FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018

MONTGOMERY – The Central Alabama Community Foundation (CACF) on Wednesday announced that four River Region nonprofits have been awarded a special year-long grant training opportunity designed to help create a successful development plan that can sustain nonprofit programs for long-term success.

CACF is partnering with the Network for Good on the Jumpstart Program to help chosen nonprofits develop a fundraising plan. The one-year program provides a web-based donor management system, an online gift processing system, online communications tools as well as training and support from a personal fundraising coach and a technical support team. Through a web-based portal, each nonprofit chosen for the program can access a variety of online tools, training resources, and one-on-one fundraising instruction. On average, organizations that complete the Jumpstart program increase revenue by an average of 27% in the first year.

“As a sector, we rely on healthy, financially-resilient nonprofits that have the capacity to respond to emerging needs. Most organizations, however, struggle to meet – let alone exceed – their annual fundraising target. Now, working alongside CACF’s enterprising staff and generous donors, we will be serving those who have dedicated themselves to serving others in the River Region,” Nate Nasralla, Network for Good’s Senior Program Director said.

In January, CACF hosted a workshop for nonprofit leaders to learn how to build and implement a fundraising plan that is right-sized for the nonprofit. Nearly 140 people attended representing over 90 nonprofit organizations in the River Region. After the training session, attendees were eligible to apply for a new JumpStart grant initiative. The board of directors of CACF approved the Jumpstart nonprofits at its April board meeting.

Nonprofits selected for the Jumpstart Program are:

• Child Protect, a nonprofit organization that provides counseling services to children of abuse during the investigative process.
• Clefworks, a nonprofit organization that provides the community with unique opportunities to experience Chamber music and promote the appreciation of this art.
• Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama, a nonprofit organization that works to build girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place.
• The Wellness Coalition, a nonprofit organization that facilitates a coordinated, community-wide system to improve the health and wellness of people with limited or no health insurance through collaboration, services, and education.

“This Jumpstart grant will provide a huge boost to the Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama’s fundraising program.  Having access to a quality database combined with a coach will enable us to reach more potential donors in the Southern Alabama region, allowing us to serve even more girls across 30 counties.  We are excited about the potential this has in providing critical funding to expand programs in STEM, leadership development and outdoor experiences.  When our girls succeed, so does society.  We thank the CACF for believing in helping nonprofit organizations receive the tools they need to be successful in serving the community,” Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama Chief Development Officer Alicia Schneider said.

“The Central Alabama Community Foundation is working to provide resources for River Region nonprofit organizations that support our community,” CACF President Burton Ward said. “Thanks to a great partnership with Network for Good, we are able to connect nonprofits with important training that can be used to create opportunities for growth and expanded missions without having to hire additional staff or deplete resources.”