Raising Money in a Soft Economy

Engaging Donors and Sponsors:

1. Person-to-person contact is becoming more important than ever. People give to other people, not to organizations. The value of “face time” can be the difference between a yes and a no.

2. Identify a key contact for individual outreach and set up coffee meetings, lunch meetings, and small gatherings to discuss the organization, the mission, and the current fundraising effort.

3. Let it be known that you are fundraising. If people don’t know that you need to raise money, they will not give. Donors are getting a little tighter on their giving and are investing their resources where they think it will make the biggest impact. If they don’t think you need it in order to sustain, they won’t give.

4. Donors are increasing direct service giving. In a down economy the work of direct service organizations becomes very important. Take the time to educate your donors about how you are a part of the solution.