Is Fundraising Getting Hard?

Yes it is...

But as in all endevours, fundraising can be getting harder specially if you are not enjoying what you do, or if you are in a rut. So what do you do when you feel "fundraising is getting hard"?

I tend to say to do what creative people do ... do something different. Let go of fundraising for a little while (this is where an able assistant is important). Smell the flowers, watch the birds. Remember when you would just stare at the clouds and you're mind would show different shapes? Do anything that is totally off from what you are used to do!

For me, I returned to the age-old tradition of writing on paper with a pencil. I now bring a journal that I hope I can write on to when I need it. Writing, for some, is meditative. You can bring into fruition things that are only happening in your mind. For one thing writing on paper may also sharpen you correspondence skills. But I write letters all the time, what makes writing on paper with a pencil be anything different.

True, true. But what I am saying here is, write something off-beat that you are not used to writing. A murder mystery perhaps. I've been wanting to write a chapter a day of a great mystery novel. Just thinking about it makes my creative juices flowing. And fundraising is much about creativity, if you know what I mean.

Why not take a vacation? Stroll around the park? Play with your dog (who btw is getting neglected after months of hectic fundraising.) Meet-up with a long-time friend. These activities will sometime surprise when the solution to what makes your fundraising hard is just a conversation away.

Anyway, get away from fundraising for at least a week and make sure that in that one week, you are doing something totally diffent. Then you will discover a totally different perspective.

Are you a Boy (or Girl) Scout?

As they say, the Boy Scout is "Always Ready!"

The Pinoy Fundraiser should be the best opportunistic person in the organization. Why do I say that? The PF should always be ready to grab an opportunity when it comes.

Is your resource development (this is another term for the person that handles the fundraising) person always updated with what is happening in the non-profit? Does she have a brochure of the organization on the ready when a potential supporter asks? Does that person even have a business card? Does she look professional and credible?

These and a lot more others are the issues facing the PF. Can she even take a potential supporter to a coffee shop so they can talk more comfortably and be able to present the cause? Or do they stand in the local "Jollijeep" munching on turon (fried banana roll) and sipping sago't gulaman (i'm vexed! i don't kow the english for this)?

As they say, "first impressions last,". So are YOU prepared? You can't tell people that you don't have a brochure because you have channeled all your support to helping make this world a better place--one person at a time. It does not work like that. Oftentimes, you need to sow seeds in fundraising. And when you sow seeds, you need, get ready for this, seeds! If you don't sow, you don't harvest. If you can't sow becuase you were'nt prepared then maybe you are in the wrong job.

See you tomorrow!

Good and Great Testimonials

With the work that each of our non-profits are doing to make this world a better place, we will surely encounter good words coming from our beneficiaries and supporters. It is important that we are able to capture these words that we call "testimonials."

These words are very important for the Pinoy Fundraiser. It means that the non-profit is doing a good job of fulfilling its mission. It is also an affirmation for the people behind the work. If these words come from important people such as the heads of government agencies or from the local government units, they are all the more special because it gives you credibility. And credibility is very improtant in the non-profit world.

Credibility makes it easier for you to ask for money. You can use these words in your fundraising letters, in your press releases, newsletter, websites or blogs. You can use these as conversation pieces. That is why it is so important.

People who support your non-profit will appreciate these testimonies because they will know that their donations are going to a good cause. This will give you a better chance of getting long-term donors.

More to come tomorrow!

News for the Pinoy Fundraiser

Hello again from Siquijor!

I'm posting an announcement from the Christian Stewardship Association's Zenet Maramara about a seminar that they will be holding at ATS.

RAISING MONEY FOR YOUR NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION

Resource Speaker: Ms. Chill Fortunado, Resource Development Manager, Food for the Hungry

Raising money for non profit organization discusses the essentials of resource development, the infrastructures of resource mobilization, relationship building with donors, leadership team, fund raising planning, sources of funds for NGOs. Other topics that will be discussed includes fundraising events, solicitation and GIK (gifts in kind) partnership, facilitating a volunteer program and grants opportunities. The importance of monitoring and evaluating the RD initiatives will also be tackled to determine its effectiveness. It will also be a time to share some of the best practices of resource development staff of other NGOs. We hope that the participants of the workshop will leave with a gladness in their hearts that they are instruments of bridging the gap of the needs and the resource sharing where the giver and receiver are reciprocally benefiting.

WHEN: June 20, 2009, Saturday, 9:00 A.M.-12:00 P.M.

