|
|
|
Volume
7, Issue 1 - January 2005 |
|
 |
|
In
This Issue:
 Sign
Up for Future Newsletters!
If you find this newsletter helpful and interesting,
there’s only one way to keep receiving it —become a part of the email
subscription list.
If your email address changes or you want to add a
second address, just send me an email with the new or additional
information so you don’t miss out on a single issue.
IMPORTANT: Remember to include your email address
printed carefully and clearly!
THANKS!
Click here for the
electronic form
"I
love your newsletter! It's refreshing, fun
and filled with helpful hints"
Toni Paglia,
Director of Development, The ARC
Syracuse, New York |
|
|
Make Your Special Events
"Special" |
Why do special events work so well when they are properly planned and
executed? Many people attend or participate in special events for the event
itself, not just to benefit your organization or cause. This is good news,
because it allows you to extend your “reach” beyond your traditional base of
donors and supporters. So think outside the box and try some new special
event ideas to tap into new target markets. You’ll likely raise more money
and tell new people about your organization while you are at it!
Necessities
Several things are necessary for a successful event.
Plan well in advance, involving all
volunteers and key staff. Ensure the plan speaks about what needs
to happen, who is responsible for each step and when it will be
accomplished. Budget early, based upon the
plan and the goal for the event. This allows
you to adjust expenses or revenues accordingly.
Of course, volunteers are critical to a
special event. Look to nontraditional sources of volunteers, such as service
groups, churches, colleges and universities, fraternal groups, etc. Put
volunteer responsibilities in writing. The more complicated the
volunteer’s task, the more important it is to make the responsibilities
perfectly clear.
PR and Publicity
Use the traditional resources of print and electronic media. Target
your message to those who will want to attend. Use email announcements. Fax
invitations instead of mailing them. Promote events on your web site and allow
for ticket processing electronically. Billboards. Bus panels. Celebrity spokes
persons. Proclamations. Company newsletters. Get creative!
Revenue Sources.
At some point, your revenue will be capped by the number of tickets
sold , size of space, or participants possible. Here is where sponsorships can
have a positive impact. Budget carefully and recruit sponsors or in-kind
contributors for every expense item from food to program to printing to
decorations.
Thanking and Recognition.
Well, duh! Of course you will thank and recognize every
contribution of time, money, goods or services. Thank sponsors at least three
times - when the pledge is made, when the money is received and after the event
to show what that contribution leveraged, the results, what the money was used
for, etc. Thank volunteers in a meaningful manner. You want them back again next
year! And finally, be timely with your thanking. Don’t put it off for several
weeks because you are too busy with other things.
Life Cycles
All events have a life cycle. It looks like a bell curve, and you
should be aware of whether your event is rising, flattening out or declining in
revenue. Before the decline begins, look at what you can do to breathe new life
into the event. Change the date. Change the place. Change the theme. Or realize
that it is time to replace it with a different event. Plan ahead and phase in a
new event before the current event is worn out.
Some Great Special Events Ideas.
Nonevents are great ways to get creative
and have fun without all the hassles of a real event. Try a virtual event
handled entirely by email, for example. Visit
www.nonevents.com for
some good ideas.
Raffles can be great revenue additions to
special events. Sell an arm’s length of tickets at time (get an additional one
“free”). Try a raffle to win a box of gift certificates grouped by theme or
category. Make the drawing a media event with local or national celebrities.
Corporate/Business Events. Looking for
ways to get corporations involved? Try a corporate spelling bee, an indoor golf
tournament, a crazy Olympics with a rubber chicken toss, paddle balls, etc.
Auctions are traditional, so make yours
new and exciting. Display the silent auction items with pizzazz. Use a celebrity
auctioneer who cruises the silent auction tables with a microphone to increase
interest in bidding. Group smaller items together. Use Mystery Boxes.
See other special event ideas
on this web site. Purchase your copy of Fast
Fundraising Facts for Fame & Fortune and see a full chapter on special
events ideas and their success factors.
Back to Table of
Contents
|
Things to Know...Places
to Find Them
|
IRS Questions
If you are confused about nonprofit tax law or have questions about
the IRS Form 990, there is help available from the IRS. The Compliance Guide
for 501( c)(3) Tax-Exempt Organizations, publication 4221, is a compliance
guide that explains record keeping, return filing and disclosure rules. You can
download it free at
www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p4221.pdf or order it by calling 1-800-829-3676.
