Fundraising for Small Community Groups

1
Fundraising for Small Community Groups

• March 2011
• Delivered by Caroline Egan
• Training and Development Manager
• Carmichael Centre for
  Voluntary Groups

2
Identify Project Outputs and Outcomes

• Outputs What and how much gets produced or
  delivered (usually expressed in quantitative
  measures)
• Outcomes The difference made. What are the short
  and long term benefits of the activity?

3
Principle Sources of Funds

• Small-scale Grants
• Corporate Donations
• Fundraising Events
• Membership fees/contributions
• Merchandising
• Online Donations
• Loyalty Cards

4
Guiding Principles for Fundraising

• The Charities Act 2009 includes
• All types of public fundraising to require
  permits
• New Charity Regulator to be appointed
• Annual charity reporting to include fundraising
• The practices and procedures used by charities
  for fundraising will be regulated by agreed Codes
  of Practice to be developed with the charities
  sector
• Available at http//www.ictr.ie/files/R2.20Guidi
  ng20Principles20of20Fundraising20-20Feb20200
  8.pdf

5
Guiding Principles

• Core principles
• Commitment to Donors Donors Charter
• The Conduct of Fundraisers
• Responsibilities of Board/Trustees/Senior
  Management
• Honest Communication
• Financial Accountability
• Monitoring and Compliance

6
Good Practice Factsheets

• Handling Cash and Postal donations
• Garda Permits
• Insurance
• Raffles and Lotteries
• Data Protection
• Guidelines on pre-signed Mass Cards
• Will be available from www.ictr.ie at the end of
  the month

7
Corporate Fundraising support could be through

• Making a donation to a specific project
• Giving goods, services or volunteer time
• By involving staff to raise matching funds
• By promoting workplace contribution schemes
• By sponsoring events
• By sponsoring print materials or websites
• By developing marketing partnerships
• By adopting you as their cause/charity for year

8
Company motivations

• Personal connections with charity
• To create goodwill
• To enhance employee relations
• To promote brand and increase sales
• To be good neighbours in the community
• To adhere to company policy

9
What charity/group has to offer

• A topical/powerful/emotive/relevant cause
• Specific projects
• A network of motivated volunteers
• Respectability, heritage, well liked
• Strong local/national profile
• Communications newsletter, website
• Good PR opportunities

10
Research Skills for Sourcing Funds

• What information do you need?
• - Companies that support community groups
• - The key contacts in these companies
• - The grants available (national/local)
• - Permits required for fundraising
• - Looking at what competing groups are
• doing

11
Where can you get information

• Talk to company staff and other groups
• Visit company websites
• Read local newspapers/ listen to radio
• Add group to grant giver databases
• Regularly check out websites
• - www.activelink.ie
• - www.fundingpoint.ie

12
Developing a Strong Case for Support

• Answer three questions
• - Why do we need the money?
• - Why do we need it now?
• - Why can we be trusted to spend it?

13
Decide which sources of funds to target

• Which sources match your project profile and
  needs
• What capabilities do you have to manage the funds
• Are you required to provide matching funds
• Are you reimbursed after costs are incurred

14
Decide methods to acquire funds

• Who will take responsibility for developing
  funding proposal and grant applications?
• Remember Asking face to face is better than
  telephoning, which is better than a personal
  letter, which is better than an e-mail

15
Make a successful application

• Sufficient information
• Well presented
• In the form indicated by funder
• Submitted on time
• With all relevant documents attached
• With correct contact details

16
Include an Expenditure Budget

• Remember to include
• - All materials equipment (including print
  materials)
• - Non volunteer sources labour costs
• - Professional fees (advertising)
• - PR event costs
• - Office (rent, stationery, telephone, postage,
  light, heat)
• - Training and travel
• - Non recoverable VAT

17
Funding Keep adequate records

• Bank accounts manage your cash flow
• Produce accounts when registered as company
  limited by guarantee
• Manage invoices keep copies where needed to
  recoup monies spent. Ensure book keeper has all
  invoices and documentation for monies spent.
  Remember petty cash, cheque payments