Volunteering for a Donor campaign

Donor campaigns focus primarily on individual giving, which accounts for the majority of giving each year. This type of fundraising is a great way of obtaining operating expenses, which foundations and other grant-giving sources may not cover fully.

If you are a board member, or are heavily involved with a nonprofit organization as a volunteer, you may be asked to participate in a donor campaign.

Most successful campaigns are organized in a similar matter: A steering committee is chosen to plan the campaign. A chairperson (usually someone with considerable contacts and a business mentality) leads the group.

The committee identifies individuals and businesses in the community that would be likely contributors. For example, past board members, past and present members or clients, and groups that have given to the organization before are ideal targets. The better the organization's records, the easier the list will be to compile.

For each individual on the list, make a contact card which has the answers to the following questions:

• Who knows the individual? (i.e., who should ask them for money)
• How much money can we ask them for? (Always ask for the maximum amount you think they would be willing to give. Why settle for less? This amount is usually based on how much they have given previously and whether their circumstances have changed since then. If a person or business has never donated, then make a guesstimate based on comparison.)

  Decide for how long the campaign will run. The next step is to ask for money! Some people are not comfortable with this, but if you think your organization is providing a needed service in your community, there's nothing wrong with asking individuals to support it so the work can continue.

  Remember these two cardinal rules of fundraising:

  1. If you don't ask, you don't get;
  2. The more personal the ask, the more money you will get.

  Mass mailings usually yield a 2% return (in other words, for every 100 letters you send, 2 people will come through with donations.) Depending on how much money the mailings cost, this might end up costing the organization money! Of course, there are ways to get higher yields-by sending letters only to people who have a history of donating, by introducing some kind of gimmick like a contest, etc. But even then, the rate of return will be lower than if you solicit using more personal methods.

  Even if you plan on doing the asking in person, you should avoid sending people a letter or calling them to introduce them to the cause, because that gives them time to think of excuses.

  The copyright of the article Volunteering for a Donor campaign in Volunteerism is owned by Ella Marin. Permission to republish Volunteering for a Donor campaign in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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