Network Partner Toolkit

Analyze the Education Reform Marketplace in Your State

1. Research other organizations in your state that operate in the K-12 space.
2. Identify which groups share your interest for improving academic outcomes, K-12 policy, engaging more community members in local leadership, and broader education reform.
3. Determine what work is already being done on the issues that matter most to you and how to partner with those groups.
4. Conduct an in-depth analysis of your state school board association’s offerings, and identify your competitive advantage (e.g. creating trainings that are empowering to school boards rather than limiting, offering model policy that promotes academic achievement instead of political radicalism, etc.).

Recruit Your Team

1. Connect with at least two other people who share your passion for creating and growing an effort to support elected school board members in your state.
2. Ask if they are willing and able to commit to doing the work required to launch your organization, at least in the start-up phase of 1-2 years.
3. Invite them to serve as founding board members for your new organization.

Draft a Strategic Plan

1. Begin the strategic planning process, either facilitated by a professional or on your own.

   Helpful Resource

   Review Green Vine Education’s presentation and worksheets on strategic planning. Green Vine’s Founder, Tanya Prince is available for consultations. Contact SBAE for an introduction.

2. Establish the mission, vision and core values of your organization.
3. Determine your activities, goals and how you will measure success.

Create Your Brand Image

1. Create a simple name, logo, and brand book for your organization.

   Helpful Resource

   Sample Brand Book

2. Hire help. If you or someone on your team does not have branding and design experience, a professional designer will make your image and related files look polished, professional, and correctly formatted to meet your long term needs. Having a consistent brand image from the start is very beneficial. SBAE can provide referrals for inexpensive professionals if needed.

Establish a Physical Mailing Address

1. Determine a physical address for your organization that can be used on public filings. This can be your home address in the beginning, but keep your privacy and safety in mind as you make that decision. A coworking space may be a better option, depending on your budget and preferences.
2. If you elect to have a virtual office, you will want to consider paying for a physical address where you can receive mail. Note: the IRS will not accept a basic PO box for non-profit status applications, but you can use a service such as iPostal.

Establish Your Presence Online

1. Determine whether you plan to hire a vendor to help you with your digital needs or do it yourself.
2. Secure a website domain, set up a basic website/landing page and related email address for your organization.

   Namecheap.com is an inexpensive and easy to use domain registration service that can also be used to configure email addresses, which can then be managed through Gmail, Outlook, or another email service.

3. Set up social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter/X.com, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, and any others you think you may want to use in the future. Even if you don’t plan to post content for some time, it is beneficial to secure your organization’s name on these platforms.
   

Complete Incorporation Filings

1. Incorporate your organization according to the activities you plan to engage in. Most organizations in the SBAE network are incorporated as a 501c3 or 501c4 nonprofit, depending on whether they plan to engage in political activity and lobbying or not.

   Helpful Resource

   Compliance guide for 501c3 and 501c4 organizations.

   Helpful Resource

   Powers Compliance extended presentation on nonprofit, political, and other organization tax statuses and allowable activities.

2. Consider seeking professional and legal guidance as you navigate the required paperwork, create bylaws, and ensure your filings are complete and compliant.

   Helpful Resource

   Sample by laws and registration services (Bearing Tree).

3. If you are working with partners who are already affiliated with an existing organization (such as a think tank, family or faith-based organization, or other advocacy group), they may be able to recommend a local attorney who is familiar with the process and requirements in your state.
4. Consider working with a company that provides support services to nonprofit organizations, including 501c3 fiscal sponsorship (allowing you to accept tax-deductible contributions while you await final approval of your non-profit status from the IRS, which can take several months), accounting, human resources, and others.

   Helpful Resource

   SBAE contracts with Bearing Tree for many of these services, as described in their Overview of Services. Contact SBAE for a referral.

