Create Your Fundraising Toolkit
Fundraising and development are top-of-mind for all nonprofits — effecting social change takes major resources! It’s easy to think big and jump straight into the pursuit of grant funding and corporate sponsorships, but it’s always best to take a step back and make sure you have everything you need to make those major wins happen. Before courting these larger sources of revenue, you’ll want to make sure you have a few necessities in place:
- A clearly articulated mission statement
- A compelling sales pitch
- A strong appeal to individual donors.
Once you’ve developed these tools and established a solid foundation, you’ll be much better equipped to move forward and grow your funding.
Are you aligned on your mission, vision, and values?
If you ask each of your board members to explain what your organization’s mission is, would they all have the same response? Nonprofits at all stages have reported “no” on this question, from fledgling startups making a name for themselves, to established agencies looking to pivot their purpose after 50 years of programming.
First, take the time to align yourselves internally on your organization’s mission, vision, and values. Then, you’ll be able to communicate a strong, unified message to potential donors, inspiring them to act in your favor.
Need help with this? Get professional, pro bono help on these projects: Mission, Vision & Values, Brand Messaging
How effectively can you sell your organization?
Once your organization is aligned internally on who you are, it’s time to convert that information into a persuasive sales pitch. Just like any business, a nonprofit needs a strong one-to-two minute pitch to effectively “sell” potential supporters on its cause. Whether you’re talking to a potential corporate sponsor or your next door neighbor, it’s imperative that you can speak about your organization in a way that quickly and effectively communicates:
- Who you are
- What you do
- and why people should care
The ability to deliver a strong elevator pitch will empower you to leave a lasting impression on anyone who’s listening, and ultimately mobilize more supporters to help.
Need help with this? Get professional, pro bono assistance on these projects: Elevator Pitch Creation, Perfecting Your Pitch, Public Speaking Coach
Do you have a strong appeal to individual donors?
Add an emotional layer to your sales pitch in a one-page appeal to individual donors — it’s a key element of your fundraising toolkit. It may seem small-scale, but it’s important: 72% of nonprofit charitable funds come from individuals. Moreover, a strong appeal to individual donors will help you form the foundation for larger proposals in the future; in asking for support, you’ll need to clearly articulate:
- Why you need the funds now
- and how exactly this money will help you better serve your beneficiaries.
Be sure you have a thank you letter lined up as well to express your gratitude and ensure continued engagement with your supporters!
Need help with this? Get professional, pro bono assistance on these projects: Individual Donor Letter, Thank You Letter
Reminder: Streamline your fundraising efforts with templates.
Once you’ve perfected the art of selling your mission and motivating others to support your cause, you’ll be prepared to appeal to benefactors of all shapes and sizes. However, applying for grant funding from companies, government agencies, and foundations is a time-consuming process, so you’ll want to make sure you have properly systematized the process. Consider developing a template, which outlines your organization’s mission, strategic plan, activities, and budget, that you can customize for each proposal. When that first partnership comes to fruition, it will have been worth all the ground work you put in!
Need help with this? Get professional, pro bono assistance on these projects: Grant Template, Fundraising
Still not sure where to start? Want to learn more about leveraging Catchafire for your organization’s Fundraising needs? Reach out to our Nonprofit Advisors at help@catchafire.org.
