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Aug 12, 2011
Money Saving Tips
These are some steps cityWILD has taken to save costs over the past year, along with the approximate associated savings per item. cityWILD is a small, grassroots organization. Some of the items are specific to the organization or are very small (there are some big ones too). What I believe this list shows is that there is an endless stream of ways to challenge even the smallest things your organization does in order to make it more efficient, save money, and show accountability to your funders:
• All insurance out to bid; thousands
• Took drivers off vehicle insurance/limited # of drivers within the organization; thousands
• Disposed of unused vehicles being insured and registered; thousands
• cityWILD was not charging its staff Occupational Privilege Tax (this is a Denver only tax); anywhere from $17-50 a month depending on staff numbers
* I applied for organizational exemption from this tax but was denied
• Charged employees a reasonable $SO/month for healthcare/dental; $lS0/month
• cityWILD was not tax exempt on several accounts; office supplies, telephones, etc. Qwest gave us a 24 month credit; $30 month on phones – Qwest and Verizon, plus other purchases
• Moved to online ordering for office supplies with free delivery; minimal $$ saving, huge in time and efficiency of staff
* Here, you could move to bulk ordering with other organizations to save costs
• Reduced cell-phone minute limits, removed unnecessary charges and added modern conveniences like text messaging that was not in place; $SO/month
• Reduced land-line charges by reducing business pack additions back to the standard 3 extras instead of 4; $10/month
* I then moved to Impact Telecom for our phone service and saved an additional $20/month.
• Moved to electronic newsletters and thank you notes; priceless on $$ and environment
• Started in-kind donation list in newsletter; so far about $1000 value
• Stopped renting modem for wireless internet and used donated one; $S/month
* Searched craigslist and called people selling modems and asked if they would donate it to the organization.
• Switched to online printing companies for brochures, etc.; hundreds in savings, but not environmentally friendly
• Recycled old materials with some wrong info but otherwise correct by placing stickers over out-dated info; large savings in printing costs
• Moved banks to reduce fees and get a better interest rate; $30 a month in savings on fees
• Switched payroll company to reduce fees, get an easier system for staff; about $200 annually
• Moving merchant service account; will reduce rate from 4+% to 2.S% on credit card charges for our earned income arm.
• Recreation center passes for students – Denver Parks and Recreation gives free passes to youth if they go to a Title 1; $200 annually
• Found we were over-charging ourselves on taxes and had a back credit with the State ofColorado for over $3000.
For more information visit www.citywild.org/303-227-6862/seth@citywild.org
Category: Governance and Operational Systems
Molly Cannon Stevenson, CFRE, CAHP // March 02, 2010 10:10am
Some of the organizations that I know are looking ahead to the last quarter of this year and into next year , evaluating options, and making decisions about costs and opportunities.
They are looking at the hand to be dealt and making decisions - “hold” or “fold” programs?
Or, consolidate adminstrative expenses through cost-sharing with other organizations? Or, when our organizations are vulnerable, take the steps to affiliate with larger organizations or a group of other small organizations? Or, merge with partner organizations? Or, for the fortunate organizations which are poised for growth, affiliate to grow the capacity of our mission and work?
Regardless of the options chosen, we are likely to see more “strategic restructuring” of organizations as their leaders perceive the opportunity or threat in our current economic environment.
Our major donors and volunteers might welcome hearing about our circumstances and plans. They might be key to helping us change the way we do business. They have the potential to create an understanding and supporters for our future direction.
There is helpful information on the Compasspoint website about mergers, collaborations and planning for sustainability (www.compasspoint.org). The Irvine Foundation (www.irvine.org) also has information on “strategic restructuring” available for downloading.