It's about diversifying your income sources, bringing focus in your priority areas and getting loyal members and sponsors.

1. Diversify your income

Do not only count on your membership fees or donations to close your budget. On top of that: develop a yearly flagship event that brings together your community (added value!) and generates a reasonable profit. Besides these two main sources, the following revenue streams can be established:

• Become a certification body (and charge a small fee per certificate)

• Develop an educational program - both offline and online (and charge a fee)

• Apply for project grants (both private and public funders)

• Become a publisher (and get paying subscribers or advertisers)

2. Focus your association on one key issue

You are much easier to sell when you keep your message simple: Do not try to get rid of all waste in the ocean - focus on removing all plastics instead.

Hence: keep a clear focus in the main priority of your non-profit: what is the problem you want to solve for whom? Next, all income generating activities can focus on your specific target group with a straightforward message.

3. Get loyal members and sponsors

Spoil your members and sponsors and make them commit for the long term. It will provide peace of mind for your Board (and in particular your treasurer).

For members: implement automatic payment renewal (meaning: membership fees are automatically paid every year unless the member explicitly opposes) and obviously: spoil them with actions that deliver added value.

For sponsors: start-up projects that run longer than one fiscal year. It will ensure in parallel their long-term commitment to sponsor your yearly flagship event. And obviously: clearly discuss and deliver sponsorship return.

Learn more: read about us on LAUREA's website. We are community builders.