What does donor-ready mean for a nonprofit?

Donor-ready means your organization can hand a major donor a plan and have that plan hold up. It requires three things a donor will ask about: where you are going, what it costs, and how many people it reaches. Those answers live on a one-page case for support, built from a strategic plan, clear messaging, and a fundraising audit.

Is my organization too small to be donor-ready?

Organizations between $1 million and $3 million in budget are the ones this is built for. Past startup, before institutional. Small enough that the founder is still in every decision, large enough that the founder being in every decision has become the ceiling.

We just need a grant writer. Can Seven & Associates help with that?

Seven & Associates does not write grants. Raising money without fixing the messaging, marketing, and goals underneath it is a Band-Aid. The firm builds the strategy, messaging, and fundraising plan that make grants winnable, and several clients have written later phases of that work into successful grant applications.

Does Seven & Associates execute the work or advise on it?

Most clients want strategic oversight. Lonna Gibson directs the work and brings the client's own staff along so they can run it after she steps back. If the organization has nobody to bring along, the team can execute. The goal is always that the organization keeps the system.

How long does a nonprofit strategy engagement take?

A strategic plan takes 90 days. A marketing strategy takes 30 to 45 days. The full 7Forward Donor-Ready System takes 90 days with the phases overlapping. Retainers run on a three-month minimum.

What is a fractional CMO for a nonprofit?

A fractional CMO is a part-time chief marketing officer who owns an organization's marketing and communications strategy, usually 10 to 20 hours a month. A freelancer does tasks and an agency runs campaigns, but a fractional CMO sets direction, holds the messaging, and makes sure every marketing decision serves a fundraising goal.