FUND RAISING FOR BEGINNERS

By Jeffrey E. Smith

Local History Notebook, March / April 1987

It may or may not be true that money makes the world go around, but it's certain that it makes museums and historical societies go. Yet historical societies seem plagued by endemic financial problems, lacking the very stuff that helps make them go 'round. That's problematic; all too often, good programs or exhibits are scrapped or scaled down to nothing, being sacrificed on the altar of funding immediate needs. All too often, programming suffers for roof repairs.

Lessons from the Tribe

In 1985, the Cleveland Indians lost over 100 of 162 baseball games in a single season. Only a handful of Clevelanders went to Municipal Stadium to witness this amazing feat of failure. On the other hand, the Tribe won over half its games in 1986, and fans went to the ball park in droves. Booing attendees were converted into "fans" by a winning team. The point for our purposes is this: people are far more willing to support a winner, be they baseball teams or historical societies.

Putting Carts Before Horses

It is a popular myth that funding precedes all other thought processes in historical societies. The fact is that needs and programming lead to funding, not the other way around. Once a special project is conceived, planned in detail, thought through, and organized, then it is appropriate to seek funding. The list of potentially funded projects seems almost endless; it can be monthly bulletins and maintenance, programs and publications, school outreach and staffing, exhibits and endowments. An examination of the historical society's activities can reveal many such components that can be presented in terms of "special projects," making them more fundable. And after all, it is far more palatable for someone to give money for the newsletter than to simply throw money into the general fund--money which may be used to pay for the newsletter anyway.

Whatever the project, a clear, concise idea that's on paper is essential. Nothing gels thoughts like putting them on paper, so take that important step before even thinking about money. Consider such issues as what you're trying to accomplish, the audiences, the schedule or timeline, the people needed, and of course, what it will cost. Once the concepts are organized on paper, you can start thinking about potential local funders. They will want to have proof that you've thought this thing through, so do it now. Remember: creative thinking and planning cost nothing. The project outline, committed to paper, should have at minimum the following components:

1. Objective. What are you trying to accomplish? To educate school children about history? Create new programming for senior citizens? Preserve the historic house to better articulate the community's past? Organize educational programming that is also entertaining? List all objectives.

2. Audiences. Who is this for, and who will be most interested in it? Historical society members? Women? School children? Boy Scouts? People who collect antique widgets? A program can be performed for certain kinds of people and need not necessarily have community-wide applications. So list all the targeted audiences, which helps with the publicity plan, too.

3. Personnel. Who is going to be involved in this project? Don't list everyone who is going to pour punch, but write down the names of the key people.

4. Timetable. What will happen when? Include such things as publicity plans, planning, soliciting bids, and the like.

5. Treatment. Describe what will happen, in some detail. For example, a proposal to fund the newsletter might include a description of the components of the bulletin, the topics of upcoming articles, and the regular features of the publication. A proposal to repair the roof might detail the suitability of slate roofing (or whatever), the life expectancy of the new materials, and betterment of the museum to visitors and the community through this important restoration.

6. Budget. Include the obvious components, but don't forget the lesser ones such as postage, administrative time, photocopying, supplies, travel, and the like. Preprinted budget forms from other agencies like the Ohio Humanities Council provide good organizational guidelines.

7. Benefits. Why is this so important to the people in the community, or at least to the targeted audiences? This forces you to delete that "because we need it" business from your thinking and to consider the positive side of the project.

Dear Friends: Send Money

Now armed with the project outlined on paper, start searching for funding sources. But merely sending out materials with a simple note asking for money is a drastic mistake. First, homework is in order. Whether the potential donor is a local foundation or hometown corporation, the steps are basically the same.

All donors (be they corporate or foundation) have purposes and preferences; the key is to match their purpose and tastes with your project. Obviously, the donors that fund educational institutions are going to be interested in museums and historical societies; however, there are less obvious local sources that may be interested in specific kinds of projects. For example, the funders interested in children's services may fund projects like school outreach programs or hands-on exhibits. Those that fund Jewish topics may want to be a part of an exhibit or program about ethnicity in the community, Supporters of social activism could fund projects as diverse as women's history, historic preservation, or neighborhood revitalization. The point is this: be sufficiently creative in examining potential sources to consider those that do not necessarily fund historical societies but might have an interest in this specific project. Now, the key is to write the cover letter in a way that is geared to the specific priorities of that potential donor. One point bears repeating: the positive approach is best. This means focus on the reasons why this donor should be interested in and excited about this project. Write to their interests, not from your own.

