Tag Archives: fundraising

National Fundraising — The Power and Impact of Local Volunteers

Posted on July 20, 2011 | Leave a comment

From time to time we seek to share what we have learned from Mel’s 25 years with the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) and his work developing and producing the Lou Rawls UNCF Telethon. In this column we focus on the impact that local volunteers – and local campaigns – have on the fundraising of national organizations.

Back in the day the Lou Rawls UNCF Telethon was the largest African American fundraising special event held on a single day anywhere in the world. Over the years, the telethon raised over $500 million dollars. Lou Rawls was certainly the star of the show, but the real stars were the thousands of volunteers who raised money in communities across the country during the six-to-nine months leading up to the telethon.

Mel Shaw, Lou Rawls & Jim Alston

While people continuously called into the show to pledge their gifts, 60 – 70% of the money was raised in advance from local communities. These local UNCF campaigns were led by volunteers who were respected at the grass roots level – and at the highest levels – in the communities where they lived and worked. UNCF volunteers raised funds from churches, civic organizations, local businesses, families and individuals. All gifts were recognized publicly during the telethon. Local TV and radio stations invited leaders and every-day folk to make their gifts on air. Some local gifts were announced on the national show. The anticipation of being publicly recognized and acknowledged in front friends, neighbors and co-workers helped stimulate giving and ongoing involvement.

The one-day telethon was the culmination of a year’s worth of planning, preparation, training and follow up. The fundraising was non-stop – and there was never be enough staff. We learned how to depend on and trust volunteers in local communities. We focused our efforts on training and preparing these volunteers, and made it a high priority to recognize and acknowledge their work.

Finding the right volunteers was at the heart of all our local campaigns. Cities such as San Antonio, Albuquerque, Kansas City, Phoenix, Portland (OR), and Omaha operated volunteer-led campaigns without the day-to-day support of local staff. All were successful in creating a buzz for UNCF and the telethon. San Antonio in particular extended that buzz beyond the black community and engaged large numbers of Hispanic volunteers and donors. Cities with a UNCF office such as New Orleans, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, and Miami had local and regional responsibilities. Staff were charged with managing the local production of the telethon as well as implementing the volunteer-led fundraising plan.

The number one thing that made a difference in the telethon’s success was the power and impact of qualified, committed and trained local volunteers – including those from Memphis. UNCF’s commitment to localized fundraising kept people giving, year-after-year.

© Copyright Mel and Pearl Shaw.
Mel and Pearl Shaw are the owners of Saad & Shaw. They help non-profit organizations and institutions rethink revenue sources. They are the authors of How to Solicit a Gift: Turning Prospects into Donors. Visit them at www.saadandshaw.com or call (901) 522-8727.

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Volunteer-led Fundraising – It Starts with the Board

Posted on June 13, 2011 | Leave a comment

In part one of this series we discussed the difference between staff-led fundraising and volunteer-led fundraising. To generalize, staff-led fundraising is led by staff.  Volunteer-led fundraising is led by volunteers. Now we take on the question “How do you develop a volunteer-led fundraising program?”

Here’s our answer – over time!

It’s not something that happens overnight. It begins with the board and the process of creating an awareness of their fundraising related roles and responsibilities.

If you are a staff person, here’s one way to start engaging your board. Meet individually with each member to share an overview of the organization’s fundraising priorities and how these tie to its mission and vision as well as to daily operations and budgeting. Share where the money comes from. How much comes from foundation grants? From government grants? Get specific. For example, share how many $5,000 gifts the organization hopes to receive this year. How many $50,000 grants? How could changes to state or federal budgets impact expected funding? Let each board member gain an understanding of revenue sources.

During these one-on-one meetings ask each board member how they feel they can contribute. There are many roles a board member can play. They can work on the special events committee, meet with elected representatives, host friend-raisers at their home or office, help redesign the marketing material, create a social media presence, proofread proposals, speak with the leadership of their faith organization to explore the possibility of a gift, write an op-ed piece, secure pro-bono legal services, and of course, write a check and ask others to do the same.

Your job is to ask for suggestions and ideas. And to listen.

After completing these individual meetings update the organization’s formal fundraising plan with information and ideas you have gained. If you don’t have a plan, create one. If you don’t know how to create one, drop us a line and we can send you guidelines. Once your plan is up to date, share the plan with the full board. Let board members talk about what they are planning to do. Let them make their commitments to each other. After the meeting make more adjustments to the plan to reflect discussion of the full board. And then partner with your board chair – or chair of the development committee – to work with board members as they fulfill their commitments.

