Affiliate Capacity Building Toolkit First Version, September 2015 Page 0
Contents Introduction... 2 How to Use... 2 Future Versions... 2 Questions or Suggestions?... 2 Impact Statements... 3 Impact Statement Template... 3 Reaching Diverse Communities... 5 How to reach new communities... 5 Volunteer Recruitment/Retention... 6 How and where to recruit volunteers... 6 How to maintain volunteers... 6 Elements of Volunteer Position Description... 7 Fund Development... 8 Fundraising vs Fund Development... 8 The Planning Process... 8 Places to Look for Funding... 8 Online resources for seeking out funding... 9 Other forms of Funding... 9 Basics of Grant Writing... 10 Conclusion... 12 Appendix Affiliate Impact Statement (Available as a Word document for editing)... 13 NAMI CA Impact Statement page 1... 14 NAMI CA Impact Statement- page 2... 15 Mental Health 101 program flier... 16 Citations... 17 Page 1
Introduction Through funding from the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA), NAMI California pilot tested the first Affiliate Mentor Program in spring of 2015. This program was designed to identify strengths of Affiliates which could in turn help other Affiliates. Mentor relationships were established between select Affiliates to help them learn and grow from one another in the areas of fundraising, volunteer recruitment and retention, reaching diverse communities and strengthening their Stigma and Discrimination Reduction (SDR) programs. Page 2 This program was pilot tested throughout the following process: 1. A statewide survey of Affiliate needs, strengths and areas for growth was conducted 2. Regional conference calls were scheduled to discuss in more detail the common trends of Affiliate capacity needs from that area 3. Three regions were selected for site visits with NAMI California s Affiliate Capacity Building expert; during these meetings, mentor/mentee relationships were established and goals determined How to Use This Toolkit contains various items for Affiliates to use in strengthening their stigma and discrimination reduction (SDR) programs. Affiliates are encouraged to expand upon the resources offered here and tailor each one to fit the unique culture of their own Affiliate and community. Affiliates can use these resources in their fundraising efforts, volunteer recruitment and retention planning, outreach to diverse communities and more. Future Versions NAMI California will continue to expand and grow the Mentor Program, and updated Toolkits may be developed as a result. As those become available, NAMI California will release them to the Affiliates with the Version number clearly marked on the cover. Questions or Suggestions? Please send questions, feedback on this guide and suggestions for future Toolkits to Beth Wolf, Director of Programs at NAMI CA, beth@namica.org. NAMI CA strives to make all materials they create useful to affiliates, so your feedback is very valuable.
Impact Statements What is an Impact Statement? i An Impact Statement: Page 3 Briefly summarizes, in simple terms, the difference your Affiliate, programs or advocacy efforts have made. States accomplishments and creates strong support for programs. Answers the questions... "So what?" and "Who cares? Conveys accomplishments in simple language that is free of technical jargon. Your impact audience is the public: local, state, and federal officials, members, counties, your peers, external grantors, and industry representatives. Impact statements follow a simple formula: Provide an issue or problem statement. Have an action statement. It describes how your work helps resolve the problem. Make sure you state why something is a problem, and then follow up with how your work makes a difference. Includes the impact and the benefits. The impact of your works is in the answer to the question "What is the payoff?" An impact could include quotes from those who have benefited from your efforts or the numbers of people who have been reached. Who was responsible? List any local or statewide partners and funders. Your name and contact information. Impact statements can be distributed in the following ways (not a complete list): At community events or resource fairs By mail Posted to your Affiliate website or Facebook page In your annual report Impact statements can be used in the following ways (not a complete list): To show potential funders the impact your Affiliate has had To communicate to your membership To let your community, schools and county offices of mental health know the impact the public has benefited from Impact Statement Template NAMI CA has provided a template for Affiliates to use to create their own professional looking impact statement. It is included at the end of this resource guide in the Appendix, and is available as a Word document to make it easy for each Affiliate to customize it.
NAMI CA has also provided their own impact statement in the Appendix as an example of the kind of data and information Affiliates may want to include in their own. Page 4
Reaching Diverse Communities Expanding reach into diverse communities is a crucial part of growing the SDR programs. NAMI CA has been researching and working with cultural communities over the course of the CalMHSA grant, and is prepared to now assist Affiliates in reaching new communities. Page 5 How to reach new communities Why reach and go to are the right words It is not realistic to expect many people from diverse ethnic and linguistic backgrounds to come to the meeting places and meetings that we have already established, at least not without a lot of assistance. People are looking for help within their own communities and from people who understand them. Before an outsider can help resolve a community problem, we need to understand what they perceive that problem to be. What to do when you don t have the resources to fully assess a community s needs Find one or more partners who are part of the community or who already have relationships within the community. NAMI California has developed a list of potential partners which follows this page. Begin with a NAMI California Mental Health 101 presentation (program flier in the Appendix). This mental health education and stigma reduction program is tailored for the LGBTQ, Asian Pacific-Islander, Latino/a, African-American and Native American communities; it is also able to be presented to a general audience. Ask about how the community views mental illness before beginning the presentation or course. Try to use the language with which they are comfortable and meet them where they are. When presenting a NAMI signature program that allows you only a bit of leeway, ask that they listen to NAMI s view and then discuss with you how that does or does not fit with their concepts. For more information, visit NAMI National s Multicultural Action Center webpage.
