Fundraising Basics

Individual donations, sales, event planning, and social enterprises organizations, all these things can raise funds. Identify your neighborhood goals and values, and then chose a type of fundraiser that fits.

Also consider how the funds be used, and why it’s important to your neighborhood. This will help you advertise your efforts. If you aren’t a 501(c)3 non-profit, work with Southeast Uplift as your fiscal sponsor so contributions are tax deductible.

Contributors, whether individuals or businesses, like to see the value in the money they’ve contributed. Tell contributors how they will be recognized in advance and follow up with thank yous letting them know how the money was used. You can also build some immediate gratification into your fundraiser-like selling bricks with names etched on them or selling plants for the garden.

Volunteer thank yous are important as well. You will receive more project assistance when your volunteers feel their time was well spent and they were appreciated.

Use local resources for advertising and partnerships like local students for canvassing, the bulletin board on Comcast channel 14, local businesses for door prizes, and InPortland magazine in the Oregonian. All media releases, should identify your sponsors.

Spotlight: Ardenwald Secret Garden Tour

Ardenwald’s Secret Garden Tour was a huge success. This event brought neighbors together to celebrate little known, but wonderful private gardens in their neighborhood.

To organize this event, they first researched similar gatherings in the area like the Sellwood Garden Tour and Tour de Coops. The Neighborhood Association contacted homeowners for permission to include them in this event and created a pamphlet to guide neighbors to the participating gardens. Then they collected in-kind donations for prizes, drinks, etc. The only thing that wasn’t donated was the pamphlet’s printing costs.

On the day of their event, they sold the pamphlet for a self-guided tour at $5 each. This was a grand event that brought people out of the woodwork. Ardenwald involved many people that had never been involved in the neighborhood before. Building relationships and bringing people together builds stronger communities.

This unique neighborhood that spans city boundaries is also unique because they donate most the money they raise to their elementary school, like the $800 donation given after the Secret Garden Tour. What a great way to support your community!

Working Step-by-Step

Step 1: Why are you raising funds?

• Many people prefer to give money for special projects rather than general funds.

Step 2: How much do you need?

• Create a budget that estimates how much you will need to complete your projects. (Like flower pots costs.)
• Set a total goal and update neighborhood on your progress.

Step 3: Brainstorm Ideas

• There are a lot of different types of fundraisers. Remember to have fun.
• You could raise funds and do some community building at the same time.
• 75% of charitable giving comes from individual donations (National Center for Charitable Services)

Step 4: Consider Your Resources

• Do you need money up front?
• Do you need to recruit additional volunteers for concrete tasks to make the fundraiser happen?

Step 5:Who are you going to invite?

• Is your fundraiser family friendly? Multilingual? Accessible? Include as many neighbors as possible.
• Personal invitations get good results.
• Advertise--get the word out!

Step 6: Create a Fundraising Plan

• Put all the details about how you will accomplish your goals in one place.

Step 7: Say Thanks

• Thank the participants, volunteers & donors. Handwritten notes are great!

Digging Deeper: Additional Resources

Fundraising Ideas & Tips

The Grassroots Fundraising Journal
www.grassrootsfundraising.org
Fundraising Forum Library
www.raise-funds.com/library.html
Fundraising Ideas
www.fundraisingideas.com

Trainings

Institute for Non-profit Management, PSU
New classes each term. 503 725-8221 www.inpm.pdx.edu

TACS.
call 503 239-4001 or check www.tacs.org.

Social Enterprise

“An organization or venture that advances its social mission through entrepreneurial earned income strategies.”
-Wikipedia, www.wikipedia.org

The Social Enterprise Sourcebook
www.socialent.org/sourcebook.htm

Volunteer Recruitment

Hands On Portland: www.handsonportland.org

Volunteer Management

Authenticity Consulting:
www.managementhelp.org