The article was first published in the Yhdistyskonsultointi.fi blog.
Many associations raise funds for their operations only through membership fees. Membership fees are an easy and great way for the association, but what if the activity needed more funds and funding? Here are 5 tips for fundraising the association.
1 Grants
Grants are awarded, for example, by cities and municipalities and various foundations. In order to apply for a grant, you need to find out what activities the grant and funding can be obtained for and where you can apply for it. A good place to go to explore different foundations is Advisory Board of Foundations and Funds .
A wide range of support is provided for the association’s activities, and the support can be either a one-off example of the association’s project. The grant can also be ongoing, for example, support provided by the city for the payment of rent for the premises. Grants are often subject to an obligation to report that the grant has been used appropriately.
2 Sales
A very used way to raise funds for an association is through traditional sales. The sales will be held either alone or you will go to a bigger event at your own sales table. In order for the sales to be successful, it is a good idea to plan the sales carefully and set aside some time for planning. This will avoid problems with advertising and information.
3 Lottery
Lotteries are always a nice way to raise funds for an association. An absolute prerequisite for the success of the lottery is that good, interesting and high-quality lottery winnings are obtained. If the lottery winnings are of high quality, the sale of the lotteries itself will go as if by itself.
Lottery winnings can be asked from companies that would like to be their sponsors. It is often easier for companies to give their own products as a grant instead of money.
4 Sponsors
Sponsors usually seek visibility for their own activities. To get sponsors to support your activities, you can provide them with visibility on your website and membership letters, allowing your sponsor to pay for your media costs, for example. In addition, you can offer your sponsor a place at your association’s event.
Personal relationships are paramount to acquiring sponsors and ensuring good cooperation. The secret of good and long-term cooperation is to consider sponsors. For example, celebrating anniversaries, regular joint meetings, for example on one’s own sponsor days, deepen cooperation. If you are starting to host an event, you should also ask your sponsors if they would like to be featured in your event.
5 Courses
Your association and the members of your association are likely to have a great deal of knowledge about the activities of your association or matters close to your activities. Your association can arrange a course on a suitable theme and collect a participation fee from the course participants.
Organizing courses usually requires a lot of planning. So it’s a good idea to set aside a lot of time to plan your course so that you also get advertised and informed about your course in time.
BONUS: Support Products
The association’s fundraising can also be facilitated by selling promotional products to your association. It is a good idea to choose products that are easy to transport and handle. In this way, it is convenient to carry promotional products for sale at various personal events. When designing products, it is also worth striving for timelessness, so that the stock of products does not become obsolete very quickly just because of the fashion color of the season.
Do you have any more tips for raising association funds?