December in the nonprofit world is its own kind of marathon. End-of-year fundraising deadlines, donor stewardship, program reporting, grant submissions—all while navigating holiday obligations, family gatherings, travel, and the emotional weight this season can bring. At Three Notch’d Nonprofit Solutions, we see how much heart and hustle nonprofit teams put into their work, especially duringContinue reading “Five Mindfulness Practices for Nonprofit Teams During Year-End Stress”
Author Archives: Ellen Spangler
Want to Win Over Funders? Start Before You Walk in the Room
Landing a meeting with a prospective funder is exciting—and often nerve-wracking. Whether you’re sitting down with a foundation program officer, a corporate giving manager, or an individual donor, the preparation you do beforehand can make or break your chances of securing support. These days, nonprofits are facing a more competitive funding landscape, with more requests coming to fundersContinue reading “Want to Win Over Funders? Start Before You Walk in the Room “
The Funding Season Has Changed—Is Your Grant Language Ready?
Over the past several months, Three Notch’d has been talking a lot with our clients about language—specifically, how the political landscape might affect their grant applications and organizational communications. It’s a conversation happening in nonprofit boardrooms across the country, often in hushed tones and with genuine uncertainty about how to proceed. “Should we change howContinue reading “The Funding Season Has Changed—Is Your Grant Language Ready?”
Mission As True North: Navigating Uncertain Times
The nonprofit sector is facing one of its most challenging periods in recent memory. Federal funding cuts, political uncertainty, and a growing climate of fear have created a perfect storm that threatens the stability of organizations across the country. Yet, even in these difficult times, there are pathways forward, and they begin with focusing onContinue reading “Mission As True North: Navigating Uncertain Times”
The Faces Behind Three Notch’d
As we celebrate our fourth year in business at Three Notch’d Nonprofit Solutions, we want to take a moment to introduce (and reintroduce) our team and share what drives us to help nonprofits tell their stories. Founded in 2021 with the premise that every organization has powerful stories waiting to be told, our mission remainsContinue reading “The Faces Behind Three Notch’d”
4 Years in Business! {A Look Back at 2024}
Now that we are well into Q2 2025, we are taking a moment to look back at 2024, and our fourth year of consulting at Three Notch’d Nonprofit Solutions. There is a lot to celebrate! In 2024, “I” became “we.” As Three Notch’d grew beyond the capacity of founder and solopreneur Ellen, she added anContinue reading “4 Years in Business! {A Look Back at 2024}”
5 Ways to Foster Warm Contacts with Funders
The best grant proposal is the one that a funder knows is coming. Sure, it’s tempting to shoot off as many applications as possible into cyberspace. However, “cold” proposals have much lower rates of success than those that begin with conversations with foundation staff. There are a few reasons for this. For starters, foundations receiveContinue reading “5 Ways to Foster Warm Contacts with Funders”
3 Years in Business! {A Look Back at 2023}
This month marks three years of consulting at Three Notch’d Nonprofit Solutions! In 2023, I refined the focus of my offerings, putting grants more solidly at the center, complemented by evaluation and communications. These 2023 efforts have resulted in nearly $4 million in funding to date! Below is a snapshot of what my clients andContinue reading “3 Years in Business! {A Look Back at 2023}”
Finding Balance When You Need to Lean In
In the nonprofit sector, juggling a growing number of balls in the air is business as usual. The pace of work is set by external factors, such as firm grant deadlines, immediate community needs, and the rhythm of school calendars. However, while these factors are beyond your control, the way you respond to them isn’t.Continue reading “Finding Balance When You Need to Lean In”
How to Navigate a “No” from a Grant Funder
Nobody likes getting rejected. But the reality is, especially in changing economic times, you may be hearing “no” more than you’re hearing “yes” on grant applications. The most important thing is to not take it personally. Your proposal could have been rejected for a number of reasons, none of which reflects on you as aContinue reading “How to Navigate a “No” from a Grant Funder”
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