Cause-Related Marketing is Growing
US Corporations are embracing cause-related marketing and plan to
increase funding for these types of programs according to the 2004
Manufacturer and Retailer Cause-Marketing Attitudes and Practices Study (www.causemarketingforum.com).
While corporations still view cause-related marketing as providing social
benefits, they are increasingly expecting these types of programs to deliver
profits as well, according to a national marketing study performed by PowerPact
and commissioned by the Cause Marketing Forum.
In fact, 81% of the companies polled stated that sales impact is a top factor
when deciding whether to adopt a cause-related marketing program. Some of the
key factors in developing effective programs included the ability to localize
the causes, customize programs and determine the degree to which businesses can
engage their employees. Another study (www.sponsorship.com)
estimates that cause-related marketing will approach $1 billion in corporate
spending in 2004.
Nonprofit Jobs on the Increase
A recent report, Employment in the Nonprofit Sector, found
that the growth rate for US nonprofit sector was 2.5% while the growth for
business was 1.8%. 42% of all nonprofit workers are employed in health care; 22%
in education. Social services employment showed the largest growth. You can see
the entire report at
www.independentsector.org.
AFP Compensation & Benefits Study for 2003
The Association of Fundraising Professionals has released its 2003
survey. To see the full report at no cost, you must be a member (www.afpnet.org)
but a summary was published in the September/October issue of Advancing
Philanthropy. Nonmembers can purchase the full study for $75 through the AFP
Education and Career Development Department at ().
Back to Table of
Contents
It was inevitable. A charity comes up with a great idea for
increasing donations, other charities pick up on the idea, aggressive taxpayers
start abusing the idea, and the government reacts to the abuse by creating
stricter reporting requirements for the donors and donees. Such is the case with
vehicle donations. As a result, the disclosures required by both taxpayers and
charities for vehicle donations will change for contributions made after
December 31, 2004. Inflated charitable deductions are not usually the fault of
the recipient charities; nevertheless, the new reporting requirements fall
squarely on the charities.
For donations of motor vehicles, boats, and airplanes made after
December 31, 2004, and valued at more than $500, the taxpayer must file with the
tax return a written acknowledgement from the charity. The charity must also
provide a copy of the acknowledgement to the IRS. If the charity sells the
vehicle (such as in fundraising) without intervening use or
material improvement, the amount of the deduction for the donor
will be limited to the gross proceeds of the sale. It is the charity’s
responsibility to notify the donor of the sale price of the vehicle. If the
vehicle is to be used by the charity in the performance of its exempt
function, the acknowledgement must be provided within 30 days of the
contribution of the vehicle. If the vehicle is to be sold to raise funds for the
organization, the acknowledgement must be provided within 30 days of the sale of
the vehicle.
There are significant penalties for organizations that fail to
provide the acknowledgements as prescribed by regulation or that provide false
or fraudulent acknowledgements. Therefore, it is imperative that all charities
that receive or will be receiving donated motor vehicles, boats, and airplanes
be aware of these new regulations.
Printed with permission from Nonprofit Notes, Rhonda
Williams, Barraclough & Associates, Santa Fe
Contact for
details.
Back to Table of
Contents
There is a great monthly newsletter about special events called Special
Events Galore! You can order it for $79/year from Stevenson
Consultants. Their web site is
www.stevensoninc.com
or call them at (712) 239-3010. I received 3 sample editions and they are
terrific! They also have other interesting newsletters, so check them out.
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is making major gifts and
planned giving training and web tools available for development people. The site
is majorgiving.cpb.org.
Speaking of planned giving, check out the National Committee on Planned
Giving site at www.ncpg.org
for useful and timely updates, legislative affairs and training programs.
Remember, if you are devoting at least one hour every week to Internet
research, you are leaving money and opportunity on the table!
Lots of the sites I’ve found are hot linked from my web site. Of course, from
time to time, organizations and sites disappear, so if you find a broken link on
the site, please send me an email () and let me know. Thanks!
Back to Table of
Contents
Now you can add two great books to your agency library.
The ABCs of Building Better Boards is just what you need to
improve your Board’s potential. It includes ideas for recruitment, retention and
recognition and has some great forms for you to copy and use.
The Association of Fundraising Professionals says of this book:
“Here is a book that every senior fundraiser
responsible for board recruitment and development should read once and then
review annually...takes up where books full of theory fall short...give it a
chance and you will discover a gem to be treasured.”
Learn how to deal with unproductive Board members and how to better define the
roles of staff and Board. There is a chapter on financial and fiduciary facts,
one on simple parliamentary procedure and much much more.
