The Fundraising Factory -
Posts Tagged ‘Fundraising’
Sunday, July 15th, 2012
At my fundraiser brunch to benefit the Maine Cancer Foundation I promised I would let you in on a few of the recipes and also the results of my fundraising efforts. It’s probably not the best idea to experiment with new recipes on guests but I have been known to be a risk taker and rule breaker. Is anyone thinking Pat Benatar right now? No, Okay. Anyway, I tried a few new recipes out on my friends/guests and this one was definitely a hit so I knew I needed to share it with you. By the way I raised a few thousand dollars from that brunch. Now that’s some sweet! If you are interested in how I did that just click this link. I am not finished fundraising for MCF yet but you can be sure that I will let you know the final tally when I am done.
Meanwhile, here is the recipe for this cute little finger dessert. What you will love about this besides for the fact it’s chocolate is that it is super easy to make and can be done a day in advance.
Chocolate “Salami” for Fundraising Brunch
What you need:
1 (12 oz.) pkg. semisweet chocolate chips. I used Godiva but Hersey’s will do just fine.
1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract
1/2 Cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, sliced into 6 to 8 pieces
2 Cups (1/4 of a 12 oz. pkg) vanilla wafer cookies crushed into crumbs 1/3 Cup sliced almonds. I bet you could try walnuts and also add dried fruits cut up into small peices as well if you wanted to get a little creative. I am thinking dries cherries would be good. I mean chocolate and cherries. That’s a YES!
raspberries and mint for garnish
What you do:
1. Melt the chocolate using a double boiler or a metal bowl or saucepan that will rest on top of another sauce pan. Fill the bottom pan half way with water. Put the chocolate and butter in the top pan. Heat the water over med/low so the water is barely steaming. After about 1 minute, gently stir the chocolate and butter. Every minute or so stir. Once about 80 percent is melted remove from heat and continue stirring until the mixture is melted and smooth. It should be just warm to the touch.
Add the vanilla, cookie crumbs, almonds. If you went the creative route now would be the time to add dried fruits.
2. Put the pan in the freezer until the mixture is slightly firm.
3. Spray a large sheet of plastic wrap with vegetable cooking spray. Spread the mixture evenly along one long side. Roll to form a log shape about 21/2 to 3 inches in diameter and 10 to 12 inches long. Place the log in the freezer for at least an hour until firm or overnight for use the next day.
4. Remove the log from the freezer about 2 hrs before plating and cut into 1/2 inch slices. Garnish with raspberries and mint.
5. Watch them disappear!
Tags: brunch, chocolate, dessert, fundraiser, Fundraising, Maine Cancer Foundation, Tri for the cure
Posted in Fantastic Food, Fundraisers, Fundraising Events, Personal | No Comments »
Tuesday, June 12th, 2012
Joanne Fritz asks the question in her blog post today. Are QR codes reaching their tipping point? She sites Joe Waters statistics that 14 mil. mobile users are scanning. This piqued my curiosity because at the BlogWorld Conference in NYC this past weekend Scott Stratten actually spoke about QR Codes in his session on the 7 Deadly Sins of Social Media. Oh you missed a good one! NO worries though I found this short You Tube clip of Scott titled The Problem with QR Codes. It’ so worth the 2 minute watch especially if you need a good laugh right now. He’s a hilarious teacher. The Comedy Channel needs to pick him up. Ok, enough of my obsession with Scott Stratten.
Image is from http://www.blueglass.com/blog/qr-codes-bridging-online-and-offline-marketing/
Prior to Blogworld, I have been experimenting with QR Codes, putting them on the fundraising LULU Cubes. People can find additional information about the Non Profit just by scanning. It also serves as another avenue/vehicle to give. It can’t hurt provided the link is working.
What about using QR’s for a merchandising fundraising campaign by applying a QR Code to whatever it is your selling. As an example, I provide an informational/functional promotional card for my fundraising pins. On the inside is a blank area for an org to adhere a sticker with whatever additional message they want to include in the card. It is the perfect space for a QR Code and message.
I want to take advantage of all the tools out there and non profits can too! Take Stratten’s advice, think and you use them correctly.
Are you are you using QR Codes? I’d love to know if they are proving results and I bet other readers would as well.
Thanks for sharing and have a Scan Good Day!
Lucinda
Tags: Fundraising, on line marketing, QR codes, social media
Posted in donations, Fundraising Tips, Marketing, social media | 3 Comments »
Tuesday, May 29th, 2012
Maine’s Tri For The Cure is in 6 weeks. If you have been following my blog then you know that I am not only raising funds for the cause but racing in the triathlon as well.
