1. An Introduction to Best Practices
Fundraising 101
An Introduction to Best Practices

2. The Basics The Fundamental Principle of Fundraising?
People give to people!
Find the right person to ask for the cause
Find and get to know your prospects
Thank your current donors. And thank them again.

3. Did you know?
America is, per capita, the most generous country on the planet.
Individuals gave $229.3 BILLION to charity in 2011
Corporations gave $14 billion
Foundations gave $41 billion (just 13% of all giving!)

4. What does that tell us?
Focus more on actual people – foundations and corporations are there for us to lean on, but we have to count on friends and supporters more

5. Fundraising is a process
Planning
Research
Especially with high-dollar donors
Marketing
Communications
Evaluation

6. The plan Determine the need(s) The pre-ask activities Create the plan!
Examples
Create the plan!
Track and monitor

7. The need How much money do you need to raise? Unrestricted
Individuals, foundations and corporations– in that order
What method(s) will work best for y’all?
Can you accomplish your plan with the resources you have?

8. The methods Special events (KISS) Sponsorships for projects
Annual appeals*
Direct mail
Capital campaigns
Foundation/Corporate
Planned giving/ legacy giving

9. Special events (KISS) Keep It Short and Simple
Think twice– a flop is not as bad as it seems, but it’s still bad!
Do you have the time and volunteer support?
Seek sponsors
Consider events that you’ve seen work well (theme?)

10. Sponsorships Inverse pyramid Develop sponsorship committee
Math!
Develop sponsorship committee
Overachievers, well-connected, big deals
Make them work!
Don’t assign amounts to the cost of the event
Develop prospect list
Find the right people (see above!)
Thank your sponsors
Keep them involved/ask them again next year

11. Plead your case Describe it Make it relate-able Prove that it’s real
Convince the donor
Explain where their $$ goes/ how it is used
Don’t go overboard
Create a sense of urgency

12. Personal connections Fundraising is peer to peer
Volunteer to volunteer, director to director
Start with who you know
Make a list
People only give if they are asked!

13. Identify prospects The bigger the net, the more fish you catch!
Flat tire, dinner, Facebook, work, appendix
Keep track

14. Create the plan Timeline– count backwards! Schedule activities
Establish due dates and deadlines
Assign duties– delegate! For God’s sake, delegate!
Progress Reports, Updates, Takeaways, Evaluation

15. Check in Own it! Make sure they’re doing what they say they are doing
“Did you see what we mailed you?”
The infamous stack!
Facebook is mostly worthless
So is 
Call and connect!

16. SAY THANK YOU! Hand-written notes and phone calls to repeat donors
Provide a record (EIN)
Print on letterhead

17. Evaluation Keep it honest, keep it real
Praise sandwich (with volunteers)
Did you make it?!
Who did you ask? Who should you have asked? How were your volunteers? How were your sponsors?
Tracking
Take notes for next year

18. OK, fine. But I’m ONE PERSON. Give me bite-size chunks
If all else fails, two sure-fire ways to raise some money
House party
Annual appeal
Track ALL data- can be Excel and Word!
Delegate and ask for help

19. Sources
Jerold Panas, author of Asking: A 59-Minute Guide to Everything Board Members, Volunteers and Staff Must Know to Secure the Gift
Sarah Bonefas, Development Manager, Food Bank of Iowa
Mary Mendenhall-Core, Development Director, Goodwill Industries of Central Iowa

20. Ryan Crane Development Director, Primary Health Care rcrane@phcinc.net
cell
linkedin.com/in/ryancraneiowa