Brandon Copeland’s Post

700 wins. A legacy of leadership. Imagine hitting 700 wins as a college basketball coach. It's not just a game. It's about leadership, strategy, and teamwork. The same ingredients cook up a successful nonprofit fundraising strategy. Here's how the playbook of a winning coach mirrors the art of fundraising: ● Long-term Planning & Goal-Setting Like a seasoned coach, fundraisers map out the journey to victory. It's about setting the bar, crafting the strategy, and executing it over time. Years of dedication pay off in both arenas. ● Building & Managing a Team Every coach knows their roster inside out. Similarly, a fundraiser must rally a team of donors, volunteers, and staff, inspiring them to pull together for a common cause. It's about harnessing collective strength. ● Adapting to Changes & Challenges Just as a coach adapts plays to counter the competition, fundraisers must navigate the ever-changing terrain of donor landscapes. Flexibility and resilience are key to maintaining momentum. Tom Izzo's monumental 700th win is not just about basketball. It's a testament to the impact one can have with the right mix of determination and teamwork. His influence spans far beyond the court, much like how effective fundraising echoes in the heart of a nonprofit's mission. Whether you're a coach on the court or a champion for a cause, it's your leadership that makes the difference. Here's to the next 700 wins, in whatever form they may come! (photo from 2005(!) with Andrew Barren and Catherine Meagher, almost two decades before I became a University of Notre Dame - Mendoza College of Business graduate) #Leadership #Teamwork #Fundraising #NonprofitSuccess #StrategicPlanning

...you have to earn every fundraising achievement, whether it be growing your donor file, raising more money, or strengthening your donor relationships. This goes against the basic human desire for life to be easy and to be given a positive outcome. Most people KNOW they need to work hard, but it’s a whole lot easier to postpone actually DOING that work. READ MORE: https://lnkd.in/gSy3s2a4 #Fundraising #MakeADifference #Philanthropy #DonorRelationships #FundraisingGoals #NonprofitSuccess #ImpactfulGiving #GivingBack #EmpowerOthers #SocialImpact

Last week, the University of Missouri accepted a massive $62M donation towards its athletic department. $50M of the gift is to be spent on renovations to the stadium and $12M to the Tiger Fund. Quickly, confusion set in as reports said the Tiger Fund was an NIL Collective. It isn't. "While this donation will undoubtedly be a transformative gift to the Missouri Tiger’s athletic department, it does not appear to have the potential for immediate on-field impact in the same way a $12 million surplus of NIL Collective money could. Make no mistake, Missouri is building a NIL powerhouse, but at the moment, the reports may be a tad overblown." Misinformation and confusion is rampant in the NIL market. Our most recent Digital Sport By Hot Paper Lantern study found that 75% of NIL-focused media feel "fans and donors" have a "below average to very low understanding" of the business model of NIL, including the fundraising and distribution of funds to athletes. In fact, 59% of NIL-focused media stated collectives are inconsistent or don't clearly communicate why donors should send capital or funds to a collective vs. the athletic department. Moments like this illustrate why there needs to be stronger communication strategies and heightened transparency in the NIL market. A more informed public can make better decisions about potential donations while creating goodwill with fans/donors and a groundswell of positive community relations. Article by Noah Henderson at Sports Illustrated. #nil #collegesports #communications #sportsmarketing #mediarelations

"If you are not passionate about the cause you support then stop. Believe in your purpose and your passion will fuel you every step of the way" wise words from Student ACES, Inc. executive director Krissy Webb. To read more about how to create philanthropy that leaves a legacy and an impact read this interview with Authority Magazine. https://bit.ly/3BZFwiR #nonprofit #nonprofits #leadership #studentathletes #interview

