About the Author
Amy Passmore
Amy Passmore is a fundraising for nonprofit organizations, clubs, schools and groups. Visit her website,
DIY Fundraising for fundraising tips and techniques.
One of the key aspects of any fundraising activity is letting people know what your monetary goal is. Your organization should decide how much money you need to raise and what you are going to use the money for. Then you need to let your members know what part they are supposed to play in the fundraiser.
Has your child ever come home from school with a brochure in his or her backpack and told you they needed to go sell some candy or wrapping paper? Did your child know what the money was going for or how much was needed? Did you know, or was this the first you heard of it? A fundraiser will be much more effective when such basic information is clearly communicated.
One useful tool for communication during a fundraiser is a donation thermometer. You've probably seen them before. These are usually do-it-yourself displays on poster boards or signs.
Fundraising thermometers are good for motivating both your volunteer sales force and your donors. They state your goal at the top and are updated according to the progress you're making towards your goal.
You should place donation thermometers in prominent locations, of course. You can make posters and place them indoors. Or, you can make a weatherproof sign and place it outdoors. You can also put ads in your local newspaper so that the entire community is aware of the progress of your fundraiser.
Do you have a website for your club or group? I recommend putting a fundraising thermometer on it. If you do a search on Google for fundraising thermometers you can find a couple to put on your website. Even if you don't use a fundraising thermometer you should remember to post regular updates on your website to let people know how your fundraiser is progressing.
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Published by Amy Passmore on August 30, 2006 02:24 PM
