Nonprofit Net, Inc.

Nonprofit Net Mission Statement

Our mission is to unite nonprofits within a community to attract local philanthropic resources and to increase their capacity to deliver services.

We work with nonprofit organizations to facilitate access to local resources that would not otherwise be available. Whether the objective is fundraising, finding new board members, recruiting volunteers or improving operations, we help our member organizations reach their goals more easily and more quickly. We also help our members to improve the capacity of their boards and improve their own internal management and operational practices by providing access to managerial and executive talent at regular peer group meetings.

Seminar Videos Now Available on LexMedia

Lexmedia has been video taping our meetings and has made available the videos of our May, October and November 2009 seminars. We will be adding videos of our seminars going forward.

To view the videos, please click here.

February 2010 Seminar Announcement

Nonprofit Net is pleased to announce a seminar on Tuesday, February 23, 2:30PM-4:30PM; in the Meeting Room in Cary Memorial Library, 1874 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington MA 02420.

To register for the seminar please click here.

Seminar Description

Effective Marketing Communications on a Shoestring

In the current economy, most nonprofit organizations face extremely tight marketing communications budgets, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create and execute effective marketing plans. In fact, these days, the ability to make and execute smart marketing communications decisions is more important than ever. If you are concerned about the effectiveness of your marketing communications programs, then don’t miss this seminar. This interactive workshop is designed to help both leadership and marketing staff to think about: Who are your target audiences? What are the most cost-effective ways to reach them? How will you know what’s working? You will leave armed with some practical tools that you can implement immediately to improve your marketing communications.

The seminar will be conducted by Michele Levy, a seasoned brand strategist. Michele considers herself a brand therapist for nonprofits, start-ups and what she affectionately refers to as “other entrepreneurial organizations.” She has worked with a wide range of nonprofit and corporate clients of all sizes, adeptly bridging the sectors and leveraging best practices from both. Her work includes research, brand strategy, communications planning, and training. She is a valued thought leader and lecturer, and has spoken on branding and communications to a variety of organizations, including the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the American Association of State and Local History, the National Association of Independent Schools, the New England Museum Association, the Medical Reserve Corps, Museums of Boston, Regional Independent School Communicators and the Essex County Community Foundation. An honors graduate of Harvard College, Michele received her MBA from Boston University. More about Michele at www.brand-strat.com

This event is free and open to all nonprofit organizations and individuals interested in the nonprofit sector. Coffee shall be served. The Nonprofit Net Inc. is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization based in Lexington. Its mission is to unite nonprofits with their community and increase their capacity to deliver services. To attend the seminar, please register at www.nonprofitnet.us

With warm regards,

Joe O'Regan, Chairman

The Nonprofit Net Inc.

Lexington, MA 02421

http://nonprofitnet.us

We unite nonprofits with their community

P.S

Please note that the seminar starts at 2.30 pm instead of usual 1.30 pm.

Materials from the January 2010 Seminar have been posted

The materials from the January 2010 Seminar have been posted.

Seminar title: Why we all throw away requests for donations
10 essentials for the next letter you send to prospective donors

Seminar description - 2010-1-19 Why we throw away requests for donations

icon Letters and 10 Ways (1.04 MB 2010-01-19 11:35:57) - this version is a PDF and doesn't contain the notes.

icon Letter and 10 Ways (1.6 MB 2010-01-20 10:27:36) - this version is a PowerPoint document and does contain the notes.

Materials from the November and Decmeber 2009 seminars

The materials from both seminars have been posted.

November Seminar materials: "The Art of the Ask"

icon 2009-11-18: The Art of the Ask? ( )

December Semianr materials: "Get That Grant Through a Sublime Proposal Budget!"

icon 2009-12-17: Get That Grant Through a Sublime Proposal Budget ( )

December Seminar Announcement

Nonprofit Net is pleased to announce a seminar on Thursday, December 17, 2009, 1:30pm - 3:30 pm; in the Meeting Room in Cary Memorial Library, 1874 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington MA 02420.

To register for the seminar please click here .

Seminar Description

Get That Grant Through a Sublime Proposal Budget!

Foundations are experiencing reduced endowment income to the tune of 25 to 30 percent due to the last year's market meltdown and at the same time are receiving higher funding requests due to the current great recession. Obtaining grants has become more competitive than ever, so if your proposal isn’t excellent, chances are you will not receive the dough, re, mi. If your current proposal does not sing with clarity, or looks like it was written on Fantasy Island, come to this workshop and learn to create sublime, winning proposals budgets! Attendees will learn about budgeting pitfalls, tools to help with budgeting, common revenues and expenses, and presentation of budget material accompanying the proposal. Sample budgets will be dissected.

The seminar will be conducted by Carla C. Cataldo, M.P.P , principal at the consulting firm of Proposals, Etc.( http://proposalsetc.com ). Carla brings eighteen years of proposal-writing experience which has garnered several million dollars in support from federal, state, corporate, and private foundation sources. She has served clients in the areas of education, health and human services, economic development, transportation enhancements, housing, historical preservation and the arts with spectacular results -- in 2008, her clients received, on average, a return of 1600% on their investment of services. She is the co-author of Get That Grant! The Quick-Start Guide to Successful Proposals (Booklocker.com 2009) and is a frequent presenter of proposal-writing workshops . She currently serves on the Board of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Central Massachusetts Chapter; and previously served as a member of the MetroWest Community Health Care Foundation’s Distribution Committee. Carla holds degrees from Smith College and the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

November Seminar Announcement

Nonprofit Net is pleased to announce a seminar on Wednesday, November 18, 2009; 1:30pm-3:30pm in the Meeting Room in Cary Memorial Library, 1874 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington MA 02420.

To register for the seminar please click here.

Seminar Description

The Art of the Ask?

Do you agonize when you have to talk to a prospective donor about a meeting to discuss a major gift? Do you worry that your call will be ignored or request for an appointment be declined? Do you know who should actually set up the appointment? What the actual call should sound like? Who should go to the meeting? How to conduct the meeting? When during the meeting to Ask? How much to Ask for? How to handle put offs and objections. How to close the gift? For many smaller nonprofits this is uncharted territory. While “Asking “is best done with research, preparation and donor cultivation, the actual Ask is still very daunting. This interactive seminar will demystify the process for you and hopefully make you more comfortable in The Art of Asking.