Laura Downey Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education (KACEE) 2610 Claflin Road Manhattan, KS 66502 All I Ever Needed to Know About Fundraising, I Learned in Kindergarten
Dec 26, 2015
Laura Downey
Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education (KACEE)
2610 Claflin Road Manhattan, KS 66502 (785)532-3322 [email protected]
All I Ever Needed to Know About Fundraising, I
Learned in Kindergarten
Background on KACEE•Founded in 1969
•Volunteer Organization until 1994
•Began as “Organization of Organizations”
•State Sponsor for PLT, WET, WILD and Leopold Ed Project
•Half-time Executive Director in 1995
•Currently Staffed with Full-Time ED, 4 additional fulltime staff and 2 part-time staff
KACEE’s Membership
Business & Industry (such as Koch Industries, Westar Energy, Vulcan Chemical Company, The Coleman Company, Kansas Farm Bureau)
Organizations (including KS Audubon, KS Sierra Club, Blue River Watershed Association, Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, KS Cattlewomen, Streamlink)
KACEE was established as a public/private partnership with currently more than 200 organizational members and an additional 300+ individual members.
Membership Continued…Federal, State and Local Agencies
(KSDE, KDWP, KFS, KDHE, KWO, KGS, KBS, KDHC, KCC, KDA, Hillsdale Water Quality Project, Conservation Districts)
Colleges and Universities (including KSU, KU, FHSU, PSU, WSU)
Schools and School Districts
Why is Membership Important?
Demonstrates broad-based support (from the Sierra Club to the KS Farm Bureau)—there is someone for everyone to connect to
Opens opportunities for fund development—if they care enough to become members, then they care enough to support the organization
KACEE Activities/Events: Environmental Education
Workshops Facilitator Training Water Festivals/Celebrations KS Environmental Education
Conference Networking & Partnerships Special Programs Ongoing Membership
Communications/Services
Why Are Activities/Events Important? Businesses/organizations/foundations are more
likely to fund activities or events than provide “general support”
Access points for funding specific interests Provides opportunities for “mission moments” Opportunities to
engage and involve funders
What Are Your Organizational Assets?
What is your organization’s mission? Who are your board members? Why did they
get involved? Who are your members? What does your organization do?
THIS IS THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR FUND DEVELOPMENT!
Current Funding & Support for KACEE Programs
See Annual Report—Support from:
KS Water Office
KS Department of Health and Environment
KS Forest Service
KS Department of Wildlife and Parks
KS Department/Board of Education
Developing Relationships, Making Friends—Translating Into Support
Personal Contacts/Ongoing Communication (important to get your name in front of them often)
Membership Dues (low cost) Involvement in Organization Making Connections Making the “Ask”
Case—KS EE Conference ($22K)
Solicit sponsorships primarily from members
RFP for host site includes “What support for the conference can your community provide?”
Silent Auction (participants bring items) 2007 Sponsorship/Auction raised $22K
Kansas Excellence in EE Awards Celebration ($9K)
Honor those who make significant contributions to the field of EE in KS (“Mission Moment”)
Initially presented at conference Separate Event Concept (UT, CO) Approximately ½ of the 180 attendees had never
attended a KACEE event prior—including state/national legislators, business and industry representatives
Auction/Table Sponsors/Event Tickets—we cleared $9000! Volunteers did lots of fund raising!
Case—Kansas State Board of Education ($35K) 1978 House Resolution—Representative/Governor
Hayden KSDE Policy on EE Attendance at Board Meetings Department of Education Contacts Relationship Building with Board Members (ex-officio) Request for Funding and Presentations at Budget Hearings Legislative Contacts Recent Board Presentation Recent New Staff Luncheon
Case—Vulcan Chemical Company ($6K) Personal connection with Plant Manager Need for Vulcan to have a “Green Presence” KACEE’s need for IYE Funding Sponsor an Event (vs. KACEE) Recognition Program Continual Relationship Building PLT Risk Connection Making Board Members Aware of Loss of Relationship
—looking for new opportunities New Ownership/Recent Contact—Pay Off!
Case--Koch Industries ($10K) Personal visit and ask for membership Relationship Building and Roper Starch Conference Sponsorship to Bring in Mary Kay
President Personal Connections Recognition “Last Stand of the Tallgrass Prairie” Re-Establishing Relationships (Meeting,
contacts, connections)
Case—BRB Contractors (memberships)
Membership through colleague on board Ongoing communications with members Conference Sponsorship Lunch Letter of Support
Case—EE Plan for Kansas
Governor’s Natural Resource Legacy Alliance—EE #1 Natural Resource Priority
Conveners: Governor’s NR Sub-Cabinet, KACEE, Kansas Farm Bureau, KS Natural Resource Council, KS State Department of Education, The Nature Conservancy, Pheasants Forever
Diverse Stakeholder Involvement: Engaging New audiences in the conversation (parochial school associations, KS Livestock Association, KS NEA)
More Examples
Pheasants Forever
Bureau of Air—Air Remediation Funding
New Belgium Brewing Company
Finnup Foundation
Educational Network Sponsorships
1st Step: Engaging Board Members
Energize Your Board– Lively Board Meetings-
see handout – “Mission Moments”– Social Time
Source: Fired Up Fundraising, Gail Perry, www.gailperry.com
What the Heck is a “Mission Moment”?
Testimonials Field trips Direct experiences of
the good work you do Bring your work alive!
Redefine Fund Raising Address attitudes about fund raising (the “f”
word) and get anxieties out in the open How did you feel the last time you gave
money to a cause you care about? It’s not about asking for money, it’s about
being an ambassador for the cause It’s about making friends, establishing
connections with people It’s all about MAKING A DIFFERENCE in
their community/region/state. Get everybody on their BANDWAGON. Comes from the HEART.
Not All Board Members Have to Ask for Money—There Are Lots of Ways to Get Involved!
THANK, THANK, THANK AGAIN
CULTIVATE AND INVOLVE
ASK FOR SUPPORT
IDENTIFY PROSPECTS
Not All Board Members Have to Ask for Money—There Are Lots of Ways to Get Involved!
identify
involve
warm up
ask
followup
thank
Time and Energy Spent on Stages of Fund Raising from Gail Perry
More than 90 % of Time and Energy Invested in Fund
Raising Does NOT Involve Asking for
Money!!!
Easy Jobs for Board Members
Have “Advice Visits” Host “Small Socials” Host “All About our Mission Tours” Phone call donors and say thank you
Small Socials
1. No charge2. Host invites guests 3. Brief, moving program 4. Lots of the work is done apart from the program 5. Plan your follow-up or don’t even do it (follow-up
cards) Note: 76.5% of donations to non-profits come from individuals (www.charitablechoices.org)
Mission Tours1. A volunteer is the host 2. CEO gives stirring message 3. Scripted short presentations from staff, clients,
volunteers4. Fill out a follow-up card at the end
Thanking Donors—Again & Again! Donors want:
– Prompt, personalized thank yous.– Meaningful information on your results
93% would give again 64% would give more 74% would continue to give indefinitely as long as
they received meaningful information Personal phone calls within 48 hours Ask donors why they gave Your results? Studies show that gifts will go up by at least 33% and 2-4% will make
gifts of $1k within the year.
Donor-Centered Fundraising, by Penelope Burk
Resources for Fund Development
The Affiliate Network! http://www.naaee.org/about-naaee/affiliates/affiliates-partnership
Philanthropy Journal Online—Free E-Newsletter, Low Cost Webinars http://philanthropyjournal.org
Grant Station subscription through Tech Soup (www.techsoup.com) $99—good source of foundations