Every organization, whether a for-profit business or a non-pofit community-based group, should have a communication strategy. A strategy can be very simple, and on the most basic level this simply means presenting a single clear, concise and compelling message to your stakeholders about what you do (programs/ services) and who you are (mission/ vision). Your communication strategy should manifest itself in your grant proposals, brochures, case statements, email communication and most importantly — your website.

Today, a company’s website is its business card. You must expect that anyone who is interested in vetting you or your work will start by navigating to your site. If you submit a grant proposal for “X,” and the funder goes to your website and all it talks about is “Y,” this will raise questions which will probably undermine your chances of winning that grant. Why? Your mission should not change whimsically — everything that you do, and therefore everything you write about, should be linkable back to your mission. Your website does not need to be, and should not be, a manifesto. Visitors to your site want a synopsis of what your organization is all about; don’t overwhelm. Keep it simple, aesthetic, organized, intuitive and informative.

Aaron has helped many clients with their communication strategies and development of strategic communication materials. Contact Aaron today and see if he can help you.

 

Aaron has worked with hundreds of non profit organizations in the fields of education, arts & culture, the environment, human services, economic development, special needs education, housing and more. If you, as an individual or through a family foundation, want to make an impact through social investing, Aaron can help.

Giving away money is harder than many people realize, if you truly want to make a difference with your dollars. It is important to carefully research the field to identify organizations with a track record that align with your giving objectives. Aaron and his team will carefully research and vet organizations, to ensure their finances are transparent, the executives are competent and most importantly, whether they get results. He will design a custom process that may be as simple as an interview, or include a competitive application process. This can be done on a project by project basis or systems can be established to facilitate long-term giving objectives. If you need help setting up systems for your new foundation we can assist with the entire process.

Contact Aaron and learn how you can achieve maximum community impact with your social investments.

Knowing where to start can be the most challenging aspect of fundraising.  The following resources are helpful in searching for institutional funding prospects (foundations, government, corporate):

• Grants.gov — the goto source for grants through the federal government
• Foundation Center — an inexpensive resource for searching thousands of foundations
• Grant Watch — another foundation research tool
• USDA Value Added Producer Grant — for working farms

Having a well developed strategic plan in place can help your organization in several ways, it will:

1. Help to develop a shared vision among stakeholders
2. Provide a detailed road map for future growth
3. Demonstrate to potential and current donors that you have a plan
4. Improve morale among your board and staff
5. Excite and motivate stakeholders to become more involved

 

The language above is very precise in order to emphasize the importance of process and ensure that your plan will not sit on some shelf collecting dust. The purpose of a strategic plan is not to write your organization’s vision. The purpose is to create a vision. By implicit definition, a vision is contextual — it cannot exist independently of PEOPLE! Therefore embodied in a “vision” or vision statement is that it has ‘buy-in’ from stakeholders. Further, the process of creating a vision — or strategic plan — should incorporate several important attributes:

• Inclusivity
• Utilization of data and evidence-based research
• Commitment to iterative dialog and qualitative analysis
• Openness to critical feedback and divergent/ transformational ideas
• Awareness of the marketplace (competitors, partners, market conditions)

 

How do you create a strategic plan? There are several ways to design the process, depending on the size and culture of the organization. A small or emerging organization may only necessitate involvement of the executive director and board — much of the work can be accomplished in two half-day retreats, with one-on-one meetings, data collection and market analysis conducted in-between. A regional or statewide organization that includes the general public as its stakeholders may also choose to hold public forums, or host online surveys, to illicit input.

On a more granular level I like to start with a point in time 1 to 5 years in the future and work backwards. What do you want to have accomplished 5 years from now? Once that vision is in place the process of breaking it down  into goals, objectives, strategies and actions steps — with financial projections and timelines — can be tackled in a relatively straightforward manner.

Aaron’s role as a facilitator through this process is to keep everyone’s ‘eyes on the prize’ — this document is not meant to be static, intimidating, or a paperweight. The purpose is to excite & motivate stakeholders and set a clear path to help your organization meet its vision!

 

Whether you need a speech written for an award acceptance, a business presentation, a keynote address or even a wedding toast, Aaron can help you find the right words, and have the desired affect on your audience.  In 1991 Aaron delivered the keynote student address at his commencement ceremony at UMASS, Amherst to an audience of over 10,000. Engaging and inspiring an audience which included 5,000 raucous college students takes a combination of planning, deliberation and courage! He is still passionate about effective communication and as a speech writer loves helping clients achieve their goals through the spoken word. He has written speeches for politicians, professional athletes, CEOs and regular folk who want their words to resonate. Contact Aaron for a free consult to discuss how he may assist.

