Are You Ready for Grassroots Fundraising? (Part 2)

This is also a great way to "meet" new friends. Include your social-media contact information on everything you do in terms of publicity, and then make sure the content you provide is fresh and local-based. You can become the "go-to site" if you give your neighbors information about the community that is interesting to them.

Volunteers can make or break your nonprofit
On a national level, many nonprofits don't rely on volunteers other than to stuff letters or help with other office functions. On a local level, they are the lifeblood of your organization. They make the events happen. They provide "staff" when you can't afford to hire any. They recruit new donors. And they are brand ambassadors for your organization.

Making sure your volunteers have an experience that is meaningful and enjoyable is critical. If a volunteer feels unappreciated or mistreated, he or she will tell others — and those "others" are also your neighbors. Your reputation in the community can be rapidly smeared by one unhappy volunteer. On the other hand, an engaged and energized volunteer could be the PR machine your organization can't afford to hire.

Consider developing a Volunteer Bill of Rights; an example is provided by The NonProfit Times. When everyone in the organization buys in to this, you have productive, fulfilled volunteers who love your work and want their families and friends to have the privilege of also being part of your nonprofit.

Remember the key takeaway from these two articles on grassroots fundraising vs. fundraising for an organization with a larger scope: Neither one is better. They are just different. Being forewarned and considering if you have the skill set and temperament to move from one to another can contribute to success — for you and the nonprofit where you invest your time and talents.