Greater Giving: 8 Tips on Partnerships from a For-Profit Operating in a Non-Profit World

If you operate a for-profit company exclusively targeting non-profit organizations, it’s probably a no-brainer that strategic non-profit partnerships make good sense.  I was fortunate to have a chance to sit down with the guru of partnerships for Portland, OR-based Greater Giving for a few lessons on working in this interesting niche.

While the primary business of Greater Giving is event software and payment processing for online payment and donations, Relationship Marketing Manager Debby Roth makes no bones about saying, “The real value we offer is the education we provide.”

Running a Non-Profit Like a Business

Through a series of free webinars and live seminars, Greater Giving helps primarily small to mid-sized non-profits run their development programs “like a business” by sharing best practices.

Their Working Smarter Webinar Seminars run the spectrum of fundraising topics, from “Best Practices for Online Auctions” to “Using Social Media Effectively”.

Thinking Outside the Box with State Associations

Debby has personally facilitated partnerships with multiple State Associations targeted to non-profit organizations.  Traditionally, the majority of these State Associations stay afloat through member dues and business sponsorships.

As a corporate sponsor, when you pay a fee, you get a listing…or a booth at a trade show…or a web link.  When Debby approaches these Associations, she challenges them to think outside the proverbial box, which is sometimes a tough sell, “but worth it…both for the Association and for us” comments Debby.

Free Education Events for Non-Profit Association Members

As an example, Greater Giving partners with the Texas Association of Non Profit Organizations (TANO) by providing free educational events for their members.

TANO:

• Markets the fee-based workshops to their membership and keeps the event revenue.

• Secures the event location at no cost through a local member.

• Gains a way to engage local members and potentially recruit new members through visibility from Greater Giving’s customer list.

• Is able to offer a discount to their members on Greater Giving services.

Greater Giving:

• Provides the workshop speaker on a relevant topic.

• Supplies refreshments.

• Gains visibility to TANO members in the local market.

• Appears on the TANO website as a link.

Debby’s 8 Tips for Partnering with Non-Profit Organizations

Debby acknowledges that working in partnerships with non-profit Associations can sometimes be a challenge but offers this to other businesses thinking of ways to partner:

• Have patience.  These partnerships don’t happen overnight.  If there’s value for your company and for the non-profit organization, stick with it and build a relationship over time.

• Listen.  What are the organization’s self-identified needs?  How can you help them meet those needs?

• Find an internal champion.  Sometimes it’s not the Executive Director; maybe it’s a training or program manager.  Whoever the champion, make sure they’re respected within the organization as well.

• Put it in writing.  Agree in advance who will do what and what the anticipated impact will be.  This gives you a framework to refer back to, improve upon or re-evaluate.

• Remember, content is king.  Make your expertise available to the non-profit organization via articles in their newsletter or blog, trainings, etc.

• Recap the value you bring.  At the end of your project or initiative, report back to the organization on what worked and what didn’t.  Spell out (in writing) the impact it had.

• Budget.  Be willing to spend some money.  It doesn’t have to be a lot of money and if you can calculate the impact, it’s worth planning into your budget in advance.

• Systematize it.  If your pilot project turns into an ongoing initiative, establish your process and protocols and document it so you don’t have to recreate the wheel each time.  Use these as an appendix to your written agreement to keep everyone on