Category Archives: SOAR Colorado

Charity Sales in 2021

Local nonprofits (serving people in Teller County, Colorado) have the opportunity to participate in Charity Sales with SOAR to fundraise for their organization. The Charity Sales are done virtually.

Sale items for a Charity Sale are collected by SOAR and stored. A person purchasing items during the Sale makes a donation directly to the nonprofit. This is done when an item is picked up. Money does not change hands ahead of time. Donations are made online through the nonprofit’s website.

SOAR provides Charity Sales at no cost except for storage fees. SOAR takes care of collecting items, marketing the sale through social media and setting up the online sale.

SOAR offers this program as a way for residents to give back to local nonprofits. Sometimes, a person is downsizing their home and they have a bedroom set they’d like to give away. A Charity Sale is the perfect solution! These activities began during the 2020 pandemic as a way to enhance local giving.

On average, nonprofits earn 7% on their short term investment of $125. This a great way for a donor to enhance their gift to an organization.

If you’d like to learn more – email iwantto@soarwithnetworkfundraising.org or text one word – charitysale – to (833) 763-0494

Peak Art Adventure – Woodland Park, Colorado

This event is a collaborative fundraiser for three nonprofits.

Peak Art Adventure in Woodland Park is August 1 – 6, 2021. Sign up to receive information as the event develops. Click here!

You’ll receive information related to being an artist at the event or receiving an Art Passport to visit the artists’ activities during the week.

Peak Art Adventure includes:

Plein Air Painting
Art Classes
Studio Tours
ART Walk among Woodland Park businesses
A reception to showcase the week of art where the public votes for their favorites

More Fundraising Ideas

Paper calendars are still hanging on people’s walls. Determine what you think would sell in your market – only get a limited number of calendars printed – take orders now and deliver in December
Offer a training on something and collect money from people for attending. Usually, there’s a professional out there willing to train in return for a small fee and the opportunity to sell something during the training
Canvas shopping bags work well when you partner with a shopping district. Woodland Park Main Street has cornered the market on this idea in their small town. They include coupons in the bag from participating businesses and then they sell the bags at other events for $10 – $15, woodlandparkmainstreet.org
Write a book about the history of your organization – or another popular subject. Self-publish and sell the book. This also works well with cookbooks
Find a way to share your mission by including others. The Mountain Top Cycling Club in Teller County has a “Bike the Night” to bring families out for a bicycle ride. People pay for the opportunity to participate, they get a glow in the dark t-shirt, and have a pizza party after the ride – mountaintopcyclingclub.com
Host a festive gathering for families. The Made for More project has a colorful pumpkin festival coming up. This is when the community comes together to celebrate the harvest of pumpkins – madeformoreproject.org

Think of your fundraisers as a way to market your organization. Sometimes, a fundraiser takes time to catch on. The first time you do it may not be as exciting because the results were not what you expected but if you keep a positive attitude, plan for the next time, and learn as you go – things always get better.

Fundraising Grows when you SOAR in a V-formation

Volunteer commitment grows when a volunteer feels they are an important part of a successful program. SOAR works with nonprofits to develop the V-formation of fundraising. The giving back scenario matches the same practice of birds flying in a flock.

Set up a time to talk about developing your very own V-formation of volunteers.

The V-formation – the volunteers you bring into the “flight pattern” of your organization.

#SOARwithNetworkFundraising allows #fundraising to become the central focus in everyday activites WITHOUT it being the only thing you talk or think about!

Nonprofits – Beat the Odds of Fundraising by Being Cooperative

Beat the odds. Fundraising can be difficult, especially in a small community or micro community within a large city.

Getting the YES to a donation takes time and energy. Many times, there tends to be a fear of losing between nonprofits. This ultimately fractures relationships and makes fundraising a competition.

Nonprofits come together to form the Nonprofit Cooperative in successful fundraising communities. There’s sharing of resources and trainings. Collaborative Fundraisers make raising money easier and more successful.

To learn more about doing this in your community, send an email to the founder of SOAR, Gayle Gross, at iwantto@soarwithnetworkfundraising.org

Or, schedule a call! to make it easier for us to answer your questions quickly.

