| how
to raise funds |
 |
There
are many sources of funds for community groups and many ways
of going about fundraising. Obtaining grants from the larger
institution can involve an awful amount of work. They are many
simpler ways; all that's needed is some imagination. |
- Public donations.
These can be accessed through events, raffles, street collections,
advertising, inserts and direct mail, etc.
- Supporters/donors.
If you already have some financial supporters/donors, you
can approach them to give a repeat gift, via direct mail,
telephone, or face to face.
- Foundation
grants.
- Government
grants.
- Corporate sponsorship/donations
Remember that grants and corporate sponsorship can affect
your independence and they are often cut without warning.
Many foundation and government grants specify criteria for
funding requests. Investigate this before submitting an
application
Are there people or organisations that may compromise your
independence or integrity if you were to receive money from
them? If so, you may wish to exclude them from your fundraising
activity.
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| fundraising
checklist |
- Check out the
law before you start fundraising. Make sure you have the
necessary permits for raffles, street collections etc.
- To offer tax
deductibility for donations, you must be registered as a
charity.
- Recognise risk.
Public activities or events have a measure of risk. Examine
your insurance need to provide safety and cover any legal
costs. Ask the police for advice.
- Identify why
you want to raise funds. Be as specific as possible.
- Set a reasonable
target for your fundraising activity.
- Identify appropriate
fundraising strategies to reach your target.
- Ensure you
have available resources to run the activity and plan well
ahead, particularly if relying on volunteers to help.
- Often you will
have to pay for fundraising activities well before any income
is received, so budget carefully with this in mind. Don't
rely totally on funding from one area, because this increases
risk
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| fundraising
do's |
 |
- Include your
phone number, web address or a coupon if possible on all
your communications.
- Collect the
name, address, phone number and web address of your donors.
You're never too small to start a database of those who
give.
- Keep in regular
contact with your donors and supporters... people give to
organisations they have a relationship with.
- Negotiate to
get goods in kind or at a reduced cost to assist you in
running fundraising activities cheaply
- Communicate
clearly, passionately and with urgency about your organisation.
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| fundraising
don'ts |
|
- Create expectations
you can't fulfil.
- Exaggerate
about your activities.
- Be vague about
why you're fundraising.
- Launch into
a fundraising activity without planning and budgeting.
- Raise money
for a specific project and then spend it on something else
without first informing your donors
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