Is NCDS' Fundraising Methodology Right for You?

NCDS pioneered the multi-year strategic initiative (MYSI) approach for funding community and economic development organizations that achieves far more than annual "maintenance" revenue. This approach has been adopted by organizations in communities of all sizes across the U.S. to either supplement or replace other sources of funding. Our "turn-key" model is an ideal fit for:
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• Organizations that can't fully execute their missions because of budget constraints or outdated funding models
• Membership and dues-based organizations whose revenues have plateaued
• Special, unique projects and opportunities that cannot be funded through traditional sources of revenue
• Volunteer leaders who are passionate and committed, but also reluctant to ask for money
• Chambers of Commerce and Economic Development Organizations that have been charged with new and expanded functions
• Newly created or merged organizations and partnerships
• Urgent projects and programs that have a finite window of opportunity

Proven & Reliable Process

Your fundraising campaign is too important to your organization and your community to risk underperformance. With over 700 campaigns under our belt, NCDS has enhanced and refined an extremely reliable approach to the management and execution of fundraising campaigns that meet deadlines, achieve key objectives, and lead to predictable results.

While each campaign is tailored to the unique characteristics and conditions of the client and community, every NCDS campaign is led by a focused project team to skillfully and resolutely deliver our proven process along a critical path to achieve the campaign goal. At NCDS, we don’t make it up as we go and that means no surprises for our clients.

Strategic, Effective Use of Volunteers

We do not train and educate client staff and volunteers and then watch from the sidelines while they either succeed or fail. NCDS is a hands-on partner at every step, especially in directing solicitations. Credible, respected volunteers are essential to any campaign’s success, but nobody enjoys asking for money. NCDS leads volunteer enlistment and deployment, and makes it easy for them to succeed. As a result, volunteers love NCDS campaigns.

Our methodology means we can recruit the very top community leaders to participate in our capital campaigns - which leads to campaign success. Those same leaders frequently ask us to help their other favorite causes and organizations. While we limit their time commitment, every NCDS solicitation is made at the right moment, for the right reasons, for the right amount, and reinforced by respected leaders and peers to secure a fair and proportionate investment.

Outcomes and Impacts are More Compelling than "Organizational Needs."

New jobs, higher incomes, capital investments, workforce development, quality of life enhancements, and expanded tax bases are typical objectives of our clients' programming. And they certainly need resources to achieve those things. For your fundraising to succeed, you need a compelling case that resonates with the "enlightened self-interest" of your constituency. It's more than just the "community good." With the help of our Economic Strategy Center, we demonstrate specific, bottom-line impacts on select industries and even individual companies.

By making a sound business case for our clients’ projects and programs we consistently secure six and seven-figure investments from those entities (both public and private) with the greatest stake in the future of the community or region. Moreover, we apply these same principles to quality-of-life initiatives, including arts & cultural projects, educational programs, and social service offerings. Our emphasis on ROI fundraising ensures that every campaign pursues every method of answering the “what’s in it for me” question with something more than just the warm glow of philanthropy.