Grassroots Institute for Fundraising Training

5.1 Networked Fundraising: Raising Money to the Third Degree

jennifer — Tue, 01 May 2012 02:53:13 +0000

Read the feature article from the May/June 2012 issue of the Grassroots Fundraising Journal:

Bowl-a-Thons can be great fundraisers. But what happens when you take it to the next level by doing a networked event in multiple cities? A must-read for any organization that has chapters, members, or affiliates in multiple cities.

Download (PDF, 163.77KB)

4.4 AAPIP Promotes “Democratic Philanthropy” through Queer Justice Fund’s Missed Opportunities Report and New Giving Circles

jennifer — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 22:01:36 +0000

by Theo Yang Copley

It is probably no surprise that there is a long-standing need for funding for organizations that support Asian American and Pacific Islander LGBTQ communities, but I was surprised by just how little funding these organizations get. The numbers tell the beginning of the story: in 2009, the amount of foundation funding to all LGBTQ organizations was 0.2 percent, and the amount of those resources going to LGBTQ AAPI organizations was 0.7 percent. Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP) has produced a new report, Missed Opportunities: How Organized Philanthropy Can Help Meet the Needs of LGBTQ Asian American, South Asian, Southeast Asian, and Pacific Islander Communities by Alice Y. Hom, Director of the Queer Justice Fund (QJF). It is the first of its kind to summarize key issues facing LGBTQ AAPI communities, document the current lack of philanthropic investment, and make funding recommendations that will benefit individual lives and strengthen AAPI communities.

Missed Opportunities is a major milestone for the Queer Justice Fund, an incubation project of AAPIP that stemmed from their National Gender & Equity Campaign. The QJF report puts into practice AAPIP’s principle of “democratic philanthropy,” which “calls on both organized philanthropy and individuals to support the development of practices that begin with the vision of communities first, and that draws on the assets of those communities as the starting place for any blueprint to maximize their potential.” In addition to being a roadmap for foundation funding, the report also serves as a useful tool for individual giving though a collective vehicle such as the LGBTQ AAPI giving circles, which the Queer Justice Fund is helping develop.

AAPIP is engaged in a five-year giving circle campaign to grow fifty giving circles across the country, with fifteen already existing. The Queer Justice Fund is currently helping individuals in two cities—the Bay Area and Washington DC—to create giving circles. Hom remarked, “I am excited about the opportunity to inspire individuals to organize and develop more LGBTQ AAPI giving circles in cities where they can support their local LGBTQ AAPI groups and organizations. These giving circles are tapping into peoples’ desire to give back to organizations that have helped them when they were first coming out. They want to keep supporting the work because they know firsthand how important it is when they find out how little funding is given.”

The report documents the challenges facing LGBTQ AAPI communities. Discrimination and harassment—especially bullying in schools for LGBTQ AAPI youth, social and cultural stigma including familial homophobia, immigration issues such as citizenship status and language barriers, poverty and economic insecurity, health disparities and lack of cultural competence in the health care system, and homophobia in religious and faith-based communities are all examined.

As a Chinese American lesbian, I am personally familiar with how LGBTQ AAPI organizations make a big difference in individual lives. I experienced firsthand the complexities of talking directly about my sexual orientation to family members. I often hear stories of people who found the safety and support of LGBTQ AAPI organizations literally critical to their survival during the time of their coming to terms with their sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as the process of coming out to others. LGBTQ AAPI organizers have to balance sometimes urgent needs for affirmation and mentorship from individuals experiencing disconnection and homophobia with the need to work on social, cultural and educational programs and policy work that addresses more macro-level challenges.

Although these organizations are severely underfunded, they do a lot with what little they have. The current lack of funding means that LGBTQ AAPI organizations have traditionally been volunteer-led. This leads to higher levels of burnout in staff and increased turnover, resulting in less programmatic continuity and a sense of organizations always being “in crisis.” Missed Opportunities describes how capacity building and infrastructure investment will give LGBTQ AAPI organizations a more solid foundation: developing outreach and communication strategies that better reach the diversity of AAPI immigrant communities, building partnerships with other AAPI organizations working in different sectors as well as with LGBTQ organizations and other organizations focusing on intersecting issues, and seeking sustainable funding sources in their communities.

