•Problems
? Naturally, you
want to be optimistic about your fundraiser,
but you do need to consider what problems could
arise. If there are risks that your group
cannot manage, then you may want to choose another
idea. If your fundraising method will get you
into debt before you make any profit, you may want to
reconsider. If your idea involves food, you
will want to make sure that there is no risk of food
poisoning that could result in a law
suit.
•Requirements
? You may need a
special license to host a lottery or bingo
night. Even a movie night is ruled by copyright
laws. Consult with a lawyer to make
sure that you have all the legal requirements of
a fundraising idea taken care of.
•Costs? Add up costs of supplies,
services, rentals, and space. If the costs are
too high, you may need to start with simpler and less
expensive fundraising ideas and gradually work your
way up.
•Time? Consider not just the time of the
event, but also all the preparatory work for the
fundraising, all the paperwork, all the organization,
and the work that needs to be done after an event
(including cleanup).
•Hire
help?
Some projects are more complicated and may need to
have a professional touch to appeal to people.
This can be very expensive, although for groups that
can raise a lot of money; this expense can be worth
it.
•Trouble? If your non-profit supports a
controversial subject (gay rights, for example) you
need to decide whether a particular fundraising
effort will get you in trouble. Even non-profit
groups with very neutral causes that are widely
supported can get into trouble if a volunteer is
injured or of someone gets hurt through a fundraising
venture. Consider all the risks of every
fundraising idea you consider.
•Competition
? Most non-profits are
trying to make the world a better place, and it is
not great to consider them "competition," but
competition they are. If the Girl Guides are
selling their cookies and you are considering a
fundraising idea that involves selling cookies, the
competition may ensure that you get little money for
your efforts. Choose an idea that no one else
is currently trying and one that will not overlap too
much with another group's own fundraising
efforts.
•Variety, quality, and something
new? This is the secret
combination that will ensure higher fundraising
earnings because it will ensure that customers or
donors will want to contribute. Those who buy
your products in fundraising or offer money through
donations want a quality product or service.
They want something new and varied - if many groups
in your area are selling chocolates, donors are less
likely to give to your campaign because they are
bored by the idea. Try to offer your donors a
choice and offer them something that is not
run-of-the-mill and they will reward you with
donations.
•Long term idea or one-shot
deal?
Not every idea needs to raise money in the long run,
but if all your fundraising ideas seem to offer
short-term money in exchange for a lot of work, you
need to consider how you are going to get the money
to run your group on a day-to-day
basis.
•Corporate
help?
Ideas that at least have a chance of getting support
form local businesses are more likely to bring in
more money.
•How
much?
You may not want to think about dollars and cents,
but you need to. You need to know how much
money you need to raise before you start your
efforts. That way, you you can switch to
a new idea before using up precious time and
resources on an unsuitable fundraiser that will
not provide the financial results that your
group needs.
•Who? You need to decide whether your
fundraising ideas will appeal to a wide enough range
of people to be money-making ventures. If you
live in a bedroom community full of seniors, a
skate-board-a-thon may simply not draw the support of
as many people as a fair or a retro
dance.
•Timing? If your fundraising ideas are
holiday-related, you need to start planning well
ahead of the holiday. Everyone gets so busy around
holiday time that they are less likely to be able to
volunteer. By starting early, people can plan around
your event.
•Responses
? Anticipating the
possible reactions your event will have (both the
positive and negative reactions) will make it easier
for you to handle the various reactions that
fundraising efforts generally
elicit.
•Essentials
? Make a large list of
everything that needs to be done in order to make the
fundraising a success. Are you able to do these
things? If not, you may need to choose a more
suitable idea or find ways to accomplish all the
tasks on your list.
