You got your 501c3 status but nobody is giving you money for your awesome idea, so you decide to strike out and burn your life savings to save the world. The world’s first Ag. Market Input Voucher! The world’s first Open Nonprofit! Get ready for you Ted talk buddy, as one of the few rats that hasn’t fled the sinking ship of West Africa, it’s gonna be easy street from here on out….. But first.
We need money! Let’s see what Mr. and Mrs. Not Giving You Money Foundation (MNGMF) has to say.
Hmmmm…. MNGMF send all their money the greater Boston Burrow Bay Area.
How about….. MNGMF is giving to Africa, but wait, they only give to Kenya or Rwanda. While on their Safari they found the indomitable spirit of indigenous people glorious and want to ‘give back’ to the ‘locals’.
So that leaves….. MNGMF does not accept unsolicited proposals. No, really. That includes walk-ins so get the [expletive] out.
The few that remain….. All give to the same organization run by Mr. Well connected Stanford/Harvard/Columbia. Stanford tried something similar and is having trouble and you, Sir/Madam and not a Stanford.
Well that was sad! It’s time to use your epic operational abilities to create the best fundraising organization EVER.
Canvassing breaks even and that’s for big organizations who have gained legitimacy by never conducting a public randomized control trial. Moving to the dark side won’t work; telemarketing barely brakes even too.
Government? You will have to FOIA those jerks just to find out they turned you down. Plus there is a little something called ‘cost sharing’ and since you are now broke and not getting new money cost share you cannot do.
Grasping for straws you try to contract out, getting taken to the cleaners on Odesk.
Just maybe those research proposals you applied for will come through. Until then get ready to give you remaining assets to a smarter not too awful nonprofit that works in country. As you drift towards disincorporation and move back home to Mom’s you should probably get a temp job about now.
But look on the bright side! It takes decades for a careerist who works in international development to completely despise their field. It only took you a year! 🙂