Are you at every community meeting? Do you sit on multiple committees? Join every rally? If so, ask yourself if those efforts are moving your organization forward? Chances are they are not. What they are doing is keeping you Busy. Learn how to develop a strategy that maximized your time and effort. Learn how to Stop Moving and start Being in Action -- doing things that moves your organization forward instead of burning you out.

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🔦 NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT 🙌🏿

Compton Girls Club Pt. 2

👉🏿https://comptongirls.club/

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🚀 RESOURCES TO HELP YOU RUN A SUCCESSFUL NONPROFIT

Questions to Ask a Grant Writer Before You Hire Them https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gfGN5QkdhNEQMVhF0bOyKxCGJuK5Pn62/view?usp=drive_link

90 Days to a Profitable Nonprofit https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ofgeHJ2CTVS0t8STMiNqfveaVpWfaK7o/view?usp=sharing

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Learn more about my success with helping nonprofits

Visit My Website👇🏿👇🏿👇🏿

http://www.amberwynn.net

CONNECT WITH AMBER:

Follow me on Facebook 👇🏿👇🏿👇🏿

https://www.facebook.com/amberwynnphilanthrepreneur

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https://www.instagram.com/amberwynnphilanthrepreneur

Listen to my Podcast! 👇🏿👇🏿👇🏿

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4G9QNaVAYz8eXTmz48gagl

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Got Questions? "Ask Amber" on any of my social media platforms or email me at amber@amberwynn.net

Podcast Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):

Welcome to On Air with Amber Wynn, where nonprofit leaders learn to fuse passion and commitment with proven business strategies to create long-term funding impact and sustainability. And now here's your host and resident, Philanthrepreneur Amber Wynn.

Speaker 2 (00:20):

Hey, fam, it's your girl back in the house on the air with Amber Wynn, Philanthrepreneur. I'm so excited to be in your space. Let me tell you why. Because the world needs nonprofits right now. The world needs nonprofits. I don't care which side of the spectrum that you're on, the world needs nonprofits right now. We are that sector that actually rolls up our sleeves and actually does the work. So I'm so excited to be here today, and today I want to talk to you about something that's really important because it stops our nonprofits from making the impact in the community that they're here to make. Today's topic is called Stop Moving. Stop Moving. The difference between busyness and being in action. Listen, I have people come up to me multiple times a day, call me, reach out to me, email me, and they say, oh, Amber, I need a grant.

(01:25):

Oh, Amber, I need more money. It's always about money. Oh, Amber, I want to stop self-funding my organization. And I ask them about their organization, where they are, what they're doing, and I say, okay, you need to do X, Y, and Z, and then Element O, P, and I map it out and they're like, I don't have time for that. You don't have time for it. No, I'm doing this. I got this. And okay, well, I'll circle back to you next week because I got this and this and this and this, and then I never hear from 'em. And this is what it comes down to. It comes down to you prioritizing what is important. And so the topic today, stop moving, busyness versus being in action is a call to action to my nonprofit leaders. It's a call to action about how you move forward, and I want you to use this lens. This lens is, does it move my organization forward? So when we come back, we're going to dive into busyness versus being in action. When we talk about you stop moving when we get back.

Speaker 3 (02:38):

Have you been duped by a grant writer promising you the moon and the stars, but after collecting your $2,000, you never win a grant? No. A grant writer can't guarantee you'll get funded, but if you don't know how to vet them, you could walk right into a scam. Check out my guide the questions to ask a grant writer before you hire them to help you determine if a grant writer is a bonafide professional or out to steal your hard earned money with no intentions of yielding results. This guide explains what to look for in a grant writer if they're novice or seasoned, if they're a fit for the type of proposal you need written, what questions they should ask you. Leverage my 25 years of grant writing experience securing over $10 million in grants for clients to help you find a qualified grant writer and reduce your chances of getting scammed. Order your copy today.

Speaker 2 (03:26):

Welcome back to On Air with Amber Wynn. Today we're talking about what nonprofit leaders need to do in order to move their organization forward. At the top of the episode, I told you, I get people reaching out to me all the time about what they need to do to get to that next level, what they need to do to stop self-funding their organization, what they need to do in order to generate consistent outside revenue. And one of the biggest issues is that they don't have time, right? I don't have time because let's be clear, it is going to take time. There is no quick fix. You can't just write no grants and then boom, your problems are solved. First of all, it takes a long time to write a grant and then there's no guarantee that the grant will be funded and your organization should not be solely funded off of grants.

