Help my fire department beg for money successfully!
July 20, 2010 7:45 AM Subscribe
I have been asked to write the annual fundraiser letter for my fire company. What's the best way to reach a wealthy, liberal population that probably receives lots of requests for money?
Our town is about 6500 people: maybe 2300 households. The population is largely white and extremely college-town/environmentalist-flavored liberal. The median family income is over $190,000. In past years, we have raised about $35000 in our annual fund drive, from 500-550 contributors. The median donation is about $60 from individuals and $100 from the town's small businesses.
Our department is staffed with a combination of paid firefighter/EMTs (2 full-time, about 8 part-time) and volunteers, like me, with assorted levels of training, activity, and physical ability (about 60 of them on the roster). We run about 300 fire calls a year, maybe 20 of which are working fires. The department doesn't get paid for fire calls, except in the occasional case where people up their annual contribution a little because we put out their house. We run 750-800 ambulance calls a year, to our town and two neighboring towns--apart from the fund drive, ambulance revenue is our other major source of income. A little over half our ambulance calls are staffed solely by volunteers. A little under half our fire calls are staffed by volunteers only.
Running a fire company costs a lot more than most people expect. Fire trucks cost half a million to a million bucks. Training and equipping firefighters isn't cheap either. As a small-framed female firefighter/EMT, the only gear they could find for me is about 9 years old, and I know that my full set cost about $9000 when it was bought. Gear isn't allowed to be worn when it's older than 10 years, per the national authority on this sort of thing, NFPA. Getting me (and our other 20 firefighters who need it) new gear will cost even more than that per person nowadays. We do apply for grants annually, and we've had some success funding a few paid positions and some new gear with Federal money. I have written 3 grants this summer, but we won't hear anything about them for at least a few months.
In past years, the fund drive has consisted of two letters asking for money (one sent out in November, one in January) and a thank you note. I can handle the thank you note. I care about this department and I am truly grateful to people who donate, so I'm sure I can make it show in writing. However, past fund drive letters have been pretty unconvincing as far as I have seen. The formatting makes them look a lot like "you may have won a zillion dollars" junk mail. The board says I am not allowed to change that, although I think I have convinced them to use people's names rather than "current resident" on the envelopes. All I can do is make the body of the text a lot more appealing. So I ask you, Metafilter:
What kinds of information/requests/etc would convince you to donate money to any organization based on a fund drive letter? What would convince you to donate specifically to your fire company? What can my two letters do to make my particular population donate to my fire company?
Our town is about 6500 people: maybe 2300 households. The population is largely white and extremely college-town/environmentalist-flavored liberal. The median family income is over $190,000. In past years, we have raised about $35000 in our annual fund drive, from 500-550 contributors. The median donation is about $60 from individuals and $100 from the town's small businesses.
Our department is staffed with a combination of paid firefighter/EMTs (2 full-time, about 8 part-time) and volunteers, like me, with assorted levels of training, activity, and physical ability (about 60 of them on the roster). We run about 300 fire calls a year, maybe 20 of which are working fires. The department doesn't get paid for fire calls, except in the occasional case where people up their annual contribution a little because we put out their house. We run 750-800 ambulance calls a year, to our town and two neighboring towns--apart from the fund drive, ambulance revenue is our other major source of income. A little over half our ambulance calls are staffed solely by volunteers. A little under half our fire calls are staffed by volunteers only.
Running a fire company costs a lot more than most people expect. Fire trucks cost half a million to a million bucks. Training and equipping firefighters isn't cheap either. As a small-framed female firefighter/EMT, the only gear they could find for me is about 9 years old, and I know that my full set cost about $9000 when it was bought. Gear isn't allowed to be worn when it's older than 10 years, per the national authority on this sort of thing, NFPA. Getting me (and our other 20 firefighters who need it) new gear will cost even more than that per person nowadays. We do apply for grants annually, and we've had some success funding a few paid positions and some new gear with Federal money. I have written 3 grants this summer, but we won't hear anything about them for at least a few months.
