Let me share with you a common conversation I have had with prospective clients. After the initial pleasantries, the conversation goes something like this:
Client: We are really having trouble raising operating funds this year. Can you help?
Jane: How much money does your resource development plan call for you to raise?
Client: We don't have that kind of plan.
Jane: Well, then, tell me about the goals in your strategic plan.
Client: Oh, we're too busy to do that kind of plan.
Jane: How many individuals, corporations and foundations contribute annually?
Client: Hmm...I'm not sure but I know we need a lot more money.
If this conversation sounds familiar to you, it is time to start collecting data and creating three key plans that will guide you to achieving your fundraising goals. What are they?
Strategic Plan
Don't be intimidated by all the jargon surrounding strategic planning. There are many ways to create such a plan, depending on your financial and time resources. At a minimum, your board needs to be involved in the process, a planning committee does the detailed work, and someone has to write up the final plan for board approval. The basic items included in the plan are the organization's mission and vision, values statements, program and administrative goals, strategies and tactics for achieving the goals, resources needed to support the strategies, budget projections for the length of the plan, and an evaluation process. In addition, there is a work plan attached which defines the specific activities, parties responsible, and time frames for completion.
Marketing Plan
Once you have your strategic plan in place, it is time to create your marketing plan. Again, there can be much jargon attached to marketing, but you can create a simple plan to help you achieve your goals. First, identify the target markets for each goal and then create the messages for each market. Outline specific strategies to achieve the goals and match them with appropriate people and money to implement them. Make sure you define your time frame and create success indicators. Finally determine how you will monitor and evaluate your progress. The simpler the design of this plan, the easier it will be to monitor. One idea is to have a single page for each goal with appropriate markets, messages, strategies and resources and time line.
Development Plan
With your strategic and marketing plans in place, creating the Development Plan doesn't have to be difficult. You have already set your strategic direction and created a way to market your services. Now it's time to create a development plan based clearly on your nonprofit's mission. At a minimum, your plan should include the following elements: a statement of your fundraising purpose, strategic and financial goals, related policies, cultivation strategies, specific strategies for different market segments, people responsible for achieving goals and time frames for their achievement. And, of course, you will want to have a way to evaluate - at least quarterly- your progress on achieving these fundraising goals.
If your nonprofit is in an immediate financial crunch, it is unlikely that you will take the time to create these plans. However, you should at least have a discussion about the importance of planning. In my work, I have sometimes taken on clients to help them fundraise for short term crisis, but only if they agree to do the needed planning so that such a crisis is a rare occurrence, not an annual event.
© Jane B. Ford 2009
Author Bio:
Jane B. Ford, M.Ed. is a speaker, author, teacher, coach and consultant who guides individuals and nonprofits on the road to prosperity. She has worked with small to mid-sized nonprofits for three decades in the roles of executive director, trainer, fundraiser and management consultant. You can learn more about Jane at http://TheJoyPath.com and http://GetGrantsNow.net.
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Planning-For-Success---Three-Key-Plans-All-Nonprofits-Need-to-Achieve-Their-Fundraising-Goals&id=3650947
Monday, November 1, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
How to Fundraise Without Any Budget
In times when the budget is tight, fundraising may seem harder than normal to do. However, strategic fundraising requires good organization and resourcefulness-two things that come for free. Some tips on successfully holding a fundraiser with no budget is to plan carefully, encourage participation and take advantage of free publicity. When dealing with fundraisers on a very tight if not nonexistent budget, the number of participants will be very crucial to the activity's success. Fundraisers with no budget will highly depend on the commitment of those involved, which is why a group of people with sheer determination is required of to organize such an activity. The following are some great ideas to raise funds on minimal to no budget at all.
Organize a Community-wide Garage Sale - Keep in mind that one man's trash is another man's treasure. By getting the neighborhood to donate through giving away old things for sale, you instantly get a garage sale with all proceeds going to your cause. This is an easy and hassle-free way to get rid of all the clutter in the house without throwing things away. That old lampshade may be what your next door neighbor is looking for to complete his antique collection. Make sure to inform the community about the cause of the fundraiser. Clearer objectives will better motivate people to participate and offer their time and effort to be part of your cause.
Environment-Friendly Christmas Ornaments - Get creative! Gather recycled materials and make Christmas ornaments out of old cardboard boxes, wrapping paper and glitter. This type of fundraising will be perfect for the holiday season when everyone's in the mood for giving. Sell them at affordable prices and make sure to put the fundraising cause at the forefront of the sale. Be forward about your cause and make sure your patrons understand which charitable institution or cause the money will be going to.
Team Up with Recycling Firms - Collect old ink cartridges, cell phones and other broken or non-functional electronics to exchange at the local recycling plant or at Funding Factory (FundingFactory.com), a team dedicated to providing free fundraising support and materials. Every year, as many as 100 million laser printer or inkjet cartridges are disposed of in the United States alone. Collect as much as you can to receive a bigger monetary reward.
