Transcript Grassroots Fundraising

Grassroots Fundraising
How
individuals
and
small groups
can raise
money to
help
feral cats
Overview
Goals
♦ To learn where the money is.
♦ Why people should donate.
♦ How to get people to give you their money.
Method
♦ We will follow one caregiver’s grassroots efforts
from raising money alone to forming a small
group on the way to becoming a 501(c)3.
What is grassroots fundraising?
Grassroots
fundraising
is when
individuals or
small groups
raise money
from the local
community.
Who gives donations to charity?
Source: AAFRC Trust for Philanthropy/Giving USA 2002
How do we get cash gifts?
Ask! Ask! Ask! Ask! Ask!
♦ 85% of people who can remember their last
donation report that they gave because they
were asked.
♦ 50% do not remember the name of the
organization to which they donated.
♦ 90% remembered something about the
person who asked them even if the person
was a complete stranger.
Why will people give you money?
Because you have made your “case.”
♦
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Who are you or what is your organization?
What work are you doing?
What still needs to be done?
How can the donor become involved?
Your group’s case provides a base for all future
fundraising campaigns and grant applications.
Bottom line…
Tell people all the
good things
you are already
doing for cats
and the
money will follow.
♦ People will give you money because you are helping cats.
♦ People will not give you money if you whine, complain, or act
desperate.
♦ Appeal to people’s emotions, but do not be melodramatic.
Help! I’m all alone!
♦ People may be more comfortable giving “things” (in-kind
donations) than money.
♦ Hold fundraising events such as yard sales, bake sales,
car washes, donation cans in stores, etc.
♦ Establish legitimacy through community meetings,
advertisements, contact with public officials, etc.
♦ Set up a specific fund through a bank or your veterinarian
to which people can donate for spay/neuter costs.
♦ Ask others to help you.
In-Kind Donations
Non-monetary donations:
Cat food ♦ Humane traps ♦ Cleaning supplies ♦ Printing costs ♦
Humane box traps♦ Vaccines and medication ♦ Medical
supplies ♦ Office equipment ♦ Advertising space
Volunteers:
Caretakers ♦ Veterinarians ♦ Vet Techs ♦ Vet
Assistants ♦ Fundraisers ♦ Clerical ♦ Shelter
Builders ♦ Advertisers ♦ Artists/Designers
Grassroots Organizers ♦ Speakers ♦ Legal
Experts ♦ Writers ♦ Publicists
Example: Food Bank
Marci has been a caretaker for a colony of feral cats for two years. She
recently started caring for two other colonies and the food expenses
are rapidly rising. Occasionally someone gives her a bag of food but
she has decided to make an effort to have food donated for the cats.
♦ She talked to the owner of a local pet store and the manager of a
grocery store and asked if she could set up boxes by the checkouts
where people could drop off cat food.
♦ The boxes included a picture of a cat, a brief explanation of what
she was doing, and contact information.
♦ She agreed to stop by the stores once a week to pick up the food.
♦ Marci also asked the pet store and grocery store to donate any
broken or recently expired bags of food.
The food bank…
♦ Saved Marci money.
♦ Heightened community
involvement and
awareness.
♦ Recruited new donors
and volunteers.
♦ Made people feel good
that they were directly
helping the animals.
Types of Special Events
Silent Auction
Yard Sale
Car Show
Walk-a-thon
House Party
Fun Run
Bake Sale
Bike-a-thon
Food Tasting
Concert
Dinner
Phone-a-thon
Car Wash
…
*Laws regulating non-501(c)3 groups may differ in various jurisdictions
Special Events…
1. Increase visibility.
•
Introduce your organization to the community.
2. Raise awareness of your issue.
•
Educate neighbors, elected officials, media, etc.
3. Bring in new donors and volunteers.
•
Be sure to have sign up sheets at all events.
4. Raise money.
•
Realize that some special events often do not raise a
large amount of money.
Example: Yard Sale
Marci now has much of the food for the cats donated but she still
needs money for additional food and spay/neuter costs.
♦ She asked friends and family to donate used items.
♦ Marci asked her friend, Jen, to gather the donations and hold
the yard sale. Jen believes in Trap-Neuter-Return but isn’t able
to commit to caring for a colony.
♦ She advertised in the local paper and put up posters explaining
that the proceeds would benefit the cats.
♦ She had a sign-up sheet for people interested in helping the
feral cats.
♦ Jen had TNR literature available at the sale.
Outcome: Yard Sale
♦ A few people donated modest
amounts of money by paying $1
or $2 more than what the items
would normally sell for at a yard
sale. She made a little over $200.
♦ A professional designer who stopped
by the sale offered to design Marci’s posters and literature at no
cost.