In past years, the fund drive has consisted of two letters asking for money (one sent out in November, one in January) and a thank you note. I can handle the thank you note. I care about this department and I am truly grateful to people who donate, so I'm sure I can make it show in writing. However, past fund drive letters have been pretty unconvincing as far as I have seen. The formatting makes them look a lot like "you may have won a zillion dollars" junk mail. The board says I am not allowed to change that, although I think I have convinced them to use people's names rather than "current resident" on the envelopes. All I can do is make the body of the text a lot more appealing. So I ask you, Metafilter:
What kinds of information/requests/etc would convince you to donate money to any organization based on a fund drive letter? What would convince you to donate specifically to your fire company? What can my two letters do to make my particular population donate to my fire company?
I don't know how effective it is, but the local fire departments here send out letters with a lot of the same information that you outlined. The number of calls, cost of equipment, projected costs for the upcoming year. I think people may be more inclined to donate if they have a better understanding of how much it costs to operate such an important service for the community. Without knowing the true operating costs, it's easy to take the fire department for granted.
posted by tommccabe at 8:03 AM on July 20, 2010
posted by tommccabe at 8:03 AM on July 20, 2010
Unlike a lot of appeals for money, you're not asking letter recipients to be generous for other people's benefit; you're asking them to pay the cost of services that they themselves enjoy.
I'm surprised that this is handled via donations and grants rather than taxes, especially considering that you seem to be in a fairly affluent community, but that's neither here nor there.
What I'd find persuasive would be a combination of mild fear tactic, combined with assurance that the money is spent responsibly. The sort of information you gave above, i.e. the numbers of fire and ambulance calls, the age of your equipment and the cost of replacement, all sounds pretty convincing.
posted by jon1270 at 8:08 AM on July 20, 2010
I'm surprised that this is handled via donations and grants rather than taxes, especially considering that you seem to be in a fairly affluent community, but that's neither here nor there.
What I'd find persuasive would be a combination of mild fear tactic, combined with assurance that the money is spent responsibly. The sort of information you gave above, i.e. the numbers of fire and ambulance calls, the age of your equipment and the cost of replacement, all sounds pretty convincing.
posted by jon1270 at 8:08 AM on July 20, 2010
One more thing I would want to know: to which groups does the fire company rent out the company's social club space? I wouldn't want my fire company or any other group that provides a service in my community doing business with a hate group like as Keystone United, for instance.
posted by vincele at 8:13 AM on July 20, 2010
posted by vincele at 8:13 AM on July 20, 2010
The key to having people raise money (or to do anything they're hesitant to do) is to lower the barriers to participation. Think of all the objections they might have and address them. You're in a small town, so personalization and trust of the people around you (the people who you know, who shop in the same places you shop, and could potentially SAVE YOUR LIFE one day) is really important.
Does it look like junk mail? Make it not look like junk mail (colors, local photos, etc.).
Do people worry that it's impersonal? Use their name and put a photo of a recognizable local person on it. (Or a kid. Or a puppy.)
Do people think that they can't give much? Show them how more people giving a little makes a bigger impact than fewer people giving a lot (or nothing).
Do they think that they can't afford anything? Ask them to take the money they'd spend on a coffee each day for a week, just one week, and put it in the can at the local coffee place.
Do they hate writing checks? Set up automatic bank transfers or do one of those wacky texting things that This American Life does so well (and has used to guilt me into giving money really easily).
Honestly, it sounds like your department is working under a pretty antiquated fundraising model. It's probably too late for this year's fundraising letter, but how about convening a committee (with outside folks, not the people who keep the letter looking like junk mail) to look into different options next time? How about a community festival, or a text message thing, or appeals on the local radio station, etc.? What do other volunteer stations in your area, or in similarly-sized towns, do that has worked for them?
