1. Marketing and Disbursement of funds

2. Marketing, Fundraising & Disbursement of Funds
For what, exactly, are you raising funds?
Know your community. What can you community tolerate for fundraising?
Which fundraising methods best build your image and the image of the school district?
Fund only projects that are aligned with your mission. Say no to those that take efforts away.
Collaborate with PTO/PTA and booster clubs to create a mutual understanding of goals and objectives.
Establish regular communication between the foundation and the school district.

3. For what are you raising money?
Create a clear case statement.
Articulate what is the need? State this precisely.
Give clear examples of how you know this need exists.
How is the education foundation uniquely able to meet this need?
Clearly state the benefits of meeting this need.
What ate the consequences if this need is not met.
TIP: Donors want to give to organizations where they believe they can make an impact. Demonstrate the need you are meeting but do not present it as a sinking ship.

4. Mission Statement A mission statement should be: Concise Emotional
Communicates “why”
Specific
Sounds powerful when read aloud as we as written
Test it: Find a person who knows nothing about your foundation. Read it to them. If they do not immediately understand why you are in existence, whom you are serving and change you hope to see go back to the drawing board.

5. Sample Mission Statements
To inspire and fund innovation that fosters critical thinking, collaboration, and authentic learning experiences for every student in the Lincoln Public Schools.
The Education Foundation of Indian River County (EF-IRC) is a non-profit organization that works to enhance our community’s investment in our schools with the goal of achieving excellence for students and educators.
The Mission of the Hillsborough Education Foundation is to engage business and community partners in the support of Hillsborough County Public Schools and the academic achievement of all its students. Our Vision is that Hillsborough County will be recognized for its excellent public schools and as a community committed to having every one of its students succeed.
Our mission is to advance excellence, create champions and build strong community support for lasting change in Oklahoma City Public Schools.

6. Vision Statement Brief Future oriented
Inspirational and transformative
Withstand the test of time
Example from Conservation International:
“We imagine a healthy, prosperous world in which societies are forever committed to caring for and valuing nature, for the long-term benefit of people and all life on Earth.”
This is a good example because it states that their work makes the world a better place.

7. Case Statement
The case statement is the case for support and usually used in fundraising. It should include:
Mission and vision
History of your organization (or school district)
Facts and figures
The work being done
Pressing needs
Future plans
Tip: do not use jargon and keep it positive and hopeful!

9. Types of Fundraising Direct Ask End of Year Campaigns
Teacher Recognition
Alumni
Signature Events
Sponsorships
Corporate Grants and Partnerships
Foundation Grants
Planned Giving
Crowdfunding
Direct Ask: Ask for specific amount and clearly define need
End of Year: What are your campaign objectives? Sure, you want to raise money, but what’s your message? Why would someone support your cause over another at this busy time?
Teacher Recognition:
Planned Giving: Planned giving is sometimes referred to as gift planning or legacy giving. It is a way to support non-profits that enable philanthropic individuals to make larger gifts than they could make from ordinary income. Some planned gifts provide life-long income to donor. Other gift plans use estate and tax planning to provide for charity and heirs in ways that maximize the gift and/or minimize its impact on the donor’s estate.
Thus, by definition, a planned gift is any major gift, made in lifetime or at death as part of a donor’s overall financial and/or estate planning.

10. Fundraising Success Strategies
Set expectations: Fundraising takes time and effort
Know your audience
Set the strategy
Use the entire team:
Stewards - Individuals who communicate with and nurture ongoing donors and promote the relationships
Engagers - Individuals who will interact, talk and nurture relationships.
Connectors - Individuals who can leverage networks and make valuable introductions.
Askers - Individuals who understand the skills and timing necessary to ask for the donation.
Source: entrepreneur.com Writer: Peter Gasca
Avoid mission creep. Mission creep is the expansion of a project or mission beyond its original goals, often after initial successes.
Properly focused organizations say "no" to funding opportunities or programs that do not align with their mission, but they say "yes" to opportunities that will take their mission to the next level.

11. Gift Acknowledgement Prompt Personal Sincere Emotional
Include photos, video or other demonstration of the project
Refer to donor’s past support
Include contact information
Don’t ask for another gift
Send several TY notes from different people.
Send additional thank you letters from board members.
Send a TY letter from someone helped by your organization.
Sign it with a real signature.
Be positive and upbeat.
Don’t keep “selling.
Don’t re-use copy that you used in the solicitation letter to talk about your programs.
Don’t be formal. Or lofty.
Don’t be vague about how the money will be used.
Don’t sign it yourself if you can get a higher-ranking person to sign it.

12. Disbursement of Funds Mini-Grants to teachers to fund a pilot program
Adoption of a major district wide initiative or project
Specific one time project
Teacher and staff recognition projects
Student Scholarships
Endowment funds
Morale booster for teachers

13. Community Partners
The District is not restricted from accepting gifts, grants or bequests from other similar organizations or from partnering with other educational foundation organizations.
The education foundation is not prohibited from making grants or awards to other organizations or individuals consistent with the LEF’s mission.

15. Gifting Protocol Gifts/grants to the District are typically restricted
Restrictions must be documented prior to the gift being made and accepted
Develop a process that details what steps must be taken in order for grant funds and other gifts from the LEF to be accepted
Agree on a procedure for distributing funds received from the LEF. (e.g. A teacher grant recipient must submit receipts of purchases made to implement the grant to the Business Manager who will then reimburse the funds.)

16. Gifting Protocol (cont.)
Gifts should specify not only the purpose, but whether funds need to be used by a particular time.
Restricted gifts should not be mingled with the general operating funds of the District. Establish a protocol for return of unused funds.
Know how, when and by whom and to whom progress reports of projects funded the LEF must be submitted.
Particularly true with grants. Lou will speak more about grant opportunities.

17. Questions???
Contact Information:
Megan Dzwonkowski
Executive Director
Website: