Fundraising for charities is an essential part of all nonprofit group performance. In the US alone, donors gave nearly $287 billion (Rp 3,807 trillion) in 2011. Many people who work at the Foundation feel uncomfortable asking for funding from donors, but without their help all nonprofits cannot fulfill their mission. Learning how to respectfully and effectively solicit funds from the wealthy can ensure that your charity or non-profit is not short on funds and can help those in need.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Planning a Donation Request
Step 1. Gather your list of donors
Before you start asking for money, it's a good idea to know the people who will be asking for funds first. If you are going door-to-door, all you have to do is determine the kelurahan or sub-district you want to explore. If you request assistance by phone or mail, a list of prospective donors is required to contact.
- If you can find a list of past donors, they can be prioritized as the "most prospective" donors because they are more likely to continue the assistance that was previously given.
- Try to identify the people on your list whose financial condition is the most stable. You can do this by interacting with the person to get an overview of their financial condition, or going door to door, looking at the house they live in and the cars they drive. People with luxury homes and expensive sports cars tend to have more income (though of course, this doesn't necessarily mean they are willing to lend a hand).
- You can search for potential donors through other spending areas. For example, do prospective donors attend fundraisers for other organizations or people? If so, there's a good chance he or she will be willing to donate to your organization, if properly persuaded.
- Consider using analytical software and services, such as Donor Search to find potential donors who are earning big money and willing to donate their fortune.
- Don't forget to think "ABC" when looking for donors: Able to make a gift (can help), Belief (known or potential) in your cause (trusting your activities), and Contact/Connection with your organization (maintaining relationships with your organization).
Step 2. Get to know your donors
if the organization has been in contact with donors in the past, you and your colleagues will likely know the best strategy for making requests. Some people want to know how much money was spent in the last year, while others want to know how much money was needed. Certain donors may be afraid to donate their money, and it is important to recognize these fears so that they can be expressed upfront.
- Some donors may need to hear certain words or phrases to be persuaded to donate. If that's the case, mark your list so you don't forget to mention it when you contact the person.
- Whenever a donor appears reluctant to donate but continues to donate, record the situation on your donor list or file (if any). Listen to what the person has to say when they don't donate, and try to find ways to overcome that reluctance, not just for this fundraiser, but for years to come.
- Be aware that many well-known philanthropists employ other people to manage their donations and contributions. As a result, you may not be able to talk directly to donors at all. However, the person employed by the benefactor may have the same concerns as the employer and you can try to attract the benefactor's interest through their employees.
Step 3. Find a way to present your organization
people who have donated to your organization will certainly recognize yourself (as an organization) and your activities. However, what about those who have never donated? How do you explain it to outsiders? This is important because it may determine whether the person will listen to your entire proposal. If possible, try to gather data on your organization's past performance, issues you would like to raise after the fundraiser, and how donations will help your organization.
- Try presenting your organization in a way that describes your activities and highlights the issues you want to change. For example, you might say, "Did you know that [the issues raised by the organization] affect a large part of this city, and our organization is the only one to raise this issue in a comprehensive way?"
- Data doesn't have to be collected, but for people who don't know your organization it will help them.
- Consider printing out a brochure or using a reusable chart to illustrate the progress you have made and want to make.
- Think about what you would say if someone did not understand the purpose of your activity, or what you would say if someone did not like your organization. Try to see it from the person's point of view. Imagine yourself as someone who doesn't want to help the organization, and what to say to the organization. Then, imagine how you would respond to that sentence.
- The better your donor base understands the organization, and the better you understand your donors, the stronger the long-term relationship between the organization and donors will be.
Step 4. Practice your application
One way to strengthen a request for donations is to practice what is being said. This isn't limited to how to ask for money, but also how to start a conversation, rehearse scenarios, anticipate potential responses, and know how to steer (or redirect) a conversation.
- Don't forget that the best requests will educate potential donors, rather than simply making a sales pitch.
- Practice your request aloud. Get used to your speech, and learn to adapt it to your style of speech, and make it feel comfortable and like it's not being rehearsed (though it's actually very often practiced).
