296. #AMA Fridays: Sharing Impact to Funders - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE
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Overview
It's #AMA (Ask Me Anything) Fridays: Storytelling + Sharing Impact to Funders, and we're breaking down an excellent question posed about impact reporting to multiple funders. Did you ever consider that an impact report could be more than simply fulfilling your granting duties? We believe it's an important cultivation strategy - not just a stewardship tactic. Tune in and hear how elevating your thinking is game-changing for the funder/grantee relationship. Special thanks to nonprofit impact communications genius, Dulari Gandhi, for sharing her insights and tips on how to communicate funding outcomes.
“Get out there, go do your best work and know we’re rooting for you.”
Episode Transcript
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Episode Overview
Leave us a voicemail! (0:45)
Tim Lockie’s question: When reporting an outcome to funders, what's the best way to report expenses and outcomes that span multiple funders, without tracking every funding dollar to every outcome dollar? (1:20)
Tonesetting (2:20)
Dulari Gandhi’s four examples of typical reports (5:40)
Specific outcome report - Highly specific outcomes for major donors; typically in depth and individualized
Midrange report - Less specificity tied to the dollar related outcomes, but it's going to have more funders
General report - Organization wide, higher level outcome (example: annual report)
“Kitchen Sink Report” - Used when there are multiple funders; clarifies that the outcomes are not solely due to one funder
Ask program officers about reporting preferences & build relationships at the same time (7:15)
Syndicate the data for other communications (9:00)
Giving circle example: charity:water’s The Spring (9:30)
PRO Tip: Start with an impact number and follow the story (10:45)
Powerful quotes
“When you keep it to all business, people don't understand the things that are truly important to you and the way that you that your passions are powered. So start there.” -Becky
“We challenge you all the time, anywhere where you're doing tedious work to make a really incredible document, I just think of this impact that you're shoring up and you're pulling in these stories…How are you planning to syndicate this outside of just this report?” -Jon
“There's so much power in community, and especially in giving and you hear us lift these stories a lot. That's why we love to talk about giving circles and the power that happens when people give together through shared values.” -Jon
“That is a very powerful thing to go back to a funder and say, I want to thank you not only for the gift and the impact this made, but we learned something very pivotal in this it was x. And because we have that knowledge, we're going to be able to better serve people in our mission, you powered that epiphany for us.” -Becky
“Get out there, go do your best work and know we're rooting for you.”
-Becky
PLAYLIST TO DIVE IN DEEPER 🎧👇
Grant applications + Partnerships 2.0:
Power Dynamics:
