REALTOR® Magazine Online: Be Prepared to Be Sized Up

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Good Neighbor Tool Kit: Leading a Charity
The Art of Fundraising

Nonprofit Nuts and Bolts

The Art of Fundraising

Recruiting Volunteers and Keeping Them Happy

Marketing and Public Relations

Leadership and the Board

Good Neighbor Tool Kit Main Page

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Be Prepared to Be Sized Up

There are a lot of worthwhile causes out there. And a lot of well-meaning people behind them. You’ll have to separate your charity from the pack. Today major investors in philanthropic causes expect the organizations they support to fulfill certain basics. Here’s how to impress them:

Incorporate. Most philanthropies are incorporated and have been classified by the IRS as a 501(c) (3) charitable organization. Contributions made to such organizations may be deductible on a donor’s federal income tax return.

Focus your purpose. Worthwhile charities have a clear, focused purpose that they present to potential donors. As well, the most successful philanthropies tend not to duplicate services already available in a community.

Let people know who’s involved. Fundable charities have a clearly identifiable leadership—voluntary and/or paid—who are willing to come forward and be associated with the organization and its cause. You and the friends you involve in your cause must be willing to stand up publicly for it.

TIP: It never hurts to be associated with leading members of the community. For example, if you’re working to improve education, involving an important local educator will very likely help your efforts.

Look like a winner from the start. This is always a difficult issue for young organizations, but the more an organization is capable of showing its ability to raise money and manage its funds appropriately, the more likely it is to be supported. Funders like winners.

Have a plan of action. Whether your organization is devoted to staging one annual event or pursues ongoing activities related to its stated purpose, you must have a clear plan of action for achieving your objectives. The better, stronger, more thought-out a plan of action, the more likely you’ll be able to enlist support for it.

TIP: Most philanthropic organizations, as they evolve, develop multiyear strategic plans that allow them to project appropriate growth and seek necessary funding to support it.

Build a track record. Another hurdle for young charities and an all-important one for motivating donors: the ability to show real capacity for achieving your stated objectives. If you don’t have a track record, be prepared to explain over and over just why you think you can do what you want to do.

Become a fixture in your community. The fact is funders most often give to charities they know—and to charity representatives they know. It’s simple human nature. Seeking support from people you know and cultivating relationships with potential donors is at the heart of successful fundraising.

How Much Should You Spend on Fundraising? >

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