Fundraising

Fundraising: the List & the Ask

There are two keys to successful fundraising:
*The list*	Building “the list” is essential to targeting donors.
*The ask*	If you do not ask, you will not receive.

12 Basic Tenets of Fundraising

You won’t receive any money unless you ask for it.

The most effective fundraiser is the most focused person.

A personal approach is always more effective.

Don’t assume that someone won’t contribute; give them the opportunity to say no.

Don’t be afraid to ask for a large amount of money.

You must be willing to ask more than once for a contribution.

People who give once are the ones who are most likely to contribute again.

The amount of money raised is directly proportional to the amount of effort put into the project.

The greatest idea won’t raise money unless someone at some point in the process asks for money.

It takes as much time and effort to ask for $1,000 as it does for $10.

Use people to their full potential; someone who can raise money, should not be stuffing envelopes.

Never pass up an opportunity to ask for money.

Campaign Fundraising: “The List”

When starting your list, don’t worry about anything other than names.

The list is made up of four components – relational, ideological, ax-grinders and access.

Campaign Fundraising: “The List”
Component	Explanation
Relational	People with whom you have a personal relationship and those who have a personal interest in your winning. This includes your family, friends, coworkers, church members, and alumni or organizational members.
Ideological	Individuals or groups who share your ideology, ethnic or cultural perspective and will care more about your prospects than your viability. This includes Democratic donors; issue-related groups such as educational, environmental, union, etc.; business/work associates; acquaintances; ethnic or cultural donor.
Ax-grinders	Individuals who have an issue against your opponent and won’t support him/her. These people will likely come to you, but you may have to look for them. This often occurs when an opponent has held elective office and has made enemies with certain voters.
Access	People who want access to you once you’ve won your election. They have a personal stake in your election or believe that it will increase their own personal power in some way. Don’t count on this group when planning your campaign budget and finance plan. They will seek you out just to gain your favor.

Begin your list with names but expand it to include

- Contact information

- The amount you think each person can give your campaign

- How (the tactic) you plan to get that money from them

The best place to start when putting together a fundraising plan is to prepare the list. The list should contain every possible contributor you can think of and the level at which each can be expected to give.

Once The List is built, expand it to include

Past county donors.

Donors to the state Democratic Party.

Donors to municipal, county, legislative, statewide and federal candidates.

Donors to interest groups.

Elected officials.

Candidates, current and past.

Campaign Fundraising: “The Ask”

Use your list to plan how to reach the potential donors. There are five common ways to raise money for your campaign. They are arranged below in the most effective and cost-efficient order.

Effective Tactics for Campaign Fundraising

Personal or face-to-face.

Phone call

Solicitation letter

Surrogate or finance committee

Events

There are many ways to raise money for political parties. The most important thing to remember is to keep it personal.

Potential fundraising activities:

P E R S O N A L S O L I C I T A T I O N – the best way to raise money

Events such as barbecues, fish fries, beans and greens, pot luck, catered dinners, dances

Pass the hat at county executive committee meetings

Booths at local events such as county fairs or festivals

Sales - bake sales, garage sales, specialty sales

Receptions, coffees and teas

Direct mail solicitation

In-kind gifts

Auctions

Raffles

Booths provide an opportunity to sell items (such as pins, bumper stickers or T-shirts) and can be a great way to increase visibility of the candidate.

Event essentials

Make sure to send announcements or invitations by mail or e-mail and follow-up with a phone call.

Keep the cost of hosting the event as low as possible to increase the profit.

- Ways to minimize cost include looking for donated food, finding a free site and asking a local

elected official or prominent community member or civic leader to speak.

Remember to have fun and enjoy the event.

Fundraising for campaigns and county parties are similar, but often require different tactics for list building and asking.

Remember the fundraising essentials:

- You won’t receive any money unless you ask for it

- Any successful fundraiser knows that you never pass up an opportunity to ask.

The Key to Public Appearances - Preparation

When you know in advance you have a newspaper, TV or radio interview on a particular subject, use a list of talking points you can include in your appearance.

These talking points should be concise, well documented, easy-to-understand facts about several high profile local and state issues.

If the candidate is not accustomed to public speaking, plan early and PRACTICE.

Democratic Party endorsement of the candidate occurs once a candidate becomes the party nominee – either through the primary election or because no one else has qualified to run for that office.

Thank you for your support and good luck with your fundraising. And always remember to thank your donors – and we thank you!

Let’s take this opportunity to ask for your support of the Harrison County Democratic Party today by joining our sustaining club or with a general donation.