It has been an absolute pleasure writing blog posts for NFPs, charities and other volunteer-based organisations over the last financial year and we look forward to doing the same this year.

We have seen some interesting trends over the last 12 months with more and more focus being placed on such topics as funding and grant applications. As technology develops, we have also seen subjects such as social media and marketing rise to the forefront of the nonprofit world. Good communication on all levels has also shown itself to be a necessity, especially since for-profit businesses are expanding into the world of social enterprises with great success.

Here are some of the hot topics we penned last financial year.

July 2016 – Build Relationships – Promote Your Sponsors

Sponsors can play a significant role in the success of your NFP by providing funding and contributing to its success. So it’s good to build and maintain a good relationship with your sponsors, and one of the ways you can do this is by offering them a benefit for their investment. We’ve done the thinking for you by making a list of some ways you can show your sponsors that you wanting to help them as much as they help you.

August 2016 – Fundraising – An NFP Necessity

Unless you are 100% Government grant led then fundraising is important to the efficient running of your NFP. Therefore every NFP wants to understand how they can build their fundraising capacity to further their work and cause. Are there any secrets?

September 2016 – Change Your Accounting Software

Even when a nonprofit does start out with an accounting system in place, eventually many of these original systems that were new on the market just a few years ago are no longer sophisticated enough to handle all of the data points and functions that are required. While some software companies do come out with periodic updates for their systems, these upgrades can become quite expensive as well. If either of these scenarios sounds familiar, it is truly well past time to update and simplify your processes by changing your NFP’s accounting software.

October 2016 – Stress And Your Volunteer Treasurer

When we think of stressful jobs, we tend to think of occupations such as soldiers, and first responders such as police officers or firefighters, because they directly risk their lives in the course of doing their job. Their lives and the lives of others are often directly on the line, whether or not they personally make a mistake or miscalculate the risks.

November 2016 – Can You Measure Your NFP’s Impact?

For most NFPs, the reason for the creation of the organisation was to raise money for a worthwhile cause or to fund additional research. Regardless of the reason, the outcome is expected to be the same; to make a real impact. Interestingly, it has recently been identified in a report from the Centre for Social Impact at the University of Western Australia, that identifying whether an NFP is, in fact, making a difference to their cause, is vastly unknown.

December 2016 – 3 Common Mistakes Volunteer Treasurers Make

Volunteering to be the Treasurer for your organisation can be overwhelming at times. The first step in making it easier is to use modern software like Admin Bandit to streamline all the things you need to get done. Once you have that in place, there are a few common mistakes you’ll want to avoid to stay on top of the job.

January 2017 – Grant Application and Writing Tips

Grant applications are a big part of an NFP’s ability to get the funding it needs to fulfil its mission statement. But often, as with any application, they are left to the last minute and filled in rapidly before the closing date. If there is less than a week to go before closing, move on. Successful grant applications take time, even when they are carried out by experienced grant writers. If you want to increase your funding, then it is worth spending more time on those applications. Here are some of our top tips.

February 2017 – Qualities Of A Good Volunteer Treasurer

The primary duties of a treasurer may depend on the particular charity. They generally include overseeing the finances of the NFP, preparing financial reports, advising the board on possible financial strategies and initiating fundraising ideas. If you are currently working in the position or are seeking someone to fulfil the position of treasurer within your company, here are five must-have qualities of a volunteer treasurer.

March 2017 – Expert Branding Tips for NFPs

NFPs often have small budgets when it comes to branding and marketing due to limited grants and fundraising opportunities. Here are some branding tips to maximise those dollars and get the word out about your charity efforts at the same time.

April 2017 – Happiness In The NFP Workplace

Numerous scientific studies have shown a link between altruistic behaviour, such as activities that involve volunteering and giving back, and having a greater sense of self-esteem and self-worth. These are two factors that can contribute to the level of happiness that we experience in our day-to-day lives.

May 2017 – Get Creative With Your NFP Finances

As many NFPs rely mainly on some type of government funding or grant, when things change, it can be a struggle to keep up. For the majority of NFPs, it can be tricky to find sustainable income for them to carry out their social impact goals; it is time for them to get creative with their NFP finances.

June 2017 – How To Move To Financial Sustainability

Your nonprofit may be on a sound financial footing now, but how well positioned is your organisation to be able to fund its service projects and achieve its objectives in the future? Is your fundraising at a level that supports sustainable growth, or, will you be struggling to survive should you lose a major award or contribution?

We would like to thank you for supporting Admin Bandit and look forward to sharing tips, information and advice this financial year.