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Step By Step Fundraising Newsletter
October 2009
In this issue -
Six Leadership Tips for Successful Fundraising Events
Athletic Events: Run, Walk, Raise Funds
Hosting an Auction at Your Fundraising Event? Raise more this
year!
This month's newsletter is all about planning successful fundraising
events. Our feature articles comes from guest contributor Christopher
Scott. He shares with us tips especially for those who are in leadership
positions when planning an event. I'm also highlighting several
resources available to help you be as successful as possible with
your special events.
Six Leadership Tips for Successful Fundraising Events
1) Start Early - When you start projects earlier
than necessary you give yourself time to screw up, make mistakes,
think of new ideas, and brainstorm. It gives you the freedom to
make changes and improvements without having to deal with stress
of deadlines.
2) Get the Best - In other words, find the right
people to help you make the event successful. Work hard to find
people who have the extra time and passion for your cause. This
needs to be a group of individuals who can move, shake, and make
it rain. People who know how to get things done, and can meet the
needs of the event. These are individuals who have strengths and
weaknesses that compliment each other. An example would be a team
of people who are great at asking for donations, others to keep
track of those donations when they are made, and someone else to
take care of the small details.
3) Know Your Outcome - In Morrie Warshawski's
book, The
Fundraising Houseparty he writes about the difference between
fundraising and friendraising. He describes friendraising as the
act of building relationships with new potential donors to ask them
for a donation at a later date. As the leader you need to determine
early in the process what the outcome for the event is. Is this
an event to meet some new people and build new relationships with
possible donors? Or, is it an event to bring in your die-hard
supporters who wait all year long to write you that big check?
4) Work Hard - Now that you've started early,
gotten the right people in place, and everyone knows the outcome
of the event it's time for you to step up to the plate. As the leader
you need to be the person who works the hardest. You have to put
in the sweat and tears, because most people on your team will only
work as hard as you. If you set the example of putting in the hours
and dedication of wanting to make the event successful, others will
follow your lead.
5) Be the First to Donate - This is extremely
important. Sometimes you have to grease the wheels to get them
to move. With fundraising events make sure you and your team all
donate to the cause very early in the process. Everyone should
make a donation before they ask anyone else to make a donation.
In my three years of fundraising for A
Day of Hope, the year I fundraised the most was the year I
made both the largest and the first donation that we received.
This starts the fundraising process, builds momentum, and it makes
it easier to ask others for donations. It's a conversation starter
when you're talking with people because you can say you've already
raised $xxxx dollars.
6) Spend Time One-on-One - As time passes and
the event approaches you're going to need to spend time with your
individual team members one-on-one. There will always be people
who don't speak their mind during meetings and planning sessions.
Some people have been taught it's better to be nice and keep their
opinions to themselves than voice their opinion if it might offend
someone. There's nothing wrong with this, but as a leader you need
to seek these people out and find out how they're doing and what
is really on their mind. They more than likely have concerns and
new ideas that they will only express to you one-on-one.
These are six simple steps that I hope you can implement as a
leader of a successful fundraising event.
About the author: Christopher Scott founded
A Day of Hope, a program of the CSU, Stanislaus Foundation that
delivers baskets of food to families in need for Thanksgiving.
For more great fundraising tips visit his blog:
Nonprofit Leadership, Innovation, and Change
Athletic Events: Run, Walk, Raise Funds
Did you know that over 12 million
people participate in charity run, walk or other athletic
programs every year? There's still a lot of room for your
cause to get in on this popular type of fundraising event.
While I've done fundraising as a participant
in these events, I have never planned the actual run or walk.
However, about a year ago I recruited Lori Rice and Carrie Hill,
two experienced event planners, to write for CharityMile.com.
They've both planned 5Ks and walk-a-thons
for different nonprofits. Since then they've been providing
great event planning, running and other great ideas on the blog.
Wondering if a run or walk would be good
for your organization? Find out in Chapter One of this book.
Yes, you can get the complete first chapter for free... View/Download
Here
Hosting an Auction at Your Fundraising Event? Raise more this
year!
If you are including an auction with your special event this
fall, there are two Step by Step Fundraising resources that
may be of help to you...
Silent
Auctions: Complete Step by Step Guide & Toolkit A practical
manual that walks you step by step how to plan and execute a
profitable silent auction. Use the extensive list of suggested
items and follow the advice on how to get the items donated
to create a great auction line-up. Plus get a Toolkit with sample
letters, bid sheets and other tools that will save you valuable
time.
Secrets
of the Charity Auction Experts These seminars will make
planning your auction easier and more profitable than ever!
Includes audio recordings, printed transcripts and a Quick Start
Guide - “81 Tips to Make Your Auction Great.”
To Your Continued Fundraising Success,
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