Social Change Training Manual

FUNDRAISING FOR SMALL GROUPS

Presenter: Bob Burton

1. DEVELOPING A FUNDRAISING PLAN FROM SCRATCH

Key questions

• What fundraising do you currently do?
• What have you done in the past that:
  a) Worked - why (did you evaluate it)?
  b) Didn't work - why (did you evaluate it)?
  
  
• What do you need funds for?
• Why should I support you?
• What is distinctive about your group compared to others?
• How much do you need?
• When?
• Who does your fundraising? What skills do they have?
• What are the fundraising opportunities that you see?
• What are the constraints?
• Are there threats/points of vulnerability to your current funding base?

Some pointers:

• Do what you do well before starting new programs
• Over time diversify your income streams to spread risk
• build a plan appropriate to your strengths and weaknesses the easiest mistakes to learn from are someone else's

Building a fundraising culture in your organisation:

• the greatest limitation to your successful fundraising is not a lack of good ideas but sustainable human energy
• recruit fundraisers, including volunteers, carefully and build on their skills
• invest in training and evaluation of yours and other mistakes
• build your human capital along with your fundraising program
• celebrate your successes and learn from your mistakes
• build support amongst other key sections of the organisation board, other staff, campaigners so that they understand what you are doing;

Who is there to:

• advise you on f/r from within your organisation?
• outside your organisation?

(beware people who offer panaceas or seek to shape the organisation to fit their ideas rather than provide tools relevant to your situation).

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2. UPGRADING SUPPORTERS AND DONORS

Presenter: Bob Burton

How can a small group substantially increase income from a small membership base and with limited staff?

Some key points:

• the donor pyramid
• you don't get what you don't ask for
• don't mine your supporters - build a relationship
• have a human face and a personal approach
• communicate well - understand your supporters
• local focus groups reach networks untapped by others and raises more dollars

Some elements:

• wish lists
• donation appeals
• membership renewals
• membership growth - member get member, stalls or other point of personal contact
• bequests

Bob Burton
3 Nardoo Crescent
O'Connor, ACT 2602

Phone: 02 62474072
Email: bburton@hydra.org.au

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