(04:23):

All that aside, when I have these conversations with individuals, they're like, well, I've got this program that I'm running and then I'm in this network and then I'm on this committee and then I've got to do this and this and that, and so there's no time for me to work on the infrastructure. And to that, I say, if you don't spend time working on your infrastructure, then you are not positioning your organization to move forward because that is what, it's going to take time. And so lovingly, I say, to stop being busy, stop sitting on committees, stop going to all of these meetings, being in spaces that aren't going to move your organization forward and pause and create a strategy of the spaces you want to be in, the programs you want to deliver that's going to move your organization forward. Because sometimes it's just about being busy.

(05:28):

I'll give you a perfect example. Most of the nonprofits I talk to, they're like, we do this and we do this, and we do this. We do six programs, and first of all, the we is typically only one person, and I'll say that, and they're like, oh, we do. I was like, oh, so you have paid staff? She's like, no, it's just me and volunteers. Problem number one. Then number two, why do you have six programs and you don't have a paid staff? Oh, we've got some very committed volunteers. A funder is not impressed by you having six programs and you don't have any paid staff. They want to see accountability. Accountability is you're paying people because they know that those people are going to show up. Volunteers, I don't care how committed they are, are still volunteers, which means that they can show up when they want to or not.

(06:15):

So instead of being busy with delivering all of these programs, six programs, pull back, maybe whittle it down to three programs that you do really, really well. Spend time building up your infrastructure, making sure you have systems in place, making sure that you're diversifying your funding strengths. Spend time in those spaces, building that up so that you can move your organization forward. I had a client who was at every meeting that the elected officials had. Now, you need to be at the meetings that's going to move your organization forward. If your organization focuses on education, then you attend the meetings that are focused on education, not on agriculture, not on the things that pertain to you is where you need to be, but if strategically you know that this elected official is about to receive a pot of money that aligns in what it is that you do, then yes, you want to get some visibility.

(07:25):

You want them to know what type of programs you have that would qualify for this program, but don't go to these meetings every time the doors open just so you can be seen. You want to be seen for a purpose. You want to get in front of the shock callers, the decision makers. You want to find out who are the organizations getting funded so that you can potentially create collaborations with them. But don't just be out there being a busy body, right? It's more important for you to pull back, be in action, right? Being in action means that you're doing something for a purpose. It's a part of a strategy. I'll give you an example. Let's just say here in LA, there's a big push for monies being poured into organizations instead of into prisons. There's a big, big push, and if you have a population that you serve that could benefit for that, then strategically you want to be at the meetings where the shock callers are, where the stakeholders are.

(08:37):

That doesn't mean that every time there's a meeting, you're going to be there. You want to be there when they're making the announcement about who's being considered with the criteria. In the meantime, you want to be very strategic about making sure you meet the criteria of that proposal. So you go through the three proposals that they've already funded, and you look at that criteria and you say, okay, it says here that I need to have X, Y, and Z. Make sure you have X, Y, and Z. So the flip side is you can be going to all of these meetings to be seen in. You're talking to all of these individuals that's being busy, or you can be in action where you get previous guidelines. You look to see what the criteria are, and you make sure that you qualify because when that next round of funding comes out, you know that you're ready.

(09:29):

But if you're just out there running six programs and then you go to these meetings, we do this, we do this, we do this, but when it comes time to submit, you don't even qualify. It's a waste of time. And then you're doing this year after year after year, and that's what I find with my nonprofits when I tell them, okay, well stop doing six things and just do well, we've been doing this again, but is it moving you forward? The answer is no. Now it's six years of you self-funding your nonprofit. So I'm going to encourage you to just pause and look at where you're spending your time as a nonprofit leader. Look at the things that you're doing. If you have six programs and you're saying is we, and it's just me, right? You know what I'm talking about, cut out three of them.