Last week I was out on a “training” ride of about 15 miles. Half way through the ride I realized I had forgotten my water bottles and was really thirsty and began obsessing in my head how dry my mouth was and wanting really bad some H2O. No sooner had I “wished” I had some water when the skies opened up and it began to pour rain. I chuckled to myself as I know all too well that you do get what you ask for. Or put another way, be careful what you ask for, you just may get it!
My bike ride was a good reminder. Be mindful of thoughts. They are the most powerful tool you have when it comes to creating a desired reality. A goal or dream was never achieved without imagining it first. And remember a wandering mind leads to a lost soul. Don’t let your mind drift, really focus on where you’re going, whether it’s winning the race or imagining your next best self!
Tags: bike, cycling, Fundraising, insight, inspiration, Maine cancer, Tri for the cure, triathlon
Posted in Fundraisers, Fundraising Events, Personal | No Comments »
Thursday, April 19th, 2012
The Play it Forward Lulu cube has been launched! It happened in the small town of Peoria, Illinois on April 17th. That’s the day that the YWCA’s Leaders Luncheon was held. The YWCA is the largest provider of homeless services in the community. The average age of a homeless person in Peoria is 10 years old; a hard truth to accept.
It was my privilege to be the keynote speaker.
Not only was I excited about being able to share my personal story of homelessness but I was also able to revisit how Designs by Lucinda was born in 1989 as the creator of pins with purpose that helped the homeless. The YWCA had 3 wishes. More volunteers, more people talking about their cause and more donations.
As the keynote unfolded it became clear that the audience held the hope for changing the lives of the homeless in Peoria. They learned that they are part of the solution. As the speaker, I wanted to give them MORE than something to think about as a take away. I needed to give them some thing to do, a simple and easy call to action. An action step that would satisfy the 3 wishes of the YWCA. Ah! I knew just what to do. I would give them a physical take away, something they could actually hold in their hands. My newest fundraising idea, LULU Cubes would be perfect!
The Play It Forward LULU Cube is designed as a fundraising donation bank to be passed along from one person to another until the bank is filled with coins or bills. As the cube is passed along the organization also gains exposure and visibility. The donors become engaged with the organization. YWCA, all 3 wishes are your command! As the final note to my keynote the LULU Cube was launched right then and there!
The audience left with LULU Cubes in hand and I wondered how many other hands they will reach, how many new people will learn that the new homeless, 10 yr olds and about the services the YWCA is providing to those children and their families. I said a silent little prayer “let the LULU Cubes be filled”. As I watched my ever so attentive audience depart one by one toting their LULU Cube, I smiled as I realized that was my applause!
You can see what happens and follow the LULU Cubes in Peoria on this Facebook Page.
Tags: Fundraising, homeless, LULU cube, speaker, YWCA
Posted in Fundraisers, Fundraising Events, Fundraising Products, Giving, Personal, Speaking Engagements, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 4th, 2012
It’s seems I have been living in the dark ages until I found
Pinterest. It is a content sharing service that allows you to pin images you like to so called boards and share them. Fair warning, let me tell you first hand it is addictive and more likely so if you possess the creative gene.
So I got to doing searches on the Pinterest site for patterns. Looking for some inspiration and ideas I wanted to see if anyone had pinned any pattern designs to boards and sure enough hundreds immediately popped up on my screen. Talk about an IV drip of inspiration. Wow I was as I would say out of my mind.
To my surprise bazillions of pinners are into patterns just like me so I thought it would be fun to share a few of my own. We have been designing patterns for 20 years and using them as part of the many fundraising pins we make. The patterns shown here will be used as the sides to
LuLu Cubes and also for the dresses on some of my
Women Pins. Coming up with new patterns and designs is so much fun. My secret desire? Sometimes I wish to turn them into fabric and wear them!
Cactus Tile
Marble Kaleidoscope
Watermelon Soup
Tags: Fundraising, Patterns, pins, pinterest
Posted in Fundraising, Fundraising Products, Patterns, Personal, Pins | No Comments »
Tuesday, October 18th, 2011
Did you know that October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month? Designs by Lucinda is honoring that month in several ways. First, you’ll notice that this blog is posted in purple, the symbolic color for domestic violence. Also, we are highlighting a great nonprofit that has been a long-time customer and powerful advocate against domestic violence–Turning Point of Lehigh Valley.
