Top 10 Fundraising Ideas

In the eternal pursuit for funding, it is tempting for community groups to fall back on tried and true methods, relying on just one or two fundraising ideas to bring in all or most of their funds. In doing so, however, such groups are ignoring one of the most important keys to sustainability - the need to diversify your funding base. Ensuring that you obtain funds from several sources means that you reduce the damage done if one of these sources falls though or dries up.

Below we've listed the top 10 methods you can go about raising funds. Think about these methods and how they fit in with your own group's fundraising strategy. Are you doing all of these things? Could you be doing them better?

Tip 1 - Grants

The EasyGrants newsletter and grants education service is Australia's only in-time grants information service which provides a monthly update on all the grants for your community group, school or local government. Grants are ideal if you have a project you wish to get funded. However, a common mistake is for groups to think along the lines of "I need a new [insert desired object here], I'll just get a grant." Grants are rarely given for objects - rather, they are usually given to groups who agree to perform a task or carry out a project. Remember this when you make your applications.

Tip 2 - The Raising Funds Newsletter and fundraising books

Raising Funds is Australia's most practical and best value fundraising newsletter, bringing you an endless supply of fundraising ideas (including everything on this list), as well as interviews with grantmakers and successful grantseekers. How to Find Money Fast is a fun book that lists 50 ways that you can raise up to $5,000, and the Complete Community Fundraising Handbook will help show you how to put in place a sustainable, diverse fundraising program. You can read more about these books by www.ourcommunity.com.au/books.

Tip 3 - Rotary

Rotary clubs are an excellent source for a quick cash injection - provided you know a Rotarian. Rotary clubs will often have several thousand dollars that can be put to quick use for a worthy cause nominated by a member. There are thousands of Rotary members across Australia and most of them are heavily involved in community life so there's a good chance one of them is a member of your community group - or knows someone who is. Lions groups often provide a similar service and so they may be worth approaching as well.

Tip 4 - Donations

You don't necessarily have to have Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status to receive donations (although it is a handy incentive for donors). If you haven't investigated your options why not have a look at Our Community's free Online Donations Facility and see what options are available to you. Alternatively you can email to: donations@ourcommunity.com.au or call us on (03) 9320 6800.

Tip 5 - Membership

Do you charge for membership to your community group? Should you? Membership is perhaps the best regular source of income your community group can obtain - in fact, for many groups membership fees ensure their very survival. Members also form a great group of people who you know support your organisation and can press for a donation or to attend your next event. You should be look looking to increase your membership base by around 33 per cent a year. If you think that's too high then you're probably not trying hard enough.

Tip 6 - Sponsorship

Sponsorship is a great win-win opportunity for both your community group and the sponsoring organisation - they provide you with a little bit of money to help put on your event and you provide them with a great advertising opportunity. There are many different varieties of sponsorship deals but basically they involve a business giving you a bit of money and you providing them with a good plug. To secure a sponsorship deal it is usually best to look for a local business you already have a good relationship with.

Tip 7 - Community-Business Partnerships

Our Community has compiled dozens of free help sheets on all aspects of finding, keeping, expanding and ending community-business partnerships. While partnerships do not necessarily involve cash donations (although some do), they do often involve in-kind donations of goods or pro bono services. Visit www.ourcommunity.com.au/partnerships to find out more.

Tip 8 - Wills and Bequests

People don't like talking about money and they don't like talking about death, so they really don't like talking about wills and bequests. That's a shame because but they really are a constructive way for someone to leave a legacy to an organisation they were involved in during their life. It's a relatively simple thing to do - just ask people if they would like to remember your group in their will and tell them how to do it. We recommend that the donation of anyone's estate should be organised in consultation with a lawyer. See our help sheets on this topic for more.

Tip 9 - Tenders

In the current climate of increasing privatisation of government assets and services it is increasingly common for governments at all levels to contract out community services. This has created a great opportunity for community groups to get some extra funding for things they were already doing, or to take on some extra roles. Because they are the people on the ground community groups are often the best people for these sorts of jobs. But beware: this can come at the cost of your independence, and it may divert you from your mission.

Tip 10 - Sale of Goods and Services

Finally, just because you're a community group doesn't mean that you can't sell your goods and services. In fact countless community organisations have one thing or another that they sell, from advice in the form of books and newsletters to food at the cooperative to in-home care. As long as any "profit" is put back into the organisation, you are still non-profit.

Remember to constantly review your fundraising plan. You can always be doing something better and have more money at your disposal that will help you to make an even greater difference.