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A Step by Step Guide for the Small to Medium Non-Profit Organization By Rose Marie Kern |
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Olivia and Carolyn raise money annually at a walk-a-thon to benefit Cystic Fibrosis in Indianapolis. Though part of a national group, events are planned and run by local chapters. You can donate to “Team Olivia” through this website: : www.cff.org/great_strides/dsp_donationPage.cfm?registeringwalkid=6211&idUser=19325 |
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One of the basic conditions of being human is the desire to make our world a better place. Most people begin by improving their personal environment. They become educated, get a job, and create a home or a lifestyle that suits them. Thousands of people look beyond their personal comforts. At some point in their lives they see something that just does not sit right with them, and they feel strongly enough that they want to do something about it. So they join other like-minded individuals and search for ways to change the situation. Thus are non-profits born. So, you have formed a group of giving, caring, and enthusiastic individuals and are ready to change the world. Or are you? Just about everything you do these days costs money. You may want people to understand the need for better animal shelters, or you feel they need to accept African Dance as both a method for getting in shape and understanding world culture. You may feel that the coal burning power plants in your state should be replaced with wind and solar energy, or that kids really need to be taught to defend themselves. |
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Whatever your group wants to accomplish, it will require thought, time, and money. Now, unless you’ve managed to recruit a benevolent millionaire into your membership, the most challenging portion of this equation will be the money. |
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A very powerful tool is a fundraising event. It provides:
· A focus for sponsorships and grants · A method to raise money though community participation · A way to highlight the concerns of the organization in the community · It rallies excitement among the members and volunteers · and it provides a vehicle to increase membership.
Unless your organization’s purpose is so off center that no one outside your group wants to touch it with a ten foot pole, you should be able to find an audience for your message.
So how do you go about deciding on what kind of fundraising event to use? How do you organize it? What needs to be done to put it together? There are myriads of possibilities. Some are natural outshoots of who and what your organization represents. Some fundraisers demand a quiet, elegant approach, where others are bright and energetic. The best fundraising is also FUN-Raising. We are all volunteers, and we have something to give the world. Why not enjoy ourselves in the process? The book, FUNdraising Events offers the small to medium non-profit organization many options to raise money in an enjoyable way. |
