OLA SuperConference 2005 Positioning your library for funding success  Ann Andrusyszyn, Development Officer, Barrie Public Library  Rob Lavery CFRE, Resource Development Consultant, Southern Ontario Library Service

OLA SuperConference 2005 Positioning your library for funding success  Session Outline – Diversifying funding sources Options Ways to raise revenue from these source Most common – strengths and weaknesses – What are libraries doing? Trends – Barrie Public Library experience – Making decisions

OLA SuperConference 2005 Sources of revenue for Charities  Government  Earned income  Foundations and Corporations  Individuals

OLA SuperConference 2005 Sources of revenue for Charities  Government – 60%  Earned income – 26%  Private Giving – 14% – Foundations and Corporations – 20% – Individuals – 80% Over $5 billion!

OLA SuperConference 2005 Fun with numbers! For more information on charitable giving and volunteering, go to Statistics from the National Survey on Giving, Volunteering and Participating -Fact sheets -Manuals -Reports

OLA SuperConference 2005 Sources of Revenue  Government – base funding – special funding – gaming and lottery

OLA SuperConference 2005 Sources of Revenue  Foundations – private – corporate – community – special purpose

OLA SuperConference 2005 Sources of Revenue  Corporate – donations – marketing-driven sponsorships – in-kind goods and services – employee campaigns – matching funds – joint promotions – secondments

OLA SuperConference 2005 Sources of Revenue  Individuals – person to person asks – direct mail – special events – door to door canvassing – telephone canvass – major donations, or large specially-named gifts – planned gifts - bequests, insurance – memorial, celebration cards – response to paid ads or PSA’s

OLA SuperConference 2005 Most common methods  Special Events - strengths – the most common way to raise money - competition – donor loyalty, volunteer motivation, fun – profile in community – prospect and first time donors – forum for education – sponsorship opportunities – volunteer and leadership recruitment

OLA SuperConference 2005 Most common methods  Special Events – weaknesses – very resource heavy – time and energy – high risk – lots of planning – sales dependent – cost-effectiveness increases over time

OLA SuperConference 2005 Most common methods  Direct Mail - strengths – lots of smaller donations – cost-effective over time, and numbers, acquisition expensive – can be very scientific/mathematical – good reporting, becomes more personal – very predictable, trackable, repeatable – good demographic for libraries

OLA SuperConference 2005 Most common methods  Direct Mail - weaknesses – increasingly competitive – contracted services – investment capital – perceived as impersonal – losing audience

OLA SuperConference 2005 Most common methods  Major Gifts – strengths and weaknesses – assumes active, mature FR program – assumes personal visits and peer solicitations – little or no start-up, very cost-effective – good stewardship of donors and involvement of volunteers – very successful – long-term – relationship building with donors – reliance on volunteers (competition for volunteers with influence and affluence, need for many)

OLA SuperConference 2005 Fundraising Trends in Ontario Libraries Or, The world according to Rob

OLA SuperConference 2005 Library Trends  Shift from volunteer to staff – Creating staff positions, or partial positions responsible for fundraising or development – Hiring from outside the library, for special expertise  Resourcing the program – Donor management software – Contracted services – especially for mail programs and capital campaigns

OLA SuperConference 2005 Library Trends  Incorporating communications with fundraising – Libraries as charities – Building philanthropy – Raising awareness about the library through newsletters that have fundraising messages – Raising awareness about the library through events

OLA SuperConference 2005 Library Trends  Planning for fundraising – Isolated incidents to long range strategies – Friends, Foundations, Boards, staff working together  Move into mail programs – Small and large libraries – Use of patron database

OLA SuperConference 2005 Barrie Public Library: Developing Resource Development  Capital Campaign for the current library – No real history of donors/gifts – Outside help for campaign – Positive outcomes  Resource Development staff – What prompted the decision? – Special expertise

OLA SuperConference 2005 BPL Development: Establishing priorities  Starting a programme – Board supportive of what is needed to start – Basics put in place Policies & procedures Donor software  Planned Giving – Started simply with bequests – Added more as the programme grew – Coupled with Major Gifts

OLA SuperConference 2005 BPL Development: Shifting priorities  Changing needs  Changing staff  Reassessment by Board and Director  Decision to work towards an integrated programme  Planned Giving and Major Gifts onto back burner (already established)  Start to put lower levels into place in fundraising programme

OLA SuperConference 2005 BPL Development: Change in Focus  Focus shifted to annual fundraising programme  Library has ongoing needs  Outgrown current facility – How do we best articulate that? community partnerships positioning in community awareness high profile event for both fundraising and awareness

OLA SuperConference 2005 BPL Development: Specific intent  Barrie Public Library made a conscious decision: – to go with a dedicated staff position – to bring in special expertise – to commit to development – not to set up a parallel Foundation

OLA SuperConference 2005 BPL Currently:  Build community relationships  First annual direct mail campaign – build a donor base – raise awareness – educate our public that we’re a registered charity – how did we create it?  Marketing to articulate needs – to public – to City Council

OLA SuperConference 2005 BPL Future:  Following our Strategic Plan  Working towards capital campaign for branch  Integrated fundraising programme  Progression of donors

OLA SuperConference 2005 BPL: How are we reaching our goals?  Took first small steps – Initial decision  Gradual progression – Grow accordingly  Planning – Donor software – Strategic plan – Privacy/confidentiality – Board on board! – Encourage growth – don’t stifle it  Use volunteers – Library specific – Special event  Engage our public  Build on previous successes  Create excitement – “the” place to be!  Stay focused  Become essential – strong community partner – Good City partner

OLA SuperConference 2005 Essentially, we are reaching our goals by carrying out our mission: “ Enriching the economic, social and cultural vitality of our community by opening doors to lifelong learning ”

OLA SuperConference 2005 Making decisions  Where do you start? – Who is doing what now? – Knowing your options – Spending $ to make $

OLA SuperConference 2005 Who will do the work?  Who is doing what now? – Friends – Fundraising Committee – Foundation – Board – Staff – Community Foundation

OLA SuperConference 2005 Who will do the work?  What is working? – Events – book sales, dinners, dances… – Canvass – Adoption, memorial

OLA SuperConference 2005 Who will do the work? – Can you work better together? – What can you add to your FR program that makes sense?

OLA SuperConference 2005 Knowing your options  Assessing your activities – What structure will work for us? – Are we communicating? – Are we planning?  Assessing who is doing what? – Are we making the best use of the people we have – their talents and connections?

OLA SuperConference 2005 It takes $ to make $  How are we resourcing the fundraising activity?  Can we access specialists to help us?  Are there educational, development opportunities?

OLA SuperConference 2005 Starting Point  Stop talking about it, and start doing it!  Capitalize on leaders’ enthusiasm – and leave the nay-sayers behind!  Capitalize on existing programs and expand, add & grow

OLA SuperConference 2005 Starting Point  Choose a program, and plan it out – learn from your experience  Access professionals in your community ASK!

OLA SuperConference 2005 Questions & Answers Ann: Rob: