top of page

Workshop Recap: Telling Your Financial Story

Writer's picture: Macon Black TechMacon Black Tech


The Telling your Financial Story workshop was such a success! Nonprofit leaders in Macon-Bibb gathered for an engaging and insightful workshop, "Telling Your Financial Story," designed to enhance their financial communication skills. This event aimed to equip nonprofit professionals with innovative techniques to turn complex financial data into compelling stories that captivate donors, stakeholders, and teams.




Workshop Highlights

We had an amazing time sharing practical tools to help communicate financial narratives effectively, ensuring that your organization's objectives and needs resonate clearly and persuasively. Here are some of the key segments and takeaways from our time together:




We kicked off by identifying and articulating the unique challenges faced by nonprofits. It was eye-opening to explore challenges that have evolved over time and identify external influences that might be making things tougher for everyday nonprofits in Macon-Bibb. This session reminded us of the importance of clarity and honesty in storytelling.


Describing Our Approach to Solutions

Next, we delved into describing our strategic approaches to tackling these challenges. We discussed the types of community resources we use to accomplish our missions and how to effectively communicate these efforts to our supporters. We dived into exploring if we have bandwidth to tackle the needs of the communities we serve.


Articulating the Impact of Your Financial Story: Breadth and Depth

One of the highlights was learning how to articulate the breadth and depth of our nonprofit's impact. We explored ways to clearly state our needs, using both numbers and stories. This session also covered how to leverage internal and external partners for data collection and impact assessment.


The Overhead Myth

We busted some common myths about nonprofit overhead! We learned that investments in overhead can actually lead to better performance and sustainability. Key administrative roles are essential for supporting quality and long-term success. According to Charity Navigator, most nonprofits spend at least 70% of their expenses directly on programs, but overhead beyond 30% isn't necessarily a bad thing.


Nonprofit Sector Revenue

We also talked about where our funding comes from. While the largest source for the sector overall is the federal government, this varies by organization type. For example, arts and culture organizations rely more on philanthropy compared to education organizations. Understanding these nuances helps us better target our fundraising efforts.


Defining the Full Cost of Serving Constituents

We had a great discussion about the full cost of serving our constituents, considering factors like inflation and future costs. This session aimed to provide a realistic picture of our financial needs and prepare us for future budgeting challenges.


The Stoplight Method

One of my biggest takeaways was learning about the Stoplight Method. We introduced the stoplight method as a simple yet effective tool for project management. By using green, yellow, and red progress markers, we can easily communicate what's on schedule and where the team is falling behind. This method helps in maintaining transparency and accountability within our organizations.


Combining Program Data and Financials

Finally, we learned how to combine program data with financial reports to create a comprehensive narrative. This integration is vital for making the "big ask" during fundraising efforts. The framework provided helps us present a clear and compelling case to potential donors.


Special Thanks



A huge thank you to Ketsia for delivering such an incredible workshop and for visiting Macon-Bibb. Your insights and expertise have truly empowered our nonprofit leaders to tell their financial stories more effectively. Special thanks also to Darius Maynard and Demarcus Beckham for being amazing facilitators and guiding us through this transformative experience.



The "Telling Your Financial Story" workshop was a fantastic opportunity for nonprofit leaders in Macon-Bibb to enhance their financial storytelling skills. By effectively communicating our financial narratives, we can better engage our stakeholders, secure funding, and drive our missions forward. To join our workshops, visit our program page on our website.


Are you an organization that would like to host a workshop for the Macon Black Tech community? visit our page and fill out the form.


Stay tuned for more workshops and events designed to empower and support our vibrant nonprofit community!


22 views0 comments

Comments


Commenting has been turned off.

Macon Black Tech

Creating an equitable path for early stage founders in the Middle GA area looking to build tech enabled  solutions for community challenges.

Get the tea!

Thanks for submitting!

© 2019 - 2024 by Macon Black Tech. |  Terms of Use  |  Privacy Policy

bottom of page