Leadership Webinar Series Part 3Fundraising: Securing Sustainability

with Drew Stromberg and Devon Tackels SSDP Outreach Directors

Devon TackelsDrew Stromberg

Tuesday, September 25, 12

Why is Funding Important for an

SSDP Chapter? • Fundraising increases awareness about your

cause and provides an opportunity for others to give, while supporting means for you to obtain financial resources for grassroots initiatives on your campus and in your community.

• Funding allows you to host great events, buy chapter supplies, bring speakers, and create content to share with your campus.

• Basically, funding increases your ability to be successful on campus.

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7 Easy Ways to Get Funding

• Apply for SGA funding from your school

• Apply for chapter grants

• Host chapter fundraising events

• Get involved in donation based event support program on/off campus

• Campus Partnerships

• Online Fund Drives

• Ask for it!

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Apply for University Funding

• This is the easiest way to get funding for your SSDP chapter

• Every semester/year you can apply for funding from the university

• Your chapter leader and treasurer should create a budget proposal

• Utilize our sample chapter budget proposal here: http://ssdp.org/resources/sample-materials/

• Be conscious of deadlines and important budget meetings you may need to attend

• Don’t be afraid to ask your advisor for help or Outreach Coordinator for help!

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Apply for Chapter Grants

• Securing grants can be crucial for a chapter without funding

• This can be a second best if you can’t get university funding, or your funding is insignificant

• You can get grants for general activities, running a campaign, and holding events.

• This money is out there waiting, you just have to write a grant proposal

• Grant writing tips: http://www.dailywritingtips.com/grant-writing-tips/

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Grant Awarding Organizations

• SSDP chapters often get grants from Students for Liberty, Campus Progress, and the Drug Policy Alliance. These are just a few that are available.

• Advocacy Grants from the Drug Policy Alliance: http://www.drugpolicy.org/about-us/advocacy-grants-program

• Action Grants and Journalism Grants from Campus Progress: http://www.campusprogress.org/get_involved/apply_for_grants

• Protest Grants from Students for Liberty: http://studentsforliberty.org/protests/

• There are also often grants available from various departments at your school. Do some research!

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Hosting Chapter Fundraising Events

• There are endless events that can make your chapter money, don’t be afraid to think outside of the box!

• Sometimes, the easiest way to make money for your chapter is to hold a fundraising event.

• The benefit of events is that you can get a lot of supporters involved.

• They have fun, and you raise money. It’s a mutual relationship.

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Fundraising Event Styles

• Donation-supported events with little to no cost– try to get sponsors and supporters to donate things needed for the event.

• Educational events– will an academic department cohost with you?

• Community Events– will partners donate a percentage of the proceeds to your chapter?

• Entertainment Events– can you provide entertainment to supporters at an affordable cost and still make a profit?

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Event Ideas! • Bake Sale

• Raffles

• Art Auctions

• Student Socials/Parties

• Concert/Battle of the Bands

• Casino Night

• Video Game Tournament

• Charity Sports Tournament

• Holiday Events (Halloween, Valentines Day)

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Donation-Based Event Support

• If your university is already holding awesome event, get involved! (Sporting events, fairs, concerts, etc)

• You and other SSDP members work a shift somewhere together and donate their pay to the chapter.

• You can do this by contacting your university to see if they have a program like this.

• Generally, this includes doing jobs like running a concession stand, collecting tickets, and event set-up and break down.

• This allows you to ask for support from your chapter members. They volunteer a few hours of their time, and SSDP raises money.

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Campus Partnerships• Another easy way to get access to funds is to partner

with other campus organizations or businesses that have access to money.

• If another campus group has a big budget, collaborate on campaigns and events and let them pay for it!

• You can also partner with local businesses to sell products and receive a percentage.

• Local campus book stores

• Krispy Kreme- Dollars for Donuts/Coffeehttp://krispykreme.com/fundraising/4-ways-to-raise-funds

• T-Shirt Print Shops give good deals. Make cheap SSDP shirts and sell them to your campus for profit.

• Coffee Shops- Buy a large container of coffee and sell it at your table for $1 a cup to students.

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Online Fund Drives

• You can use websites to help you raise money through social media campaigns.

• Your chapter members can share the links via Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit

• Kickstarter: http://www.kickstarter.com/

• Crowdrise: http://www.crowdrise.com

• Fundrazr: https://www.fundrazr.com/

• Chipin: http://www.chipin.com/

• Facebook Causes for your birthday: https://www.facebook.com/causes

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Ask For It! • It’s really hard to get money, if you don’t ask for

it.