Volunteer Recruitment/Retention NAMI CA s membership is approximately 75% volunteer based. Volunteers are the driving force of many affiliates and programs, and recruitment and retention are often areas that require assistance. Page 6 How and where to recruit volunteers Define volunteer jobs think about what you need in a volunteer, how many hours per week, what he or she will do, etc. When possible, write position descriptions (see Elements of a Position Description on the next page) including the skills needed. Most people want to know what exactly they are taking on; providing the Position Description will help volunteers know what is expected. Decide what experience each volunteer job requires; for instance, a NAMI CA Mental Health 101 presenter needs peer or peer supporter lived experience and training while the person helping to get the newsletter out needs no special skill. Determine if the volunteer must be a NAMI member. NAMI Walk volunteers often come from schools, businesses, clubs, or even volunteer matching organizations. A volunteer base needs to be broad with multiple sources of new recruits, e.g., do not rely only on new graduates of Family to Family. People respond better to recruitment efforts when they can see a menu of opportunities and do not feel pressured to take on a job they feel unprepared to perform. Some diverse community members are not accustomed to giving their time to an organization and feel devalued when asked to do so. However, those same people are very willing to help an individual with whom they have developed a relationship. For example: One successful affiliate sends board members to Family to Family classes to emphasize NAMI s need for volunteers and the value that the class graduates will find in continuing a close working relationship with NAMI. How to maintain volunteers Begin with adequate training. Some affiliates conduct regular NAMI 101 trainings to ensure that every volunteer understands the organization he or she is helping. Some affiliates have policies that paid and unpaid personnel must follow such as zero tolerance for consuming alcohol while working. Volunteers need that basic information.
It is a privilege to volunteer for NAMI. Being interviewed and well trained emphasizes that privilege. The interview is not just for show. It is an opportunity for the affiliate and the volunteer to get to know each other, discover where they fit together, and identify any aspirations the volunteer may have. Everyone likes recognition even if it is just a birthday card each year. Business cards are another form of recognition for those volunteers who are in positions with complete position descriptions. Small affiliates may have no paid staff, just overworked volunteers. In that case, the affiliate needs to carefully measure the people hours required for projects and set priorities so the volunteers are saved from burn out. Page 7 Elements of Volunteer Position Description Name of position Purpose of position Background of establishing position use only if needed Reports to: Responsibilities and Tasks Required skills Required experience and training Additionally useful skills, experience and training Transportation requirements
Fund Development Having enough of a budget to offer a program while ensuring there is enough staff and volunteers is a challenge for almost all affiliates. Below are suggestions and tips on fundraising, fund development, and the difference between the two. Page 8 Fundraising vs Fund Development Fundraising is activity that is conducted with the intention of raising money for a nonprofit organization or charity. It usually involves asking people for donations, using a variety of communication methods, asking people to purchase a product or service that supports the charity, or having people participate in an event of some sort. Fund development is the process by which organizations use fundraising to build capacity and sustainability. It is concerned not only with raising money, but doing so in a way that develops reliable sources of income that will sustain the organization through the realization of its long term mission and vision. Fund development usually involves building relationships with people and other organizations that will support the charity. It requires a strategic plan that relates funding to the purpose and programs of the organization. A part of the strategic plan will be a fund development plan that coordinates various forms of fundraising, marketing, communications, and volunteer management. ii The Planning Process Planning to bring in revenue can be simple and fairly quick, or sophisticated and time consuming. For instance, if an affiliate knows that it will need $1,000 for a program, some brainstorming can take place and a plan can arise fairly quickly. If an affiliate is developing a strategic plan to grow into one that can provide all of the programs in all areas of a community while providing public policy advocacy at all levels of government, it will need to plan a budget and source of revenue just to do the planning. Most affiliates undertake a process somewhere in between. Most organizations do develop a budget based on their mission and priorities although some would rather plan a fundraising campaign and then see how much they have to spend. Once an affiliate knows how much income is needed for the year or for the multi-year planning period, then it can set about identifying sources. Places to Look for Funding Member donations Friend donations Bequests and honorariums Community foundations Large foundations Corporate sponsors
