Turning a philanthropic feeling into functional fundraising takes more than good intentions, though it is a good place to start. Whether in health care, conservation, education or other arenas, a truly well-built foundation can be just that — a solid base from which lives, communities and narratives are changed for the better. For many nonprofits, the tenets of sustained success remain the same regardless of individual missions.
“Our success is rooted in our partnerships, strategic programs and our ability to engage the community,” said Deke Whitbeck, president of the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation. “For instance, our $10,000 contribution to the Fred Berry Crooked Creek Nature Center project was matched by an adjacent landowner, which significantly increased the impact of the habitat work. As we’ve seen, partnerships are essential for dramatically expanding habitat efforts on the ground.”
We need your help to champion conservation, sound management and enjoyment of Arkansas’ wildlife and natural resources through our stewardship, advocacy and education.
Deke Whitbeck
The foundation has backed the mission of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission since 1982 and has learned a thing or two about appealing to a wide range of donors over the four decades since. From fundraising banquets to tournaments and from equipment initiatives such as Get It for Game Wardens to networks such as the Arkansas Outdoor Society, AGFF is able to bring supporters old and new into the fold in a variety of ways.
“Additionally, our impact fund empowers donors to direct their contributions to specific outdoor areas they are passionate about, such as wildlife habitat restoration or enhancing public access,” Whitbeck said. “We also make it clear that planned giving is accessible to anyone, regardless of the size of their estate.”
agff.org
Closely related to making the right connections is sending the right message. For Alzheimer’s Arkansas, that has meant fresh logos and branding to better convey the mission and vision of the organization. Initially started out of a garage as a small support group for caregivers of family members with Alzheimer’s, the nonprofit has worked to reposition itself in the last few years as a resource for caregivers from all corners, whether their loved ones have another form of dementia, chronic illness or debilitating disease — a process that has culminated in the organization’s tagline, “A community for caregivers since 1984.”
We create a compassionate, welcoming and restorative community for family caregivers across the state who are caring for those with dementia, chronic illness or debilitating disease.
Stephenie A. Cooke
“We don’t want to turn any caregiver away,” said Stephenie A. Cooke, executive director. “Our focus for 41 years has always been on that unpaid, nonprofessional, family caregiver that is devoting so much of their time and efforts and personal resources and all of the challenges that they face and the sacrifices they make. We just want to do what we can to meet them along their journey.”
Alzheimer’s Arkansas has become more than a support group or caregiver workshop and is now what Cooke described as a “library of resources.” Brochures, provider lists, programming and educational outreach are all facets of the nonprofit’s work, and Cooke said the group’s scope has also expanded to include more work with stakeholders who are interacting with caregivers and those living with chronic illness on a daily basis.
alzark.org/donate
“We help provide community presentations and participate in a lot of senior expos and health fairs,” she said. “We do lots of presentations with small groups, whether it’s a Sunday school class or a civic group, maybe other small nonprofits and small businesses that are serving our community of caregivers.”
Messaging is also vital for groups connected to a much larger organization, such as Goodwill Industries of Arkansas. An independently operated member of Goodwill Industries International, the nonprofit benefits from strong brand recognition on the one hand, while, on the other hand, that same familiarity can lead people to think they already know what Goodwill is all about. In reality, said Brian Marsh, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Arkansas, few people know the depth of its work.
At Goodwill Industries of Arkansas, we believe change begins with opportunity. Your donation to the Goodwill of Arkansas Foundation helps people break the cycle of poverty, support their families and strengthen our community.
Brian Marsh
“Communicating our mission has been a priority,” Marsh said. “Over the past decade, we’ve shifted our strategies to focus heavily on digital and social media, using targeted messaging to reach different audiences — but the most impactful way we spread awareness is through firsthand experiences, inviting the public to attend graduations, tour our facilities, or hear directly from our students and graduates. Almost every time, the response is the same: ‘I didn’t know Goodwill did that.’ Putting a face to our mission and seeing our mission in motion leaves the strongest and most lasting impact.”
goodwillar.org/give-to-good
Of course, for all the good that marketing and networking can do, they are still only supplements to the main mission. The substance of the work is in its people and the real, community-changing efforts all that fundraising is meant to support. Such is the case for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Foundation in Little Rock, said John Erck, vice chancellor of institutional advancement. He pointed to “the faculty, staff and good work that UAMS does” as the foundation’s keys to success.
