An affordable, plain English guide, Effective Fundraising for Nonprofits explains how to: work with individual donors; plan special events; solicit grants from foundations and corporations get media coverage; use the Web to further fundraising goals start a side business and much more.
Effective Fundraising for Nonprofits
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About the Author
Bray is an author and legal editor at Nolo, specializing in real estate, immigration law, and nonprofit fundraising. She is co-author of Nolo's Essential Guide to Buying Your First Home and also edits a number of Nolo's small business books. Bray's working background includes solo practice, nonprofit, and corporate stints, as well as long periods of volunteering, including an internship at Amnesty International's main legal office in London. She received her law degree and a Masters degree in East Asian (Chinese) Studies from the University of Washington.
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If I could be a perpetual college student, I would -- but researching and writing books is the next best thing.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
36 of 38 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
As a parent, I'm involved in fundraising for our child's school and also do volunteer consulting to a number of child related not for profits. I had chosen this book in hopes of learning how to more effectively raise funds for both.
This is a wonderful book if you are raising funds for a large not for profit...particularly in structuring proposals and major solicitations. However, this is not the book for the "kitchen" fundraiser...the parent or not for profit volunteer whose tools are limited to evening hours,personal passion and a few hundred dollars to spend at a big box office supply store.
I would love to read a book (of better yet, several) on fundraising tactics for schools and not for profits with limited means.
This is a wonderful book if you are raising funds for a large not for profit...particularly in structuring proposals and major solicitations. However, this is not the book for the "kitchen" fundraiser...the parent or not for profit volunteer whose tools are limited to evening hours,personal passion and a few hundred dollars to spend at a big box office supply store.
I would love to read a book (of better yet, several) on fundraising tactics for schools and not for profits with limited means.
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
As a member of as non-profit board, I was immediately interested in this book. While I enjoy supporting my organization's mission and contributing my time, talent and resources, development isn't my strong suit. This book is for both novice and experienced members of non-profits and should be standard issue to every employee and board member. After reading this book, I handed it to our executive director with lots and lots of sticky notes giving my ideas on what we should be doing differently. Don't you just love board members like me!
The book's audience is the staff and board of a non-profit, but the primary focus is that of a board member and how you can direct the organization. We as board members need to take that overview of the organization in order to help it see the big picture. However this book expertly advises readers not just on the big picture of how to raise money for your organization, but covers the minutiae - such as writing effective solicitation letters, how to perform big and small tasks, and most importantly, how to effectively thank and recognize donors.
No stone was left unturned in this book and it is a fundraising bible. Experienced development directors can use it as a checklist to make sure they aren't focusing on one area while ignoring others. The organization I'm on the board of right now goes for the big asks and big events, but forgets the small stuff. Other groups I've been involved with are great on the individual donations but never apply for grants or foundations. In particular I appreciated the section on legacy and estate gifts which I just recently went to training for. Darn, if I had this book I could have completely avoiding getting up on a Sunday morning for a three hour training session on how to ask donors to add our organization to their will or make us beneficiaries on their life insurance or retirement policies.
If it involves raising money in any way, shape or form for your organization, this book covers it in great depth. Many readers will skip to the section their organization is in most need of help. Don't. Each section is golden in its advise and suggestions. Even in those areas I thought our non-profit did well in, I saw clear areas of improvement and how we can integrate other ideas in our giving community.
As a board member, I was excited, enthused and ready for action after reading this book. How many executive directors wouldn't love to be able to give that to a board member? No need--just give them this book and your job is done. Not really. An director's job is never done, but at least this book give your board understanding the importance of development and how everything that you do as an organization involves development.
Pros: A definitive guide to helping our organization raise money in every way shape and form.
Cons: Absolutely none, expect maybe for the fact it means I can't ignore development issues as as board member anymore. Great, more work for me.
