CH: I'm a novice at fundraising - help please!

sprogs

Hi,

I am wondering if anybody could give me a few pointers/ideas. I have volunteered to help fundraise for a small, local registered charity. The charity provides training for underpriviledged children in performing arts, the charity is attached to an independant part time performing arts school. Whilst we run fundraising events I would like to look more at grant applications, the problem I am coming across is that many of these say they will not fund individuals. If the charity is funding training for a group of children is that classed as funding for individuals? Applications are considered by the trustees each academic year and currently there are more applications than funds can support.

Secondly I would like to investigate sponsorship - local Estate Agents for example, and offer them the opportunity to support the charity financially in return for advertising their business on the school newsletters etc. Has anyone done this and what sort of amount do you get? Would it be acceptable to have sponsorship from more than one company in the same line of business?

Lastly I am going to be organising a ball with a charity auction and need to try and secure some stunning prizes for this. I am thinking along the lines of tickets to a west end show, signed football shirt etc. Any tips on making my letter requesting these stand out would be much appreciated.

Thank you!

fengirl_2

You have said you are fundraising for the charity, so all your applications go in the name of the charity. I assume that all the beneficiaries will be the children identified by the charity. When a traust speaks of funding for individuals, it means it won't respond to individual requests for money for a wheelchair, or whatever.
Local sponsorship can be given by any number of local businesses, but you need to offer them something in return and your cause has to something near the MD's heart! This sort of fundraising is a hard slog and you have to have soem very specific ideas of what you want, who for and why.
With raffle, etc prizes, the personal approach works best - letters can easily be put in the bin. A phone call to arrange to go and see the business/person concerned works best.
To describe your children as 'underpriviledged' is a bit old fashioned. It is ususal to either say they are from a deprived area or to describe their need, eg 'disbaled children' 'children with autism', etc.
Does your local CVS not do fundraising courses you could go on?

sprogs

Thanks fengirl,

Not sure about fundrasing courses, I will have a search, not sure when I would find the time to go on one though!

The funding individuals with regard to grant applications makes more sense now, so thank you for clearing that one up for me, it opens a few more doors for applications. And yes, all of the funding is used for the benefit of the children. Reading through some other posts on the board I have also now discovered the funder finder software to help write my applications, I also have the letterhead for the charity so the letters will all be in the charities name with the number etc. on.

'Underprivileged' is the word the charity currently uses, I agree that it doesn't sound quite right though and I am sure it could be changed. The area certainly isn't deprived, although I guess all areas have families that for a variety of reasons are in financial hardship. The charity funds children that show an aptitude/talent for performing arts and without the funding from the charity would be unable to receive training. There are also children that benefit from the training for other reasons such as health or social issues, as far as I am aware there are no disabled children at present. So 'deprived area' and 'disability' don't apply - any other suggestions on a better way of wording it than 'underprivileged'?

fengirl_2

Your local CVS will probably have Funderfinder and possibly also Grantfinder. A fundraising course may only be one or two days and will pay off.
In terms of describing the children, the fact that you are not in a deprived area could mean that 'your' children are even more disadvantaged if they are from poorer homes in an area of relative affluence, eg children around them may have no problems accessing dance lessons, but your children can't for whatever reason and so are at a disadvantage. You could also give some stats regarding the children, eg x% are from one parent families, x% are from families where no one works, x% of the children are carers of a parent, etc etc.

GiveItBack

sprogs wrote: »

Secondly I would like to investigate sponsorship - local Estate Agents for example, and offer them the opportunity to support the charity financially in return for advertising their business on the school newsletters etc. Has anyone done this and what sort of amount do you get? Would it be acceptable to have sponsorship from more than one company in the same line of business?

Since the other parts have been covered and there's not much I'd add, I'll do this bit.

How much? Well it depends on who reads it, how many people read it, where is it read etc.
More than one of a type of company? Well that depends too. there's nothing wrong with it but you *might* get more from each if you make sure they know they'll be the only ones in it.