Corporate grants NAMI grants for special purposes County government grants and contracts o Sub-contracts with local Community Based Organizations (CBOs) Online resources for seeking out funding Grantwatch - http://www.grantwatch.com/ The Foundation Directory Online - https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/ The NonProfit Times - http://www.thenonprofittimes.com/grants/ Page 9 Other forms of Funding We are often told that a significant portion of our revenue should come from individual donations. The truth is that even nonprofit organizations with well-staffed fund development departments find that their wooing of donors does not consistently work well. National figures that tell us otherwise include donations to religious institutions so set realistic goals Planned giving, trust remainder beneficiary plans, and other forms of bequests should be implemented with the understanding that both the if and the when of such giving is never certain. Community foundations manage many small family funds. An afternoon or two at the foundation office or online with their database can yield names, contacts, and instructions for pursuing a number of family funds. Check out larger foundations at your local nonprofit support organization or use the online resources listed above. These foundations often have windows of time for submitting applications and increasingly have online applications. Spend some time researching the foundation before applying to be sure that your organization meets their criteria and that your mission fits with their pattern of funding. If the foundation funds only mental health research or clinical services, do not over-reach your mission just because the money looks good. Corporate sponsors are particularly good for events and specific outreach materials. Allow for plenty of time because many have hard and fast deadlines for application. Do not limit your corporate search to pharmaceutical companies or large healthcare organizations. Banks and many other businesses are often willing sponsors. Corporate grants may be small and readily available such as Walmart s $1,000 that is great for helping with NAMI Walk expenses. They are also of varying amounts and may require sponsorship by one of their employees. NAMI grants for special purposes are provided as incentives to try new NAMI programs or to implement other efforts. They are often not large but may help an affiliate expand their horizons into a new program or service area. California counties often help NAMI affiliates with funding or in-kind space, printing, etc. The process is highly individualized across the 58 counties from little more than a handshake to a full competitive Request for Proposal process. Other county departments may have funds for NAMI programs, also, such as Area Agency on Aging for older adult programming and Public Health for people living with both HIV and serious mental illnesses.
Basics of Grant Writing Gary Bess, Ph.D., presented Words with Friends: Competitive Grant Writing Strategies for 2015, presented at NAMI California Conference 2015. Below is information from his workshop. For more information or to obtain the presentation, please visit, by. http://conference.namica.org/workshops/ Competitive Grant Writing Strategies for 2015 You are writing a proposal to help your community, as opposed to your organization, so begin with how you wish to accomplish that. Page 10 Program Plan Describes the specific program or project you intend to implement Reflects a process of planning, design, cost calculations, resource alignment, and assessment/evaluation Clearly indicates: o Major activities to be carried out and o Applicant s ability to organize and implement Request Requests specific resources, mostly monetary, but could include other things Indicates the exact amount requested, often including specific line item expenditures, and justification for each major item Clearly ties to program plan Promise Commits to funder that certain activities will occur during a specific time period at a specified cost Represents an exchange between parties each receives something in return o Recognition, research data, new models of practice, fulfillment of funder s mission, reduced costs Represents a binding agreement o Be careful not to promise what you can t deliver! Persuasion Persuades funder to honor your request from among other worthy projects, and to partner with you Shows a mastery of your knowledge of the problem and people you intended to help Is an educational tool, a credibility building tool, and a long-term relationship development tool Do s and Don ts Be specific what s needed, planned & requested Avoid weak terms (e.g. many, some, few) Minimize local or professional jargon Be positive (do not beg) o You are an applicant, not a supplicant! Document with quotations, statistics, and other credible sources
Don t mention what you will do if you don t get funding o Create impression of success! Respond to substantive specifications concerning format and content of RFP Write in one voice Avoid unsupported assumptions Maintain focus on benefits to the population of focus, and not the organization or staff Solutions flow from our description of the problem (problem statement precedes implementation plan) Page 11 A proposal is a step-by-step logical argument Proposal Components Summary Agency Capability Statement of Need (within community)/problem Statement Program Plan Goals and Objectives Evaluation Budget Sustainability Goals & Objectives Goal qualitative statement Objective a quantitative statement o Process acquisition, creation or activity o Output service unit counts o Outcome showing that change has occurred Use If Then Statement If we provide parents with child development training, and if we provide developmental assessments, and if we offer parent supports, then they will know what to expect of their children and be reasonable in their expectations
Conclusion A booklet or toolkit such as this is not likely to ever have a final version. It currently includes sections and tools that affiliates can use immediately. To truly be useful, affiliates should let NAMI California know what helped and what did not and what is missing. It will be even better when affiliates submit their own documents to augment this toolkit. Page 12 Please provide feedback and suggestions for future versions of this toolkit to Beth Wolf, NAMI CA Director of Programs, at beth@namica.org.
Appendix Affiliate Impact Statement (Available as a Word document for editing) Page 13
NAMI CA Impact Statement page 1 Page 14
NAMI CA Impact Statement- page 2 Page 15
Mental Health 101 program flier Page 16
Citations ihow TO WRITE A GOOD IMPACT STATEMENT. (n.d.). Retrieved April 1, 2015, from Virginia Tech: http://www.efars.cals.vt.edu/efars/documents/writingimpactstatements.html Page 17 ii Strand, R. (n.d.). Fundraising or Fund Development: What's the difference?