Nonprofits are known for furthering social causes and providing service to vulnerable communities. But how is it that nonprofits are managed to ensure sustainability? That’s where Jamie Tindal, a nonprofit consultant based in Durham, North Carolina comes in. Tindal carved out a niche for herself after obtaining her Bachelor’s degree and spending one service year working with AmeriCorps.
During her time with AmeriCorps, Tindal traveled to several states helping to develop nonprofits and showing these organizations how to put their services to good use.
Once her commitment to AmeriCorps was complete, Tindal wanted to learn about the management side of nonprofits. So, she enrolled in Duke University to continue her education. People came to her for advice on starting nonprofits. She began to realize her expertise was valuable and that she could earn a profit. So, she created Purposed Solutions, LLC. “There’s a need… It’s easier to start a business rather than a nonprofit. It’s a lot of paperwork. It’s not your business. It’s the board’s business,” she explained.
While many nonprofits focus on donorship for sustainability, Tindal says the focus should also be on those who serve. It is her philosophy that if organizations had solid relationships with its volunteers, they would in turn become long-term donors. “When they care about the people in the community, it makes a difference. Volunteers are the people that help shape the organization. They won’t donate if they had bad experiences,” said Tindal.
Maintaining a mission mindset. Managing nonprofits can be just as challenging as running the nonprofit itself. One thing Tindal says she noticed is that some nonprofits don’t do a good job of collaborating when it comes to the services they offer. “I think the biggest thing is helping people understand they have to think outside the box to get their services out there,” she said.
Tindal has had to think outside the box herself in recent months. The Covid-19 pandemic has forced her to think of creative ways to engage with nonprofits.
That can especially be tough when the industry thrives on close contact with volunteers. “All you can do is think of things you can do and things you cannot do. I can’t engage with people like I usually do,” she said.
Expert advice. Tindal admits nonprofit consulting is something that just fell into her lap. Now that she is three years into it, she has some expert advice for other entrepreneurs: “Just be a constant student. I followed my passion. Your passion will open doors as you’re doing the work,” she advised. Tindal also says business owners should stay up-to-date on different trends related to their respective industries.
Keys to success. It’s clear that Tindal is passionate about what she does. But she says to continue to be successful she has to maintain a self-care routine. Turning off work at a certain time, enjoying peace and not doing anything work related are all a part of that routine. To add to that, she said leaving room for improvement is another big factor when it comes to maintaining success.
In the future, Tindal says she would like to add grant writing to her list of services. She also says she would like to build up her social media presence and expand her services to other states. To do that, she’ll need get her website, marketing and social media off the ground.
Even though Tindal doesn’t have it all figured out yet, she’s continuing to remain passionate as she works to help build sustainable organizations that make a difference in their communities.
To connect with Tindal, reach out to her via email at jtind194@gmail.com
