Fundraising Tips from A Previous Newsletter
This entry was posted on 6/27/2008 12:46 PM and is filed under Fundraising.
Periodically, one of my e-zines is dedicated to fundraising efforts. Here are some excerpts from one of the March issues.
The next round of selected grant and other opportunities which have been gleaned from a variety of resources. There are many others which may be related to your personal or professional goals. This information can be used in conjunction with your Individual Fund development Plan (IFP). For assistance in developing your personal or organizational IFP contact Best Principled Solutions for more information or participate in the expanded complimentary teleseminars series listed below.
Finally, when is the last time you had a fundraising audit completed for your business development strategy and what have you done about those findings? Are you on target with your funding for this year?
In this month's issue, I am taking a different tack. Please take a minute to read through a critical article on Fundraising to put this Business Development Issue into perspective. Once you have completed reading it, you will find yourself or your organization among the tens of thousands of other very similar mission driven causes, and you may find yourself lacking in the obvious critical component the individual donor.
The purpose of this publication will somewhat morph into familiarizing you with grant opportunities as in previous issues. But it is more important that you become familiar with individuals and start focusing on your relationship development with individual donors, or individual corporations. When you are able to match the 75% individual donor statistic, you will know that you are well on your way.
Grants may seem like the catchall and I will continue to post this auxiliary tool. However, there are truly other areas where your energies should be focused.
Where do you begin prospecting for Individual Donors? One site could be Lamb Research Understand where the money is coming from. A variety of databases from political donations to those higher salaried professions may be researched here. This is time intensive; but if you are truly interested in finding more individuals, this may be a place for you to commence your efforts.
Let's look at some well respected Foundations. Where can you fit in to their giving strategies?
Remember to look at past recipients to determine how you may have a similar program but differentiate yourself enough to measure your objectives with a unique impact.
American Express has three major initiatives and funds some organizations for ongoing projects. If you fall under Cultural Heritage, Leadership or Community Services, you may have found a match. If you go to their website, you will find more information. For a complete listing of their 2006 grant list, go to http://home3.americanexpress.com/corp/gb/pdfs/2006grantslist.pdf
The Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation will seek and fund innovative projects which advance solutions to basic and enduring problems and will focus its grantmaking in the areas of art, the environment and learning disabilities. Their efforts will reflect the entrepreneurial spirit of their family forbears and the founder's distinction for foresight, imagination and risk taking. They will pursue their mission so that the Foundation will also engender family unity, equality, and mutual respect, and serve to educate family members in philanthropy, service and stewardship. http://www.tremainefoundation.org/
Here's a watchdog organization for donors:
American Institute of Philanthropy, a national charity watchdog service whose stated mission is to maximize the effectiveness money contributed to charity by providing donors with the information they need for making more informed giving decisions. The Institute published The Quarterly Rating Guide and Watchdog Report. http://www.charitywatch.org/
A Board Tip for Fundraising: Recruit board members who can provide pro bono services, especially design, printing, copywriting, etc. For artists, don't forget to call upon your own "board." Who have you surrounded yourself with, that may support your efforts by providing a discounted service or bartering?
Want more? Sign up now at www.bestprincipledsolutions.com/Contact for complimentary e-zine services.