Turning Point is a place where victims of abuse and their children can find emergency shelter and support services. Annually, the agency assists over 5,000 victims of domestic violence. In addition to providing support to domestic violence victims, Turning Point’s mission includes working toward ending domestic violence through education and increasing community awareness.
Designs By Lucinda is proud to say that we have been able to work with this great agency since 1992 to help reach these goals. All of Turning Point’s services are free, so in order to provide shelter and related services, the agency relies heavily on fundraising. Designs By Lucinda pins and earrings have been a staple in these fundraising efforts. In the last 19 years, Turning Point has utilized these custom pieces of art to raise over $100,000. Quite a chunk of change for a product that sells for around $16 per item!
But just as important is the continued conversations and awareness that the pins spread. In fact, when we asked Anne Mayer, our contact at Turning Point, how the pins have helped her organization, she was quick to acknowledge that the uniqueness of the pins creates intrigue and conversations. It’s the perfect opening to share the mission of Turning Point. Anne also noted that fundraising with the pins is easy because volunteers often handle the pin sales either through their workplaces, at various other venues, or as walking advertisements when wearing the pins. It is a hassle-free way to spread the word about domestic violence while generating revenue to provide needed services.
As with so many nonprofits, Turning Point experiences ups and downs in donations and fundraising revenue. We asked about the challenges that they experience, and Anne mentioned that sometimes turnover at the volunteer level or within the various businesses where they are sold, can effect pin sales. This shows the importance of keeping in touch with the offices and salons to make sure someone is dedicated to promoting the pins and ensuring that a variety of pins are on display.
We wanted to know what has made the pins a success for Turning Point for over 19 years. Anne’s insight was to have a good selection of pins. Whether you are a domestic violence organization or a housing organization, you should offer a variety of pins to your customers. The traditional pins are important to have on hand, but seasonal pins are also beneficial and increase fundraising revenue. She also follows many of our mottos that have proven to be successful: Wear One and Carry 10 in Your Purse! Point out the fact that each pin is unique. People love things that are original. Lastly, look for easy venues such as doctors’ offices and hair salons because so many women visit these places regularly. These simple techniques have worked for Turning Point since 1992. Designs By Lucinda looks forward to working with Turning Point for many more years.
How you can help.
The beneficiary of Fundraising Friday on October 21st is Turning Point of Lehigh Valley. Turning Point will receive 30% of all individual sales placed on Designs By Lucinda’s website this Friday. Please share this with everyone you know. Let’s all do our part to help! Together we can Change the World One Pin At A Time! Please Share, Care & Give!
Tags: Awareness, domestic violence, Domestic Violence Ribbons, fundraiser, Fundraising, fundraising companies, fundraising ideas, Fundraising Products, Lucinda Pins, merchandise fundraising, non profit
Posted in Fundraising, Non Profit Profiles | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011
Have you heard of the latest epidemic? It’s infecting a large number of people over an even larger area. Word has it that it has spread to 90 countries. Luckily, they have identified the source; it’s called Positivity Nation™. A Maine based non-profit, Positivity Nation™ was established just over a year ago by Lanette Pottle. The mission of the non-profit is to create a world-wide epidemic of positivity…one small act at a time.
For Lanette, positive action takes many forms. She shares positive thoughts on her website (http://www.positivity-nation.com) and Facebook page but she is also very active in her community. She has a particular passion for working with youth and has taken Positivity Nation™ into her local elementary school. In 2011, in celebration of the one year anniversary of Positivity Nation™, Lanette announced the creation of The HAPPY Grant (Helping & Acknowledging Positive, Purpose-led Youth) a funding program for youth ages 12-17 in Washington County, Maine who desire to make a difference in their communities.
To kick start The HAPPY Grant program, Lanette turned to Designs By Lucinda. She discovered Designs By Lucinda while visiting a local business that had the pins on display. She was quickly drawn to the beauty of the pins but more so, she was moved by the story included on the pin card. She thought it was brilliant marketing to attach the pin to a card that shares Lucinda’s story from homelessness to successful entrepreneur, helping thousands of non-profits worldwide. After reading the story, Lanette thought that the pins were a perfect fit for her cause – the same values and a very similar mission to make a change, one small act or pin at a time. She placed an order for 40 Butterfly Pins to help raise money and credibility for Positivity Nation™ and specifically The HAPPY Grant program.
