Presenter: Kim Klein
Klein and Roth Consulting
Klein and Roth Consulting helps organizations build strong
fundraising programs that are mission-driven. We provide
practical, hands-on advice on how to build a broad base of
individual donors, grounded in social justice values.
Kim Klein is the author of Fundraising for Social Change and
Reliable Fundraising in Unreliable Times. She has taught
fundraising in all 50 states and 21 other countries.
Sponsored by: OCCUR
www.kleinandroth.com
You will expand your knowledge about how to:
 Create a clear compelling message
 Build a list of people who would give to your
organization
 Feel comfortable asking for money
 Motivate board and volunteers to raise $
 Find ways to help your program raise money
which work for you

Are most people: 70% of adults

Give to 5-10 organizations each year

Equal numbers of men and women

60% of money given comes from families with
incomes of $90,000 and under

# 1 reason people give: someone asked them
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Go from this:
“Please, please,
please…”
To this:
“I think you would be
interested….”
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 What does your org most believe?
 What does your org do to act on its
beliefs?
 What is your track record?
 How much money do you spend?
 Where do you get your money?
 Who is involved in your organization?
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--your website,
--your e-newsletter
--a friend
--a special event
--dropping by your office
Would I know that you raise money
from people like me?
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Invite a legacy gift
(bequest):
Invite the donor to give
thoughtfully:)
Invite the donor to give over
and over
Invite the first gift
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We invite people to:




Make their first gift by…
Make their second, third,
fourth gift by…
Increase the size of their
giving by…
Ask them to consider
leaving us a gift in their
will by…
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TIME IN
MONEY OUT
Strategy
In person asking
Personal Phone Call
Personal Letter
Phone-a-Thon
Direct Mail (Acquisition)
On-line
Special Events
Response Rate
50%
25%
10-15%
5%
.5-1%
Varies
Varies
Financial Health
Requires Diversity
Sources/Strategies
Board and Volunteers
Make his or her own gift
•
Gift should be significant to that person
Participate in fundraising in SOME WAY
• People have different talents, desires, time
availability, connections and social skills
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




State the vision
Name three accomplishments
Describe three goals for the current year
Know the total budget
Talk about how the organization raises $.
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I, Betty Lou Board Member, will:



Give $500 before November 1.
Help raise $1000 by hosting a house party at my house in
May.
 GOAL: 20 new donors @ $50-100 each
Work on annual general meeting.
I prefer not to:
Participate in the phone-a-thon
I will not:
Come to the auction—sick of those!
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Ideally this includes the board, but does not
need to only be board members.
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Looking Beyond the Board:
Who else can you invite to join your
fundraising team?
1.
2.
3.
4.
www.grassrootsfundraising.org
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One Thing Will Never Change:
Personal face to face asking
Nothing takes the place of face to face asking
www.grassrootsfundraising.org
1. Success is asking
Fundraising is a volume business
Tip: Create a visual which shows
# of asks completed
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2. Be OK with NO
People say no. “No” has nothing to do with you.
People say no because:

They have too much else on their minds

They have given already to someone else

They don’t have the money

They need to think about it
BUT MEAN NOT NOW OR MAYBE:
“I’ll get back to you.”
“I have to ask my partner/spouse.”
“I haven’t had time to look at your
information”
“Send me something in the mail”
“I’m giving to so many other things right now.”
“Yes, I’ll send something later”
3. Believe in your cause
Don’t ask everyone.
You don’t need to ask people who:
4.
•
•
•
•
Are just going to ask you back
Owe you a favor
You don’t like
Really don’t want to
Ability:
Gives away money
Belief:
Cares about this cause or
something similar
Contact:
You or someone you know and trust knows
the prospect.
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Example: $2,000
Need:
10 at $200
Or
1 @ $500
2 @ 250
5 @ 100
10@ 50
Need 3X as many
prospects as gifts.
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Create a chart of possible prospects:
Name Relationship Gives $ Cares? Ask for:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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Create a chart of possible prospects:
Name Relationship Gives $ Cares? Ask for:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Max
ex-husband
Mary
cousin
Jose friend
Susan
colleague
Georgia book club
Milagros neighbor
never
Yes
Yes
??
Yes
Yes
hardly
yes
lobbyist
Sort of
probably not
definitely
7.
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time of day
$150
houseparty
Bake sale
---$500
Use a combination of letter/e-mail, phone call
and face to face to face meeting
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Have ready:
Opening sentence
 Message for VM
 Most exciting thing
about the project
 Where are you toward
the goal?
 How much do you
want?

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Ask different types of questions:
How did you first hear about us ?
How long have you lived here?
How is that donut shop that just opened?
What is most compelling about this issue to
you?
I got involved in this because….
The most surprising thing to me about this issue
is….
I loved meeting people who have been giving
for a long time because….
I have a dog, too….
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Problem:
Donors’ biggest
complaint: “I am
treated like an ATM.”
Solution:
Be in touch when you
don’t want money.
Appreciate what the
donor has done
already
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Important
Live here
Not important
Not here
Urgent
Not urgent
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Magazine and e-newsletter
Grassroots Fundraising Journal
www.grassrootsfundraising.org
Books by Kim Klein
Reliable Fundraising in Unreliable Times
Fundraising for Social Change
Other recommended books:
Working Across Generations by Robby Rodriquez, Frances
Kunreuther and Helen Kim
Accidental Fundraiser by Stephanie Roth and Mimi Ho
Order from www.josseybass.com or your local bookstore
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