Expanding Your Sources of Funding

Plan fund raising early for Child Abuse Prevention activities. We recommend approaching a variety of sources within the community, including foundation and corporate donors and individual contributors. Consider cause related marketing and special events to raise money.

Foundations and Corporate Donors

The following suggestions are helpful when seeking foundation and corporate funding support. The first step is to locate potential sources of support in your community. You can research these sources at the library or through the Internet.

Target corporations or foundations that have a history of giving to children's organizations.

• Concentrate on donors in your geographic area.

• Once you have identified these potential donors, send a letter requesting funding guidelines.

• Develop a relationship with the giving officer by scheduling a meeting to discuss your program.

• Develop a grant request for Child Abuse Prevention Month or other activities.

• Ask your board if they know anyone at the giving program. Ask them to write letters encouraging their contacts to support your request, then follow up with a phone call.

• Make sure to acknowledge donors promptly. Keep them informed on how you are using their donation.

Cause Related Marketing

Cause related marketing links purchases of a company's product with fund raising for an organization.

A popular cause related marketing approach is one in which a percentage of the product's proceeds is donated to the charity.

Cause related marketing partnerships build positive images for the company, and increase visibility and sources of funding for the charitable organization.

Partnerships may be established with large corporations that carry nationally known products. They also may be established with smaller organizations, such as your local ice cream parlor.

Cause related marketing offers the opportunity to prevent child abuse to friends and businesses in your community.

Special Events

Your selection of an event will depend on the resources available to you.

It can be a large event:

-a walkathon

-dinner with auction

-a sporting event

It can be a small event:

-a bake sale

-a coffee

-a car wash

Assess the number of volunteers that are available to you. The number of volunteers your group can call on will determine the size of the event you will undertake.

Remember, organization and a strong volunteer base are essential to the success of your special event. A special event is a good opportunity for your board to get involved. For example, board members may solicit auction items, encourage attendance, and provide publicity.

Individual Contributors

Individual donors simply need to be asked. Develop an appeal letter specifically for Child Abuse Prevention Month, or another activity. The following "Ten Friends of Children" is an example of a letter that can be sent to your current donors to enlarge your donor base.

Dear ______:

Thank you very much for your gift of $X. We are very grateful for your past support. April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and we are asking for your help. We are NOT asking for your money. We are asking that you write to ten friends, letting them know that April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and that you support this organization. Then ask them to consider making a donation of $25. They can send the checks to you, and you can forward them to us. In this way, we can get the message of child abuse prevention out to more people. With your help we can increase our effectiveness in the community and across the country. You can help us make a difference in the lives of children and families who need support! Once again, thank you for your financial support. We hope that you will be able to help us prevent child abuse.