♦ She collected a list of names of people that were interested in
helping the local feral cats. Some people on the list became
donors and some became volunteers. A few never responded to
her follow-up inquiries.
Example: Party and Silent Auction
Marci now has a growing support base and a handful of volunteers. She
and her colleagues have decided to call themselves the “Frederick Feral
Friends” (FFF) and are thinking about becoming a 501(c)3. Marci is busy
caring for the colonies and administrative tasks, so two volunteers agree
to be responsible for the event.
♦ Marci found volunteers to organize the event.
♦ They agreed to keep the program short so people had time to interact.
♦ They asked for in-kind donations for silent auction items, printing
services, advertisement space, a room in which to hold the auction and
refreshments.
Outcome: Party and Silent Auction
♦ FFF raised over $500 after deducting non-donated advertising
and printing expenses, which were about $100.
♦ Their list of interested donors and volunteers grew.
♦ Marci and other volunteers were able to talk to people in
attendance including a
public official, a vet tech
and a local
businesswoman.
Grant Basics
Marci and the other FFF volunteers realize that special events are a
good way to get cash, but can be time consuming and don’t make
much money. They decide to become a 501(c)3 and want to apply for
grant money to cover start up costs.
♦ Remember that grants are not intended for long term programs or
operating costs.
♦ Follow the grant guidelines. Some ask for an initial one page
proposal, a complete grant using their outline, or a form that needs
to be completed.
♦ Do your research. Don’t ask for feral cat funding from a group that is
notoriously anti-cat or only funds inner-city health projects.
♦ If possible, form a relationship with someone from the foundation.
♦ Develop the “case” that you have already written.
♦ Some foundations now offer application forms and offer grants
specifically for spay & neuter and TNR.
Donor Basics
Marci and the FFF’s recognize that the largest source of income and
the only way to sustain their organization is to concentrate on
individual donors.
♦ Thank your donors!
♦ Continually develop your mailing list, even if you are not doing
mailings yet.
♦ When working as an individual or small group, take advantage of
your ability to interact personally with your donors. Get to know them
and encourage them to stick around for the long haul.
♦ Tell your supporters specifically how you are using the money they
donated (we spayed/neutered 37 cats…).
♦ Thank your donors!
Suggested Fundraising Resources
Online
♦
Grassroots Fundraising Journal www.grassrootsfundraising.org
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The Chronicle of Philanthropy www.philanthropy.com
♦
The Foundation Center www.fdncenter.org
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Brown, Bonney
♦ “Getting Your Paws on More Money: Overcoming Fundraising Phobia.”:
http://www.alleycat.org/NetCommunity/Document.Doc?id=87
♦ “Building a Mailing List From Scratch.” Feral Cat Activist, Spring 2001. :
http://www.alleycat.org/NetCommunity/Document.Doc?id=157
♦ “Creating Fundraising Appeals that Work.” Feral Cat Activist, Fall 2001. :
http://www.alleycat.org/NetCommunity/Document.Doc?id=154
♦
“Non-Profit Fundraising for Animal Protection Organizations.” Online:
http://www.fund.org/animalfunding/
♦
Animal and Wildlife Grants: http://www.fundsnetservices.com/searchresult.php?sbcat_id=19
♦
Fundraising articles: http://www.fundsnetservices.com/Fundraising/fundraising_articles.htm
Suggested Fundraising Resources,
cont’d…
Periodicals
♦ The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Washington, DC: The Chronicle of Philanthropy.
♦ Grassroots Fundraising Journal. Oakland, CA: Chardon Press. (Free to nonprofit
agencies).
Books
♦ Burk, Penelope. Thanks! A Guide to Donor-Centered Fundraising. Burlington,
Canada. Burk and Associates, Ltd. 2000.
♦ Klein, Kim. Fundraising for the Long Haul. San Francisco, CA. Jossey-Bass,
2000.
♦ Klein, Kim, and Stephanie Roth (Eds). Raise More Money: The Best of the
Grassroots Fundraising Journal. San Francisco, CA. Jossey-Bass, 2001
Summary
Original Goal: To learn where the money is, why people should donate
and how to get people to give you cash donations.
Where is the money?
♦ With individuals.
Why should people donate to you?
♦ Because you are already doing good things for feral cats.
How do you get people to give you money?
♦ Ask!
♦ In-kind donations: Get as much as you can without asking for
money.
♦ Special Events: Use events to raise your visibility and grow your
donor base.
♦ Grants: Apply for grants for short-term needs.
♦ Donors: Cultivate your donors to provide long-term support.
And finally…
Remind people
that they can
help you
continue to
help cats
like these.
All photographs are © Gina Mantero.