Laura Downey

Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education (KACEE)

2610 Claflin Road Manhattan, KS 66502 (785)532-3322 ldowney@kacee.org

All I Ever Needed to Know About Fundraising, I

Learned in Kindergarten

Background on KACEE•Founded in 1969

•Volunteer Organization until 1994

•Began as “Organization of Organizations”

•State Sponsor for PLT, WET, WILD and Leopold Ed Project

•Half-time Executive Director in 1995

•Currently Staffed with Full-Time ED, 4 additional fulltime staff and 2 part-time staff

KACEE’s Membership

Business & Industry (such as Koch Industries, Westar Energy, Vulcan Chemical Company, The Coleman Company, Kansas Farm Bureau)

Organizations (including KS Audubon, KS Sierra Club, Blue River Watershed Association, Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, KS Cattlewomen, Streamlink)

KACEE was established as a public/private partnership with currently more than 200 organizational members and an additional 300+ individual members.

Membership Continued…Federal, State and Local Agencies

(KSDE, KDWP, KFS, KDHE, KWO, KGS, KBS, KDHC, KCC, KDA, Hillsdale Water Quality Project, Conservation Districts)

Colleges and Universities (including KSU, KU, FHSU, PSU, WSU)

Schools and School Districts

Why is Membership Important?

Demonstrates broad-based support (from the Sierra Club to the KS Farm Bureau)—there is someone for everyone to connect to

Opens opportunities for fund development—if they care enough to become members, then they care enough to support the organization

KACEE Activities/Events: Environmental Education

Workshops Facilitator Training Water Festivals/Celebrations KS Environmental Education

Conference Networking & Partnerships Special Programs Ongoing Membership

Communications/Services

Why Are Activities/Events Important? Businesses/organizations/foundations are more

likely to fund activities or events than provide “general support”

Access points for funding specific interests Provides opportunities for “mission moments” Opportunities to

engage and involve funders

What Are Your Organizational Assets?

What is your organization’s mission? Who are your board members? Why did they

get involved? Who are your members? What does your organization do?

THIS IS THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR FUND DEVELOPMENT!

Current Funding & Support for KACEE Programs

See Annual Report—Support from:

KS Water Office

KS Department of Health and Environment

KS Forest Service

KS Department of Wildlife and Parks

KS Department/Board of Education

Developing Relationships, Making Friends—Translating Into Support

Personal Contacts/Ongoing Communication (important to get your name in front of them often)

Membership Dues (low cost) Involvement in Organization Making Connections Making the “Ask”

Case—KS EE Conference ($22K)

Solicit sponsorships primarily from members

RFP for host site includes “What support for the conference can your community provide?”

Silent Auction (participants bring items) 2007 Sponsorship/Auction raised $22K

Kansas Excellence in EE Awards Celebration ($9K)

Honor those who make significant contributions to the field of EE in KS (“Mission Moment”)

Initially presented at conference Separate Event Concept (UT, CO) Approximately ½ of the 180 attendees had never

attended a KACEE event prior—including state/national legislators, business and industry representatives

Auction/Table Sponsors/Event Tickets—we cleared $9000! Volunteers did lots of fund raising!

Case—Kansas State Board of Education ($35K) 1978 House Resolution—Representative/Governor

Hayden KSDE Policy on EE Attendance at Board Meetings Department of Education Contacts Relationship Building with Board Members (ex-officio) Request for Funding and Presentations at Budget Hearings Legislative Contacts Recent Board Presentation Recent New Staff Luncheon

Case—Vulcan Chemical Company ($6K) Personal connection with Plant Manager Need for Vulcan to have a “Green Presence” KACEE’s need for IYE Funding Sponsor an Event (vs. KACEE) Recognition Program Continual Relationship Building PLT Risk Connection Making Board Members Aware of Loss of Relationship

—looking for new opportunities New Ownership/Recent Contact—Pay Off!

