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No More Homeless Pets Forum
June 2, 2003 Grassroots Fundraising |
If we take care of the animals, the money will come. Or will it? Bonney Brown, director of communications and national No More Homeless Pets for Best Friends, answers questions about grassroots fundraising.
Introduction from Bonney Brown:
Just thinking about asking people for money makes most of us a bit uncomfortable. And besides, who has the time for fundraising when there is so much other work to do?There's no getting around it, fundraising is a lot of work and poses a challenge for most of us.
This week I'll be happy to offer some advice to help you get your fundraising efforts on track for your grassroots programs. Also, if you have ideas that worked especially well for your group, we'd like to hear about them as well.
Questions
Using email and the Internet to reach donors
Getting others in the organization involved in fundraising
Finding new donors when you have exhausted your current ones
Spreading your message when you are just starting a group
What to think about when putting on a special event
Increasing visibility with other community groups
Getting corporate sponsors and hiring staff
When you are one person trying to raise funds for spay/neuter
Adding names to a mailing list from raffle tickets
Building relationships with donors
A model of percentages for where your income should come from
Convincing a board to create a fundraising budget and plan
Fundraising for a coalition
More member fundraising ideas
Donation canisters
Members sharing successful fundraisings
Using email and the Internet to reach donors
Question from Jeannette:
Which do you think gives a better return: printed and mailed newsletters or email newsletters? I realize printed and mailed is much more professional, but also more expensive. What about quarterly mailed newsletters with little email updates in-between? Well...providing an organization has that much news so it's not being repeated. :)Response from Bonney:
Your suggestion of a quarterly mailed newsletter with e-mail updates in between sounds like a terrific idea.E-mail is quick, easy and inexpensive, so you can keep in touch more often and provide more timely news. As developing an ongoing relationship with donors is so important it can certainly be a very valuable tool. If your organization does advocacy work there is no doubt that e-mail is the most valuable tool ever for connecting with a large number of people on a timely basis.
As far as Internet donations, it seems that Internet donors, while currently still fewer in number than direct mail donors, generally give high average amounts of money.
To make it work for you as far as donations you'll need to have a nice website that you keep current. It needs to tell your story well and have an easy way for people to donate.
You can arrange for online donations for your organization without spending a lot of money by working through some of the websites that accept and distribute donations for non-profits. Be sure to check them out carefully to see that what they offer will meet your needs (this is not an endorsement of any particular site). Here are two that I understand pass along 100% of the donations designated for the recipient group:
http://www.networkforgood.org/npo/index.html
http://www.justgive.org/html/nonprofits
There are also websites, such as www.igive.com or www.greatergood.com, where consumers shop online through the website and participating merchants agree to donate a percentage of the purchase price to the shopper's charity of choice.
For the time being most experts are advising doing both conventional fundraising through the mail, as well as online fundraising. But there is little doubt that the online fundraising will continue to grow in importance.
Getting others in the organization involved in fundraising
Question from Cindy:
In our humane society, which is a 501-C3, the president does all of the community contact, vet runs, dog food runs, cleaning, feeding, watering, adoptions and whatever else needs to be done. Although there are other officers and board members, they are complacent to do nothing. How could one person do any fundraising when they barely have time for themselves or their own animals without any help from the other members of the organization? Counting on them would not be a reasonable answer so how do we generate donations when there isn't time to dedicate to fundraising?Response from Bonney:
As you've pointed out, it's impossible for one person to do it all. And even if it were possible physically, only rarely does one person possess all the skills to be really successful with fundraising and day-to-day shelter management and animal care. You'll notice that most successful organizations are comprised of a team of people with different, complimentary skills, each focused on the tasks they do best.It's hard to tell from your note if the president wants help or not, but if the organization is to survive and grow, you really need to get some help for him or her. If the board members cannot be roused, it should still be possible to recruit some volunteers. We have some good resources that could help with both motivating the board and recruiting volunteers on our website.
Anyway, here's the direction I'd recommend you consider to get things moving:
REACH OUT AND GET MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED
You need to bring more people into the organization to help. But even this takes time and effort, so either you or the president are going to need to clear the schedule and make time to do it if the organization is going to get past this current state.
Some relatively easy ways to find new volunteers:
Many local newspapers will run free notices for non-profits that are seeking volunteers. Be very specific in your ad. State that you are looking for volunteers with writing, desktop publishing and computer skills, and for people who would like to help with fundraising for the humane society.
Put up simple posters with the image of a dog or cat on them asking for volunteers with the specific skills you want for the humane society. Post them at the senior center, library, super markets, heath clubs, vet clinics... you get the idea.
Include a list of volunteer opportunities in your newsletter. Contact people on your organization's mailing list and people you have helped in the past to ask if they might be willing to help out.
Send a note to the Best Friends Network asking them to put the word out to network members in your area and inviting them to help. Again, be as specific as possible about they type of help that is needed. (E-mail volunteer requests to bfnetwork@bestfriends.org. Be sure to write the message as you would like it to go out the network members and to include your city and state.)
CREATE A FLYER FOR THE ORGANIZATION
Once you get a volunteer with writing and desktop publishing skills, ask them to create a simple flyer for your organization. It can be a simple tri-fold brochure in black and white, but it should have a few nice photos of animals you have helped, a description of your work, a donation form, and all your contact information; phone, e-mail, website, mailing address.
I often see flyers and newsletters without the telephone area code or the city, state, or zip code. Don't make this mistake, you never know where that flyer will end up and you want to be sure that whoever gets it can reach you - after all, they may want to send a check!
CREATE AND MAINTAIN A COMPUTERIZED MAILING LIST
You also need to find someone who can set up a simple mailing list database for you. Perhaps one of your new volunteers could do this, or maybe someone has a son or daughter who can set this up and show you how to maintain it.
