Fundraising Guidebook

There are countless books, websites, and other resources available that claim to tell you the ‘secret’ to raising money. Most of them are not worth the cash that you shell out at Borders or Barnes and Noble. Fortunately, there are a few diamonds in the rough that provide comprehensive and concise advice on raising money for a charitable purpose. My current favorite is:

The Essential Nonprofit Fundraising Handbook by Michael A. Sand and Linda Lysakowski (published in 2009 by Career Press)

It tells you everything you need to know in simple and practical terms—all within 224 pages and at a list price of $14.99. This is highly recommended for anyone who needs to raise money.

(I didn't include a link to Amazon, Borders, or B&N to show that I'm not making any money off of this recommendation unlike other bloggers who recommend products/books. You can trust that this is really the best resource out there that I've found.)

The Responsibility of the Wealthy

Andrew Carnegie, one of America’s greatest philanthropists, would likely not approve of the way many of us are using our material wealth. Regardless of how much money we have, Carnegie’s donations provide an example for all of us.

“This, then, is held to be the duty of the man of Wealth:

First, to set an example of modest, unostentatious living, shunning display or extravagance; to provide moderately for the legitimate wants of those dependent upon him;

and after doing so to consider all surplus revenues which come to him simply as trust funds, which he is called upon to administer, and strictly bound as a matter of duty to administer in the manner which, in his judgment, is best calculated to produce the most beneficial result for the community-the man of wealth thus becoming the sole agent and trustee for his poorer brethren, bringing to their service his superior wisdom, experience, and ability to administer-doing for them better than they would or could do for themselves.”

-Andrew Camegie, "Wealth," 1889

Need a Hand?

Need a Hand?

Volunteers can be hard to come by if you don’t know where to look. Here are some places where you can find people who help you make an impact:

Senior citizen centers
Local businesses
Colleges/universities
High schools
Churches/religious organizations
The Chamber of Commerce
Leader development programs (ex. Leadership Nashville, Young Leaders of _________, etc.)

Forget Fundraising

Many people looking to make a difference quickly realize that they will need a certain amount of funding to be effective. The first question they ask is, “How will I get the money?”. The implication is that someone—a foundation, wealthy philanthropist, nonprofit organization, or friends and family members- will need to make donations.

However, many of us have the financial means to support our change-making efforts in the beginning stages. Instead of sticking out our hands and begging for money from others, we should first look at our own bank accounts and determine how much we can give. Then, if more is needed it can be appropriate to ask for assistance. But contributing what we can give should be the first step that comes before asking for money from others.

How does change happen?

How does change happen? This is one of the ‘great’ questions that people have wrestled with for decades. Although I think this is incredibly complex and that we might never really learn a definitive answer to this question, here is one answer from Robert Kennedy:

“It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”
-Robert F. Kennedy, 1966

Impactful Donations

When giving to nonprofits, it can seem like your money goes into a black hole and is never to be seen again after you write the check. It’s important to understand what type of impact your donation can have for several reasons. First, it gives you an incentive to keep on giving. If you know your money is actually making an impact, you’ll want to continue donating. Second, you can help keep the nonprofits and causes you support accountable for creating results.

There are several websites that can provide insight into the impact that your donations are having. You owe it to yourself and the nonprofits you support to understand where your money is making a difference. Check out these sites:

Charitynavigator.org

Guidestar.org

Giving by Getting Married

Getting married this summer? Many single adults already have all of the things they need to start a home. Getting gifts from all of the people who attend your wedding and showers is a blessing, but it can also cause clutter and the burden of finding a place to put a 2nd toaster oven and another set of dishes. People want to give wedding presents as a sign of their love for you. If you’re not in need of any more kitchen appliances and don’t want to deal with finding a place for the olive green vase that your well-intentioned but aesthetically challenged aunt gave, ask friends and family members to make donations in honor of you and your spouse instead.

