strengthening our organizations for the …...20%; sm - 5% objective 4 —raise $27,000 from twelve...

French American Charitable Trust

July 2010

STRENGTHENING OUR ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE

LONG HAUL

FACT Fundraising Assistance Project Webinar

Outline Session 1Creating A Culture of Fundraising

Organizational Roles and Responsibilities

Constituencies, Organizational Connections & Fundraising

Building Membership, Building Grassroots Support

Your Database: The Technological Nerve Center of Successful Fundraising

Putting it all together: The Fundraising Plan and Fundraising Calendar

Case Study: MUA Builds a Grassroots Fundraising Program

Organizational Capacity for FR: Leadership and Fundraising

Acknowledgements & Attend Money for Our Movements Conference!

Fundraising Assistance Projectwww.factservices.org 2

Outline Session 2

Why Major Gifts?

Identifying Your Best Prospects and their Giving Capacity

Telling Your Story: Articulating Need in Words and Money

The Major Donor Campaign

The Major Gift Top Ten


PresentersSession 1:

Rebecca Johnson is a member of the Management Assistance Team of the FACT.


Alfreda Barringer is a member of the Management Assistance Team of FACT.

Holly Fincke is a long-time fundraiser & fundraising consultant. She is also Director of the Windcall Institute.

Presenters

www.factservices.org Fundraising Assistance Project 5

Rona Fernandez is a member of the consulting team of Klein & Roth Consulting.

Kim Gilliam is a member of the Management Assistance Team of FACT.

Andrea Lee is Co-Director for Administration and Development for Mujeres Unidas y Activas.

Creating a Culture of Fundraising


What Is Grassroots Fundraising?

Non-grant writing based fundraising activities controlled by your organization that enables you to raise the money to keep your doors open.

The amount of money needed to maintain vital services and presence is determined by your members, leadership, staff and board.


But I Can Get A Grant With Less Work! How Do I Justify The Time?

Small donors add up AND a donor base generates the major and mid-level donors.

Must invest to get.

Foundation fundraising may be taking more time than we realize.

Results increase when an organization has a fundraising culture.

www.factservices.org Fundraising Assistance Project

Four + 1 Signs of a Healthy Fundraising Culture

Everybody does some fundraising

People feel that they are part of a team

Fundraising is talked about regularly

Fundraising aligns with the culture of the organization’s constituency

The groups own their fundraising goals, successes AND failures

www.factservices.org Fundraising Assistance Project

5 Steps to Developing a Fundraising Culture

Identify fundraising champions.

Get everyone involved.

Train, practice, debrief

Recognize and reward accomplishments

Have fun!www.factservices.org Fundraising Assistance Project

More Reasons to Build A Grassroots Fundraising Program

It is important to have many strategies for raising money. It gives you the capacity to determine what is most important to your members/constituents –regardless of foundation interests and trends.Grassroots Fundraising builds /increases

Self determinationLeadership DevelopmentCommunity/constituency commitment


Organizational Roles & Responsibilities

Board of Directors set policy, approve a budget and guarantee the organization has the funding it needs to carry out its mission, including making a commitment of time and money. Development or Fundraising Committee can help guide your Grassroots Fundraising ProgramStaff, all staff participate in some aspect of fundraising efforts.Volunteers can serve on the Development Committee as well as on event committees, help with canvasses, mailings, phone banking, member recruitment and individual donor visits.


Constituencies, Organizational Connections & Fundraising


All organizations have constituencies. Who are your constituents and how close are they to the center/heart of your organization?


Constituency Circles

Building Membership, Building Sustaining Support

Board membersNew members: 2x as responsive to a monthly giving request than renewers*Members who regularly give several gifts a year, or who send in unsolicited giftsMembers who are already using a credit card to charge gifts

Sustainer Programs are an important component of a Grassroots & Small Donor Program. Where to

Begin?

* Grassroots Fundraising Journal, May/June 2006, p 5


Which Constituency Next?

After members, your most likely pool of potential sustaining donors are:Current donorsOnline ActivistsDonors who make contributions using credit cards


Database: The Nerve Center

Donor Management (DRM): Targeted support to track donors, prospects, pledges, premiums and giving levels, matching gifts, and sometimes grants and corporate sponsorships.Constituent Relationship Management (CRM): Track comprehensive data about each constituent—their donations & membership dues, also, event attendance, volunteer record, and more.Integrated Online Systems: Combine different online functions in a single package. Track donors & other constituents, send broadcast emails, take donations & event registrations online, & even manage a website, all in one system.


