The Fundraising Machine Building a Formidable Resource Mobilization
The Fundraising Machine: Building a Formidable Resource Mobilization Team & Supporting Infrastructure Mike Muchilwa
Rules �Participate �Share experiences �Have fun �Think innovatively �Keep time �Keep phones on vibration mode
Objective �Having an enlightening experience!!!! �Help you build a Fundraising Team that works!
Question? �Just what is a fundraising Machine?
The Fundraising machine �The fundraising machine is an organised entity dedicated towards the mobilization of resources for the organization. �It consists of the totality of the structures, policies, systems, people and resources that are dedicated towards resource mobilization
Question �How many organisation’s have a fundraising machine? �What does it consist off?
Reflection � Did you watch the gladiator movie? ?
What makes A fundraising machine? Components of a fundraising machine. �People �Structures �Systems �Resources �Partners �Donors �Media �Strategy
People �The machine includes: �Internal � The Board � Management � Staff � Volunteers �External �Beneficiaries �Wider community
Structures �Structures deal with the design of the machine �Its what hold the machine together �…. . and gives it form, identity and purpose �They comprise of the: �Organigram �Team Positions �How they relate �. The structure determines how efficient, effective and successful the fundraising machine will be.
Systems �System are what makes the fundraising machine tick! �They are the oil of the machine… without which it will grind to a halt! �Comprises of the: �Procedures �Policies �Regulations
Resources � Resources are the fuel of the machine… without fuel, the machine can run!!! � You need to invest money to make money!!!! � Need a specific budget…. � That is properly prepared…. � Is sufficient…. . � …. . That is approved by the board � … Provides value for money � Takes into consideration both financial & non financial inputs
Partners �Partners are key component of your fundraising strategy �Ride the elephant…when you are small �Carry the mouse …. �Learn to: �Leverage your partners… the fulcrum approach to get resources from donors you can’t reach �Open the door to financial heaven �Repair your reputation and heal hearts �Win over spouses
Donors �People working with donors agencies who like you, your work and want to support you �Fundraise for your internally and… �Externally--- they can talk donor speak, which you can’t!
Media �The media is a critical part of your fundraising machine �Help to �Build your brand name �Tell your stories �Spread your appeal
Strategy �The organisation has a strategy that: �Objectives �Strategies �Evolves with the environment �Has a feedback mechanism �Delivers results
Features of a well functioning machine � Organization has sufficient funds � Donors are happy � Reports produced on time � Projects show value for money � Projects have good impact � Everyone want to work with you � The organization has growth � Organisation has good brand value � Organisation learns from its resource mobilisation activities � The organisation monitors its operating environment
A broken down machine…. . � Organisation has funding shocks!!! � Staff laid off � Assets sold �. Donors are unhappy � Reports are late � Projects are poorly implemented � Accounting is poor � Organisation does not learn from its experiences � Organisation does not grow well � Sustainability is in doubt
Question �Who built the most successful fundraising machine in history?
Question �Answer: Obama
How? q Power of Social networking an Internet as a fundraising and organizing tool q Volunteers used Obama's website to organize a thousand phone-banking events q Over 150, 000 campaign-related events over the course of the campaign. q Supporters created more than 35, 000 groups defined by geographical proximity and shared interests. q my. Barack. Obama. com - had over 1. 5 million accounts. q Result- a record-breaking $600 million in contributions from more than 3 million people, q 87% of funds through Social Networking on the Internet
Obama Tactics q The whole campaign was like a multi-national corporation and not a NP. q The campaign's commitment to online organizing took shape during the primaries q Hired online director , and lured Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes to build its own social networking site, my. Barack. Obama. com. q As the race heated up, the Internet grew from being just a medium of political junkies to a gateway for millions of ordinary Americans to participate in the political process, donating odd amounts of their spare time to their candidate through online campaign tools.
Obama Tactics q Had a carefully designed its web site to maximize group collaboration, giving individual volunteers tasks they could follow on their own schedules. q Exploded by election day asking volunteers to make a million phone calls to ‘get out the vote’ q In addition young voters through text messages, conducting SMS rallies and sending out texts at strategic moments to ask for volunteer help or remind recipients to vote. q Launched Web. Pages and online action groups to fight the underground, e-mail whisper and false rumors about Obama's personal background and tax policies. q Campaign ended up soliciting small donations from a wide swath of voters, raising record amounts online by federal filing deadlines.
Obama Tactics q Used this money for more traditional campaigning — flooding cable markets in strategic states with television advertising. q Hi success accredited to community effect (his supporters) whose creativity and enthusiasm manifested through multitudes of websites and You. Tube videos online. q Numerous volunteer contributions eg innovative Obama '08 i. Phone and i. Touch application - enabled owners to mobilize their friends and contacts in battleground states through the Apple devices. q The campaign constantly added new features even to the end. q Raised a average record $66 million a month q More than 2. 5 million people had contributed since the race began.
Why? ? �Thinking outside the box �Got good people… �Forged them into a team �Capitalized on technology �Capitalised on networks �Exploited market niches
Reflection �Going back into the pre-industrial age! � People were self employed � The baker � Blacksmith � Capenter � Juju man � Etc � You either sold services or products � You were your own boss! � There was bonded labour though that worked for the rich…. Directly or indirectly.
Reflection Then came the industrial age � Production went large scale!! � People had to be managed � They were herded into large working areas � … organised into production lines. . � In order to increase productivity, production volumes, efficiency, economies of scale � Blue and white collar jobs became popular …. � Self employment died. . So did freedom!
Reflection Freedom is back! � Technology is changing the way we work! � Out goes the traditional office --- in comes the virtual office � Communicate through skype, chat, phones, sms, twitter etc � Work for many players…. . � Paid for the work done… � Work flexible hours. . � Work globally…
In Short … Building the FR Machine �Develop a team --- internal & external �Think outside the box �Capitalise on technology �Build a network �Institutionalise your fundraising �Make donors work for your team!!!
Kenyans for Kenya �The fundraising machine that Red cross built!
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