There are programs available for fundraising, but in the beginning you can get by with a simple database program. As the organization grows, maintaining accurate donor records becomes critically important, so eventually you'll need to obtain fundraising database software. An inexpensive one that I've used in the past is FundRaiser Family Donor Management Software.
BUILD YOUR MAILING LIST
You do not need to pay a lot of money to build up a mailing list.
Start your mailing list off with the names and addresses of all your friends and relatives who like animals. Ask the other folks in the organization for their friends' and family members' contact information too.
Go through the Yellow Pages for the addresses of businesses that relate to animals: vet clinics, pet supply stores, groomers, trainers, etc.
Include the names of people your organization has helped, folks who come to your events, adoptive families and donor prospects you wish to cultivate.
Obtain dog license lists, available from many town halls for a small fee.
Go out "tabling." Arrange for volunteers to set up information tables at area pet supply stores, supermarkets, fairs, etc. This is one of the simplest, most effective and inexpensive ways to grow your list quickly. In fact, it's the same way that Best Friends launched their mailing list many years ago now.
Tips for successful tabling:
Bring flyers about the organization, a donation canister (this will bring in some money immediately), and a colorful poster that says who you are. Don't forget to include nice photos of animals you have helped!
Be outgoing and engage people in friendly conversation.
Record the addresses of everyone who expresses any interest in your project. Have a clipboard on the table clearly labeled "mailing list." You may want to have a separate clipboard marked "volunteers."
The mailing list form should have prominent headings asking for their name, mailing address, e-mail address and phone number. (If they give you their number, it indicates that they don't mind being called. Personal phone contact can be a great way to cultivate donors!)
KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THE PEOPLE ON YOUR MAILING LIST
Most donors are going to need to hear from you regularly to keep supporting your organization, experts say at least 5 times a year. People need to know that their donations make a difference, and they usually also need to be invited to help or to donate.
Even a simple one-page newsletter or e-mail update will remind people about your work. (Later in the week we'll get back to tips for creating a successful newsletter.)
DEVELOP A PLAN FOR THE FUTURE
Ultimately you'll want to develop a more comprehensive plan for fundraising for the group, but if you start out in this way, you will have established a solid foundation for expanding your fundraising efforts in the future.
Finding new donors when you have exhausted your current ones
Question from Anita:
We are a new humane society that was able to raise $1.1 million to date for a new animal care facility in our community of 30,000 people. We recently opened a cat care facility (we purchased a modular building at a very low cost), and now need another $600,000 to complete our dog care facility. While most projects of this magnitude have taken six years or longer, we are thrilled that we have opened Phase I within three years with no debt. Money coming in has now slowed considerably.My question is this: How can we continue to raise money within a community where the perception is that we should have all the money we need already? A small vocal minority seems to feel that we are building a luxury hotel for pets, but nothing could be further from the truth. We are building a simple, utilitarian structure that will serve the needs of the community for many years to come.
We seem to be running out of large donors to whom we can turn.
Response from Bonney:
Congratulation on your success so far, that's pretty impressive!As you try to decide what to do, keep in mind that fundraising is always about building relationships. Think about what you would do if you were trying to build an ongoing relationship with the supporters and develop a relationship with new people in the community.
I'll mention a lot of things you are probably doing already, but here are a few suggestions:
KEEP IN TOUCH
Do you have a quarterly newsletter that includes photos and the stories of the animals you are helping? Do you have a website and is it kept up to date with current news about your work? If not, you may want to make it a priority to seek out a volunteer to help you develop these things.
Most people will forget about you if you do not keep in touch regularly, and they need to know what you are doing to help the animals, and what you need in order to do more for them.
Always keep the focus on the animals, not on what the organization needs, but on what you can do for the animals with their help.
ALWAYS SAY THANKS
Do all donors receive thank you notes each time they give? If not, they should.
Even small donations deserve a thank you. It's the most effective way to make a small donor into a larger one and to create donor loyalty. And do not spoil the thank you by immediately asking for more money in the thank you note. Instead, let them know specifically what their gift has done for the animals. People need to know that their gift made a difference. Otherwise why should they bother to give to your group?
If you do not have sufficient staff to send out thank you notes, it can be done by volunteers.
GET SOME PUBLICITY
Have you had any media coverage lately? If not, invite a reporter to visit your shelter and be sure to show her what you have accomplished so far. Specifically, the reporter needs to know what your group is doing for the animals, how many animals you have helped, and how many more you will be able to help when you reach your next financial goal.
REACH OUT TO NEW SUPPORTERS
Don't turn your nose up at smaller donations. Most humane organizations work on the support of many small and mid-sized donors, not just a handful of large ones. For example, Best Friends receives an average annual donation of $35 from thousands of donors, most of whom also support several other humane organizations as well.
Broad-based support makes for a healthier organization, too. The non-profits who were relying on a few large donors or on foundation support have been the hardest hit in the financial hard times of the last year and a half. Those organizations that traditionally relied upon a broad base with many individual donors are weathering the current financial hard times far better.
A few suggestions for reaching out to new donors in your community:
Get your volunteers out there in stores and at fairs on the weekends to do some tabling to expand your donor base. (See previous reply for an explanation of tabling.)
Host community meetings in all the nearby towns to invite animal lovers to get together and learn about your plans. Be sure to ask for donations and volunteers and get everyone's contact information so you can keep in touch.
Offer to speak at meetings of the local Rotary Club, Lions Club, Women of Today and other civic groups - they are often looking for speakers and often people who participate in these groups are connected in the community and can bring other supporters to your cause.
