While Everyone Else is Fundraising…
( How To Survive a Fundraising Campaign )
Barbara Madonna
Library Director
Gloversville Public Library
Matthew Blumenfeld
Fundraiser
Financial Development Agency
Paul Mays
Architect
Butler Rowland Mays
Architects
Nov. 4, 2016
Who We Are
Barbara Madonna
Library Director
Gloversville Public
Library
Matthew Blumenfeld
Principle
Financial Development
Agency
Paul Mays
Architect
Butler Rowland Mays
Architects
Expectations
• How the workshop developed
• Not a ‘how to’ workshop
• Why the topic is important
• General fundraising, project specific fundraising, capital project
fundraising
Format
• 5 Topics
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Thinking about a campaign
In the campaign
Ending the Campaign (wind down)
Post Campaign
FAQs
• 3 presenters with 3 points of view
• Barb, Library Director
• Matt, Principle, fundraising
• Paul, Principle, architecture
Goals for Today
• Key items to think about before starting
• Tips and ideas for running a smooth campaign
1. Thinking About a Campaign
a. Why are you fundraising? What is your project? Why do you need to
fundraise? What is your non-monetary goal?
b. Who will be doing the soliciting? What other aspects of the project
need to be worked on at the same time and who will be doing that
work? What is YOUR role in the project? Is everyone in agreement
about that role?
c. Where is the campaign office? Do you need a campaign office? Where
will it be? Equipment, furniture, supplies. Who will have access? What
hours?
Recommendation: Preparing your staff and the public.
Recommendation: Plan for the Library to function.
Thinking About a Campaign
a. What are the financial resources you think you’ll need to get you from concept to completion?
b. What type of expertise will you need?
c. Is the community on your side and what are their concerns?
d. How does your type of library impact your campaign?
e. How do you test your readiness?
f. How do you bring new skills on board?
Recommendation: Prepare your staff, Board, Friends, etc. to understand that this will be a multi-year process.
Recommendation: Identify and develop a list of skills you will need from volunteer leadership. Recruit new
leaders as necessary.
Recommendation: Test your campaign readiness with the community and develop a flexible plan.
Thinking About a Campaign
a. Clarify project funding vs. Project costs
b. Look at funding issues holistically
c. Prioritize high-profile/high impact projects
Recommendation: Understand Hard Costs, Soft Costs, and
Total Project Costs.
Recommendation: Identify ALL Potential Funding Sources
(PFS) – whether achieved or not – private fundraising, grantwriting (by year), member items/bullet aid,
referendum/bonding, capital account/savings.
Recommendation: Identify what High-Profile/High-Impact
means for the COMMUNITY,
not just staff, board, and patrons.
2. In the Campaign
a. Time management
b. Find more WHOs
c. Stay informed; Keep your staff informed.
Recommendation: Protect yourself
Recommendation: Protect your staff
In the Campaign
a. Is our board ready? Is our staff ready?
b. Are our communications ready?
c. Are our government relations where they need to be?
d. Have we recruited and trained appropriate campaign leadership?
e. Is our plan working?
f. Are we on schedule and if not what’s the reason?
Recommendation: Focus on appropriate communications at appropriate times.
Recommendation: Build campaign momentum internally first.
Recommendation: Develop and implement targeted strategies for top tier donors.
In the Campaign
a. Adjust project funding and develop ALL costs as separate lineItems
b. Advocacy public
c. Advocacy private
Recommendation: Keep identifying prospects for project
funding. “Water fills a partially-full bucket quicker” (old
Greenwich Proverb).
Recommendation: Costs as line items allow potential matches to
funding sources (public or private) to be made.
Recommendation: Carry out at least two levels of intimacy in
approaching donors. Special maneuvering may be necessary for
certain donors.
3. Ending the Campaign
a. Next step: Done or Continue Campaign
b. Transition: Transition the library, your staff and the
community?
Recommendation: Create a back up plan for if you fall short of
your goal or succeed wildly. How will you cope?
Recommendation: Think about the next step early. It might
take a while to put the pieces together.
Ending the Campaign
a. Are our donors happy?
b. Have we planned adequately for recognition?
c. Are staff, board and campaign leadership still motivated?
d. Recommendation: Make the community phase of the campaign about the community.
Recommendation: Consider ramping up a planned giving initiative
Recommendation: Begin to plan for a more active annual fund drive.
Ending the Campaign
a. Special attention to key stakeholders
b. Ongoing Efforts (never an end)
c. New Public Reaction to Tangible Results
Recommendation: Special tours for key stakeholders,
meet at their office/home to discuss results.
Recommendation: Think forward to selling annual
budgets, with a cost-benefit display (personal for key
stakeholders).
Recommendation: Be prepared for increased energy
and potential new sources once the project commences
– how will the funding be managed?
4. Post-Campaign
a. Does life go back to normal?
b. Community Relations
c. Positive Feedback
Recommendation: Thank yous
Recommendation: Continue
Post-Campaign
a. Celebrate
b. Planned Giving
c. Keeping donors engaged and involved
Recommendation: Be creative in recognizing and acknowledging all donors, volunteers & staff
Recommendation: Activate planned giving program
Recommendation: Build the Annual Fund drive
Post-Campaign
a. Continue Selling – show value gained
b. Emphasize the “Winning Team”
c. Recognize, recognize, and then recognize.
Recommendation: Meet with Parochial Groups (Local History,
Seniors, Toddler Parents, Home Schoolers, etc.) to discuss what
they have gained, and what they want next – you now have a
new perch and new credibility.
Recommendation: Everyone wants to be part of a winning
team. Show how they contributed, and what it accomplished.
Recommendation: Not just name plaques. Tie to the
community history. Tie to other partners. We’re all in this
together.
5. FAQs
Barb
Matthew
Paul
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world;
indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.
- Margaret Meade
Follow up
Barb Madonna, Director
Gloversville Public Library, 58 E. Fulton St, Gloversville, NY
[email protected]
518-725-2819
Matthew Blumenfeld, Principle
Financial Development Agency, 49 S. Pleasant St., Amherst, MA
[email protected]
413-253-0239
http://www.financialdevelopmentagency.com
Paul Mays, Principle
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QHXLZ6V
Butler Rowland Mays Architects, 57 W. High St, Ballston Spa, NY
[email protected]
518-885-1255
Survey