Passion Is Not a Program: How to Make Your Nonprofit Idea Fundable
A few weeks ago, I talked with someone who was in the process of launching a nonprofit focused on recovery services.
As we talked about why he wanted to start the organization, I discovered there was a deeply personal story behind it. He had his own experience with recovery and had also lost a family member to addiction. He had seen the problem firsthand and felt compelled to do something that might change the trajectory for someone else.
That kind of passion is where a lot of great nonprofits begin.
You see a problem. You experience a need personally. You recognize a gap that nobody else seems to be filling and decide, Somebody needs to do something about this, and I think it’s ME.
But there’s an important step between caring deeply about a problem and building a nonprofit program that other people will be willing to fund.
A good idea is not automatically a fundable program.
The short version: Passion may be what starts a nonprofit, but passion alone does not make a program fundable. Donors need to understand the specific problem you’re addressing, who you’re serving, what you’ll do, what will change, and why your organization is equipped to deliver it.
Passion and programs do two different jobs
In the early stages of a nonprofit, encouragement can sometimes hide this distinction.
You tell friends about your idea and they say, “That’s incredible. You should do this!”
Potential board members love the mission. People in your community tell you how badly the service is needed. All of that affirmation makes it easy to assume you’re ready to move forward.
Then you begin fundraising.
The money doesn’t flow in like you imagined, or it doesn’t flow in at all. And you’re left wondering:
Why doesn't anybody see what we see?
The problem may not be the generosity of your donors or the importance of your mission.
It may simply be that you’ve your passion isn’t yet a fully designed program.
Passion answers the question:
Why do we care?
A program answers:
What exactly are we doing, for whom, and to what end?
You need both.
Passion is the heart of the work. Program design gives that passion a specific place to go.
Donors aren't just evaluating your passion
Most donors will assume you care about the problem. After all, you started or lead an organization devoted to solving it.
What they need to understand is whether your organization has a credible plan for doing something about it.
That means they’re asking questions like:
Is the problem clearly defined?
Do you know specifically who you're trying to help?
Is there a clear connection between what you're doing and the problem you're trying to solve?
What will actually change if your program succeeds?
And does your organization have the ability to pull it off?
Those questions aren't an attack on your vision. They're reasonable questions from someone considering investing their money in it.
An unclear program creates risk.
A clearly designed program helps a donor see how their gift can lead to an outcome.
What makes a nonprofit program fundable?
A nonprofit program becomes fundable when it clearly identifies the problem it addresses, the people it serves, the activities it provides, the outcomes it intends to create, and the organization’s ability to deliver on its promises. Donors are more likely to invest when they can see how their gift connects to a specific, credible outcome.
The Five-Part Fundability Test
Before launching a new program or beginning to raise money for one, I recommend putting the idea through five questions.
1. What specific problem are we solving?
“Poverty” is a problem, but it's probably too broad to build a program around. What aspect of poverty? Where? Who is experiencing it? What does that problem look like in their everyday lives?
Just like when you are crafting your mission statement, the more clearly you can define the problem, the easier it becomes to design an appropriate response.
2. Who exactly are we serving?
Be careful with answers like “the community,” “people in our county,” or “anyone who needs help.”
Who specifically benefits from this program? Where are they? What characteristics or circumstances define the population you're trying to serve?
You aren't necessarily excluding people by becoming more specific. You're creating the focus necessary to serve people well.
3. What are we actually doing about the problem?
This is the point where the rubber meets the road.
Are you providing meals? Counseling? Mentoring? Job training? Classes? Housing assistance?
A potential donor should be able to see a clear line between the problem you've identified and the activity you're asking them to help fund.
4. What will be different because we did it?
This is where an activity becomes an outcome.
Serving 500 meals tells me what you did. The more important question is what changed for the people you served.
What improves? What decreases? What becomes possible that wasn't possible before?
You don't need a complicated measurement system, especially if you're a small organization. But you should be able to explain what success looks like.
5. Why are we the right organization to do this right now?
Passion alone isn't capacity.
Do you have the staff, volunteers, expertise, partnerships, relationships, processes, or experience necessary to deliver what you're promising?
Sometimes the answer is, “Not yet.”
It doesn't mean the idea is bad. It means you've identified what needs to be built before you ask someone else to invest in it.
Good ideas deserve good design
If you're the founder or director of a nonprofit, it can be difficult to subject an idea you care deeply about to questions like these. The program may be connected to your personal story, your calling, or the very reason you started the organization.
But good program ideas deserve good design.
So before you start your next program, send an email to tell your supporters about it, or sit across the table from a potential major donor, take the idea through these five questions.
Pay particular attention to the questions that are hardest to answer. Those aren't necessarily reasons to abandon the idea. They're showing you where the idea still needs work.
The clearer you are about the specifics of your program, the easier it is to invite people to give to fund it.
Donors understand what their gift will accomplish. And your organization has a much clearer picture of what success is supposed to look like.
Passion may be where your nonprofit begins. But a well-designed program is what turns that passion into impact.
FAQs
What is a fundable nonprofit program?
A fundable nonprofit program is a clearly designed service or activity that addresses a specific problem, serves a defined population, produces measurable outcomes, and can be realistically delivered by the organization.
How do you know if a nonprofit idea is fundable?
Ask whether you can clearly explain the problem, the people being served, the work being done, the expected results, and why your organization is equipped to do it.
Why isn’t passion enough to start a nonprofit?
Passion explains why the work matters, but donors also need to understand what the organization will do and what their gifts will accomplish.
What is the difference between a nonprofit activity and an outcome?
An activity describes what the nonprofit does, such as serving meals or providing counseling. An outcome describes what changes because of that activity.
Should a new nonprofit begin fundraising before launching its program?
A new nonprofit can begin building relationships and raising early support, but it should be able to clearly explain what the program will do, who it will serve, and what success will look like.
How specific should a nonprofit program be?
A program should be specific enough that the organization can identify its intended participants, activities, expected outcomes, and delivery model. Specificity creates focus rather than unnecessarily excluding people.
Key takeaways
Passion explains why a nonprofit cares, but program design explains what it will do.
Donors need more than an important mission. They need a credible plan.
A clear program identifies the problem, population, activities, outcomes, and organizational capacity.
Difficult questions often reveal where an idea needs more development.
Good program design makes fundraising, communication, and evaluation easier.
Matt Stockman is a nonprofit growth coach who helps startup, small, and growing nonprofits build stronger fundraising, marketing, leadership, operations, programs, and financial systems. He has coached hundreds of nonprofit and ministry leaders throughout North America, and around the world