red kitten
June is
Adopt a Shelter Cat
Month
June 11 - In This Issue:
THINKING OF BUILDING A NEW ANIMAL SHELTER?
   
 We're offering a FREE 90-minute webinar to any board member, staff person or volunteer who would like to learn more about the process to fund a new animal shelter. 
__________________
 
Wednesday, June 19
3:00 PM EST
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kennel blueprints Is your animal welfare group considering funding the construction of a new animal shelter?

 

Join us for an information-packed webinar about the five stages of funding a new animal shelter and what you need to know to position your organization for success in your capital campaign.  Webinar attendees will:

 

- Understand the five stages of funding a capital campaign,  

- Learn about building sizing studies, fundraising feasibility studies and the "quiet" phase of fundraising
- Be better positioned for success when moving forward with a capital campaign

 

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19 AT 3:00 PM EST

 

REGISTER NOW - IT'S FREE

 

grants

DO YOU NEED GRANT FUNDING?

  

Foundation grants make up 14% of the average non-profit organization's revenue.  If your organization needs funding to support new or existing programs and services, Animal Shelter Fundraising can help your organization's grant funding efforts by:

 
  • Researching and developing a list of potential foundation funding sources for your organization's programs and services;
  • Write and develop your grant proposals including preparation of accompanying documents, submission and follow-up
Our grant writing services are available to you for the following fees:
 
$ 999 per month to research grant funders, write, prepare and submit up to three complete proposals per month (month-to-month; no contract).
 
$ 749 per month to research grant funders, write, prepare and submit up to three complete proposals per month (six-month Contract required).

  

$ 649 per month to research grant funders, write, prepare and submit up to three complete proposals per month (twelve-month Contract required).

 

If you need more grant funding, 

we can help!

 

Contact Tim today.

 

E-mail Tim.

Call Tim at 623.975.1234.

  

  

TURN KEY 
DIRECT MAIL
     

EASY & AFFORDABLE!

 

We're talking "turn key", here...

  
You need money, you just don't have the time to do it.
  
Sound familiar?
  
Well, we're going to make it easier on you.
dog on pile of money

Our new MIDAS TOUCH FUNDRAISING PROGRAM is a turn key direct mail program in which all you do is supply your organization logo and information, along with a pet's photo and short summary, and TA-DA! you have a professionally written and designed campaign ready to mail!

Here's how it works:
  1. Each month, we will publish a Campaign Brief that provides a summary of that month's campaign theme and objective, which also includes a sample of the campaign's appeal letter, return pledge card, outer envelope and reply envelope (and occasionally an insert piece).
  2. If you like the campaign theme (i.e. creative and copy), all you do is purchase the print ready files which we will prepare with your organization's logo and address (and other information specific to your group as specified in the Campaign Brief).
  3. Take your print ready files to your local printer, OR
  4. You can work with our designated printer* who will handle all aspects of getting your campaign produced and mailed!

IT'S THAT EASY!

 ___________________________

 

Get this month's Campaign Brief

URGENT: SUMMER HEAT

e-mail us now with "Urgent: Summer Heat" in the subject line.

_____________________________

 

 * Postage and production costs are additional costs
A NOTE FROM TIM
You Need Money.  We Raise Money.  Let Us Help!
      
Fundraising is to animal shelters what gasoline is to a car.  You need it to go places.  Yet, why is it that so many small-to-medium sized animal shelters and rescue groups place such little emphasis on fundraising?  

It may be that you just don't have enough time in your day.

Or perhaps you don't like asking people for money.

Maybe it's that you really don't know how to do fundraising.

Whatever the reason is, today is the day that you have to take action and do something about it.  Otherwise that "car" of yours, will run out of gas.  

If you don't have the time, or the skills, or both, let me handle it for you.  I've been fundraising for 27-years now.  My company was specifically created to help animal welfare groups raise money.  I have raised over $160,000,000 for local and national animal groups over the past 15 years.  Isn't it time, you raised more money?
  