I know you're a volunteer department and probably have very little money to spend on this, but this might be a case where, just this once, you need to spend money to make money. Don't even get a flashy consultant, just find out who the smart business people are in your town, the ones who know lots of people, and ask a few of them to sit down over some coffee and doughnuts to help you brainstorm.
posted by Madamina at 8:19 AM on July 20, 2010
Does it look like junk mail? Make it not look like junk mail (colors, local photos, etc.).
Do people worry that it's impersonal? Use their name and put a photo of a recognizable local person on it. (Or a kid. Or a puppy.)
Do people think that they can't give much? Show them how more people giving a little makes a bigger impact than fewer people giving a lot (or nothing).
Do they think that they can't afford anything? Ask them to take the money they'd spend on a coffee each day for a week, just one week, and put it in the can at the local coffee place.
Do they hate writing checks? Set up automatic bank transfers or do one of those wacky texting things that This American Life does so well (and has used to guilt me into giving money really easily).
Honestly, it sounds like your department is working under a pretty antiquated fundraising model. It's probably too late for this year's fundraising letter, but how about convening a committee (with outside folks, not the people who keep the letter looking like junk mail) to look into different options next time? How about a community festival, or a text message thing, or appeals on the local radio station, etc.? What do other volunteer stations in your area, or in similarly-sized towns, do that has worked for them?
I know you're a volunteer department and probably have very little money to spend on this, but this might be a case where, just this once, you need to spend money to make money. Don't even get a flashy consultant, just find out who the smart business people are in your town, the ones who know lots of people, and ask a few of them to sit down over some coffee and doughnuts to help you brainstorm.
posted by Madamina at 8:19 AM on July 20, 2010
I've already reached out to you via MeMail, so feel free to respond privately, but here's a sample letter you can use. Your idea of actually using resident's names is a good one; setting up a simple mail merge and using windowed envelopes shouldn't cost you any more money than you're using now.
I'm also replying under the assumption that you're not in a position to use tear-off sheets, remittance slips/envelopes, etc.
Dear Mary Quimby,
Last year, the Boomertown Volunteer Fire Department put out 20 fires, answered 754 ambulance calls, rescued four kittens, and saved 12 lives. We did it all because generous donors helped us to afford equipment, training, and costs of running an effective fire station.
Many residents don't fully realize that taxes alone do not cover our operating costs. That is why every year we reach out to you to help fund this important community service. As volunteers, we are your neighbors: moms and dads, teachers and students, career firefighters and weekend warriors.
Won't you consider making a gift this year to help fund our operating costs, so that we can be the most effective volunteer fire department we can be? Over 95% of your gift goes directly to our programs - that's less overhead than many national charities - and all donations to the Boomertown Volunteer Fire Department are fully tax-deductible. Please give what you can.
Thank you for your support of the Boomertown Volunteer Fire Department. We're there when you need us. Won't you return the favor?
Sincerely,
Sky Smith, Volunteer
posted by juniperesque at 8:46 AM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
I'm also replying under the assumption that you're not in a position to use tear-off sheets, remittance slips/envelopes, etc.
Dear Mary Quimby,
Last year, the Boomertown Volunteer Fire Department put out 20 fires, answered 754 ambulance calls, rescued four kittens, and saved 12 lives. We did it all because generous donors helped us to afford equipment, training, and costs of running an effective fire station.
Many residents don't fully realize that taxes alone do not cover our operating costs. That is why every year we reach out to you to help fund this important community service. As volunteers, we are your neighbors: moms and dads, teachers and students, career firefighters and weekend warriors.
Won't you consider making a gift this year to help fund our operating costs, so that we can be the most effective volunteer fire department we can be? Over 95% of your gift goes directly to our programs - that's less overhead than many national charities - and all donations to the Boomertown Volunteer Fire Department are fully tax-deductible. Please give what you can.
Thank you for your support of the Boomertown Volunteer Fire Department. We're there when you need us. Won't you return the favor?