Parts is Parts-Or Are They?

The cover letter may be the most important document you write. If a committee will be reviewing the applications, the letter may be the only document seen by its members. Busy people are reading the proposals; the letter can give them the taste of the project that makes them want more.

First, though, some general thoughts and point on preparing the materials to be sent to potential donors:

1. Be direct. Get to the point right away, say what needs to be said about the project to be funded, and close. The old cliche "say it and shut up" applies here.

2. Be literary, but not poetic. Good grammar and the King's English are always appropriate. Cute, poetic, or catchy phraseology are not.

3. Be concise. Write as if you were writing an international telegram at $1 per word-make every word count. Don't waste time and space with repetition or extraneous words.

4. Keep it short. One or two pages is an appropriate length for a cover letter under most circumstances. Although the attachments and proposal can theoretically be of any length, remember that the reader of the documents has many to read; do everyone a favor and take only the space you need to make your case.

Saying the right words alone is not enough. A logical order of certain components makes a stronger case. Consider this basic outline, with the parts of a hypothetical proposal included. This sample proposal concerns a school outreach program called Discovery Trunks.

1. Introduction. Introduce the project, not the organization, because it is the project rather than the organization that is being funded. This means that lead sentences of "the Someplace County Historical Society is dedicated to..." or "in 1921, a small group of civic-minded people joined to form ... ;" for example, would be inappropriate. Don't make the mistake of assuming that you must "tell your story" here. Tell the story of the project you want funded. A history of the historical society neither matters nor says anything that is germane to the proposal at hand.

Get to the point right away here. It is not always inappropriate to start with wording to the effect of "The purpose of this letter is to request $1,000 from XYZ Inc. to fund the Someplace County Historical Society's Discovery Trunk School Outreach Program."

2. Case statement. Give a short introduction to the project--sort of a thesis of the letter. Then expand on it, giving some detail about the nature and scope of the project. Example: "Discovery Trunks are an innovative way to introduce local history to school children through objects and photos from our local history. They are designed to help teachers bring history to life in young minds.

Here's how Discovery Trunks work: a trunk filled with historical artifacts relating to a specific topic is checked out by a teacher for one day. The trunk includes a description of the enclosed objects, photos about the topic teaching aids, class activity ideas, a bibliography, and an evaluation form. The artifacts are duplicates from the Historical Society's collection, and can be handled and touched by the students. In the World War I Discovery Trunk, for example, students can try on a doughboy helmet, examine a real gas mask, and hold a real mess kit to learn about the experiences of soldiers in 'making the world safe for democracy."'

3. Need statement. Now tell them of the great need for this program. DO NOT say "because we need the money." Tell why this project is important, and how this project meets specific needs in the community. Example: "All too often, classroom history is confined to the memorization of names and dates, compelling students to shy away from our heritage both at the time and in future years. Teachers have told us that there is an incredible shortage of materials. Because of the extensive collections of the Historical Society, we are able to prepare these special learning tools called Discovery Trunks by using original objects and reproduced photos from our own area. Students learn about our past through a personal experience."

In one short paragraph, you've told them the need for the program, the answer to the problem, and the audience for whom it is designed. Short, sweet, and to the point.

4. Reference to attachments. Attach a copy of the project outline written during the planning stage above. But keep one rule in mind: in the letter, refer to any attachments you've enclosed, and don't include anything that doesn't make sense in terms of this project. For example, membership brochures and newsletters are inappropriate unless the project relates to membership or publications. Example: 'As you can see on the attached project outline, the Discovery Trunks will be implemented at the start of the 1987 school year. In this initial phase of the project, we will create the three topical trunks outlined therein."

5. Amounts. Now for the tough part: asking for the money. You've already said that you're asking for money, so there's no need to be squeamish now. And always ask for a specific amount--fundraising experts agree that you get what you ask for. If you ask donors to "be as generous as you can;" they won't be.

