Site visits are a great way for donors and foundation staff to see your organization and programming first hand and also an opportunity to bring a written grant proposal to life. If you are anticipating a site visit from a potential funder, preparation is the key. Below are some things to do and expect from a site visit and what you can do to make the visit positive and engaging.

Pick the right date and location

• When scheduling a site visit date, begin by offering dates when you are providing programming that is representative of your work. Funders want to see a “typical day” and empty classrooms or a tour of an office isn’t necessarily the best representation of your programming or mission.
• If you only have programming at off-site locations such as a school, park or other community based setting, offer to host the site visit at the off-site location and arrange for a meeting space at the location for post-site visit questions.

Focus on the details

• Inquire if there are specific programs or components of your work that are of particular interest to the funder. It’s okay to ask what the expectations are for the visit, what they would like to see and who they would like to meet. Make sure you have the staff that are most knowledgeable about an expressed topic available the day of the visit to answer detailed questions.
• Make it easy and convenient for the funder to find your location. Several days before your scheduled visit send a confirmation email with directions, parking information, and if necessary, any significant details they may need to know about your site location.

Make a good impression

• Prior to the visit obtain as much information you can about the background of the funder as well as funding guidelines. Having this information will allow you to more quickly engage and connect with the funder and will also enable you to ask more informed questions about funding guidelines and interests.
• Avoid creating scripted or over rehearsed programs or experiences that are not representative of your actual programming, be genuine and honest.  Funders know that organizations are not perfect and it’s ok to share aspects of your program or facility that you want to improve or enhance, it can often help you make a case for support and can be an opportunity for financial support.
• If possible, have a board member attend the visit. A board member not only can provide a unique perspective but also can be an indication of how engaged your board is with your organization. The board member should be knowledgeable about your programming and should be able to articulate strengths, challenges and future goals and plans.
• Always send a note or letter thanking the potential funding for their time and for visiting your organization or program. Include any additional information specifically requested.

Site visits are just one of the many ways organizations can develop and maintain relationships with potential or existing supporters. Successful site visits are the ones where the staff is prepared and authentic. Don’t be afraid to boast your accomplishments and success stories but also use it as an opportunity to share your challenges. Funders want to help and being honest not only helps in the relationship building process but can also lead to new or increased support for your organization.

Joanna is currently a consultant for Achieve but previously worked as the Vice President for Grantmaking and a Grant Officer at one of the top 30 community foundations in the country.   

It is not uncommon today to see many nonprofit leaders using colorfully crafted shapes and renderings of automobile gauges to monitor and detect changes in their organizations’ fundraising or service performance. Commonly referred to as “performance dashboards,” these visual tools can be much more than colorful charts; dashboards can help an organization communicate and monitor organizational health and effectiveness.

Given the demands of a complex, fast-paced and hyper-connected world, effective leaders need more than just their interpersonal skills and management experience to pilot an organization in the right direction. Many organization leaders are having success with visual dashboards that that augment their ability to communicate clearly and concisely relevant strategies and program objectives to staff, volunteers, and key stakeholders. Dashboards can be helpful for individuals to visualize complex data and trends quickly so they can assess progress and make business decisions based on historical performance or indicators. Wayne Eckerson, Director of Research at the Data Warehousing Institute, believes performance dashboards serve this information need. He explains that performance dashboards have three core functions, which allow leaders to:

 Beyond Erickson’s “core functions,” performance dashboards serve another vital function to leaders of social organizations, namely “transparency.” The issue of transparency within public and nonprofit organizations is critical.  Donors expect results. Without a clear picture of an organization’s activities, it often becomes more difficult to develop trusting, long-term relationships. One particular organization that has been an advocate of organizational transparency is the Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA). In an interview with Rob Stein, the IMA’s Chief Information Officer, Rob addresses the issue of transparency and how the use of ‘live’ metrics help the IMA guide staff, inform the public and increase access to the organization.  To view the IMA’s visual dashboards, click here).

Achieve also uses dashboards as a tool for its clients to visually show fundraising progress and hold staff and organization boards accountable so they can reach their fundraising goals. The dashboards have been effective in helping organizations monitor progress, celebrate fundraising success and develop short and long term fundraising strategies.

 2010 Campaign Dashboard                                        Short Term Financial Plan Dashboard

Despite the usefulness of dashboards, many organizations struggle which metrics to choose and which aspects of their work to include or omit. While this can be overwhelming, start small and begin by using dashboards to visually display performance data that is frequently requested by boards, management or donors.   Experiment with what data drives decision-making or measures performance progress. Once you begin displaying information in a visually compelling way, you will begin to see patterns and trends which will enable to you assess the success of your organization or program effectiveness.

---