Fundraising officer at an event
Fundraising is one of the most challenging, most exciting, and most rewarding careers a person can choose to enter. It requires incredible determination, a great personality, charisma, charm, and sincerity. It also requires honesty, integrity and a devotion to the cause chosen. To successfully raise money, a person must have all of these attributes and more, and be ready and willing to give every ounce of themselves to their calling. This article will give you some tips on begin fundraising.
Instructions
Fundraise Money
1. Begin by having a worthy, not-for-profit cause that already has its licensing through the IRS. This is critical for potential donors as it will allow them to deduct whatever amount they give towards charitable donations on their tax documents.
2. Prepare literature for your cause. There must be a budget for this, and it is one of the most critical parts of a successful fundraiser. It must be a high quality product, written by a professional, giving details about your cause, who it helps, and - most importantly - who it has already helped. They need to see photos, graphs and tables, and a basic idea of how their money is spent. Brevity is important, but the key issues must be presented in an attractive format.
3. Donor cards must also be prepared. These will thank the donor for their gift, get their contact information (critically important for your next fundraiser), and their payment information. It will also provide them with the information they need in order to claim their tax credit.
4. Hire development officers. While volunteers are critical to the success of any fundraiser, professional development people do this for a living. They know what it takes, and get there. If your organization cannot hire a development officer, take the time to attend some development officer training seminars. These are critical to training your people go out and get money for your organization.
5. Research and focus your targets. Do not waste time on simply hitting up everyone, as you have limited time and manpower. Instead, take the time to find people who have a specific interest in your area of work, and pursue them. You will need to contact foundations and corporations as well, as these are where your really large amounts can come from. By taking the time to do your homework and focus in on more specific targets, you are more likely to get larger amounts for your effort.
Tags: development officer, Fundraise Money, take time, your cause, your organization