Just a few hours left NOT to decide...⏰ If you're still on the fence about the Philanthropy Kickstart Challenge, chances are you're excited by the potential of philanthropy. 🌟 You know it could give you the flexible funding needed to get that new programme up and running, scale your existing work, or invest in your team. You can see how your own role as CEO would change if you could start each day from a place of excitement and ambition rather than fear and worry. 🚀 And you're probably feeling like you WANT to join as you know that philanthropy is one of those non-urgent tasks that will be pushed down the line unless you do something to take action. And you know that you want to make your asks in the best possible way, and not offend anybody or make avoidable mistakes. 🙏 But maybe you are feeling anxious about the decision to join today? Here's the really good news... 🎉 You're not making the decision today. 'But Darren I thought the deadline was in a few hours?' - let me explain. 🤔 You're not actually supposed to be sure whether the Philanthropy Kickstart Challenge is right for you yet. 🤷♂️ You don't have to make a final decision based on the limited information that you have. 📚 You see, the course is six weeks long. And based on the first 85 CEOs who have been through it, I'm so completely sure that you will love it that I'm happy to take ALL of the risk. If after the first three weeks of the course you aren't happy for any reason, you can just pop me an email and I will refund you the FULL amount of the course with no questions asked (and no hard feelings on my part!). So worst case scenario, you get three weeks of philanthropy training and three group coaching calls with me for free, along with a bunch of resources to make your life easier in pitching and reaching out to donors. 📈 Why am I doing this? Have I lost my mind with baby brain? 🤯 It's my personal mission to give the tools of philanthropy to as many non-profit CEOs as possible. I know if you get that support you will change the world and that makes me happy. 🌍❤️ So you don't need to worry now about knowing for sure whether this is right for you. 🤗 If it is (and you'll definitely know that after three weeks of the course), then you'll already be well on your way to raising money from individuals and multiplying your initial investment in the course. One of the recent graduates raised $50,000 before the course ended, which I thought was a pretty good ROI. 💸 So relax. Don't put so much pressure on yourself. Just take one step today and then the next step tomorrow and the next step after that. 🏃♂️ But for now, let's skip the guessing game and just get to work. 🚀 The link to sign up is in the comments below. Or you can just DM me the word 'Onwards' and I'll get you set up. 📝 But act now, as I'm going to close the enrolment today at midnight (PST). ⏰

Securing school groups to perform the National Anthem in minor league sports is nothing new; but when I was first hired by the Admirals as a sales rep, we only hosted a handful of schools each season. I saw a huge untapped market and an opportunity not only to earn commission, but a way to build fans at the grass-roots level as well. Fast forward a few years and the Admirals' "School Spirit Night" program has turned into a revenue generation and fan creation machine. Last season we hosted a school spirit night at 22 out of 25 Friday and Saturday games. This program is a win-win-win. The school can add a fun family event to their school calendar at no-cost, and in many cases, makes a profit through fundraising. The students gets to hang out with their classmates outside of school, and perform in front of thousands of people, creating a lifelong memory. The team fills seats and creates fans for life. I've found the majority of students that get to perform have never been to a hockey game before, and I've been told by teachers it’s the #1 requested event by returning students every fall. This season we aim to host 1-2 school spirit nights at every game; and here in early July we are nearly 50% of the way there! #Fansforlife #Groupsales #Gameops #Memorycreation #Schools #Events #Fevo #Fundraising #Schoolspirit

Similar stories were written 25 years ago when I first started in sports philanthropy. They reflect a larger issue in the nonprofit sector.  According to the National Center for Charitable Statistics, the US has 1.8 million nonprofit organizations. 991,000 of those have revenues of less than $50,000 according to Candid’s website. The US does not have the infrastructure to educate, mentor, and oversee that many nonprofits and their leaders. Even if we did, most people don’t know what they don’t know, which prevents them from seeking the expertise they need. I have seen first-hand that many people think twice about starting something new when they realize all that is involved in running an independent 501(c)(3). That is, if they trust the person telling them. I hold great hope for Sports for Impact as an agent of change in sports primarily because of the trust its leaders inspire in players and the broader sports community. They’ve proven their commitment to both excellence and innovation with the Players Coalition. Anquan Boldin’s story is as much of a hero’s journey as any that Joseph Campbell would have written about. What kept me engaged and committed to sports philanthropy for so many years was the vision of what it could be. Before the onslaught of social media influencers, I could still imagine that kind of influence focused on positive change, not just speaking truth to power but becoming new power centers.  I think of the groundbreaking healthcare and medical innovations we’ve seen as a result of celebrity-founded nonprofits like the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, The Michael J Foundation, and Team Gleason Foundation whose founders’ deep personal connections to their missions made them unstoppable forces. I had the privilege of seeing glimpses up close of all three in their early stages. They simply would not take no for an answer. If something didn’t exist, they created it. If they weren’t allowed into the circle of influence, they created a new one. Now imagine that on a global scale across sports worldwide, addressing a variety of social causes, especially social justice. Yes, it’s undeniably aspirational. It’s also very possible. Moving forward we will undoubtedly continue to see negative stories from time to time. As long as we have management, we will have mismanagement. It’s my hope, no my expectation, that they will pale in comparison to the powerful stories of change resulting from Sports for Impact. #SportsPhilanthropy #Nonprofit #LeadershipInSports #womeninleadership #womeninsports #socialimpact #socialjustice usatoday LaChica Sports #michaeljfoxfoundation https://lnkd.in/eNYyf2iZ?

