Today’s hard economic times are challenging the fundraising efforts of many nonprofit 501(c) 3 organizations. While it is a time requiring greater effort, it is not impossible to reach an organization’s development goals in enhancing the mission of the organization. The 3 C’s of fundraising – cultivation, creativity, and convenience – are a valuable tool in formulating development strategy in the current market. 

Cultivation
Done well, cultivation sets the stage for easy and successful “asks.” Cultivation is what makes solicitation possible. It covers all communication and contact with prospective donors, from newsletters and annual reports to special events and presentations. Successful cultivation is not haphazard but carefully planned and strategized. The key to fundraising is to maintain and develop an existing donor base while cultivating and securing new donors. Previous donors may be unable to donate at their previous levels. A gift at any monetary level, even a reduced level, is still a valued gift and an opportunity to continue cultivating a donor relationship. As the economy improves and the unemployment rate drops, it becomes essential for organizations to have relationships in place to ensure they are at the top of the list when donors are ready to resume giving.

Creativity
Second, be creative. Today’s donors are most likely to engage in activities that are fun, innovative, and reflect the creativity of the organization they are supporting. Donors receive invitations to fundraising dinners all the time. Opportunities to donate through creative product marketing, social marketing campaigns, casual social events, and family-friendly community events are less abundantly available and face less competition from other similar events. Also, be willing to hold an event at a less traditional time. For example, by hosting an event at 6 p.m, on Saturday night, an agency may find itself competing with a dozen other events. By being open to alternate days and times, organizers may face less competition for their event in terms of attendance and market saturation. Simply put, don’t do and copy what’s being done at every other organization. Take time to observe the success of other organizations, learn from their challenges, and then incorporate their useful strategies into your own unique event.

Convenience
The third C is convenience. Donors appreciate and are more likely to give to a charity that offers a convenient donation process. Convenience can be described as availability of the donation process or the offering of a multitude of donation opportunities throughout the year. If prospective donors are not currently able to donate to an organization online, call the web designers and activate online donation capabilities. In addition, many social networking sites offer “causes” sites for nonprofit organizations to fundraise directly through their sites. Lastly, accepting all forms of payment for donations, including credit cards, can simplify the process and make it more likely that donors will make vitally important contributions. Investigate every process.  Experiment by attempting to donate to your own organization in every manner available. Is the process easy or time consuming? Make changes accordingly.

In closing, this is not the time to sit back and wait for donations to come in. Nor is it the time to simply stop fundraising because the effort is too difficult and no one is likely to give. By following the 3 C’s organizations can work smarter, not harder, to successfully reach their fundraising goals, even during a tough economy. Now is the time to cultivate existing and new relationships, be creative in development and marketing strategies, and do what is needed to ensure that potential donors can conveniently give to your organization the resources it needs to succeed.

Sandy Houston is a cofounder and past board member of the Arizona Charter Schools Association, as well as founder of the Arizona Montessori Charter Schools  Consortium. She has owned and operated charter schools over a career spanning 40 years, and has opened nine private Montessori schools and four charter schools. She was trained in the Montessori method by Mario Montessori, the son of the famed Montessori founder, Dr. Maria Montessori. She serves as the International Montessori Council chair for charter schools. You can reach her at shouston@resolutions-esp.com.