Ask local businesses to allow you to put coin cans in their stores. This can be a significant way to raise funds, the only down side is that you do not get the addresses of the donors.
Seek out in-kind donations (goods and services) to cut expenses.
The fact that you have been successful so far indicates that there is interest and support in your community and I suspect that you just need to reach out in some new ways that you have not yet tapped.
Spreading your message when you are just starting a group
Question from a member:
I've heard that if you show the public what you are doing and how you are saving lives, then the money will come. What about start-up groups that need to raise money to start saving lives? New groups can only save a small number of animals until money starts coming in, but they can't get money to come in unless they can show that they are doing something first and get the word out on their efforts. It seems like a Catch-22.Response from Bonney:
When you are starting out, you do not have to save huge numbers of animals before you can ask for support, but you do need to save a few.When I started the group in Massachusetts there was just a handful of us in the beginning and we rescued animals with our personal funds and told people about these animals in our initial funding appeals. It did not take long to find other like-minded people who were happy to help.
Tell people about your first rescues, tell them about your plans for the future, and invite them to become part of your work. Let them know how you will be able to help many more animals with their help and support.
When they do send a donation, be sure to say thank you, and then to keep in touch in the future.
Tips for successful fundraisers and appeals:
PUT YOUR MISSION IN WRITING
Put together a short written statement about your organization's mission and work. Keep the audience in mind as you write it - after all, the goal is to inspire other people to support your efforts. This statement will form the foundation for your future funding appeals.
FOCUS ON THE BENEFICIARIES
People give money to help animals and people, not to help organizations. Donors do not care about the survival of your organization; they care about making a difference for the animals. So, in your newsletter and appeals be sure to focus on the animals. Tell people how you are addressing the needs of the animals and solving the problem with their help.
KEEP IT INTERESTING
No one really wants to read about what you discussed at the last board meeting, what type of muffins Sally made for the bake sale, or how many hours a day you're working. Avoid overdoing it with cute or sad poems and quotes. Don't complain about what other groups are doing either. Always focus on the good works of your group and the difference that you are making for the animals.
RELATE ONE-TO-ONE
It's difficult to relate to abstract "millions." But people can identify with another person or an individual animal. Show the animal as a unique individual, deserving of attention and care.
SHOW THEM
The old adage is true: "A picture is worth a thousand words." A really good photograph of an animal, or of people with animals, can often convey your message more effectively than long, wordy stories. Be sure to give the photos enough space in your publications too. Small or dark images usually lack impact.
How can you get really good photos? Seek out volunteers, there are many talented people who love to take photographs and would be happy to help out in this way.
KEEP IT NEAT AND CLEAN
The look of your literature is very important. Recruit a volunteer with desktop publishing skills to help.
The font (type style) should be simple and easy to read - don't make it too small for older eyes to read. When it comes to different fonts, less is more - avoid using many different fonts in a publication, it just makes it busy looking and hard to read.
ENGAGE THEIR EMOTIONS
To motivate people, you need to engage their emotions. While showing disturbing images has its place, I'd recommend thinking long and hard before you adopt this approach in your community humane group's literature. Disturbing images and descriptions can be a turn off for sensitive animal people. There may be times when you want to convey a sense of urgency in your fundraising appeal, but avoid creating a sense of disaster or panic.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
Write in clear, simple, direct language. Avoid using shelter jargon.
KEEP IT POSITIVE
Donors like to know that their support is making a difference. Avoid doom and gloom or appeals that rely on guilt. Share your successes with your supporters.
PROVIDE INFORMATION AND INSPIRE
Don't assume that people know about the issues you're working to solve or about your organization's work. Give them the information they'll need to be inspired to donate to your cause.
MAKE A SPECIFIC REQUEST
People need to know exactly what you want them to do to help. It's proven that donors give more when you suggest specific amounts.
MAKE IT EASY TO GIVE
Include a donation response form and an addressed return envelope. Always include all your contact information on all your publications; The organization's full name, complete mailing address including the state and zip code, phone number including the area code, e-mail, and website address.
KEEP YOUR WEBSITE CURRENT
Be sure that the information on your website is up to date. You can post information that expands on and supports your newsletters and appeals; articles from local papers about your work; additional statistics; detailed information about your programs and future events; brief bios of your directors and key staffers; lists of tribute and memorial donations, etc.
What to think about when putting on a special event
Question from a member:
We spend a lot of our time on special events and try to do one a month. The problem is that they take so much time and energy to put on! We would like to build up our membership base, but our board looks at that as a long-term project and says we need to do special events to keep the money coming in for immediate needs. But we will never be able to work on a membership drive if we are knocking ourselves out doing special events! We need suggestions on how to even get started on a membership drive.Response from Bonney:
Special events certainly have their place, but they are not the foundation upon which to build an organization. As you accurately point out, they are labor intensive and can be expensive too.Most organizations receive the bulk of their support in the form of donations from individuals, usually as a response to an appeal letter or newsletter sent through the mail. Increasingly, e-mail appeals and Internet donations are also becoming a significant part of the picture.If you take a look back at the very first posting this week you'll find a description of how to build a mailing list by "tabling" and a few other inexpensive strategies. I'll also send along a separate posting of top tips for successful appeals and newsletters.
QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN PLANNING A SPECIAL EVENT
Before you undertake an event, there are a few things to ask yourself:
Will this event be worth the time and money it will take to make it happen? Which event will be the most economical, not only dollar-wise, but also in terms of volunteer time? Do this simple calculation to help you decide: Estimate all the potential expenses, everything you may need to purchase or rent. (Don't forget the price of services, such as printing and postage.) Then consider what could you possibly make on this event. Estimate the number of people who will most likely attend and multiply that by the average amount of money you expect to get from each person. Plan carefully; it's possible to lose money on a special event.
