Created by BFuniv.com (contact me)
Allan R. Wallace trains and inspires visionaries.
Allan is Rector of Bastiat Free University and Junior Partner Ministries, and is author of Speculat... (more...)
Your fans are waiting!
start raising money for worthy causes
Raising money to support your favorite cause is a good work. To help you in your good work, here are some insights from training and experience, and several good books with charity fund raising ideas. We will cover the needs of both fundraiser and donor.
Whether you are a volunteer fund raiser, a director of a charity, sitting on a board for a non-profit, a potential giver, or a professional fund raiser -- you are the driving force that enables your cause.
It sure seems better to ask for money to support thousands of volunteers than try to perform the work done by those thousands of volunteers, by yourself.
The Realities Of Fundraising
There is work to be done and you are the one to do it.
Don't dilute your efforts with too many projects and events; develop your cause's unique voice and focus on your delivery.
Donations and contributions will arrive when others believe in your cause, and in you. Identify potential donors, research and practice a targeted presentation, go talk to them.
How to Write Successful Fundraising Letters
Amazon Price: $29.95 (as of 05/12/2008)
List Price: $29.95
30 Days to Successful Fundraising (Psi Research Success Library)
Amazon Price: $11.96 (as of 05/12/2008)
List Price: $14.95
199 Fun and Effective Fundraising Events for Nonprofit Organizations
Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 05/12/2008)
List Price: $24.95
Fundraising For Dummies (For Dummies (Business & Personal Finance))
Amazon Price: $14.95 (as of 05/12/2008)
List Price: $21.99
The SPEED of Trust: The One Thing that Changes Everything
Amazon Price: $17.16 (as of 05/12/2008)
List Price: $26.00
Money is a tool
Money is a tool, just like a crowbar. Some people use it to open things, others drop it on their toes.
The love of money is the root of all evil, not money alone.For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. - Timothy 6:10
The poor or the rich can be destroyed by the misplaced love of money.
While money is a risk to all, you have chosen to use money for good. A successful businessman, entrepreneur, or speculator does not avoid risk but seeks to control risk. You want to control money, not have money control you.
For my objectivist friends this is a good place to make a point. You value the power of the individual and their ability to make selfish choices. Your reasoning is if we do what is best for ourselves and those we love, others will also benefit as we create and add value. Let me task you with considering a basic of your value system; in a free market an exchange will not occur unless both parties see a benefit for themselves.
Just as the founders of the United States changed John Locke's "life, liberty, and the pursuit of property" when they inserted it into the Declaration of Independence to an equally Lockeian "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," it would be well to recognize that not all benefits derived from a fair trade involve property.
A great benefit within volunteering and charity is the sweet taste of giving. To those that have experienced it in large doses, non-coerced giving can be a tremendous pleasure that brings enormous satisfaction. And it helps others.
While the job at hand is asking for money, it is the purpose to which it will be applied that matters.
"We hear fables about the past, we develop dreams of the future, but the work needs to be done today." - Allan R. Wallace
Money is a tool.
Your donors may need your help, and more.
Don't depend on fancy brochures and tricky messages - do what is best for the person or company that donates to your cause.
If during your rehearsed presentation a potential donor indicates they would like to give, stop and accept their money. You can finish your story later, if appropriate. Don't talk past the point their eyes light up and they indicate "now!"
Their donation is an exclamation point written within an authentic relationship.
The Giving Book: Open The Door To A Lifetime Of Giving
Amazon Price: $19.95 (as of 05/12/2008)
Save, Spend, Or Donate?: A Book About Managing Money (Money Matters)
Amazon Price: $18.31 (as of 05/12/2008)
Navigating the Dark Side of Wealth: A Life Guide for Inheritors
Amazon Price: $16.50 (as of 05/12/2008)
Nolo's Simple Will Book 6th Edition
Amazon Price: $25.60 (as of 05/12/2008)
Wealth: Grow It, Protect It, Spend It, and Share It (Paperback) (Wharton School Publishing Paperbacks)
This book has your best interests in mind - read it and you may consider changing how you manage your legacy.
Amazon Price: $10.87 (as of 05/12/2008)
about raising money for charity
When learning and teaching about how to raise money; start with the fundamentals and then progresses to "the ask."
In business the two parts of influencing clients are marketing and sales. In the nonprofit world donors are acquired and retained through presentation and relationship.
The fundamentals of presentation revolve around knowledge and construction.
Can you write a letter that shows a need to great effect? Is the headline to your ad copy informative enough to impel investigation? The techniques can be found in a good copywriting book; proper execution comes with experience and the testing of results.
Retaining donors is less expensive, and of more value, than finding new donors. This is where direct contact with your contributing supporters becomes so important.
The most powerful theme for successfully seeking and growing donors is within trusted relationships.
I may be a nice guy, I may represent a real need, but if I can't communicate that need one on one my overall effectiveness will be small.
Most charities overcome this barrier by cultivating board members and leadership givers that believe in their cause. and back them with fundamental skills from the organization, these leaders give and develop relationships with others that will give.