5 out of 5
The book's audience is the staff and board of a non-profit, but the primary focus is that of a board member and how you can direct the organization. We as board members need to take that overview of the organization in order to help it see the big picture. However this book expertly advises readers not just on the big picture of how to raise money for your organization, but covers the minutiae - such as writing effective solicitation letters, how to perform big and small tasks, and most importantly, how to effectively thank and recognize donors.
No stone was left unturned in this book and it is a fundraising bible. Experienced development directors can use it as a checklist to make sure they aren't focusing on one area while ignoring others. The organization I'm on the board of right now goes for the big asks and big events, but forgets the small stuff. Other groups I've been involved with are great on the individual donations but never apply for grants or foundations. In particular I appreciated the section on legacy and estate gifts which I just recently went to training for. Darn, if I had this book I could have completely avoiding getting up on a Sunday morning for a three hour training session on how to ask donors to add our organization to their will or make us beneficiaries on their life insurance or retirement policies.
If it involves raising money in any way, shape or form for your organization, this book covers it in great depth. Many readers will skip to the section their organization is in most need of help. Don't. Each section is golden in its advise and suggestions. Even in those areas I thought our non-profit did well in, I saw clear areas of improvement and how we can integrate other ideas in our giving community.
As a board member, I was excited, enthused and ready for action after reading this book. How many executive directors wouldn't love to be able to give that to a board member? No need--just give them this book and your job is done. Not really. An director's job is never done, but at least this book give your board understanding the importance of development and how everything that you do as an organization involves development.
Pros: A definitive guide to helping our organization raise money in every way shape and form.
Cons: Absolutely none, expect maybe for the fact it means I can't ignore development issues as as board member anymore. Great, more work for me.
5 out of 5
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
I recommend it highly for anyone who needs to raise their nonprofit revenues to successfully fund their nonprofit's mission
December 12, 2010
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
Nonprofit organizations rely on fundraising to exist. Success or failure of many nonprofits depends on the ability to raise funds, because with the money to operate, the charitable mission and the tax-exempt status won't mean much. An organization may have the best intentions, but without capital, and that means money, the success of the organization will be minimal if at all. That's where a book like "Effective Fundraising For Nonprofits: Real-World Strategies That Work" by Ilona Bray, J.D., comes in. It is an extremely informative book, written in plain English, that features advice and stories from over fifty experienced fundraisers, foundation staffers, journalists, and more, regarding everything you need to know to get fundraising for your organization.
This book really is your fundraising companion, and right from the start it lays out what they book will be able to do for you. Then it delves into very informative chapters. The first focuses on fundraising tools, people, skills, and equipment and technology. From there, Chapter two helps you develop a fundraising plan. I think this is such an important step that is often neglected.
From there, chapter three looks at how you can attract individual supporters, and then in the next chapter there are strategies to keep the givers giving. Chapter six looks at midscale and major donors, while chapter seven focuses on funds from the great beyond, bequests and legacy gifts. The next chapters covers special events and how they can successfully help you raise money for your organization.
Chapter nine looks at raising money through business or sales activities, while chapter ten provides information on seeking grants from foundations, corporations, and government.
The next two chapters look at things that I didn't really think of when I first got the book, but find they are very important pieces of the puzzle and plan. Chapter eleven is about creating printed communications materials such as brochures, newsletters, and annual reports. The next chapter is all about designing your website to draw in donors. The final chapter, thirteen, covers some strategies for outreach by both traditional and social media.
Like most Nolo books, there is an Appendix that contains various worksheets (10 in all) to assist with your fundraising, these include: Fundraising Strategy Chart, Grant Priorities Summary Chart, and a worksheet to check your website's fundraising effectiveness, among others.
I wanted this book because I'm involved with a nonprofit, and I may be taking a much larger role with its fundraising in the next year. This is just the book to help me create a fundraising plan and take the organization to a higher level. There really are a lot of good strategies provided. I recommend it highly for anyone who needs to raise their nonprofit revenues to successfully fund their nonprofit's mission.
