Purpose: To successfully raise more money for our charitable projects.
1. hy do some organizations! just li"e ours! raise incredible amounts of money e#ery year! and our fundraising income is smaller$ They "now who to as" and how to as". %. hy do people &indi#iduals' gi#e$ They belie#e in your cause. (ach year indi#iduals gi#e nearly )*+ of all contributions made. ,ndi#idual support is the "ey to successful fundraising. -. Our .lub fundraising is based on /0nnual 1i#ing2. 0nnual 1i#ing includes memorials! special e#ents! mailings! grants and special projects. 1enerally! donations are unrestricted. Our donor list is maintained through a mailing list. 3. Fundraising! where do you start$ 0re you a non4profit 5 ta6 e6empt$ 0re you pro#iding a beneficial ser#ice to the community$ 7o you ha#e enough #olunteers to support a fundraiser$ 7o people who support you ha#e sufficient discretionary funds to pro#ide assistance$ .an you identify %8 4 8* people who will support your cause$ 8. Planning: 9et your short term goals &things you can accomplish within one year' 1oals should be specific 4 what you want to accomplish! how big it will be and what it will cost. 1oals should be realistic! manageable and obtainable. Objecti#es should ha#e a realistic time frame &clear understanding of the time needed to accomplish what you want to do'. Fundraising Presentation Page % :eep in mind! goals 5 objecti#es can be changed! modified or abandoned. ;. The .ost of Fundraising: .osts depend on what you are trying to accomplish. ,n any business! it costs less to "eep a customer &donor'! than it does to find new ones. 9uccessful fundraising organizations will tell you a "ey to increased contributions is culti#ating and nurturing former donors. <etter <usiness <ureau says it shouldn=t cost you more than >.-* to ma"e a dollar. 9ometimes the 1 st e#ent isn=t intended to ma"e immediate money! but has potential for the future and was the reason for the e#ent. ?. .hoosing a Fundraising 0cti#ity 4 9pecial (#ent: 1i#e #isibility to your organization. Open doors to new donors and funding sources. ,n#ol#e #olunteers in a fun and e6citing acti#ity. ,f successful will raise money for your organization. @. 9electing a 9pecial (#ent: Aoo" closely at your organization. 7o you ha#e a group of #olunteers who are itching for a large! fast mo#ing e#ent$ Or do you ha#e a group of indi#iduals who would rather be in#ol#ed with a more mellow acti#ity$ 9pecial e#ents can be #ery time consuming. hat are the .lubs interests! li"es and disli"es$ 0s" <rainstorming session and discuss areas of interest. Aoo" at your past history of e#ents &9uccessful or if not! why not$' .hec" the competition &hat are other organizations doing$' Try to come up with a new e#ent! or at least a major twist on an old e#ent idea &ta"es time! hard wor" and imagination'. Fundraising Presentation Page - ). 9etting a Bet 7ollar 1oal: How much money do you need to raise$ 1*. Cecruiting an O#erall .hair: .hoosing the right chair is "ey to any successful special e#ent. Beed leadership s"ills. 1et along well with committee members and #olunteers. ill other people support their plans$ Cesponsibilities of o#erall .hair include o#erseeing all the acti#ities of the other committeesDsubcommittees! printing needs &programs! in#itations! tic"ets'. 0 written job description for the chair and the subcommittee chairs will ma"e it easier to recruit for the positions. 11. 7raft a <udget: 0 special e#ent is a major financial in#estment. Aoo" at e6penses and e6pected income. 0 minimum 8*+ return on your in#estment is a standard rule for a special e#ent. 1%. Pic"ing a 7ate and Eenue: Fou want to schedule your e#ent at a time when the least amount of acti#ities will interfere with your attendance. Once you select a date! then find a suitable site as early as possible and reser#e the space. 7on=t forget to pay the deposit. 