FUNDRAISING ESSENTIALS

PART I

KEY COMPONENTS

​

Core Building Blocks

• Elevator Pitch
• Case statement
• Diverse funding streams
• Impact story bank

​

Tools and Technology

• Newsletter list and platform/system
• Secure online giving platform
• Donor management system
• Acknowledgements system

​

Strategy and Relationships

• Donor stewardship
• Annual fundraising plan

​

​

FUNDRAISING STRATEGIES

​

FUNDING STREAMS

​

Individual Donors

• New donors
• Lapsed donors
• Upgrading donors

​

Foundations

• Local Foundations
• National Foundations

​

​

​

FUNDRAISING STRATEGIES

​

Businesses and Corporations

• Neighborhood businesses
• Corporations with locations in your community
• Corporate Foundations

​

Federated Fundraising Organizations

• United Way
• Community Chests

​

Government Grants

​

To a fundraiser, EACH AND EVERY CONTACT IS POTENTIAL DONOR!

​

Mailing Lists / Email Lists

• Do you have a contact list?
• What do you throughout the year to grow your list?
• Does your church have a newsletter list? mailing list?

​

Social Media Accounts

• Do you have social media plan?
• What can you throughout the year to grow your social media following?

​

Donor Lists

• Do you have a donor list?
• What can you do throughout the year to maintain contact, share impact, grow the relationships?

​

CONTACTS / FOLLOWERS

• Plan out a schedule in advance
• Plan out what type of appeals you are making - direct mail, email, social media?
• Multi-channel appeals are more successful than single-channel
• Multiple asks are more successful than single asks
• Over 60% of nonprofits make 2-5 appeals

​

• Messaging tips
• Balance of donor-centric and immigrant-centric
• Make your main narrative clear and focused
• Inspire your donors – give people a reason to give now
• Share a story
• Clearly lay out the impact – how is their give impacting immigrant families?
• Clear call to action
• ONE clear call to action

​

APPEALS

​

Fundraising Plan Worksheet

https://canva.link/zvfekry5qdy7cs0

FUNDRAISING PLAN

What can you share in an elevator ride?

​

• brief, compelling, persuasive summary of your mission
• who you are
• what is the issue you are solving?
• who are you helping/serving?
• what do you do?
• what is the impact?
• call to action to GIVE
• what do you specifically need?
• what impact will giving make?

​

ELEVATOR PITCH

"In our city alone, over 500 individuals sleep on the streets every single night. At ABC Connections, we provide not just a hot meal, but rapid re-housing and job placement services to help our neighbors get back on their feet. Last year, we helped 200 people transition into permanent homes. If you'd like, I can send you a few stories of the people whose lives your donation could directly change."

​

"Did you know that less than 30% of students in underfunded districts graduate from high school ready for college? At ABC Impact, we change that by pairing local professionals with high schoolers for one-on-one mentorship. Last year, 94% of our seniors not only graduated, but went on to college. I’d love to tell you about how one of our students recently landed a full scholarship—do you have time for a quick coffee this week?"

​

"Everyone needs access to clean water, but 2 million Americans currently live without it. At ABC Water, we partner with rural communities to build sustainable water filtration systems. We’ve already helped 10,000 families get safe drinking water in their homes. Would you be open to hearing about our upcoming projects in the Midwest?"

​

​

​

ELEVATOR PITCH

Elevator Pitch Worksheet

https://canva.link/qo2c8fj9ywea5el

​

​

​

​

ELEVATOR PITCH

Donation Process

• Is your website mobile friendly? Is your donation page mobile friendly?
• Do you have clear and easy ways for people to give? By check and online?
• Over 60% of donors prefer giving by credit card or debit card
• 16% prefer to give by check
• Having multiple payment options for donations is most helpful

​

Backend

• Where are donations going?
• How are you tracking donations and donor info?

​

Follow-up

• What follow-up processes do you have set up?
• Receipt, thank you, on-going communication

​

​

RECEIVING DONATION

​

• System of tracking donations/donors
• Track/save/organize donor info
• Thank your donors
• Be specific – let them know what impact they are making
• Donors who feel appreciated are 3x more likely to give again
• Continue to share impact with them

​

DONOR STEWARDSHIP

​

​

Case Statement – a foundational narrative that summarizes the most important information about your site

​

Key Components of a Case Statement

• Mission, Values, History – Who are you?
• The Context/Need/Problem – Why are you needed?
• Your Solution to the Context/Need/Problem – What do you do? How do you do it?
• Your Impact and Results – What is different in your community because of your site?
• Organizational Credibility – Why should people support you?
• Use of Funds – What funding do you need? How will funding be used to create impact?
• Vision and Plans – What are your plans for the future?

​

CASE STATEMENT/CASE FOR SUPPORT

​

Case Statement Worksheet

https://canva.link/xidab5eyc3ccva9

​

CASE STATEMENT/CASE FOR SUPPORT

​

TITLE OF SECTION OR PAGE HERE

TITLE OF SECTION OR PAGE HERE

www.icwelcome.org