Hi Guys

[Gordon McOuat]

I just found this group. I am a partner in a CPA firm. One of my first assignments when I started my career with Ernst and Ernst in 1977 was Junior Achievement of Central Indiana. I have had a passion for NPO's ever since. I founded a firm in Palo Alto, CA in 1988. We served over 200 NPO's, Churches and faith based orgs before I moved back here.

We are building a NPO client base here. One of the things I find astounding is the difficulty small agencies have in fund raising.

How do we get these guys funded? I have heard too many times that it cant be done. I dont believe in "cant"!!!

[Ava Edlin]

Having been involved in a literacy non-profit, it is very difficult to raise funds. You can get the people involved, but the businesses locally are hit with so many requests for funds from other organizations trying to raise money, that if you do not ask at the right time (basically around their budget making decision time), no money is forth coming.
I think
1) most small non profits do not know where to start looking or how
2) they want to do what everyone else does to raise funding
3) no oversight or people willing to put in the work to raise funding (It scares them)

These are merely my observations from the organization(s) I have been involved with.

I was always looking for new, fresh ideas to raise funds.

[Gordon McOuat]

I wonder if there is merit to putting together a group to noodle out possible solutions, then approach the community.

I am also both scared for the smaller agencies and disappointed in UW. It seems that, under UW's new funding standards, they are primarily interested in rich organizations. Seems to me that is a dramatic departure from their root mission statement.

Desert Rose Foundation (Martinsville) needs UW one heck of a lot more than does any Habitat chapter!

[Theresa Browning]

Who are you trying to fund? A collective of nonprofits or one in particular such as JA?

[Kathy Sloan Wood]

I run my family's foundation, called The Bobbye and Jerry Sloan Hand-in-Hand Foundation www.bobbyeandjerrysloan.org. It is very hard to raise money, and I even have the luxury of using my dad's celebrity status to do so! I do 3 fundraising events each year, and this year, may do 4. I think the key is to make your events very different from what everyone else is doing. That's basically the only way we raise money, is through our events.

We've done a really good job so far, with our events. Our big one is coming up in April, and it's a celebrity waiter dinner, which was a huge hit last year.

Anyway, I would be interested in discussing other fundraising options, because as each year goes by, it will be toughter to solicit funds I'm sure!

[Gordon McOuat]

Some of mine are real difficult because of the population they serve. Two are shelters for battered women. This problem does not exist in most communities--at least as per community officials. Another one is a transitional shelter for families and single moms. They do a great work getting people back in school, etc.

People will work for JA, Butler, the ISO, their church, kids, etc etc etc. Are the poor, neglected and abused really that opaque or just completely invisible to us?

[Ava Edlin]

It is not a matter of them being opaque or invisible. It is a matter that we as a society do not want to admit we have that or this problem. I have watched a woman's shelter locally close down and a men's shelter take off. Overall, people do not want them in their neighborhoods. I am not saying it is right or wrong here, but making a point based on converstations I hear from people, not what the press is saying.

Most funding for these organizations does come from private individuals, churches, some sororities or fraternities, small companies and large companies, who wish to contribute to the local community and if you get the timing right when you ask them.

[Jennifer Swineford]

I'm co-chairing a golf outing for Adoptions of Indiana. This is their first golf outing, but we are VERY fortunate to have Tony Dungy as our keynote speaker this year. We're very excited, I have worked at other local golf courses during other outings, my co-chair is VERY involved in the Indiana golf community and has some really good contacts and our committee is made up of people that are excited about the organization as well as this fund-raising event.

I would love to hear from others who have run successful golf outings and get any tips that anyone may have. I'd like to be a very successful event for the participants as well as the organization, something that people are excited about going back to the next year. Thanks in advance for your input.

[Scott Crosby]

We love to donate for children's events Jennifer. If your looking for any silent auction item or great door prize I think we could swing a $500 gift certificate for that type of event. www.avonpicturethis.com

[Jennifer Swineford]

That's a very generous offer. We're having a comittee meeting Monday, after which I will start putting together a web site for the event. Once it is functioning, I will post the address here. BTW - I just love the work that you have on your site. You do amazing work.

[Jennifer Swineford]

Scott - I'm sorry it took so long to get back to you. We've been waiting on the NFL schedule to come out so we know what the date will be for the event. It will be either the first or second Thursday in Sept. Our website is up and running, www.AdoptionsofIndianaClassic.org, we will have forms online before the end of the week. If you need any other information, please let me know.

Thanks so much again for your very generous offer.