The Rarely Used Resource: Fellow Nonprofit PeersNonprofit professionals work very hard with very limited resources. Recently, I came across a Boston Globe article entitled "Groups says nonprofits should act more like a businesses" about Dan Palotta and what he has been doing around trying to educate the public and nonprofits about how to help these organizations sustain themselves.That got me thinking about what other resources, particularly around marketing and fundraising, nonprofits have that they may not be tapping in the day-to-day. The answer was their thought leading peers.People in the business know that the vast majority of nonprofits in the United States, approximately 94 percent, operate with revenue of less than $1 million. What Dan and others are trying to do is to help change the focus of the conversation and begin treating these types of organizations more like for-profit businesses. I am an advocate of that approach.But, I started to reflect as I read through the article that nonprofits need inspiration and models of other organizations that are achieving success by discarding with the old language of "charity", which brings with it awful "tin cup" mentality.In life, we all know the efficacy of having a mentor. I think that nonprofit organizations should also think about finding a mentor organization that is out there doing things right. Nonprofits can seek to talk to their counterparts in a host of areas: fundraising, marketing, capital campaigns, global outreach, executive administration, media, etc.There is always some organization out there that operates at the top 10 percent with regard to anything a nonprofit is looking to do. The article mentioned the Wounded Warrior Project, which is an example that Dan Palotta used to speak about an organization that decided to invest heavily in their fundraising efforts and succeeded. This nonprofit is only one of a host of organizations that are successfully investing in fundraising, for example.So, where do you start if you are looking to ramp up your nonprofit in some specific area?The place is very obvious. The Internet. Start searching to see the "best" or the "top" nonprofit organizations locally, nationally or internationally that are doing what you seek to do. Create a list. Then look at their websites and do some investigating.More than likely you will find one or two nonprofits stand out above the others for the approach they are taking on a particular goal you too hope to achieve. Make sure to join their list and follow them on social media. If you want to be like them, you need to be able to see what they are doing on a consistent basis.Most nonprofit professionals join their associations tied to their industry or profession (e.g. Association of Fundraising Professionals or American Marketing Association). See if the executives for your targeted organization are members. This will provide you with an additional entre as fellow colleagues.Then, pick up the phone and call the appropriate person at your target nonprofits. Tell them that you are in the sector, and perhaps a member of the same association, and you admire the work they have been doing in the area where you are looking to improve. Mention key highlights that you found particularly compelling. When you have taken a moment to explain who you are and why you are calling, ask them if they would be open to scheduling a coffee appointment to speak things through in a little bit greater detail. Personal meetings are always more productive and more often than not, you will find that nonprofit professionals are very happy to share ideas and best practice.Meet with them, or talk to them on the telephone if you are not located in the same city and keep in touch. Ask for their advice as you start to plan and implement changes and take the time to compliment something you see from them that you find of interest.A number of years ago an archdiocesan fundraiser decided to get a group of peers together. My colleague telephoned the top 10 revenue producing archdioceses and dioceses in the country. No similar group existed at the time to speak about best practices, opportunities and challenges for those senior fundraisers. The group got together at a conference every quarter in a different host city and decided to deal with particular issues relevant to these large and complex organizations. They ended up sharing best practice and providing clarity around issues that they might not have otherwise been able to do had they not reached out and sought the others expertise.