Small Nonprofit: Fundraising Tips, Leadership Strategies, and Community-Centric Solutions

Corporate Partnerships for Small Nonprofits: Expert Tips from Heather Nelson

Oct 29, 2024

Heather Nelson, founder of Bridge Raise, brings over 15 years of nonprofit expertise to the conversation about corporate partnerships. She shares how small nonprofits can build confidence in approaching corporate funders and emphasizes the importance of aligning values. Heather discusses overcoming challenges, nurturing relationships, and offers actionable tips like defining partnership visions and providing value beyond funding. Tune in for insights on the pivotal role of persistence and networking in forging meaningful corporate connections.

33:39

Episode guests

Heather Nelson

AI Summary

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Small nonprofits should prioritize building genuine relationships and actively engage with corporate partners to overcome barriers of passivity and discomfort.

Clearly defining expected outcomes and mutual values is essential for nonprofits to create successful and respectful corporate partnership negotiations.

Deep dives

The Importance of Active Engagement in Partnerships

Many nonprofits struggle to form corporate connections due to a passive approach to relationship building. This passivity may stem from fear, discomfort, or a lack of knowledge about the company, leading to attempts at engagement through impersonal methods like filling out forms or sending generic emails. To counteract this, nonprofits are encouraged to actively engage in discussions and build genuine relationships rather than relying on one-sided communication. Focusing on creating meaningful interactions is key to forming successful corporate partnerships.

Intro

2min

Overcoming Barriers to Corporate Partnerships for Small Nonprofits

2min

Building Equal Partnerships between Small Nonprofits and Corporations

3min

Navigating Corporate Partnerships: Understanding Motivations

2min

Navigating Employee Engagement and Volunteer Programs

5min

Is your nonprofit to be "corporate-ready"? Unlock the potential of corporate partnerships for your nonprofit with insights from Heather Nelson, founder of BridgeRaise. With over 15 years of experience in corporate fundraising, Heather shares actionable tips on how small nonprofits can create meaningful corporate relationships.

From overcoming fears of approaching large companies to identifying mutual value, this episode is packed with strategies to build lasting partnerships.

Corporate Partnerships for Small Nonprofits – The Highlights:

Common mistakes nonprofits make in corporate partnership building.
Why passive approaches don't work and how to overcome fear.
Steps to define what a successful corporate partnership looks like.
Understanding corporate motivations: employee engagement, marketing, and purpose-driven initiatives.
How to price employee engagement opportunities effectively.
The importance of persistence and follow-up in corporate fundraising.
Real-world examples of successful corporate partnerships.
Strategies to maintain relationships when a corporate contact leaves.
How to prepare your nonprofit to be "corporate-ready."

🎧 Listen to more episodes for actionable fundraising tips and insights on nonprofit leadership, nonprofit governance, donor retention, productivity & tools, and donor engagement strategies that work! We're here to eliminate nonprofit burnout and boost your donations!

About Heather Nelson:

Heather founded BridgeRaise, a boutique corporate fundraising consultancy with a team of specialists ready to support charities and nonprofits in raising more money from companies. They have worked with hundreds of nonprofits in building values-aligned corporate partnerships. At BridgeRaise, they specialize in corporate partnership strategy, corporate prospect research, pipeline growth and proposal development, creating organizational readiness for sponsorship and corporate partnership, and building cause marketing, sponsorship and employee engagement programs.

Actionable Tips for Nonprofit Leaders:

Start with a clear vision: Define what a successful corporate partnership looks like for your organization. Write it down and build your strategy around this vision.
Offer value beyond funding: Know what you can offer to corporates—employee engagement, volunteerism, or brand alignment—and be clear about what you’re willing to provide.
Prioritize persistence: Follow up with corporates consistently, and don’t give up after one email. Corporate partnerships take time, but persistence often pays off.

Resources and Links: