Best strategy for successful fundraising

Dear Marina

Welcome to the forum. I think that question might just be too broad for this forum to deal with effectively. There are too many other issues to consider e.g. what kind of donors do you have already, what kind of institutional supporters do/might you have already, do you have a fundraising/donor communications database to handle new supporters and future communications with them, have you researched whom likely supporters might be, and so on.

I think you'll probably get more useful information from some of the guidebooks on the subject, and training courses offered by the likes of the Directory of Social Change:

[url]http://www.dsc.org.uk[/url]

In terms of companies, your experience is not unusual. I'd recommend applying to known sources of funding first ie. grant-making trusts. Companies don't exist to make grants and donations and so are much harder to crack.

If you're starting from "ground zero", please may I suggest that you read some of the past threads on the forum - and come back with some more specific questions?

'Cos there are a number of us on here who love to help, but we do have day jobs too, and can't write a manual in response to an all-encompassing question like yours. Thanks :)

Three contributions I *can* make right now:

1. Response rates from "cold mailings" are very low. 1-1.5% is considered good. I'm sorry to say that you won't even get that from charitable trusts and the like - you need to target those who have specified an interest, which means some legwork - no substitute for research I'm afraid.

2. Most important: talk to your local volunteer bureau or similar - they often have access to fundraising resources and courses.

3. It's too easy, particularly for small charities, to be so relieved that someone has taken on a fundraising role that the fundraiser gets a wee bit dumped on! However, although the fundraiser may be making the applications, they (you!) need to be supported by the entire organisation - from trustees, to staff if any, to other volunteers if appropriate - any contacts/experience they have should be shared with you so you can co-ordinate FR efforts effectively. You need access to financial information/previous donors as a start. Certainly the strategy should be agreed at board level - the fundraiser will of course input, and may even draft the strategy - but the board is ultimately responsible for keeping the charity sustainable. Make your organisation help you out: you're all in it together after all.

Respec' for volunteering - we were all completely new to this once (and there are many on here with vastly more experience than me)