Check the fundraising credits you’ve earned

Check the list below – add up 61 credits – get a call with SOAR’s Founder at NO COST. Ready to schedule your call? Click Here!

We have a volunteer program (7+ volunteers)	2
We host an annual volunteer appreciation event	3
We have volunteer job descriptions and we distribute them	5
We have a volunteer training program	5
We have a system for tracking volunteer hours	8
We have a social media presence (2+ networks)	8
We schedule regular posts on social media (3+/week)	10
We have regular events scheduled for fundraising	10
We have a fundraising plan	10

Add more points…

Talk to 3 people you meet today about your organization’s mission	8
Invite someone to visit your organization for a tour of services; schedule the date	8
Call a major donor to say hi; keep the call short; don’t ask for a donation	8

What your credits earn:

20-minute fundraising call to discuss tweaking your program for greater success	61
Newsletter or Social Media Assessment	61
50-minute fundraising call to discuss 3 initiatives to help you reach your $ goal	85
Donor Letters – SOAR provides templates and feedback on three types	85
Marketing Design (flier, rack card, postcard)	105
Social Media Training (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)	105
Training for Setting up and Using Facebook for Events & Fundraising	105
“Your Nonprofit Story” – SOAR helps you create a powerful message	250
Fundraising Plan (one year)	250
Fundraising Plan (three years)	450
Volunteer Program Development (three months of coaching)	450
Annual Leader’s Program – One Year of Coaching on Your Fundraising Program	950

YOU CAN PURCHASE CREDIT TOO, 1 credit = $1

Schedule your discovery call – no cost – click here! or email iwantto@soarwithnetworkfundraising.org

Taking it Easy on Donors

Donors have a giving heart. They are asked more often than not to consider giving. Ask a donor, “What can I do for you?” and they will probably sidestep the conversation. It’s not something they’re comfortable discussing. It’s not supposed to be about them in their mind because it’s about others.

Understanding how a donor feels is important. You show a quality mindset when you take time to understand their intent and then provide opportunities for them to benefit. It is a nice way to “give back.” These six powerful words, “what can I do for you,” have the ability to transform a situation. It’s a way to shift the discussion and put the energy back on making someone else happy. In this case, it is your donor.

Consider this – more than half of all people who visit a nonprofit’s website do so from a mobile device according to Mobilecause.com. This is an old statistic so the numbers are much higher now. What does your website look like on a mobile platform? Check it out on your phone and make sure it is user-friendly. Is there a donor button? It’s not just about having a “donate now” button because a “donor” button is more about the emotional component of why they give. A donor button is about telling your story, and also about sharing with donors the benefit of why giving to your organization is important. The button explains what’s in it for them? This is that uncomfortable situation again. But, it’s true. What’s in it for them? They can feel good about giving to a cause and get a spiritual kudo just about anywhere. They can get a tax benefit for specific kinds of donations. Sure, this works. But, they can also GIVE to any organization to get the same rewards. Why would they give to yours?

Setting yourself up for success begins on the backend. It’s your opportunity to set the stage first. Begin by doing this:

Check your mobile platform for your website’s format and message. This is the the way most people are seeing you. Connect with your website designer as necessary to update for mobile changes
Be up to date on social media, other online sites, and with phone messaging systems. Call yourself and your answering system through the office. What message do you hear? Do you have recent posts on social media and on your website? It takes time and is often put on the bottom of the list. Dedicating a couple of hours each week to this process, or finding a volunteer to do it, makes the world of difference in the end
Make a list of the ways you’re giving back to donors and add to the list while remembering, each donor is different and it takes some time to discover the intricacies of what’s most important to them. This is about taking the time for discovery and then taking the time to establish a plan to let your donor know they are your most important asset.

The people you serve are most important to your mission. The people who help you serve are your greatest asset. An asset is the people volunteering, working for you, or those who provide a means for your service. A donor, a sponsor, or a foundation provide the means by giving money for your mission to continue. Taking it easy on donors is key to your success.

