The volunteers' guide to fundraising : raise money for your school, team, library or community group

Book

The volunteers' guide to fundraising : raise money for your school, team, library or community group / Ilona Bray.

Bray, Ilona M., 1962- (Author).

Summary:

Overview: Raise money for your cause with this guide, full of efficient and effective practical tips. If you volunteer for a nonprofit, parent-teacher association, or virtually any other community group, you've probably noticed that not even your hard work can keep the organization completely afloat -- to do that, you need cash. But when your small group is competing for donations with larger organizations who can afford to retain professional fundraisers, this task can seem impossible. This comprehensive guide shows volunteers and nonprofit staffers both the practical and the fun aspects of fundraising. Plus, you'll find unique insights from a team of nonprofit experts, including executive directors, accountants, event planners, lawyers, and group leaders. Get the lowdown on these fundraising methods, and more: Sponsorships and donations from businesses; Selling goods and services; Member donations; Special events and auctions; Dinners and other food events; Benefit concerts, lectures, and shows. Whether you're raising money for your PTA, helping out your child's sports team or music group, or trying to keep the local library afloat amid budget cutbacks, use The Volunteer's Guide to Fundraising to help you legally raise and handle money without running afoul of IRS rules, prepare grant proposals, and come up with a winning fundraising strategy. Use this book to make the most of your group's resources, no matter what size it is.

Record details

ISBN: 9781413313321 (pbk.)
ISBN: 1413313329 (pbk.)
ISBN: 9781413315080 (epub e-book)
ISBN: 1413315089 (epub e-book)
ISBN: 9781413313581 (pdf e-book)
ISBN: 1413313582 (pdf e-book)
Physical Description: 414 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm. + 1 CD-ROM (4 3/4in.)
Edition: 1st ed.
Publisher: Berkeley, CA : Nolo, c2011.

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:: Includes index.
Formatted Contents Note:: Your Fundraising Companion -- Basics: What Your Group Can And Can't Do When Raising Money: -- What type of group are you with? Incorporated, or not? -- Will the tax authorities take bites out of you group's income? -- Does "nonprofit" mean you're not allowed to make a profit? -- What protects you from personal liability if your group gets sued? -- Are some types of fundraising illegal? -- How should you handle and safeguard money? -- Getting Volunteers Eager And Ready: -- Recruiting volunteers -- Matching volunteers' skills to your needs -- When and how to run background checks on volunteer applicants -- Training and supervising volunteers -- Keeping volunteers interested -- Working with young volunteers -- Planning Your Group's Fundraising strategy: -- Why do you need to raise money in the first place? -- How much money do you need to raise? -- Evaluating your nonprofit's fundraising assets -- Basic strategic principles to keep in mind -- Creating your first-draft plan -- Drafting budgets to support the plan -- Creating the final plan -- Sponsorships And Other Support From Businesses: -- Requesting donations or sponsorships -- Arranging gifts of a percentage of profits -- Requesting volunteer help from company staff -- Lending your volunteers as paid staff for business events -- Collecting and selling recyclables for mail-back programs -- Selling Goods And Services, New Or Used: -- Is selling goods or services right for your organization? -- Avoiding leftovers, or a garage-full of unsold stuff -- Selling goods from companies that cater to nonprofits -- Selling scrip -- Holding a garage or used-book sale -- Holding a car wash -- Holding a bake sale -- Running a new book fair -- Holding a raffle -- Requesting Donations From Individual Members: -- Should your group ask individuals for contributions? -- Before asking for a dime: preparatory steps -- Creating incentives for giving -- Drafting and sending appeal letters -- What to say in a brief personal ask -- Phonathons -- Working with donors who can make sizable gifts -- What to do with money you receive -- Event-Planning Strategies: -- Choose the right event for your organization -- Choose an attractive and affordable venue -- Choose add-ons to the main event -- Keep it green: attend to environmental issues -- Develop a realistic budget -- Plan and pace event activities -- Plan promotion and publicity -- Create corporate sponsorship opportunities -- Deal with risks and liability issues -- Last-minute tasks and tips -- After the event -- Dinners And Other Food Events: -- Is a dinner or food event right for your organization? -- How much planning and work will be required? -- Deciding the basic food or format -- Key preparatory steps -- Holding your dinner event -- Event follow-up -- Auctions: Live, Silent, And Online: -- Is an auction right for your organization? -- How much planning and work will be required? -- Key preparatory steps: auctions -- Holding your auction -- Event follow-up -- Fairs And Festivals: -- Is a fair or festival right for your organization? -- How much planning and work will be required? -- Deciding the basic theme -- Key preparatory steps -- Holding the event -- Follow-up to the event -- Benefit Concerts And Lectures: -- Is a benefit concert or lecture right for your organization? -- How much planning and work will be required? -- What are some easier variations on the benefit concert or lecture theme? -- Key preparatory steps -- Holding the event -- Follow-up to the event -- Home And Garden Tours: -- Is a home or garden tour fundraiser right for your organization? -- How much planning and work will be required? -- Key preparatory steps -- Holding the event -- Event follow-up -- Walkathons, Contest, Games, And Sporting Events: -- Is a competitive or pledge-based event right for your organization? -- How much planning and work will be required? -- Key preparatory steps -- Holding the event -- Event follow-up -- Appendix: How To Use The CD-Rom: -- Installing the files onto your computer -- Using the word processing files to create documents -- Using the spreadsheet -- Using print-only files -- Listening to the audio files -- Files on the CD-Rom -- Index.

CD-Rom Table Of Contents: -- Bonus Chapter -- Applying for grants from foundations, corporations, or government -- Is applying for grant funding right for your organization? -- How to prepare grant proposals -- Understand the funders -- Research grant prospects -- Try to make personal contact with funders -- Proposal process, from query letter onward -- After the grant award: following up with the funder -- Grant renewals -- Forms: -- Donor thank-you letter -- Volunteer application -- Fundraising goals worksheet -- Letter to business -- Business pledge -- Phonathon call sheet -- Pledge confirmation -- Phonathom summary sheet -- Projected special event expenses -- Projected special event income -- Silent auction bid sheet -- Silent auction recorder sheet -- Auction pickup receipt -- Application for exhibit booth space - Pledge log -- Press release -- Grant priorities summary chart -- Grant prospects research overview -- Applying for grants from foundations, corporations, or government.