How does one fundraise for a non-profit organization?

Question

I am a Project Director for a non-profit organization. We are aiming to build a Latino Community Center which would help the minorities of the community to have a say in the political/economic spectrum of American governance; that promotes public policy to protect civil rights and ensure equal participation in the economic, educational and social mainstream and to stimulate appreciation of the contributions to the minorities. Our website is www.californialatinocenter.org. We want this to be a political agenda and want contributions from different countries and its people. We our hosting different fundraisers to raise 18 million dollars that is set for this project. I want to know how to put the word across to people all over the country and abroad so that we can get donations into our website from those who care and, promote this endeavor that we have undertaken. Put your marketing caps on and tell us what measures should be taken to make this a successful venture.

Answer 1

1. Establish a PR team that can work on the collateral to start pushing stories to friendly publications. You need a core of experienced editors who can take the rough edges off the pieces to create sound policy platforms.

2. Establish a donation network, which usually comes through several avenues.

One strategy is try and hit the homerun by getting in bed with the Big Boys. That is, ping the Democratic party to see if there can be information sharing to help get the ball rolling (e.g. call, mailing lists). These guys should be your natural allies. You should be working heavy with the Valley's democratic Representatives and/or the California Democratic Party. Before you go busting down their doors demanding cash, make sure you have all your ducks lined up as to who you are, what your goals are, how it benefits the Democratic party, what the demographics/polling profiles look like for your organization.

You should also be in touch with associated parties like La Raza, similar groups that do the same thing in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and/or Nevada.

If you can't do that, then you're going to have to go grassroots. Buy a call/mail list to start raising funds.

Third, build your grassroots into the local universities and colleges where Latinos are especially strong in the UC, Cal State, local colleges and junior colleges. These are not going to be fund raising centers, so much as recruitment and sounding-board pools.

Good luck.

Answer 2

It is illegal to solicit money from the public for any purpose without a state-issued license. And they only give those to valid nonprofit corporations with IRS 501.c.3 tax exempt status. Each violation can get you a $1,000 fine and a year in jail. We cannot allow just anyone to collect money, claiming they will "give it to poor people". Creating a nonprofit is a very complex and expensive legal process. Find a valid organization doing the work you're interested in.. Ask them how you can help.