Sincerely,
Sky Smith, Volunteer
posted by juniperesque at 8:46 AM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
I donate every year to my local volunteer department for three reasons. One, is the kharma thing. Donate and hopefully I never need your services. It is like insurance; one of those products you buy and hope to never use. Two, civic responsibility. I may never use the service, but my elderly neighbor might need a ride to the hospital. Three, an irrational belief that if I do not donate that my name is on some "respond slower" list of non-donors. (This irrational belief almost gets me to donate to the police benevolent fund too. Almost.)
I am not a marketing person so know not how to use these reasons to get more donations.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 9:02 AM on July 20, 2010
I am not a marketing person so know not how to use these reasons to get more donations.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 9:02 AM on July 20, 2010
The local ambulance service has to come to town meeting and justify whatever money they're going to be getting from the town. The past few years there have been sharp increases in the amount they're getting which has made people a little tetchy. They have done a really terrific job handling this issue with a few of these approaches.
- explaining why they're having increases [mostly health care costs are soaring]
- explaining what their other funding sources are and what are happening to them [they got some really good grants and did some hard work to get them]
- explaining how medicare isn't reimbursing as much [real problem for them]
- the stats stuff: "we did blah blah this much blah blah"
I also always donate to my volunteer fire station [in another town where I have property, my town's fire service is paid for with taxes I think] because it's really clear that it's a bare bones operation and my money is useful. The letter isn't slick and it's very clear that this is a donation, no threats, etc. It's also clear the work they do making sure people's E-911 info is correct, making sure they know how to get to your house [which you can add on the donation form, handy!] and they don't ask for much.
Lastly, our local ambulance service had some really weird system which I don't recall directly but basically if you made a donation over some amount [$50? $100?] then your first ambulance trip was free. It was a funny sort of insurance, but I thought it was a neat idea and with my general health anxiety issues, would have been well worth it to me even though I was totally unlikely to use it.
posted by jessamyn at 9:28 AM on July 20, 2010
- explaining why they're having increases [mostly health care costs are soaring]
- explaining what their other funding sources are and what are happening to them [they got some really good grants and did some hard work to get them]
- explaining how medicare isn't reimbursing as much [real problem for them]
- the stats stuff: "we did blah blah this much blah blah"
I also always donate to my volunteer fire station [in another town where I have property, my town's fire service is paid for with taxes I think] because it's really clear that it's a bare bones operation and my money is useful. The letter isn't slick and it's very clear that this is a donation, no threats, etc. It's also clear the work they do making sure people's E-911 info is correct, making sure they know how to get to your house [which you can add on the donation form, handy!] and they don't ask for much.
Lastly, our local ambulance service had some really weird system which I don't recall directly but basically if you made a donation over some amount [$50? $100?] then your first ambulance trip was free. It was a funny sort of insurance, but I thought it was a neat idea and with my general health anxiety issues, would have been well worth it to me even though I was totally unlikely to use it.
posted by jessamyn at 9:28 AM on July 20, 2010
Response by poster: vincele, I am so sorry to hear about that. I can't even imagine what that would be like. It is extremely distressing to hear about that kind of incompetence, and I hope there were some repercussions for the department involved. They shouldn't be allowed to operate like that.
Our fire company doesn't have a bar or a social space that it rents out, or an auxiliary that does social events. We do one social event a year, a banquet where we honor top-ten ambulance and fire responders, and we rent out space from a local business for that. Blocking streets on holidays is something police ask us to do for pedestrian safety, and the fire siren in the middle of the night is mandated by some governing body. All in all, I'd say we are as professional a department as we can be despite the blue-collar origins of the job. I'm not sure how to communicate these sort of things in a fund drive letter, but I'll certainly try. I'm sure you're not the only one who feels this way about fire departments.
