Exploring strategic investments for nonprofit growth with Kiersten Hill from Fire Spring. Kiersten, who is the Director of Nonprofit Solutions at Fire Spring, shared her savvy knowledge on effectively communicating an organization’s message and the importance of targeted operational investments.
Kiersten begins by highlighting seven key areas where nonprofits should consider investing to stimulate growth: staff remuneration, fundraising tools, community engagement, branding updates, marketing collateral, strategic planning, and digital presence. She points out, “Reward them when they do good work, retain the ones that are doing that great work and that you want to keep,” underscoring the valuing and retaining of effective staff members.
A large part of this fun conversation, with co-hosts Sherry Quam Taylor and Julia Patrick, focuses on achieving quick wins to demonstrate the value of these investments to a nonprofit’s board. Kiersten says, “If you want to bring your board along and you want them to recognize the value of making those capacity-related investments, then we have to show wins.” This strategy is a key for securing board buy-in and setting the stage for longer-term success.
The three also touch on the need for nonprofits to adopt a more progressive and growth-oriented mindset, moving away from overly conservative approaches that can hinder development. This shift can enable nonprofits to embrace more ambitious projects and strategies, potentially leading to greater impact and effectiveness.
Fire Spring operates as a full-service marketing communications company, notably engaged with nonprofits. Kiersten detailed how their services range from web development to branding and marketing, all tailored to the nonprofit sector. With her background in nonprofit management and fundraising, she brings a practical perspective to these services, emphasizing their utility in enhancing organizational outreach.