Charity/foundation/other advice - supporting multiple charities
October 25, 2022 4:09 PM Subscribe
I'd like to start an organization that will throw fundraising events to benefit a few different charities, and I'm unsure how to go about this. I've read about private foundations vs. public charities vs. supporting organizations, and I'd love for any resources or advice on how to proceed. What I'm trying to accomplish below the fold:
There is a general issue I want to support via my own contributions and funds I would like to raise...and I would want to disburse those funds to a few different charities, as there isn't one particular charity that covers everything I want. I'd like to raise funds via straight solicitation ("contribute to this cause!", events (charity auction, charity 5k, etc.), and probably other ways I haven't considered. But since I will want to contribute to multiple charities with what I raise, it wouldn't be like I was running the event to give money directly to one charity (in which case I'd just volunteer/partner with them).
The world of non-profits and charities is foreign to me. I'd appreciate any advice on how to structure something I'm thinking of. Thanks.
There is a general issue I want to support via my own contributions and funds I would like to raise...and I would want to disburse those funds to a few different charities, as there isn't one particular charity that covers everything I want. I'd like to raise funds via straight solicitation ("contribute to this cause!", events (charity auction, charity 5k, etc.), and probably other ways I haven't considered. But since I will want to contribute to multiple charities with what I raise, it wouldn't be like I was running the event to give money directly to one charity (in which case I'd just volunteer/partner with them).
The world of non-profits and charities is foreign to me. I'd appreciate any advice on how to structure something I'm thinking of. Thanks.
I’m a professional fundraiser for a national nonprofit. Events are a very inefficient way to raise money for charities. Amateurs doing it often end up netting a nominal amount which doesn’t reflect the effort that went into planning. Organizations that do events well get large sponsors to underwrite those costs as a way to get individual attendees into their donor pipelines. Direct donations are most impactful for the majority of organizations.
posted by Sweetie Darling at 7:29 PM on October 25, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by Sweetie Darling at 7:29 PM on October 25, 2022 [4 favorites]
I co-run a very small nonprofit and I would second the suggestion of volunteering with one or more nonprofits. They could certainly use the help. From your question, it sounds like you would be new to this. Gaining experience from the nonprofits you work with would be an advantage to this approach. Also, you don’t mention having other people for the organization you want to start, and some things are hard if you are solo.
Events specifically are a lot of work and may not be the best way to generate money, but may have other benefits to the nonprofit doing them. (Connecting with donors, getting media coverage, etc.) Starting a separate org to just do them for the money is likely to be less effective and also not have the other benefits that would be there if it was done by the nonprofit you want to help.
posted by snofoam at 2:38 AM on October 26, 2022 [3 favorites]
Events specifically are a lot of work and may not be the best way to generate money, but may have other benefits to the nonprofit doing them. (Connecting with donors, getting media coverage, etc.) Starting a separate org to just do them for the money is likely to be less effective and also not have the other benefits that would be there if it was done by the nonprofit you want to help.
posted by snofoam at 2:38 AM on October 26, 2022 [3 favorites]
As a long time non profit employee (now in academia, same/same, but all in the US, so if you are not, YMMV) I think the only way this is going to work is if you are creating a specific event planning business that will then offer its services and all funds raised to nonprofits for free. If you have a lot of event planning in your background and extremely deep pockets, that would be wonderful and many smaller nonprofits would be thrilled.
If, however, you have not done any, or much, event planning, you are working alone and you are not in the 1%, I can see a lot of pitfalls here. Events are a lot of work. I mean a lot. They take more than one person; they require a dedicated team - and I say this as someone who has been the one person in charge of fairly large events. There's a reason I found a job where I hardly ever have to do events and no big ones. Also, most (good) nonprofits plan their event schedule well in advance and they have staff whose whole job it is to work on those events. Your best bet is to volunteer and learn the ropes before you commit to anything.
Rereading your question it sounds as if maybe you want to participate in fundraising events that are already planned but give the money raised to other nonprofits than the organizer? That is a straight up nope, not possible. There are, however, a lot of blanket organizations in different places that do create events and then disburse funds to their non profit partners. The United Way is probably the largest but there are also local arts councils and I'm sure there are others that I don't know about. That might be a way for you to spread your volunteer hours and/or donations across a wider swathe of charities.
posted by mygothlaundry at 12:04 PM on October 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
If, however, you have not done any, or much, event planning, you are working alone and you are not in the 1%, I can see a lot of pitfalls here. Events are a lot of work. I mean a lot. They take more than one person; they require a dedicated team - and I say this as someone who has been the one person in charge of fairly large events. There's a reason I found a job where I hardly ever have to do events and no big ones. Also, most (good) nonprofits plan their event schedule well in advance and they have staff whose whole job it is to work on those events. Your best bet is to volunteer and learn the ropes before you commit to anything.
Rereading your question it sounds as if maybe you want to participate in fundraising events that are already planned but give the money raised to other nonprofits than the organizer? That is a straight up nope, not possible. There are, however, a lot of blanket organizations in different places that do create events and then disburse funds to their non profit partners. The United Way is probably the largest but there are also local arts councils and I'm sure there are others that I don't know about. That might be a way for you to spread your volunteer hours and/or donations across a wider swathe of charities.
posted by mygothlaundry at 12:04 PM on October 26, 2022 [1 favorite]
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posted by third word on a random page at 4:23 PM on October 25, 2022 [1 favorite]