BIG’s Blog: Accelerators

Our economy is changing and reshaping, and driven by the Internet. Literally… there is not a business or industry (including the nonprofit fundraising industry) that is not affected by the new digital  platform that is called the Internet.

Not only are long-established companies re-doing their processes and communications to adapt to the new capabilities offered by the Internet, but there are tens of thousands of new companies starting up every day that are, at their core, built around a new competitive advantage that the Internet platform offers.

And there is a whole new industry that has emerged to help these young companies get started. These companies that help would-be entrepreneurs get started are called Accelerators. And as you might expect, they proliferate in the tech hubs of Silicon Valley (San Francisco area), New York, Austin and Boston. But there are Accelerators in Chicago, LA and most major cities as well.

Most young entrepreneurs understand their market niche and, if they are technology companies, they are fluent in all aspects of their technology. But when it comes to business matters, such as creating a business plan, raising capital, creating a financial proforma or dealing with H/R issues… not so much.  

Not only do these Accelerators help them (school them) with the business issues of starting and managing a company, but they act as ongoing mentors to these fledgling start-ups.

It has occurred to me that fundraising leadership is in a similar – yet different – position to these start-up entrepreneurs. Fundraising professionals clearly understand the business aspects of directing and managing their organizations as well as having long-since mastered all aspects of fundraising methodologies as they have been practiced for 60+ years. Yet, most are less than clear on the impacts and implications of the new Internet technologies and how they create a new cohesive fundraising model that can work for them over time.

Too bad there isn’t a similar-type organization for fundraisers like the Accelerators for entrepreneurial start-ups.

Well, maybe there is.

There are already fundraising organizations that are transforming their basic approach to fundraising… based upon the fundamental transformative change provided by the Internet. These fundraising organizations have obviously connected the dots and, frankly, many of these organizations are our clients.

So, what is it that they know that other organizations haven’t yet figured out?

At Browne Innovation Group we are always thinking of how we can meet the needs of the fundraising community in a better and more effective way. In the very near future, we will be announcing a new online course for fundraisers which will accomplish two goals. First, it will help explain what fundraisers will need to know to successfully transform their fundraising organization. Second, the course will illustrate what this new fundraising business model looks like.  

If you would be interested in receiving the announcement of this online course, drop me an email and I will make certain you receive it.


-Mike

Welcome to BIG's Blog!  Please feel free to forward this post to your friends and coworkers...and email me a comment at: mike@big-db.com