Regifting

Regifting is oftentimes looked down on because a new item isn’t purchased to give to someone else. But why is this the case? Regifting is essentially just another type of recycling. Plus, you’re still giving a new item. Your thoughts are in the right place, and you want to give someone an item that shows you care about them. There’s no shame if regifting something. In fact, this is something we should encourage! Instead of collecting dust in a closet, perfectly good items can be put to use by someone else. This is recycling at its best.

The Biggest Gift You Can Give—Yourself

There’s recently been a big media emphasis on doing small amounts of giving. This is good because everything that’s given to others, even if it’s only a small amount, can be beneficial. However, many of us can do more than simply focusing on the smallest actions and contributions we can make. Giving in an intentional and sacrificial way can have a much larger impact on others and also on ourselves.

The biggest gift that you can give to others is yourself. What does this mean? It means giving your time, work, and intelligence for the benefit of others. Many of us have developed certain skills that are very valuable and can make a significant impact. Whether you’re gifted in finance, fine arts, sales, or education, these talents can be used to support nonprofit organizations and help others. Think about what you’re good at and how you can transfer those skills to the benefit of others. This is truly a big gift! You’re giving yourself.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Reduce, reuse, and recycle. This is the motto of all the conservation organizations that urge us to change our consumption habits to benefit the Earth. However, we mostly focus our efforts on the last step of this cycle, recycling. It’s important to note that reducing the amount of goods that we purchase is the first step. However, it’s also the most difficult. Reusing and recycling the items we’ve already purchased is much easier than reducing what we buy to begin with. Think about ways that you can cut back what you purchase. This will be good for your savings account as well! How can you reduce what you buy so that it doesn’t have to be reused or recycled later? Are any of the items you’re buying unnecessary? If you had to put back 5 things in your grocery cart, what would they be? When you’re in the grocery store, consider the containers of the items you buy. Minimal packaging is best for the Earth. Our planet will be better off if you are willing to do this.

Quiet Time

Quiet Time
One of the things we don’t do enough of is making time to be quiet. In our fast-paced lives we oftentimes do not dedicate a portion of our days to reflecting on what we’re doing, why we’re doing it, and who we’re doing it for. Doing this each day takes discipline. It also will reinforce the purpose of your life and this will be transferred to every part of your day. For example, studying work-related training guides might not be your way to spend a Saturday afternoon. However, you will be able to recognize that this will increase your skills and enable you to be even more effective at your work. Here are some suggestions for your quiet time:

• Establish a routine time when you sit down and think about your day
• Purchase a devotional or motivational book to read
• Pray
• Reflect on the major tasks you will be doing throughout the day or that you have already finished and connect those to your life purpose
• Think of ways to get better at what you do everyday
• Identify several things you’re thankful for

Unspoken Kindness

Have you ever heard someone say something but could tell that these were just words? There was either no meaning behind them or the person was not being honest.

Many of the ways we communicate are not actually verbal. Through our facial expressions, gestures, physical touch, and eyes, we convey how we feel about other people. By smiling, truly listening, and being genuine, we can convey an authentic kindness that goes beyond words. How will you do this today?

It's OK to Be Sad

Bad things happen in life. It’s not because of some divine intervention (or lack thereof). It’s simply a fact of life. You’re not cursed or facing retribution. Bad things happen, even to the best people. When facing death, anger, a lost job, physical illness, loneliness, and natural disasters it’s ok to be sad and to reflect on the hard things that happen in life. These are important and natural feelings that shouldn’t be ignored.

By deeply feeling this sadness, we can accept that we’ve been hurt and faced hard times. Being sad does not mean feeling like a victim or felling sorry for yourself. It’s the absorption of all of the negative impacts and subsequent emotions that are flooding your life. The redeeming part of experiencing your sadness is that you eventually are able to accept the unfortunate experiences that have led you to feel this way. It may take significant time, prayer, counseling, religious support, and love from family or friends. However, you can heal. You can come through the darkness and into the light. You can experience the joy of living again.

Cleaning Up the Oil Spill—What You Can Do

You’ve undoubtedly seen the oil spill images: seagulls covered in splotches of thick brown oil, the cloudy waters that now cover the entire coast of the Gulf of Mexico, and fishermen who will no longer be able to fish. Some experts are predicting that it will take decades for the wildlife population to recover. So what can you do to make a difference even if you live nowhere near the coast of Louisiana, Florida, Alabama, or Mississippi? Here are some low-cost, high-impact efforts you can take to help clean the Gulf and prevent this from happening again:

• Keep eating seafood from the Gulf. Louisiana seafood officials are constantly monitoring quality levels to make sure that all products are safe. By still eating fish, you can support the bruised economies of the Gulf States. Fishermen, seafood processing facilities, and restaurants that serve local seafood will all lose money and may have to lay off employees or close.

• Don’t buy gas from BP stations until they stop the oil spill and pay the total cost of cleaning up the Gulf of Mexico. BP is the corporation responsible for this environmental disaster. As a consumer, your purchasing decisions combined with those of other Americans will effectively deliver the message that these atrocities cannot go unpunished.

• If you have friends or relatives who are part of the Coast Guard, Navy, National Guard, or federal government emergency response efforts, offer to take care of their kids while they travel to the Gulf. By doing this, you can give them some peace of mind about their families as they help clean up the shoreline.

• Let family members and close friends know that BP has developed a Claims Line to reimburse individuals and companies that have been adversely affected by the oil spill. The number for the Claims Line is 1-800-440-0858. Costs associated with property damage, lost wages/profits, injuries, and other damages will be eligible for reimbursement.

• Consider taking a vacation in one of the states affected by the oil spill. By spending your vacation savings in these areas you can help jump-start the local economies that have been negatively impacted. Plus, even if your vacation is planned for later this summer, the cleanup process will likely still be ongoing. You can choose to volunteer for one or two days and help restore beaches and rehabilitate wildlife. Go to the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana website (http://www.crcl.org/) to sign up.

So who was Susan B. Anthony anyway?

So who was Susan B. Anthony anyway?

Susan B. Anthony was one of the most influential and effective organizers of the movement to give American women the right to vote. She dedicated her life to this cause. Her ardent belief was that because women were citizens they had the right to vote. In order to assert her Constitutional rights, she submitted a ballot in an election. Because of this, she was put on trial and fined for illegal voting. Talk about bravery! She lived from 1820 to 1906 and paved the way for women to be considered equal to men.

“The older I get, the greater power I seem to have to help the world; I am like a snowball -- the further I am rolled the more I gain.”—Susan B. Anthony

What are you going to be when you grow up?

What are you going to be when you grow up?

This is one of the most disliked questions for college senior who are graduating. When asked by friends, professors, family members, neighbors, great aunts, and 5th cousins, it’s easiest to come up with a stock answer to the question. Few of us know when finishing college what we want to be ‘when we grow up’.

Truth be told, though, the problem doesn’t end once the caps are tossed and the tassels have been turned. People question what they want to and should do with their lives throughout every stage. Regardless if you’re in school, a single professional, married, have kids, or are entrenched in a career, we all have doubts. This oftentimes leads us to a midlife (or quarter life!) crisis. However, I’m not convinced that we all have one thing that we’re going to be when we embark on our careers. Much has been noted about the trend of switching careers 7 or 8 times throughout one’s life. There’s nothing wrong with this as long as we’re doing good work and putting our skills to use in ways that are beneficial to society,

At the end of the day, you don’t have to know what you want to be when you grow up. You probably didn’t know when you were 7, 17, or 27, and you won’t like be able to define one specific profession for yourself if you live to be 97. Maybe it’s time to give ourselves some peace of mind by changing the assumption that we have to be something, one thing, when we finally grow up.