The website idea is really good. We have a website, but it is out of date and doesn't have current training opportunities or explanations of the fires we've covered. I'll bring it up, although I think I might be the only active member with time and skills to keep it updated.
tommccabe, in the past we have emphasized the number of calls, but the operating budget has not been very explicit. I'll ask the board if they are comfortable with projected operating costs being included.
jon1270, we do get some money from the town, but they have been budgeting proportionally less for us in the past two years, citing economic woes. We use them to pay for some of our paid firefighters and most of our training, but they don't seem reliable at the moment.
Madamina, the letter is a trifold style with pictures of our fire apparatus in color on the header. It does have a tear-off part to be sent in with the donation. I think envelopes are out of the question. Most of the local companies I have ties with have used a similar letter, with similar results--nobody seems to have a silver bullet. There are quite a few savvy local business owners, so I'll definitely chat with some of them. And your suggestions are great. I'll probably use at least a few of them.
JohnnyGunn, I swear we don't have that kind of list. But thanks for donating.
To everyone who has commented so far: Thank you so much for your input. Please keep the suggestions coming. I really appreciate them.
posted by skyl1n3 at 9:33 AM on July 20, 2010
Our fire company doesn't have a bar or a social space that it rents out, or an auxiliary that does social events. We do one social event a year, a banquet where we honor top-ten ambulance and fire responders, and we rent out space from a local business for that. Blocking streets on holidays is something police ask us to do for pedestrian safety, and the fire siren in the middle of the night is mandated by some governing body. All in all, I'd say we are as professional a department as we can be despite the blue-collar origins of the job. I'm not sure how to communicate these sort of things in a fund drive letter, but I'll certainly try. I'm sure you're not the only one who feels this way about fire departments.
The website idea is really good. We have a website, but it is out of date and doesn't have current training opportunities or explanations of the fires we've covered. I'll bring it up, although I think I might be the only active member with time and skills to keep it updated.
tommccabe, in the past we have emphasized the number of calls, but the operating budget has not been very explicit. I'll ask the board if they are comfortable with projected operating costs being included.
jon1270, we do get some money from the town, but they have been budgeting proportionally less for us in the past two years, citing economic woes. We use them to pay for some of our paid firefighters and most of our training, but they don't seem reliable at the moment.
Madamina, the letter is a trifold style with pictures of our fire apparatus in color on the header. It does have a tear-off part to be sent in with the donation. I think envelopes are out of the question. Most of the local companies I have ties with have used a similar letter, with similar results--nobody seems to have a silver bullet. There are quite a few savvy local business owners, so I'll definitely chat with some of them. And your suggestions are great. I'll probably use at least a few of them.
JohnnyGunn, I swear we don't have that kind of list. But thanks for donating.
To everyone who has commented so far: Thank you so much for your input. Please keep the suggestions coming. I really appreciate them.
posted by skyl1n3 at 9:33 AM on July 20, 2010
Oh hey, I just left a job where I was doing similar stuff, so I can actually sort of answer this.
The key is to make a personal connection. juniperesque's boilerplate letter is a start, but I'd also include quotes from a firefighter or two explaining why, precisely, donations are important. I'd take what you said about uniforms, for example, and try to put an upbeat spin on it. Talk about how their money will improve your conditions. Something like: "Nine years ago, when my gear was first purchased, it cost the department nine thousand dollars. Your donation will allow me to continue my work helping out community in gear that's modern and safe, and help our entire department thrive. Your safety means so much to us. Won't you please show your appreciation for all that we've done? Any amount helps."
Also, photos. Close-ups of specific firefights, not just the whole team, specifically. Think personal. You want your donors to feel a personal connection to the people they're helping.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 9:37 AM on July 20, 2010
The key is to make a personal connection. juniperesque's boilerplate letter is a start, but I'd also include quotes from a firefighter or two explaining why, precisely, donations are important. I'd take what you said about uniforms, for example, and try to put an upbeat spin on it. Talk about how their money will improve your conditions. Something like: "Nine years ago, when my gear was first purchased, it cost the department nine thousand dollars. Your donation will allow me to continue my work helping out community in gear that's modern and safe, and help our entire department thrive. Your safety means so much to us. Won't you please show your appreciation for all that we've done? Any amount helps."
Also, photos. Close-ups of specific firefights, not just the whole team, specifically. Think personal. You want your donors to feel a personal connection to the people they're helping.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 9:37 AM on July 20, 2010
(Oh, and of course, feel free to MeMail me.)
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 9:39 AM on July 20, 2010
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 9:39 AM on July 20, 2010
I'll just add that you're not going to get the best results through direct mail alone. A big part of financial development (which is what you're doing here), is the "development" part of it -- developing relationships with donors (at every level) to make a personal connection and have someone make a very personal, face-to-face "ask" for a donation.
One of the best things you can do is split the list of your prior donors up between all the volunteers (and the pro's if they're interested) and assign an equal number to each person. Make it that person's responsibility to do follow-up contact with their prospective donor ("propspect") to help increase the return rate.
So:
1) Personalized letter. Letters to prior donors should thank them (again) for their previous donation and ask them for their continued support. That letter should be personally signed by whomever their assigned volunteer is.
2) Wait some period of time to see who donates.
3) Have volunteers make personal contact with the prospects who haven't responded - a phone call is ok, an email is slightly less ok, face to face is better. So: are they a neighbor? Do they go to church together? Friend? Member of a civic organization? Its harder to say no to someone you see on a frequent basis.
posted by anastasiav at 10:52 AM on July 20, 2010
One of the best things you can do is split the list of your prior donors up between all the volunteers (and the pro's if they're interested) and assign an equal number to each person. Make it that person's responsibility to do follow-up contact with their prospective donor ("propspect") to help increase the return rate.
So:
1) Personalized letter. Letters to prior donors should thank them (again) for their previous donation and ask them for their continued support. That letter should be personally signed by whomever their assigned volunteer is.
2) Wait some period of time to see who donates.
3) Have volunteers make personal contact with the prospects who haven't responded - a phone call is ok, an email is slightly less ok, face to face is better. So: are they a neighbor? Do they go to church together? Friend? Member of a civic organization? Its harder to say no to someone you see on a frequent basis.
posted by anastasiav at 10:52 AM on July 20, 2010
I get fundraising letters on a daily basis from what seems to be every charity out there. I usually throw them in the recycling bin without reading them. Unless there's a sticker in the envelope. A cool, well-designed sticker reminds me to donate to the Electronic Freedom Foundation, for example. My partner and I, both relatively well-off professionals in our twenties, will occasionally argue about who gets the sticker. His arms are longer, so he usually gets to keep it, and then I have to donate to get my own.
Getting some sort of acknowledgment, like your name printed in the annual report, is also cool (for instance, Solid Ground in Seattle).
Also, I'm much more likely to log on to your website (include the address on the sticker) to donate than to fill out a paper form and mail it (I don't even have checks for my bank accounts – I use Bill Pay exclusively).
Try to get your local radio station to make a couple of announcements (they may agree to do it for free?) at the beginning of your campaign – then I'll be expecting your letter in the mail and recognize who it's from.
Calls about anything other than a reminder to fulfill a donation pledge I've made are annoying and unwelcome.
posted by halogen at 11:21 AM on July 20, 2010
Getting some sort of acknowledgment, like your name printed in the annual report, is also cool (for instance, Solid Ground in Seattle).
Also, I'm much more likely to log on to your website (include the address on the sticker) to donate than to fill out a paper form and mail it (I don't even have checks for my bank accounts – I use Bill Pay exclusively).
Try to get your local radio station to make a couple of announcements (they may agree to do it for free?) at the beginning of your campaign – then I'll be expecting your letter in the mail and recognize who it's from.