6. Closing. You've said everything that needs saying, so close. The standard goes something like this: "If I can answer any questions or provide any additional information about the Someplace County Historical Society or Discovery Trunks, please feel free to give me a call. Thank you for considering this important request."

7. Signature. The letter's signer should always have a direct and clear relationship to the organization--like director, president, or trustee.

8. Thanks. Be ready to send a letter of thanks as soon as you get good news, 50 the donor knows of your gratitude. You may want to give them a free Historical Society membership-so they have regular reminders of the Society all year long.

Bite Your Tongue!

Everyone makes mistakes, sometimes unknowingly. Here are some that can be easily avoided.

1. "We can't afford this project without your help." Of course you can't, or you wouldn't be asking. They know it, and so do you, so why bother writing it down? It wastes precious space in your letter.

2. "We really need your help." Again, it states the obvious. Besides, phrasing like this smacks of poormouthing which we gave up in the early paragraphs of this Local History Notebook.

3. The organization's life story. Remember, you're selling the project, not the organization. If it's the first time around for a donor, a one-page summary of the institution as an attachment might be in order. In this situation, a photocopy of your tax-exempt status letter would be a good idea. You need not mention the proof of tax-exemption in the cover letter.

4. Your successes with fundraising. Don't brag, except in two cases. First, if the donor has given you money before, remind them-and tell them how successful the last project was, thanks to their help. Example: "Thanks to your support of the Someplace County Historical Society's bulletin, we are reaching more people with more local history than ever."

Second, if you are raising matching funds, the donor needs to know the match formula-with a reminder that their gift goes even farther through this program. Example: "The ABC Foundation has already agreed to match gifts to this project on a 2-to-1 ratio. So your gift of $100 can bring the Historical Society an additional $50."

Wrap-Up

Let's summarize some of the high points in this introduction to fundraising:

1. Attitude. Think positive, act positive, be positive.

2. Organize. Get thoughts on paper in clear, concise terms. The project to be funded should be thought through to the point that you can start moving on it the very day the check arrives.

3. Ask the right people. Ask the right donor for an appropriate amount. By doing your homework, you can maximize your success rate by approaching appropriate sources for reasonable amounts.

4. Do it right. Organize the request so you appear to be as organized and enthusiastic as you really are,

Is this a foolproof method for funding historical societies? Nothing is completely failsafe, but it's a framework. But one thing is certain: attitude is central to funding the important work of historical agencies. Thinking, acting, and sounding like a winner won't bring in dollars every time; only practice and perseverance will do that. But the attitude of success will increase the odds of raising funds.

The winning attitude isn't just hype for funding agencies, either. You are raising the quality of your programming and the quality of life in your area. Just don't be afraid to admit it (without sounding boastful, of course). Remember the old adage of fundraising: "Money flows to winning causes rather than needy institutions."

Sugguested Reading

The following books are recommended for information on fundraising.

Ohio Charitable Foundations Directory of Ohio. Ohio Attorney General's Office, Charitable Foundations Section.

Flanagan, Joan. The Grass Roots Fundraising Book. Contemporary Books, 1982.

Gurin, Maurice G. What Volunteers Should Know for Successful Fundraising. Stein and Day, 1981.

Hartman, Hedy A. Fund Raising for Museums: The Essential Book for Staff and Trustees. Hartman Planning and Development Group, 1985.

Lant, Jeffrey, L. Development Today: A Guide for Nonprofit Organizations. JLA Publications, 1982.

Jeffrey Smith has been Director of the Summit County Historical Society since 1981, where he has experienced fundraising projects great and small from under $500 to over $460,000. Also a popular culture historian who is completing a Ph.D. in history at the University of Akron, Smith has published articles in History News, Timeline, and Western Reserve magazines.

The Local History Notebook is edited and published by the Ohio Historical Society's Local History Office, in order to bring useful information to persons working in the local history field. The selection of subjects and authors is based on inquiries to the Local History Office and on the editor's determination of issues which are timely in nature and lasting in scope. The reference inserts are copyrighted 1987 the Ohio Historical Society. Reprints are available; please specify volume and number. For information on prices, write to: