Charities should build a business case…
June 18th, 2009Wanting to raise funds for a charity? Build a business case.
If you can convince a company how their support of your charity is going to help build their business – just like any other external proposal they will seriously pay attention.
If you are continuously pitching for charity and donations you are going to be directed to the same person who is turning everyone else away. And that’s no help!
Pitch a business case, you will talk to different people and if it is compelling enough they will take you up on it.
Raising money from the general public? Do they same. Make giving a donation compelling enough that people desire to give you funds.
Tags: business case, charities, charity, fundraising, raising money
This entry was posted on Thursday, June 18th, 2009 at 7:51 pm. 
June 18th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
Great post Ben. I think a really great recent example of an NZ organisation asking for and receiving immediate support from their service consumers is The Big Idea. (http://thebigidea.co.nz)
Last week The Big Idea advised the users of its fantastic website that it was facing a $20,000 deficit for the year end 30 June. They clearly stated why they are facing this shortfall and simply asked that those who use their services make a donation.
I liked the pitch of ‘for a cup of coffee’ you can help us.
Simple, straightforward and honest. Those wishing to donate were given the option to do so online or via internet banking with no need to give their personal contact details (and therefore wonder if those details would land on a direct mail/telemarketing database).
Good work The Big Idea!
June 18th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
I work with a number of charities and they are all facing the same problem; people are not giving like they used to. And it’s true if you only “ask” for money you more than likely will continue to get the same answer “No”.
If a good business case is put together this can certainly increase chances of getting a “yes”.
I recently assisted a charity in getting $10k which was urgently needed, how? I wrote a business case, showed what the money would be used for, how it would benefit the recipient and their ‘clients’, and what the business would likely receive in return. Response – “where do we pay the money”.
In this current market charities, like any buisness, need to look at the way they are operating, systems and processes may need changing and most of all adaptation is needed.
June 18th, 2009 at 9:47 pm
@Lee Thanks for sharing, good on them, there is a sense of charities aren’t being straight up with us and when an organisation is you do want to help.
@Graeme What a great example, exactly what I am talking about thanks for that.
Your comments are well appreciated – from the twitter conversations people are tired of being guilted into donating…. and those that will take the initiative will garner the support.