OT: Anyone involved in non-profit fundraising?

[paredown]

I'm getting more involved with the board of our local Habitat for Humanity.

We need to fund-raise to make our next build possible.

Has anyone been involved with fund-raising for a non-profit?

Any tips, resources or suggestions on how to proceed?

(At present we have a walk scheduled, we'll do a golf outing again this fall but other than that--it's a blank slate.)

Cheers,
Dean

[cderalow]

with things like habitat... reach out to large local commercial general contractors.... a lot of them will donate funds.

[paredown]

with things like habitat... reach out to large local commercial general contractors.... a lot of them will donate funds.
So far we have the support of one large electrical contractor, although this has not resulted in an avalanche of cash.:)

Our area was hit pretty hard by the recession as well, so there is not a lot of building going on yet--but I will start looking for some larger Generals.

[rnhood]

Visit the local manufacturing sites/companies, assuming your location has any. They often donate time and labor for these builds. Local philanthropists are always good targets too.

[josephr]

the bgi companies like power and gas utilities and manufacturers love to donate skilled labor and cash to stuff like this. usually the local chapter/organization of HH has developed these connections and are familiar with the donation request processes. Have they not been much help?

[ORMojo]

I'm on the board of directors for the non-profit that runs (and is also the board for) our local K-8 charter school.

Our fund raising is continuous throughout the year, reaching out to parents, the local community, and businesses. We are fortunate enough to have a community that is very active in the school, whether or not they are currently parents of students. Our FUNdraising Committee holds joint meetings with the Parent Club, thus cross-pollinating their efforts. We have a paid "Community Coordinator" staff position.

We also have the kids at the school fund-raise . . . to give back to the community. For example, the kids' coin drive this year was entirely donated to the local food bank. That sets an example for the kids and is integrated into the curriculum, and also shows the community that we are giving back.

Specific fund-raising, or volunteer, ideas that are successful for us . . . Our biggest single fund-raiser is our annual dinner and silent/oral auction (coming up tomorrow night!). We clear $35-50,000 or more per year from that alone. It, of course, is based mostly on the donated items we receive to auction off, which range from some fairly large items to smaller ones, and includes each of the schools' classrooms putting together a class "basket" to auction off (mostly made up of donated items from the parents in each class - we donated a brand-new very nice backpack for our kindergartner's "camping" themed auction basket this year). Each class also makes a piece of art, usually including the name or thumbprint or some other impression of each child in the class. You should see the parents bid up the bid sheet on those - easily several hundred dollars each! Finally, we end each evening with a short oral auction (with an actual professional auctioneer!) where we not only auction off the largest donated items (week-long vacation in San Francisco was one item last year), but we also "auction off" specific capital projects at the school. We've successfully raised up to $10,000 for an individual project, most are several thousand at least.

We also fund-raise via:
•Escrip (grocery stores, Office Depot, many other retailers kick back 5% to us)
•Box Tops
•Math Madness
•Holiday Wreath/Poinsettia Sales
•Jog A Thon
•Community Restaurant Fundraisers
•Summer Fundraising Events
•...and more...

We pursue grants all the time. We are partners with the small city where we are located as the recipients of a Ford Family Foundation grant, and there have been numerous other grant successes.

We have a group of Charter School Ambassadors who do networking/relationship building with local businesses and organizations that might be willing to partner with us to enhance our programs or fulfill a need.

Via the Ambassadors, the Community Coordinator, and individually, we reach out to the community and businesses for volunteer time, often in the form of work parties. This past President's Day we had a work party to build a school garden - a big school garden complex - that will be immediately incorporated into the curriculum.

We have found that several of the local Credit Unions specifically look for opportunities such as the President's Day work party to have their employees give back to the community. Those national holidays are perfect for this, since both the school and the Credit Unions are closed on those holidays. In addition to Credit Unions, local hospitals, Chambers, and other organizations I can't think of right now have all provided us with assistance in this way.

