Welcome to Ask Alesha, where Alesha Mathis answers all of your Church and Nonprofit marketing and grant writing questions. We are excited to have her offer her expertise on our blog. Now that December is here and year end is quickly approaching, we went to Alesha to ask:

Q. As the new year approaches, what new year reflections should churches and nonprofits make, and how should that affect plans for the upcoming year?

 New Year Reflections for Churches

Churches are focused on budgets right now so really looking at what is working and what isn’t in your marketing and stewardship is important. Audit your communications and look the numbers. What did really well? What do you want to do more of? How is what you are doing fitting with your mission? What really isn’t working? Is there anything that doesn’t fit? Consider revamping to fit your mission or stop doing it. Just because Joe started it 50 years ago and we’ve always done it isn’t a good answer. Now is the time to make the hard choices. Now is also a good time for Stewardship committees to plan the year round stewardship plan for 2018. Here is a free Stewardship Timeline Worksheet to help you organize your stewardship plan.

New Year Reflections for Small Nonprofits

For small nonprofits, it depends on when their fiscal year ends. They may be in budget mode. Look at what has worked, what isn’t, and where you want to be at the end of 2018. How are you going to get there? How is the nonprofit doing toward their 5 year strategic plan? What adjustments need to be made?

If the nonprofit is in the middle of their fiscal year, now is a good time to get some mid year reports. Look at your Fundraising Plan and see where you are.  Are you on track to your goals? What adjustments need to be made? I’m a big proponent of if it isn’t working, change it now. Don’t wait until you are knee deep in the red. Don’t have a Fundraising Plan? Get a free one here.

About Alesha Mathis and Mathis Nonprofit Services

Alesha Mathis has been in the nonprofit world for ten years serving as an Administrative Secretary, Marketing and PR Coordinator, Program Coordinator, and Board Officer. Alesha worked for nonprofits with over 400 employees and multi-million dollar budgets and nonprofits with less than 10 employees and under a million dollar budget. While working for smaller organizations, she realized the professional fundraising and marketing skills of the bigger nonprofits at affordable rates was needed. Her solution was starting Mathis Nonprofit Services. Mathis Nonprofit Services takes on the two big challenges small nonprofits and churches face when it comes to marketing and fundraising/stewardship- professional solutions at affordable rates.