There are fundraising books available that will teach you how to cultivate major gifts based on relationships. In most situations the training of leadership givers is done in the field. A representative of the organization normally accompanies the board member or large giver to offer support and details.
Where do you find the original large donors?
Major givers and transformational donors normally start as small donors that have shown an interest in your cause. As you keep them informed of your progress you will develop a relationship of trust.
Two foundational supports, belief in the cause and trust in you, will influence them to consider increasing the size of future donations. These same two focus points, belief in the cause and trust in you, will be what inspires them as leadership givers to seek donations from their peers.
You have to ask, as directly and personally as possible, for the donation. Then you have to ask them directly to assist with fundraising.
They have demonstrated that their philanthropic goals and your organization's mission are the same. They will know others that hold similar views.
"How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives." - Annie Dillard
Your life is a valuable currency, spend it growing mutually rewarding relationships.
If you read them before you organize your campaigns they will help you raise more money. They can also help you avoid frustrating your donors and volunteers.
Knowledge is a valuable tool for your charity or nonprofit.
Your leadership giving is value investing rather than just spending.
Relationship Fundraising: A Donor Based Approach to the Business of Raising Money
Amazon Price: $32.00 (as of 05/12/2008)
List Price: $40.00
Fund Raising Realities Every Board Member Must Face - Revised Edition: A 1-Hour Crash Course on Raising Major Gifts for Nonprofit Organizations
Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 05/12/2008)
List Price: $24.95
Leading Without Power: Finding Hope in Serving Community, Paperback Edition
Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 05/12/2008)
List Price: $19.95
Mega Gifts: 2nd Edition, Revised & Updated
Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 05/12/2008)
List Price: $24.95
The Ask: How to Ask Anyone for Any Amount for Any Purpose
Amazon Price: $26.37 (as of 05/12/2008)
List Price: $39.95
Planned Giving and Estate Planning
Make it your goal to pass on your values as well as your valuables.
* make current gifts of any size - right now
* decide your donation goals for the future
* determine how to accomplish your goals
If you do not have a will, for everyone's sake, create one immediately. Without a will you won't have your values represented as the estate you built is distributed.
You have the opportunity to direct your money that will otherwise be forfeit as taxes. This is money that would not go to your family, business, or favorite causes; but will be lost in the powerful currents of political special interests.
While planned giving and estate or legacy planning are separate issues, they overlap frequently. Your advisers will likely meld them together once they understand your giving goals. They will use planned giving and estate planning tools to direct needed funds toward good works of your own choice.
Writing a first will can be a quick and simple project.
List individuals and organizations you wish to impact. Take care of people first; with fixed amounts or a percentage of the net estate. Now give 1% of your estate to each of up to nine worthy causes you wish to support, finally contribute everything that remains to one very special organization (a residuary bequest). Now read a book or see your lawyer and make it legal.
With your completed will as a guideline you can now develop increasingly meaningful estate planning or planned giving ideas. Consider all the responsibilities you feel are important:
* Family - multiple generations, prior marriages, family members with special needs
* Business - succession in the family business, key person retention or replacement, buy out provisions
* Charity - religious organizations, schools, orphanages, micro-finance lenders, and other causes dear to your heart
After initial contributions and with your will as an outline -- it may be time to consult your advisers for more detailed planned giving analysis including estate planning. You may be able to receive tax benefits or income now, and retain use of promised gifts.
Philanthropy is an important part of your estate plan. Also consider contributing by listing worthy causes in your IRA or life insurance policy as a beneficiary. The long term effects of your bequest can create a personal heritage that will extend far into the next age.
Your selected worthy cause will probably have pages to print or a download form to help you define your gifts. Ours is available for you to look at, copy, and adapt if you click on The Bastiat Free University Contribution Form.
Develop a consistent approach of supporting worthy causes during your lifetime. Extend your own version of empowerment by creating a planned gift legacy. Your donations will keep valuable initiatives growing. Your bequest is a last chance to powerfully implement meaningful change in society.
Life insurance can therefore also play an important role in estate planning. Investigate having ownership of any life insurance policy outside of the estate to avoid possible extra estate taxes. Estate laws vary by location and change often. Confirm any statements from a salesman, or from this article, with your personal accountant or attorney.
As in all important areas of your life, do not be led by others opinions or sales talk. Take your time and invest your thoughts first. Make your own decision on how you wish to direct your planned giving donations, your bequests, and your legacy gifts.
How do you want to be remembered?
You neeed to balance your life and your passions.
Resources For Fundraisers
Staying up to date is part of the job.
Fund raising is a great way to help others while leveraging your time.
I'll soon be updating and changing these links. If you see something interesting; click through, investigate, and perhaps mark it as a favorite - it might not be here next time you visit.
- a pdf of asking for money tips
- The link at the bottom of the pdf no longer works, but the nesea's "ask for money" tips offered are succinct. Print this and give it to your volunteer fundraisers.
- National Commitee On Planned Giving
- American legislative watchdog and creator of the Leave A Legacy campaign. Recent news on planned giving is on the front page - well worth a bookmark.
