Finding & Fundraising Assistance on the Internet
By: Bill Brescia
Fall 1997 "Mentoring Connections"
INDEX:
Do not despair! Let the World Wide Web come to your rescue.
The web has numerous sights that will help you learn the skills you need to:
Fund-raising.com "Idea Bank"
Fund-raising.com is one of these sights. Here you find an that is full of successful
ideas on how to raise money for your mentoring program. The ideas are all provided
by people that are actually running programs and would like to pass along their ideas.
One suggestion is, ìwe raised over $300.00 at [a fast food restaurant] as part of
our ëFun Nightí. [Students] worked for four hours
(4-8:00 PM) and made 15% of the proceeds during that time from products sold in the
restaurant! Pre-event marketing ensures a good turnout.î I will bet you all have
a fast food restaurant in your area.
While this amount might be small, there are other
ideas for bigger fund-raisers. If you interested you can check it out at: http://www.fund-raising.com/nichenet/ideabank.html.
ESC Region XI - The
Grant Writing Process
The Education Service Center for Region XI is located in Fort Worth Texas. Their
grant process web site has a nice set of screens that will take you from identifying
the need through the grant writing stage. These pages are in outline form but do
touch all the bases.
I am not crazy about some of the metaphors they use, as they seem to think that the funder should be thought of as the enemy, and you are marshaling your forces to attack them. I prefer to use the metaphor of establishing relationships because I want to come back to these same folks for support in the future and I would rather it be on a friendly basis.
However, I particularly liked the graphic depicting
the grant cycle. It really indicates the continual nature of the process. From this
site you can visit other sites. If you like what you see, use the e-mail function
to let them know you like it.
http://www.esc11.tenet.edu/ESCdepts/Tech%26Med/GrantWrt/GrntProc.html.
"Fund Raising
Resources on the Internet"
One site with information from how to hire a fundraising consultant to software that
will help you with the fundraising process is Fund Raising Resources on the Internet
at: http://www.iugm.org/dev-trak/links.html.
Here you will find out how to use a 900 number to make it easier for your donors to give to your mentoring program by having their donation charged to their phone bill. There are links to other fundraising sites with all the information you will ever need to fund support for your mission. There is also a link to a list of associations of fundraisers. Check it out and find out if there is a chapter close to you. Attending chapter meetings will give you lots of great ideas and get you in the network of other fundraisers.
Establishing
Relationships With Funders
I have searched the web trying to find some resources with something about donor
relations and stewardship information. Unhappily, there is virtually nothing there
that I can see. This is sad for a couple of reasons.
First, I believe we just do not thank others on a daily basis for the good things they do for us. If you want to make me happy today, thank everyone who does anything for you.
Second, and to the point here, funders tell us that the vast majority of the time once they write the check they never hear from the agency again unless it is to ask for more money. If someone you have given money to never thanked you, and did not have any contact
with you for three years, then came to you for more money what would your reaction be?
It is always a good idea to thank a giver within 48 hours and to keep them informed about the program. You can do that simply by putting them on your mailing lists. Funders just love to get the parent newsletters. Especially, if their company logo is printed on it!
One thing to keep in mind: there is lots more money
out there than programs are asking for. You should consider other fundraisers your
allies, as they can only help you be more successful.
The web has numerous sites to help you find support for your mentoring program. All
you need to do is use your favorite search engine or start with the site listed above.
All the information you will ever need is there. All you have to do is look for it.
Happy surfing!
Bill Brescia is a former Board Member of the International
Mentoring Association, and is a Development Officer for Indiana University's Research
and University Graduate School.
All materials on this web site are copyright protected and all rights are reserved to the IMA.
http://www.mentoring-association.org
However, if you do so for free, you may duplicate and distribute this information or link to it, as long as the full page and all attributions and contact information are preserved as they appear on this page. You may not sell this information in any form.