Finances
Appropriate management of funds is critical to any organization's success. For nutrition programs, this requires an understanding of how to make the most of limited resources; how to generate revenue for your program through voluntary contributions, fundraising, and other means; how to identify and, when possible, reduce the cost of doing business; and how to make the most of limited resources. Remember, federal grant funds typically cannot be used to pay the costs of organized fundraising, including staff time; see 2CFR § 200.442.
Quick Guides
- Identifying the Total Cost of a Meal — Summary brief for meal cost calculations
- Sustainability and Revenue Generation for Senior Nutrition Programs — Summary brief
- The Roadmap to Community-Integrated Health Care— NCOA resources for pursuing complex sustainability strategies and stronger partnerships with the health care sector
- Maximizing Use of Commercial Kitchens for Senior Nutrition Programs — Opportunities
and challenges
Guides
- Meal Services Elements of Sustainability: Establishing a Private Pay Program — Guide to establishing a fee-for-service private pay system
- Addressing Nutrition and Food Access in Medicaid: Opportunities and Considerations— Strategies and key considerations from the Food Trust
Tools & Toolkits
- Business Planning & Sustainability— NCOA article with business plan and sustainability toolkits
- Senior Nutrition Program Spending — Resources that offer new or expanded ways to meet older adults’ nutrition, socialization, and wellness needs with OAA funds
- Tips for Fundraising in Aging— American Society on Aging toolkit on compelling campaigns
Presentations
- Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship and Implications for Sustainability— NCOA webinar (free registration required to view the video)
- Food 911: How Meals on Wheels Redefines Population Health— Discusses the frailty scale screening and a health economist’s return-on-investment analysis of home and community-based program impacts
- Creative Fundraising for Senior Nutrition Programs (YouTube)— ACL webinar exploring creative ways to sustain senior nutrition programs through fundraising efforts
- Giving Big: Trends in Philanthropic Support for Aging— NCOA webinar on the latest trends in philanthropy and their impact on the field of aging
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- How Nutrition Services Boost Your Bottom Line — Minuteman Senior Services 2017 presentation about how nutrition services can offer cost savings
Resources
- Tips for Sustaining a Project Beyond the Grant Period— NCOA multi-prong sustainability plan