Tim Crum Headshot1Whatever fundraising help you need, we offer.
 
Whether it's a direct mail campaign, grants, special events or a new shelter - WE CAN HELP.

This newsletter always offers some tips and advice, but when and if you need to take action, we can help.

Call or e-mail when you're ready!

-Tim Crum

HOW TO RENEW AND UPGRADE 95%+ OF YOUR EVENT SPONSORS YEAR AFTER YEAR

 

If you are holding an annual event (one that your organization holds each year), the first step in signing up sponsors for the event is sponsor renewal - the best sponsor prospects for your event are those companies and individuals who have previously sponsored the event.  I highly recommend that you try to upgrade your sponsors each year until you reach the point where they cannot go any higher based on their financial ability.

 

up arrow For example, if someone sponsored your event at the $2,500 level last year, ask them to consider the $5,000 level this year.  They can always say no and stay at the $2,500 level, but it is rare that a sponsor will talk you up to the $5,000 level if you ask her to donate at the $2,500 level.

 

This week, we are accepting registrations for our new class How to Maximize Your Non-Profit Fundraising Events.  In this post, we are presenting a short excerpt from week #3 of the class: a successful multi-step process I use for sponsor renewals:

 

#1 - Assigning Levels

First, I build a list of all of the companies, organizations and individuals who have sponsored the event in the past three years, and assign target sponsorship levels to each of them.  This is how much we are going to ask them for this year.

 

#2 - The Sponsor Renewal Letter

Then, I send out a sponsor renewal letter to each of the past sponsors asking them to consider renewing or upgrading their sponsorship for this year's event.  I like to send this letter out 6-8 months prior to this year's event to give the donors time to get the necessary company approvals, etc., as well as to build a base of financial support for the event well in advance of the time when vendor payments will be due.

 

As part of this letter, I thank the sponsors for their past support of the event, let them know our ambitious goals for this coming event, and make a direct ask for sponsorship renewal.  I ask the donors make a sponsorship pledge, with the option of paying now or receiving an invoice from the organization one month prior to the event.  Depending on the organization, we sometimes also offer additional benefits for early renewal, such as extra signage at the event, extra VIP tickets, etc.

 

(Our fundraising events class includes sample sponsor renewal letters and scripts)

 

#3  - Follow Up Calls

Approximately 3 weeks after the letters are sent out, I gather together a team of staff, board members and/or volunteers (depending on the resources of the organization) to make follow up calls to every past sponsor who has not yet sent in their renewal form for the coming year.  Most non-profits who use sponsor letters skip this step, yet making personal phone calls is one of the most effective tactics you can use to secure sponsors for your event.

 

The call script generally goes something like this:

 

"Hi, Regina, this is Jim calling from Rockledge Hospital, how are you?  I'm calling to see if your received our letter about the 10th Annual Purple Tie Ball.  Did you receive it?  Good.  We're so grateful for your continued support of the hospital and the poorest families in our community.  This year is our 10th anniversary ball, and we'd like to make it our biggest and best ever.  Would you be willing to serve as a sponsor again this year at the $5,000 level?"

Be sure that your calls include definite, concrete asks.  Once you make your ask, wait for the person to respond.  Give them the time they need to think through their answer, and resist the urge to keep talking to fill the silence.

 

#4 -The Event Invitation

I always include sponsorship options on the event invitations for the events I am coordinating, and I always include all previous sponsors on the mailing list for our invitations.  This means that if someone did not renew their sponsorship through our renewal mailing or the follow-up calls, they have one last opportunity to do so through the event mailing.  For sponsors that have renewed, we generally still send them an official invitation but include a note inside confirming that they have already reserved a sponsorship and that either (a) their payment has been received or (b) their payment is now due.

