Craven Events

You should think of fundraising as a long-term, ongoing process, not a one-off. You need a system of keeping records of who you have asked for what and when and what their response was. You should keep copies of every letter that you send, but you might also want to do a summary sheet.

A trust may tell you that it doesn't have any money left this year, but you should re-apply next year. If you don't have a good system, you will probably forget! Use a diary file to keep track on all applications.

A system also means that if the person responsible for fundraising leaves, your organisation will know what they have done in the past.

The records will help you to decide who to ask for what in future and where you were unsuccessful.

Remember, if an organisation funds you once, there's a chance they will do so again (unless they have specifically stated they won't).

How you treat your funders is important. You might want to go back to them in the future, or may need to show new funders that you have a good track record of managing funds.

So, once you have succeeded in getting your funds, there is a vital first step - say thank you! Many beneficiaries simply accept the money without acknowledging it.

Funders are human beings too, and will respond well to gratitude for the help they have given you. A phone call may suffice, a letter will be much appreciated or you could invite them to come along and see the project they have funded in progress.

Make sure that you do all that the funder requests in terms of monitoring your work, reporting and accounting. You may need to fill in a form or forms to show how you have spent the money, or how the project or organisation is progressing.

If there are no particular forms to fill, it is a good idea to send a report to your funders. This will build a stronger relationship with them, which could lead to more support in future. This could be not just facts and figures but also photographs of your work, to show how the money is being used to bring your work to life.