planning
Starting a fundraising initiative can seem daunting, especially if it’s your first time. The greater the importance of the cause and the sums of money needed, the greater the challenge may seem. However, whatever your mission there is probably someone out there who has done something similar. If you know them, then talk to them about their experiences. However, anyone who has been involved with a successful project of any type will tell you the first thing you need is a plan. A plan really can be the difference between success and failure so here are ten things to ask yourself when making your plan.
What are my goals? – These should be expressed in terms of what you want to achieve, for example “to repair the church roof”, however you should also include a financial goal so you can measure success, so “we need to raise £10,000 to repair the church roof” is a SMARTer goal.
SMART is a popular and proven goal setting tool. It’s used by companies of all sizes because it is a simple and effective way to set goals. When setting your goals:
be Specific, say exactly what you want to achieve
choose how you will Measure your success
ensure you have the resources to Attain your goals
think about how Realistic your goal is
and finally what your Timeframe is.
How much time do I have? – Time is really important. If the money is needed urgently then you have to act quickly and this will impact on how you use your resources and plan events. You cannot count on raising money through a Christmas concert for your cause if the funds have to be available in June or July of that year.
What resources do I have? – Resources are the things that will help you reach your goals. The first to consider are money and time. However, don’t restrict yourself to these things. You may know people with skills or resources that might be useful, and would be willing to help. For example, a local farmer might be able to lend you a field to run a sports event in.
What events can we do? – “The sky’s the limit”! There are loads of ideas floating around whether it’s something traditional like a coffee morning, or something a bit more adventurous like adapting a television programme format into a local event. The important thing to remember is who you want to come and design an event that will be attractive to them. It’s always a good idea to do some research, ask people what they would like to do. Remember that some events may require certain legislation to be adhered to, or Health & Safety regulations to be considered so always set some time aside to look at these before you start spending any money on advertising or booking activities.
Who can I approach for donations? – The simple answer to this is anybody! Many businesses will give donations to good causes in exchange for a little publicity. This can be a good way of getting some larger single donations. They might also be prepared to contribute goods or services which you can then sell on or offer as prizes. Events can be a great way of raising money. Many people like to get out and about at the weekends and events can really spark interest in the community. They can also attract attention from people who would not necessarily support the cause directly.
Can I get a grant? – Grants can be a tricky subject so we’ve given this section its own page.
Do I have to do it all at once? – This really depends on the amount you have to raise and the time in which you have to do it. Unless, you have really tight timeframes don’t worry about the number of events you have to arrange, the number of grants you apply for or the number of people you approach. It will all help in the long term, either through getting donations, starting new relationships or gaining valuable experience. Always keep your goals at the front of your mind, having four years might seem like a long time for a project but time has a habit of slipping by. For longer projects it’s best to break your goals into smaller milestones so you don’t end up having to do the majority of the work close to the deadline.
What if things start going wrong? – Very often wrong is simply a matter of opinion. Sit down and ask yourself if you are still likely to hit your goals on time? Whatever it is that you think you have been doing wrong really think about it: is there anything you could do differently? Is there anyone you can ask for advice? Could you turn it into a success? Is there a website that could help?
How do I keep the momentum going? – When a project starts up people are generally excited about it because it’s new. After a few weeks, interest can start to decline. The best way to keep the momentum going is by constant communication. Keep talking to people about what you are doing, why you are doing it and, most importantly, how well you are doing because of their help (everybody likes to be part of a success). Maybe start a newsletter or email people involved. There are many campaign sites on social networking groups like Facebook and Myspace, these are free to set up and are a great way for people to stay in contact with the project. Use every opportunity to communicate with people who are involved. If you have an event, write to everyone who took part, thank them and let them know how much you have raised and what that means.
What do I do when I’ve reached my goal? – when you reach your fundraising goal it’s not quite over. There are three things left to do:
Celebrate – let everyone know that you have reached your goal and that the work can now be completed, but don’t save your celebrations until the end, celebrate all the milestones you reach along the way
Say thank you – remember to say thank you to your donors. If you have had large donations send a card or call the donor. Its worth keeping the relationship alive as they may be interested to hear about future projects
Reflect – no matter how successful your project has been, it’s always worth setting aside some time to reflect on what you have achieved and think about different ways you could have approached situations. It will help no end when you start your next project.