Once board members begin to get engaged, staff can partner with them to begin the process of engaging volunteers from outside the organization. We’ll cover that in part three.

© Copyright Mel and Pearl Shaw.
Mel and Pearl Shaw are the owners of Saad & Shaw. They help non-profit organizations and institutions rethink revenue sources. They are the authors of How to Solicit a Gift: Turning Prospects into Donors. Visit them at www.saadandshaw.com or call (901) 522-8727.

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The dangers of staff-led fundraising

Posted on June 7, 2011 | Leave a comment

In this column we define and discuss the differences between volunteer-led fundraising and staff-led fundraising. With volunteer-led fundraising board members are actively engaged in cultivating, soliciting and sustaining relationships with individuals who can support your organization with gifts, resources and connections. Current donors and friends take a leadership role in soliciting gifts and promoting your organization.

With volunteer-led fundraising your development staff plays the role of supporting and facilitating the work of board members and other fundraising volunteers. Development staff can accompany volunteers, provide an orientation to the organization’s vision, mission, fundraising priorities and programmatic accomplishments. They can record gifts, manage special events, produce reports, write proposals, facilitate introductions – but they aren’t the people responsible for raising the majority of the organization’s funds.

With staff-led fundraising staff are charged with meeting an annual fundraising goal independent of the engagement and leadership of board members and volunteers. The responsibility for meeting fundraising goals rests on the shoulders of staff who may or may not have the skill set, experience and relationships required to meet the organization’s annual goal. And then there is the issue of time – there are only so many hours in a day and one, two or three staff people cannot accomplish what a larger team of well trained and motivated volunteers can accomplish. The pressures associated with staff-led fundraising often contribute to burnout on the part of development staff. National average tenure for development professionals is low – three-to-four years, the pressures are high, and the demand for these professionals far exceeds the number of experienced and talented individuals available.

One of the major risks associated with staff-led fundraising is the departure of staff. Losing a staff person charged with fundraising can create challenges that are hard to overcome. While the causes of staff-turnover are varied, the result is that information and relationships which have sustained your organization often walk out the door when staff leave. Unless meticulously captured in your donor management system, your organization won’t know about upcoming proposal submission or funder reporting deadlines, the giving preferences of specific donors, and the marketing outcomes specific corporate partners are seeking to achieve. Relationships with your major donors will need to be rebuilt. The time it takes to recruit a new person and prepare them to begin the work of fundraising can set you back months.

When volunteers and board members are engaged with fundraising relationships and information are often shared amongst a larger group of people. Your organization has more “faces” in the community, and the work of cultivating and soliciting can continue during the search for new staff.

Increase your odds for success – invest your time and resources in developing and sustaining a volunteer-led fundraising program.

© Copyright Mel and Pearl Shaw.
Mel and Pearl Shaw are the owners of Saad & Shaw. They help non-profit organizations and institutions rethink revenue sources. They are the authors of How to Solicit a Gift: Turning Prospects into Donors. Visit them at www.saadandshaw.com or call (901) 522-8727.

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Tips For Fundraising Success: Engaging Your President, Board and Others

Posted on April 21, 2011 | 2 comments
Robert Poole

Robert Poole

Engaging your president and board are key to ensuring your institution’s fundraising success. Engaging faculty, staff and students is also important. Engagement is a clear indicator of commitment, and commitment is a number one prerequisite for fundraising success. We have admired Robert S. Poole, Senior Vice President for Institutional Advancement, Meharry Medical College for his success in leading a strong fundraising team. A seasoned and successful advancement professional, Poole recently led Meharry through an historic $125 million campaign. In 2010 the College reach the $100 million endowment milestone. These successes are a result of strong philanthropic giving and prudent financial management, and one of the many reasons we admire Mr. Poole. We turned to Robert for specific information about how he engages the College’s board and president Dr. Wayne J. Riley . Our hope is that his tips and experience can help impact fundraising at your college, university, non-profit.

Saad & Shaw: How do you engage your president as a fundraiser?

