Ontario Library Association
Superconference 2010
 

Friends of Canadian Libraries Programming

 Winning at Fundraising: Creativity + Teamwork = Success

 

Throughout the day-long workshop notes were written in flip charts around the room.

 

Pros and Cons of Different Fundraising Programs

 

Mail programs  (renewal to current donors and acquisitions)

 

 

Pros Cons

  • reach broad community

  • targeted demographic – criteria – library users; neighbourhood of new branch

  • cost effective / resource efficient

  • post or email

  • Use newsletter mail out
    (little ask – part of larger library update message – soft sell

  • Segmentation (postal code)

  • Automatic – routine

  • Control the message – great way to get library message across

  • Donors are generous – average gift is $70-$80

  • Can use bulk mail to save $

  • Do by postal code – unaddressed mail (neighbourhood of new library)

  • Easy to measure

  • Easy to track trends

  • List has to be up to date so that you are not sending letter to someone who is deceased

  • Environmental green – people resent use of paper   Easily ignored

  •  Junk mail – natural resistance

  • Too frequent

  • Mail when you have been asked not to mail

  • Mmoney raised might reduce municipal budget allocation

  • If you are too successful you will get penalized; make a distinction that you are funding supplemental, enrichments – in addition to what tax dollars are paying for);; library had their budget reduced by the amount they fundraised - 7%

  • Use patron database and let user when registering that the information is used for library services and fundraising – cover the privacy issue

  • do not soft sell the ask

 

Pros and cons for different age groups

 

  • Oakville does two of each every year; also does a newsletter without an ask

  • Oakville targets 55 plus – younger demographics this doesn’t work

  • Once a year volunteer committee inserts hand written note – appreciate support in the past – return much greater and amount was much greater

  • Volunteers – personalizing the letters – ask them why they volunteer and use that in the letter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Events
 

Pros Cons

·         get publicity for cause and/or program

·         reach non users

·         getting something in return

·         find new donors (acquisition)

·         awareness

·         thanking existing donors

·         can be a team building experience; renewal,  
       excitement and enthusiasm

·         building a partnership

·         may be doing it for other reasons

·         great way to start partnerships (business
      community)

·         demanding of staff time/resources

·         tend to be high cost (low return on investment)

·         could bomb

·         may be weather dependent

·         high risk

·         need volunteer resources (partner with Friends
      for example)

·         how to maintain momentum – peters down –
      revitalize or hand off

 

 

 

Planning for Success

 

The fundraising program mix

 

Create a mix so you are not heavily dependant in one area. You can create an annual plan to:

 

Make the best use of:

  • Resources

  • Expertise

  • Interests

 

Encourage you to look beyond special events

– keep track of donors who come to special events 

  • Follow up with thank you

  • Ask to consider annual donation

Goal setting

  •  not just $$

  •   project specific (make a case for support; easier for the volunteers to make a message; donors need a context for their giving and you have to sell your case to them; use good news stories

* make yourself a little story bank to tell to service clubs

 Planning

  • Steps in planning

  • The planning process

  •  Who does what  - allocate resources (time); where your Friends can plug in; people know what is expected of them

  • -Budget – break down the goal into smaller totals and determine what is needed to launch each event

 

Evaluation – metrics – how are you going to measure success – how many volunteers – how much money raised

 

Planning research – take the time

  • What you want to do

  • What makes sense for us to do

  • What’s cost effective

  • What is everyone else doing (a gap we can fill)

Allocate resources

 

Planning cycle

  • Decide for the year – have an annual calendar of events and mail campaigns (time of year for tax receipt)

  • Evaluate

  • Rinse the plan

 

Advice

Steward the money coming from city

-          thank them

-          present to new council

-          personal coffee time with councillor and library board member

-          align strategic plan with city strategic plan

-          make sure they are reminded how library support strategic plan by doing x, y and z

 

 

Topic Tables

  • Small Town Challenges - Lisa Miettinen

  • Keep the $ in my branch/community

  • Reputation of “old books” = “old building” affection for the old building and negative media coverage

  • “bigwigs” standing in the way of change

  • Competition for $$ - barraged by several groups/projects

  • What if you are all alone and isolated?

  • Unsupportive Board and/or Town Council

  • Adjusting you practices to the unique characteristics of your community

  • Mail program - Rob Lavery

  •  in with utility bill  (Coburg) acquisitioning

  •  casting a wide net to find first donors can be very expensive

  •  tied in with tax bill – not a specific request for donor - not effective

  •  some library are using patron databases (Barire and Toronto have asked permission)

  •  donor coupon panel in newsletter

  •  page in newsletter providing news about fundraising

  •  over the counter [package given out during public library month – targeting older women who are library patrons – simple letter and addressed envelope

  •  P.S.. Please fill out coupon and use the enclosed envelope. Your support is appreciated

  • 14 pt font size

  • Free standing coupon that fits in envelope

  • Direct mail is all about urgency – fill in now

    •  Read message

    • Feel urgency

    • Respond

  • 4 or 5 times a year

  • E.g. Large print collection – geared to seniors

  • Most of revenue comes in Nov.-Dec

  • Response comes in first and third week after mail out

  • Receipt can go in with  thank you letter

  • Credit card- direct to Canada Helps

  • Use of patrol database

  • Ways to get started

  • People are not using cheques

  • Taping stamp ( postage stamp – is a gift)

  • Timely issue of receipts

  • Marketing - Melissa Cameron

  • Very specific target message (short & concise) +> make sure every0ne knows it

  • Very specific target group

  • Marketing and communication should be a two way conversation

  • Cheap was to reach people

    • email marketing

    • partnerships

  • Don’t try to do everything at once

  • Planned Giving - Ann Andrusyszyn
     

    • How to approach a prospect

    • How to find if they have put us in their will

    • Do we accept ALL gifts in a will/restate – importance of having a policy

    • What do we do with it once we’ve got it (shares, real estate)

      – need policy framework in place

    • Donor pyramid - base level where you start to build relationship

Links:

Barrie Public Library

Oakville Public Library

  • Friends and Fundraising - Ingrid Keuper-Dalton

  • Inventory of successful friends fundraising

  • Friendraising aspect is more important than fundraising

  • If you have the Friends the money will come after

  • They become passionate about the library

 

 

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