Small Things-Great Love 2011-12

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Introduction to Small Things-Great Love Matching Funds Program

Small Things−Great Love (ST-GL) is an exciting matching-funds program offered through the Beracha Foundation during the last quarter of the year (October-December).  ST-GL is helping organizations just like yours raise the donations and year-end support that are vital for their IT services (websites, content management systems, donor management programs, e-newsletters and more).  

ST-GL is radically changing the future of many non-profits.  Not only can it help you promote your organization, it takes the donations you raise and can multiply them by up to 435%* for IT services.  Yes, you read that correctly!

ST-GL is moving organizations like yours from surviving to thriving—even in a bleak economy.  The Beracha Foundation’s mission is to serve those who serve, so we are positioned to make an immediate difference for any size non-profit.

*This is an average amount of subsidies for a non-profit if they are utilizing all of Beracha’s systems and services.  We encourage you to take advantage of as many of Beracha’s systems and services as possible, including finance, accounting, SEO, Digital media, etc.


ST-GL Background

How did Small Things-Great Love get its name?  The “Small Things Great Love” program from Beracha was inspired by the late Mother Theresa of Calcutta who coined the phrase:  “We cannot all do great things, only small things with great love.”  How right she was.  If each of us fulfills our small part with great love for a needy world, we can accomplish some amazing things.  ST-GL takes the money you raise to new heights, and opens doors you could only dream would one day be opened. BACK TO TOP.

The problem non-profits face

Does this situation sound a little too close to home?  You have a small to mid-size church or missions’ organization and you need to fill the gap in your IT services.  Well, the guy who set up the printer knows a little about computers … so … he gets called to handle anything IT.  But the result is you are not getting quality or efficiencies in your IT area.  Maybe you can only afford a “jack of all trades”.  Or maybe you rely on volunteers who are not proficient in the area of IT.  In the IT world, you get what you pay for.  

Let’s face it, you want to see your organization thrive, and the last thing you want to do is worry about your entire IT infrastructure.  You want to be able to have a dynamic, reliable website that is easy to maintain and doesn’t eat up internal manpower or vital resources.  Why?  Because you need those resources to be available for other areas of your outreach ministry.  You shouldn’t have to take a back-seat, or be forced find second or third-rate IT “services.”  The last thing you want is a compromised IT infrastructure that is both frustrating and winds up costing you more than your budget ever allows.  

Add to that the fact that you have to raise money for IT.  You’re looking at your budget and seeing that you don’t have the resources or dollars that IT is going to cost for 2012 and it’s starting to get overwhelming.  You know what your organization’s goals are.   You want a quality IT infrastructure, but you don’t want to break the budget.  Organizations like yours clearly have only so many dollars, and need to commit money to other areas.  In short, you need help justifying raising money for IT, and you want to be able to tell donors that you are getting what you paid for and more. Wouldn’t it be nice to have an IT organization that not only provides the technology you need, but multiplies it, and brings in the qualified personnel and resources so you don’t have to do it on your own?

That’s where we come in.  We will help you afford the best IT product that you can.  BACK TO TOP.

How this program helps

As you once again face the time of year where you present your mission to donors, wouldn’t it be nice to tell them: “Not only are we getting a great deal on our safe and secure IT infrastructure, but they are multiplying the money you give during Oct-Dec—and this will open doors of opportunity we could only imagine!”  

The short and simple fact is that ST-GL takes the money donors generously give, and multiplies it by as much as 435%.*  

Carefully consider the following:

  • ST-GL helps your organization THRIVE at a time when many other organizations have to close up shop.
  • ST-GL helps you maintain a powerful IT infrastructure from Beracha that is easy to maintain and doesn’t eat up internal manpower or vital resources that are needed for other areas of outreach.
  • ST-GL moves your organization to “first-class” service—ahead of organizations that are wondering if they made the right decision in going with their current IT provider.
  • ST-GL gives your organization fresh hope for big projects that will come up in 2012.
  • ST-GL helps you set the goals for funds you need to raise for 2012. 
  • ST-GL provides all the right tools you need to raise the money you need and multiplies the funds to give you maximum return.
  • ST-GL provides qualified personnel and resources for this fund-raiser – and beyond – so you don’t have to do it on your own.
  • ST-GL takes on your goals and helps cast vision for the future.  We want to see your organization thrive instead of seeing you pour money down the drain toward mediocre IT services.  BACK TO TOP.

Online Application

Can Beracha clients opt-out of the ST-GL campaign and still get matching funds?

