• Success Story 1:
  10 nonprofits networked together to expand capacity and offer donor more options through planned giving strategies.
• Success Story 2:
  Re-energizing With Shared Vision
• Success Story 3:
  New Sources of Revenue Support Conservation Endowments
• Success Story 4:
  Inspiring an Innovative Animal Education and Rescue Program to Take Its Bold Next Step

 

Success Story 1:
10 nonprofits networked together to expand capacity and offer donor more options through planned giving strategies.

“Our members say that Jean is conveying the concepts in a way they can understand and that her style gives them the confidence they need to try out new approaches. Moreover, she always manages to place planned giving in the context of an overall fundraising program.”
-- Phyllis Stiles, Campaign Coordinator

Read more about working with the Blue Ridge Forever Campaign

The Client:
The coalition of conservation-focused organizations that forms the Campaign to Save the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains…Forever includes 10 land trusts in North Carolina. These 10 land trusts successfully achieved foundation funding to launch a planned giving training project known as: Preparing for Perpetuity: Planned Giving for Western North Carolina Land Trusts.

The Situation:
Each of the land trusts shared a similar mission – protect and preserve our natural environment, namely the Blue Ridge Mountains. Each land trust desired to integrate planned giving into their fundraising programs to ensure long-term sustainability. Organizationally, each one was, and still is at a different level. They vary in terms of years of operation. Some have development staff, some have other staff whose responsibilities include development work. Some of the professionals have experienced development successes already in their current and previous positions, and others are brand new. All are committed to gaining new skills in ways that serve and save the Blue Ridge mountains for all of us. All have their own unique learning curve and work from personal strengths.

The Process:
The key was to design a practical approach with small steps, using non-technical language, that was results-oriented and easily managed. Methods and strategies had to be integrated in a non-disruptive way that enhances development and donor cultivation already in progress – so that it would be sustainable.

The Result:
Jean was able to create an effective training format for sharing knowledge and building new skills that featured flexible scheduling, group interaction, feedback and access to one-to-one consulting – with measurable results and exponential impact on growth potential for the future.

 

Success Story 2:
Re-energizing With Shared Vision

The funding revenue stream for this cultural arts organization seemed to have leveled off. Loyal givers still responded to the annual appeal and a majority of gifts clustered at the same amount as in previous years. Leaders of the organization were concerned because they were ready to hire the first paid executive director and would need to raise additional funds to do so. Is the support out there? Is this the right time? Are we ready internally? This is when group leaders called for assistance. After working with board and staff leaders, including discussions with core donors, community leaders, and corporate collaborators, surprising new questions emerged for trustees and staff that ultimately clarified priorities and focused energies in the same direction.

 

Success Story 3:
New Sources of Revenue Support Conservation Endowments A collaborative of land trusts received guidance to incorporate long-term gift planning concepts that resulted in major gifts in the first year.

“Before working with Ms. Long, executive directors, board members and staff were intimidated about implementing planned giving programs, but her accessibility, support and concrete advice inspired them to integrate her ideas into their programs. They began to embed development practices in their daily activities instead of seeing them as an additional task that required more time and money before they could be implemented. After training with Ms. Long, each organization recognized multiple gift inquiries and they now have the confidence to respond to and develop these opportunities.” -- Robin Underwood, OSPC Coordinator

The Client:
The Open Space Protection Collaborative (OSPC) is a cutting edge consortium of land trusts and conservation focused nonprofits that offers services to landowners and conservation planners in over 25 counties in a two-state region.

The Situation:
Partners of the OSPC faced pressures to secure substantial funding from private sources for conservation and land stewardship endowment funds that enable on-going monitoring and protection of permanent easements.

Each of the nonprofit partners is organizationally unique and needed a custom-tailored program of gift planning concepts that could be easily understood and mastered by non-technical development staff and volunteer leaders. The partners of OSPC realized they needed accessible coaching, specialized training, and marketing materials such as newsletter articles and donor testimonials, in addition to board education about the long-term value of planned giving.

The Process:
Jean Long helped educate board leaders about the benefits of planned gifts and designed a training model to incorporate major gift planning techniques into the development programs using non-technical language and practical steps.

The Result:
Jean demonstrated an effective way to open new donor markets and maximize efforts of small development shops.

 

Success Story 4:
Inspiring an Innovative Animal Education and Rescue Program to Take Its Bold Next Step An executive coaching experience helped clarify strengths, hone leadership and administrative skills, and articulate the mission to confidently take a bold step forward.

"I had never written a grant proposal before, and Jean guided me through a tough project for a first-timer – one that everyone said we had no chance for success. We actually were awarded the grant and went on to establish a full-time Program Director position as a result. That enabled us to do great things in“ our community and make our name known in regional animal welfare circles. As a result, we’ve won more grants.” -- Patsy Beeker, President, Cabarrus CARES/ Kitty City

The Client:
Cabarrus CARES/ Kitty City is a nonprofit coalition of animal rescue services that launched a new project named Kitty City. This new project combines a learning center dedicated to responsible pet ownership and care, spaying and neutering to reduce overpopulation of unwanted animals, and general education about animal ethics and stewardship, along with an adoption center. Based on its strategy of outreach to parents through dialogue with school children, Kitty City is the first of its kind in the region.

The Situation:
In light of rapidly developing community partnerships as Kitty City made its debut, and the breadth and depth of support from veterinarians, volunteer educators, citizen action groups and government leaders, the need to stabilize operational funding was critical.

By day, the program’s founder and volunteer coordinator, Patsy Beeker, held a full-time job to pay her bills. At 5 pm, she began her “heart work” on behalf of abandoned animals. The big problem: she needed the full-time job to pay her bills but had no time for nonprofit administrative duties of raising funds, activating volunteers and strategic planning, etc., because of the full-time job.

Patsy Beeker had the vision, rescue experience, and the network of animal advocates – to incubate her dream into reality. What she needed was operational support and guidance.

The Process:
Jean Long helped Patsy identify her strengths and goals. Jean facilitated brainstorming sessions that generated creative ideas, targeted and prioritized prospective donors, and developed practical cultivation strategies. Then, Patsy was able to clearly articulate the program’s core values and unique characteristics.

The Result:
Patsy resigned her full-time job to become the first paid Executive Director of Cabarrus Cares and Kitty City, an opportunity made possible by a generous “venture philanthropist” and animal lover. In her first 3 years of paid executive leadership, over 500 animals are now adopted and Sully, the trainer dog has educated well over 1,000 schoolchildren on animal care and ethics.