Fundraising Friday - Membership

The easiest and most reliable way to raise funds is through membership.  If you've been to a GB national AGM you would have heard this before.  Membership fees cover our day to day operations.  Then we can focus our energy on targeted fundraising to add value to our organisation.

When was the last time your membership fee was reviewed?  Just because your membership fee has always been $20, doesn't mean it has to stay that way.  Costs/services/facilities change - our membership fees reflect the value we place on our services.  Ask yourself the question - how valuable is the service you provide?  While you don't need to increase fees every year, they should be reviewed at each annual meeting.  I have been in GB since I was 7 years old, it has changed my life, and has been invaluable to me.  $80 per year, $100 per year or whatever it was - the membership fees that my parents would have paid as I grew up through GB were all worth it, GB helped to make me the person I am today.  The experience and development was and is invaluable.

Make sure you have a system in place so that people know how much to pay, when is the deadline for payment, and give them multiple ways of making a payment i.e. cash, cheque, online.  AND make sure you follow up on late payments.  This year our company has enforced a tough policy on payment of fees, and while it may seem harsh, parents have not complained and they have seen that fees are important to the running of the company.  Mostly payments are made quite timely.

And finally increase your membership numbers.  The more members, the easier funds come in to run our awesome programs.  So get out in your communities, not just by advertising, but by being visible in your communities and show them what you do and what a difference you can make.  Let everyone know that Girls' Brigade EXISTS!

Fundraising Friday

Often a topic with any community group.  I bring to you Fundraising Friday - ideas, tips, check-lists, planning, sponsorship, and grants.  Just a list of a few ideas today - check back next week for more thoughts on Fundraising.

1. Auctions
2. Discos / Dance Parties
3. Food stalls i.e. BBQ's, cake stalls
4. Raffles
5. Coffee Connoisseur Evening
6. Event clean-up
7. Online auctions
8. Photo sittings try Frogprints or Pixifoto
9. Quiz nights
10. Scavenger Hunts

Funding and Marketing Resources

Meetings coming out my ears!
But loved last nights company AGM and planning night - lots of debate and opinions shared - so productive.  Love to have such a great team involved in an awesome ministry.

Like all of you not only are we looking at our programme for the year but also looking at fundraising and grants.
So a couple of links for you:

• Fundview - you can access it free at your local library.  Below is the link to the Auckland Council site, if you're an Aucklander and have a library card you can use this from the comfort of home.  http://www.aucklandcitylibraries.com/DigitalLibrary/resourcepages/fundview.aspx

• Exult - I have the The Seriously Good Guide to Fundraising, Top 40 Checklists for Community Groups, and 40 Marketing Must-Do's.  Absolutely fantastic resources - they have been a huge help and I definitely recommend Exult.  An excellent company dedicated and passionate about the not-for-profit sector.  I have just signed up to receive Tonic magazine for a year and also their Sustainable Funding workshop on DVD.  So I will bring you some info from these wonderful resources during the year.   http://www.exult.co.nz/