| 2011 January - February | Volume 10, Numbers 1 & 2 (Double Issue) |
STELLAR Fundraising Celebrates 11 Successful Years helping Organizations just like yours!
We are supporting Non-profit organizations in communities across the Nation:
See what your leading economic and community development peers have to say about STELLAR below:
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Click here to download our STELLAR Brochure
STELLAR California Chamber Campaign Building Economic Success 
The Santa Rosa (CA) Chamber of Commerce and STELLAR Fundraising have teamed up to launch a bold new 5-year economic and community development program and multi-million dollar fundraising campaign for the Sonoma County, California region. Upon the completion of an extensive Feasibility Study conducted by the STELLAR Team, Trip Snelson, STELLAR’s Campaign Executive, and the STELLAR Team have assisted the Santa Rosa Chamber in finalizing the development of a bold new Strategic Action Plan for Sonoma County, California. Work now continues on laying the foundation for a successful program implementation fundraising campaign. Sonoma County BEST - Building Economic Success Together is a 5-year economic and community development program with five strategic initiatives designed to create jobs, develop the workforce, and improve the regional business climate. Several high-level business and community leaders have already accepted offers to serve on the Volunteer Campaign Leadership Team and the STELLAR Team is very encouraged by the capital campaign’s early results. We look forward to unveiling the BEST - Building Economic Success Together Campaign at an upcoming community-wide campaign kick-off event meeting scheduled for March 2011 where the 5-year plan and Volunteer Campaign Leadership Team will be announced to the community and media. Read more about the BEST campaign in the North Bay Business Journal HERE. Fundraising Campaign websites boost awareness, communication and results The STELLAR Team has been successfully producing fundraising campaign websites for clients that are designed to be like a "digital brochure" — and they’re a great vehicle to keep Campaign Volunteers and the community alike up-to-date on the campaign’s progress, upcoming meetings and the latest news and fund-raising results" said STELLAR Founder and CEO, Terry J. Cusack.
"Our Campaign websites are another example of the high-level of support and service that STELLAR clients really appreciate" Cusack added. Visit The BEST Campaign website HERE. Building Trust Through Transparency With accountability remaining a hot topic in the sector, many nonprofits are choosing transparency instead of blind trust. Gone are the days where a feel good PSA and direct response television spot were enough to secure donor confidence. Form 990s are now posted on Web sites and many nonprofits are opting to disclose just how much money is being spent on fundraising endeavors. The Maryland Association of Nonprofits recommends in its Standards for Excellence that organizations work for a 3-to-1 fundraising efficiency ratio. Over a period of time, for every dollar an organization spends on fundraising, it should raise at least $3. Those figures don't necessarily have to be an exact 3-to-1 ratio when dealing on the individual campaign level, but an organization should be making more than it's spending on each individual event, explained Peter Berns, executive director at the Baltimore-based association. "Those numbers should be averaged over a five-year period," Berns added, "depending on what stage they are in the development of their fundraising program. In the early stages of a program they may be less efficient, or if they're a new organization. But, that average should eventually be 3-to-1." 
Source: Nonprofit Times Are We Developing Tomorrow's Community Leadership by Terry J. Cusack, Founder and CEO, STELLLAR Fundraising 
Whenever I run into the twenty something's of the world I am amused by their reaction when I explain what I do for a living. Most of them have little idea what their local Chamber of Commerce or EDC does in the community. Additionally, almost none of them see how it should matter to them! All joking aside, as the baby-boomers head toward retirement we will be looking to the younger generation to steer our organizations forward. Unfortunately, as a whole I see a massive brain drain in the future if we don't collectively begin doing a better job recruiting and developing our next generation of talent and leadership. Constructing a Building Campaign 
You’ve worked hard and watched with pride as your organization’s programs have grown over the years to meet the needs of your members and community. You’ve added the necessary staff to meet those needs and suddenly the once sufficient space you occupy is sorely inadequate. Something has to give and fortunately your organization enjoys a good reputation. Time for a building campaign, right? Maybe not. The need that is so evident to you might not be to others, especially if they can’t connect the quality of your services to your physical space. On the other hand, a capital campaign can not only secure the funds you need to make facility improvements. A building campaign should also allow you to bundle together other new and/or expanded program needs that will allow your organization to meet multiple unmeet community needs, opportunities and even threats (that you’d tackle, if only you had the funding). Other benefits from running a big, bold campaign include a greater awareness of your organization and its mission, goals and objectives, community pride, as well as strengthening the commitment from staff, volunteers and community leaders, and a renewed energy for serving your constituents. View the Full Article >> Opportunities - Join The Growing STELLAR Team 
Interested in learning about joining the growing STELLAR Team of experts that come from varied backgrounds such as fundraising, economic and community development, politics, nonprofit management, legal, business, banking, Chamber and EDC work and other fields? To receive your free STELLAR Info Kit, email us at info@stellarfundraising.com or call me personally at 888-897-4667 to discuss what good things you could do for your community with two, three or four times more budget! In the meantime, please be sure to check out our interactive web site at www.STELLARfundraising.com and see which of your peers have chosen STELLAR as their fundraising counsel. |
Again, please remember, Make No Small Plans! If you go to the well, draw deep, and cover all your program and facility needs via one bold multi-year campaign! Terry J. Cusack
Founder, CEO and Fundraising SME |
 |
 |
STELLAR Fundraising Executives, Inc. © 2011 STELLAR Fundraising Executives, Inc. |