The Fundraising Factory - Archive for August, 2009

No Fairytales for the Hungry

Monday, August 31st, 2009

I don’t always pick up the phone at Designs by Lucinda but when I do there’s always the chance of enlightenment.  The stories people share with me about their non-profit and the work they are doing can be awesome, inspiring, or heartbreaking, and some times….. a good reminder of the things we take for granted.

Friday I had the good fortune to answer the phone and meet Es Cohen Development Director of Jewish Family Services of Orlando.  She told me she is preparing for a big event in October, an Evening of Valor.  It nets $186,000.00.  WOW!  As we talked, I learned that one of the many services JSS provides in the community,  is food to families in Orlando via the Pearlman Pantry.  Es expressed an interest in selling our End Hunger Pins to raise awareness for the food campaign.

End Hunger Pin

This year they expect to distribute over 100,000 meals!  My first thought was “How can this be? Hunger in Orlando?”  It wasn’t making sense with the image in my mind.  “Orlando…the land of make believe ….where magic comes to life.”  That’s not a place where people risk malnutrition from hunger, or where mothers don’t have enough food for their children, and children go to school unable to concentrate because of lack of breakfast or where the elderly rely on soup kitchens and food pantries.  My inner child screams.  Dammit!  It can’t be true.   

So I put on my big girl suit and I set out to clear up this notion.  I emailed The Second Harvest of Central Florida AND left real live voice messages just in case servers were down.  “Sure” I thought “there’s probably  soup kitchens in Florida serving the poor but certainly none near Disney.”  I would get the answers soon enough.  Patience….. I have been sitting next to the phone all day waiting…… waiting for someone to explain to me this cruel and unimaginable reality.  It’s nearly closing time here and still no word.  They must be out feeding the hungry.  Maybe tomorrow someone will call and enlighten me.  Here’s some food for thought….

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Social Media and the Donor

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

Using the social media network for fundraising and building potential new business/donations is a key component to today’s overall marketing strategy for most organizations. Here are 3 questions to ponder.

Does your donor know you?   As part of your online strategy, integrating compelling videos and pictures will deliver memorable online experiences and promote sharing through your website, Facebook, and Youtube.

Do you recognize the small donor?   The Obama campaign proved just how much small donations had a huge impact.  When you demonstrate that X dollar donation equates to X in services AND give examples such as (X$ donation-feeds 10 families). This creates an online high touch experience for potential new donors and reinforces the loyal supporters choice to give.

Are you accountable to your donors?   With everyone asking for a click donation it’s important to create a high value proposition succinctly explaining how results and long term sustainability will be achieved within your project or organization.  Your donors have the right to expect accountability.

Don’t be fooled though.  Although, social media offers good tools, the click will not replace the necessary human connection that we require.  I use social media for communication but I change the world one pin at time, one person at a time.

Check out Beth Kanter, an expert in Social Media for the non profit.

Let’s stay connected and happy fundraising,
Lucinda

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The Heart of the Volunteer

Wednesday, August 12th, 2009

 

The Tri for a CURE was this past Sunday.  It’s a triathalon, swim, bike, run race to raise money for the Maine Cancer Foundation.  In the dead of winter on a February night registration opened at exactly midnight.  600 woman registered to race, each for her own reason.  It sold out in less than 30 minutes.  I didn’t get in.  Not necessarily a bad thing since I don’t swim well or even like to run.  So I volunteered instead to help at the first leg of the race, the swim.  I was asked to count the women coming out of the water.  A job I could handle… or so I thought.  I was even given a counter to make it easier.  It was a no brainer assignment and I was left at the shoreline to click my counter as each woman finished the swim and headed for her bike.  The goal was to be sure the same number of women who went in the water came out of the water.  Waves of women went into the Atlantic 30 to 40 a time until all 436 were swimming in the 60 degree ocean.   As they finished the swim and arrived safely back to shore, I cheered enthusiastically and loudly for each and every one of them…. and I clicked away.  That part of the race was done and the women had survived the swim. I checked my counter.  It read 587!  How is that possible?  436 went in right?  Perhaps it was my thumb clicking skills.  In all my emotional excitement had a clicked unknowingly?  Had I clicked for every woman who got out of the water and then clicked again as I realized that her breasts were gone!  Or double clicked  for those wearing pink caps designating a cancer survivor!  2 clicks for the survivors of cancer and the survivors of the Maine cold waters?  There were so many.  Did I count them twice because they deserved it?   I was a witness to woman of unbelievable stamina, commitment, dedication and most of all courage.  Whoever assigned me my first time volunteering job was brilliant.  Because they put me in a position where I could have an emotional connection to the cause the experience compelled me to want to help again next year. 

I know my numbers may not have been spot on but my heart sure was.  I know I shouldn’t give you the take away but I can’t help myself.  If you have a first time volunteer put them close to the heart of the cause and they’ll be a volunteer forever.

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Biking Yay! Blogging Yikes!

Tuesday, August 4th, 2009

When it comes to being on my bike I feel really confident, as I should, since I’ve trained to race. I have practiced for countless hours. I KNOW my bike! Inside and out. But when it comes to writing a blog I am feeling a fair amount of uncertainty. This blogging is very new to me. I’ve never done it. I have to practice in front of you! YIKES!!! What if I sound silly? What if I am not clever enough? What if no one likes what I write? Believe me when I say, “there’s enough what ifs that at any moment I could easily slam down the cover on this laptop and walk away” but right now…. I am going to take a deep breath and think this through….Ohm Ohm Ohm…..There’s only one possible way the laptop remains open. I must summon up the courage and fearlessness to press on, one key at a time, one letter at a time , one word at a time. I must resist the the demons marching around the perimeters of my mind taunting those words “You are vulnerable!”. I will replace them with “I can do it. I can do it.” I’m still a bit scared and I think it would help if you would stay with me here. I need to know you won’t let me down. Could you reassure me that you are here while I hunt and peck my way along the blog road by…..um…. Posting a comment? Everyone needs a hand every now and then. I appreciate you holding mine. I did it. You can do it too! Posts away!

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