Successful Fundraising in a Rural Community

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Successful Fundraising in a Rural Community

• Presented by Linda Calandra, Library Development
  Officer, and Terry Sterling, Community Libraries
  East Supervisor
• Fresno County Public Library

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Introduction to Fowler Branch Library

• 1914 -2008

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Fowler Library Service Area
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Fowler Library 1928
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History of Fowler Library Community Involvement

• Library Support Group Activities
• Building Committee
• Fundraising Committee
• Friends of the Library

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Planning for Fowler Library

• Began in early 1990s
• Not Funded by California Library Bond Act of 2000
• Statewide Library Bond Act not passed by voters
  in June 2006
• Proceed with Design and Construction

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Planning for Fowler Library

• Community Needs Assessment
• Plan of Service
• Building ProgramBuilding Blocks

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Fundraising Activities

• Community Donations over the years
• Youth Involvement
• Fundraising Committee

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New Library Components

• 8,300 Square Feet of Space
• Separate Childrens, Teen Adult Spaces
• Expanded and Specialized Collections

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New Library Components

• Computer Lab with
• 15 Public Computers
• Multi-purpose Meeting Room
• Quiet/History Room

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• Express Checkout, Self Pick-up of Holds and Self
  Sorted Returns
• Local History Mural

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• Fundraising in a rural community is not a
  zero sum game.

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Benefits of Rural Fundraising

• Media and local elected officials are accessible
• People care about one another
• Business trends arrive more slowly
• We are now in a global economy

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Key indicators of infrastructure

• Giving to your organization
• Development services
• Fundraising vehicles
• Collateral materials
• Strategic planning

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Infrastructure, cont.

• Personnel
• Leadership/Administration
• Staff
• Volunteers
• Communications and public relations
• Overall appeal related to how well you tell your
  story

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• You got to be careful if you don't know where
  you're going, because you might not get there.
• -- Yogi Berra

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Outreach Strategies in a Rural Environment

• Get to know your local media representatives
• Write your own news stories
• Be a visible and active member of your community
  and network with others

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• Philanthropy flows from a loving heart not an
  overstuffed pocketbook.
• -- Douglas M. Lawson

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Fowlers Capital Campaign

• Fundraising committee
• Training
• Encouragement and affirmation
• Collateral
• Establish the vision
• Make the case

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Fundraising Brochure (outside)
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Fundraising Brochure (inside)
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Pledge Form
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Fowlers Capital Campaign, cont.

• Naming Gifts
• Naming policies
• Naming opportunities
• Accountability
• Donor database software
• IRS gift receipts
• Donor Recognition

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• Do your givin' while you're livin'...
• then you'll be knowin' where it's goin'. 
• -- Ann Landers

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Friends of the Library

• Friends are
• Fundraisers
• Friendraisers
• Advocates

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Library Foundation vs. Development Office

• Budget Flexibility
• Accumulation of Funds
• Investment Opportunities
• Community Support
• Community Confidence
• Grant Eligibility

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Friends Foundation New Model

• One fundraising entity for the library
• No competition for board members
• No donor confusion

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• The act of philanthropy is a spiritual act, an
  expression of caring for one's fellow human
  beings. It is a belief in the future that the
  future can be good. It is investing in that
  future. It is helping to make the dream come
  true.
• -- Arthur C. Frantzreb

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Contact Information

• Linda Calandra, Development Officer
• Fresno County Public Library
• 2420 Mariposa
• Fresno, CA 93721
• Linda.calandra_at_fresnolibrary.org
• 559.488-3492
• Terry Sterling, Community Libraries East
  Supervisor
• Fresno County Public Library
• 2420 Mariposa
• Fresno, CA 93721
• Terry.sterling_at_fresnolibrary.org
• 559.488-2975