Comments on: First Step Towards Gaining Supporters & Raising Money http://mynonprofitwebsite.com/blog/2008/06/23/first-step-towards-gaining-supporters-raising-money/ Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:44:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: Dave Stoker http://mynonprofitwebsite.com/blog/2008/06/23/first-step-towards-gaining-supporters-raising-money/#comment-1529 Dave Stoker Sat, 28 Jun 2008 21:58:52 +0000 http://mynonprofitwebsite.com/blog/2008/06/23/first-step-towards-gaining-supporters-raising-money/#comment-1529 One pattern I see among the stories I work with at Ashoka in their Citizen Base Initiative is that successful 'fundraisers' involve their audience or stakeholders at a deeper level than mere 7 points of contact. So, you get this group in South Africa that wants to address the issue of unemployment and thinks to gather used tools and teach skills to these unemployed day laborers but instead of holding a 'tool drive' or asking for donations to purchase tools they had the unemployed person pick up the donated tool personally from the home of the willing in-kind donor. That personal connection forged a relationship that led to willing volunteers and financial donors beyond the simple in-kind donation. There are numerous ways to have a point of contact beyond a mailing. Simple marketing such as a request to blog about their organization if they had a good experience volunteering or willingness to wear a t-shirt or band of support. Those physical actions inspire commitment more so that a mailing. One pattern I see among the stories I work with at Ashoka in their Citizen Base Initiative is that successful ‘fundraisers’ involve their audience or stakeholders at a deeper level than mere 7 points of contact. So, you get this group in South Africa that wants to address the issue of unemployment and thinks to gather used tools and teach skills to these unemployed day laborers but instead of holding a ‘tool drive’ or asking for donations to purchase tools they had the unemployed person pick up the donated tool personally from the home of the willing in-kind donor. That personal connection forged a relationship that led to willing volunteers and financial donors beyond the simple in-kind donation.

There are numerous ways to have a point of contact beyond a mailing. Simple marketing such as a request to blog about their organization if they had a good experience volunteering or willingness to wear a t-shirt or band of support. Those physical actions inspire commitment more so that a mailing.

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