Jennifer E Goldman, Nonprofit Consultant

Somewhere in time it became standard practice for nonprofit organizations to plan a balanced budget for their upcoming fiscal year. I don’t know where that came from, but can we please send it back? Ask any small business owner and they will tell you that the bottom line matters. They’re looking to be profitable in their year. They want their budget to indicate sustainability and growth. They’re ok with expenses going up as long as income increases even more. I encourage nonprofit organizations to adopt this mindset as well. How will your nonprofit be able to serve your community next year if you aren’t making money? Your annual budget should be a reflection of your growth plans, your program development , and the increased impact you plan to make in your community. Here are a few examples of things I encourage you to STOP doing to your nonprofit budget: ·         Stop purposely making your income and expenses equal – for two basic reasons. If y...

The end of the year holidays are a busy time for everyone, personally. But while some businesses are doing double-time to keep up with the hustle and bustle of the holidays, others are woefully slow. Regardless of which type of business you own, there are several ways that you can capitalize on your time during the season that will benefit your business. I’ve compiled a list of ideas to share with you – some will be perfect for your business and others will be perfect for someone else. Increasing sales 1. Give away a gift with each minimum purchase or signed contract 2. Create a digital marketing campaign around a competition or drawing 3. Donate a portion of sales to a charity of your choice For your current customers 4. Send hand-written thank you/holiday cards 5. Create and share holiday gratitude videos 6. Share your personal 2021 story in an email Just for fun 7. Decorate your storefront. Extra bonus points if you get your neighbors to do the same. Super ext...