• This isn’t something that comes naturally, but asking for money is the best way to get it.

• Who do you ask?

• Friends of club members- Don't ask too often, but don't not ask.

• Local businesses-Forge long-lasting relationships with these stable sources of support.

• Alumni-Keep your alumni involved, up to date, and ask them to support you. Also keep good records of your events and outcomes so that future generations of students will be able to learn from your failures and triumphs.

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Welcome to the Fundraising Cycle

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Making the Ask Happen Identifying your prospects.: In general, prospective donors must meet at least two of the following three qualifications:

• Ability — Do they have any available money to give?

• Belief — Do they care about your issue, programs, etc.?

• Contact -- Do they have a relationship with any of your chapter members, E-Board Members, or major

• donors?

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Communicating the AskThe closer you get, the more you raise. As the old saying goes, people give money to people, not organizations. Therefore, you want as much human contact with the donor as is reasonably possible. In terms of solicitation strategies, the following list descends from most effective to least effective:

• Personal face-to-face; team of two preferred over one

• Personal letter on personal stationery; telephone follow-up will improve results

• Personal phone call; following up after letter will improve results

• Personalized letter

• Fundraising benefit/special event

• Door-to-door canvassing

• Media/advertising

Tuesday, September 25, 12

Making The Ask

• How do you ask people for money?

• Please open up our “making the ask” document available here: http://ssdp.org/assets/2012/06/making-the-ask.pdf

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You Gotta Practice!• Practice makes perfect. Practice with your

chapter so members can become more comfortable making the ask.

• Role play as a chapter to beef up you game face

• 25-Cent Donation Game

• Each person can give a 1-minute pitch as to why they deserve 25 cents. After everyone has spoken, everyone has to choose someone to donate their 25 cents to. Participants keep the money they earn.

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Do’s and Don’ts

• Here are a few recommendations for you to keep in mind!

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Don’ts: Work Smarter, Not Harder!

• Successful fundraising is not about gimmicks.

• Don't get lured into gimmicks that are meant to prevent you needing to ask for money. Gimmicks often require up-front costs which means you have to raise more money just to break even. (Accepting donations online, out of the box fundraising programs.)

• Don't rack your brain figuring out how to reach a new audience. How can you tap into the resources and strengths of the people who already support or are members of your club?

• Don't bankrupt your club's store of energy with many projects that require volunteer time. Everyone is busy and people do burn out. Make sure any project you take on has committed volunteers to shepherd it.

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Do’s: Be Yourself, Not Someone Else

• What worked for other clubs won't always work for you.

• Do be realistic about your own goals and resources. How much money do you really need? How much time does your club have to commit to fundraising?

• Do take advantage of the talents of your clubs' members. Do you have art students? Athletes? Musicians? How can they donate their talent to something that will raise funds for your club? Does someone have a parent with connections to potential sponsors? Could a sponsor donate money, space, catering, promotion, frequent flyer miles, or products that your club could use?

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SSDP Chapter Fundraising Victories

• Northern VA Community College (Woodbridge) SSDP Chapter Krispy Kreme fundraiser to attend 2012 Intnl. SSDP Conference: http://ssdp.org/news/blog/fundraising-for-denver/

• Virginia Commonwealth University SSDP raised thousands through event donation based event volunteering at football games, and holding video game tournaments: https://www.facebook.com/events/181170835305334/

• University of Michigan SSDP raised hundreds through an art auction: https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1882476624661

• SSDP Alumni held this party last week and raised hundreds of dollars for SSDP: https://www.facebook.com/events/388047671263100/?ref=ts

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Take Note

• Fundraising is not a skill you develop overnight. It takes time to figure out what works for your unique chapter, and how to successfully raise the most money.

• Asking for money gets easier over time. So, don’t expect to get it perfect the first time.

• Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

• This is a group effort through and through. EX: If your chapter has 20 members and they each $10, you instantly have $200. Take the fundraising challenge.

Tuesday, September 25, 12

Resources

• General Resources: www.ssdp.org/resources

• Chapter Fundraising Tips: http://ssdp.org/resources/chapter-fundraising-tips/

• You can find tonight’s webinar resources here: http://ssdp.org/resources/fundraising-webinar/

• Drew and Devon!

• Any Questions?

Tuesday, September 25, 12