Discover how Board Job Descriptions and annual Commitment Letters will
dramatically improve your Board’s effectiveness. See how a truly effective
Nominating Committee will lead to a better Board.
Get good ideas for more efficient Board management and administration, including
how to set up and manage effective committees.
It’s only $24.95 plus shipping and handling. Take advantage of a volume
discount of up to 20% and give this book to all new Board members as part of
their orientation.
The 3rd Edition of
Fast Fundraising Facts for Fame & Fortune
is full of ideas to improve your fundraising, including how to ask effectively,
special events essentials and new ideas for fundraising.
Help volunteers get over the fear of asking for money and in-kind resources for
your organization. Learn how marketing principles will make fundraising easier.
Learn about Jean’s Ten Rules for Fundraising Success
and apply them to your organization immediately. This book puts the
FUN into
FUNDraising and gives good examples and ideas that really work, rather than
using hard to follow formulas and theories.
It’s only $24.95 plus shipping and handling. Take advantage of a volume
discount of up to 20% and give this book to all new Board members as part of
their orientation.
Or buy both books for only $45.00 plus $4.50 shipping and handling. Order
your copies today!
Order Now So You Don't Forget
Go to the Order Form to order your copies of
The ABCs of Building Better Boards
and
Fast Fundraising Facts For Fame & Fortune ©
|
Back to Table of
Contents
HOW CAN I HELP YOU?
TAKE THIS QUICKIE QUIZ
|
Please give me a call if you want to turn any NO into a YES. I can help
with:
- turning your Board into a dynamic group of volunteers,
- facilitating a strategic planning session,
- analyzing your current fundraising and suggesting some new ideas, and
- training volunteers and staff in becoming more effective fundraisers.
Back to Table of
Contents
Here is what people have said about my training and facilitation:
“You certainly shifted my paradigm. After hearing you last
Friday, it is the first time in 11 years as an ED that I was excited abut
fund development. And you got my Board members to that point as well. “
Kay
Hopper
RDC for Children, Richardson, TX
“Your seminar in Dallas was the best I ever attended. You
are wise and hilarious.”
Mary Jo Dorn
Catholic Charities of Dallas
"Jean conducted an extremely well
organized and productive [Board] retreat, one that I can
say with confidence that our members count as the finest
ever conducted for us. Jean's follow-up report was
in-depth and meaty, and both Board and staff have
referred to it time and again. The knowledge of
boardsmanship the members took with them has made a
remarkable difference in their levels of commitment and
support."
Eileen Cook, Executive Director
Casa Esperanza
"Jean Block is a powerhouse in the
Non-Profit world. You don't move about these circles long before her name is
prominent in the conversation. Her commitment to training, fundraising,
motivating, and cultivation is unsurpassed. To say she is an influence is
to miss the point. She gives new meaning to the word enthusiasm! You don't
know Jean, you experience her! She is a force unlike any other I have every
met."
Randy Gleason
Randy
Gleason Consulting, Inc.
“Your training was invaluable to me. I dreaded doing this
because I couldn’t even sell someone a candy bar in the past but I was
inspired by your advice to try. I raised about $377,000!
Joan Shepack
Keystone Botanical Garden, El Paso,
TX
"I attended the Corporate
Sponsorship Workshop - WOW! You were amazing! What an OPPORTUNITY for me!
Your presentation style was EXCELLENT. By
far the best workshop I've been to in a long time (content and style
both!)."
Vicki
Kopplin
Epilepsy
Foundation of Minnesota
Jean Block
Consulting, Inc.
7915 Cliff Road NW
Albuquerque NM 87120
(505) 899-1520
Fax (505) 890-5285
Email:
Back to Table of
Contents
Return to
Electronic Newsletter Archive
If you wish to be notified
whenever a new issue of our newsletter is published, please fill
out the form below with your name and Email address and we will
add you to our electronic mailing list.
If your email address changes or you want to add
a second address, just fill out the form again and put a note in the
"Comments" section.
"I
love your newsletter! It's refreshing, fun
and filled with helpful hints"
Toni Paglia,
Director of Development, The ARCRC
Syracuse, New York |
Jean
Block Consulting Home Page | Search Our Site |
Free Newsletter |
Buy the Books! | Training and Workshops |
ABCs of Building Better Boards | Fast Fundraising Facts For Fame &
Fortune © |
Retreats and Planning |
Special Offers & Opportunities |
BLOCKbusters - Special Event Essentials |
Internet Resources
for Non-Profits | About Jean Block | Representative Client List