Is the theme right? Is the event appropriate to your community? Does it fit your mission? Is it something that will inspire people to participate? (Hint: It should be fun!)
Can you piggyback other fundraisers onto the event? Can you sell refreshments? Put out donation canisters? Sell merchandise? Hold a raffle?
Is this the best date for the event? Don't compete with other large events; avoid holidays, the last or first week of school, election day, etc. Is it too much of a good thing? Events can become stale for the community if held too frequently.
Is it a good location? Easy to get to? Plenty of parking?
Have you set a financial goal that is achievable, but also inspiring? Be sure to tell everyone about the goal so they can help you achieve it.
Remember to do a post-event evaluation while it's still fresh in everyone's minds and write the comments down. If you keep careful records of your preparations (to do lists, schedules, contacts, etc.) it will be even easier next year - raising more money with less work.
One final thought about events; they are most successful when you have a loyal membership that will turn out for them and support them. Sadly, I've seen organizations lose money by copying another organization's successful event without realizing that the success is not just in the event itself, but in your loyal supporters who will be there because they have received the group's newsletter (or e-mail updates) and because they know and like what the group is doing and want to be a part of that.
Increasing visibility with other community groups
Question from Linda:
Fundraising has benefits beyond just how the funds you raise help animals. I have found that being involved in fundraising has taught me how very many ordinary people really DO care about animals. I used to wonder how a small handful of "animal people" in our area could possibly hope to do much but now, I realize that EVERYONE is a potential donor of something for the animals. Some give time, some give dollars. I've learned that if your cause is a good one, people really LOVE to be asked to join it.One area where I am having problems, though, is in trying to get other folks in the organization interested in connecting with other kinds of groups. Many of us have full-time jobs. But there are a lot of local meetings and program presentations by social services groups, and it would be great if our organization were more in touch with those.
We would really like to be able to cooperate for community-wide fundraising, but if they don't even know us, I don't think they'll be too happy to mount a fundraising campaign with us. How might I better communicate the value of this kind of networking to our devoted animal folks?
Response from Bonney:
Thanks for sharing your inspiring observations. There certainly are many kind and generous people out there - we just need to make the time and effort to reach out to them.I know that's easier said than done, especially in a grassroots group without a paid staff.
CONVINCING OTHERS
As far as convincing others in the group of the wisdom of reaching out to work with other community organizations, for some people, seeing is believing. If you can manage to find the time to make a start at this, hopefully the results will speak for you.
INCREASING YOUR VISIBILITY
Here are a few ways begin to increase your group's visibility in the community:
Civic clubs are often interested in guest speakers.
Local cable access TV and local radio stations are often seeking guests who have something interesting to say or who are doing something special in the community.
Newspaper reporters are always looking for stories.
Newspapers are sometimes open to guest columns or have unused ad space that they will donate to a local non-profit.
You may also want to check out the forum by Dennis Stearns on getting the community involved for more ideas.
RECRUIT SOME NEW VOLUNTEERS TO HELP
Of course, sometimes when people are already feeling worked to the max they simply cannot manage one more thing, no matter how nice they think it might be. So another approach might be to reach out to new volunteers to make your vision a reality.
If you can attract even just one or two new, like-minded volunteers to join the group, either people who have the right skills to help you implement your plan, or people who could help to free up other key people in the group so that they can work with you, you'll be on your way.
We have a simple guide to basic volunteer recruitment on our website that may help out: Click HERE to download the .pdf.
Getting corporate sponsors and hiring staff
Question from Hannah:
We have a new fundraising chairperson who is doing a great job getting fundraisers going, but we are limited with manpower (we are all volunteers who have jobs) to invest 100% of our time at this point. My question is: How do we get corporate sponsors to get on board with our program and how to keep them as ongoing yearly supporters for the long term?Response from Bonney:
Seems like there are two issues here.APPROACHING LOCAL BUSINESSES FOR SUPPORT
As far as approaching local businesses to ask for support/donations, you'll want to be sure to let them know how they will benefit by supporting your work. What's in it for them?
You need to clearly and concisely explain what you are requesting (an in-kind donation for an auction, a sponsorship donation for an event, etc.), what it is for (briefly describe the program/organization and how it benefits the community), and how is it going to help them. Sure, they will get a tax-deduction for a financial gift, but what else do you have to offer? Will you put their logo on a specific number of brochures, t-shirts, ads, banners? Will they be acknowledged to your members in your newsletter, in news releases about the event? Will you include a sample of their product or a coupon for their store in your pet adoption packets? Let them know how many families (potential customers) this will reach in your community. This does not mean that you go completely overboard - the sponsorship agreement should be fair, reasonable, and benefit both parties.
To ensure that the business wants to support you again next year, you need to make the experience a positive one for the sponsor. Thanking them and delivering on all your commitments is key.
The staff of the No More Homeless Pets in Utah kindly provided a sample of one of their sponsorship proposals.
HIRING STAFF
You also mention that everyone works full time, and how difficult this makes it for you all. While volunteerism is a wonderful thing and it certainly is the backbone of most community non-profits, I think it's wise to be looking toward a day when you will be able to hire a staff. Sometimes we have a false sense of economy when it comes to keeping our organizations "all-volunteer."
In this I do speak from experience, as in the early 90's I started a non-profit humane society that was all volunteer for its first few years of operation. We debated the pros and cons of finally hiring staff, but I can tell you that it was the best decision we ever made.
Think about what you could accomplish if you found the right people and enabled them to focus all their attention on helping the animals and strengthening the organization so it can help even more animals. After all, if we believe that animals are an important part of our lives and society at large, don't they also deserve to have people who are able to be fully dedicated to helping them?