Robert Poole: Here are five things we focus on at Meharry:

  • Developing and reviewing new funding opportunities with him based on the College’s strategic plan and in conjunction with the deans and other campus executive leaders.
  • Helping to maintain clarity regarding fundraising priorities.
  • Updating him on top prospects.
  • Conducting prospect briefing sessions before cultivation/solicitation visits.
  • Keeping him abreast of fundraising trends, best practices, and tracking and reporting on progress at peer institutions.

Saad & Shaw: How do you prepare and support your board in the area of fundraising?

Robert Poole: We communicate with the board’s advancement committee and its chairman regarding fundraising and marketing priorities and objectives. We provide prospect briefings for board members that participate in cultivation and solicitation calls as appropriate. We also involve board members in planning major fundraising initiatives both as policy makers and potential donors.

Saad & Shaw: How do you integrate the president into your fund development program?

Robert Poole: As lead spokesman and vital leader/partner in every development discipline the president is highly visible and engaged throughout the advancement program.  He’s involved in media (including op-ed features, video features, editorial board meetings, radio and TV interviews, health policy position statements, etc.), external affairs and government relations, donor prospect calls and campaign strategy, and alumni relations.

Saad & Shaw: How do you involve staff, faculty and students in your fundraising initiatives?

Robert Poole: We encourage them to share their perspectives on the institutional needs and opportunities that they would like to see addressed through philanthropy.   We provide education on how the fundraising process works and, where appropriate, involve them in fundraising cultivation, solicitation and stewardship.  For example, we’ve had great success in utilizing students during donor recognition and other events, students’ personal letters of thanks to scholarship donors have helped raise a lot of money as have their testimonies in solicitation appeals.  We work with faculty and other academic leaders to develop concepts that may ultimately become fundraising proposals or projects.  Additionally, faculty and deans have been very effective participants in donor visits.

Learn more – Read the full story.

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Marketing Your Organization: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Creating Your Case for Support

Posted on April 9, 2011 | 1 comment

If fundraising is about asking people to financially support your organization, how do you respond when you are asked what the money will be used for? Can you succinctly communicate the quantitative impact your organization makes, how many people it serves, and how the organization’s programs relate to its mission? What if you are asked “What’s in it for me?” The answers to all these questions – and more! – should be contained within your “case for support.”

When asking others to financially support your organization or institution you need to be able to clearly communicate why someone should give and what impact their gift will make. This is called making your “case for support.” You need to be able to proactively answer questions a donor, funder, or sponsor may have in a clear and concise manner. You should be consistent whether you “make the case” verbally or in writing. Inconsistency is a red flag that signals you have not clearly defined your goals, costs, and projected outcomes.

Some organizations believe their “cause” is worthy in and of itself. No one questions that money is needed for scholarships, healthcare, providing services that break the cycles of homelessness, poverty or violence. But how do you answer when someone asks “what specifically does your organization do with my money?” For example, if funds go to scholarships, do you know how many were awarded last year, what the average size was, and selection criteria used? Do you know if scholarship recipients remain in contact with your organization, or if you provide support other than scholarships to help ensure students’ success? If your organization provides social services, do you know how many people are served? What types of services they receive and for what period of time? Can you, for example, state what it costs to provide healthcare access to one individual or one family, or how many families are currently served and how many could be served with increased funds?

If these sound like questions no one will ask, don’t worry – they will be asked. It’s just a matter of when. If you are not asked at first you will be eventually – perhaps at the time and place you most don’t want to be put on the spot. Don’t be caught unprepared!

Your case for support should contain the following four components:

  1. A short history of your organization
  2. The current status of your organization and its accomplishments
  3. Your vision for the future
  4. What will it cost to implement your vision

This should be done in a short and concise document. The emphasis should be on your vision for the future and what it will cost to bring that vision to life.

Answering questions about your organization

Raising money requires a clear, concise and compelling statement that communicates where your organization wants to be in three-to-five years and what it will cost to get there. It should resonate with your prospective donors; create excitement, a desire to be affiliated with the organization; and most importantly, it needs to stimulate giving. Because there are so many worthy causes for people to give their time, money and resources to, your case needs to show how your organization or institution is unique, how the need you address is critical, and how a donor’s involvement will make a difference.

The case for support is not a literary piece – it is a sales and marketing document that clearly and concisely communicates what you are selling, why someone should give and what the impact of their gift will be. It is rooted in the organization’s mission, reflects its values and place in the market, and is based on financial projections.

