Fundraising for Small Community Groups Delivered by: Caroline Egan Carmichael Centre for Voluntary Groups

Golden Rule 1 – Lessons from Branding People don’t invest in products People invest in People

Why fundraising works: Fundraisers have a passion for a cause Fundraisers help donors to engage their passions in turn make the connection! O Donations, Exchange of Value, Corporate Support, Grants

Guiding Principles for Fundraising The practices and procedures used by charities for fundraising will be regulated by agreed Codes of Practice Available at: resources-support-implementation-statement- guiding-principles-fundraisinghttp:// resources-support-implementation-statement- guiding-principles-fundraising

Good Practice Factsheets Handling Cash and Postal donations Garda Permits Insurance Raffles and Lotteries Data Protection Guidelines on pre-signed Mass Cards Available from factsheetshttp:// factsheets

Golden Rule 2 – Lessons from Marketing Understand what your key strengths are and seek out opportunities to build on those strengths

Get your Elevator Pitch Right! You need to communicate a simple persuasive fundraising idea: Example: RNIB Every day 100 people start to lose their sight. We need your support to help rebuild lives devastated by sight loss. (less than 140 characters!) = (NEED) (SOLUTION) (NOW)

Corporate Fundraising support could be through O Making a donation to a specific project O Giving goods, services or volunteer time O By involving staff to raise matching funds O By promoting workplace contribution schemes O By sponsoring events O By sponsoring print materials or websites O By developing marketing partnerships O By adopting you as their cause/charity for year

Company motivations O Personal connections with charity O To create goodwill O To enhance employee relations O To promote brand and increase sales O To be good neighbours in the community O To acquire new customers O To adhere to company policy

What charity/group has to offer O A topical/powerful/emotive/relevant cause O Specific projects O A network of motivated volunteers O Respectability, heritage, well liked O Strong local/national profile O Communications: newsletter, website O Good PR opportunities

Research Skills for Sourcing Funds O What information do you need? - Companies that support charities - The key contacts in these companies - The grants available (national/local) - Permits required for fundraising - Looking at what competing groups are doing

Where can you get information O Talk to company staff and other groups O Visit company websites O Read local newspapers/ listen to radio O Review social media platforms O Add group to grant giver databases O Regularly check out websites:

Information: when and who O Companies: plan budgets in advance - HR / Corporate Affairs/Marketing O Grants: advertised in advance in media - designated programme manager

Developing a Strong Case for Support O Answer three questions: - Why do we need the money? - Why do we need it now? - Why can we be trusted to spend it?

Case for Support might include: O Your mission – what you want to achieve O An introduction and overview of main points O The needs you are meeting: - Move from general to specific - sense of urgency / the real differences O How you will meet the needs - Project objectives & description

Include in Case for Support O What makes your work distinctive O How much it will cost – budget details O Who is involved – Your board, committee, qualifications, experience O Why you can manage the project - recent history - achievements and credibility

Golden Rule 3 – Lessons from Politics Provide the Grant Maker with Change they can Believe in! (Outputs and Outcomes)

Decide which sources of funds to target O Which sources match your project profile and needs O What capabilities do you have to manage the funds O Are you required to provide matching funds O Are you reimbursed after costs are incurred

Decide methods to acquire funds O Who will take responsibility for developing funding proposal and grant applications? O Remember: Asking face to face is better than telephoning, which is better than a personal letter, which is better than an e- mail