 

Don't be shy about reaching out to sponsors who have made pledges but have not sent in a check as the event approaches.  In many cases, business people will have gotten caught up in their work and simply forgotten about sending in the check.  Reach out to them by phone to remind them to do so. 
 
This article appeared in a June 5, 2013 e-mail from The Fundraising Authority. 
RECENT TESTIMONIAL

Here is what Kerry Schmidt, executive director of the Heartland Humane Society in Yankton, South Dakota has to say about working with Tim Crum, CEO of Animal Shelter Fundraising:

 

"Tim was easy to work with and very willing to listen to our challenges and concerns. Hiring him to do our planning study allowed us to become educated and discuss some topics we had yet to consider when looking at building a prospective new shelter. His report has been in an invaluable tool as we continue working towards a capital campaign to provide better care for the animals we serve. Tim has been kind and compassionate about the industry and still continues to support our goals after the study has been concluded."

 

Click headline below to read an article about the work Animal Shelter Fundraising performed for the Heartland Humane Society.

 

(You will have to answer to basic questions to access the full article)

ANIMAL SHELTER FUNDRAISING

12425 WEST BELL ROAD

SUITE 117

SURPRISE AZ 85378
Surprise is a suburb located 25 miles outside of Phoenix

623.975.1234


animal shelter fundraising logo

6 TIPS TO ATTRACT AND KEEP DONORS

Group of People Shaking Hands Donors are the backbone of the just about any nonprofit organization. To grow your organization, you need to grow you your donor base. Use these six tips and resources shared on IdeaEncore by your colleagues in the nonprofit community to help bring more donors to your nonprofit and to keep the donors you already have. 

   

1. Individualize your donor cultivation procedures. Different types of donors respond well to different cultivation methods and strategies. Graceful Fundraising's Donor Stewardship & Cultivation Template ($6) will help you develop more effective and efficient strategies for your different donor groups.

2. Offer membership or donation incentives. Even if you haven't had success with this technique before, check out Karen Eber Davis Consulting's article Is It a Bird? Is It a Plane? Get Strategic about Membership for advice on successful incentive programs.

  

3. Get your database in shape .Learn how your database can improve your relationship with current donors next Tuesday at 3:00 pm Eastern (12:00 pm Pacific) with Tina Cincotti and Jay Love in their free webinar Building Donor Loyalty: What it takes and how your database can help.  

 

4. Have a great appeal letter. Use Pamela Grow's Sample Fundraising Appeal Letter Template to develop letters to suit your organization and supporters.

5. Always thank your donors.  Clairification's guide How to Cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude and Keep Your Donors - Everything You Need to Know about Donor Retention ($15) will help you thank your donors beyond a simple letter.

6. Stay donor oriented. Bristol Strategy Group's Teach Your Pipeline to Speak "Donor" offers techniques to make sure that your donors and potential donors feel that they're at the center of your fundraising process at each step.

Share your fundraising and donor retention check lists, templates and guides on IdeaEncore to help all nonprofits grow.  

 

 

This article appeared in 4Good Resources ZJune 11, 2013 e-mail

NEWSLETTER SPONSORS
We encourage you to patronize the following industry leading companies...
MASON COMPANY
  

Mason Company has earned the reputation for providing the finest animal enclosures on the market. They use only the highest grade raw materials and, unlike some of their competitors, they manufacture everything in the U.S. rather than overseas. 

 

The Mason Company has sold and installed more kennel systems than anyone else in the world. No matter what your unique needs, chances are the Mason Company has built it before.


 
KURANDA DOG BEDS
  
Kuranda USA, based in Maryland, makes and sells dog beds.
  
GIVE the gift of COMFORT to a homeless pet.    

Day in and day out thousands of shelter dogs languish on cold, hard concrete floors, while cats seek a soft place to rest in their cages. But you can make a world of difference in a homeless pet's life by donating a Kuranda bed to the shelter of your choosing.

Special 28% donation discount. Beds ship directly to the shelter.