WHERE: Asian Theological Seminary, 2nd flr. Stewardship Center
54 Scout Mardinan St., Quezon City

Fee: P350.00 (includes snacks and handouts)

Contact for details: Luz Ellen Mendoza: 9297806, 0917-8459709
stewardship@gmail.com

Sincerely,

Zenet Maramara
Chairman, Christian Stewardship Association

Do you have money today?

When is the best time to ask? For the Pinoy Fundraiser, it's usually something like, NOW! 8-)

Admit it or not, a non-profit always needs money. For a humanitarian organization, for example, one of their primary mandate would probably be disaster relief. And we all know that disaster strikes at the most inopportune time. A non-profit like this always needs to be ready. It cannot ask money when a disaster strikes. They need to be ready everytime. They need to stockpile food stuffs, medicines, clothing, drinking water, etc. They cannot have it tomorrow, they need it today.

This is one reason why asking for support needs to be an on-going effort. You do not want to be caught flat-footed when a disaster strikes. Appealing for support needs to go out when an opportunity happens. This can also be done intentionally, on a schedule.

Some non-profits, ask for money annually. These non-profits embark on a campaign that will allow them to raise funding to support their work for a year. This is called an "annual campaign." For others, it could be quarterly or monthly.

But then, a good non-profit should be able to have a reasonable surplus that would get them through in emergencies. There are extreme cases when you ask your supporters to stop giving money specially when you set a goal for the amount that will be raised. I read of a humanitarian organization that responded to the tsunami in Indonesia, and when they reached their target amount, they asked people to stop giving and instead redirect their donations to other causes that are helping the tsunami victims. That was a risky thing to do for a non-profit but they wanted to be transparent. they wanted to let people know that this is what they will be doing, no more, no less.

More to come tomorrow.

"Ask and it shall be given..."

How well do you ask money from your supporters?

Is it a hard question for you to answer? Do you fidget around and hope that they get the message? Do yo beat around the bush and hope that they catch what you mean? And by the way, what do YOU actually say?

The problem with us as Filipinos is that some times, its hard for us to ask for help. It's very difficult for us to say, "Can you please help me out?" On the other hand, there are those who make a living on asking people for money. It's not hard for them to ask but they can get annoying and irritating so easily.

The Pinoy Fundraiser (PF) needs to overcome this hurdle. The PF needs to know when to ask and when not. Asking for money or support should be second nature for the PF, especially if they work in a small non-profit. The PF should not say something like this, "Hey, please pray for our project. We don't have any money and a lot of supporters but we know that God wants us to do this. You will pray, right?"

Why can't we just simply say, "Hey, we have this project and we don't have enough funds, can you help? You can start by sending us 500 pesos today." Now, was that hard? For some, it is. The Bible tells us this in Matthew 7:7, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." What does this say to the PF? You need to ask directly! Don't go around in circles.

The bible also says in James 4:2, "You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God."

You need to let others know that there is a need. You need to let people know how they can help. How they can be part of the solution. And people are just waiting to be asked. If you ask for prayer, what you will get is prayer, because that is what you asked. Why don't you ask for prayer AND MONEY?

I hope this enlightens you. PEACE!

Let me know what you want me to blog about

Next week, I will be going into a more predictable schedule of topics to post. There would be a specific topic to talk about for each day. I'd like to ask your suggestion on what I should blog about. Something that you think will be worth your while to come here every day. Just post your comments below. All suggestions will be considered. Also, on certain days, there will be two posts if there are breaking news, exciting conferences or other opportunities that will help you, my dear readers, raise the level of your fundraising efforts.

For the Pinoy fundraisers (ok, Americans can join in too, not just Pinoys) out there who has something to share (seminars, discounts, suppliers, etc.), I will be entertaining them as long as it will help the Pinoy (Americans too!) fundraiser, I'm all for it.

God bless you!

Welcome to Pinoy Fundraising

Thank you for visiting! The idea for this blog is to provide my perspective on fundraising in the Philippines gathered from my over 14 years of fundraising for non-profit organizations.

Much of my knowledge in fundraising, specifically direct mail fundraising, I owe to Gordon Robertson, who is now the Chief Executive Officer of the Christian Broadcasting Network. CBN is the producer of the long-running Christian program, The 700 Club. For five years, Gordon directed the development efforts of CBN Asia, Inc., the Philippine office of CBN, as an expat.

I consider Gordon as my mentor not only because he introduced me to the world of fundraising, but also because, he did not witheld information from me. He provided me resources such as books, magazines and most specially his personal experience.

Gordon is a big believer in direct mail fundraising and I believe that it works in the Philippines. Direct mail helped a lot in sustaining the early years of CBN Asia. Filipinos are givers and they give through direct mail. I'll tell you some my insights in my upcoming posts.

God bless!