- Planned Giving Design Center
- A membership network for planned giving that has great depth. Go take a look and consider becoming a member.
- US Federal Trade Commission on Charitable Donations
- Ultimately it is up to the donor to decide where and how to fund charity. BUT, as the Feds say:
Your charity dollars are an investment in your community, the nation and the world. It's wise to use just as much caution when making your charitable giving decisions as you do when making other decisions affecting your overall financial picture. - Charity Navigator
- A way for donors to study charities before they give. Some small or new charities, and many religious charities may not be included. It is still worth a look if you are concerned about how donations are used.
- Planned Giving Today
- A Planned Giving Newsletter that contains material they allow you to edit and reprint - worth a look.
- Dr. Margarita Pereyda & SOS
- What sort of person deserves your support?
- IRS page on Charitable Donations
- The tax code is so complex, and changes so often, this material may not be sufficient. Talk to your personal tax expert, and still be a bit wary of the information you receive.
Like the old adage when investing in art, "buy what you like," for charity donations fund organizations that you would support even if tax laws change.
Because change they will. - Create A Sponsorship Page
- Per the Nika Nator writing in the comments section:
"A site that allows you to post fundraising pages (single or multiple). i.e. you have a group of people in an office that want to manage their individual goals and will allow their friends to log in and donate."
(I've looked, it's worth a look from you also)
For Your Charity
review and adapt the
BFU donation form
Not just another worthy cause -- your cause.
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." - Howard Thurman
If your belief is not that deep, go find another worthy cause where you do want to give. It will always be easier to ask for money if you have already given yourself. If you do not want to give - don't give and don't ask.
"As a fundraiser, you too must have, or you must find, a purpose that has heart and soul in it. You must be consumed by a burning desire to change something in the world for the better. You will know it when you see and feel it. It will become your be-all-and-end-all. You will experience an 'ah ha' about it. You will not be able to imagine doing anything else." - Stephen L. Goldstein
Once you have discovered the joys of giving, it will inspire others to also discover your cause.
the sweet taste of giving
How do you express your encounters with the pleasures of empowering others?
Fundraising and giving - both ignite joys found in having done a good work.
You only lose energy when life becomes dull in your mind.
Your mind gets bored and therefore tired of doing nothing.
Get interested in something!
Get absolutely enthralled in something!
Get out of yourself!
Be somebody!
Do something.
The more you lose yourself in something bigger than yourself,
the more energy you will have.
Norman Vincent Peale
|
michaelgibbons
#9 in Suqidoo --KUDOS -- great lens with some interesting reference and links -- I would be honored of you check out my http://www.squidoo.com/photobuttons lens to see if Buttons of Hope would be a suitable link. keep up the good work! Mike Posted May 08, 2008 |
|
Nika_Nator
Great lens! And also thank you for stopping by my lens and sharing your kind and supportive thoughts. I have a resource that I would like to share with you: www.easysponsorship.com It is a site that allows you to post up fundraising pages (single or multiple). i.e. you have a group of people in an office that want to manage their individual goals and will allow their friends to log in and donate. I hope that you will find it useful. Posted May 02, 2008 |
|
beeobrien
Thank you for great information. Very nice lens. Posted April 24, 2008 |
|
riff999
You have truly valuable information and tips on this lens. I have been involved with many fund raisers and can certainly see where they would have benefited from your lens. Nice work. Posted March 28, 2008 |
|
mr0801
Very nice page. Posted February 05, 2008 |
|
steveffeo
Allan excellent lens it gave me some ideas for our Foundation very well done. Posted January 22, 2008 |
How do you relate to your charities?
Some of you wear many hats, filling several roles.
Whether you are a volunteer fund raiser, a director of a charity, sitting on a board for a non-profit, a potential giver, or a professional fund raiser -- you are the driving force that enables your cause.
Pick the way of giving that fits you best.
Want to keep going?
Giving is a pleasure.
Even discovering more about giving can be enjoyable. The following featured lenses may have just the additional information you need.-
Use College Donations (and more) To Shape Our Future.
-
You see the need, you know change must come if colleges are to be prepared for the future. If you have enough concern to give, you have enough concern to influence others. Talk to the person in charge of a program you want to transform; odds are the...
-
discovering Junior Partner Ministries - a basis for hope
-
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. - Hebrews 11:1 the great commandment(s) Then one of them, a lawyer, asked tempting him and saying "Master which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus s...
-
Visionary Leaders - inspiring and leading change
-
Visionary leaders realize it is better to fight tough battles for causes worth winning -- than feed the emotions of popular movements doomed to failure. "To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete." R. Buckminste...
-
Donations Given With Love - Gifts Donated With Wisdom
-
When sharing it is not your age or your income that are important. What matters is your desire to make a difference. Let that desire loose and it will enrich your entire life. Indulge yourself within the sweet taste of giving. Direct your donations w...
-
Bastiat Free University - student directed learning for visionaries
-
Bastiat Free University is developing a place to learn. Starting before kindergarten, college degrees are marketed as a way to get a better job, more income, or a promotion. Bureaucrats are selling meal tickets to future bureaucrats. But college deg...