Constituents, donors, members, social media, email, online activists… A successful Grassroots Fundraising Program requires sophisticated means of keeping track & staying in touch. Your database is key. There are 3 main types:

How To Decide?Don’t over prioritize priceMake a plan for all your constituents and interactionsUnderstand your own donor processesIdentify your communication prioritiesWeigh flexibility vs. complexityBe aware of your internal technical capacityConsider the priority of accounting control


Idealware Top 10


Fundraising Planning

Planning next year’s expensesCreating the Development Fundraising PlanWork the planMid-year evaluation and recalibration for balance of yearWork the revised planCritical—analyze lessons learned and apply to next year


6 Key Steps:

CYCLE of PLANNING BEGIN FY

• Approved expense budget• Approved stmt. of development objectives

Create detailed FR implementation plan

Mid-year, evaluate YTD resultsAnd re-calibrate goals

•Analyze lessons learned•Develop expense budget•Develop statement ofdevelopment objectives

22Fundraising Assistance Project

CYCLE of PLANNING

www.factservices.org

Planning Process Road Map

LAYS OUT EXACTLY WHERE YOUR YEAR MUST END UP KEY POINTS TO CONSIDER ARE REVENUES GENERATED FROM EACH FUNDRAISING ACTIVITYHOW MUCH TIME WILL BE NECESSARY TO ACCOMPLISH EACH OBJECTIVE.


Objective 1—Raise a total of $110,000 from foundations; $100,000 from four existing funders and $10,000 from one new foundation. Executive Director (ED) 15%; Director of Development (D of D) 20%; Staff Members (SM) 5%

Objective 2—Raise $12,600 in membership/small donor gifts (under $100). Renew 80% of current members (200 x 80% = 160) by a renewal program ($3200); secure 50 new members through direct mail and email acquisition ($1000); and mail spring and fall special appeal ($8400). End year with 210 active members/small donors. ED -

2%; D of D-

25%; SM –

15%

Objective 3—Raise $6000 from special events. Host two house parties ($2000); and Fall fest Gala and Silent Auction ($4000). ED -

10%; D of D-

20%; SM -

5%

Objective 4—Raise $27,000 from twelve major donors; $25,000 from ten existing major donors and $2,000 from four new major donors. Make a total

of twenty five face-to-face calls for the year. ED -18 visits & 10%; D of D-

7 visits & 25%; SM –

2%


Fundraising Objectives with Time Allocation


Objective 5—Produce two newsletters this year (spring and winter) ED -

5%; D of D 5%; SM –

2%

Objective 6—Commit time necessary for administrative functions (staff meetings, etc.) and for planning, including developing annual fundraising plan, and six month review and recalculation of the plan. ED -

5%; D of D -

5%; SM –

1%

Total Fundraising Time: Executive Director 47%; Director of Development 100%;

Staff Members 30%Total Revenues Raised $155,600Annual Budget

$151,500Projected year end surplus

$ 4,100


Fundraising Objectives with Time Allocation


MUA: BUILDING A CULTURE OF FUNDRAISING

Case Study


Mujeres Unidas y Activas: Building A Culture of Fundraising

20 year old Latina immigrant organizationOver 450 active members - low-income immigrant women primarily from Mexico and Central America.Based in Bay Area with offices in SF & Oakland. Double Mission: building personal power & organizing for social justice focusing on workers’ & immigrant rights.Organizational model has woven in belief in & commitment to developing the capacity of Latina immigrant women to be leaders of their own lives, in their community, & of their own organization this includes leading fundraising work.



1990 MUA born as Project of Northern California Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (NCCIR).

1991-2000 MUA develops innovative service model and leads campaigns for immigrant and women’s rights.

2001 NCCIR closes and MUA loses funding, institutional and individual contacts, and paid staff


KEY MOMENTS IN MUA’S HISTORY

Key Moments In MUA History


2004-05 MUA utilizes 15th anniversary to launch an individual donor campaign based on Latin American Quinceañera & forms first Board of Directors

2006-07 MUA creates structures to support grassroots fundraising programs (i.e. fundraising trainings, donor database, member-led fundraising work, donor contact calendar)

2008-09 MUA formalizes grassroots fundraising program Organizational Goal = 35%Grassroots fundraiser hired and staff takes on increased fundraising responsibilitiesNew training and mentoring program for members launched

MUA’S GRASSROOTS FUNDRAISING PROGRAM: HOW IT WORKS

FULL-TIME GRASSROOTS FUNDRAISER STAFF POSITION

INTENSIVE TRAINING FOR STAFF AND MEMBERS45 hour popular educationtraining17 graduates


MUA’S GRASSROOTS FUNDRAISING PROGRAM: HOW IT WORKS

GRASSROOTS FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE16 month commitment with stipend2-hour monthly meetings focus on-going training, project planning and check-in, and project evaluation.Rotation through 3 teams -- Direct Contact with Donors, Special Events, & Mailings/Email -- meet monthly

FUNDRAISING INTERNSHIP (to be launched Winter 2010)


MUA TRAINING IMPACT & RESULTS

TRAINING IMPACT71 % of participants felt the training helped them feel more comfortable asking for a donation71% felt they both could better evaluate what strategies were more effective and the different goals in developing donor relations 82% of the participants felt that the training helped them increase their ability to talk about MUA’s work and significance to donors


FUNDRAISING RESULTS•

Annual community fundraiser raised an additional

$1500 in 2009•

New fundraising event Sabor de MUA launched

Summer 2010•

3 phone banks reaching 500 donors each time held

betweenOctober 2009 and June 2010

• Collection of over 300 new emails for email alert list• Member designed and written spring donor appeal

