Fund-Raising 101

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What are you so scared of?

Middle Class Hang-Ups . . .. . . are what get in the way of most people succeeding at raising money for their organizations. You have to get past this.

It’s only money! You aren’t asking anyone to give up their first-born grandchild.

You are doing work that other people want to see happen. You are giving them the privilege of making it possible. The privilege. Repeat that to your self whenever you feel hesitant or nervous. You are doing them a favor.

If you can talk, you can sing.

If you can walk, you can dance.

If you can ask for directions,you can raise funds.

Fund raising:an art and a science

(but easy)

There is plenty of money available.

But it’s not about money!

Fund raising is about relationships

Good Relationships =

Good Communication Skills

• Establish relations

• Learn things

• Inform

• Influence

• Express a need

• Clarify

• Entertain

• Inspire

• Understand

• Gather facts

• Ask for help

•

So why do you need to communicate?

To:

If you want people to support your work, you have to commit to communicating with them. They want to know where their money is going and why you are the best organization to give it to. Never forget that there are thousands of other organizations doing what you are doing. What keeps people donating to YOU is the connection they feel to your work and to you.

And with whom areyou communicating?

• the kids

• the grownups

• staff

• government

• local community

• community leaders

• donor agencies

• professionals

• media

• business people

• individual donors

• other vol orgs

Look at the list in the previous slide carefully. Try and imagine how you would communicate with each group and why it might be important as a fund raiser. The kids, for example. Why is that important?If your organization works with children who need education, and you don’t know any of the children you work with, how effective do you think you will be convincing people to give?

Have you ever heard someone describe their organization’s work . . .

and still wonder what it is they do?

As a fund raiser, you need a statement of work!

a brief (no more than 15 words) statementof what it is your organization does

for example:

we provide education and therapy for children with special needs

and community awareness around disability(15! Bingo!)

mind your language!

we care for people with drug and alcohol problems.NOT: we care for drug addicts and alcoholics

avoid unfamiliar, jargon-y terms

integrated education to handicapped childrenpalliative care to the terminally ill

participatory research

your turn!

(write it, then memorize it)

you should be able to say it in your sleep

what’s your language?

Folksy, Salt of the Earth?

Hard-Core Corporate?

Government Bureaucratese?

or pitched to the girls next door?

Get it right!

Fund raisers talk to everyone, but everyone doesn’t speak the same language. As a fund raiser, you need to be sensitive to the very different ways your different audiences receive information.

What do you want from your donors?

Don’t give money - get involved!

People don’t give to causes - they give to people

Keep your donors close to your work - that’s what drew them to you in the first place.

First-time donors are the most expensive.(Individuals, Foundations, Corporates,

Government)

Don’t treat them like trash!

What that means is that it’s hard work to win someone over for the first time. Don’t waste your effort by then forgetting to stay in touch!

Ways to keep donors involved

Encourage them to visit

Invite them to participate in functions

Have them be a part of events

Take the time to share your work with them

Recognize their contributions publicly

Stay in touch!

thank you notesphone callsnewsletter

annual appealsreports to funders

annual report

Raise your organisation’s profileso that you stand out in the crowd

Start with strategy

Some basic principles

Commit fully to a definite objective:don’t hesitate,

don’t wait for the perfect moment

Economize!

Saving money is

raising money

Do the unexpected,but keep it simple

Timing and sequence!

Children learn to crawl before they can walk. Don’t expect to raise millions before you’ve raised thousands or hundreds.

The Five Sources

IndividualsCorporate

FoundationsGovernment

Earned

Eggs and Baskets

One big secret in successful fundraising:

Diversity!

Don’t rely on only one source of income

Thinking comes before planning

Articulate your mission, vision and values(an ethics policy?)

Assess your situation critically:external (environmental) issuesinternal (organizational) issues

Get ready:Who’s on the team?Who will facilitate?

Is this the right time?

The team should agree on priorities(no headless chickens)

Write the plan (ON PAPER!!!!)

Implementation

(that’s the easy part)

Evaluation:

What’s working?What isn’t?

Mid-Course Corrections

Key Point!

Cost Analysis of Everything:servicessystems

fundraising activities

Your donors will appreciate this.

You should be able to tell them instantly how much each activity costs to run.

Per child, per monthPer immunizationPer therapy hourPer assessment

Final advice: Ask and it shall be given

Pranam, Raise Funds, Have Fun!