Your act of generosity, our longevity. With gift planning, you can provide long-lasting support for our organization while enjoying financial benefits for yourself
John Erck
“When the community has faith in leadership, in the researchers and their health care providers, etc., they’re much more likely to invest in the mission,” Erck said. “Our relationships as fundraisers are also very important, and continuity is key, but the good work that UAMS is doing overall is what drives giving. Health care and UAMS are so important for the state of Arkansas, and UAMS is at the center of that as it drives better health outcomes throughout the state, research that impacts care, and, of course, we educate more than half of all Arkansas health care workers.”
giving.uams.edu/donate
No advocacy effort is without its challenges, whether financial hurdles or obstacles unique to its area of outreach. For AGFF, Whitbeck highlighted the dual concerns of staying financially stable while continuing to engage new audiences. The Arkansas Outdoor Society is one adaptation to the challenge of reaching youth and others new to outdoor recreation, while the foundation also focuses on generating revenue through diverse channels. With that in mind, Whitbeck recommended smaller or newer nonprofits seek out grants or matching opportunities to augment their own efforts.
“We don’t just rely on a few big events. We have multiple revenue streams, like sponsorships, corporate partnerships, general donations and capital campaigns,” Whitbeck said. “We’ve also established the impact fund, which leverages donations through matching programs, often achieving ratios as high as 3 to 1, to amplify the effect of contributions.”
Being an organization on the smaller side is not without its upsides, however. In fact, there may actually be more for large nonprofits to learn from smaller operations than vice versa, Erck said. While the UAMS Foundation benefits from the support and infrastructure of the university system, smaller nonprofits “have to do everything.”
“We have the good fortune of being able to focus on building relationships with our donors and community partners and growing philanthropic investment in our mission-critical work,” he said.
At 41 years old, Alzheimer’s Arkansas still operates on a budget of $2 million or less, Cooke said, and the group relies on the dedication of its people, volunteers and a vast array of community partners for long-term sustainability. One silver lining to being a smaller, self-governed operation is the maneuverability it allows in the face of challenges.
“We’ve done a lot with a very small group, but that is a blessing in a way because when we see things are not maybe going the way we had planned, we can pivot and shift gears and be a lot more flexible,” Cooke said. “That can be geographically. It could be from a programming standpoint. We have just the ability to be wherever we’re called to be, and so when we have a group of caregivers over in Helena wanting some respite activity, we can go and do that. We’re not relying on a minimum number of ‘blanks.’ We’re able to meet the needs as they come in.”
There is also something to be said for avoiding growth for growth’s sake. It is easy to fall into “mission creep,” Marsh said, where an enthusiasm to add too many ancillary programs can actually dilute the focus of the nonprofit and reduce its impact. There is doubtless much more than meets the eye at Goodwill Industries of Arkansas, but the organization has stayed true to its core mission since the beginning, remaining centered on education, training and employment. Partnerships are also critical, Marsh added.
“By collaborating with community organizations, employers and educators, nonprofits can expand their reach and strengthen outcomes while still staying aligned with who they are and how they best serve,” he said.
Alignment gets to the heart of what it takes to build any nonprofit into a vehicle of real impact. With resources, staff and volunteers, partners, stakeholders, and donors all in accord as to the “why” behind every dollar, email and event, the desire to do good can become a realized vision for positive, lasting change.
“Our vision for the future is centered on continued growth and expanding our support for conservation,” Whitbeck said. “We aim to sustain outdoor activities for future generations of enthusiasts.”
“We’re meeting those caregivers in our communities wherever they are just to help in support of making their journeys maybe a little lighter or less stressful in some cases, maybe help them become less anxious about what lies ahead,” Cooke said. “In our world today, if you’re not a caregiver, you either have been or will be, and the trends are not looking that great when it comes to predictions of the explosion of those living with some form of dementia in the next couple of decades. We want to help folks do better and help see that trend change a bit, especially in the communities in which we serve.”
“As Arkansas’ only statewide health science university, we are building a statewide academic health system that is delivering dramatic and lasting health and health care improvements to the people of our state,” Erck said. “Our goal is to consistently raise $50 million plus on an annual basis, and each and every dollar raised is an investment in our work to transform health at the scale and pace that Arkansans deserve.”
“Goodwill’s vision for the future is ambitious and deeply rooted in our mission — to have a graduate from one of our programs in every county of Arkansas,” Marsh said. “Whether through The Excel Center, The Academy at Goodwill, or our transitional employment opportunity program, we want every corner of the state to experience the life-changing impact of education, training and employment.”
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