Finally, in addition to the above-mentioned student projects that give back to the community, we hold an annual Community Appreciation Dinner that is free and open to anyone to come eat and socialize, participate in carnival-type games (the cake-walk is always the biggest draw), and see presentations/performances by the classes (Choir, etc.). Again, the giving goes both ways.

P.S. - Just remembered: at each annual dinner/auction we also give very nice awards recognizing the year's largest supporters (in many ways).

P.P.S. - I guess a general closing observation comes to mind since you mentioned your "next" build, so this isn't a one-time thing for your group. We firmly believe that the on-going relationships, on-going involvement, on-going giving in both ways, is what maintains and expands our donor base. We are constantly working on this - not just waiting until the "next" time we need to fund raise.

[paredown]

the bgi companies like power and gas utilities and manufacturers love to donate skilled labor and cash to stuff like this. usually the local chapter/organization of HH has developed these connections and are familiar with the donation request processes. Have they not been much help?

The chapter was active in the '90s and did some houses, then people kind of fell away, so it really is the case that we are rebuilding relationships.

We have been working on a homeless vets project and have had direct donation of time and equipment from one local utility, with the promise of more when we get going. We also got comp'd services (surveying/environmental) for the lot we purchased for our new build.

So far though we have not found the people with the ability to donate cash, which is what we really need at this point.

[paredown]

I'm on the board of directors for the non-profit that runs (and is also the board for) our local K-8 charter school....

Well that really kills two birds--I'm also on a board that is trying to get a Charter School established--we have filed our LOI for the second time, and are waiting to here if we get past the first hurdle to file the full application.

Thanks for your thoughtful response--I'll circulate it to the group if that is OK.

Funny that you would mention the silent auction--a local group that we are involved with had one recently that was quite successful, and I didn't think of the idea for us...:crap:

It can be daunting when you get drafted by a group, only to find that there is no real institutional memory or programs in place because the group that got it all started got busy, tired or just moved on.

[ORMojo]

. . . trying to get a Charter School established . . . and are waiting to here if we get past the first hurdle to file the full application. Thanks for your thoughtful response--I'll circulate it to the group if that is OK.

Of course, please do. Good luck.

One rule of thumb for a Charter School Board: you have to remember that you are running two enterprises, a public school, and a business. Many enthusiastic Charter School founders have little to no idea that the latter is a part of it, or how to do it. Just two days ago I was talking with a friend of mine who is a retired Superintendent from one of the larger local school districts, and he mentioned just this - that he had to close down several Charter Schools during his tenure, and every time it had to do with the business end of things.

It can be daunting when you get drafted by a group, only to find that there is no real institutional memory or programs in place because the group that got it all started got busy, tired or just moved on.

Yep, that is a constant fear/risk. Again, we are very fortunate in the level of demand and support we have - we are purposefully capped at one class per grade and 25 students per class. For the 25 kinder openings this year we had 72 lottery applications last spring and additional applicants as we entered the school year. We go after the parents early(!) - as soon as their kinder enrolls, while they are all especially enthusiastic. We always seem to find a core group that will stay involved throughout their kid's nine years at the school (often much longer when you account for siblings). There are a couple of moms that, between time in the classroom, elsewhere at the school, and off-site, put in almost a full 1.0 FTE volunteering for the school.

As for the Board membership itself, one major source of loss of interest and moving on is because many (non-profit) Boards, but, I think, especially Charter School Boards, tend to openly recruit for any and everyone. This leads to many appointments of Board members who think it would be "fun" to be on the Board, but don't necessarily understand, or want to do, the hard work of the Board. They leave when it is no longer fun. We now recruit for what our Board needs when there are openings. We drafted a list of skills and qualities that all Board members should possess, and a list that the Board as a whole should possess in one or more members.

The Nonprofit Association of Oregon has helped us with trainings, materials, etc. If you haven't already, consider looking for assistance from a similar group in your area. Also, the Oregon School Boards Association was/is a great resource in many areas, particularly in Board/School Policy development. They have a Policy Services section - including one specific to Charter Schools - that can get a school board fully compliant with federal and state law, and other considerations, with regards to policies. It looks like the New York State School Boards Association offers something similar.