How to Fundraise

Edited byJamie Bresee and 54 others Article EditDiscussHistory

Very few groups or organizations can survive without funding of some type. In most cases, committees decide to raise their own funds or funds for other groups through fundraisers. While it can easily be determined that money is needed, it is not always as easy to know exactly how to start a fundraiser. Consider the steps below to be on your way to a successful fundraiser. Ads by Google

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EditSteps

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Answer essential questions to determine the need for your fundraiser. Ads by Google

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How much money do you wish to raise? When do you want to carry out the fundraiser? Who will help raise the funds? Are the participants best suited for selling items, entertaining, or performing services? What group of buyers/donors will the fundraiser target?

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Research previous fundraisers. Consider the organization or organizations other groups in your area have used. Use the information from your research to help direct your decisions for the fundraiser.
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How could these organizations meet your needs? Is it best to run the fundraiser online, offline, or both? Will any of these ideas meet your needs? Which fundraisers were successful? Why were they successful in your area? Which fundraisers were not successful? What do you believe contributed to the lack of success?

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Choose a theme, product, or service for raising money. Based on your needs assessment and fundraiser research, determine which type of performance, product, or service is best suited for your group. Consider:
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Selling a product (consider purchasing in bulk/wholesale online for a cheap price and then reselling items) Offering a service Seeking sponsorships Asking for grants Hosting an event and keeping ticket proceeds Setting up a raffle (if you can get an organization to donate prizes, even better!) Establishing an online page on a website like Go Get Funding or First Giving and send the link out to your friends, family and community

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When planning your fundraiser, take advantage of any special talents you and your group might have. Maybe you sew and crochet--make some items to sell. You can sell them online, at a craft show, or set up shop in your own front yard, and have a garage sale to go with it, to earn extra.

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Create a timeline.

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Allow plenty of time for planning and motivating the participants. Be careful to consider other events taking place in the area. Do not plan fundraisers during times when people in your area are preoccupied with other events or spending.

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Motivate the group of participants.
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Create a positive and upbeat fundraising environment. Plan a reward system for the best contributors. Prizes and recognition incentives work well. Set a goal. It is important for each participant to know exactly how much money he/she needs to raise. Post a chart that gives a visual representation of the group's progress. Stay in touch and communicate often with the participants through the entire process of planning and carrying out the fundraiser. Help the team stay focused and keep the purpose of the fundraiser in mind.

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Promote your fundraiser.
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Write a press release to send to local newspapers, television, and radio stations to share in their community sections. Put posters, signs, and flyers around the community. Check with restaurants, libraries, and universities to see if they accept public postings.

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Prepare the details of the project before presenting to fundraiser participants.

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What are the duties of each participant? How and when will money be collected? How and when will products or services be distributed? How will participants be rewarded?

Avoiding Common Mistakes

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TOO SHORT OF TIME LINES: Give your group working on the dinner/event at least five months to plan the event.

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UNORGANIZED STAFFING ROLES: Make sure that the roles of each person is clear at every stage of the planning process to the night of the event.

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UNCULTIVATED COMMUNITY RELATIONS: Make sure to get the information out well in advanced of who you are, what your mission statement is and why they should support you.

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OVER-TASKING PERSONNEL: Make sure everyone is involved in every phase of the processes leading up to and including the event itself.

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NOT UTILIZING PERSONNEL STRENGTHS: Make sure in the tasking that you play to each persons strong points. You dont want a person who is Public Relations savvy behind a desk and someone who is better at planning out attempting to establish the Community Support.

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RSVP WITH PAY AT THE DOOR OPTION: This one is a killer! If you dont have those attending pay in advanced you can over or under estimate on catering, potential at minimum funding and the expense to actual revenue forecast.

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SPEAKERS TAKING TOO LONG: Dont let a long winded person address the event!! Keep your Speakers to a Ten Minutes Maximum. Thirty Minutes total not to include a small break in between speakers. This is so you dont lose your target potential investors.

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DON'T PLAY ALL OF YOUR HAND: A raffle for door prize is great! With the option to buy more tickets. Granted all are donated to the Organization.

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DON'T LET THE SILENT AUCTION BE AN OPTION: Have everyone be assigned a number for the auction. Dont display all that you have for the auction. One third hidden just in case you need to pull and Ace out or it isnt having the response you are looking for. You can use the extra for your next event

How to Fund Raise Effectively for a Nonprofit Organization

Instructions
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1
Assess the needs and goals of your non-profit organization. What do you want to accomplish?

2
Review the federal and state limitations set for non-profit fundraising.
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3
Review your existing fundraising programs. Assess their strengths and weaknesses.

4
Brainstorm for original fundraising ideas. One-of-a-kind ideas attract a lot of attention.

Decide if you want to solicit funds face-to-face, through mailers, by phone, online, through special events, or through a combination of these.
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Cultivate existing relationships. A well-known saying says "fundraising is not raising funds, it's raising friends."

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Solicit large corporations for philanthropic funds through their public relations department. Think like a business when approaching corporations.

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Solicit funds from corporations that are moving to the area and want to establish a "presence."

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Solicit donations of equipment and supplies from local companies. Even food or flowers can be obtained for small events.

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Consider establishing a partnership with a local corporation. Determine what your organization might be able to offer the company, then contact their marketing department.

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Seek government grants and donations.

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Consider hosting special events. Considerable expenses are involved, and profits may be minimal, but events generate visibility and name recognition.

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Contact all local media before your special event. Advertise as much as you can.

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Continue fundraising until you have a base-level of cash flow. Future fundraisers can build on that foundation.