Fundraising
Date: 07/13/97
Fundraising, my personal achilles' heel. For many, fundraising is the most difficult part of keeping an organization up and running. Here is a list of some suggestions. Please send me your favorite suggestions.
Fundraising Suggestions
Silent Auction - Best if the event is dedicated to the auction as opposed to the auction being included in another event. Start bidding with a required minimum bid. Require increment bids to be in whole dollars.
Garage/yard sales. Can be profitable. Very labor intensive, but it is a good way to clean out your home for a good cause. Best to label items with price tags or use pre-sorted tables arranged by price.
Direct mailing. Be specific. Do not use mailing for multiple purposes. Use first class postage stamps with pretty pictures on them. Suggest donations in small monthly payments. If you can, send reminders about the payments.
Sell small promotional items that double as public education tools. Examples are tee-shirts, buttons, bumper stickers, or midwifery freedom bracelets (my favorite). Freedom bracelets can be made with an empowering word, phrase or name. Include slip of paper explaining that the purpose and request buyer to refrain from removing bracelet until goal is attained. Freedom bracelets work well in areas with repressive midwifery laws, standards, or regulations.
Membership Dues. Charge dues to belong to a group. Offer something special, such as a newsletter, to members only.
Special events. Special events, such as dinners, dances, picnics, auctions, and fairs, are great fund raisers but they usually require a couple of years of lead-in and practice before they are successful. Repeat the event annually at roughly the same date to maximize success. Various themes can be incorporated to add freshness. Labor intensive. Request donations from sponsors.
Sponsors. Obtaining sponsors for special events requires stamina and persistence. Meet face-to-face. Look potential sponsors in the eye. Shake hands upon greeting and before leaving. Follow-up with letters and phone calls.
Raffles. Stretch the raffle over time. Display item at multiple events. Choose raffle items that are highly desirable, such as televisions, quilts, VCR's, cameras, and baby monitors.
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