ST-GL is a proven campaign that works and has the tools you need.  However, we have made it completely optional.**  The matching funds are still available to all Beracha clients during Oct-Dec 2011.  As a Beracha client you need not feel obligated or required to sign up for the ST-GL campaign.  You are not required to invest in your own ST-GL campaign to still receive the matching funds for Beracha services.  ST-GL is not about putting money out to get money.  ST-GL is simply an optional tool—like an IT club—that helps create momentum, so donors can take advantage of matching funds. 

Want the matching funds, but don’t want sign up for the ST-GL?

Here’s a possible scenario:

  • Your donors would be interested in giving funds toward your IT services from Beracha,
  • Your donors wish to take advantage of matching funds during Oct-Dec 2011,
  • You’d like to opt-out of using the ST-GL campaign and simply let donors know their funds will be multiplied. 

We have a suggestion on how you can make this happen: 

Simply send your donors an email or letter** using the suggested format so both your organization and your donor can take advantage of the matching funds during Oct-Dec 2011:

Dear (Donor):

It is with great excitement that I write you today.  (Organization) has a unique opportunity to participate in a matching-funds program with the Beracha Foundation.  As you may know, the Beracha Foundation is our IT vendor that hosts our website and provides multiple other web technology and marketing services that we regularly use.

The Beracha Foundation has a unique, year-end matching-funds campaign called “Small Things-Great Love” that will not only help us raise money for their services, it will also more than quadruple your donation so that it can be used to help us have a greater impact on the world through powerful IT tools.  In short, this matching-funds program, will make sure that our internet technology needs will be met in 2012.  Also, with the matching funds we raise during Oct-Nov 2011, we will be able to expand our services and outreach.

We have budgeted $________ for 2012 for Beracha services.  If you would like to donate to this fund, and have your donation multiplied by 435%, please designate your donation to “Small Things-Great Love”.  If your donation comes in during the months of Oct-Dec 2011, you will receive tax credit for your donation from the Beracha Foundation, and we will know your donation is going specifically to the IT services we receive from the Beracha Foundation.

Thank you for your kind and thoughtful donation to (Organization).

Sincerely,

(Signature)

(Click here to download PDF version of sample letter)

**Important Disclaimer.  We highly encourage your organization to take full advantage of the ST-GL matching funds campaign.  However, we realize some organizations will to opt to not use the campaign, and instead use the suggested letter above.  If that's the case, your organization may only use the suggested letter, and have donors take advantage of the matching funds if you are a current Beracha sponsor and have signed a current Beracha Foundation Sponsorship Agreement.

 

Can ST-GL funds we raise be used for other areas of our mission/organization?

Because the funds you raise are subsidized through the Beracha Foundation, they can only be used for Beracha services.  Keep in mind that the Beracha Foundation does more than provide IT services.  Below is a list of services your organization can take full advantage of this coming year. 

  • Funding Services
  • Professional Services
  • Managed Services
  • Programming Services
  • FX & Design Services
  • Support Services
  • Products
  • Our Mission
  • What we do

Success stories of the ST-GL program

Don’t just take our word for it.  The Beracha Foundation has helped multiple organizations raise IT funds with overwhelming success.  Here’s just a few of their stories:

Organization #1 needed to raise $150,000 for 2011.  Their goal was to cover 100 percent of everything that Beracha does for them including IT, IT infrastructure, consulting, marketing, communications.  They raised $150,000 in the three-month period between October, November and December 2011.  With the matching funds that came with it (in addition to the $150,000) they were able to get an ADDITIONAL $798,000.  This organization was blown away.

Organization #2 has celebrated two years running of using this program.  So far they have seen a ZERO cash footprint for all of Beracha’s services.  Their first goal was $10,000.  They raised $10,000 in six weeks.  This organization came back and said they wished they had set their sights a little higher – say $40,000.  Their $10,000 (plus the additional matching ST-GL funds) brought them up to $63,200.  That amount has covered 100 percent of normal services.  And, it has allowed them to do some things that could not have possibly done before.  For example their workers were able to have a secured portal that allowed them to track donors and funding.  The funds also provided a website for 50 of their workers with a direct, secure tie-in to their network.  In the end it became an investment which has helped them raise even more funds for other projects.  This organization upped their goal the second time around.

Organization #3 set a goal to raise $10,000 during Oct-Dec.  The organization met and exceeded their goal.  They raised $12,500.  With matching funds, they were able to get $76,500 for Beracha services.

Last year, Beracha provided and excess of $1.5 million to ministries through the Small Things-Great Love program! BACK TO TOP.

