There, I wrote it. I'm entirely unimpressed with fundraising thermometers when used during Fund a Needs. Thermometers were rolled out with great fanfare from the auction software vendors who created them. As proceeds pour in, donations are tracked against the goal. Guests see it play out on a screen. Vendors like to say the tool boosts audience engagement. But does it? At a school auction meeting last month, the hired auction checkout guru asked if I wanted to use it. "The school is ... Read On >
fund a need
Setting Fund a Need levels vs creating levels on the fly
I'm not a gal who likes to fly by the seat of my pants at a gala. I prefer a high level of preparation so I can better adapt when something does go off script. One place I've made spontaneous changes has been in the Fund a Need. My preference is to set paddle raise gift levels in advance, but here's one example where a spur of the moment change was warranted. At the event, my initial ask was to be $25,000, working my way down to smaller donation levels: $20,000 $15,000 ... Read On >
Skip the silent auction; put your focus on the Fund a Need
Later this month (June 26, 2017) I'll be speaking at Planet Philanthropy, the annual statewide conference presented by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Florida Caucus. My topic will focus on Fund a Needs. As I prepare for that talk, I want to revisit a blog post I wrote for fundraising consultant Lori Jacobwith last year, when she asked me to speak to her Ignite Fundraising Club members in January 2016. Here's my take on why nonprofits – primarily smaller ones – should bypass ... Read On >
[VIDEO] Raising money for Haiti by focusing on the Fund a Need
In May I worked with a dedicated group of fundraisers in Louisiana whose gala raises money to build homes for some of the poorest of the poor in Haiti. Each new home costs a mere $5000. The emphasis at this gala is on the Fund a Need. Though there is a live auction, it's only three or so items. Most of the focus is on the Fund a Need. I thought this group went above and beyond by building a shack onsite. It visually demonstrated to guests what many Haitian families use as a home. ... Read On >
VIDEO: Your Fund a Need auction advocate
If you're interested in running a Fund a Need auction, today (June 23) at 3 PM Eastern time, I'm offering a live webinar called Fabulous Fund a Needs. (Buy the DVD here and you'll be registered for the webinar today). I've written before about them. A growing portion of my business is devoted to doing nothing but the delivery of these speeches. And that's the sub-section I'm writing about today ... the trend of skipping a live and silent auction and just offering a Fund a Need. Each year I ... Read On >