Request for Proposals to Particpate in PDF’s Technical Assistance Program Published on January 9, 2014
The Peace Development Fund is pleased to offer those grantees who have received a PDF grant since July 1, 2007 technical assistance training. We are developing curriculum modules to help you improve your fund-raising capacity, board development and financial management. To be accepted into the program, organizations must have budgets of $500,000 or less.
We will provide grantees one module each year, beginning January 1, 2014. Our first module will be “Individual giving: how to set up an individual donor campaign.” The modules will take place on site at the grantees’ offices (or such place as the grantees may designate). PDF trainers will work directly with the grantees, their board, staff and key volunteers. Grantees will be asked to provide lodging for one or two trainers and a $100 underwriting contribution. All other costs will be paid by PDF.
The training will be coordinated by Kathleen Sharkey, PDF’s Director of Communications and Outreach. Kathy’s career in nonprofit management has included fund-raising, marketing and communications, business administration, new business development, site development and project management. She has worked as a consultant to PDF since 2004, and her client list is diverse, reflecting a range of interests and expertise. Kathy has advised such organizations as foundations, progressive groups, universities and botanical gardens—from small budgets to large—on fund-raising and major gifts. She has written marketing materials, managed fund-raising databases, conducted organizational assessments, and trained staff, board and volunteers in how to ask people for money to support your organization.
Interested grantees are asked to submit an application form with desired dates of training by Monday, February 3, 2014. Training will take place between March 1 and July 31, 2014.
Frequently asked questions
Why create an individual giving program?
In a typical campaign, approximately 90% of funding comes from private sources, including small family foundations. In fact, Giving USA reports that individuals contribute 81.2 percent of philanthropic dollars, and an additional 6.8 percent through bequests; corporations give 4.7 percent and foundations give 7.3 percent. If you are putting all your fund-raising efforts into writing grants, you are missing 80 percent of donors.
How do we begin?
- If your organization is selected, we will contact you to determine dates, location and any further background information we will need. Most trainings will require two days.
- Once on-site, we will develop a fund-raising plan and determine which individual donor fund-raising strategies you will focus on (e.g., acquiring new donors, asking for major gifts, seeking smaller gifts), set goals and create a system for collecting information, building the relationship and following up.
- We will review lists of people who have a connection with your organization—start with who you know and use a personalized approach. We will build a list of prospective donors by asking board members, current supporters, employees and volunteers to provide names of people who may be interested in your work. Perhaps they have attended a benefit, belong to the same club or civic group as a board member, or volunteered.
- We will rate the donors on the list, to determine likeliest candidates for major gifts ($500-1,000 or more annually). We will discuss how to research what potential donors can give and what they care about, and we will connect their concerns with your organization. Much of this donor information is public information, but some of the information can only be provided by board and staff.
- PDF will train staff, board members and key volunteers how to think about fund-raising as a long-term, ongoing process of building relationships, with the goal of asking for a major gift personally by the end of the year from five individuals. You will learn how to cultivate relationships with loyal and major donors throughout the year. This will develop a culture of individual donor fund-raising in your organization. Everyone can play a part.
What does your organization need to do after the training is over?
- You will need to ASK (several times a year) and then follow-up! For major donors, you will want to make a personal appeal. For others you will develop a written appeal with a specific ask amount.
- Thank your donors and keep them involved. You will develop a stewardship plan for major and other individual donors.
What is my obligation for receiving this training?
The training is mostly funded by a PDF donor. However, we do request a $100 underwriting contribution payable to PDF once your training has been confirmed, and for you to provide our trainer(s) with lodging for one to two nights (which you can discuss directly with the trainer).
Will the “individual giving” module be offered again in 2015?
We expect to offer a different training program in 2015.
