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You may think that there is no need for your church to have church fundraising guidelines, but it never hurts to have them. With all the different groups of people interacting for a fundraising effort it is helpful to draw up some guidelines that will make clear the boundaries of fundraising, and what is expected from everyone on all sides.

Having clear church fundraising guidelines is an easy way to make sure that everyone involved in your church fundraiser knows exactly what is expected of them, which is important.

Guidelines are just a simple way to outline the church’s code of fundraising ethics, and its expectations for fundraising conduct. This can be especially helpful if you tend to have large fundraising teams or teams with kids on them, as it may result in people who aren’t aware of what they can and cannot do. Having clear church guidelines can help avoid any confusion.

Continue reading ‘Setting Up Church Fundraising Guidelines’ »

One of the most important and sometimes overlooked strategies to maximize giving at your benefit auction is to include a “Fund-A-Need” program. Charities around the world have been utilizing this method to energize their auctions and inspire their guests, increasing their revenues dramatically. This program should address a specific need of your organization and directly involve the donors in your cause, making them feel a greater commitment to your organization. If done correctly, you will never regret it.

So why should you utilize a “Fund A Need” program? Shouldn’t the auction be sufficient to draw in the donations that will be available? One of the reasons is that there will always be “losing” bidders at your auction. These guests came and attempted to give their money to your organization but the potential donation is still in their pocket. Occasionally, there will also be guests who are not fond of the competition of an auction or are not interested in the items for sale. They are also there to give, but need another means to do it. The direct appeal for a specific need allows every type of giver to become involved. It does not limit participation to those at certain levels of giving. Surprisingly, more money is often raised during the “Fund-A-Need” program than throughout the auction itself. Just as important, it inspires the guests at your event and makes them more aware of your organization’s needs.

Continue reading ‘Benefit Auctions – Why You Should Include a Fund-A-Need Program’ »

Grant writing is not creative writing. It is a form of technical writing in which you respond to prompts as you write to a rubric. Aligning your proposal with the questions in the grant application is a key to smart grant writing – although, surprisingly, many grant writers don’t do this.

A section called “Scoring Criteria” or “Selection Criteria” appears in almost every RFP (request for proposal, which is what a grant application is often called). This section contains the list of questions you must answer in your grant narrative to score points. Organize your entire proposal after the organization of these questions. Answering questions in the order they are asked makes it easier for a reader to score your grant. You don’t want to make it hard for the reader to figure out where in your proposal you answer each question!

Here are a few more grant writing tips along this line:

1. Turn the questions in the scoring criteria into statements to use as headings in your grant narrative.
2. Answer each question separately instead of weaving several questions together – as much as space limitations allow.
3. Use words and phrases from the questions in the scoring criteria when expressing your answers to further clarify which question you are answering.
Continue reading ‘Smart Grant Writing Tip – Align Your Proposal With the Questions in the Grant Application’ »

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Most nonprofit organizations that are planning a charity auction event find a way to get the centerpieces for the tables donated, or at a reduced cost. Professional charity auctioneers and event organizers sometimes differ on their opinion of whether to sell the centerpieces or not. Some believe that it is too much to ask of the guests who are already paying to be there, but some see it as another opportunity to raise money for the cause. Whichever way that you decide is right for your organization; here is a fun way to sell centerpieces without overdoing it. It is used as an icebreaker to get everyone in the crowd involved and it raises some quick money in the process.

When your auctioneer takes the stage to start the auction, have him select a volunteer at each table and ask them to stand. They will be the “auctioneer” for their table. The real auctioneer will give them 30 seconds to sell the centerpiece of the table for as much money as possible. They can only take bids from people sitting at their table and are encouraged to use an auctioneer chant. After the 30 seconds is over, determine which “auctioneer” raised the most money for their centerpiece. If possible, have a simple award for the “Champion Auctioneer”. If this is an annual tradition, there may even be a past “Champion Auctioneer” in the crowd that can be recognized. Continue reading ‘Charity Auction Centerpieces – A Fun Selling Idea’ »