Ten Small but Important Things to Observe in Fund-Raising

October 19, 2018

Ten Small but Important Things to Observe in Fund-Raising

Fundraising is a great way to earn money for your organization, but it can also be fairly expensive and time-consuming.  In order to make it really pay off, you have to carefully plan your campaign, while keeping the following important points in mind.

Formalize your purpose

It’s a good idea to start with a clear purpose for your fundraising campaign. Obviously you intend to raise funds for your cause, but is the primary purpose to generate publicity, or are there secondary goals which you have in mind?

Establish a monetary goal

Right from the outset, you should establish a precise figure as the goal of your fundraising campaign, and this amount should be communicated to everyone involved very clearly.  This will help you to gear all your activities toward raising that specific amount of money.

Create a budget

All fundraising events should have a clear budget, with all expenses identified beforehand.  The more thorough you are with identifying expenses and establishing an appropriate budget, the less likely you will be to have your campaign derailed by unexpected costs.

Market your campaign

Just as if you are selling a new product, you need to generate visibility for your fundraising campaign.  Supporters will need to be convinced, and potential contributors need to be reached via several different channels.

Identify leadership

Your fundraising campaign should have an overall leader directing all activities, and there should be as many committees or groupings as are necessary, to ensure the successful execution of your campaign.

Event setups

If you intend to have one or more special events to publicize your fundraising campaign, and to encourage donations, these should be planned well in advance to ensure their success.  You’ll need to know where these events will be held, what kind of food and entertainment will be available, and what the event itinerary should be.

Identify target audience

You may have a general audience in mind for your fundraising campaign, but it may be more advisable to have a specific target audience in mind.  If your fundraising campaign is geared toward a specific group like business people, those are the individuals you should try to reach, and to cultivate.

Conduct a rehearsal

For any events you plan for your fundraiser, it will be worth your time and effort to have a dry run, in order to make sure the event comes off as intended.  This will help everyone involved to understand their roles, so that things go smoothly.

Accept donations

As funny as it sounds, you actually have to plan for accepting donations for your fundraising campaign.  For example, you should decide whether there are contribution levels, or whether any amount is an acceptable donation.  If you’re staging fundraising events, you’ll need to plan for ticketing, and what the charges should be for ordinary pricing and VIP pricing.

Remember to say thank you

Everyone who contributes to a cause enjoys being thanked for their contribution, so don’t overlook this important aspect of the fundraising campaign.  You certainly don’t want to alienate any contributors, and if you plan future fundraising events, you’ll probably want to call on some of the same contributors.

 

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