Networks and partnerships are very important in multiplying the impact of existing organizations. For example, the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA) is a young national organization featured in the report that has used multi-year funding from progressive foundations to connect LGBTQ Asian American, South Asian, Southeast Asian and Pacific Islander organizations, and to build organizational capacity of local LGBTQ AAPI groups. It is a resource in countless ways for professionals working to support LGBTQ AAPI communities. In addition, the report describes how LGBTQ AAPI organizational relationships with AAPI faith-based organizations are greatly needed. One potential impact is that given the shifting demographics in this country, alliance building and partnerships with ally organizations will help achieve rights for all LGBTQ people.

I think it’s intentional and strategic that AAPIP has launched the Queer Justice Fund as part of its mission to promote “democratic philanthropy.” Its first steps were to learn about and educate on the assets and the needs of LGBTQ AAPI communities, and make clear recommendations for funding—for foundations and individuals through giving circles. Its next phase has multiple goals: advocating for increased foundation funding to LGBTQ AAPI organizations to increase their capacities, and providing leadership and support for LGBTQ AAPI giving circles so that some funding can come from impacted communities through a community building and fun social model. I am personally very excited to hear more about the new giving circles as a vehicle for community philanthropy and am looking forward to getting involved.

Another version of this post originally appeared on the AAPIP and Resource Generation Blogs.

For more information about the Queer Justice Fund or LGBTQ AAPI giving circles, please contact Alice Y. Hom at alice@aapip.org or visit www.aapip.org

4.2 The Importance of Follow-Up

jennifer — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:00:16 +0000

Dear Kim:

I recently sent a letter to the founding director of our organization and asked her to consider being on our event committee. I never heard back from her and so I formed the committee without her. But now I have heard through the grapevine that she is a little hurt not to be included on this committee. It is our 30th Anniversary and the event is a really big deal. She had her chance, so I am not sure what I am supposed to do. Ideas?

~At a Loss

Dear At A Loss:

You are indeed at a loss—a loss of common sense! If you really want someone on a committee (or really want someone to do just about anything) you have to follow up your letter or e-mail with a phone call. How do you know she even got the letter? You say “she had her chance” as though she missed an opportunity to get a free trip to Fiji or to go out with the person of her dreams. But what she missed was a chance to volunteer time and expertise helping this event be successful. Your event is going to flop if you approach all the people you are inviting with the same lack of care and concern you show for this person.

What you should do now is call her and apologize that you didn’t call before. Tell her you got overwhelmed and her name slipped off your radar (don’t indicate that you never intended to call unless you really want to make things worse.) Ask her if there any way she could consider coming on the committee now? I find that many people are very forgiving if you are genuinely sorry. They know what it is to be busy and if she really wants to be part of this, she will say yes.

Then I suggest you think about your approach to asking people to do things, and ratchet it up from the “one letter and you are out” attitude to “Let me try several times to make sure I know what the person really wants.”

Good luck!

~Kim Klein

3.31 Solving the Problem of Budget Cuts by Raising More Money

jennifer — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 16:00:56 +0000

Dear Kim:

We have lost a lot of funding in the past two years and have cut out every possible unnecessary expense. We are now going to cut all professional development which includes conferences and workshops. The fact is that each member of our staff either has a conference they love to attend, or would like to go to a workshop where we can get new ideas and meet other people who have our same jobs in other organizations. The total cost of each of us of going to our favorite learning event is about $3000 including travel. In a $750,000 budget I think that is not so much. I also think it builds morale to let people get out of their daily grind once in awhile. My executive director, who attends meetings all over town all the time, does not agree and says this is a necessary sacrifice.

What do you think?

~Friday Night Blues

Dear Blues:

I am with you all the way. Mostly I think that solving all budget problems by cutting expenses is a fast road to a quick death. You solve the problem of budget cuts by raising money, as you would know if you were allowed to come to any workshops I give. Cutting needs to be seen as the last resort, when all else has been tried.

Also, eliminating whole line items is a lazy approach to trimming the budget. If you have tried everything to raise the money (which I doubt very much) and you come up $3000 short, then the whole staff should sit down and decide together how to save $3,000. One organization I worked with realized they had a rider on their health insurance allowing them to see an acupuncturist, but none of them ever used that, so they got rid of it. Presto–$1,000. Another organization investigated their insurance coverage and found a cheaper policy, and still another threatened to move their checking, saving and credit accounts to another bank unless fees were lowered. And their bank lowered their fees. But the important thing is that everyone pulled together and looked for real savings in a variety of line items so that no one person or department bore a disproportionate load.
Keep in mind also that most professional associations have scholarships and small grants to help people who could not afford to come otherwise. Many foundation program officers have small amounts of discretionary money for just this purpose.