Calls about anything other than a reminder to fulfill a donation pledge I've made are annoying and unwelcome.
posted by halogen at 11:21 AM on July 20, 2010
Could you include brief examples of one or two cases, with photos, handled by the company in the previous fiscal year? Putting a face on the work helps give it immediate value in the minds and hearts of civilians.
posted by Mertonian at 12:32 PM on July 20, 2010
posted by Mertonian at 12:32 PM on July 20, 2010
You've gotten some good answers already; as a fundraiser myself, I can add only these things: first of all, Current Resident is the worst possible way to address the letter, but you knew that already - as soon as you can change that, do. Second, the letter is just the starting point - your average gift is so low, I think there are ways you can raise it pretty painlessly. Every person who gave last year could be asked for twice as much; when they give again, the fire chief should call them ASAP to thank them for their gift, even if it's just a message on their answering machine. The more personal thanking he or another leader in the department does, the more loyal those donors will be and the easier it will be to get them to give more, either later in the same year or the following year. Can you have a calling drive once the letter is in people's mailboxes? Firefighters encouraging people to give would be pretty compelling, and a call from the chief the day after someone gives would be great.
The more personal relationships you can establish and build upon, the easier your work will be - you can turn those loyal donors into volunteers for your cause, lead donors who are willing to put up challenge money to encourage new donations ("If we get 50 new donors this year, these 10 generous community members will give $5000 for uniforms and equipment."), and the base of support you can count on for the future.
Don't worry about text giving yet - it's the hot new thing, but mGive, the main vendor who processes gifts has costly setup fees and does not tell you *who* your donors are, just that this # gave $10 and that # gave $10. Plus, as if that weren't bad enough, there's an annual limit to the amount you can give by text (I think it's $35) and it takes 90 days to get the money. Focus instead on gifts through your website - here's a good, up-to-date article on online donation tools, including a few that don't charge a fee per donation http://www.idealware.org/articles/few-good-online-donations-tools
Good luck - I hope you have great success, and feel free to contact me if you have questions.
posted by deliriouscool at 1:47 PM on July 20, 2010
The more personal relationships you can establish and build upon, the easier your work will be - you can turn those loyal donors into volunteers for your cause, lead donors who are willing to put up challenge money to encourage new donations ("If we get 50 new donors this year, these 10 generous community members will give $5000 for uniforms and equipment."), and the base of support you can count on for the future.
Don't worry about text giving yet - it's the hot new thing, but mGive, the main vendor who processes gifts has costly setup fees and does not tell you *who* your donors are, just that this # gave $10 and that # gave $10. Plus, as if that weren't bad enough, there's an annual limit to the amount you can give by text (I think it's $35) and it takes 90 days to get the money. Focus instead on gifts through your website - here's a good, up-to-date article on online donation tools, including a few that don't charge a fee per donation http://www.idealware.org/articles/few-good-online-donations-tools
Good luck - I hope you have great success, and feel free to contact me if you have questions.
posted by deliriouscool at 1:47 PM on July 20, 2010
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I would only donate to a local company like yours if I knew:
1) that all of my donation went to training and equipment
2) that none went to the licensing, staffing or stocking of the bars PA companies run as 'social clubs' in their firehouses.
3) that no donations went to the barbeques and other social events that masquerade as fundraisers or training
4) that a website or newsletter update area residents about training and licensing activities of the company
5) that no company time be wasted on bringing out fire engines to drive around the town for fun
6) that no citizens be inconvenienced by the fire company blowing horns, flashing lights, or parking fire engines on main streets during festivals or holidays
In short, if PA fire companies acted a bit more professionally, I might be inclined to donate.
I was very surprised that my .5% income tax that I give to the township or municipality or whomever doesn't cover basic fire service. You might point that out in the letter. The whole business seems kind of corrupt to me.
I do not mean to attack you or your company. I'm just giving you my impression that these companies are clubs for a bunch of good ol' boys, or whatever the PA equivalent is, playing around with big shiny fire engines. Others might view them that way too.
posted by vincele at 8:02 AM on July 20, 2010