‘Money for Women’: Tips for Raising Money

More and more, women are being asked to raise money for good causes, says the magazine Money for Women (May-June).

The magazine asked two women who are full-time fund-raising professionals to offer advice to volunteers who are working on small projects.

Toni Goodale, a fund-raising consultant in New York, said she advises getting over potential embarrassment by focusing on the cause. “If you think you are raising money for yourself, you will feel as if you’re begging and you will feel personally rejected,” she told the magazine.

Good fund raising, especially when it comes to face-to-face solicitations, is like salesmanship, Ms. Goodale said. Her suggestions for improving meetings between donors and volunteers:

• “Know all you can about the campaign, including the amount raised to date.”
• “Since the primary reason for your meeting is to obtain a contribution to your organization and since many prospects will not know what is expected, be absolutely sure to ask for a gift of a specific amount.”
• “To encourage a potential donor to stretch his or her donation, you may want to mention your own gift.”
• “Don’t overstay your visit or try too aggressively to convince people to make a donation on the spot.”

Lee Ann Kingham, executive director of the Epilepsy Foundation of the Chesapeake Region/Abilities Network, advises reducing the number of fund-raising events a group holds.

She says her organization has increased its revenue by eliminating all events except for a golf tournament and a polo match. “People hated the chicken dinners,” she said.