Fundraising for Nonprofit Organizations

Speaker: Barbara Talisman, President, Talisman Associates, Inc

766 North Milwaukee

Chicago, Illinois 60622

Phone: 312-733-7520; Fax: 312-733-7530

www.3talisman.com

Resources

Non Profit Board Resources Catalog – BoardSource--www.boardsource.org.

Non-Profit Board Report--800-220-5000.

Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Resource Center--800-666-FUND.

Donors Forum Libraries nationwide.

Identify Funding Priorities

What are your organizations funding priorities?

Menus of opportunities by: dollar amount, program needs, capital needs.

Identify Funding Priorities

Don't be afraid to sell your mission and ask for operating support.

What are your funding priorities?

Know what you are asking for and why.

Be able to communicate why you deserve their investment.

Program funding.

Opportunities by: dollar amount, program needs, capital needs, sponsorship.

Planning: Key to Success

Donor base management

Collateral materials

Time lines and calendars

Services that make it easier

Board participation

What to do when you get home

Donor base management

Maintaining donor records, Everyday, Keeping current, save the dates, newsletters other mailings.

Computer programs, off-the-shelf software.

Without computers, card file, file folders.

Fundraising Collateral Materials

Organization brochure with an opportunity to give.

Annual Report.

Individual giving letters for direct mail, annual giving.

Cultivation mailings in between "asks" with Newsletter and Mail/Email.

One page fact sheet updated quarterly.

Response card for asks with different amounts.

Monthly giving: Credit cards.

Email and Response envelopes.

List of donors: Individual, Corporate – alpha and by industry and foundations.

Thank you letter, Have it ready to go within 48 hours.

Time Lines & Calendars

Work calendar back from week before event, mailing, activity

Donor base updated

Board list updated

Letter/Proposal completed

Fact sheet updated

Envelopes and letterhead printed

Make it Easier with Computers and Personalize

Mail merge

Signing machines with personal "looking" signature

Mail houses: Let them do the heavy lifting and use Postal rates to lower costs

Printers

Temporary staff and Volunteers lined up and ready to help, get mailings out

Individual Giving Opportunities

Annual gifts

Direct mail

Special events

Endowments & bequests (planned gifts)

Special campaigns

Major gifts

Corporate Giving Opportunities

Special events

Sponsorship

Cause branding

In kind support

Professional skills and human resources

Foundation Giving Opportunities

Programmatic support

General operating support

Technical assistance grants

Take Control by Diversifying your Income

Show donors you are in control of their investment in your organization.

Maintain control of your revenue.

Decrease dependence on a single source of income.

Utilize resources better with your staff, volunteer leadership and donors.

Process of Diversifying Revenue

Make the commitment and make a plan.

Pro-actively seek new sources through: cultivation activities, solicitation activities.

It takes time and it is a process.

Involve others in your commitment especially board leadership and donors.

Donors include individuals, foundation, corporate.

Staff and professionals are also important to remember in this process.

Fundraising and Your Board

Board members are our friends and they have responsibilities in fundraising.

Term limits can help weed out unproductive members.

Board orientation and training is key to getting them involved.

Evaluate your board and see if they are making a difference.

The board not only approves the budget, but also supports the budget.

Assisting with fundraising by opening doors to their contacts.

Fundraising is a year-long, collaborative effort.

The Nomination Process

Who to invite?

Start with current donors and look at the skills you need.

Create a job description with a application process and interview review.

Once accepted, provide orientation and committee assignment.

Board Selection and Orientation

Everyone is not right for your board or organization.

Assuming commitment to your organization, what skills are you looking for?

Clearly define expectations with a Job description

How do you, as staff, support board members once elected?

Be creative and pro-active in working with board members.

Evaluating Your Board

What type of board members do you have?

What type of board members are you seeking?

How do they evaluate themselves and their service on your board?

Did you provide: job description, expectations, orientation?

Board Relationships

Look to your board for contacts they have in the community – corporate leaders, financial advisors, CPAs, attorneys, insurance specialists, bank trust officers.

Participating in Fundraising

Board should make their gift first; empower them to do this ASAP.

Make fundraising a part of every board meeting, report on what action is needed.

Eliminate your development committee if you have one.

Remember the chairperson's commitment to fundraising reflects to the board.

Thank you calls to donors

Identify yourself as a board member (leadership, volunteer).

Thank the donor for their gift.

Mention the Journal and ask if they saw their name.

Share the research award information.

Ask them if they have any questions.

Say thank you again and goodbye.

Board Responsibilities

Contribute 100% through a personal and/or corporate gift.

Be able to articulate the needs of the organization.

Be accessible and responsive.

Complete assignments in a responsible and timely fashion.

Identify and evaluate prospects.

Open doors.

Solicit support.

Endorse proposals through phone calls, personal visits, correspondence.

Sign thank you letters.

Staff Responsibilities

Research.

Initiate cultivation and solicitation strategy.

Coordinate implementation: Determine appropriate use of volunteers and Involve board members and other staff as appropriate.

Create leadership team.

Keep files, records, mailing lists, acknowledgments.

Solicit corporate support.

Schedule and attend meetings with corporate representatives, volunteers and staff.

Provide training and information as requested.

Communicate positive results immediately, and negative results in a timely fashion.

Prepare corporate outreach: correspondence, proposals, sponsorship packages.

Stewardship.

Follow up - Follow up - Follow up.

Guidelines for Major Gift Success

The larger the gift, the longer it will take to complete.

Have a worthy project based on the needs/interests of the donor.

People give to people, not to organizations or institutions.