The HAPPY Grant was launched following a pilot classroom program where students were asked how they would use $10 to make the world a better place. With financial help from her facebook friends, she facilitated the execution of 15 student-led projects that helped veteran homes, nursing homes, food banks, animal shelters and the Special Olympics fund for The Beckett Center , a day program in a neighboring city. (…a must read article on two passionate 8th grade boys who developed a basketball event to raise money for the Special Olympics Beckett Bombers Link).
Lanette relies not only on monies raised through pin sales to support this program, but from donations that are made to Positivity Nation™. She receives a great deal of exposure through her website, word of mouth and her Facebook page. In a year’s time she has over 4700 fans! We asked Lanette if she had ever thought about what would happen to Positivity Nation™ and The HAPPY Grant if every Facebook fan purchased just 1 pin to support her program. There was a pause on the other end of the phone and then she replied “that’s an interesting thought”. Perhaps in the moment of hesitation, she was processing what over $75,000 would do to create Positivity….
How you can help.
The beneficiary of Fundraising Friday on June 24th is Positivity Nation™ and The HAPPY Grant. Positivity Nation™ will receive 30% of all individual sales placed on Designs By Lucinda’s website this Friday. Please share this with everyone you know. Let’s all do our part to help! Together we can Change the World One Pin At A Time! Please Share, Care & Give!
Tags: Facebook, Fundraising, Giving, Lucinda Pins, POSITIVITY
Posted in Fundraising, Giving, Non Profit Profiles, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Thursday, June 2nd, 2011
Changing lives through education and housing…concepts that we often don’t think twice about. We take for granted a high school education. We can find ourselves being less than content with the place we call home. Oftentimes it takes a tragedy like the overflowing Mississippi to remind us just how precious our home is in its current condition. The Catherine McAuley Center (CMC) never needs to be reminded of the things that we take for granted. It is their daily mission to offer transitional housing and learning services to those in need. They have been helping people since 1989 and partnered with us shortly thereafter in 1993. They have raised over $100,000 in profits from pin sales that have helped support the center’s Transitional Housing for Women and Adult Basic Education programs. Like many of our customers, CMC loves the money that is raised from the pins, but is quick to note that the pins have greatly increased awareness of the Catherine McAuley Center which no price can be attached.
Catherine McAuley's Custom Pin
CMC’s success with Designs By Lucinda pins is the result of tapping into several outlets. Sure, they use the good ol’ standby- wear one and carry a handful in your purse so that you are ready to sell when someone comments. But they also utilize space in their lobby for all to see upon entering the building, a website store Catherine’s Comfortable Tea. They maximize their staff including board members and the executive director. CMC attends fundraising events, craft shows and farmers markets in order to target different customer bases. We asked for advice on not only where but how to sell the pins. They noted that it is critical to connect the pin to your organization. If you are a shelter, house pins are a must. Education groups should certainly have read pins in stock. They also pointed out that it is important to brand your organization with Lucinda pins. CMC ensures that their organizations mission/story is given to everyone that purchases a pin along with how they can be reached. They have printed stickers that they affix to the Lucinda card, as well as print their own cards. Another bit of advice is to switch things up. Customers love a new look. If you have promoted the same types of pins for a long period, the market will saturate. They experienced first hand how a new fresh look will increase the number of pins purchased by individuals who had purchased in the past.
We ended our interview with a feel good story. Here is what Andrea of CMC shared: “Perhaps the most memorable pin story occurred while selling pins and gifts at a women’s conference in 2010. A woman stopped at our table and immediately was drawn to the Fourth of July pins. She got tears in her eyes and proceeded to tell me how one son had shipped over to Afghanistan the day before and another son and son-in-law were shipping out together the next week. She wanted to buy a pin for each daughter-in-law and her daughter. We talked for quite some time and we were both crying by the end of her visit. Later in the afternoon she returned to purchase several more, one for herself and to give as gifts to others. I’m used to touching other people with the story of the Center and Lucinda. This time, I was the one touched.”
Tags: Custom Pin, customers, fundraiser, Fundraising
Posted in Fundraisers, Fundraising, Non Profit Profiles | No Comments »
Monday, May 2nd, 2011
It is always prudent to research the topic you are writing about. So I went to the Harbor House Crisis Shelter (HHCS) website http://www.harborhousecs.org/. An impressive shelter with a very useful website. What I found to be very relevant was the content of the website’s “needs.” On the top of the need’s list is a powerful request for volunteers. A perfect tie into last week’s blog (Whose valued more? Volunteers or Donors?).
