26 Fundraising Tips from A - Z (Part One)

26 Fundraising Tips from A - Z (Part One) - March 1996

It’s a simple message for each New Year. Stick to the basics and fundraising success will follow. It’s as easy as A, B, C.!

A  is for ASK; because you can never expect to raise money without asking.
B  is for BEGGING; which fundraising is not. Fundraising is giving people the opportunity to do good and feel good by supporting a worthwhile cause.
C  is for CAPITAL; if you have a specific need that requires a large amount of funding, you can often get all the money from less than 100 gifts – proving that you have prepared your case for support well.
D  is for DONORS; the lifeblood of your organisation. Find them, nurture them, account to them and they will ensure the survival of your work forever.
E  is for EXAMPLE; what your Board or Executive Committee and even your staff and volunteers need to set for other donors – by making their own generous gifts first.
F  is for FEEDBACK; your donors want to know how you are using their money and they want positive reports on how you are making the world a better place.
G  is for GOALS; your organisation should know where it wants to be one year from now . . . and three years from now – and you should have fundraising goals that match those needs.
H  is for HOPED-FOR gifts; use research to set a hoped-for: figure before you make the ask. If and when the question comes . . . “how much are you expecting from me” . . . you will be ready with an answer.
I   is for INDIVIDUALS; because it is the individual donor who give 80% of all gifts and who also leave you money in their bequest (12% of all giving).
J  is for JOINT VENTURES; exciting opportunities for you to link up with businesses/commercial opportunities to your mutual benefit.
K  is for KIND; because “gifts-in-kind” can take a lot of pressure off your fundraising efforts. List everything you spend money on each year and list the manufacturers and suppliers of these items . . . then prepare and submit proposals to get the goods donated.
L  is for LEADERSHIP; financially influential leadership is essential for a capital, major or annual gifts campaign. Spend as long as it takes to find the right leader who will give of his or her influence, time and “treasure” to your campaign.
M  is for MISSION; an essential one or two sentence statement of your organisation’s purpose . . . your reasons for being.

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