Fundraising Basics - Part 3: Organization
| Summary: Successful fundraising requires
organization and just one boss. It's often best to imitate the military
hierarchy in staffing your fundraiser. Article includes recruiting
tips, division of labor, and the importance of rewarding your fundraisers. |
“A prudent person profits from personal experience, the wise one from the
experience of others.”
- Dr. Joseph Collins
Organization:
Now that your preparation and planning are underway, you’re ready to get
organized. It’s surprisingly easy to do if you’re willing to make the right
choices. If you doubt the importance of being organized, consider this quote:
Have only one boss
Things work best if you have only one person in charge. They can get input from
committees and other sources, but leave the ultimate decision making to the
chairperson of this fundraiser. Let them make the tough calls when needed and
delegate the rest, maintaining only managerial oversight while keeping an eye on
achieving the goal.
Imitate the military style of organization
Just like in the military, the troops do most of the work. The higher-ranking
officers’ role is to make the strategic command decisions and send out orders.
The lower ranks are tasked with carrying out those orders and leading by
example.
Recruiting help
How to recruit enough adult volunteers is a common dilemma. You need to start
early. Consider a plan that gets dads, grandparents, and even older siblings
involved, and always offer details about what’s involved in terms of time and
labor. If people know the specifics of what they’re getting into, they’re more
likely to make a commitment than if they’re forced to make a leap into the great
unknown.
Division of labor
Be sure to break every area into manageable chunks. Don’t overload anyone. That
way your organization members and volunteers will return to help the next time.
Otherwise, you face a high turnover rate and a loss of valuable experience.
Buddy up
Use co-chairs for key roles with the junior one being groomed for taking the top
slot in the future. Employ the buddy system for double checks on form
completeness and order tallies. Be sure that two people count all funds received
in separate counts.
Keep a database
Maintain records of staff, volunteers, and merchant supporters. Keep adding to
it with good notes about skill sets and additional relationship information. For
example, if a dry cleaners gives you ten discount coupons to use to reward your
volunteers, make a note of it and ask afterwards if the merchant gained new
customers from it. Jot down referrals to other merchants, etc.
Motivate your volunteers
Enthusiasm is contagious. Make sure everyone knows what reaching the
organization’s goal will mean. Motivate your team by having each one take
personal ownership of a piece of the group goal. Give the right rewards for a
job well done.
Recovery time
Organizations need recovery time between major fundraisers for volunteers,
community, and especially parents. Don’t ever do continuous fundraising. You’ll
wear out your volunteers and burn up your support base. Do major fundraisers on
a set schedule, do them right, and then take at least a month off.
Click here for Fundraising Basics - Part 4
Click here for Fundraising Basics - Part 2
Related Pages
Getting Started: Part 1 - The who, what,
when, where, why, and how of a successful fundraiser.
Donor Recognition - How to use donor
recognition to increase your capital campaign results.
Selecting the Right Fundraiser:
Part 1 - Good advice to use on picking the right fundraiser for your group.
Successful Fundraisers - Boost results
with organization, quality incentives, and sales preparation.
Organize School Fundraiser - Quick
tips on organizing your school efforts by planning ahead.
Tried and True - These
old standbys always produce good results for any-size group.
Sample Letter - Sample school event donation
letter where you can insert your specific information.
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