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13 Things Your Board Must Know About Your NPO. Good governance is the foundation of a successful NPO. Governance can make or break your organisation – if it is great you can fly, if it is poor you can fail. In NPOs, therefore, we should know as much as possible about the key features of our organisational governance. But what are they key governance-related facts your Board should have at its fingertips: Here are the 13 top things your Board must know about your NPO: 1. What kind of entity is our NPO? In terms of the law: in South Africa, your NPO could be one of three kinds of entity – a voluntary association, a trust, or a non-profit company (ex-Section 21 company, an entity type which no longer exists) 2. 3. Successful application will result in you being issues with an NPO registration number clearly indicated on an NPO registration certificate issued by the NPO Directorate. 4. 5. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 13.

To support your Board, alert them to the great governance-focused resources at: 1. This article was written by Gabrielle Ritchie. 6 Free Business Plan Templates. Cloud-based business plan templates are available in Aha! As part of your 30-day free trial. Business plans are important tools to help develop and refine your strategic thinking. And a well-defined business plan makes it easier to explore your assumptions and share your strategy with your broader team.

As former product managers, our team at Aha! Relied on many types of business planning templates in the past. We used these to help define our marketing strategy, to better understand our buyers, and to analyze the market and competition. Of course, we hope you choose Aha! So we are giving you these Excel and PowerPoint business plan templates at no cost. Building a business plan is a common first step to organize your thinking. Different situations call for different types of business plans. No matter how you choose to present your business plan, remember that the most successful products and services are built with a clear strategy that the team understands. Business model canvas Aha! 8 Easy Steps to Marketing Your Nonprofit Organization. If your nonprofit's marketing consists of periodically updating your website and holding an annual benefit gala, then you're missing important opportunities.

Consistent marketing is as essential for growing and maintaining a nonprofit as it is for businesses. Learning how to market your nonprofit doesn't have to be complicated. There are many easy actions you can take to reach your target audience, educate the public, and increase support for your mission. These eight steps will jumpstart your marketing efforts and set you on the path to reaching your organization's goals.

Why Your Nonprofit Needs Marketing Even the most altruistic organization can't do much good unless people know about it. Marketing helps your nonprofit: How to Market Your Nonprofit Your organization's marketing efforts should be ongoing in order to maintain your relationships, bring in consistent donations, and keep your work in the public eye. 1. What is their age or gender? 2. 3. Do you mail brochures or postcards? 4. 8 Tips to Strengthen Your Grant Budget - Get Fully Funded. One of the most critical yet most neglected parts of a successful grant is the budget. And hey, I get it. Not everyone is a ‘numbers’ person. But here’s the truth: your grant must explain your request in both words and numbers.

In other words, your grant budget must paint the financial picture of your request. To be sure we’re on the same page, the “grant budget” is NOT your organizational budget. The purpose of the grant budget is to: Detail the costs of the program or project you’re proposing.Show the funder exactly what their money will pay for.List other sources of income for costs not covered by the grant being requested. Ok, now that we’re clear about what it is, let’s look at how you create it. 1. At this point in the budget preparation process, it’s a good time to figure out whether the funder wants you to provide budget information pertaining to the grant you’re asking for only OR the program or project you’re seeking funds for. What do you do then? Why? 6. Not a numbers person? 8. Administration of NGO. Successful NGOs and grassroots provide high quality services to beneficiaries. To work successfully and meet the goals, NGOs have to continually improve and professionalize their work, which puts more and more demands on the management and leadership of an organization.

This part of the module provides with core knowledge, practical skills and tools to manage, lead and administrate effectively a non-profit organization. Foundation, Management and Administration of Grassroots and NGOs “The art of getting things done through people” (Mary Parker Follet). Introduction to NGOs / Grassroots Definition NGO The term, "non-governmental organization" or NGO, came into use in 1945 because of the need for the UN to differentiate in its Charter between participation rights for intergovernmental specialized agencies and those for international private organizations. Definition Grassroots A grassroots movement is driven by a community's politics. How to Start an NGO/Grassroots? Seek Legal Expertise. An Emerging Threat to Conservation: Fear of Nature. What do we lose when natural spaces and species disappear?

Increasingly, research has shown that as species and ecosystems vanish, it also chips away at our ability to preserve what remains — because we no longer understand what we’re losing. You probably see it all the time. The neighbor who puts pesticides on his lawn rather than deal with pesky bees. The kid who squirms and runs at the sight of a harmless garter snake slithering through the grass. The politician who votes against wildlife protection because she’s never seen a wolf in the wild. The corporation that wants to bulldoze the habitat of a rare frog, but frogs are gross, so who cares, right?