To end, I do some shameless advertising: A very affordable and excellent conference will happen here in Oakland August 10-11 called “Money for our Movements: A Social Justice Fundraising Conference.” It is sponsored by GIFT and if you register by March 31st, you will save $100 AND be invited to join me for a free conference call to get more tips for how to cover your costs: www.grassrootsfundraising.org/conference. See you there!

3.27 Submit your proposal for 2012 Money for Our Movements

jennifer — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 18:34:43 +0000

Thank you for offering to serve as a workshop presenter and/or discussion facilitator for Money for Our Movements: A Social Justice Fundraising Conference. We are excited to read your proposal! Please submit your proposal no later than March 30th.

We know that preparing a workshop proposal takes time and energy, and we appreciate your willingness to do this voluntarily. If you have any questions while filling out this proposal, please contact Conference Co-Chair Ryan Li Dahlstrom at ryanli@grassrootsfundraising.org.

In Solidarity,

Nisha Anand and Ryan Li Dahlstrom

Conference Co-Chairs

Money for Our Movements: A Social Justice Fundraising Conference

3.6 Apply by 4.11 for the Los Angeles Fundraising Academy for Communities of Color

jennifer — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 01:45:13 +0000

This skills building program for people of color led nonprofits focuses upon donor development within a multicultural learning setting. Offered by CompassPoint Nonprofit Services and the Grassroots Institute for Fundraising Training (GIFT), the academy includes dynamic training, one on one coaching and peer learning so that executive directors, development staff and board members can create new fundraising practices within their organization and better results in drawing community support.

3.2 Build Your Toolkit for Civic Engagement

jennifer — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 03:51:03 +0000

Read the feature article from the March-April 2012 issue of the Grassroots Fundraising Journal:

Starting a 501(c)(4)? Learn fundraising lessons from three longtime 501(c)(4) organizations on how to find new donors, how to ask members to donate, as well as how to integrate fundraising strategies and messaging with political education.

Download (PDF, 268.52KB)

2.23 Complicated In-Kind Donations

jennifer — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 18:00:59 +0000

Dear Kim:

I have a board member who has offered to let the person who sells the most tickets to our upcoming event use her beach house for the weekend. She doesn’t rent her house normally, so she wants to know how she can value this gift so that we can write her a receipt for her donation. Do you know how we should go about this? To add to the dilemma, she will probably be the winner, and even so she wants a deduction.

~Have the Cake and Eat It, too.

Dear Eat It:

For an absolutely accurate opinion on this, you should consult a lawyer with nonprofit experience. This will cost you money, so I will offer common sense: 1) A person can’t win the prize that she offers, so your board member must excuse herself from the running unless she really doesn’t want other people to use her beach house. 2) If she insists on being in the running for her own house, I doubt your board members will compete vigorously if they know she is the likely winner, so the incentive of this prize is probably not that great. 3) You can thank her for offering her house, but as it is not a bed and breakfast, your organization cannot name a value of this prize. It is very clear that she cannot deduct the value of a prize she owns if she wins (what would that even mean?) The board chair (hoping this woman is not that) needs simply to call her and explain that while the organization is grateful for her generous offer, the organization cannot be in the business of independently valuing something like this and offering a deduction for it. The board chair should advise her to take this matter up with her accountant (who will probably have a good laugh!)

Good luck to you!

~Kim Klein

Register today!

jennifer — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:17:19 +0000

Join us for our 4th biennial Money for Our Movements: A Social Justice Fundraising Conference, August 10-11, 2012 at the Oakland Marriott. ¡I n s c r í b e t e H o y ! 10 y 11 de Agosto, 2012, Oakland Marriott, “Dinero Para Nuestros Movimientos: Una Conferencia de Recaudación de Fondos para la Justicia Social” Visita nuestra página web para mas información.

March 6th: You’ve Got the Gift, Now What?

jennifer — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 02:00:40 +0000

Practical Ideas for Donor Cultivation. A GIFT webinar featuring Stan Yogi. Donors are not ATMs. They’re people who believe in your organization’s work and want to know how you’re achieving the vision for change that they share with you. As with any relationship, your organization’s relationships with donors should be multidimensional and grounded in open, two-way communication. Join us for this webinar to discuss practical ideas to maintain and deepen your relationships with supporters.