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Fundraising 101. An Introduction to Best Practices. The Basics. The Fundamental Principle of Fundraising? People give to people! Find the right person to ask for the cause Find and get to know your prospects Thank your current donors. And thank them again. Did you know? .
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Fundraising 101 An Introduction to Best Practices
The Basics • The Fundamental Principle of Fundraising? • People give to people! • Find the right person to ask for the cause • Find and get to know your prospects • Thank your current donors. And thank them again.
Did you know? • America is, per capita, the most generous country on the planet. • Individuals gave $229.3 BILLION to charity in 2011 • Corporations gave $14 billion • Foundations gave $41 billion (just 13% of all giving!)
What does that tell us? • Focus more on actual people – foundations and corporations are there for us to lean on, but we have to count on friends and supporters more
Fundraising is a process • Planning • Research • Especially with high-dollar donors • Marketing • Communications • Evaluation
The plan • Determine the need(s) • The pre-ask activities • Examples • Create the plan! • Track and monitor
The need • How much money do you need to raise? • Unrestricted • Individuals, foundations and corporations– in that order • What method(s) will work best for y’all? • Can you accomplish your plan with the resources you have?
The methods • Special events (KISS) • Sponsorships for projects • Annual appeals* • Direct mail • Capital campaigns • Foundation/Corporate • Planned giving/ legacy giving
Special events (KISS) • Keep It Short and Simple • Think twice– a flop is not as bad as it seems, but it’s still bad! • Do you have the time and volunteer support? • Seek sponsors • Consider events that you’ve seen work well (theme?)
Sponsorships • Inverse pyramid • Math! • Develop sponsorship committee • Overachievers, well-connected, big deals • Make them work! • Don’t assign amounts to the cost of the event • Develop prospect list • Find the right people (see above!) • Thank your sponsors • Keep them involved/ask them again next year
Plead your case • Describe it • Make it relate-able • Prove that it’s real • Convince the donor • Explain where their $$ goes/ how it is used • Don’t go overboard • Create a sense of urgency
Personal connections • Fundraising is peer to peer • Volunteer to volunteer, director to director • Start with who you know • Make a list • People only give if they are asked!
Identify prospects • The bigger the net, the more fish you catch! • Flat tire, dinner, Facebook, work, appendix • Keep track
Create the plan • Timeline– count backwards! • Schedule activities • Establish due dates and deadlines • Assign duties– delegate! For God’s sake, delegate! • Progress Reports, Updates, Takeaways, Evaluation
Check in • Own it! Make sure they’re doing what they say they are doing • “Did you see what we mailed you?” • The infamous stack! • Facebook is mostly worthless • So is email • Call and connect!
SAY THANK YOU! • Hand-written notes and phone calls to repeat donors • Provide a record (EIN) • Print on letterhead
Evaluation • Keep it honest, keep it real • Praise sandwich (with volunteers) • Did you make it?! • Who did you ask? Who should you have asked? How were your volunteers? How were your sponsors? • Tracking • Take notes for next year
OK, fine. But I’m ONE PERSON. Give me bite-size chunks • If all else fails, two sure-fire ways to raise some money • House party • Annual appeal • Track ALL data- can be Excel and Word! • Delegate and ask for help
Sources • Jerold Panas, author of Asking: A 59-Minute Guide to Everything Board Members, Volunteers and Staff Must Know to Secure the Gift • Sarah Bonefas, Development Manager, Food Bank of Iowa • Mary Mendenhall-Core, Development Director, Goodwill Industries of Central Iowa
Ryan Crane • Development Director, Primary Health Care • rcrane@phcinc.net • 515-240-8523 cell • Twitter: @citizen_crane • linkedin.com/in/ryancraneiowa