Picking the Right Partner

We are coming down to the home stretch in our selection process for our 2015 nonprofit partner, and we’ve narrowed it down to two tremendous organizations – Kidz Notes and StepUp Ministry. That’s two out of the many who initially submitted a letter of intent back in late July.Each year, Band Together is fortunate to have some of the best and most dynamic nonprofits take part in our selection process, and narrowing it down to just a handful in these final rounds is difficult. It’s a comprehensive, rigorous process for applicants as we delve deep into those groups seeking to partner with us. But, it’s thorough for a reason; we want to ensure that alongside whomever we select, we will make a lasting impact on our community.Demonstrating a need for Band Together’s support is certainly important, but that’s only part of the equation. We also take a hard look at a nonprofit’s sustainability, ability and willingness to grow, capacity for change, their financial stability and probably most critically, their vision for making our partnership transformational for them – and our community.We love raising money with our partners and writing a huge check at our spring concert. This year we intend to exceed $1 million dollars for Communities In Schools of Durham and Communities In Schools of Wake County, which will also move us beyond $4 million raised in our history. And, if asked 10 years from now what was most important about working with Band Together, we hope our 2014 partners can say the money was vital, but the Band Together partnership allowed them to grow beyond their expectations, and improve their community in ways they’d not been able to envision when they applied in 2012.