Fundraising tips

Initial Questions

• Is there an existing donor base? (people who you have asked for or received money from the past)
• Is there at least a database of everyone who has volunteered, produced programming, or been trained?
• Is there any history of fundraising or events that have worked in the past?
• How much are you looking to raise and in what time frame?
• How many people will be helping with the effort and do you have access to more people to help?
• Is there any fundraising plan already in place?

Now for suggestions!

Attached is one of the best lists of suggestions ever produced. The article is from the Grassroots Fundraising Journal – 53 Ways for Board Members to Raise $1000. This eliminates the “I don’t know how to fundraise” excuse. It is really one of the most realistic fundraising articles I have ever read and I have used it to great success many times over the years.

Have Board members host house parties. This works well in media organizations. The host invites 10 or so people over for dinner with an invitation that is clear about giving expectations. Have the ED and a producer attend. During dessert, show a video about the organization that clearly demonstrates why it is important. Have a conversation with the dinner guests about why local media is important. Make an ask. They should all have their checkbooks with them based on the invite, but have a simple pledge form ready. These can make $1000 to $5000 in a night with no organizational expense.

If you are a radio or cable access station and you run Democracy Now! schedule a time to produce a fundraising pitch with host Amy Goodman. She pitches like a mad woman for pledge drives on radio and TV stations that run the show. If you’re not with a media outlet that runs the show, you still might think about teaming up with a local outlet that does in order to bring her to your town for a fundraiser. Don’t forget the VIP reception after the public event.

If you get Amy Goodman from Democracy Now!, have someone to “interview” her for 15 or 30 minutes by phone. Have a few questions about why QU is important to the community ready, but she just knows how to go all by herself. Stand back and let her do it. Videotape the interview and edit with compelling DN! And QU footage while she pitches. Have a phone number that someone will be ready to answer and take pledges. Run said tape on Channel 27 in any available space until the oxide comes off. She will make phones ring.

Raffle a hybrid car. We used to do 1000 tickets at $50. The dealer gave us a whopping $1000 discount for the promotion, but we still made about $25k on the deal in about 60 days. Check raffle rules for your state before doing starting. With so few tickets people know their chances are good and the process moves quickly. QU pays for the car from the raffle proceeds after the winning ticket is drawn.

Find businesses that appoint a nonprofit to receive a percentage of sales for the week. Food coops, Buffalo Exchange, Wild Oats and others do this all the time. You’ll just have to convince them that you are worthy.

No matter what you decide to do, always think about the return on effort and investment. The cost of telethons can often outweigh what you’ll earn. But no matter what you do, collect the name and address of every single person who shows any support and thank them any way you can. And, of course, keep that name on file...

But, let me say more strongly than anything...nothing raises money like asking people. Every year, 80-85% of donations are made by individuals, either directly or bequest. Everything else – grants, government, corporations, events – totals a mere 15% give or take. What sector of the charitable world generates the most in donations? Churches...because they ask for a gift every week.

The main reason donors state when asked why they gave a gift was because they were asked.

Events are a crucially important part of a revenue mix. They bring people into your organization who may have never gotten involved any other way.

Grants not only provide larger cash infusions for specific efforts, they also provide additional credibility for the work of the organization.

But, ultimately, individual giving is where it’s at.
And it scares the bejesus out of your Board members to think about asking people for money. Get them started on the path to develop a culture where they feel comfortable telling someone why your organization is important and then asking that someone to consider a gift of $XXXX.

=== Finding Grants and Funding ===

'''[http://nationalserviceresources.org/epicenter/practices/index.php?ep_action=view&ep_id=963 Finding funding opportunities online]''' - This National Resource Center Effective Practice provides a broad oerview of websites and resources for searching for available grants and requests for proposals.

=== Books ===

• [http://www.amazon.com/Only-Grant-Writing-Book-Youll-Ever/dp/0786711752 The Only Grant-Writing Book You'll Ever Need: Top Grant Writers and Grant Givers Share Their Secrets!]: A great catch-all guide for grantwriters. This is by far my favorite grantwriting book that is both practical, inspirational and with many examples of both good and bad grants and grantwriting practices (says Ben).

• Kim Klein's book, "Fundraising for Social Change"

If the idea of houseparties is of interest, get the great how-to book by Morrie Warshawski, The Fundraising Houseparty:
How to Party with a Purpose and Raise Money for Your Cause. It is a bargain at $20. It’s a clear guide to making these parties work. Order it directly from him at http://www.warshawski.com/books.html

Read a review of the book at http://stepbystepfundraising.com/fundraising-houseparty

=== Fundraising Software Advice===
* '''NPower Seattle:''' [http://www.npowerseattle.org/education/resources/donor_toolkit.htm Donor Management Toolkit]
* '''Idealware:''' [http://www.idealware.org/articles/fgt_low_cost_dbs.php A Few Good Low Cost Constituent Databases]
* '''Social Source Commons''': [http://www.socialsourcecommons.org/search/query?q=fundraising&submit=Search "Fundraising" search] (look for tools that are in toolboxes as that means more people are using them)
* '''Idealware:''' [http://www.idealware.org/articles/ten_common_mistakes_in_selecting_donor_databases.php Common Mistakes in Selecting Donor Databases]
* '''Idealware:''' Offers several [http://www.idealware.org/online_seminars/ webinars around fundraising software]

=== Presentations ===
We got some great resources from the NTEN '07 Conference! Check out the attached presentations:
* Getting Started with Online Donation Tools
* Cross-Channel Fundraising Strategies
* Tips for Successful Person to Person Fundraising With Online Charity Badges