At best this can be termed “the extinction of experience,” where our cultural and natural histories fade from our memories and therefore our reality. At its worst it becomes something even more concerning: “biophobia,” the fear of living things and a complete aversion to nature. This isn’t the fiction of living in a cold, empty dystopia. Conservation Standards. Conservation interventions can impact on indigenous peoples and local communities in a number of ways. These include: denial of free, prior and informed consent; lack of engagement by outsiders with indigenous institutions; eviction; unjust resettlement; destruction of property and livelihoods; denial of access and use of natural resources; intimidation and physical harm; and exploitative employment.

Such injustices raise an important question: Why, despite the large body of international law, norms and standards relating to the rights of indigenous peoples that has been elaborated over the last two decades, do they continue? One reason is that there is little rights-based, practical and broadly accepted guidance specifically tailored to conservation initiatives. To address this, Natural Justice and IIED analyzed the following foundational questions (Responsibilities, Rights and Redress): Which conservation actors have responsibility for upholding international human rights standards?

Conservation, communities and equity | International Institute for Environment and Development. Constitutions for Non-Profit Organisations. A constitution is the foundation for building an organisation. It should contain all the key agreements made by members on how the organisation will work. In law it is called the "founding document" and it is legally binding on the executive and members of the organisation. It should tell you the following: Why the organisation exists, its purpose and objectives; Who the organisation's key constituency and stakeholders are, who should benefit from its work; and How the organisation intends to work, its broad principles and the basic structures for decision making and getting the work done as well dealing with the finances and assets of the organisation.

The constitution or founding documents should be clear and simple so that members understand their rights and responsibilities, leaders understand their mandate and how to be accountable and members of the public understand why the organisation exists and how it operates. Constitutions are long-term decisions Using constitutions. Corporate sustainability reporting | UNEP - UN Environment Programme. In many markets, both in developed and developing countries, the call for increased transparency and accountability of the private sector is growing. Potential health and environmental risks posed by companies, and the goods and services they produce, are increasing pressure on them to generate, assess, and make information on their sustainability performance and impacts publicly available.

In this sense Corporate Sustainability Reporting represents a potential mechanism to generate data and measure progress and the contribution of companies towards global sustainable development objectives as it can help companies and organizations measure their performance in all dimensions of sustainable development, set goals, and support the transition towards a low carbon, resource efficient, and inclusive green economy. Knowledge products: Crowdfunding for NGOs in South Africa – Background, Platforms and Programmes. There are currently more than 220 000 NGOs registered with the Department of Social Development. Many of these organisations perform critical development, humanitarian, and advocacy functions, but in a changing and increasingly competitive operating environment, they are confronted with serious funding and sustainability challenges.

Diversifying their funding base and attracting new individual and institutional donors should be a priority for all NGOs. Digital technology has transformed the way society operates, interacts, and transacts. This situation presents NGOs not only with another set of challenges, but also many opportunities to strengthen their operations, build trust through increased transparency, cultivate relationships, and unlock new sources of funding. Crowdfunding is a way of raising money from a large number of people (“the crowd”) via online platforms.

It uses the Internet to harness the power of social sharing and personal networks for greater reach and exposure. 1. Education | Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. ETU Toolbox - Building an organisation. FAQ | The Southern Africa Institute of Fundraising - Building NonProfit Sustainability. Take the telephone number of the charity and ask them how much of the money raised they are receiving. Do not contribute if you are not satisfied as to their authenticity. Note - fundraising numbers are not longer relevant. Regarding the legalities of charities there are a few checks that anyone should make before making any donation. Is the charity registered as a Non Profit Organisation? What is their NPO number? (However, what should be born in mind is that because an organisation has a NPO number, it only means that the organisation complies with the requirements laid down by the Department of Social Development and it is not a guarantee of the reliability of the organisation) What is their Income Tax Number?

Are they registered under section 18A of the Income tax act? Are they registered with one of the Department of Social Development, Dept of Health, Dept of Sport or Dept of Culture? Who are their board (Committee members)? How often does their board (committee) meet? Five Top Nonprofit CRM Software Features and How to Use Them. If you’re a part of the nonprofit world, you’ve heard a lot of talk about the importance of working with nonprofit CRM software.

