Practical Fundraising - Fundraising

28. Fundraising - Press Releases

Press Releases

Press releases are basically just announcements to the media about an important even that is taking place. Good press releases are an inexpensive way to advertise your non-profit group's fundraising events. You can write a press release to announce the start of your group, another press release to mark the opening of your facilities , and other to announce fundraising events such as drives or bazaars.

There is a specific way of writing press releases. Sometimes, the media will use actual quotes from the press release in their articles or news items, so you need to make sure that your press release is well-written. Consider the following press release:

	Media Release Contact: Jane Smith, Director Classroom Support 123 Anywhere Drive Any City Any Country Phone: 333/ 333-333 FAX: 333/333_3334 Email: janesmith@classroomsupport 3rd March, 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE New Non-Profit Group Supports Childhood Reading (Any City, Any Country) - Classroom Support, a new non-profit organization established in Any City, has announced a fundraising effort to bring books into the classrooms of Any City. According to Jane Smith, director of Classroom Support, "This is a very exciting time for us. Our city does not support many libraries that our children are able to access easily, and children's literacy skills seem to be at a lower level as a result." Recent reports on the state of education in the inner city have suggested that literacy among children is quite low and test scores in reading and writing are well below average. Jane Smith blames the recent fires, which have claimed two of the city's libraries, which had to be demolished as a result. Susie Jacobs, a volunteer with Classroom Support, notes that the newly developed organisation "has received many calls from worried teachers and parents who feel that the children of our city are not reading enough. A library is badly needed, as many of the children in these areas come from families who simply cannot afford to buy books." According to Jacobs, all suitable books donated to Classroom Support will be placed in the classrooms, the remainder of the books will be sold with the proceeds going to buy children's books In the future, Classroom Support hopes to raise enough money to bring books to each classroom with enough for every child and more. Classroom Support was founded by Smith three months ago after the director of the current non-profit group read about the falling rates of book reading in our city. As Smith notes, "I used to just about live in our city's libraries. I can't believe two of them have gone, and I can't believe no one seems concerned that our children are not able to read books in their classrooms" Incensed, Smith founded Classroom Support to encourage literacy among school-aged children. Already, this non- profit organization has found some support in ABC Publishing, a publisher of both chiden's and adult books. Classroom Support will be holding a book sale on Saturday, April 2nd at our facilites at 123 Anywhere Drive, Any City, and refreshments will also be served. For more information contact Jane Smith at 333/ 333-333. All donations of books are very welcome.

This press release does several things :

provides full contact information for the non-profit so that the media can contact Jane Smith with any questions.

provides a title that can be used "as is" for a newspaper or article headline.

gives a date for the press release and notes that the release can be used at once by the media.

tells the reader what the press release is about.

provides quotes that media outlets can use in their reporting.

is short enough to be readable but provides enough information for a short article or news report.

lists the major fundraising efforts (including dates and locations) so that readers can take part in these.

Marketing and Public Relations

Marketing and public relations are more subtle ways of advertising, and we all know what ads look like. But marketing, and public relations are less obvious ways of getting the mesage across about the good work your non-profit organization does.le. Consider the following ways of letting people know about your non-profit or a fundraising event:

have the local media interview the spokesperson for your non-profit group and publish it in the local papers

use t-shirts, caps and water bottles with your group's logo displayed on them

hold a competition in the local schools for the best logo for your group if you don't already have one

Consider the following ideas, which are possible even for a small non-profit organization:

Appear on a local radio or even college radio show for an interview. This may take some setting up, but some stations will agree. During the interview, mention your group's name and your upcoming events.

If any member of your non-profit group has a DJ friend, have them mention your non-profit organization and the good work that your group does at a club, or on air.

Offer to write an article for the local paper, a local online site, or a local magazine. Refer briefly to your non-profit organization and your upcoming fundraising events.

Have caps or t-shirts with your non-profit's name and logo on them and distribute these to people who will wear them, or water bottles with your logo on could be donated to your local sports teams.

Brainstorm to see what other ways yiu can inform the public about your non-profit organization.

Useful resources

28. Fundraising - Press Releases

Practical Fundraising Ebook - Table Of Contents