The organization’s mission is to provide shelter and transitional services for homeless women and families. Not only do they provide safe shelter, food and clothing but they dedicate much of their financial and personal resources to educating and preparing their guests to live independently.
We interviewed Rev. Barbara Certa-Werner to gain an understanding of their experience with Designs By Lucinda pins. Keep in mind, HHCS just started selling pins in 2010. They have already purchased 660 pins including Crosses, flowers, hearts with houses and butterflies. Barbara noted that the pins are a great additional revenue source. She noted that the pins open the doors for them to discuss their organization’s accomplishments, goals, needs and the range of services they provide. They are able to leave a bigger impression of the organization’s work and the customer leaves with a beautiful reminder of HHCS.
Barbara noted that although they have only been fundraising with the pins for 1 year, they are already a line item in the budget. The revenues from the pin sales are used wherever they are needed. Whether it is to run the shelter, purchase food, diapers or pay for case workers to ensure that all guests receive transitional assistance. HCCS sells the pins at several different venues including the Wisconsin United Methodist Women’s Annual Conference, the Women’s Expo and craft shows. They rely on board members to promote the pins and they highlight the pins on the front page of their website.
HCCS also taps into the pins cause- related marketing aspect. Barbara noted that they use the pins to draw a connection between Lucinda’s story of homelessness to successful entrepreneur to the very goals of their organization. They even use the pins to honor a guest that has achieved a considerable goal while at the shelter.
In wrapping up our interview with Barbara, we asked if she had a really good pin story. A woman came to the booth at the Annual Conference for Wisconsin UMC, she saw the pins and was so excited about them but she didn’t have her checkbook. She called her husband who drove 2 hours to bring her checkbook. She ended up purchasing 18 pins as Christmas presents for her family and friends. Truly a great story….
The Harbor House will be the beneficiary of this weeks Fundraising Friday. HHCS will receive 30% of all individual sales placed on our website on Friday May 5th.
Tags: fundraiser, Fundraising, fundraising ideas, Lucinda Pins, nonprofit, Tags, Volunteers
Posted in Fundraising, Non Profit Profiles, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Monday, April 11th, 2011
This week we are highlighting a wonderful non profit not too far from us located in Montpelier, Vermont- Prevent Child Abuse (PCAVT). The organization was founded over 35 years ago and continues to help kids by educating parents and bringing to light child abuse issues.
Proactive education is a key to the organizations success in preventing child abuse. PCAVT invests a significant amount of resources both human and financial into Shaken Baby Syndrome training. Training is offered to nearly all parents of newborns in Vermont. PCAVT provides information on how to safely handle stressful moments with infants and the dangers of shaking a baby. With knowledge the organization feels that their will be less cases of shaken baby syndrome. Given the number of training courses that are required (in 2010 they held 169 courses); a large percentage of their budget is dedicated to this cause. PCAVT has formed a powerful partnership with Designs By Lucinda. They sell our Little Pal Pins to help fund the Shaken Baby Syndrome program and to raise recognition for children. They are an ideal image that connects the organizations cause to a pin that is not only worn by women but by men as well.
It is a great communication vehicle that has outreach to both genders. Men love the Little Pal Star pins as they associate them with wearing a sheriff’s badge. Both men and women think the pins are unique and increase visibility for PCAVT. When we inquired further into how the pins have helped their organization, they noted that because of Lucinda’s story, the pins have much more impact and have led to more support for their organization. PCAVT said that there is greater connection between their donors when they hear how Lucinda was once homeless and went on to create an organization with a mission to give back. The organization says that the people who wear the pins become ambassadors for Prevent Child Abuse Vermont through the conversations they start. One teacher even said that “The Kid Pins are getting to be Vermont’s jewelry of choice.” Given this, we asked what outlets they use to sell the pins. PCAVT said they use several distribution channels including stores, restaurants, conferences, schools, through volunteers, at their physical location and on their website www.pcavt.org.
One final statistic that the organization left us with was the number of Vermonters who have been impacted through their training programs in 2010- 37,532. Quite a substantial number of people share their stories and life experiences so the trickle effect was far greater. Thank you PCAVT for your good work and for partnering with us so that we can help in growing the number of people helped by your program.
Tags: fundraiser, Fundraising, fundraising ideas, Fundraising Products, kids, Lucinda Pins, non profits
Posted in Fundraisers, Non Profit Profiles, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
