Nonprofit Essentials | Advancing equity with RFIs, free webinar for accessing funds, building trust through data privacy, & more

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This first edition of Nonprofit Essentials for 2024 comes with lots of new resources for your nonprofit. We start off with an article on how using Requests for Information (RFIs) instead of Requests for Proposals (RFPs) can help your nonprofit advance equity, find better consulting partners, and save money. Then we share news of a free webinar on January 30^th, featuring Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo, on how your nonprofit can access funding. Finally, we provide some tips on data privacy, and more tools for your nonprofit.

But first a little bit of news from the National Council of Nonprofits. Last week, Tim Delaney, our President & CEO, announced he will be retiring in early July. We hope you will join us in celebrating his 16 years leading this network, and wish him well on his next adventure as a Fellow at the Inspired Leadership Initiative at the University of Notre Dame.

Now, on to January’s nonprofit essentials…

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🔷January Essentials🔷

Advancing equity and affordability by using RFIs instead of RFPs

The traditional Request for Proposals (RFP) process to hire consultants is outdated, inefficient and, most critically, inequitable. The process generally favors larger firms with marketing departments that have the capacity to submit more proposals. And that feeds a cycle where those firms charge higher rates to cover the costs. Guest author Laura S. Quinn shares how Requests for Information (RFIs) can lower the barrier to entry, reduce your costs, and connect you with amazing consultants that might not have otherwise bid on your project.

Read more about why your nonprofit should consider using RFIs.

Flyer for the "Accessing Remaining COVID-Relief Funds Before It Is Too Late" webinar on January 30th.

Join us for a free webinar with Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo on how your nonprofit can access remaining COVID relief funds

The clock is ticking. Tens of billions of dollars are still available for charitable nonprofits, but only if state and local governments commit to spending those funds on nonprofits, as opposed to elsewhere, by the end of 2024. The networks of the National Council of Nonprofits are hosting a special nationwide webinar to make sure charitable nonprofits know they’re eligible for these resources and know how to access them before it’s too late. Join us on January 30 at 3:00 pm Eastern to learn how to find out what funds are still available and how to advocate for them.

Register now.

The “why” and “how” of data privacy for nonprofits

Nonprofits operate based on trust—the trust of the people we serve, the trust of the people who donate, and the trust of people who subscribe to our newsletters. To maintain that trust, it’s important to be clear and transparent about how you will use and protect your constituents’ data. In recognition of Data Privacy Week, we share tips on how your nonprofit can provide the privacy that the people you work with seek.

Read more about data privacy for nonprofits.

📚 What we're reading

In an article from over the holidays, Charity Navigator President & CEO Michael Thatcher details the reasons why Charity Navigator changed its methodology to focus on impact, not overhead. The points Thatcher makes in the article can be useful for your nonprofit the next time you’re asked how much you spend on overhead. NCN cheers this evolution from one of our sector’s most visible resources for donors.

Read the article.

🎧 What we're listening to

In last week’s lead episode of his Midlife Fulfilled podcast, Bernie Borges interviews Tim Delaney of NCN about finding fulfillment through his journey from being a partner at a large law firm, then a senior official at an Attorney General’s Office, and ultimately to nonprofit leadership. Tim discusses the pivotal moments when he chose to embrace new opportunities that aligned with his desire to make a difference. As Bernie summarized later, Tim concluded by promoting “the power of nonprofits. Tim highlighted the significant value that nonprofits offer in fulfilling the 5 pillars of [midlife fulfillment:] health, fitness, career, relationships, and legacy. He invited you, the listener, to explore the myriad opportunities to find fulfillment through engagement with nonprofit organizations.”

Listen to the podcast.

📰 News & Resources

🔎 Connect with consultants of color: In addition to considering the use of an RFI, instead of an RFP, for your nonprofit’s next project, be sure you’re also reaching a diverse pool of consultants to consider. Take Two Services has launched Constellation, the first database of BIPOC consultants who work with nonprofits. Recently, Constellation was updated to include and intersect racial and ethnic identity with other categories of identity—such as ability, neurodivergence, sexuality, and gender identity. Browse the Constellation directory.
💼 New report demonstrates the connection between giving, volunteerism, and voting: The Do Good Institute at the University of Maryland released “Social Connectedness and Generosity: A Look at How Associational Life and Social Connections Influence Volunteering and Giving (and Vice Versa).” People support nonprofits in many ways, and we have anecdotally seen the connection between different types of support in the past. This report provides data to demonstrate that people who volunteered were more likely to give, and people who gave were more likely to volunteer. Of interest in this election year, volunteering increases voter turnout probability by 12 percentage points, while giving increases voter turnout probability by 10.1 percentage points.

Graphic for "Your Voices" with the answer to last month's question, "What gives you optimism for 2024." Earth Gives said, "Climate investments by nonprofits on the front lines."

Graphic with next month's question, "How is your nonprofit planning to do to encourage voting and civic engagement this year?""

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