Comments on: Nine basic truths of fund-raising

By: Michael M

Michael M — Wed, 08 May 2013 20:00:10 +0000

Very insightful. Great advice!

By: Masfin Elias Tufa

Masfin Elias Tufa — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 11:34:37 +0000

This are what I want to take them as important points for …

By: John Nato

John Nato — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 08:32:55 +0000

Intresting!!!!!! Very wey true.

By: David Patterson

David Patterson — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 16:49:02 +0000

Raymond,
Raising money online is a big subject. I suggest that you do a Web search for information. That should turn up some good examples of organizations doing it successfully. One such organization I can recommend as a model is a former employer of mine Heifer International (heifer.org).
How successful you will be depends on the strength of your argument for support, the worthiness of your mission and how it resonates with various constituencies and audiences, and your understanding of the Web and willingness to commit to the work required to establish a strong Web presence and the kind of support media–email, Facebook and other social media, etc.–needed to deliver results.
An example of a successful online fundraising approach I can recommend to you can be found in my article on micro giving and impulse giving found on this website at http://www.raise-funds.com/2011/micro-gifts-impulse-giving-online/.
I also suggest that you read the addendum to Tony Poderis’ article on fundraising in countries other than the U.S.
(http://www.raise-funds.com/2007/greetings-from-america-how-u-s-style-fund-raising-can-work-in-your-country/)for some insight on how the U.S. government has viewed fundraising in the U.S. for organizations and projects outside of the U.S.
My final recommendation is that if you do not have someone on staff or available as a committed volunteer, then you should seek counsel from someone with knowledge of the law, the Web, and hopefully your organization.

By: Raymond M. Sekpeh

Raymond M. Sekpeh — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 21:05:09 +0000

I have a nonprofit organization called HOPE Liberia, Inc. I need donors as well as sponsors for project. I have got my 501 c 3 status from IRS. My major concern is how to raise funds online for my project. I therefore need assistance from this management.

By: Rhonda Staudt

Rhonda Staudt — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 19:50:57 +0000

Excellent points! I love this site.

By: Tony Poderis

Tony Poderis — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 17:05:50 +0000

Amy: Thanks for your welcome comment. Here is how I see the two points working:

Point six: “You do not wait for the ‘right’ moment to ask; you ask now.”

That speaks to the tendency to put off asking for a gift even when well prepared. Too often people will want to wait for the “perfect moment” to ask. That moment never comes. What they are really doing is failing to ask out of fear of being told no. They also too often choose to wait for the “right” time when the “economy gets better,” or when a national or local calamity has passed. There are other convenient excuses we hear many times. I address this issue in my article:

— A Campaign Deferred Is A Campaign Defeated
http://www.raise-funds.com/040306forum.html

Point eight: “You don’t decide today to raise money and then ask for it tomorrow; it takes time, patience, and planning to raise money.”

This refers to the need to plan ahead and to have in place a system–a program–for raising money. You need to nurture relationships with donors and prospects if you are to have a successful fund-raising program. Also you need to fully develop a campaign plan and the tools for executing that campaign as well as recruit its volunteer leadership and solicitors.

The actual ask is part of that system and once the system is in place and working you need to make the ask rather than put it off.

The summary of the “Nine Basic Truths” are further amplified in my article:

— Non-Profit Fund-Raising Demystified
http://www.raise-funds.com/121603forum.html
Tony Poderis

By: Amy

Amy — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 03:06:16 +0000

Your sixth and eighth bullets seem to contradict each other.