Seven steps to successful fundraising

Setting out to fundraise can be a challenge. There is much to consider - where to look for funding, how best to communicate your funding need, who will help you raise money, and how to create a fundraising plan.

Follow this seven steps process:

Funders of all types will want to know who you are, why you need funding, and what the impact of your project will be to your local community. Your story is otherwise known as a ‘case for support’; having one will enable you to be clear, informative, and compelling when it comes writing grant applications, fundraising leaflets, or news on your website.  It will also help you to explain your funding need to a potential donor in a letter, email, or funding proposal. Your case for support doesn’t need to be overly long and it can be structured around three basic headings:

1. Explain the challenge you are facing: do you have historic fabric that is deteriorating and urgently needs repair? Do you need to update your heating system so you can become a ‘greener’ building? Or do you need to create better community facilities, as other local community buildings are being closed down?
2. Explain what your project will do to address your challenge: describe how your restored fabric will protect your building from further deterioration; how solar panels will create a more efficient building; or that by creating new facilities like a community kitchen, you will support services like a food bank, counselling facilities, or parent and toddler group.
3. Outline the impact of your project: describe how your project will make a difference in the longer term; this could be that a more modern, better equipped building can host more activities as your village grows; that your church will become more sustainable and better able to cope with environmental challenges; or that by welcoming more people you can keep your doors open for future generations.

Be very clear on your fundraising goal and provide updates on progress towards that goal. An old-fashioned fundraising thermometer will suffice, it highlights how far you have to go to achieve your target amount and will encourage people to donate. Include giving prompts, such as ‘£500 will enable us to buy roof tiles’. Giving specific costs to elements of the project enables funders to ‘buy’ them; and make sure you offer recognition of larger gifts. Some may prefer to be anonymous donors, but others like to be recognised.

By gathering together a fundraising working group you can draw upon the skills and experience of supportive volunteers; skills like budget management, writing good copy, or the social skills needed to inspire confidence and warmth in donors. Your team needn’t be solely from your congregation; on your doorstep might be people who are willing to help. By reaching out to local schools, solicitor firms, business owners, or professionals, you can draw together a group of people able to help with writing grant applications, welcoming funders and organising fundraising events.

Create a single, central spreadsheet to record your funder research in one place and keep track of funding opportunities. Simple column headings such as the size of grant the funder awards, their application process, contact details, and deadlines, will form a vital database. An up-to-date spreadsheet will also help you to keep track of conversations with individual prospects and donors, and record pledges and meetings.

Keep a ‘Priority prospects’ list to maintain focus on the prospects with most potential to help you reach your goals. Make approaches to warmest prospects first, past funders, ‘friends’, local businesses and firms; offer them funding opportunities of key elements of the project if appropriate. This could be a ‘Priority Pyramid’ with one or two major funders offering the £million grants at the top, ten prospects with the capacity to give five or six-figure grants in the middle, and a base level of twenty or more smaller funders, or individuals who could donate three or four figure gifts. Engage with warm contacts who may also give you an ‘in’ to potential funders.

Many funders and organisations that support fundraising have newsletters with the current information about forthcoming opportunities, changes to funding programmes, and deadlines. By signing up to their email newsletters you won’t miss out, and you will receive regular, live funding updates straight to your inbox. Here are a few we recommend signing up to;

• Get Grants
• National Lottery Heritage Fund
• Historic Religious Building Alliance
• National Council for Voluntary Organisations

Planning a fundraising event or series of events can be a useful way to raise the profile of your fundraising project, highlight your case for support, and attract donations. Think about matching the theme of your event to your funding need; for example, if your project is to restore or conserve historic fabric, consider a speaker that can bring alive the rich heritage of your building; you could invite a local historian, author, or heritage enthusiast to make the case at a fun social evening. They could also introduce you to their network of professional contacts, friends, colleagues, and family, amongst whom may be potential supporters.

Getting out and about to talk to people is an important way to shine a spotlight on your church. People remember an in-person conservation more than an out of the blue email, or cold call. Meeting new people could spark a fruitful conservation or be the next handshake away from an important personal introduction. Look out for opportunities to join a local group or network that could connect you and open doors. For example, joining a charity like the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) who hold regular in-person events, courses, workshops, and talks across the country, would be great for meeting potential supporters of your project.

• Search their events and sign up.

Or if you are a larger church with a commercial function like a gift shop or event hire space, your local Chamber of Commerce could provide excellent networking opportunities. The British Chamber of Commerce is the oldest network of its kind in the UK and has local Chambers all over the UK.

• Search for your local Chamber and sign up

And finally…don’t forget to say thank you appropriately! It’s obvious but don’t send a ‘Dear Sir / Madam’ standard email thank you to a large donor. Pick up the phone, offer them a visit after the completion of the project to see how their support has helped make a difference, and offer them further giving, engagement, or volunteering opportunities.