Fundraising

Our Approach

Preparing professional fundraising material is by far the best investment you can make for your organization. Tekiyah’s experience in creating effective materials means that we not only know the right ingredients that make a successful presentation – we also know how to ask you the questions that will bring the information forward.

We begin each project by taking the time to understand your organization and fundraising strategy: Who are your prospective donors? How do you want to present yourself? What type of approach are you comfortable with? How will you use the presentation? We utilize our expertise to help you tweak the strategy, and together we determine what type of presentation will best suit your needs.

In addition to the type of “flagship” brochures sampled in the right margin, we also assist clients with Annual Reports, Project Proposals, and PowerPoint presentations.

The items below represent a general, broad outline for an effective fundraising presentation. An exact formula is not really possible, since each organization and its circumstances – its cause, the personality and preferences of the fundraiser, and the types of donors – demands a unique presentation.

The Professional Approach

A successful presentation begins with the right attitude. You are not a “shnorrer” looking for a handout. You want to position yourself as a consummate professional representing an important organization. Everything you do and say, and the quality and style of your presentation, should reflect that.

Dramatics: Telling the Story

Using dramatic imagery and emphatic writing to introduce the presentation gets people’s attention, makes the cause personal and elicits the donor’s empathy. A large part of the final decision will be based on the donor’s emotional connection to the subject (as well as his connection to you, and his overall mood). In many cases, part of the presentation can be utilized to stimulate an emotional reaction. This also helps your presentation stand out from the crowd.

Case Statement: Showing the Need

This is the most central part of the presentation, and is unfortunately often overlooked. It links the drama of the introduction to a concrete, real-world need, and should be based on some statistical analysis or forecasting.

Programs & Services: Providing the Solution

Now we begin to engage the donor’s brain, while at the same time generating excitement, as we describe how the organization’s programs and services fulfill the need described beforehand. Using concise descriptions, engaging images/photos, numbers, and graphs, it responds to the empathy and anxiety of the need by providing a sense of closure: Don’t worry, we’re taking care of it. (With your help, of course).

Financial Statements: Demonstrating Responsibility

Solid numbers, especially when placed in graphical presentations and forecasts, go a long way to establishing your credibility, vision, and fiscal responsibility. And since you’re dealing with businesspeople, everything has to add up and make sense.

Securing Investments: A Proven Method

With the exception of Building Campaigns, we recommend the “shares” approach. Some prefer the sponsorship approach – but then you’re asking for a handout. The professional approach dictates that you should ask for an investment, and the concept of shares clearly communicates this idea, and is something every businessperson will instantly relate to.

Instilling Confidence

At the end of the day, the fundraising presentation is about confidence – the confidence of the fundraiser in himself, his organization and his presentation, and the confidence of the donor that the funds will be well-managed and deliver on the the promised objectives.