Please give us money?

April 2, 2009 7:28 AM

After 28 years of existance and 5 years of working toward this goal, my community band became a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization six months ago. Yay! Now... How can we start getting donations?

Everyone is very eager to start accepting donations for the band, which would be put toward the purchase of music and instruments, and for other expenses like renting rehearsal and concert space, etc. So far we have received one donation, which was from our conductor's parents at our last concert. With another big concert coming up in a month, how can we ask the audience for money without coming off as rude/needy/pushy or worse, clueless? Nobody in the band (100+ members) seems to have any experience with this, or if they do, they're not volunteering to help out.

Probably our conductor will make some announcement about it during the concert. We are also planning to include an insert in the concert program to collect information about the audience (e.g. how they found us, contact info for our mailing list), and they can also indicate if they would like to make a donation of money, goods, or services. At some point we would like to send out letters to people on our mailing list, as well as local businesses.

We are also planning to apply for grants, which we have done in the past, but more will be available to us now as a non-profit org. So the question is really about how to ask nicely for donations, not other ways to get money. We really don't want to do things like sell stuff (cookies, candles, etc.) or hold auctions.

Thanks!

posted by LolaGeek to human relations (8 answers total)

Make sure it says clearly and visibly in your program "Our community band is a community-supported 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Donations to the band support the purchase of music and instruments, and renting rehearsal and concert space. If you would like to help support the community band, please contact [person in charge of collecting donations]." Do you have a website? Put the same language there. Make sure it's clear to whom checks for the band should be made out.

Come up with a donor recognition scheme. Knowing that their name will appear in a program under the header "Patron" or "Benefactor" or "Lord High Everything Else" (an actual donation level in my college theater group) has a remarkable way of inspiring folks to give money.
posted by ocherdraco at 7:47 AM on April 2, 2009 [1 favorite]

Instead of saying "please give us money" say "become a Patron." When you send out your letter, say that you are proud to announce your new non-profit status, and are starting a Patron program. Put a Patron sign up form in your program and on your website, and set up levels of support. Higher tiers of donations get tickets and program book mentions, with fancy tier names. I'll memail you a link to my choir's last Patron form so you get an idea of what I'm talking about. We have a Patron drive in the fall at the beginning of our season. But just so you know, the majority of our Patrons are members of the choir. It really is difficult to drum up Patrons.

Also, you will have a better chance of getting grants if you have some sort of community outreach. Plus, it will give your band more opportunities and experiences. My choir does work with high school singers and performs free mini-concerts for hospitals and the like. We used to have annual community workshops where we would bring in clinicians and a keynote speaker, but that is on hiatus right now.

Good luck!
posted by rakaidan at 7:47 AM on April 2, 2009

You know more than you think you know.

Because what you're already planning on doing is a great start: curtain speech by the conductor, envelope in the program, sending a letter to your mailing list are all basic first steps.

The best advice I can give is to make sure that the donor feels awesome about contributing to your band. Treat your donors well, and they keep donating.

And there are lots of organizations out there to help new and established non-profits. Does your area have a local Arts and Buisness Council? A local government division of the arts? Check those places out and see what resources they have.

(Also, this thread might be of interest, though it is much more about the theoretical aspects of arts funding than the practical.)
posted by JustKeepSwimming at 7:55 AM on April 2, 2009

And don't be shy about asking! Arts groups do this all the time; people expect it.

Your band leader might say: "Our community band has just passed an important milestone. After 28 years of existence and 5 years of working toward this goal, we have become a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. We are delighted to have achieved this, because [give the reasons why this is good for the band and for the community]. We're starting an inaugural campaign for the band with the goal of raising [specific amount of money] to do [specific things]. Details about the campaign can be found in your programs. Thanks very much for your support, and enjoy the show!"

Thank people for donating. All the time. Even if they haven't done it yet.
posted by ocherdraco at 7:56 AM on April 2, 2009

Seconding rakaidan - all major organizations that solicit donations (non-profit or other) do this and it's generally what is expected. A simple example might be something like three tiers of patrons or supporters: Gold - people who have donated(for example) $10,000 or more, Silver - people who have donated $5,000 or more, and Copper - people who have donated $500 or more. Obviously the names of the tiers and amounts is totally subjective.

Tip: Make sure that the top tier is high enough that only your top 5-10% of your supporters qualify. People/organizations who drop big money on stuff like need to get a bigger share of the "thank you" spot light and this doesn't happen when they get lumped in with a bunch of people. Inversely, make sure your bottom tier is low enough that people who maybe normally don't contribute to charitable causes could look at the amount and say "well, jeez that's not even really that much AND I'd get my name in the bulletin/on the wall/etc."

Two things about soliciting donations: 1. People won't give if you don't ask, 2. Donaters 99% of the time love to see there contributions recognized in some fashion.
posted by Smarson at 8:00 AM on April 2, 2009

close each of your shows with give me some money by spinal tap
posted by askmehow at 8:33 AM on April 2, 2009

The Foundation Center website should become your new best friend.
posted by Sidhedevil at 8:43 AM on April 2, 2009

Include a remit envelope in the program you hand out at every concert.

I can be as simple as an envelope with your return address printed on it and something like "Your donations help support our organization. XYZ is a 501c3 nonprofit corporation and donations are tax deductible."

Or you can make a more or less fancy remit envelope, something like the examples here.

Of course have a box or something at the ticket table where people can return a donation right then & there. But more people than you might think--and especially those considering larger donations--will take the envelope home and send it back to you later.

Besides angling for large donations I would be sure to angle for small ones. Something like "How about donating the amount you would have paid for a ticket to tonight's concert?"

There are three reasons for this: 1. You will (obviously) get a number of smaller donations. 2. People tend to "ladder up" their donation. That is, once they have decided to make a donation, say $5, they think--"Nah, $5 is too cheap, I'll make it $20. Look, there is a $50 level and I'll be listed in the program." They NEVER would have started as a $50 donor but by starting with $5 they talk themselves up. 3. Small donors are your best source of large donors. It may be only a small percentage of all small donors who step up to higher levels but you'll find that a very large percentage of your large donors made a few small donations first. It's sort of a way of "trying out" the organization and how they feel about it.

BTW be sure to send ALL donors a thank you note (which can just be sent with their receipt).
posted by flug at 9:55 AM on April 2, 2009