Right strategy crucial to fundraising success
BY PENNY WARDLE
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Is there a fundraising formula for Marlborough community projects? The committee behind the building of Renwick's Giesen Sports and Events Centre says yes. His name is Ross Anderson.
Mr Anderson's fundraising debut was leading the Hospital Equipment Trust appeal to raise more than $1.5 million for new ultrasound, MRI and CT scanners for Wairau Hospital.
"I was hooked," he admits.
Since then, he has helped raise money for Stadium 2000, the Blenheim Rowing Club and the Giesen Sports and Events Centre.
A new theatre for Marlborough is his latest project.
Rule No1 in Mr Anderson's fundraising book is strong control by the fundraising manager.
Community fundraising projects could involve a lot of well-meaning people all keen to rush out and raise $5, when with a planned approach $5000 could be raised with the same effort, he said.
Rule two was having a high level of organisation and structure.
For the Giesen Sports and Events Centre project, Mr Anderson created a business plan outlining trustees' responsibilities, with "a business tree" setting out who needed to do what and when.
Credibility is Mr Anderson's third fundraising rule.
The whole concept of capital gifting required a project to have high credibility.
In the Giesen Centre example, highly respected Renwick publican Warren Croft was appointed patron.
"Capital gifting is about making people feel a part of your project."
A clear audit trail for cash received was essential to meet Inland Revenue Department requirements and donors must be sent an acknowledgement of the amount pledged.
Of course, a good cause was essential, as was buy-in from the local community, which in the case of the Renwick centre extended throughout the Marlborough sports community.
A structured launch presentation has been part of Mr Anderson's fundraising formula. Money spent on a memorable occasion such as the champagne breakfast held to raise funds for the Renwick sports and events centre was a good investment, adding status to the project and building goodwill with invited guests.
Naming rights as well as gold, silver and bronze pledges offered the opportunity for donors to be seen as good corporate citizens.
Tight control must be exercised over the capital-gifting period of five or six weeks from when the launch was held, Mr Anderson said. No other fundraising should be carried out at this time, as this could detract from the main event.
"Someone who has bought a $20 raffle ticket, for example, might feel they've already done their bit for a project and say no when they're asked to fill in a $3000 pledge card."
Gifting should be structured so it was not too onerous. In the Renwick sports centre project, for example, donations were tax-deductible over four years and there was a right for donors to opt out if circumstances changed and the pledged amount was no longer available.
However, every event Mr Anderson had been involved with resulted in a larger sum of money being collected than was originally pledged.
Attracting capital gifts was all about networking, Mr Anderson said. People invited to an initial launch function were expected to pull in more donors.
Asked whether fundraising would be more difficult today given the current economic climate, Mr Anderson insisted there was no good time for fundraising. There would always be plenty of people who would say no.
However, each project tended to attract people dedicated to that particular cause.
"There is no substitute for planning and hard work," he said.
Someone who has bought a $20 raffle ticket, for example, might feel they've already done their bit for a project and say no when they're asked to fill in a $3000 pledge card....Ross Anderson, fundraiser
- The Marlborough Express