When you think about it, struggling along as an all-volunteer group--when you could hire an employee to help raise the quality of the services you provide and increase the income of the organization--may be penny wise and pound foolish.
I realize you may not be there yet, but it's something to begin to think about as your organization grows.
When you are one person trying to raise funds for spay/neuter
Question from Diane:
I work at a nursing home that has taken in several cats for the pleasure of the residents. One cat has been spayed but apparently none of the others has been. The population is now growing rapidly. There are no funds to have them neutered. Do you have any recommendations for raising money for this? It would have to be done outside the patronage of the nursing home. It is a county nursing home and I don't think it would want any questions of impropriety of money use to arise. I am determined that this will get done but wanted some suggestions rather than try to "reinvent the wheel."Response from Bonney:
A few ways to raise just enough money to get a few animals fixed:First, I'd suggest that you check to see if there are any organizations in the area that might be able to help. You can find local low cost spay/neuter services by calling SPAY USA at 1-800-248- SPAY or by looking online at www.pets911.com.
If you are not part of an organization, but have a few cats that you've been feeding, here are a few ways that you can raise money to get them fixed.
ASK PEOPLE TO DONATE MONEY
Who should you ask? Friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, local businesses.
If the idea of asking directly is terrifying, then write a short letter or create a simple flyer and distribute copies. Having a flyer or letter to hand to the person you're asking helps to break the ice and adds credibility to your project.
Tips for creating flyers that work:
• Include an eye-catching photo or drawing of a cat ("a picture is worth a thousand words.
• Explain that you are seeking donations to help spay and neuter a small group of feral cats (or in this case, cats that live in a nursing home). Ask specifically: "Can you help with a donation to neuter these cats?"
• Be sure that the flyers include a way to contact you.
• To ensure the safety of the cats, it's usually best NOT to give the exact location of a colony.
IN-KIND SUPPORT (NON-CASH CONTRIBUTIONS)
You can keep costs down by soliciting donations of items or services that you would otherwise need to buy. After all, saving money is as good as raising it!
• Food. Ask the managers at the local supermarkets, pet supply stores and feed & grain stores if they have broken bags or dented cans that they could donate. Individuals can be another source of donated cat food. If you can get permission to put out a bin for cat food donations where you work, shop, or at your church, you'll find that people will contribute generously.
• Housing. If you are working with feral cats and they are in need of a place to sleep, hardware and lumber supply stores will often donate damaged wood, which can be used to build shelters for the cats to sleep in. We had success running ads in local papers seeking donations of old doghouses; they can be modified for the cats.
• Vet Care. Ask the veterinarian for a discount or to donate a spay as another way to keep costs down. The veterinarian may be open to this suggestion if he or she will be neutering multiple cats for you. The veterinarian may also be willing to accept any donations people would like to make toward the cat's care for you.
DONATION CANS
Make a donation coin-can or two with an appealing photo of a cat and a brief explanation that the money will help to neuter local feral cats. Ask the veterinarian if you can put one out in the vet office. Put one out on your desk at work, and ask a friend to do the same. If the cats are near a sympathetic local business, the business may be willing to put out a donation can.
SMALL FUNDRAISING EVENTS
A small event can raise significant money if it has been well planned. It usually takes a couple of people to pull it off. Ask a friend or neighbor to help.
• Neighborhood Yard Sale. Ask neighbors and friends to contribute items. The event needs to be publicized in the local papers and with simple posters around town. You'll need a place to store the items, and there is some time involved in planning, publicizing and organizing, but a single yard sale can raise several hundred dollars. (Be sure to put a donation can out at the yard sale and a poster that explains what the proceeds are for - some people will want to contribute more to help the animals.)
• Bake Sale. Another simple, low-risk way to raise money for the cats is to organize a bake sale. To be successful, the bake sale must be in a high-traffic area where many people will pass by. Ask friends to contribute baked goods.
• Recycling Can Drives. Plan a collection drive for recyclable deposit cans and bottles and turn them in to redeem the deposit. This requires publicizing the event and transporting the bottles and cans to a recycle center. You may be able to get a local recycling center to work with you on this--to accept cans on your behalf and hold the money in an account for your project.
• What To Avoid. Steer clear of fundraising events that require a large financial investment or a great deal of time and energy. It is possible to lose money on elaborate special events. You'll need to carefully weigh the potential for success with the costs. Generally, it's best to keep it simple.
TALK WITH LOCAL SERVICE AND CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS
The local Women's Club, the Rotary or Lions Club may be willing to support an effort that will benefit the local community. Ask if they're willing to help by providing funds to neuter the cats. A letter from the local vet, along with literature from Alley Cat Allies can help to demonstrate the legitimacy of your request.
You may also consider asking them for volunteer help. Local retirement communities or your church may be other worthwhile places to seek volunteer assistance.
Adding names to a mailing list from raffle tickets
Question from Michelle:
I was head of fundraising for a group that often held raffles at local grocery stores. On the raffle tickets, we asked participants to write their name, address, phone number and e-mail address and most people did so willingly and without question. Our practice was to add these names to our mailing list unless we were asked not to by the donor. It was a great way to build up our list since we would regularly receive anywhere between 200-500 new names per raffle. Yet, we did not state on the ticket that they would be added to our list. Is it okay to add these people to our list for mailings or would that be considered intrusive given that some of these donors weren't as much into the cause as they were the prizes? Should we still write them a thank you and try to engage them in the cause and cultivate them as a donor? Or, would it be better to have a box on the ticket that they could check if they want to receive mailings?Response from Bonney:
While raffles are certainly a good idea and while there is nothing illegal about putting the addresses on your mailing list, the concern I'd have would be that you will load up your mailing list with a lot of people who will just toss your literature in the trash.Adding a little check box to the tickets would not be difficult to do and would prevent sending things to people who do not want your publications, without discouraging them from buying raffle tickets. Another option would be to request e-mail addresses on the raffle tickets and to keep in touch via e-mail providing an opt-out option for people who do not want to hear from you again.