Depending on the size and complexity of your organization this document should be from one-to-two pages. It should be written using easy-to-understand language, and should not include any abbreviations that are not spelled out. It should answer the following questions:

  1. What are you raising money for?
  2. Why are these funds needed?
  3. How will the money be used?
  4. What is your organization’s mission?
  5. What need does your organization address?
  6. How does it address it?
  7. Who do you serve or advocate for?
  8. What is your history?
  9. Why should an individual, foundation or business provide financial support?
  10. What is unique about your organization?
  11. What are you seeking to accomplish? This year? Over three years? Five years?
  12. What are your quantifiable successes?
  13. How is the organization qualified to deliver on its mission?
  14. What makes the organization competent and fiscally sound?
  15. What are the staff’s qualifications?
  16. Who are your board members?
  17. How does giving to your organization provide a donor, funder, or sponsor with “value?”
    1. What are the benefits of providing financial support?
    2. How are donors recognized for their financial and in-kind support?
    3. What are the “intangible” benefits? For example, being part of a community of like-minded individuals; alignment with spiritual or political values?

While the above is a long list of questions the document should be short – no more than one-to-two pages.

Once prepared, the case for support should serve as the primary set of talking points so that your message is communicated consistently by everyone who represents your organization. It is important that people hear and read the same case from diverse sources. Use your case for support when preparing proposals, talking with donors, creating direct mail appeals, updating your website, writing press releases, or making a speech.

© Copyright Mel and Pearl Shaw. Working together as Saad & Shaw we help non-profit organizations and institutions rethink revenue sources. We are the authors of How to Solicit a Gift: Turning Prospects into Donors. Visit us at www.saadandshaw.com or call (901) 522-8727.

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To Hire or to Plan? Which Comes First?

Posted on April 8, 2011 | 2 comments

Organizations often face a dilemma about fundraising: which should we do first – hire development staff or create a fund development plan? We believe that creating a development plan should come before hiring development staff. The high demand for experienced fund development professionals requires you to be strategic in recruiting and retaining staff. Competition for the philanthropic dollar requires you to be proactive in developing and implementing fundraising strategies. A well-prepared fund development plan supports both strategic recruitment and proactive fundraising.

Let’s talk about recruitment first. Successful recruitment within a competitive market requires that you define your expectations regarding the position you are hiring for. Larger institutions typically have well-defined job descriptions based on industry standards, but recruiting based on these doesn’t necessarily ensure you will make the right hire. You need to know what your organization seeks to accomplish and what fund development skills will be required. Your fund development plan should contain this information as well as roles and responsibilities to use when creating job descriptions, recruiting, interviewing and hiring.

When recruiting development staff you want to interview professionals with the skills and experience required to implement your plan. Recruiting and hiring using your fund development plan allows you – or the recruiter you are using – to create a more qualified applicant pool because you have explicitly defined the skill set and experience you need. Doing so also allows you to reduce the learning curve of a new hire as the plan provides a roadmap that clearly communicates the organization’s fundraising goals, methods, timelines, and processes for engaging volunteers.

Recruiting development staff with the expectation that they will create and implement a development plan limits the pool of qualified applicants because not every fundraiser knows how to create a fund development plan. In fact, if you hire someone with the skills to create a strong plan you may not be hiring someone with the skills required to implement the plan. Most importantly asking a new hire to create a plan may mean that the plan is based on the skill set of your hire instead of the method of fundraising that is best for your organization.

Fund development plans – like strategic plans – are typically developed by consultants who specialize in planning. These plans are rooted in market research – called assessment and feasibility studies – and are specifically designed to take advantage of an institution’s strengths and help overcome challenges that impede giving. The skills and experience required to create a detailed fund development plan are different from those required to implement specific aspects of the plan. Hiring an individual with a strong background in major gifts or special events should increase giving from those areas. Such individuals however do not necessarily have the skill set to create a comprehensive fund development plan that guides all aspects of an organization’s fund development and fundraising.

That’s why we recommend creating a fund development plan before recruiting new or additional staff.