(10:17):

Start building out your infrastructure. Start looking at what's going to help you get funded consistently, and it's not just grants. Stop moving. Stop being busy and start being in action. And you may say, well, Amber, what does that look like? I'm glad you asked because I'm going to talk to you in a few seconds about the roadmap for how to be in action. There is a roadmap that's going to get you from point A to B, and it builds. There are no gaps, there are no winding roads. It's a straight point. I have created it specifically for you to help you to be in action. So stop just spinning your wheels. The world needs nonprofits right now. Let's take a look at 90 days to a profitable nonprofit because that's what's going to get you to stop being busy and to start being in action.

Speaker 4 (11:13):

Are you struggling to fund your programs? Can't get a grant to save your life. Most consultants will share the what of how to start a nonprofit or how to fundraise. They may even share the why, but they don't share the how because that's where they make their money. Now, I'm not hating. I'm a businesswoman too, but I've been where you are trying to make the world a better place, struggling to keep the doors open up to the wee hours of the night writing grants and doing whatever needed to be done. And because I've walked in your shoes, I'm not here to make you spend your will, waste your time or your hard earned money. We ain't got time for that. The world needs you. I'm here to show you how to transform that pit. You keep dumping your hard earned money into a profitable nonprofit.

(12:02):

I take my 30 years of nonprofit experience as a founder, executive director, program developer, grant writer and funder, giving out over $7 million annually in grants, and I save you literally thousands of dollars in hundreds of hours. I walk you through setting up your nonprofit organization so that you can be generating enough revenue to cover your monthly expenses in just 90 days. How would that feel? Not paying bills from your personal bank account. I share my insider secret tips, tricks of the trade and provide you with a step-by-step roadmap on how to turn your bootstrap organization into a profitable nonprofit. Within six months, you could be generating enough revenue to pay your salary or fully fund your programs. The choice is yours, but you have to get the blueprint, and it took me three years to develop it, but it's here and it's going to change your life.

(13:00):

Join my other successful clients who are just like you, full of passion and determination, but they had no idea all that it takes to run and fund a successful nonprofit. Now they're winning grants and drawing a salary, and they know what it is that they're supposed to be doing to run a successful nonprofit. They're no longer making it up as they go. They have the roadmap and they're clear about next steps. And I want that for you too. So what do you get in this course? You'll walk away with knowledge, products, processes, and systems, not just a bunch of promises, but exactly what you need to turn your organization into a profitable nonprofit. I promise you don't need grants. What you need is a solid infrastructure, and this course is going to give you all of that and more. And what's more, it comes with the money back guarantee. So go ahead, click the link below to register for this course.

Speaker 2 (13:58):

Welcome back to On Air with Amber Wynn. Today we're talking about how to move your organization forward, and the focus is on stop being busy and start being in action. We're at the point of the episode where you ask me your questions. It's called Ask Amber. So if you're interested in asking me a question, you can hit me up on all of my socials on all of them, or you can visit my website, drop me a line there or email me at amber@amberwynn.net. Today's question is from Oliver. Oliver is in Eagle Rock, and it's a simple question, what is your position on co-executive directors or associate executive directors? So Oliver, here's the thing. Names, titles, words have meaning in the nonprofit sector, in the for-profit sector. You can create whatever you want, right? You can be the queen of fun, you can be the chief people officer, it, it doesn't matter.

(15:06):

It doesn't have the same type of meaning as it does in the nonprofit. The nonprofit ties these titles to something. So I guess I'd start with asking what is the purpose of the role? Why co-executive director? Is it because there were two founders? Is it to split the workload? Personally, I'm not a big fan of co-executive directors, and primarily from a funder's perspective, I guess because when you sign on the doted line for that contract or whatever, it asks for the contact person because if there's ever an issue, then the funder have on record who that contact person is, co-executive directors. Now it's two people. So how do I know as a funder, is it split half and half? And it's a question that I'm going to ask with this director or that, I dunno. For me, and this is just a very personal opinion, I'm not speaking for all funders.