Case--Koch Industries ($10K) Personal visit and ask for membership Relationship Building and Roper Starch Conference Sponsorship to Bring in Mary Kay

President Personal Connections Recognition “Last Stand of the Tallgrass Prairie” Re-Establishing Relationships (Meeting,

contacts, connections)

Case—BRB Contractors (memberships)

Membership through colleague on board Ongoing communications with members Conference Sponsorship Lunch Letter of Support

Case—EE Plan for Kansas

Governor’s Natural Resource Legacy Alliance—EE #1 Natural Resource Priority

Conveners: Governor’s NR Sub-Cabinet, KACEE, Kansas Farm Bureau, KS Natural Resource Council, KS State Department of Education, The Nature Conservancy, Pheasants Forever

Diverse Stakeholder Involvement: Engaging New audiences in the conversation (parochial school associations, KS Livestock Association, KS NEA)

More Examples

Pheasants Forever

Bureau of Air—Air Remediation Funding

New Belgium Brewing Company

Finnup Foundation

Educational Network Sponsorships

1st Step: Engaging Board Members

Energize Your Board– Lively Board Meetings-

see handout – “Mission Moments”– Social Time

Source: Fired Up Fundraising, Gail Perry, www.gailperry.com

What the Heck is a “Mission Moment”?

Testimonials Field trips Direct experiences of

the good work you do Bring your work alive!

Redefine Fund Raising Address attitudes about fund raising (the “f”

word) and get anxieties out in the open How did you feel the last time you gave

money to a cause you care about? It’s not about asking for money, it’s about

being an ambassador for the cause It’s about making friends, establishing

connections with people It’s all about MAKING A DIFFERENCE in

their community/region/state. Get everybody on their BANDWAGON. Comes from the HEART.

Not All Board Members Have to Ask for Money—There Are Lots of Ways to Get Involved!

THANK, THANK, THANK AGAIN

CULTIVATE AND INVOLVE

ASK FOR SUPPORT

IDENTIFY PROSPECTS

Not All Board Members Have to Ask for Money—There Are Lots of Ways to Get Involved!

identify

involve

warm up

ask

followup

thank

Time and Energy Spent on Stages of Fund Raising from Gail Perry

More than 90 % of Time and Energy Invested in Fund

Raising Does NOT Involve Asking for

Money!!!

Easy Jobs for Board Members

Have “Advice Visits” Host “Small Socials” Host “All About our Mission Tours” Phone call donors and say thank you

Advice Visits

1. Can I pick your brain? 2. Be brief 3. LISTEN - let them do the talking

Small Socials

1. No charge2. Host invites guests 3. Brief, moving program 4. Lots of the work is done apart from the program 5. Plan your follow-up or don’t even do it (follow-up

cards) Note: 76.5% of donations to non-profits come from individuals (www.charitablechoices.org)

Mission Tours1. A volunteer is the host 2. CEO gives stirring message 3. Scripted short presentations from staff, clients,

volunteers4. Fill out a follow-up card at the end

Thanking Donors—Again & Again! Donors want:

– Prompt, personalized thank yous.– Meaningful information on your results

93% would give again 64% would give more 74% would continue to give indefinitely as long as

they received meaningful information Personal phone calls within 48 hours Ask donors why they gave Your results? Studies show that gifts will go up by at least 33% and 2-4% will make

gifts of $1k within the year.

Donor-Centered Fundraising, by Penelope Burk

Making a Case for Your Organization

Develop an internal and external case statement—let’s practice!

Resources for Fund Development

The Affiliate Network! http://www.naaee.org/about-naaee/affiliates/affiliates-partnership

Philanthropy Journal Online—Free E-Newsletter, Low Cost Webinars http://philanthropyjournal.org

Grant Station subscription through Tech Soup (www.techsoup.com) $99—good source of foundations

Final Thoughts…Support From?

Conservation Organizations? 2006 NEETF Environmental Literacy in America report: Those with a high level of environmental knowledge are twice as likely to donate funds for conservation (NEETF, 2006). www.neefusa.org

Religious Organizations? Individuals!