You may also want to check out the tips for tabling under the building a mailing list section of the first posting.
Building relationships with donors
Question from a member:
Our shelter just got a large donation (tens of thousands of dollars) from a lady in response to an appeal we sent. We want to establish a good relationship with her but don't want to do anything to ruin it. When is it ok to ask her for money again since she just gave a large donation? Also, we are looking for ideas on how to show her our appreciation and also advice on finding a balance between staying in touch periodically to call her with good news and updates without seeming fake and like we are only doing it for the money. We really do appreciate what she did!Response from Bonney:
Congratulations! That's really terrific.When trying to decide how to treat a donor remember that the goal is to create a relationship, a friendship, really. (This applies equally to small donors too!)
You may have done this, but I'd suggest you give her a call to thank her and to let her know what the funds will enable you to accomplish for the animals. I would take care not to mention another donation. During the call be sure to give her time to talk too, and listen carefully to what she says about why she sent the donation. You could also let her know that you'd like to keep her posted on your progress/work.
I'd also send a personal thank-you letter in the mail (as opposed to a stock thank you letter).
You'll want to send her all your usual newsletters, but also make time to keep in touch personally. Perhaps invite her to lunch, and/or down to the shelter, to show her more about your work. Watch her reactions as you share things with her and ask about her special interests related to animals. You'll learn why she likes to support your work and what really excites her. It could be helping disabled dogs, or feral cats, or spay/neuter.
If you really cultivate a relationship with her, one person to another, keeping in touch regularly but not pressing her for anything, I think you'll know when the time is right to ask again. And you'll also know which of the projects you are working on will be of special interest to her.
Perhaps next time you could interest her in doing a challenge/matching gift donation, where she would in effect offer to match other donations up to a set amount. You'll notice that National Public Radio does this all the time during their on-air fundraisers, and here at Best Friends we did this when building the new Dogtown. One donor offered to match up to $500,000 and we invited the other donors to try to help us meet that goal so we could build the new facilities for the dogs.
I asked Faith Maloney, one of the directors here at Best Friends who often spends time with high donors, if she had any thoughts to add, and here's what she had to say:
"I'd emphasize talking about what you plan to do. That's what I do a lot, and watch for reactions. People with large sums to give usually have an orientation--cats, dogs, medical--and when you know what it is, you can keep that person informed about things in that area.
I talk enthusiastically about the work, and never ask directly for money when I am doing that. If there is an interest, I'll come back at a later date and ask for something specific. And I have information ready to pop in an envelope should someone show interest. They can look at the proposal in their own time and come to their own decision. No pressure."
Just generally, if you treat the generous new donor as you would a valued friend, you will not go too far wrong.
A model of percentages for where your income should come from
Question from Lisa:
How much of your budget should come from individual donors and how much should come from other sources like special events or corporate sponsors? We rely pretty heavily on special events and I wondered if there is a good percentage guideline to use?Response from Bonney:
I did some research to try to find the latest information on this for you. I could only come up with one model, from a fundraising consultant. It's about 5 years old, but it shows average percentages for grassroots humane groups sources of income:Donations from individuals 50%
Income from programs and services 20%
Special events 15 %
Collection cans 5%
Merchandise sales 5%
Donations from businesses/corporations 4%
Grants 1%
Keep in mind that this is just one model. Best Friends, for example, gets a higher percentage of donations from individuals than this model reflects, so each organization is different. But looking at such a model can be helpful in terms of assessing where you are putting your fundraising efforts and energies.
If you are now getting most of your income from special events, the good news is that you probably have a big opportunity to increase your group's income by developing other fundraising strategies, especially mail appeals/newsletters and e-mail/Internet donations.
Convincing a Board to create a fundraising budget and plan
Question from Michelle:
There's a saying that "it takes money to make money." That being said, how do you convince an organization to allocate money to create a fundraising budget? It is often a hard sell when the greater focus is on paying vet bills for animals to be saved.Response from Bonney:
You'll need to convince the board members and executive director that by dedicating some of their resources to fundraising, they will be able to raise more money to save even more animals.Make a proposal that demonstrates what could be gained. My suggestion would be to go to the board of directors with a very specific plan. If you can demonstrate that there will be a return on the investment, most savvy people will agree that it's a wise investment.
Start small and build on that. If the idea of budgeting any money for fundraising is foreign, you may want to start with a single project, demonstrate a success and then build on that.
Gather information on successful models. My suggestion would be to gather a few examples of other successful fundraising campaigns or events that are similar to the one you are proposing to undertake, include the event costs and the total amount raised by these other groups. (I've found that other humane organizations are often happy to share information on successful events.)
Create a plan for the project and include a budget. This is not as daunting as it may sound to some. All you need to do is write down what you plan to do so that others can read and review it and so all the board members will be clear on what you are proposing.
This plan needs to include a budget. If you start off modestly, the budget does not need to be a vast or complicated thing. Put in the simplest terms, the budget estimates the amount of money the event or campaign is going to cost the organization, and how much you are projecting it will bring in.
If you have never created a budget before, most books on event planning include a sample budget that lists all the things you may need to purchase or get donated. You may be able to get a sample budget from another group that has done a similar campaign.
But even if you cannot find a good model budget for your project, it is really not that difficult to create your own budget for a project or event. Start by brainstorming everything you'll need for the campaign/event and write it all down. Don't forget to include things like printing and postage. Then assign a price to each item on the list. (This may take a bit of research; you'll want to get approximate prices on everything. Of course, you can also try to get some of the things you'll need donated to save money.) The total of all these amounts will give you the estimated expenses for the project/event.