NEW GRASSROOTS FUNDRAISER = INCREASED FUNDRAISING CAPACITY

New member-led fundraisersLocal business initiated fundraisers Improved communications

New email blast system synched with database YouTube presenceFacebook page

New donor categorizationBetter follow-up More targeted asks



KEY LESSONS

1) Build Organizational CommitmentCreate a culture of transparency about money in your organization.If your members and staff doesn’t understand what you need money for or where it currently comes from they won’t feel the need to fundraise.Explore the impact of over-reliance on foundations and government on your organization and our movements

2) Set GoalsInvolve key stakeholders in deciding how much of your budget should come from the community.Create long-term plan for reaching that goal.Be realistic about what you are trying to do and what it will take to do it.Be patient and implement slowly – step by step.



KEY LESSONS3) Create Infrastructure

Good donor lists and effective databases help!Develop a basic donor contact calendar and add to it.Clarify staff roles and responsibilities on an on-going basis.

4) Develop Grassroots Capacity and Support Member LeadershipTreat grassroots fundraising as a leadership development tool with the same trainings and support you give to other projects.Find a role for each member of your community to play in fundraising. Don’t dismiss fears about fundraising – confront them constantly! Give people concrete skills and opportunities to practice them.Build fundraising structures and formalize roles (committees, internships, etc.)Follow the lead of your members – they will know what fundraising strategies will work.www.factservices.org Fundraising Assistance Project 35

MUA: Building A Culture of Fundraising -- Important Reminders

Do not fall into the trap of thinking that low-income folks of color cannot be fundraisers or donors. They are both.Identify seed funding, training, and outside support (i.e.

consultants) to support you in building your fundraising program.Take advantage of concepts that resonate with the culture of your organization and constituents.Remember the network that surrounds your organization and call on your friends when you need them.Remember that Grassroots Fundraising is an investment. You won’t see monetary results right away.Celebrate all gifts and every success.Fundraising Assistance Projectwww.factservices.org

Assessing Organizational Capacity

Patience – this is an incremental process. It will build at the pace your organization can manage, no faster … or slower.Openness to new ideas – because we are social change agents this should be easy. New ideas are our life force.Hard work – goes without saying?Planning, planning and more planning – this will most support the incremental growth of your fundraising program.


What does it take for your organization to begin the process of creating a grassroots and donor

fundraising program?

ASSESSING YOUR READINESS


Evaluating Your CapacityHow are we financially?Have you discussed a new approach to fundraising with your volunteer leadership? How do they feel about it?

How does the Executive Director feel about this new approach?If volunteer leadership and the ED are doubtful, are they – willing to set doubts aside and give it a try?How does the staff feel?

Is there a core group of leaders – 3 to 5 -- excited, interested, willing to give it a go? If there is too much resistance, what are the three things that would bring about more willingness to try?

1. _____________________________2. _____________________________3. _____________________________


Follow-Up for FACT Grantees

Receive 8 hours of follow-up technical assistance from the FAP Webinar Team if your organization

is a FACT granteeHas not received a FAP grant(Your organization has not received the OSI/New World Donor Development and Diversification ("3D") Initiative grant)


Request 8 Hours of TA by December 1, 2010

Contact Alfreda Barringer [email protected] or

Emily Goldfarb [email protected]

Join Us For Webinar Part 2 on July 13, 2010.Focus on Major Donors


mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Acknowledgements


The content of this webinar draws heavily on two sources: The Grassroots Fundraising Journal from GIFT and Untapped, a publication by Linchpin Project at the Center for Community Change. Both publications and their sponsoring organizations have helped many of us develop the essential mindset and skills necessary for becoming successful grassroots fundraisers. We are grateful for their commitment and resources.

Attend The GIFT Conference


Finance and Fundraising Resources

To learn more about financial management and fundraising toolswww.nonprofitgenie.org Good advice on non-profit issues (see FAQ’s) www.NSHMBA.org National Society of Hispanic MBA’s Has good on-line training resources on finance.www.Allianceonline.org Alliance for Non-profit Management: covers board development, strategic planning, fundraising, financial management, risk management, and credit card acceptance. Wiley and Jossey Bass are good publishers on nonprofit management and fundraising.Grassroots Fundraising Journal and GIFT training are great programs for community groups. www.grassrootsfundraising.org

Articles and resources on fundraising during recessionshttp://www.grassrootsfundraising.org/article.php/dear_kim_nov08ahttp://www.grassrootsfundraising.org/fmd/files/27_3_prepare_for_recession.pdfhttp://www.grassrootsfundraising.org/fmd/files/Giving%20during%20Recessions%202008.pdfhttp://theraiser.blogspot.com/2008/10/survival-kit-for-fundraising-in-bad.htmlhttp://nonprofit.about.com/od/fundraising/tp/recessionfundraisinghub.htmhttp://afpnet.org/ka/ka-3.cfm?folder_id=2545&content_item_id=24683


http://www.grassrootsfundraising.org

strengthening our organizations for the …...20%; sm - 5% objective 4 —raise $27,000 from twelve...

Documents