Spring Cleaning

Looking to dive into some decluttering? Here are five organizations that will help give your spring cleaning a little #dogoodfeelgood boost. 

1. A Wider Circle -- A good friend of The Daily Do Good, A Wider Circle strives to end poverty and help families create comfortable homes they can be proud of. Donate furniture, household wares, professional attire and more. Learn more...

2. Miriam's Kitchen -- Miriam's Kitchen strives to end chronic homelessness by establishing meaningful relationships with individuals in order to ensure they get the support they need. Donation needs include men's clothing, sleeping bags, toiletries and non-perishable food items. Learn more...

3. DC Area Books to Prisons Project -- Part of the Washington Peace Center, the Books to Prisons Project collects paperbacks for prison libraries to provide a positive influence to incarcerated men and women in all 50 states. Learn more...

4. Suited for Change -- Suited for Change strives to "break down barriers to self-sufficiency" by providing low-income women with career training, life skills and professional attire. Donate business-appropriate clothing and accessories, including shoes, purses, scarves and jewelry. Learn more...

5. Bikes for the World -- Little one outgrowing her first two-wheeler? Finding that mountain bike is more of a laundry rack? Bikes for the World aims to create employment opportunities in bicycle repair and maintenance, as well as enhance the lives and livelihoods of people in developing countries. Learn more here...

Five ways to bring in more income without doing a labor-intensive event

Everyone loves a party.

Trouble is, the booze-food-band-and-photo-booth fetes can be labor intensive, time consuming, and a drain on fundraising budgets. Modern technology provides so many ways to improve our lives from smart watches to self-driving cars -- why not use it to boost fundraising without the need for all the manpower of a traditional event?

Photo: https://donorfuseblog.wordpress.com/2012/09/14/meme-of-the-week-09-14-2012/

Photo: https://donorfuseblog.wordpress.com/2012/09/14/meme-of-the-week-09-14-2012/

Here are five ways to bring in money without a high cost party:

1. Online auctions

An online auction is open to the world. Literally. Online auction hosts have hundreds of thousands of subscribers looking for every item and experience under the sun. All you have to do is put something on the block. Charity Buzz, the premier online charity auction marketplace, has the motto “Raise More. Do Less." They have helped non-profits raise more than $135 million, and the average organization raises $50,000 plus each year.

2. Peer-to-peer fundraising

Peer-to-peer fundraising can be really effective if you have the right group of people. Instead of staff seeking donations, supporters champion the cause and create their own fundraising pages. You task your board with creating their campaign page(s), setting a fundraising goal, and picking a particular cause for which to raise money within the organization.  If ten people raise $1,000 each, you bring in $10,000 without devoting much staff time to the fundraiser. It’s an easy way to add a healthy boost to your bottom line each year.  

3. Universal online campaigns

Take advantage of yearly giving campaigns like Giving Tuesday. You just need good advance planning and strong social media outreach. If you plan your campaign three- six months out and get a team in place, an online campaign can be an easy and effective way to bring in money. Giving Tuesday brought in $45.7 million in 2014. There are several other yearly giving campaigns you can tap into.

4. Matching gifts

Never leave money on the table. Always make sure donors are aware if they have a matching gift campaigns at their places of employment. Ask major donors to match the overall fundraising goal; this way they get twice the bang for their buck. 

5. Ask to the be the cause of choice

Partner with an event already taking place. Search the web to find a fun festival (Eventbrite is a great source!) and call the coordinator. Ask if they would be willing to donate a portion of the proceeds to your cause.  If you can provide volunteer support for the event, that gives you some equity to offer in exchange for the donation and incentive for the organizer to say yes.

Saranah Holmes has a decade of experience in fundraising. She offers consulting services to nonprofits and small businesses/volunteer groups looking to creatively fundraise. Contact her at s.holmes@dailydogood.co for details and pricing.