Are you facing a fund-development challenge?  Here are just some of the ways Thurlow/Associates has helped nonprofit organizations to overcome their challenges and succeed.  We invite you to contact us to discuss how we can help address your specific needs.

Strategic counsel matched with hands-on support

Challenge:  I need strategic advice…but once I get it, I don’t have time to implement it!

Solution:  Thurlow/Associates provides solid guidance based on our many years of experience working closely with nonprofit organizations as well as private and public funding sources.  Our input can help make your fund-development efforts more competitive — which is especially important in the current economic climate. 

At the same time, we recognize that now more than ever, you and your staff are all wearing multiple hats.  No matter how good the advice, if you have no one to implement it, your fund-development efforts will stall.  We pride ourselves on bringing strategic counsel together with high-quality, hands-on implementation.  With our help, your organization will no longer need to back-burner fund development as it tackles other challenges. 

Challenge:  A key funding opportunity has presented itself.  It could really make a difference at my organization, but I don’t have the resources (time, skills or staff) to pursue it.

Solution:  Thurlow/Associates has repeatedly achieved major wins for our clients, allowing them to expand their services and capacity significantly, as a result.  When a client needs to ramp up to meet a major funding deadline, we deploy additional resources as needed from within our team.  Because of our many years of experience, we are also highly efficient in conducting fund-development projects, ultimately saving you time and money.  And because we recognize that reliable systems are essential when you’re under pressure, we have numerous back-up protocols and procedures (even including a back-up generator) to make sure nothing gets between us and your deadlines!

Stretching the development budget

Challenge:  I need to economize.

Solution:  It’s certainly important to keep an eye on the bottom line.  But eliminating fund development altogether is likely to result in long-term problems for your organization.  In fact, even a temporary loss of momentum can have significant consequences.  If you’re looking for a more cost-effective solution to fund development, outsourcing to our experienced firm can help. 

Because of efficiencies built on experience — and the fact that you pay us only for time on task, and not for vacation, sick leave and time spent talking by the coffee machine! — we can actually help increase the cost-effectiveness of your fund-development efforts.  While fund-development costs are typically considered reasonable if they fall below 20 cents on each dollar raised, many of our clients experience fund-development costs of less than five cents on the dollar.  That means they can spend a greater portion of their revenues on programs and services that support their mission.

Start-up assistance

Challenge:  I don’t know where to start.

Solution:  We have helped numerous nonprofit organizations to implement and expand their fund-development functions, creating systems, materials and tracking mechanisms, and identifying potential funders, for example — as well as helping to recruit and train internal development staff as the organization expands.  Whether you’re just starting to think about fund development, or need to expand your existing department’s impact, we encourage you to call us and learn more about how we can help.

A successful approach

Challenge:  I’ve retained other contractual fund-development assistance in the past and it just didn’t work out.

Solution:  Sadly, one of the hardest things for us to overcome is the negative impression left by a prior fundraising contractor (or staff member) who hasn’t performed well.  If it would be helpful, we would be pleased to review these prior efforts and to advise you regarding what we believe should be done differently. 

In many instances, we find that time and resources have previously been wasted in pursuing funders that are not interested in the agency’s range of services…or that don’t fund in the geographic area in question…or that have closed their doors to new applications for the year, for example. 

Our careful research, strategic guidance and high-quality implementation all combine to make your fund-development efforts more competitive — and, thus, to increase your potential for success.

Overcoming internal resistance

Challenge:  We already have a development department.  Why would we need external assistance?

Solution:  Unexpected deadlines occur frequently in the nonprofit world.  And internal staffing levels can also vary.  With our firm as a partner, however, clients can be assured of both ongoing development support and just-in-time assistance.  In addition to providing prompt response to unforeseen deadlines, we can also help ensure continued momentum at times of staff absenteeism or turnover.  In short, a relationship with our firm can help meet your changing development needs — flexibly and cost-effectively.