Top 10 Fundraising Mistakes
There are a number of common reasons why many community groups find that their income is not matching their expectations. If
your fundraising efforts are lagging, check out the following to see if one of these common culprits might be to blame.
1. "I don't like asking for money."
Most people are understandably shy about asking for money. But you need to remember that giving to a good cause isn't a loss,
it's a gain. It offers a chance to become involved with something larger than your own concerns. If you believe that your
organisation's work is worthwhile and important enough to give freely of your time, money and passion then you shouldn't mind
telling other people about it.
If the community group of which you are part has motivated you to get involved, then there's a fair chance it will do the same
to others - but they can't get involved in sharing the passion if you don't give them an opportunity to do so.
2. "Stiff as a Board."
If the Board isn't committed to the giving process, you're really going to have a job selling it to the average punter out
there.
The Board has to lead the way if everyone is going to get behind the task of seeking donations. Don't be afraid to bring it
up, and don't be afraid to ask the question. Many are not in a situation to give much themselves, so don't ask for much - but
rich or poor, all Board members should give enough to involve a little sacrifice.
3. "Who was that unasked man?"
If you don't keep full records of every contact with every potential giver - donors, clients, passers-by, customers,
audiences, correspondents, suppliers, guests at your last fundraiser who have asked to be kept in touch with your group - you're
throwing money away.
People who have had some contact with your group are much warmer prospects than those who have never been involved with your
group. A database is so important in knowing whether they've given, how much, how often, when and how.
4. "I don't need help."
There are so many resources available for fundraisers these days that there is no excuse for lagging behind and feeling
uninspired. Have you checked out Our Community's free online help sheets (they're at www.ourcommunity.com.au)? Have you looked over our Raising Funds and Easy Grants newsletters
and other publications? Have you checked out the material available on the internet, at your local library, and in the
bookshop?
Fundraising skills aren't something that everybody's born with, but they can be learned. Just knowing that other groups have
been in the same position and have found solutions can give you enormous encouragement to go on.
5. "We just play it by ear."
Every community group needs to set fundraising goals. If you don't have goals, you're never going to know how you're going
(until the day you realise you are in financial trouble).
Successful fundraising relies on tight monitoring at all stages, and that involves having fixed goals and strategies that can
be assessed, or achieved, or modified.
6. "The dog ate my homework."
If you don't throw yourself into the hack work of identifying the particular details and interest of your donors they are
unlikely to give you money. There's nothing that irks a foundation or individual more than getting a one-size-fits-all submission
that hasn't been thought through.
Personalise the pitch to the prospect and concentrate on the area where their values and yours meet.
7. "I could have got that one."
You can miss out on grants and other funding opportunities if you don't keep abreast of what's out there. You also can't
complain about other organisations winning funding if they put in a grants funding application and you didn't.
Identify six to seven grants each year and get the dates on your calendar so you can meet your submission deadlines. Kicking
yourself the day after the closing date is seldom productive.
8. "First among equals."
If you don't treat your donors well they'll go elsewhere. You have to build a significant lasting relationship where they go
from being a once-off donor to someone who makes multiple pledges year after year.
It is a matter of not only valuing their contribution but reinforcing how their donations are used for the benefit of the
community - and what else you could do with more resources. The bigger the donor, the more fuss you should make of them.
9. "We've always done it this way."
If your organisation has been conducting a special event for years, and it hasn't really grown in income or participants, it's
time to re-evaluate. Many organisations make the mistake of conducting an event again and again because "we've always held a golf
outing in June." When an event stagnates, either reinvigorate it or pick a new one.
10. "The magic words."
Your donors are under no social or moral pressure to give you a thing, which is why you must thank them when they do. Send
your thankyous promptly. Hand sign them. For big donations, send a handwritten note and an invitation to one of your events. Make
the donor feel good about their donation; make them believe that they have entered into a rewarding relationship with an
organisation that appreciates them. Say thankyou because it's the right thing to do, and because donors who feel valued are much
more likely to donate again.
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