(16:17):

I like the clarity of knowing that there's just one person who is responsible for the organization because what happens if these co-directors have a difference of opinion? How does that impact the running of the organization? Is there going to be a split? Is my money safe? Because you guys had a difference of opinion. I just like to keep things clear. And then the other question I'll ask you, Oliver, is some people will have co-executive directors because their succession planning, for lack of a better word, I have people say, oh, well I'm going to retire in three years and I'm training this person. So we're co-executive directors. And so I'm going to say two things about that. Number one, if you are training somebody, then have them train under you have them be your program's director, and you are still the executive director. Number one, they're training, so they haven't really earned the title.

(17:17):

Let them earn the title, let them learn the lay of the land operations, the ropes or whatever. And then when you are ready to step down, then they can step up into the role. And so I guess most people would be, so is that an associate executive director? No, it is the programs director. Let them step up into the role of executive director. The other thing I'm going to say from a fiscal perspective is if you have two executive directors, then you have two executive director salaries, and that can break a budget. So if you have the delineation between the executive director and the programs director, at some point they get a promotion or at some point they get to advance if the goal is succession planning. But if you have two founders who are functioning in the role of executive director, in my opinion, it just makes it a little murky.

(18:16):

But how would you resolve that? I would resolve it by saying, where is your area of expertise? If your area of expertise is in program, then make it a program. You be the program director, and then the other person will be the executive director. The executive director will be responsible for oversight. They'll be responsible for networking, they'll be responsible for meeting with funders, things of that nature, all of the administrative stuff. But if your expertise is in actually developing the programs, you be responsible for compliance reporting. There's a clear delineation about what the roles can be, and that's the purpose of a program's director is to do the oversight of the running of the program and to allow the executive director to do the oversight of the overall organization, but to really be out there, to be the ambassador, to talk about what's going on with the programs, to make sure that there's money coming in to create collaboration.

(19:15):

So I think there's an opportunity to separate the two. You've just got to be clear about what those roles are. That's just my personal opinion. Is it illegal to have a co-executive director? It is not. Is it illegal to have an associate executive director? It is not. I will just encourage you to think about the appearance from a funder's perspective about clarity on who is actually the contact person and who is actually responsible if something should happen, that's all. Alright, so again, if you have questions you want to ask me, hit me up on any of one of my socials and I'll be able to specifically answer your question online. Now we get to move to the part that I love the best shine on nonprofits, and we are doing a series on an amazing nonprofit in Compton called Compton Girls Club, where we're speaking with the executive director, Chrystani Heinrich, on what's going on in the program. So hold on to your seats. We get to hear part two of the Compton Girls Club.

Speaker 5 (20:35):

So at Compton Girls Club, we offer youth leadership, we offer exposure to the arts. We offer workshop centering career exploration where they're not just being talked at, but they're learning with. So these workshops are hands-on. If you're going to learn about coding careers, we're going to code a website. If we're going to learn about cooking an Italian meal, we're going to bring in an Italian chef, and we just want them the classes to be as interactive as possible because once you get out of school, you don't want to come on your weekend and get talked as. And so our classes are those workshops kind of like that. I don't know if stopgap is the right word, but the things that we didn't learn in K through 12 because we have learned things about how to file taxes, what is cryptocurrency? We learned sexual education. It's all those things that we missed out in school that can help us get over that bump from graduation into the real world and becoming an adult.

Speaker 2 (22:00):

And we are back on air. Listen, if you'd like to have your nonprofit featured on Shine on Nonprofits, hit me up on my socials, email me, let me know you'd like to be featured. One of the things I love to do is to put the spotlight on my nonprofit leaders in their organizations because you spend so much time in the weeds in the community doing the work, and we need to get you out there, number one, so that your participants know where they can find you. And then number two, so the funders know where they can find you. So thank you Chrystani, for sharing your story about your programs, and now we're going to wrap up. Today we've been talking about stop moving. Stop moving, meaning stop being busy and out there just spinning your wheels move to a place of being in action where you are intentional, where you create strategy that is going to move your organization forward. If you like this week's episode, be sure to share it with people in your network. Be sure to hit subscribe like, and be sure to look at all of the other episodes that I have. You can also watch the full interview with Christy on my YouTube channel. All right, fam, we will see you next week. And as always, take care of yourself, like you take care of your community.

Speaker 1 (23:28):

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe and leave a review on iTunes. Head over to www.amberwynn.net/podcast for the links and resources mentioned in today's podcast. See you next time.