1-. Timelines: The earlier you begin planning the special e#ent the better. ; months is generally considered a minimal amount of time needed to plan a major e#ent. Once you=#e selected a date and site! wor" bac"wards and establish your timeline for the e#ent. hen establishing your timeline! remember to include details such as printing! mailings! recruiting #olunteers! in#itations! etc. hen in doubt 4 as" Guestions. Fundraising Presentation Page 3 13. (stablish .ommitteesD9ubcommittees: Finance .hair &one person' 4 "nows how to "eep financial records 5 will present accurate and timely reports. Facility .ommittee H responsible for ma"ing sure the site for the e#ent is in good condition with no surprises. 7ecorations .ommittee 4 add to the festi#e spirit at the site. Food 5 <e#erage .ommittee H if alcohol is ser#ed ma"e sure you ha#e the proper permits. Publicity .ommittee H if you=re planning to in#ite people through the media &and social networ"ing'! this committee is responsible for sending news releases and distributing other e#ent information in a timely manner. ,n#itation .ommittee 4 if attendees will be personally in#ited through written in#itations. .ommittee goes o#er mailing lists! addresses en#elopes! postage and generally ma"es sure the in#itations are sent! and record reser#ations when recei#ed. 1ame .ommittee &<unco! Aeft4Cight4.enter! Po"er' H responsible for play! prize money! supplies needed! 5 set4up. (ntertainment .ommittee PrizesDCafflesD9ilent 0uction .ommittee InderwritingD9ponsorships H Person! business or corporation pays for all or part of an e#ent! program or publication. Cesponsible for finding indi#iduals or companies who will reduce or eliminate the e6penses of the e#ent. ,f you use underwriters than" them and than" them again. 18. 1etting People to 0ttend the (#ent: .lub members need to as" them. There are no magic formulas. ,t ta"es hard wor" and the dedicated efforts of the entire .lub. .onsider your budget! don=t o#erprice or under price your tic"ets. .ontact other organizations to compare. 1et on mailing lists of other charity groups. Jailing lists produce and response rate of 8+ to 1*+. Hostess .ommittees 4 members /host2 a table and fill it with their friends and associates. Fundraising Presentation Page 8 Publicity 4 use public ser#ice announcements! news releases! 5 social networ"ing Fundraising Presentation Page ; 1;. The (#ent ,tself: <e fle6ible! no matter how careful you=#e been! some things are going to go wrong. .hances are! only you and your committee will e#er "now there was a problem. The "ey is to go on with the show and ma"e sure e#eryone has a good time. People return year after year when their attendance was pleasant and without incident. 1?. Cecord :eeping: <efore! during 5 after! "eep accurate records in all areas. 0ll committee chairs should "eep a folder with all the information relating to their area. O#erall .hair should be prepared to report on a monthly basis. 0fter the e#ent! the general chair should collect the folders to compile for the final report. Cecord "eeping is essential to maintain the continuity of the e#ent o#er the years. 1@. Follow4up: Ceturn all borrowed items 9end organizational information to indi#iduals who as"ed for it. 0dd new participants to your mailing list. Than" all the .ommittee .hairs for their help. 1). Cecognition: Be#er stop saying than" you. O#erall .hair=s name should be in the program! and should be as"ed to say a few words at the e#ent O#erall .hair should recognize e#ent committee chairs with names in the program and recognition at the e#ent. ,f you use underwriters! be sure to recognize them on printed materials andDor with certificates of appreciation. 7on=t forget to say than" you to e#eryone who had a hand in ma"ing the special e#ent a success. Fundraising Presentation Page ? Fundraising Presentation Page @ %*. .onclusion on 9pecial (#ents: 1et together to critiGue the e#ent while it is fresh in your mind. Fou don=t need to ma"e the same mista"es or deal with the same problems ne6t year if you ta"e time to address these items now. .ollect ideas to twea" the e#ent or ma"e suggestions for impro#ements for ne6t year. 0ppoint an O#erall .hair for the ne6t year. 9ource: Fundraising! the 1ood! the <ad! and the Igly &and how to tell the difference' by <ill K. Harrison.