- Practice in the mirror if you are interacting directly with donors.
- Try recording your voice with a voice or video recorder, and study your mannerisms and speech patterns. Does it sound sincere? Do your vocal patterns and physical behavior convey the message of your organization? and what issues do you want to address?
Part 2 of 2: Requesting Donations
Step 1. Start a conversation
Do not immediately bombard your application. Have a dialogue with potential donors, which means starting with small talk. You can ask about potential donors. Anything that starts the conversation will help lighten the mood and make the person realize that you are a caring and caring member of this community.
- If the prospective donor is a well-known philanthropist, he or she may prefer to be asked for donations by the top brass of the organization. Statistically, donors prefer to donate funds to well-known figures associated with the organization, rather than fundraisers who contact on behalf of the organization.
- Start the conversation by getting potential donors to acknowledge the problem. If you're raising funds for a local organization, you can start the conversation by asking potential donors what they think about the worst crisis in your area.
Step 2. Make donors aware of your goals
You shouldn't introduce yourself just to ask for money. You should let potential donors know your goals towards the end of the conversation. Start by asking how the donor is doing, or commenting on the weather, and benefits to continue with, "I work at _, and we're trying to help _ to be able to _."
If the donor feels that your conversation is pointless and suddenly asks for money, the atmosphere may become tense because the donor feels he is being blackmailed. Be calm, friendly, and casual, but don't drag your feet to make it clear that you have a purpose
Step 3. Give donors a chance to talk
Chances are, if you make your usual request to someone who has never donated before, he or she will stay away from you. However, if you have a dialogue, and give the person space to talk, he or she will feel involved and part of the solution.
- Try asking questions. Say, "What do you think is the biggest problem we face today?" If the person answers, don't respond with "Yes, that's right. Would you like to donate funds?” Look for a more subtle approach, for example replying with "That's great!" and be quiet while showing your interest.
- People are afraid of silence, and he may fill it with explanations of why the issue is important. Potential donors may continue to share how their family members have been affected by this problem. That way, you'll know what special attention the person has that you can take advantage of. This issue is no longer abstract, but is a specific issue that has a personal impact on a person.
Step 4. Make a custom request
If you apply for an open ended donation, the person may not donate, or only give a few dollars. However, if you ask for a certain amount, you no longer need to estimate how much donations will get, making it easier to commit to your request. For example, if a potential donor seems interested, say, “You know, we can make a difference. With a donation of _ rupiah, you can help us achieve _."
Another way to ask for a certain amount of money is to give potential donors options. Try saying, "Would you mind giving a _?" or "Could you consider _ to help with the _ problem?"
Step 5. Be persistent
Many people immediately reject requests for donations, but others just need a little more persuasion. Perhaps, they said the amount demanded was too large. If this happens, say that any amount will be very meaningful, and ask how much the potential donor is willing to give.
Don't apply aggressively, but insist that their help will mean a lot and whatever the amount, their donation will go a long way in solving the problem
Step 6. Say thank you, whatever the answer is
If the donor wants to donate, be grateful. Say thank you and let them know that their help will not be in vain and will play an important role in raising and resolving issues. However, if the person refuses to make a donation, you should still be polite and respect the time given. Just say “Thanks for your time and good afternoon.”
Expressing gratitude and being polite will help in the long run. Just because someone refuses to donate doesn't mean the situation won't change. Perhaps, in the next year people who previously resisted will know or know better, or may be affected by the problem you wish to address. Being polite now can lead to donations later
Step 7. Follow up on your donors
If someone donates, you should say thank you. Send thank you letters and gift receipts (in case you want to be tax deductible or just want to have a record of donations). We recommend that these items be shipped as soon as possible so that donors appreciate them and will put them to good use.
Tips
- Many people are motivated to donate money if they are sympathetic to your goals and interests. Try tailoring your request to each donor based on how they respond to the issues you raise.
- Always send thank you letters to your donors, regardless of the amount donated.