#ThankfulThursday 🙌 Every day is a lesson, an opportunity to grow. 💡 As a contract Leadership Trainer for a Global Company that lives by the "Fail Fast" principle, I'm reminded that mistakes are stepping stones to success. Being an entrepreneur and serving as the chair of a non-profit, I thrive on continuous learning (and lots of mis - steps.)🌱 This past month, I've been deeply involved with our non-profit board, making the tough decision to wrap up a four-year fundraising project. Yes, four years – a significant chunk of time. Four years to realize that sometimes, things don't unfold as expected. Four years to humbly accept that not all journeys work out the way we want them to. It's a challenge to let go of a project fueled by passion, vision, and unwavering fundraising efforts. The roller coaster of emotions is real. From rallying unwavering support to witnessing its late decline, the journey has been both enlightening and humbling. And then, there's last night. A group of seven of us moved 35 hockey boards from a school storage area to an external storage spot in a neighboring community. These hockey boards once carried the vision of a versatile outdoor play space in our community. Yet, reality sometimes has other plans. The project, after all, won't be coming to fruition in our community . But here's the beautiful twist. As we dropped off the boards at a local ice hockey rink, we crossed paths with the rink manager. An extraordinary individual who channels his efforts into sending hockey equipment to underserved youth in Mongolia. He plans to explore shipping the boards to his adopted community. Amidst our disappointment, a board member, Christopher Painter dropped a piece of wisdom: "Maybe we've been thinking too small. It's time to expand our horizons beyond the 17033 zip code." Our setback may pave the way for another community's gain. I'm grateful for the concept - Fail Fast and the stamina to fail (even if its slow.) I'm grateful for the learnings and the opportunity to think beyond our local zip code, and learn of the potential to help under served youth experience hockey in another country.  💪 #FailFast #ThinkOutOfTheBox

[Pictured] The moment Jon realized he was not going to be a pro athlete... The value of coaching and a $1,151 giveaway 👇 I was hopping with excitement to be #8 on the Zeeland Coach Pitch Baseball team because I was 8 years old. Coach Pitch Baseball is where 7 and 8 year athletes can advance in their baseball or softball skillset. It offers an environment where the athelete receives gentle pitches from their coach rather than an opposing player. This model allows them to gain the basis for more advanced competition. Giving a young athlete the opportunity to hit the ball in a game scenario (or strike out in a game scenario) is crucial for the next steps in their development. ⚾️ 🧢 The coach watches each player, gives them pointers for their next at-bat, and participates in the game along with them to an appropriate degree. 🔒 Funding your mission seems like an advanced competition. Should you try AI-enabled copywriting? How's the CTR on your email automations? Is your lapsing supporter segment being re-engaged? What about the talent pipeline? My partner Evan Cox and I have been in your chair. We started Strategicfundraisingplan[dot]com because organizations kicking off their individual supporter engagement plans are overwhelmed with the options. 👀 👀 Clients of ours have: raised their TWO largest ever donations, paid off their investment our Custom Strategic Fundraising Plan package within 3 days of launch through securing a multi-year commitment, and doubled the number of their year end gifts with conducting an effective matching campaign. In the theme of athletic endeavor, we are giving away free coaching and copies of our Strategic Fundraising Plan template to the organizations who place first and second in our March Madness Bracket challenge! (If you're like me and don't have a CLUE about march madness brackets, we're also giving a $100 donation to the organization that has the last place bracket.) Here's the link to fill out the bracket! https://lnkd.in/euqe22K6

This is an on-going discussion in the nonprofit space, but too many orgs limit their opportunity to grow and serve more people and do more good because they are not willing to invest in marketing and development. Too many leaders are so focused on "keeping overhead low" and minimizing operational costs, they fail to see that marketing/communications/development costs are really more like investments that can return more capacity to the organization. There is no guarantee on the ROI, but if you hire the right people and give them the resources they need, it's highly likely your organization will see a strong return. That means the good you serve will be advanced more rapidly for more people...and that's the whole reason we're involved! #philanthropy #nonprofits #development #fundraising #leadership #marketing #communications