Searching for the right hire

When you need to increase your fundraising you may be tempted to hire new or additional personnel as quickly as possible. If your organization is working from a fundraising plan you have a tool to help you evaluate what type of hire you will need to make to achieve your goals. If you are not yet working from a fundraising plan, we always recommend creating a fundraising plan before you make another hire. Our experience has shown that organizations are best served when recruitment and hiring decisions are based on a strategic fund development plan. It is hard to evaluate whether or not an individual can do the job if you don’t know exactly what it is that you want to accomplish! A fund development plan clarifies your goals to you and your potential hire, thereby reducing possible misunderstandings and mistakes in the hiring process.

But creating a fund development plan requires a specific skill set. Because of this many organizations contract with consultants to create a customized plan that employs fundraising methods that best fit the culture, mission, region and relationships of your organization. Once created your plan should serve as a multi-year roadmap that guides the work of board members, staff, and volunteers. It should include detailed roles and responsibilities for all individuals engaged in fundraising. This helps ensure that all parties know what is required of them. Your plan should also include criteria for evaluating staff so that expectations about their time and use of resources are clear.

Using your fund development plan in the hiring process also gives candidates an opportunity to determine whether or not they are the right person for a position. As you are looking to hire staff, development professionals out there are doing their own search for a good fit with an organization. A development professional needs to know that the organization that she or he is joining has the ability and commitment to use their skills and experience. They also need to know that you have allocated the resources required to implement your plan.

Once hired a professional can quickly become productive because the plan serves as a roadmap to guide fundraising activities. She knows what needs to be accomplished and can get to work using her skills and experience. Because a well-crafted fund development plan contains roles, responsibilities and timelines the work of staff can be evaluated throughout the year. You don’t have to wait until the end of the year to measure success based solely on financial results. Adjustments can be made mid-course if needed.

But a development plan it should not stifle a professional’s creativity. Staff should add their input and make adjustments based on experience and insight – so long as they don’t compromise the plan’s integrity. Remember – you have made an investment in the plan and it should not be reinvented with each new hire.

These are a few reasons why we recommend creating a fund development plan before recruiting new or additional staff.

© Copyright Mel and Pearl Shaw. Working together as Saad & Shaw we help non-profit organizations and institutions rethink revenue sources. We are the authors of How to Solicit a Gift: Turning Prospects into Donors. Visit us at www.saadandshaw.com or call (901) 522-8727.

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Prerequisites for Fundraising Success

Posted on April 8, 2011 | 2 comments

It’s money that makes the world round. While not everyone would want it put so bluntly, the truth is that for many organizations and institutions money is one of the most-needed resources. Ideas and programs abound, but it can be hard to find the money needed to bring these to life. The process of attracting money – and the leadership that will sustain giving over the years – is what fundraising is all about. Successful fundraising can be characterized by the following Prerequisites for Fundraising Success.

  1. Full commitment from executive director, board of directors and staff. Without this commitment it is next-to-impossible to raise the money your organization or institution needs.  People who are committed attend meetings, participate, share ideas and generate an enthusiasm for the project. They believe that the funds can be raised, and they demonstrate that belief by making a personal gift, soliciting gifts from others, and helping secure in-kind resources. While it may take time to cultivate and secure the full commitment of an organization’s key stakeholders, this step cannot be pushed aside. Fundraising is a responsibility that must be fulfilled by leadership across the organization. It cannot rest on any one person’s shoulders.
  2. Completion of a fundraising assessment and feasibility study. This study will provide necessary pre-campaign “market research” and is used to:
    1. Assess how your institution is perceived by the marketplace
    2. Identify prospective donors and volunteers
    3. Determine initial levels of financial and in-kind support available
    4. Secure buy-in from key stakeholders
    5. Create early awareness of intent to launch a campaign
    6. Assess level of internal fundraising capacity
  3. A time-phased fundraising plan. This plan should include a detailed schedule of activities; a coordinated strategic solicitation plan; and roles and responsibilities for all who will be involved. It should identify sources of projected revenue such as government/foundation grants, gifts from individuals, sponsorship by corporations, or funds from local civic and social organizations and the steps needed to secure these. Remember to include some fun in your FUNdraising plan – people should enjoy working with your organization.
  4. A compelling case for financial support. The case for support is at the heart of all fundraising. It needs to be clear, concise and compelling. It should make the case for why an individual, corporation or foundation should support your organization. Fundraising is a competitive endeavor, so you need to communicate how your project is unique. The “case” is the basis for verbal and written introductions, and solicitations. It should communicate:
    1. Why your organization is a good investment.
    2. What the money the money will be used for. How much is needed?
    3. What will happen as a result of a donor’s or funder’s gift?
    4. What is your organization’s track record? Your successes? Your goals for the future?
    5. What will donors receive in return that is meaningful to them?