For additional information on coaching through the fundraising process – connect with SOAR with Network Fundraising. The programs are cost-effective and focused on your mission. There’s not a cookie-cutter approach to taking it easy on donors, providing the right message or opportunities to be involved, and engaging the public. Each situation is different. SOAR coaching offers the training and then the follow up. The Leader’s Program creates sustainability through a year-long program. Click Here!

Schedule a call or send an email to iwantto@soarwithnetworkfundraising.org

Developing a Fundraising Plan – Raising Money is Always About Your Next Move!

The fundraising plan is first and foremost, the most NECESSARY document needed to raise money. Get a team together to discuss short and long term goals. Then, take small steps to open the right doors.

Team

__________________________

How much money by when?

____________________6 months

____________________12 months

____________________24 months

____________________36 months

____________________48 months

____________________60 months

Methods for raising money

Past

____________________

Present

____________________

Future

____________________

Timeline for each method (each fundraiser has its own schedule)

Name of fundraiser: _____________________________________

11 months out: _________10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 month out…three weeks…two weeks…one week…three days…two days…one day…day of…day after…week following…two weeks following…three weeks following & start over again!

Participants (fundraising team, volunteers, invitations to activity)

Past: Future:

___________ ___________

Resources (location, activities, marketing, door prizes, etc)

Have: What’s needed

_____________ _____________

Tracking mechanism (spreadsheet or donor management software)
Maintain focus with your team

Monthly meetings, contact via email and calls, keep the goals visual, provide task-oriented participation to be checked off upon completion and follow the timeline to a T!

SOAR coaches organizations through the development of a fundraising plan during a 10-day process.

Schedule a call or send an email to iwantto@soarwithnetworkfundraising.org

Over the TOP Fundraising Team

V-formation is Everyone who…

Shares the cause and tells the story of how they are connected to your mission
Engages donors and sponsors (increases donations and lower costs)
Answers the following question with yes – “will this decision help us raise more money for our cause?” If the answer is no, spending time on that item is avoided

Sample Roles for your team

1. Event Coordinator

2. Marketing Collaborator

3. Hospitality Chief

Building a strong V-formation depends on communication. There are lots of ways we communicate. People do have preferences. Figure them out!

Learn more about SOAR’s Annual Coaching Program by clicking here.

Wondering about the “800?” Schedule a call or send an email to iwantto@soarwithnetworkfundraising.org

Nonprofits Collaborate in Teller County, Colorado To Create Impact

The Nonprofit Cooperative in Teller County, Colorado is a project of SOAR with Network Fundraising. Organizations represented at the meeting on January 8 were:

Mountain Top Cycling Club
Teller County Farmer’s Market Association
Woodland Park Farmer’s Market
Woodland Park Main Street
Colorado Phoenix Project
Junior Achievement of Teller County
Pikes Peak Rotary Club
Lighter Side of Christmas Parade
Woodland Park Wind Symphony
Teller Safe Harbor
Habitat for Humanity
Friends of Mueller State Park
UC Health
Friends of the Florissant Fossil Beds
Pikes Peak Historical Society
DayBreak – An Adult Day Program
Pikes Peak Lions Club
Our Lady of the Woods Catholic Church

Helping nonprofits develop into a collaborative effort is what SOAR is doing in Teller County. Organizations work together and create impact for their community through economic vitality. As a result of the meeting on January 8th, TCRAS changed the date of a fundraiser they have because it overlapped with something Habitat was doing on the same day.

Participants of the cooperative effort receive training on how to be impactful. It’s not a membership organization, it’s people who choose to work together for the better good of the organizations they represent.

Cooperative means everyone gets a vote, decisions are made as a group, and there’s greater potential for success while everyone works in tandem. Do you want to learn more about bringing this project to your small community? It increases exposure, opportunities, and market share (fundraising). Set up time to learn more about the program and how to be a participant. Email: iwantto@soarwithnetworkfundraising.com

Moving forward, an organization in the cooperative of Teller County has 23 opportunities to market their program. This includes attending trainings, collaborative networking events, participating in together-marketing campaigns, and attending happy hours.

The goal is to make SOAR’s project available in communities with less than 30,000 people. Be part of the movement and connect today.

Schedule a call or send an email to iwantto@soarwithnetworkfundraising.org