Insta-Fundraising!

Is there such a thing as instant fundraising results? We all want things faster, quicker, and well, in an instant! I mean, look at the popularity of the new instant pots??

If you are staring at August 1st and thinking, “I need instant money to make our organization’s 2018 goals,” I’m feeling ya! Where has the first half of the year gone?

Events can be seen as more of a quick fix in fundraising, but if you really are honest about the time you spend planning and working on events... they are in no way “instant” results.

Here are 3 things you can do today to generate some valuable dollars:

1. Make a list of your top 20-40-60 donors, and write them a personal letter with these three components:

a. Thank you for all you do for GQG Pretend Organization. You are helping all of the people. Your support saves lives and creates happiness.

b. 2018 has been full of these successes - once again because of you. Insert warm fuzzy story of how they are making the impossible possible.

c. I need your advice. As a vital part of the GQG family, how can we generate more awareness and reach new people who are passionate about GQG, and the programs we provide? I would love to visit with you about your ideas and suggestions! You know more than most what GQG means to the community. Is there anyone you could bring for a tour of GQG?

2. Create an August board member challenge! Establish reasonable goals. Use your existing donation envelopes, give each board member a stack of 5-10, put their initials on them for tracking, and challenge them to share the envelopes with their friends. Whoever has the most envelopes returned to the organization wins a prize - and whoever has the most envelopes with NEW donors, wins a prize. Don’t have existing donor envelopes? Create a small pledge form on card stock and make some return envelopes in house. Give them the “ask information” on one side of the card as their cheat sheet.

12 board members
Each board member brings in 10 envelopes
Each donation is $100
Total: $12,000

Board members can hand these envelopes out, host a small event where they share the need and pass them out and collect them while they’re there, bring their 10 friends for a tour so you can make the ask - and collect the envelopes and pledges... there are all kinds of possibilities!

3. Hold a staff “give-back” day. Plan a day for a special staff lunch onsite. Most of the people I have worked with are working at a nonprofit because they are passionate about the people and the mission. It’s not typically about the money or the benefits. Find a restaurant to partner with you to donate a catered lunch to appreciate the staff. Make a payroll deduction pledge form. Make the day fun! Ask the staff to go around and tell why they work at your organization- why are they passionate about the mission? Have the Executive Director appreciate and thank them for working so hard to change lives. Provide door prizes. Gather up some leftover auction items or have board members provide some gift cards, etc. If they decide to do a payroll deduction, then they are entered to win a door prize. You can also be creative and have prizes like the front parking place for a month, 1/2 day off, lunch with the ED, etc.

25 employees
26 paychecks
$1, $2, $5 per check. (We will use $5 for this example.)
Total: $3,250, first year - but it becomes an annual ask, and over five years -

you add $16,250 in extra support!

These are just 3 quick “Insta-Fundraising” strategies to move the needle a bit. I hope these can help you!

What I want you to know is this: To reach your large/crazy/big fundraising goals, it takes a more sustainable approach. You have to engage all the new donors you gain from these strategies, and you have to keep engaging the long-time donors who are committed to your organization. You do this by building and cultivating solid and strong relationships.

It helps keep you donor-centered when you consistently look at fundraising through the DONOR'S eyes...It is easy to forget to make a regular donation if they only hear from the organization once a year when you are asking them for another gift. It gets even easier for them to forget to make their donation if they don’t hear from the organization at all.

Here’s to the last 5 months of 2018 - Hunker down and make it happen!

Check out the link to my upcoming class ... hope to see you there!

Allison

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/this-is-your-brain-on-special-events-tickets-47303230235