The next step is to project the income from the campaign or the event. The best way to do this is to estimate the number of people you anticipate responding to the appeal, or attending the event. Then estimate the average donation or the amount of money you expect to get from each person. Once you have these two numbers, you just need to multiply them to get your estimated event income.
One can argue that there are sometimes reasons to make an investment that will not by itself bring in a lot of money, but will help to develop the organization's fundraising potential long term; however, if the board is skeptical, this is not the time for such a project. You need to find an initial project that will bring in a substantial return for the group to increase their confidence in the concept of investing money to raise more money in the future.
Fundraising for a coalition
Question from a member:
We are a newly formed coalition of animal groups working together toward a solution to the overpopulation problem. We are just starting our fundraising efforts, and we are noticing that a few of our coalition member groups are having a hard time separating fundraising for their own group and fundraising for the coalition. It will be difficult to raise funds for our projects without the support from our members, but I can understand why their own groups come first when it comes to funds. Any ideas on how to address this?Response from Bonney:
While a coalition is a terrific idea, I can imagine that it will be a challenge if you are relying upon the member groups to fund the coalition programs as well as their own programs. Most organizations could use more funds for their own current work, and so will likely be resistant to the idea of being asked to fundraise for the new coalition as well.One suggestion would be for the coalition to focus on raising funds in ways that are not utilized by most of the participating groups.
For example, could the coalition focus on soliciting corporate support? If you planned a big joint big adoption event with all the groups participating this would present an appealing sponsorship opportunity for large local community businesses.
Another idea might be a joint fundraising event, such as a walk or auction. Ideally it will not be an event that one of the groups is already doing for their own support. Not only would the event itself raise funds, but this too could be sponsored by businesses in the community.
The coalition could also apply for grants. There may be community foundations that would support such a common effort that would not fund a single group. (Next week's forum will be all about getting grants.) Also, the coalition could seek funding from the city or county government for a local spay/neuter campaign - an effort more likely to succeed if you are all united than if any one group did it alone.
Another thing to try might be seeking volunteers just for the new coalition. Many local papers will run free notices for non-profits seeking volunteers. For the coalition you could specifically ask for volunteers to help with grant writing, PR, event planning, desktop publishing, that sort of thing.
You may also want to take a look at the forum by Gregory Castle on coalition building for additional advice and tips.
More member fundraising ideas
Comment from Dominique:
A while back, I contacted a couple of other shelters to get some ideas on
what they do. I received quite a few ideas from one in California. Below are
some of them (assuming that most organizations are familiar with pet-athlon,
auction-dinner, rummage sale, etc.).
And don't forget that just meeting for a brainstorming session somewhere nice
can be fun, and you will be surprised how many ideas that at first might have
looked crazy do turn into something feasible. Good luck to everyone!
Roll out the red carpet. Bring in the wide-screen TV. Serve up the appetizers
and stage your very own Oscar Party, Super Bowl etc.
- Mailing list. Check with your local agency that registers animals - the
shelter where I volunteer was able to get their list at no cost. We then had
a volunteer that sorted it to eliminate duplicates, e.g. if one address has
several pets registered or if they were already on our mailing list.
- Mini Golf Tournament (instead of the traditional gold outing). This could
be geared at schools, families etc.
- Website auctions
- Shakespeare in "our" park. San Francisco has an annual event in
a local park. People bring a blanket and a picnic lunch and their doggie friends
and have a wonderful Saturday or Sunday afternoon in the park! A theatre school
could get enlisted for the project or it could be an interactive play involving
people with their dogs.
- Bikers Ride. We have a bikers group that does a ride every year with a "pet-stop"
at our shelter. We provide volunteers and some refreshments and they tour
the shelter when we are closed to the public (don't we like it when little
work is involved!).
- Aluminum recycling. We have set up a spot at our shelter where people can
drop off their aluminum cans in plastic bags. We have a volunteer who brings
them to the recycling center on a regular basis.
- In-kind donations/drives.
Girl Scout troops etc. are always looking for ways to help animals. We have
some troops that on a regular basis collect (gently) used towels, blankets
etc. and are tremendously successful.
- Sand sculpture contest
- Dog Poo Bingo. Find a large grassy area (like a football field) and section
off in a large grid and 3 dogs. We would sell a grid square at 10$ per square
or 3 for 25$. The dogs would wear harnesses with a 1,2,or 3. And all we would
have to do is wait. When and where #1 poops will dictate the first place winner.
- Tag days at street corners. Stand at street corners when the traffic light
is red and go up to the cars to ask for donations.
- Thanksgiving Table. People are encouraged to bring in-kind donations (whatever
your organization needs, from food to paper towel, etc.)
- Grocery coupons. Three times a year, we get a grocery coupon valid for Monday-Wednesday
(dates are predetermined and never during a holiday week). People present
the coupon, the store fills it out, and we get 1% of all purchases donated.
Comment from Marilyn:
I have many photography-related books that I no longer need. I also belong to a list serve devoted to photographers. I held an on-line auction for the photography books, asking for monetary donations or donations of toys for the cats and dogs in exchange for the books (the person who donated the most, won the particular book on which they were bidding).I did quite well, but even improved on what I collected. When the auction ended, I went to a local Wal- Mart and asked them if I spent the money I'd collected for the pets at their store, would they match the amount I spent there. They agreed to do this (we are so grateful to Wal- Mart). Rescue volunteers/workers could do this with almost any items, even with the proceeds of a garage or yard sale.
