Put the “Fun” in Fund Raising! by Kimberly Grant

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by Kimberly Grant Theta Iota/Tau Beta Sigma

One of the most important things in chapter operations is fund raising. Fund raising can sometimes be an unhappy topic among chapters, but attention to a few simple points can make the process easier.

Formulate a yearly budget. This puts all chapter revenue and expenses down on paper so it’s easier to look at your financial standpoint. When new projects arise, you’ll know whether or not you have room in the budget to take on the task. Don’t forget to include a “miscellaneous” amount in your calculations to allow for the unexpected. Consider starting a Ways and Means Committee in your chapter if you do not already have one. Ask for help on your budget if you don’t know where to start. It’s important to have a responsible treasurer that can keep track of all monies and be able to keep everyone informed on the chapter’s financial standing at all times.

Underestimate. Always underestimate goals so that you won’t be left out in the cold if a fundraiser does not go exactly as planned. Always have a backup plan. Let’s say you need to raise $500 to complete a project. You have planned to have five car washes and estimate an income of $100 at each one. It sounds like a good plan, but what if you only make $65 at one and another is cancelled because of rain? Be prepared for the worst. You could plan seven car washes instead of five. Be prepared to have a backup fundraiser like a bake sale if the weather is bad. You could estimate making $80 at each one even if you know you could easily make more. At the end of a fundraiser it’s always better to have more than you anticipated than not enough.

Never go broke. Rethink any project or service that will leave your chapter low on funds. You can postpone it until you generate more funds in your treasury or figure out how you can cut costs. The treasurer should also be able to advise the chapter on its spending and financial standing before and after every proposed chapter project. This is important, because many times members may have great ideas and want to follow through but do not think about whether or not the project will consume precious chapter funds. The chapter should know where the treasury will stand upon the completion of every project.

Define goals clearly. Establish both long-term and shortterm goals. Many projects fail because there are no clear-cut goals. Make sure everyone understands the goals of every project and keep the chapter updated on the progress. Inform everyone of both the benefits of the success of a project and the consequence of its failure. Delegate responsibility when necessary, and make sure everyone knows they have an important part in all activities. Members that feel unwanted or unneeded may not show up or give their all to a project.

Recycle. Whenever designing items for selling purposes, try to make them as generic as possible. A great fundraiser is selling T-shirts, but try to avoid using any eventspecific slogans or dates that will prevent you from reselling them in the future. If you sell T-shirts to your band, you can always sell them to freshmen the next year in the event that you have leftovers. Don’t be afraid to recycle ideas. There are A LOT of fund raising ideas out there in other chapters that you may be able to utilize. This is sometimes a better way to develop a new fundraiser for your chapter, because you can ask another chapter what worked for them and what didn’t, what problems they encountered, and any suggestions they might have. Not only ask other chapters for successful tips on fund raising, but share yours also.

Always target a specific consumer. Don’t just assume that everyone will want what you’re selling. Target a particular consumer that will be in the market for what you have. During band camp, the easiest things to sell to a band are anything COLD or WET, such as water, snow cones, or sports beverages. During cold football games sell coffee or hot chocolate. Sell food items on campus on nights when dinner is over early or during final exams.

Internet. This is a valuable resource for information. There are many websites on fund raising that have many ideas and many companies that can help you get started with little or no initial investment for nonprofit organizations. Go to any search engine and search for fund raising ideas or fundraisers. You can also use the internet to research companies that you are considering working with. Some excellent fund raising websites are www.fundraisingweb.org, www.fundraisingbizarre.com, and www.fundraising.com.

Sponsors. In fund raising, Rule #1 is never pay for what you can get donated! Don’t forget that we are members of a nonprofit organization, and there are lots of companies out there that will donate items if you ask. This could make having a raffle easier because there are no costs for prizes. If you do not know your tax-exempt number, you can call the National Headquarters to obtain it. Consider preparing brochures or information packets about the organization to distribute to local businesses asking for support. And don’t forget your alumni. Many alumni would be happy to make contributions to chapters, but they will not know you need or want assistance unless you ask. Just get out there and ask…all anyone can do is say yes or no! In most cases, the answer will be “yes,” and you will be surprised at how easy it was.

Everyone must take part. Make sure that everyone is well informed on “The Big 6” of every project or activity: who, what, when, where, how, and why. Inform members exactly what you want them to do, and make sure to let them know why it is important that they attend. Make sure all members take responsibility for the success AND failure of every project. Sometimes it’s easy to blame a president, treasurer, or a committee head for a failure, but remember that everyone is responsible for the actions of the chapter, and assigning blame may only cause hurt feelings and future animosity. Consider all successes and failures as learning experiences and move on.

Research and read. Make sure you research any company with whom you would like to work. Sometimes it takes money to make money, but be cautious of any company requiring large sums of money in advance. READ any and everything before you sign it. Even the little bitty, tiny, small print! Be cautious before entering into any contracts. Be sure your sponsor or advisor is informed of any intent to enter into any contracts, especially ones that may affect your chapter’s funds. Smart vs. hard. Determine the profit potential for every endeavor, and don’t forget that you have to subtract your initial investment to determine the amount of profit made. If you have $350 at the end of a fundraiser and your initial investment was $125, then you have made $225, not $350! Always pick an activity with the largest margin return. If your goal is to make $200 and you have a choice between selling T-shirts, hot dogs, or doughnuts, consider how many of each you have to sell to make your goal. Well, let’s see...40 T-shirts vs. 400 hot dogs vs. 200 boxes of doughnuts. Tough choice, huh? Always pick a fundraiser where it’s very easy to make back your initial investment. Try to avoid any fundraiser that has large time constraints for members. Avoid uncomfortable situations like door-to-door sales. Try to get everyone’s feedback and schedule activities where you can obtain the most participation. If your chapter hates car washes and likes bake sales, don’t schedule four car washes a month where it’s likely that no one will show up, even if a car wash will make more money! Instead, have maybe one car wash and more bake sales so that everyone is happy.

Participation in the tedious process of fund raising is sometimes the most dreaded aspect of being a member, but that need not be the case. Just remember that the planning is usually the most difficult part of the job. Take your time, get feedback from your chapter, and prepare for the unexpected. Well-planned projects run more smoothly than those that are last minute or poorly organized. Use creative and original ideas to keep members excited about fund raising. Most importantly, remember to always try to keep the “FUN” in fund raising! }