November 28, 2002 | Read Time: 1 minute
The Fundraising Houseparty: How to Get Charitable Donations from Individuals in a Houseparty Setting, by Morrie Warshawski, details the process of organizing a house party to solicit donations. Morrie Warshawski, a consultant and writer who has helped independent film directors raise money, writes that house parties offer a comfortable setting in which fund raisers can overcome their anxieties about asking for money in person. The first step, he explains, is finding a host who is willing to open up his or her house to the public and give the planning committee access to a list of friends and acquaintances. House parties, according to Mr. Warshawski, can be compelling to potential donors, especially since hosts are lending their name and home to a cause. The evening should feature a brief presentation about the project, preferably including a short video clip or slide show, suggests Mr. Warshawski. Following the presentation, it is critical, he believes, to have a peer who is well-respected by the guests and who is not directly involved in the project make an appeal for donations. The book includes a sample script of what the person who makes the appeal should say, as well as reproductions of invitations, pledge cards, and thank-you notes.
Publisher: Morrie Warshawski, 1408 West Washington Street, Ann Arbor, Mich. 48103; http://www.warshawski.com; 58 pages; $14.95; ISBN 0-9712789-0-3.
