Guidelines for Success

Fundraising

Fundraising is a must for every member-supported group. While the task may seem daunting, there are many ways to obtain funds and materials for your group’s activities. Check out the following suggestions:

Seeking Donations

This is the most obvious path to take. If you know of individuals in your community who are interested in environmental issues and willing to support you with monetary contributions, you are in luck. A formal letter soliciting funds or asking for a meeting is the best way to start. Impressive presentations to potential donors in your community can literally "pay off" quite well.
Money isn’t the only resource, either. Even if donors can’t provide cash, they may be able to provide you with testing equipment, planting supplies, professional expertise, etc. Focus on what people can provide, not on what they cannot.

School Support

Regardless of whether your group is affiliated with the school or not, your school may have student activities funding available for a group like yours. Talk to administrators to determine if you can apply for start-up money.

Raffles

Recently, there was a good example of a successful raffle in Washington, DC. To fund a worthwhile environmental education project, a woman ran a "75%-25% Raffle." 75% of the profits became startup funds for the project, while 25% were pooled and given away as the prize. Your fundraising committee should be able to brainstorm similar ideas. Note: Make sure your school or community allows money-raising efforts like raffles.

Benefit Events

These are a lot of work, but often provide a great payoff. They also help form closer ties with your community and can expand your membership base. Encourage people who attend the events to sign up to work with the group. Some examples of benefit events include concerts, fun runs, and Arts and Crafts shows.

[Your Idea Here]-a-Thon

The National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness (NSCAHH) organizes a yearly "Hunger Clean Up." Campus hunger groups garner pledges for every hour of community projects they engage in. The groups then work with other community groups to set up the projects. People repaint housing projects, or clean up a particularly polluted site, or even help rebuild housing. They then collect on the pledges that community members have made, and the group makes a profit. The community’s environment benefits, and the group benefits financially and attracts new members. Other popular ideas include: bike-a-thons, walk-a-thons, hike-a-thons, dance-a-thons, tree plantings, beach clean-ups, adopt-a-streams, etc.

Matching Funds

Often businesses will agree to match the amount of money a group raises at an event. It is often called a "challenge." You hear this especially with public radio or TV fundraising drives.

In-Kind Contributions

Ask local community groups, churches, and civic clubs for donations or use of resources. For example, there are advocacy groups whose computer equipment was all donated. Art supplies for postering, paper and copies for mailing, food and drinks for events, the use of building space for events - all these are often donated to groups like yours.

Merchandise

A student at James Madison University in Virginia has developed a fundraising model now used on campuses around the nation. They marketed reusable, environmentally sensible coffee mugs with the group’s logo on them. This raised substantial funds for the group and helped create a wider awareness of the group and the work it was (and still is) doing.

Membership

Try to make it a rule to collect dues from your members, but don’t turn away potential members simply because they can’t pay dues. A sliding scale system is a good way to go to ensure fairness in dues collection.

Grants and Awards

Foundations, non-profit organizations, and community groups nationwide offer grants for environmental literacy and action projects. Some groups, like the Captain Planet Foundation, offer year-round funding opportunities; others have specific deadlines. Research national and local foundations and organizations that support activities like yours, and consider trying your hand at grant-writing! Your adult sponsor can likely provide good insight into the grant application process.

For a list of grants available for habitat projects, visit National Wildlife Federation’s Schoolyard Habitats website at www.nwf.org/schoolyardhabitats/create_acquire.cfm.

These are just some of the ways your group can engage in fundraising efforts. Your Fundraising Committee should be able to brainstorm many more. And always remember something a fellow organizer told groups he worked with: it’s "FUN"draising! Raising money should be a fun learning experience for all group members.

Adapted from the National Wildlife Federation’s Organizer’s Guide.