Securing donations may come naturally for some volunteers, but it’s often a challenging task for others. With a well-prepared plan, you too can successfully ask for donations for your chapter’s next fundraising event. This article outlines the ideas and tactics RMEF volunteers have used and what they thought were the most impactful for their events.
Why Are Donations Important?
A successful RMEF banquet raises funds which directly support RMEF’s mission in your state or region. The more dollars that can be raised, the more that can be put toward funding your state’s mission priorities. Donations play an important role in RMEF’s fundraising efforts, which must be well presented to potential donors.
Identifying Potential Donors:
Below are some helpful tips for identifying where to find donors for your upcoming event.
Chapter Donor List:
Hopefully, your chapter keeps a list of past donors who contributed to your chapter events. It should include the committee’s primary volunteer contact and the donor’s amount. While this is a good starting point, efforts should be made to grow the list each year. Some chapters have a goal to increase the donor list by a specified number. This goal can be a reoccurring item on your committee’s agenda and every new donor should be celebrated at each committee meeting. It may also be worth managing a “no solicitation list,” as some businesses may have conflicting opinions on the work that RMEF conducts (anti-firearm and/or hunting), so it is worth tracking to ensure those businesses are not solicited in the future.
Local Businesses:
Most communities have a chamber of commerce or telephone book that can offer starting points for targeting businesses. It is worth going through potential donor lists to see who committee members may have a relationship with and who frequents each business. When someone agrees to contact a specific business, make sure it is noted which volunteer it is so that it can be reported on in upcoming committee meetings.
Personal Contacts:
Almost everyone has a friend or family member who has a talent or hobby that can benefit an RMEF banquet. Artists, craftsmen, fabricators, quilters and bakers are just a few of the most common “nonbusiness” donors who contributed to RMEF banquets. These types of donations are often live auction quality and add special sentimental value due to their customization and uniqueness.
Commonly Overlooked Donors:
It’s fair to say the most solicited businesses for donations by local organizations are those that feature a storefront. Those business types are the most visible and easiest to contact for donation. Below is a list of other businesses that should not be overlooked.
Car Dealerships Chiropractors Insurance Agents
Hotels Banks Lawn Care Companies
Attorneys Dentists Construction Companies
Florists Lumber Yards Farms/Nurseries
Title Companies Limo Services Theaters
Financial Advisors Local Sports Teams Butcher Shops
Hair and Nail Salons Liquor Stores Bakeries
Sod Farms Accountants Funeral Homes
Electricians HVAC Companies Waste Disposal Companies
Quilt Shops Machine Shops Mechanic Shops
Mining Companies Photographers Plumbers
Donor Outreach:
Below are some things to consider as well as a process to follow when reaching out to potential donors.
Who is the Decision-maker?:
Finding the right person to talk to is as crucial as knowing what to say. Who has the power to say if the business will donate or not? Is the owner involved in the day-to-day management or is there a manager that can make those decisions? A simple phone call to the business or stopping in to ask who has that ability will quickly answer that question.
Schedule a Meeting:
Once you’ve determined who the decision-maker is, you can then ask if they have time to talk about options for supporting and receiving recognition at your upcoming banquet. You may ask this in person while visiting the business or over the phone if they do not have a store front. They will either offer a time that suits them and ask to talk about options or say they are not interested in donating.
Donor Solicitation:
It is important to be prepared and armed with the necessary information needed to successfully ask for a donation. By having the following items printed and ready to present, the potential donor will learn how seriously you take his or her time and their donation:
Donation Letter:
A chapter donation solicitation letter is both useful and beneficial. It lets the donor know specifics about your request, provides the event date, time and location, and offers options for supporting the event. It also gives an overview of RMEF and its status as a 501(c)(3) organization. If your chapter has not used a donation letter, contact your regional director and ask for a sample letter. When asking for a donor, introduce yourself and then hand them the letter. You can write your name and contact information on it to leave with them, if needed. This letter should walk both you and the donor through a conversation of who, what, when, where and how it pertains to the banquet and what you are requesting from them. It also outlines where donations are used for an event and how the donor will be recognized.
Chapter Catalog:
Any volunteer seeking merchandise underwriting should have a copy of their “chapter catalog,” which can be saved as a PDF and printed from EMS. It only features merchandise ordered by the chapter, with all other merchandise removed. It also shows where merchandise items will be featured so the donor can choose when to receive recognition during the event. Using the catalog is necessary when soliciting businesses that don’t have products or services to donate. Businesses such as realtors, doctors, attorneys and other service providers, may be limited in what they can donate and may only be able to give cash for underwriting. Asking the donor to underwrite the FMV of an item, opposed to the cost, will generate more donation revenue.
Banquet Invitation:
In addition to donating, hopefully donors are interested in attending the banquet. Be sure to carry an extra banquet invitation with you if they are interested in attending. If your event offers table packages, be sure to include that information as well. Purchasing a table package is a great way for businesses to build relationships with their own clients and employees.
Event Sponsor Program:
Perhaps a donor is interested in supporting your event through the event sponsor program as opposed to donating goods, services or cash. It’s a good idea to carry an event sponsor program flyer so you can present those options, if needed.
State Project History Summary:
Having the most recent version of your state’s project history summary gives donors a high-level view of what RMEF is accomplishing in your state. This tool shows the impact that donors, attendees and members make on RMEF’s mission in the state. Your chapter chair can get the project history summary from your regional director when it becomes available.
Know Your State’s Mission Priorities:
In addition to a project history summary, give donors specific examples of grants funded by RMEF including where are funds typically spent and the benefits of those projects. Keep up to date with these examples so donors can hear what recent projects have taken place.
Donation Receipts:
If the donor chooses to donate, you must have an RMEF donation receipt ready to fill out. This document provides information to your chapter about the donation and acts as documentation for the donor, which they can give to their tax professional. Make sure these donation receipts are filled out completely and accurately.
New Volunteers:
One tactic that helps new volunteers gain experience and confidence in soliciting donations is to shadow experienced volunteers when they solicit their donors. Newer volunteers can also be given a list of longtime consistent donors who always contribute. This helps build confidence and gives them experience in making donation requests. Many people have a fear of failure, so boosting confidence in these ways will help newer volunteers learn to successfully ask for donations.
Additional Donation Solicitation Tips from RMEF Staff and Volunteers:
- Face-to-face conversations are the best way to build relationships and get donations! It is harder for a donor to tell you “No” in person.
- Having a specific donation in mind before you make the request may help your chances of being successful. Giving them examples of what other donors have done may also help. For example, if asking a concrete company for a donation, you may say, “Our committee received a donation of 2,000 square feet of asphalt from ABC Construction and we thought it’d be worth reaching out to see if your company would be willing to donate concrete?”
- Don’t be afraid to ask. The worst they can say is “no.”
- Look at the people who have been attending your event and see who is not currently donating. There are often business owners or managers that attend to enjoy the event but have never been asked to donate.