Dave Curry
Concept Twelve - Fundraising With Pizzazz
Doubling Or Tripling Fundraising Efforts:
Part of our service is hands on - soul to soul. But another
focus of Kiwanis districts and clubs is fundraising for worthy
causes. As leaders we face perceived barriers in fundraising
efforts, including welling up enthusiasm for an effort or
event. What if your fundraising effort captures the imagination
of most in your club/district and potentially doubles or triples
the previous years amount? These three ideas promise to start
club/district leaders thinking outside the box to rejuvenate
fundraising efforts and increase receipts for these worthy
causes:
1) Raise awareness levels and credibility by getting some
"skin in the game". Set the stage, even for ongoing
efforts, by having a "pre-fundraiser" to set the
stage for the main effort and use personal sacrifice to demonstrate
your own commitment to the cause. By personal sacrifice I'm
talking about fundraisers where losing weight, walking 10
miles, riding a bike 50 miles, etc., demonstrate your personal
commitment through sacrifice. Not only does this set the stage
for involvement in the main effort, others are much more generous
in pledging/supporting efforts where personal sacrifice is
involved. This is especially at the district level, where
a Governor's personal sacrifice sets the stage for renewed
awareness and commitment to the cause associated with the
event, and is a great way to raise $5,000 to $10,000 for any
cause at any level.
2) Collaborate with others. One method of collaboration is
sponsorship, which can turn an effort that would not have
been a successful fundraiser, into a triumph when extra funds
are received to cover operating expenses. This ensures that
proceeds are used only for the worthy cause. But here I want
to also emphasize collaboration with other entities/organizations.
As humanitarians, we should always be focused on the target
and open to the involvement of others. Although some efforts
are uniquely "Kiwanian", such as our Key Club support,
others are of general service to the community/district. As
such, consider joining forces with other organizations that
are interested in the same cause. This not only increases
the number of individuals interested in the event's success,
"many hand make light work", but if advertised appropriately
it also rejuvenates the importance of the event within our
membership and the community as a whole.
3) Use milestones to establish early targets and claim credibility
long before final achievement of the goal. This concept is
one that is seldom recognized/utilized, and yet it can provide
a cornerstone to setting a new threshold for fundraising efforts
and well up enthusiasm early in a fundraising effort. The
thought here can best be demonstrated by an example. In 1999
we wanted to triple the amount we had raised the previous
year for our international IDD effort. Understanding the significance
of this type of endeavor usually creates mental blocks as
to why it is NOT feasible. Instead of going down the road
of self-doubt, we set achievable milestones. The first milestone
was the most important, raising 20% by the end of the first
month. Our leadership team quietly started several months
in advance with the belief that if we advertised our goal
in advance, did "above and beyond" during the first
month, and promoted the effort during the rest of the year,
we would achieve success. As a group we achieved our goal,
hitting other milestones with fundraisers held throughout
the year. The results? We not only tripled the previous year,
we came within $6,000 of quadrupling that previous effort.
Some additional considerations:
· Want the leadership team to believe? Work primarily
with believers and the workable first. Others will get on
board later. Don't waste time & energy convincing others,
make it happen with a core group of believers.
· Promote the success of the effort, work like the
dickens, and give the accolades to others.
· Use district or club bulletins to create anticipation
for success and then share the victory.
· At the district or division level, have one or two
clubs that have sufficient resources join in the success of
the first milestone and give them appropriate credit afterwards.
Personally explaining the concept and the importance of that
clubs involvement in achieving the first milestone will give
them a sense of importance and give you a necessary following
for success.
Often effective leadership in raising funds for humanitarian
efforts requires examples of personal sacrifice and commitment.
Selling others on the importance of an effort is much enhanced
and more credible when you, as the leader, demonstrate a spirit
of service through self-sacrifice.
For more information contact:
Name: Dave Curry
Address: 1204 W Woolman
 Butte,
MT 59701
Phone: (406) 723-8067
email: Dave Curry
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