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16Apr

How to Select a Partner to Help You Fundraise

We at Inspire.World are often asked how an organization can best raise money for their cause. We recognize there are countless ways to raise funds. For example, there are many sites that can help with crowd funding. There are also sites that can provide products that can serve as popular items to sell in fundraisers, think: Pizza, Candy, Cookie Dough, and Wrapping Paper. And there are online sites that will give ideas for a onetime event to fundraise -- for example, a contest or a car wash.

Regardless, it is always a good idea to see what else is going on in your immediate area. Are some of your stakeholders/parents/volunteers likely to be affected by another similar fundraising effort in your immediate area? If you choose to sell candy, is some other organization selling cookies at the same time to a lot of the same people?

If you are looking for a truly customized and easy way to fundraise that goes beyond a onetime event, you may want to consider a partner organization and evaluate them on what truly best fits your needs and the culture of your organization for which you are fundraising.

Ask questions about how much money is required upfront. For example, if you have to agree to purchase a minimum amount of product you intend to sell. Whether you are selling a product, engaging a crowd-sourcing site, or looking for a partner organization that helps assist your efforts, things to consider:

  1. Look at the company’s website – spend some time clicking around to understand what they offer
  2. Check out the organization’s LinkedIn profile – look at how they present themselves to organizations that value their professional fundraising expertise
  3. See if they have a Facebook page – if so, how often do they post and who is commenting on their activities
  4. Last but not least, ask for references or read testimonials or case studies

We’ve found it helps to talk with other people offline and not just rely on doing everything online. Talk with a representative from the organization. Make sure they answer all your questions satisfactorily. Ask for references, it often helps to talk with others that have been in your shoes to see how effectively a partner organization worked on their behalf. Talk with friends and colleagues you know who have also been involved in fundraising efforts and learn from their experiences. And remember, have fun – fundraising is meant to be a way to build camaraderie as well as funds for your cause.

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