  5. Top caliber leadership. Fundraising must be volunteer-driven with strong, experienced leadership. This is critical to your success as it is the people associated with your organization that will attract others to your work. When evaluating who should lead your fundraising effort, think about who your organization already has a relationship with. Consider long-term donors and current major donors. They are already giving to your organization – a sign of interest and commitment.Those who provide leadership need to be well-respected and known throughout the constituency you will be raising money from. Each needs to make a significant financial gift to your organization, and be willing to ask others to do the same. They need to attend meetings, be publicly identified with your organization and its fundraising efforts, and able to concisely and passionately make the case for why your organization deserves funding and what the money will be used for.
  6. Active Participation by the fund development committee. As you attract outside volunteers you need to also engage your current leadership. If your board of directors does not already have a fund development committee, one should be established with goals and financial objectives.
  7. A team of properly trained and informed volunteers. It is volunteers, not staff, who are the best fundraisers. People who are giving their time and money to your organization are the strongest advocates to encourage others to do the same. Recruit volunteers to fill defined roles and let them know their responsibilities and the time frame of their commitment. Before they begin soliciting, train them in how to encourage involvement and solicit gifts. All volunteers need to be able to talk with authority about the impact your organization makes and how funds raised will be used. Each volunteer solicitor needs to make their own gift before asking others to do so.
  8. A strong public relations/communication plan. Create a plan for how to let people know the impact your organization is making. Include every method you can think of such as op-ed pieces, a newsletter, speaking before faith-based and other organizations. Do everything you can so that when a donor is asked for money they already know what great work you do.
  9. Donor Recognition and Acknowledgement. You can’t say thank you enough. When a gift is made it needs to be acknowledged right away. Send a personal letter. Have a board member call the donor. You can never be too busy to thank and acknowledge donors. Include their names in your annual report, mention them when speaking in public, create a wall where the names of those who support your work are publicly displayed. Encourage all to have a FUNdraising good time.

To request your own Prerequisites for Success Fundraising Checklist send an email to Mel and Pearl  

© Copyright Mel and Pearl Shaw. Working together as Saad & Shaw we help non-profit organizations and institutions rethink revenue sources. We are the authors of How to Solicit a Gift: Turning Prospects into Donors. Visit us at www.saadandshaw.com or call (901) 522-8727

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Keeping the Community in Community Foundations

Posted on July 14, 2010 | Leave a comment

Community foundations play a major role in communities across the country. They are a vehicle for organized giving that primarily benefits a specific geographic area. They bring together individual donors, local businesses, families, and others to pool their resources and make grants.

Here is how the Austin Community Foundation defines what a community foundation is: A community foundation is a philanthropic vehicle that combines the charitable gifts of many to provide leadership and financial leverage in addressing the current and future needs of the community through various grant making activities designed to improve the lives of the citizens of that community.

And here is what the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis is doing to encourage local residents to give to the foundation, and to have a say in how those funds are granted out to local organizations. They call their campaign GiVE 365. The campaign was launched with the belief that everyone can be a philanthropist. They especially want to engage people in their 20’s, 30’s and 40’s though anyone can participate. Annual membership is $365, or a dollar a day.

GiVE 365 helps participants to change how they know themselves. When you join GIVE 365 the definition of philanthropist changes. A philanthropist is not someone else. A philanthropist is you and me. Making a commitment to GiVE 365 puts everyday people in the driver’s seat. As long as you can give $365 a year you are in the mix. And it is a mix.

Being a member of GiVE 365 means you give and you grant. You – and the other members of GiVE 365 – get to work together to determine how the funds given should be granted. Now that is an unusual experience for many of us. Usually we – and our organizations – are on the soliciting-side of philanthropy, not the decision-making side. Participating in a donor circle such as GIVE 365 changes the dynamic so that you become a decision-maker.

This is a new program at the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis and those who participate will help shape the program. To kick it off the foundation matched the first $20,000. We talked with Bob Fockler, the president of the foundation and he said “We are really excited about the prospects for GiVE 365. Memphis has been shown to be a city full of very generous people, yet we are far from a wealthy city. GiVE 365 provides an opportunity for people from virtually all economic backgrounds to have an active part in helping to transform this city. After all, most great things come about as a result of the collective actions of a great many people.”

