In the final installment of this three-part series, we are going to take a look at Fundraising more broadly, as effective fundraising activities can come in a whole range of shapes and sizes – the possibilities really are only limited by your imagination!
Have a Fundraising Plan
Like anything else, you get the best results when you have a plan in place, so take the time to develop a proper Fundraising Plan, including articulating what you are fundraising for, and how much you are wanting to raise.
Think about your Strategy
Brainstorm with your team what broad methods of fundraising might best suit your organisation and the things you are raising funds for – apart from grants (which we covered last time), some other approaches to fundraising could include: donations, partnerships with corporate sponsors, raffles, events, social enterprises (such as Op Shops), for example.
Each of these methods can be further broken down – for example, donations can be sought through annual appeals (do you ever receive a regular donations envelope in the post?), collection tins placed in strategic locations (i.e. the front counter of your local coffee shop), court fines, Donate Now buttons on your website and social media platforms, online crowd-funding platforms…even bequests in people’s wills.
If you are ever struggling for fundraising ideas, just do an internet search for ‘101 fundraising ideas’ and you will find loads of inspiration!
Marketing and Promotion
Marketing and promotion are important too – once you have decided what it is you are going to do to raise your funds, you need to let the world know about it so they can support you. Think about who is your target audience – who is going to be interested enough in what you are doing to want to give you money, buy from you, or support your cause in some other way?
Once you have identified them, think about where they might go for information…is it social media, community notice boards, local papers, community radio, emails straight to their In Box…what else?
And don’t forget to push it out through your own networks…and networks of networks too – you never know who your cause might resonate with, and personal connections can be powerful in garnering support.
Make it real
When you are spreading the word far and wide, be sure to really spell out specifically what you are fundraising for – people are more likely to support your fundraising effort if they have a sense of the actual impact it will make i.e. ‘we want to raise $10,000 to provide a scholarship for someone to be able to participate in our Community Leadership Program‘. Specify how much your are aiming to raise – sharing this as well as your progress towards that goal can also help to motivate potential supporters.
Share your Success!
Let your supporters know once you achieve your fundraising goal, and also, down the track, keep them updated as you roll out whatever project it was that the money was to provide for. Keeping the conversation going with your supporters continues to engage your audience and build relationships. And hopefully next time you are looking to fundraise for something, you will have a ready-made army of supporters around you, many of whom will be willing to help you in the pursuit of your fundraising efforts once again.
Want to talk more?
We’ve just scratched the surface of Grants, Fundraising and Financial Sustainability in this three-part series. If you have any thoughts or ideas you want to explore more, or you think we can help your organisation become more effective in any of these areas, get in touch today and let’s have a conversation!
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