fundraising 101 workshop
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Fundraising Plan
Your Road Map to Money
Our Roadmap for Today What you need Assess existing resources Determine financial targets Identify Sources of Names Identify Prospects and Sources of Funds Storing Information Gift Range Chart Customized Prospect Lists Solicitation Tools Outcome/Gifts TIPS and Ideas
Something about Research
A good Fundraising Plan heavily depends on good research !
A good Fundraising Plan depends heavily on good research !
A good fundraising plan is heavily dependent on good research !
Get it? Got it? Good.
Begin at the Beginning Where to begin? Each organization is unique Case Statement!! It includes your mission, goals, future
plans, growth strategy, etc.
Define Funding Needs; ops, programs, professional development, events, endowment, capital improvements
Make sure you know why you want to raise funds for each line
item. Make sure you understand the tasks involved. And above all, make sure you understand how much it will cost in terms of money and time.
Assessing Existing Resources Money Current donor list Prospective donor list Donor history Past fundraising strategy and analysis of results PR materials past and present Experienced staff and board members/other volunteers Fundraising Committee of the board Appropriate donor management software
At this stage fact finding is important. Assessing past successes and failures will save time in the long run
Determine your financial targetsFirst thing to do – fight the temptation to think only about the present. If you are
in an emergency situation…do we stay open? Do we close? This is not the time to plan for the future. Focus on three issues:
Present Needs A van, materials for an upcoming event, a board recognition dinner…etc.
Think about all the things that need money that are immediate…staff salaries!!!!
Short term Needs All the expenses you will have for the coming year
Long term Needs All the expenses you are likely to incur over a 3-5 year period. Perhaps you
are planning an endowment campaign? A capital fund campaign?
Identify Sources of Names
Likely sources are:
BoardStaffStaff/Consultant FundraisersVolunteersSpeaking EventsResearchLists
Identify Prospects
This requires dedication to research. DO NOT skip this step!
Individuals Foundations Corporations Government Church Groups You need to know who, what, where, and when
Sources of FundsSource Advantages Disadvantages
Individuals
Largest source of giving Ongoing source one can build Once a giver, also an advocate Volunteers are a good source of money
Costly to develop, small return per individual unit Hard to generate unless broad-based direct service appeal Risky for the inexperienced Need significant assistance from the organization's board and volunteers
Large-Family
Foundations
Source of large sums of money Accessible, professional staff Clear guidelines, process Most likely to research your request Board volunteers can help, not always key
Start-up funds only Lengthy process More difficult to access through personal influence Proposals may be more lengthy
Source Advantages Disadvantages Community Foundations Much like large-family foundations
Staff may be sufficient Host of foundations within foundations Most money is earmarked, special funds
Small-Family Foundations May fund ongoing operating expenses Personal influence with board members helps Guidelines often broad Not very fussy about grant format
Hard to access, no professional staff Often not large sums of money Without personal influence, may not be possible
Large Corporations / Corporate Foundations
Can be source of large sums of money Smaller amounts of money may be ongoing Often accessible, professional staff May be tied to volunteer involvement Business strategy may be clear Source of cause-related marketing
Large sums of money aren't ongoing Hard to get around staff Must be within their guidelines Not likely to contribute if not headquartered locally or have a public consumer base Often want board representation
Source Advantages Disadvantages
Small Corporations
Very informal approach Money may be ongoing Personal connections will suffice Neighborhood focus will help
Small amounts of money Narrow range of interest Personal contacts are key
Federated Funds (United Ways, United Arts, Combined Health Appeal)
Steady source of relatively large sums of money Clear process Professional staff, can be agency staff driven
Generally can't be a start-up organizationMust be social service and fit priority focus Very lengthy entry process Very time consuming as must be part of yearly fund raising process, with periodic in-depth review
Storing Information
Do you have an adequate donor management software system. Is the data secure?
Let’s Talk
Gift Range Chart
A helpful tool in planning and charting your progress
Customized Prospect Lists
Under $100Major Donors $500 and aboveCultivationProposalsPlanned giftsEvents
Solicitation Tools
Direct Mail – snail mail One on One Telephone Events; large and small Email Newsletters Case Statements Proposals Letters Cold calling
Outcome /Gifts
What kinds of recognitions are you going to provide your donors? This depends on what you have to offer
Newsletter lists Website donor walls Naming opportunities Sponsorship recognition Recognition events Gifts Media placements Paid advertising
TIPS Create a calendar When are proposals due? Check websites for info on
corps./fdns/govt. Events require special calendars all their own If I spoke to major donor A in January, when should I contact
her again? How? Be vigilant and aware of government grant opportunities Have regular fundraising meetings to discuss
ideas/progress/status
Don’t leave anything to the last minute – opportunities can easily pass by
Social Media Fundraising
This is the newest vehicle and it’s changing by the minute.
For up-to-the-minute information on this emerging trend, visit: www.techsoup.org and read their blog – regularly. It’s full of great resources and ideas
More Ideas “Ten for Ten”
Get 10 supporters to each ask 10 people for $10
each. Presto $1,000! You can change this to
$15,625 by changing the numbers to 25 people
asking 25 people for $25 each. This can also give
you a bunch of new donors!
More Ideas
PARTY!!
Ask supporters to have a dinner in their home
and invite their friends. Have a staff person do a short presentation on your organization followed by a testimonial from the evening's host. Then, give the guests the chance to make a gift. Make sure to get names and addresses so you can properly thank guests and get them on your list.
More Ideas
Yard Sale
Ask supporters to donate their unwanted items and hold a big yard sale. Publicize it beforehand to let the community know what you're doing and that you are trying to raise $1,000. Donate any leftovers to a local thrift store.
More Ideas
"Non Event"
Example: "No Ball at All"
Create a fictitious event and send out
invitations asking people to buy "tickets" to this event that won't take place. It's a great theme for a mailing and usually works well
More Ideas
Birthday GiftAsk for donations to your organization in honor of your birthday. Most of us have more than we need anyway, so ask friends and family to make a gift in honor of your special day. Facebook has a way to easily ask online friends to make a gift and you can set a goal so that others know how much you are trying to raise.
More Ideas
Email CampaignLaunch a viral email campaign. Write a short, compelling email and send to everyone you have email addresses for. Be sure to say that you are trying to raise $1,000. Include a link to your "Donate Now" button online. Then ask the reader to forward the email on to others who might be interested.
More Ideas
Upgrade
Upgrade an existing donor. Look through your current donor list and find someone who has given $500 in the past year or so. Invite them for a tour of your facility and ask them to make a $1,000 gift.
Questions