Comment from Tracy:
I think that sharing ideas is great! A couple successful things we've done:Rummage Sale: Find a great location (we chose the parking lot of a vacant super market), have everyone bring in stuff (hopefully already priced), then sell - sell - sell! Last year the one day event raised over $3,000, and we are poised to do better than that this year based on the amount of stuff collected.
Wine and Dine Event: We had this at a local restaurant in a small town. The chef got one of his wine distributors to come for the evening and serve wine that would complement the menu (a vegan and meat choice). The dinner was $50.00 a head (of which we made only $13.00), but the silent auction that went on throughout the evening was the big draw. All items had to be worth at least $50.00 (some small but nice items were combined). Get all types of donations: eye exams, scuba diving class, golf certificates, wine baskets, spa treatments, animal things. This event made almost $4,000. Note: Not worth the time: selling little items like meat and cheese boxes, popcorn, pastries...anything that takes a lot of staff/volunteer time for little return.
Response from Bonney:
As this above suggestion mentioned selling products with meat, it gives me the opportunity to touch on a point you may want to consider. Animal Place, a sanctuary in California, has put together a wonderful booklet called "Food for Thought: Adopting an Animal Friendly Menu for Your Shelter's Events", which you may want to take look at. It is not about requiring everyone to become vegetarian, but about sending a consistent message to the community about your organization's lifesaving work. To get a copy of the booklet contact Animal Place, e-mail info@animalplace.org, phone: 707-449-4814, or view the .pdf brochure online by clicking HERE.Donation canisters
Question from Wendy:
We are trying to start placing collection cans in the community to raise money. A member suggested trying to place cans at the local veterinarian's offices. I was worried that they might not want them there because they would perceive this as competition. (We have a low-cost spay/neuter program aimed at people with financial need and are working with just two local veterinarians.) Should we pursue this or should we try to place the cans at other types of businesses? Can you recommend any good locations for trying to place collection cans?Response from Bonney:
I'd probably operate on the principal that it does not hurt to ask. The most important thing is to be understanding and say thank you even if they will not put out your donation can. You want to avoid burning any bridges.Pretty much any place that has customers and is willing to put your collection can out could be a good location. It's important to thank the merchants that allow you to put the coin cans in their stores. Also, someone needs to stop by to empty them regularly.
The humane group in Massachusetts that I used to work with used custom-made coin cans that were attached to a brochure stand. So not only could people drop some money in the can, but they could also take a flyer and donate later.
Locations we did well with were most often pet supply stores, convenience stores, video rental stores and some restaurants, but that is not to say that those are the only places you'll want to try.
You can track the amount coming in from each location to see which types of places, or which communities are most productive for you.
Members sharing successful fundraisers
The following are successful fundraising ideas submitted by forum members. We'd love to share your best fundraising idea too! Email your ideas to aimee@bestfriends.org
Comment from Monica (Subject: sponsor an animal):
I am on the board of directors for a small no-kill animal shelter in Richmond, IN, called HELP the Animals. We have had wonderful success with a "Sponsor an animal" fundraiser at Christmas, Easter and Halloween. For $10 (per animal), people sponsor animals. They tell us if they want to sponsor a cat or a dog and in return they get a picture of "their" animal and their animal also receives a special Christmas breakfast treat, Easter breakfast treat, or Halloween treat and a toy for the holiday (of course, ALL the animals actually get the special breakfast and toy!!)We sometimes do turkey or cheese or rawhide chew as the treat for the dogs; tuna, cat treats and catnip for the cats; and they ALL get a new toy. This still gives us a very nice return on the $10 donation, and the donors get something (the picture of their animal!) back. These can also be given as gifts for someone and we send the picture to the person getting the gift. We usually have a thousand or two (even more at Christmas) each time we do it. We call the Christmas one "Christmas Stockings" and the Easter one "Easter Baskets" and, of course, the Halloween one "Trick or Treat Bag" sponsorships. We have people that get them for every holiday and really enjoy giving and getting them for gifts. Hope this helps some shelters raise some $$$ out there and we can't wait to hear some ideas from you all.
Comment from Julie (Subject: partnering between organizations for a fundraiser):
I just read your opening remarks for this week's forum and it was an amazing coincidence that I had just completed a discussion of a fundraiser that I am truly excited about. This fundraiser is not only exciting from a monetary perspective but also from a trust-building relationship.In talking to a member of the Aanimal Control Guild, we stumbled upon a fundraising idea that we think is going to be very successful and as an additional bonus is doing a lot to build a partnership between our nonprofit organization and the Guild at the county animal shelter we support.
We are combining our two organizations together for a fundraiser. The Guild (also of nonprofit status) wants to raise funds to place a flag (and pole) in front of the shelter; we "Friends of the County Shelter" want to raise funds to clean up and build an outside exercise area for the dogs. Together, we are planning a fundraiser and it will specifically state the money raised will be split between our two organizations. We feel this is a win for both of us as we will draw upon a wider range of contributors and it is building the trust between nonprofit volunteers and shelter employees!
Additional fundraising resources:
Grassroots fundraising resources from Best Friends.
GuideStar, a national database of non-profits, and information for non-profit organizations.
Internet Nonprofit Center, collection of articles on a wide variety of topics, including fundraising.
My Noodle, resources and information for non-profits, including fundraising.
Board Cafe, an e-newsletter for non-profit boards, includes fundraising advice.
BoardSource, practical information, best practices, and leadership development for board members.
Points of Light Foundation, resources and information to promote volunteerism.
These recommendations are from Hilda Taylor of Urban Cat Sitters in Maine:
The Fund for Animals has a new website dedicated to fundraising.
E-newsletter and articles on grassroots fundraising
Humane Link has helpful links to other fundraising resources.
