Managing a non-profit can be a very rewarding experience as it will allow you to focus your time on helping others. While non-profits can do a lot of good things, they also can be challenged as they likely do not earn enough money to fund their operations. The first part of raising money is writing a good fundraising proposal. There are several tips to follow that could help you to write an effective fundraising proposal.
Decide the Message and Set the Goal
When you are creating a fundraiser proposal, the most important thing you need to do is create a message that will be conveyed. You should carefully consider the goal of your non-profit and of the individual fundraising that you are doing. You should make sure that all recipients of the proposal and any other marketing materials are able to understand this message clearly. Your fundraiser proposal should also have a defined amount of money that you are trying to raise. You should then clearly dictate when you want to have the money raised and what it will be used for. This will give donors a more direct idea of where their money is going.
Related: The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Nonprofit Business Plan
Propose a Fundraiser Idea or Two
The fundraiser proposal will also need to provide ideas for the actual ways to raise money. Coming up with fundraiser ideas can be a lot of fun. Ultimately, your fundraiser ideas should match your purpose and your target donors. There are a variety of great options including hosting a large banquet, creating a race or other athletic event, or hosting a small concert. All of these can be great options, but you need to carefully consider your purpose and donors to find an event that matches up well.
Related: General Fundraising Tips
Create Follow Up Strategies
Part of the fundraiser proposal should also include creating a strategy to manage the fundraising process and how to address certain situations. For example, you should have a set timeline and fundraising budget. If you are not meeting key benchmarks, you will need to have a plan in place for how to get back on track using different strategies. Having these strategies outlined in an initial playbook will prove to be very helpful.
Related: How to Write a Compelling Fundraising Proposal
When you are trying to create a fundraising proposal, it is important to get other people involved. Fundraisers are always very collaborative efforts. When you are willing to incorporation other people into your fundraiser, it will allow you to work as a team and you could benefit from ideas proposed by other people.