equipment and technology, build an endowment or cash reserve, or significantly expand programming and reach. DCG can help:
- Design a comprehensive, realistic campaign plan
- Complete multi-year budget projections to meet organization’s priorities
- Conduct feasibility studies
- Develop campaign materials and policies
- Recruit development personnel and campaign leadership
- Train staff on implementing campaign plans, finding prospective funders, and asking for funding
- Implement a campaign and raise support from individuals, foundations, corporations, and government sources
- Develop post-campaign strategies to capitalize on the campaign’s success and energy, and to build on new funding relationships
Strategic Planning
DCG leads organizations through a comprehensive process to hone in on their mission and programmatic and organizational priorities. Our approach is unique in that we help organizations create a plan with realistic budget projections and identification of the resources needed to achieve priorities. We leave our clients better prepared for the future, with the tools to fundraise and implement the plan. DCG can help:
- Build upon strengths, and establish goals, objectives, and activities in alignment with mission
- Create income and expense projections, and develop effective benchmarks to guide implementation
- Broaden the diversified financial base for future operations through strategic fund development planning
- Develop a business plan for new or growing organizations
- Engage Board and staff members and gain consensus around the organization’s plan
Board and Staff Development
The effectiveness and harmony of board and staff leadership directly affects the success of a nonprofit organization. DCG provides executive coaching, leadership training, meeting facilitation, and team building across organizations. DCG can help:
- Clarify board and staff roles and responsibilities
- Train board members in fundraising and friend-raising
- Improve the organization and effectiveness of board and staff
- Identify, recruit, and orient new board members
- Create an engaged and diverse board including ethnic, age, and business sector inclusiveness
Executive Search
DCG assesses the proposed staff position within the context of the greater organizational structure and culture, as well as our experience and knowledge of what it takes to run a successful nonprofit. DCG can help:
- Assess the organizational structure and how to best fill openings in management and development teams
- Craft comprehensive and strategic job descriptions and qualifications
- Conduct salary surveys to ensure compensation is competitive and appropriate
- Executive leadership transition including succession planning and recruitment
- Conduct executive searches to recruit key management and development staff who fit the organization’s professional needs and goals
- Train new development staff to ensure a smooth integration with the rest of the department.
Retreats
DCG believes in the importance of bringing an organization’s leadership together – board, staff, or both – to ensure everyone is working together. Facilitated retreats can build consensus and deepen commitment, tackle key issues and enhance decision-making processes, and create a climate of inclusion, trust, and accountability. DCG can help:
- Design and facilitate board and staff retreats that unify an organization and lead to achievable outcomes
- Conduct planning retreats focused on reassessment of mission, determination of institutional priorities, and creation of feasible implementation plans
- Facilitate special retreats that clarify roles and responsibilities, build consensus, and address group dynamics
- Conduct board and staff trainings in areas of effective governance and nonprofit management, fundraising, and other methods of building community support and visibility