Reviewed by Alain Burrese, J.D., is the Executive Director of a nonprofit and the author of a regular column on negotiation for The Montana Lawyer.
This book really is your fundraising companion, and right from the start it lays out what they book will be able to do for you. Then it delves into very informative chapters. The first focuses on fundraising tools, people, skills, and equipment and technology. From there, Chapter two helps you develop a fundraising plan. I think this is such an important step that is often neglected.
From there, chapter three looks at how you can attract individual supporters, and then in the next chapter there are strategies to keep the givers giving. Chapter six looks at midscale and major donors, while chapter seven focuses on funds from the great beyond, bequests and legacy gifts. The next chapters covers special events and how they can successfully help you raise money for your organization.
Chapter nine looks at raising money through business or sales activities, while chapter ten provides information on seeking grants from foundations, corporations, and government.
The next two chapters look at things that I didn't really think of when I first got the book, but find they are very important pieces of the puzzle and plan. Chapter eleven is about creating printed communications materials such as brochures, newsletters, and annual reports. The next chapter is all about designing your website to draw in donors. The final chapter, thirteen, covers some strategies for outreach by both traditional and social media.
Like most Nolo books, there is an Appendix that contains various worksheets (10 in all) to assist with your fundraising, these include: Fundraising Strategy Chart, Grant Priorities Summary Chart, and a worksheet to check your website's fundraising effectiveness, among others.
I wanted this book because I'm involved with a nonprofit, and I may be taking a much larger role with its fundraising in the next year. This is just the book to help me create a fundraising plan and take the organization to a higher level. There really are a lot of good strategies provided. I recommend it highly for anyone who needs to raise their nonprofit revenues to successfully fund their nonprofit's mission.
Reviewed by Alain Burrese, J.D., is the Executive Director of a nonprofit and the author of a regular column on negotiation for The Montana Lawyer.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Insightful & Informative
If you work for a non-profit or are involved in politics, this book should be within arms length of your desk at all time.
Published 13 days ago by Todd Kinsey
2.0 out of 5 stars
Old school
The fundraising landscape is rapidly changing and this book isn't up to date with social media (a measly chapter at the end) and crowd funding. Read more
Published 17 days ago by brian d foy
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fundraising--the new team sport
Effective Fundraising for Nonprofits thoroughly and systematically covers its topic. I'm a neophyte--other than being on the receiving end of nonprofit solicitations--and I readily... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Maggie Brasted
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good for larger nonprofits
This is a great book for Executive and Development Directors of larger nonprofits, or perhaps those with little experience in fundraising. Read more
Published 11 months ago by J. Paschal
5.0 out of 5 stars
Helpful for larger organizations
Which non-profit organization doesn't struggle for funds? Effective Fundraising for Nonprofits is a helpful book for helping your organization kick-start their fundraising... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Stephanie Manley
5.0 out of 5 stars
Practically everything you need in one book
I've reviewed several NOLO books and each one is a gem of information. This, of course, is no exception. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Jami Garrison
4.0 out of 5 stars
Informative
I haven't been able to really dive into reading it yet but it seems well organized and very educational. - Carla / Office Manager
Published 16 months ago by SPE
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful resource for new board members ...
If you're a seasoned fundraiser, with years of solid experience and success under your belt, this is NOT the book for you. Read more
Published 20 months ago by L. Mountford
1.0 out of 5 stars
Very Basic and as such maybe not so usefull
I have worked my whole life in Non-Profits and I was wondering if this book might help me with some difficulties I am experiencing in Latin America trying to raise money for a... Read more
Published 20 months ago by De Omnibus Dubitandum.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent for those who are early on the learning curve
I am a Board member for a small non-profit and found this a useful introduction. Fund-raising is a complicated, often-unpleasant, and necessary activity and it's never easy,... Read more
Published 23 months ago by Brad4d
