CPG Enterprises Christine Graham

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Christine Graham

Consulting
283 South Union Street, #1
Burlington, VT 05401
Phone/Fax:(802)862-0327
Email

"Your advice was amazingly helpful. We took all your suggestions!"

The Aldrich Public Library of Barre Vermont conducted a $1.7 million capital campaign to add a three-story, historically sensitive, addition at the back of the downtown building. Library Director Karen Lane coordinated the campaign with tremendous help from volunteers who not only raised individual gifts but campaigned successfully for bond votes in Barre City and Barre Town.

"Without your leadership and skills we would never have begun the process that has turned out so successfully. Who would have thought just two years ago that we would actually meet our fundraising goal and surpass it! We have now set a new goal of $3 million and we're nearly there!"

Consultation

CPG Enterprises consultations are always designed specifically to meet your needs, through integrated understanding of nonprofit practices. I will be involved as primary consultant in any assignment CPG Enterprises takes on, but I may suggest bringing in another specialist during the project if it seems wise due to the need for other skills. I will also suggest training opportunities, readings, and other experiential learning to improve your program.

The majority of consultations are with existing nonprofit organizations, but I also work with foundations, donor-directed funds, and with nonprofit startups. I provide consultations in many formats, but not residential counsel. Depending on your needs, one of these types of contracts may best suit you:

Consulting contracts are based on an hourly fee or a per-project fee. Each organization is very different in its needs and its capacity to utilize consulting time. I will work with you to maximize your use of time in a cost-effective way.
- Christine Graham

Campaign Counsel:a consulting relationship which offers support to the organization throughout the planning and implementation phases of a major campaign, or through the creation of a new fundraising system for the organization. For this relationship to be productive, the organization must have a staff or committed volunteer who has designated a portion of time for development work. Depending on the ambitiousness of the plan, this may require hiring a development or campaign director in-house. The amount of consultation will vary depending upon the need of the organization and is customized to each situation.

The Richmond Land Trust has partnered with several other organizations to preserve two remarkable Monitor Barns. Look for these barns when you drive Vermont I-89 between exits 11 and 12! One is under reconstruction.
"Christine certainly enlightened me. Her ideas will be essential to us as we plan future fundraising."

General Counsel:a longer-term advisory consulting contract. This may be useful in transitioning out of a capital campaign, creating a new staffing arrangement, building a new or more aggressive annual fund campaign or developing greater capacity for fundraising. I do not encourage multi-year General Counsel contracts, but have found a 12-18 month contract with very specific goals can be highly effective.

Coaching:an intermittent or occasional consulting relationship , usually following a more extensive working agreement, to provide constructive advice and comment, realignment or re-focusing, perspective, and a boost to momentum. The terms of a coaching arrangement vary greatly according to the organization's needs, but it is usually on an hourly, rather than project, basis.

Development Audit:a study that will assess both the internal and external effectiveness of the development program of an organization, including systems analysis, effectiveness of fundraising techniques and materials, involvement of staff and board, and the attitudes of donors or volunteers. An audit usually is most effective if it recommends actions for near-term improvements through a fundraising plan as well as direction for long-range planning. An audit includes a written report and presentation to staff and board.

Diagnostic Study: a short internal assessment of current practices, particularly in fundraising, to determine whether all potential areas of work are being maximized, and to recommend possible future activities. This involves staff and, perhaps, board members; it usually results in a presentation of findings and recommendations to staff and board committees.

Feasibility Study:a study that includes an internal development audit but is primarily an extensive series of internal and external confidential interviews, to assess the ability of the organization to conduct a major campaign. The study usually requires pre-feasibility preparation including development of preliminary case statement, materials development, and proposed budgets for the campaign. This results in a written report with recommendations regarding campaign planning and goals.

NEW! Fundraising Letters: a new service offered by CPG Enterprises, including all steps in writing fundraising letters for your mail or direct mail appeal. You can contract for the letter itself with recommendations on recipients and timing, or for a comprehensive mail plan that includes:

Versions of the letter for different constituent groups including mail merge options
Drafted return gift envelopes and other inserts as needed
Detailed recommendations on recipient groups and methods for selecting these.
Timeline for mail drop, follow up and reporting requirements.
Draft of basic thank you letter and recommendations on personal letters for higher donors.
Other related recommendations for highly effective mailing.

You provide background on your organization and complete the “Letter Prep” form, and we spend some time together by phone or e-mail so I understand your organization and needs. This provides sufficient information so you get a compelling, appropriate, effective letter. The minimum charge for the first letter, with variations for two different audiences, and mailing recommendations, is $750; at least 2 weeks advance notice is required, as well as 50% payment in advance. FUND RAISING LETTERS

Project Consultation: short-term, targeted consultations with a goal to solve an immediate problem or challenge. This is most helpful when you need to accomplish something soon, and you may not have the knowledge, skills, perspective or time needed. Typical projects might be:

Writing fundraising letters, case statements and other fundraising materials
Editing fundraising materials such as direct mail, case statements, and grant proposals.
Researching potential foundation funding.
Conducting an executive search for a Director or Development Staff.
Troubleshooting a stagnant campaign.
Planning a one-time fundraising effort or project
Brainstorming the strategy for a solicitation, project, or campaign.

Each of these assignments requires some background information from your organization, clear goals and an anticipated product. In most cases there will be no final report in addition to that product. Most projects are billed on an hourly basis, and an estimate will be provided in advance.

Christine Graham, 283 South Union Street, #1, Burlington, VT 05401, Phone/Fax:(802)862-0327
Publications: P.O. Box 199, Shaftsbury, VT 05262, Phone:(802) 447-0256, Cellphone: (802)343-0659