Nonprofit organizations rely on the generosity of donors for their sustainability, allowing them to solve real-world problems for those who need help. They often receive financial support from the government, private entities and philanthropic organizations, but the majority of giving comes from individual donors. Donating to these organizations allows people to pay their wealth forward. To make them even more successful in serving one of the four basic missions, financial advisors for nonprofits, like Carnegie Investment Counsel, can help.
A podcast episode of Business Made Simple (titled “Vik Harrison -- What You Really Need to Grow Your Nonprofit”) breaks down the four different categories of nonprofits, based on their mission. Hosts Koula Callahan and Dr. J.J. Peterson discusses how nonprofit organizations should approach their development the same way for-profit companies do via marketing and messaging. Vik Harrison, founder of Charity Water, advises how nonprofits can shift their thinking this way. Both Peterson and Callahan are part of StoryBrand, a marketing consultant company that helps brands and businesses clarify and transform their messaging.
In the Business Made Simple episode, Peterson and Callahan use the following quote as a frame of reference for describing the four different nonprofits: “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” Here’s how each of those organizations differs from one another.