Are you looking for actionable advice from an experienced fundraiser and grant writer? Do you need help developing ideas to improve your organization’s program and upgrade your own skillset so that you can more effectively raise funding for your nonprofit? If you answered “yes”, then please Join me for an information-packed webinar that will arm you with strategies and ideas to strengthen your organization’s fundraising capacity. There are many advantages to this popular webinar series including:

• Gaining insight from other nonprofit leaders
• Leaning grant writing and research techniques that you can apply immediately
• Receiving feedback about your goals and vision
• Learning from the successes and mistakes of others in the same situation

Space is limited in order to provide a meaningful, interactive experience for all.

 

[show_wp_shopping_cart]

 

[wp_cart_button name=”Personalized Coaching” price=”29″] Where do I go from here? Personalized Coaching Session

Date: On-going     Duration: 45-60 minutes       Fee: $95

Do you have an idea for a nonprofit organization or a business that you want to start, but not sure what steps to follow? Is your nonprofit already established and in need of funding? Do you need advice about if and how you should diversify your revenue streams? Do you need help presenting your programs and services in a more ‘fund-able’ way? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, you will benefit from a personalized coaching session. Each session is one-on-one, or should you choose we can conference-in one additional participant, and tailored to your organization’s needs. Prior to the session I will review your materials (ie. website/ brochure, previous grant proposal) and ask you to fill out a brief survey so I can better understand what information will be most helpful. The outcome I shoot for is for my clients to leave the session with a sense of purpose and a clear understanding of the big picture — the steps necessary to take their organization to the next level. Additional sessions are available at the discretion of the client.

 

[wp_cart_button name=”Grant Writing 101″ price=”29″] Grant Writing 101: An Overview

Date: June 26, 8:30pm EST          Duration: 1 hour        Fee: $29

This session will focus on the nuts and bolts of the raising funds through grants, including: identifying the right funding sources, cultivating relationships with program officers, fund-able vs. un-fundable ideas and organizations, the LOI, timeline and reporting. This is the course to start with for startups or pre-startups that need to learn about what lies ahead for their organization. This promotional price is available only for a limited time (regular fee = $60). Register today!

 

[wp_cart_button name=”Funder Research” price=”75″] Research: How to Find the Right Funders

Date: TBD          Duration: 1.25 hours         Fee: $75

Writing a really good grant proposal is the easy part! Finding the right funder is the first and often biggest hurdle. How do you know where to send your grant? How do you identify the foundations whose funding priorities match up best with your work? In this webinar  I will share my techniques for finding the best prospects and we will discuss how to create the elevator pitch you will need to get your foot in the door.

 

[wp_cart_button name=”Free Online Marketing” price=”125″] Could You Use $10,000/ month in Free Advertising?

Date: TBD         Duration: 1.5-2 hours         Fee: $125

Learn how to receive up to $10,000/ month in free online advertising through Google’s Adwords for Charity program. I have spent over $100,000 of my own, real, money over the past 10 years so I know first hand how beneficial this program can be in driving traffic to your website. As a nonprofit you can leverage this resource to attract volunteers and donors. This session will provide an overview of the program, signup instructions and a tutorial to setup your first advertising campaign.

 

[wp_cart_button name=”Proven Grassroots” price=”100″] Beyond the Grant: Proven Grassroots FR Strategies

Date: TBD        Duration: 1.5 hours         Fee: $100

Foundation and sometimes government grants are an appropriate ingredient in your development portfolio. But if your entire plan relies on getting a big foundation grant to get your organization started you have a long road ahead of you! There are many other ways nonprofits can generate revenue. This session will explore: the individual appeal (to donors big and small), fee for service opportunities, contracting and crowd-sourcing. This session will incorporate materials and case studies to illustrate effective approaches.

 

 

 

Aaron’s clients have included governmental agencies, colleges, multi-million dollar businesses, professional athletes (with foundations), and local as well as international non-profit organizations.  Aaron’s broad-base of experience in both social and business entrepreneurship adds value to small organizations looking for growth, and mid-size non-profits and businesses striving to improve financial stability through income generating projects (including government contracts), feasibility studies and strategic planning. Below is a representative sample of Aaron’s clients, and those institutions where his clients work/ research, some past and some present. Client Testimonials highlight Aaron’s strength as a knowledgeable, effective, and trusted partner.