In a nutshell, CRM, or constituent relationship management, software plays a vital role in nonprofits’ overall fundraising and management strategies. It provides a key way for nonprofits to track their relationships with donors and other constituents through recording past involvement and basic donor data, helping plan tailored outreach strategies, and giving organizations insights with robust reporting. Not surprisingly, there are tons of different CRM providers out there, each with slightly different strengths. Regardless of whether your nonprofit’s needs require a more comprehensive or a simpler CRM software package, the most important thing is to choose a tool that can help you ensure that your organization runs smoothly. This article will take you through five essential nonprofit CRM software features and how to use them: 1. What Is It? How Is It Used? 2. 3. Free Nonprofit Leadership Courses.

Free Resources for NGOs - fundsforNGOs - Free Resources for NGOs. Fundraiser Job Description, Duties and Jobs - Part 1. Job Duties and Tasks for: "Fundraiser" 1) Develop corporate fundraising programs, such as employer gift-matching. 2) Monitor progress of fundraising drives. 3) Compile or develop materials to submit to granting or other funding organizations. 4) Develop and maintain media contact lists. 5) Develop strategies to encourage new or increased contributions. 6) Recruit sponsors, participants, or volunteers for fundraising events. 7) Direct or supervise fundraising staff, including volunteer staff members. 8) Secure commitments of participation or donation from individuals or corporate donors. 9) Prepare materials for charitable events, such as fundraising envelopes, bid sheets, or gift bags. 10) Create or update donor databases. 11) Establish fundraising or participation goals for special events or specified time periods.

Is being a "Fundraiser" your very best career choice? Our Career Interest Test will show you which careers match your interests. 27) Write and send letters of thanks to donors. Green City FINAL PDF. Here’s a Sample Case for Support for Your Non-Profit | GFA. Home - C4 EcoSolutions. How to create your new nonprofit’s first budget - Get Fully Funded. When your nonprofit is new, a budget is a critical tool to help you manage both your organization and your finances as it grows. A budget combined with a fundraising plan can help you make sure there’s always money to pay for the things you need to operate your programs. Without a budget, you can find yourself in deep water, fast, with more money going out than coming in. Not a fun place to be. It’s easy when you’re just starting out – and you’re super excited about the future – to operate on a lot of hope.

Now, hope is not a bad thing. Your budget will help you make sure the bills get paid, especially as you take on additional expenses. Your budget will also help you get funding because you can show donors that you know exactly what it costs to deliver services. If you want your new nonprofit to grow successfully and fulfill its mission, a budget is not optional. Yes, you still need a budget. So, how do you create a budget? It can seem a little overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Program. How to develop a major donor programme | by Emily Collins-Ellis | I.G. Insights | Medium. How to Prepare a Grant Proposal Budget for a Nonprofit. For many grant writers, who sail through most of their proposals effortlessly because they are good writers, the budget can be a nail-biter.

However, knowing some basic principles of writing grants, such as how to present the costs of your project, can make writing a grant less stressful. If numbers are not your forte, be sure to get help from your business office or accountant. Never go it alone when it comes to grants. Assemble a team of people from those who are responsible for programs, your business people, and human resource staff. You’re going to need all of them. Budget Preparation for Grants Present your grant proposal budget in a way that will make an excellent impression on the grant reviewer. Review the guidelines from the funder and use the budget categories provided. Organize your budget, so it is easy to read and understand.

Direct Costs for Grants Direct costs for your grant are perhaps the most critical part of your grant’s budget. Personnel Fringe Benefits Travel Equipment. Kruger park centre aims to inspire a passion for ecology. Latest Grant Funding Opportunities in South Africa. Making Your Budget the Backbone of Your Nonprofit | Nonprofit Finance Fund. MOI 8March2018. Moodle. National Recycling Forum. Organizational Structure of an NGO. People 'need connection with nature' Private game reserves are vital for conservation - Africa Geographic. Projects | IISD. Put Donors at the Heart of your Major Gifts Strategy: Key Insights from I.G.’s Second Surgery | by Amy Whight | I.G. Insights | Medium. South African eco-organisations to watch — and actively support — Treeshake. Starting an NGO. The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Nonprofit Business Plan.

Threatened Grassland Species Programme – The Endangered Wildlife Trust. Training – Institute for Corporate & Social Development SA l Paying it Forward. Welcome - Realize Your Potential: Ready Learning Portal. Working with Companies.