Alice Parman, Ph.D.
Fundraising Campaign
Eugene Education Fund
In 1995, Alice coached the board of the Eugene Education Fund through their first annual fundraising campaign. EEF raised $150,000 that year in support of Eugene School District 4J. The following year, EEF handled the campaign in house, as they have done ever since. In 2003-2004, Eugene Education Fund raised $618,000 under the leadership of its founding director, David Meredith.
Link to EEF site: www.eeflane.org
Review fundraising campaign recommendations.
Read below or download campaign document in pdf format (2 pages)
Fundraising Campaigns
Volunteers: solicitors and support
Determine how many hours board members are willing to give to fundraising (in addition to the many hours that they already contribute). In all likelihood, you will need to recruit volunteers to assist with your campaign. Find 10 to 12 short-term volunteers, including some who are willing to make fundraising calls, and 2 or 3 others who will provide behind-the-scenes support. (The latter consists mainly of developing handouts and letters, keeping records, coordinating fundraising calls, and writing timely thank-you notes, etc.)
Sources of fundraising volunteers may include:
- friends, family members, co-workers, neighbors of board members and staff
- past board members
- people wth a special interest in your mission and program
- service clubs
- the community at large (put out a call through all possible avenues)
Training and supervision of volunteers will require some dedicated staff time during the fundraising campaign. If you hire a fundraising coach, (s)he will train the fundraising volunteers, while your staff will train the support volunteers, and will supervise all volunteers.
Prospect review meeting
Once a substantial list of prospective donors has been compiled, convene a small group of advisors to review and rate the prospects. A banker, an accountant, a philanthropist, and a financial planner are examples of likely participants in this confidential meeting, which will be facilitated by the fundraising consultant.
Background materials and a brief presentation by a board member will acquaint the group with the work of your organization. Then, either in conversation or through the completion of written rating sheets, group members predict the likelihood that each prospect may give to to your campaign, and at what dollar level.
This advice helps you plan who to approach and how much to ask for. The meeting is also a signal to a few influential people that your organization intends to become active in the fundraising arena.
Materials
When calling on prospects, fundraising solicitors will need a fact sheet that summarizes the case for supporting your organization, as well as an annual budget showing sources of revenue and major expenditure categories, and a current brochure or newsletter. As the agency builds a fundraising track record, a list of donors can be added to the mix.
In preparation for your campaign, a knowledgeable staff member, volunteer, or consultant should prepare a case statement—a brief, persuasive document designed to convince donors to support your organization. A fact sheet based on the case statement is a must-have tool for fundraising volunteers.
Training
A brief, energizing, and confidence-building fundraising training session will be the centerpiece of the campaign kickoff meeting. The agenda should include:
- discussion of the hidden fears that hinder fundraisers
- demonstration that we all have the skills to be effective fundraisers
- pointers for success
- role-play and practice in a supportive environment
- clear explanation of how the fundraising campaign is organized and what is expected of each participant.
Coordination
A staff person or board member will coordinate the campaign on behalf of your organization. The coordinator is responsible for
- assigning contacts to be made by fundraising volunteers (in consultation with the fundraising consultant)
- answering questions about the organization and providing additional information as requested
- managing record-keeping, prompt check deposits, and timely thank-yous.
The coordinator’s essential volunteer counterpart is a “butt-kicker,” usually a board member. That person is responsible for following up with each fundraising volunteer to ensure that he/she makes contact with assigned prospects.
Mail campaign
It is likely that the number of qualified prospects will be too large for each to be contacted in person by an organizational fundraiser. Prospects who don’t meet with a representative of the organization will instead receive a personalized fundraising letter.
By specifying “return service requested,” you will immediately learn which addresses are no longer valid. You will also find out who some of your strongest supporters are— the ones who send a check in response to a first-time mailing. It’s worth mailing to each prospective donor two or even three times before striking them from the list.
To up the response rate, consider augmenting the mailing with follow-up phone calls. Board members and volunteers can use a donated office space with multiple phones, combining fundraising with socializing, and celebrating successes together.