Knowing your IT budget

Do you know what your IT budget is for 2012?  Do you anticipate growing or expanding your organization, adding new programs, staff, etc.? Do you foresee any projects that you really want to do, but can’t justify the cost?  This is the time to dream.  Set new goals.  Aim for new areas you didn’t think possible.  Whatever your budget is, we want to see you meet it and come out ahead this time next year.  

Whether your goal is $5,000 or $500,000, we want to help you set a realistic goal that you can meet that will not only cover 100% of your IT costs for 2012, but the cost of raising the funds and your dream projects.  The main purpose of the goal should be to have 100% of your IT services from Beracha covered over the next 12 months.  So if you project your costs, after subsidy, to be $10,000 for the year, then simply set a goal for $10,000 for October, November and December to reach from your donors.  BACK TO TOP.

What do those funds look like through the Small Things-Great Love program?  

ST-GL takes small, medium and large gifts and makes them great!  If you have one donor who gives a one-time year-end gift of $1,000.00, they can go to your website and automatically see that gift multiply in front of their eyes to a surprising gift of $5,320.00!

Example Calculator

Let’s say over the course of the next three months, you set the goal to raise $10,000.  Let’s say all your donors came through.  With matching funds (x435%), it means you have in fact raised a whopping $53,200 for IT services for 2012!*

With this matching-gift program from the Beracha Foundation, your organization will be able to greatly multiply its effectiveness and impact throughout the world.

What you get with this program – cost value

If all this sounds daunting for your team to pull off as we approach the end of the year, let us put your fears to rest.  Remember how we mentioned that we provide the qualified personnel and resources for you.  That’s exactly what we mean.  We will provide the following to make the program work for you:

  • Web Site Content (Oct, Nov, Dec).
  • Web Site Special e-Commerce Page (Money multiplier calculator).
  • Web Site Rotational Banner (Oct, Nov, Dec).
  • e-Newsletter (Oct, Nov, Dec).
  • Content.
  • Archiving.
  • Links.
  • Donation Push – we help donors understand that if they donate now, they will see every $1 be matched with $4.35.  Every dollar becomes $5.35*.
  • Activity Reports / Measurement (auto generated) marketing.
  • Year-end push (e-newsletter and video).
  • Web videos (teaser videos, full package videos, testimonials, etc.).
  • Ghost writing (all content, scripting for video, e-news writing, articles, stories, testimonials, etc. (Oct, Nov, Dec).
  • BACK TO TOP
Example of ST-GL Video Example of ST-GL e-Newsletter
 
 Newsletter example

 

Package Investment – what you bring to the table    

  • We estimate it will take our team 25 hours of work each month to produce ST-GL content (video production, newswriting, etc.) for your campaign.   
  • While it’s a three-month campaign, we need to count December as two months because of the year-end push that takes place the last week of December.  
  • So, the total hours comes to: 25 hours x 4 = 100 hours total.  Services will be provided at our competitive rate of $35-an-hour.  
  • Our commitment to you is that you we will not go above 100 hours throughout the campaign – which means you will not get a bill over the price below.  This is a firm-fixed price.  BACK TO TOP


Here’s how it breaks down:

100 hours x $35 per hour = $3,500 investment for the total ST-GL campaign that can help you raise what you need and more for your IT services for 2012!

It gets better – keep reading to see how you can factor the $3,500 into your fund-raiser!

Setting the Right Goals

We realize goal-setting can be daunting.  However, we can help you set new and realistic goals for 2012 IT services and more.  We encourage you to estimate 100% of everything you can project of Beracha expenditures over the course of the next year.  In addition to that we highly encourage you to add the amount for the campaign ($3,500) to your goal.  Think proactively about what additional Beracha services you may need to look at in 2012, such as consulting, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), finance and accounting, and more.  Also, this is the time to think about the IT projects you really want to see happen.  So, add an additional amount for your “dream projects”.  Here’s what that equation might look like:

    EXAMPLE:

    All Beracha services for 2012...................................$10,000.00
    Cost of ST-GL Campaign...........................................$3,500.00
    Dream List IT Projects...............................................$5,000.00
    Campaign Total Goal............................................$18,500.00

    Total Raised plus ST-GL Matching Funds..............$80,475.00*

The good news is that even if this program only helps you raise 50% of all your funds for IT infrastructure, communications and marketing; then you are 50% ahead of where you were last year.

Don’t let Another day go by!  Contact Information

Apply now

We encourage you to sign up for ST-GL soon.  The momentum for raising support is at its peak for the year!

Contact us if you have any further questions or need more information to get started!
Please email us today!  The Beracha Foundation or contact our Digital Media Department. 

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Can Beracha clients opt-out of the ST-GL campaign and still get matching funds?