 

[column col=”1/3″]

 

 

 

 

 

[/column]

[column col=”1/3″]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[/column]

[column col=”1/3″]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[/column]

Contact Aaron   @     401-368-2401

or email him using the form below:

[formidable id=3]

Grant Writing Services

We provide the following grant writing and planning services.

Grant Research Training

We teach you to identify both state and foundation funding sources using the same methods, tools and process which we use and follow. The hands-on training (via teleconference) lasts approximately 60-90 minutes. This is not a theoretical exercise. We will use proven methods during the training to start the search process and begin to identify funding prospects and strategies.

Foundation & Government-Grant Research

It is very important to know your audience before writing anything. And finding the right audience is critical. We will conduct a comprehensive assessment of the funding landscape as it pertains to your organization; upon completion of you will receive a written report summarizing the findings and recommendations, as well as a debrief by phone. The report will include a ranked list of prospective funders, a grants calendar, a description of each prospect and a list of proposal requirements. From the initial interview to delivery of the final report is usually 2-4 days. Fee is dependent on the scope of the research.

Grant Proposals

After taking the time to learn about our organization and your program, we will write you a competitive grant proposal, customized to the grant-maker’s interests. Most foundation proposals are simple and can be completed in a matter of days, while government proposals typically require extensive planning, research and coordination among various stakeholders. Aaron has the experience to serve in a number of capacities, whether you need a consultant to manage the process from start to finish or fill an adjunct role as a editor/ content creator.

Letter of Inquiry

Most foundations will require a 2-page letter of inquiry prior to submitting a full proposal.

Fundraising/ Annual Appeal Letter

This 1-2 page letter is designed to appeal to individual donors whom an organization may reach out as part of a special (one-time) or annual appeal.

[message_box title=”Grant Writer – Aaron Rome” color=”red”]

* Foundation & Government Grant Writing
* Strategic Planning & Feasibility Studies
* Research
* Letters of Inquiry
* Annual Appeals
* Business Plans
* Executive Coaching

[/message_box]

Why hire Aaron for your organization’s grant-writing/ fundraising needs? With an MBA (concentration: Public and Non-Profit Management), a degree in Civil Engineering and 28 years experience running an internet company he founded, Aaron brings to the table academic rigor, analytic skills and business acumen. Most importantly he brings context. He takes the time to understand the needs of his clients and develop effective strategies and solutions.

Aaron has been a leader in non-profit organizations for over 30 years, in positions ranging from community organizer and executive director, to board president. The common thread through all his non-profit management experience has been helping organizations to develop and implement effective fundraising strategies. Core elements of Aaron’s professional experience include:

• • As a young canvass director (during college) for MASSPIRG, Aaron managed a team of activists raising money for, and awareness about, environmental issues. This experience was invaluable and today he still draws upon lessons he learned during this period.

.

• • In his mid twenties Aaron co-founded and directed a non-profit aimed at improving education at urban high schools, creating effective programs and raising up to $400,000/year. During his tenure, the nonprofit reorganized its focus from student leadership, to parent involvement as a means to improve student achievement and grew from a staff of 2 to 15 in less than two years.

.

• • The Peace Corps is the source of some of his most meaningful experiences. Serving as a water-supply engineer for two years in Nepal provided a perspective which Aaron reflects on daily. It has enabled him to understand, with first-hand knowledge, the need of under-served and marginalized communities. During his service he transformed the way in which arid hill communities source and protect drinking water, in the process facilitating attitudinal shifts among his counterparts. From 2002-2017, he served Nepal as board president of Friends of Nepal.

.

• • For the past 12 years Aaron has consulted with hundreds of clients, nationwide, helping nonprofits and businesses in sectors which have included: environmental justice, public health, healthcare, medical research, human services, education, economic development, science & technology, refugee resettlement, housing, homelessness, mental health,youth development, agriculture, environment, workforce development, arts and culture, law enforcement oversight, philosophy, and disability transportation. Since 2017, Aaron has helped is clients raise over $200 million through grants and contracts.

.

• • In 2019 Aaron started a garlic farm and will soon be the state’s largest producer of certified-organic garlic!

.

Aaron lives in Rhode Island with his beautiful family and serves clients in RI and throughout the United States. Contact him today and see how he can help your organization achieve its strategic goals!