Non-profits need resources to run themselves. These resources are not limited to financial resources. If properly planned and sought, non-financial resources can also play a crucial role in the growth and development of a non-profit organization.
What are these non-financial resources that NGOs must look out for? How can they raise these resources? Some of these questions are answered here:
What are the non-financial resources?
There are many. Some examples are:
- In-kind gifts and donations,
- Volunteers,
- Skills and expertise,
- Expert professional advice, etc.
How can NGOs raise these resources?
- With the help of board members: The board members can play an important role here. Ask them to advocate with government and key stakeholders for your organization or cause. For example, they can help you in getting a hall for a meeting without having to pay any charges. This in-kind contribution can save a lot of money, and thus this kind of cost-saving is also equivalent to raising a non-financial resource.
- Involving donors: Some of the donors are very passionate towards the cause of the organization. They devote their time to actively participate in the planning, and activities too. This alone can set a very good example to motivate other donors. They can contribute towards your organization by sending useful in-kind donations, like old computers and IT equipment, furniture, and other material which can be of use for the organization.
- Ask: If you are looking for volunteer time or expert advice, first step is to ask for it. Let the world know what you are looking for and why. Post your requirements on your social media pages and websites. Urge volunteers to join you and let them know what they are be benefitting by working with you, like experience, joy of working with the community, and also bonus points on their resumes!
- Network and partnerships: Partnering with peer organizations and even different organizations like corporate can prove to be very beneficial for an NGO. These organizations may have some highly knowledgeable people from diverse fields and backgrounds. You may ask them for support related to their domain. For example, an organization or company working in marketing domain can help you in your marketing efforts and can catalyze fundraising in this way. This will help the organization gain from the learned and experienced professional, while also saving cost, and thus diverse and useful knowledge and domain expertise can also be an important non-financial resource.