Open A Bank Account

1. File Articles of Incorporation to create your organization in your state.
2. Obtain a federal Employee Identification Number and apply for whatever tax exempt status you determined best suits your needs.
3. Once you have an EIN, you can open a bank account and set up an online payment processor. However, note that if you are applying for tax-exempt status as a 501c3, you cannot accept tax-deductible contributions until you receive your approval and determination letter from the IRS. If you need to start raising money and engaging in your activities sooner, you may want to consider fiscal sponsorship. Sponsorship can be arranged with a partner 501c3 organization, or through a service such as Bearing Tree’s.

Create Basic Collateral

1. Create one or two simple “one-pager” marketing pieces or a brochure that provides basic information about your mission and activities, as well as business cards for your executive director.
2. Identify events of likeminded organizations to start attending and speak at to promote your organization. Order a simple retractable sign and have a table covering to bring to these events.
3. Order branded thank you cards to send promptly to donors and volunteers, as well as simple and inexpensive promotional giveaways like vinyl stickers or pens.

Hone Your Fundraising Skills

1. Identify which individual(s) in your organization will be responsible for fundraising and assess their level of experience and need for additional training.
2. Improve and professionalize your fundraising efforts using the SBAE 3-Part Training Session with 7-Figure Fundraising. If you would like a hard copy of the book and materials used in the 3-day training session, please submit your request to info@sbaenetwork.org

Develop A Prospectus or Case for Support Document

1. Create a simple document that explains your mission, vision and values and the activities by which you intend to engage prospective donors.

   Helpful Resource

   Use the 7-Figure Chat GPT Tool to create a persuasive donor pitch using the proprietary 7-Figure Fundraising pitch structure.

   Helpful Resource

   Use this Donor Leave Behind Template to create your own simple fundraising piece.

2. Review and compare samples of fundraising material from other organizations in the SBAE network for ideas and inspiration. Contact SBAE for example.

Identify and Approach Prospective Major Donors

1. Create a list of high-capacity prospective donors. Your best prospects may be individuals or foundations that already contribute to other organizations that you plan to work/partner with, individuals who have contributed maximum amounts to local and state level candidates, or your own personal relationships.
2. Ask aligned organizations who support your mission if they are willing to share their donor list with you.
3. Arrange a conversation (ideally in person) to share your project with prospective donors and make a specific dollar-amount ask.

   Helpful Resource

   Use the Persuasive Pitch Outline from 7-Figure Fundraising to develop your presentation for prospective donors.

Pursue Additional Donors

1. Consider sending out a mailing to additional prospects and/or ask for referrals from core supporters and/or partner organizations who are aligned with your mission.
2. Seek opportunities to participate in events or speak at gatherings that are likely to have attendees interested in supporting your project and use those opportunities to solicit contributions.
3. Explore the costs and benefits of hiring a professional fundraiser who has experience and connections to high-capacity donors in your state for your near- or long-term fundraising goals.

Cultivate Small Donors

1. Use your email newsletter contact list and your social media to solicit ongoing financial support for your organization.
2. Ask partner and aligned organizations to make an appeal to their network to consider supporting your organization as well.
3. Ask an existing or prospective donor if they would be willing to make a “matching” contribution that encourages new small dollar donors to give and execute an email, social media and/or mail campaign to promote the match opportunity.

Explore Foundation Support/Grants

1. Create a list of foundations or other organizations with an interest in K-12 education and/or empowering and cultivating elected leaders.
2. Learn more about what types of projects they currently fund, what their grant/giving cycle is and what their proposal requirements are.
3. Determine which of your potential activities intersect with the priorities of the foundations/granting entities on your list and consider developing a proposal that highlights and expands on your work in that area.

   Helpful Resource

   Use SBAE’s Proposal Outline to draft your request.

Plan and Deliver a Formal Report to Donors

1. Refer to your strategic plan and ensure you are adequately measuring and tracking your key performance indicators throughout the year so that you are prepared to provide donors with annual (if not more frequent) reports on your work. You may also want to include some of these “wins” in a newsletter that you email to supporters periodically throughout the year.
2. Set a deadline of when you would like your donors to receive your annual report and work backwards to determine when you will need to begin the draft, finalize and distribute it.

