THE PURPOSE OF FUNDRAISERS
Gretchen Bossio, FCHM Director of Development
Why do nonprofits plan fundraisers?
I am sure this question has crossed many minds. Although the answer might seem simple, I can assure you it is more complex. Fundraisers are more than a social gathering and they are more than a chance to ask for support. It is our opportunity to align our hearts for a particular cause. In First Class Homeschool Ministries' case it is our opportunity to give you an inside glimpse of all God has done to partner churches and homeschool families around the world. It is our chance to be honest about our successes, our failures, and our dreams.
Reverend Eric Foley, Vice President of Training for Mission Increase Foundation, recently urged nonprofits to change their transactional fundraising events into transformational giving events. Below is an excerpt from his blog (
www.ericfoley.com) which conveys FCHM's goal in having a simple, but heartfelt event:
Golf scrambles, auctions, jog-a-thons, and wine and cheese tasting events:
The problem with utilizing the aforementioned activities in your development program is that they attract people on a basis other than the cause, building a relationship with you from the outset that is not a mutual accountability relationship.
The traditional/transactional formulat goes something like this:
golf and then hear about our cause in the clubhouse afterward;
bid on an item totally unrelated to our cause so that we can use your money to impact the cause;
taste the wine and cheese with your friends, and don't mind me while I tell you a little bit about our cause.
It all sounds so sensible, but I can't resist asking just one teeny-tiny question:
Why do we assume that our causes in and of themselves are so unattractive to people that they must be paired with wine and cheese to make them palatable?
What, in other words, would it look like for you to do an event where the evening's activities are based entirely and only around enabling individuals to directly participate in the cause?
First Class Homeschool Ministries is committed to making our cause the sole focus of this year's event. Not to be selfish or take away the fun of an event activity like golf scrambles or auctions, but rather to share our heart. We are anxious to rejoice in all God has done in the past 10 years (Yes, we are celebrating our 10th anniversary!) and launch our vision for the next 10 years! And who better to keynote than the founders of FCHM, Jay and Heidi St. John! Please plan to join us for an evening filled with friends, a delicious meal catered by Beaches Restaurant, and updates about how to get involved on a personal level with the national ministry!
2009 Benefit Dinner
Saturday, November 7th at 6:30 pm
Firstenburg Community Center, Royce Pollard Room
Tickets: $25
Contact the FCHM office at (360) 326-8266 or
click here to register.