If you are interested in starting such a program in your community, call your community foundation, ask to speak to a program officer, and tell them you read about what the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis is up to. Be sure to say you want to help make it happen. GIVE 365. It’s worth it!

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Are You Ready For a Reality Check?

Posted on May 26, 2010 | Leave a comment

How do you know if your organization is headed in the right direction? Who do you talk to? How do you know whether or not to believe what people say?

What would it mean if you knew what people think of your organization? Would you offer different services? Engage in new forms of advocacy? Host different art exhibits? Offer translation services? Rethink your budget? Consider merging with another organization?

Below are a few questions you can ask. Ask those who are close to you and who may know all about your ups-and-downs. Ask those who use your services. Ask donors, volunteers, funders, you staff, newsletter readers, and your neighbors. The goal is to find out what people think about what you are doing.

You may find out that your perceptions are echoed by those you ask. Or you may find a divide. Both findings are valuable and good. They give you information you can use to evaluate what you are doing and where you are headed.

You can have the following printed on an easy-to-read card that you hand out or distribute as a direct mail piece.  Or you can use them to create an internet-based survey using free software such as www.SurveyMonkey.com. Or you can personally ask people these questions in an interview format. If yours is a larger, or more established organization you may want to consider engaging a professional marketing or fundraising firm.

  1. Are we headed in the right direction?
  2. Are we living up to our mission?
  3. Do you know what our current programs are?
  4. Do you know what our vision for the future is? Do you support it?
  5. Do you trust the management and leadership of this organization?
  6. Are you willing to continue to advocate for this organization and to provide support?

For many of us the past 18 months have been very challenging. When you explore how to do more with less it is good to consider what others think. You may be surprised by what you learn. This is especially important for organizations that have a long history of service. There may be new and creative ways to do things that your current leaders haven’t yet tapped. It’s always good to take the pulse of the community you are a part of. Your organization’s next good idea may be just a question away. Take the chance and find out what others think.

© Mel and Pearl Shaw 2010.



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What You Can Learn From a Fundraising Feasibility Study

Posted on May 18, 2010 | Leave a comment

Too often organizations are focused on how quickly they can begin fundraising. “We need the money now!” is a common cry. Our response is simply it’s not how quickly you begin raising money, it’s how quickly you reach your fundraising goal.

If you start your fund-raising without finding out how local stakeholders and potential donors will respond to the specifics of your campaign, you will probably raise some money, but the real question is “will you raise all the money you need? Fundraising campaigns that launch without the market research that a fundraising feasibility study provides can later find themselves in the midst of what is known as ‘campaign stall’ – they have raised a percentage of their goal, but they can’t raise the remaining funds.

Conducting a fundraising feasibility study or survey is one way to avoid such stall. This is because the results of the study will let you know important information such as:

  1. How do those interviewed really feel about your proposed fundraising campaign? Do they understand what you are raising money for and how those funds will help you deliver on your mission?
  2. Do your current and prospective donors believe the organization or institution is headed in the right direction?
  3. How do they rate your CEO, board members, and staff?
  4. Do people believe your organization fulfills an important role in the community? Do they know your mission, vision, and major programs?
  5. Are they willing to give to your proposed fundraising campaign? Why or why not? If yes, at what level? If no, would they consider making a gift at a later date?
  6. Are there others they know who would want to financially support your organization?
  7. Who can provide volunteer fundraising leadership? Who amongst those interviewed would be willing to give their time to help you raise the money you need? Who else can they recommend to provide such leadership?
  8. Who can provide in-kind resources to help offset costs associated with fundraising and annual operations? Can a local company provide your printing? Can a realtor help you secure donated office space?
  9. Most importantly, do those interviewed believe you can reach your fundraising goal, and how much time do they think it will take for you to do so?

That last point is the most important. If the people you intend to ask to financially support your organization are not willing to do so, it is important for you to know their objections, to take the time to address them (if you choose to do so), and as needed to find other individuals and institutions who feel more favorably towards your organization, its leadership, mission and goals.

The information gained from feasibility interviews can help you modify your proposed fundraising strategies and activities. It can also help you address the concerns of those interviewed and to take advantage of opportunities you may not have otherwise known of.

© Mel and Pearl Shaw 2010.

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