   Helpful Resource

   Use SBAE’s 2024 Annual Report for ideas and inspiration.

Retain and Grow Your Supporters

1. Consider adopting the 7-Figure method of making one direct “ask” per year vs. several/constant solicitations to your donors throughout the year. Your goal should be maximum donor retention (donors who continue to contribute) and growing donors over time (asking them to increase their contribution).
2. Determine and schedule when you will make your annual appeal to existing donors and identify which donors you will approach to increase their support.
3. Develop a specific pitch (based on your annual report and success metrics) to make an appeal to existing donors to increase their support.

   Helpful Resource

   Reference Bearing Tree’s Moves Management Overview Presentation for ideas on cultivating and growing supporters.

Determine Your Membership Model

1. Review the common membership models in the SBAE network and decide whether you plan to charge for the services or network access you provide. Refer to and/or update your strategic plan accordingly.
2. Formalize your service/membership model in a document and/or on your website, so prospective members are clear on what you are offering.

Communicate Your Vision and Offerings to Prospective Members

1. Refer to your strategic plan and craft clear and persuasive messaging to communicate your goals to prospective members and supporters. Be clear on what you are and are not doing as an organization and ensure your activities are compliant and compatible with your IRS designation.
2. Consider creating a calendar of events or list of offerings to network members to showcase some of the primary benefits of membership.

   Helpful Resource

   Use these Sample Templates for Inaugural Meetings for ideas on invitation language and agenda items.

   Helpful Resource

   Reference Melanie Sturm’s Six Powers of Persuasion Messaging Strategies for suggestions on how to articulate your organization’s goals.

Plan Your Programming

1. Determine the resources and programing you want to offer in your first year and take steps to carry out those activities successfully. Refer to your strategic plan and/or network partner deliverables workbook if applicable.
2. Consult SBAE for a list of programming ideas, access where you can leverage SBAE’s help and which initiatives you will need to create and execute independently.
3. Map out the initiatives you want to engage in month-by-month and identify the people and resources you will need for each.
4. Share your list of planned initiatives with current or prospective donors and make a specific ask – supporters often appreciate knowing exactly what their contributions will be used for and may be more inclined to give generously to ensure you can achieve your programming goals.

Hold an Inaugural Meeting

1. Set the date, time and location for your inaugural meeting. This could be virtual or in-person. Review SBAE’s Sample Templates for Inaugural Meetings for invite and agenda ideas.
2. Decide on your agenda and who you want to invite. Some organizations choose to invite only a core group of school board members who share their values, others cast the net wide and invite all school board members in their state. Remember to use school board members’ personal email addresses rather than their district email addresses when possible.
3. Contact SBAE for a full list of contact lists of school board members in your state, including lists that include personal contact information and political affinity scores when available.

Coordinate Your Communications with Your Planned Activities

1. Determine what communication initiatives will help you meet your goals successfully and if you have the staff and skills within your organization to execute them. Some communication activities may include publishing a regular newsletter, hosting a group chat tool and/or private Facebook group for members (see your state’s OML laws to ensure compliance), including a newsfeed or blog on your website, and considering distribution of print materials or event invitations organically or by mail.
2. Request a list of contact information for school board members in your state from SBAE if you would like to reach out to them with information and invitations to engage with your network.

   Helpful Resource

   View SBAE’s Sample Newsletter Template document for ideas on format and content.

Develop Public Relations and Media Monitoring SOPs

1. Plan to monitor any media coverage you receive, as well as generate your own. A simple first step is to set up Google Alerts with your organization’s name and any other relevant terms, such as “school board (your state).” You may also wish to consider building a press list and drafting press releases to elevate newsworthy events or success.
2. Use SBAE’s free media monitoring report and public relations outreach service to enhance your communications strategy.

   Helpful Resource

   Consult SBAE’s Earned Media 101 resource for ideas and best practices.