Cleanup Fundraiser - Organize a community cleanup project wherein participants will work towards gathering as much trash as they can to raise a considerable amount of money. Pledges for this type of fundraising will be tied to specific trash-collecting goals such as the number of pounds of trash collected. The cleaner the city, the more funds generated. Now that's a great bargain!
Author Bio:
Tofer has been writing informative articles for nearly 2 years on a variety of different directories, blogs, and websites. Her newest area of expertise is in fundraising discount cards. Come check out her website to learn more at http://www.fundraising-discount-cards.com.
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Fundraise-Without-Any-Budget&id=4064298
Organize a Community-wide Garage Sale - Keep in mind that one man's trash is another man's treasure. By getting the neighborhood to donate through giving away old things for sale, you instantly get a garage sale with all proceeds going to your cause. This is an easy and hassle-free way to get rid of all the clutter in the house without throwing things away. That old lampshade may be what your next door neighbor is looking for to complete his antique collection. Make sure to inform the community about the cause of the fundraiser. Clearer objectives will better motivate people to participate and offer their time and effort to be part of your cause.
Environment-Friendly Christmas Ornaments - Get creative! Gather recycled materials and make Christmas ornaments out of old cardboard boxes, wrapping paper and glitter. This type of fundraising will be perfect for the holiday season when everyone's in the mood for giving. Sell them at affordable prices and make sure to put the fundraising cause at the forefront of the sale. Be forward about your cause and make sure your patrons understand which charitable institution or cause the money will be going to.
Team Up with Recycling Firms - Collect old ink cartridges, cell phones and other broken or non-functional electronics to exchange at the local recycling plant or at Funding Factory (FundingFactory.com), a team dedicated to providing free fundraising support and materials. Every year, as many as 100 million laser printer or inkjet cartridges are disposed of in the United States alone. Collect as much as you can to receive a bigger monetary reward.
Cleanup Fundraiser - Organize a community cleanup project wherein participants will work towards gathering as much trash as they can to raise a considerable amount of money. Pledges for this type of fundraising will be tied to specific trash-collecting goals such as the number of pounds of trash collected. The cleaner the city, the more funds generated. Now that's a great bargain!
Author Bio:
Tofer has been writing informative articles for nearly 2 years on a variety of different directories, blogs, and websites. Her newest area of expertise is in fundraising discount cards. Come check out her website to learn more at http://www.fundraising-discount-cards.com.
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Fundraise-Without-Any-Budget&id=4064298
Green Coffee Beans
Coffee does not exist in nature in the form that we normally buy it. Coffee is prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant. These seeds are commonly known as 'coffee beans,' even though they are not precisely beans. The green 'coffee beans' that are collected from the coffee plantations are sent to places where they are roasted, ground and finely crushed to make coffee powder.
The following are a detail of all the processes that green coffee beans have to go through before they actually become coffee powder. First, they must be picked from plantations. Green coffee beans are most frequently picked by hand by laborers who get paid by the basketful. Since coffee beans are a type of drupe, with fruit flesh directly wrapping the coffee bean, after being gathered the flesh of the coffee bean must be promptly removed by soaking, scouring and mechanically rubbing the bean. The de-fruited coffee bean is then cleansed with water to remove sticking fruit and additional sugars before drying. The green coffee beans are then spread over a large concrete or rock plane, where they are dried by air and sunlight.
The next step in preparation is categorization of the beans by color and size. Discolored, decayed and damaged beans are removed at this point. The roasting process that follows is important in producing an aromatic cup of coffee. When roasted, the green coffee bean expands to nearly twice its initial size, changing in color and density. As the bean takes in heat, the color changes to yellow and then to a light 'cinnamon' brown. At this point in the roasting process, the coffee beans will start cracking, quite like popping popcorn. The final product can be crushed into savory coffee powder.
Thus, we see how all the coffee, as we know it today comes actually from green coffee beans.
Author Bio:
Coffee provides detailed information on Coffee, Coffee Makers, Gourmet Coffee, Coffee Shops and more. Coffee is affiliated with Gourmet Flavored Coffee.
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Green-Coffee-Beans&id=302377
The following are a detail of all the processes that green coffee beans have to go through before they actually become coffee powder. First, they must be picked from plantations. Green coffee beans are most frequently picked by hand by laborers who get paid by the basketful. Since coffee beans are a type of drupe, with fruit flesh directly wrapping the coffee bean, after being gathered the flesh of the coffee bean must be promptly removed by soaking, scouring and mechanically rubbing the bean. The de-fruited coffee bean is then cleansed with water to remove sticking fruit and additional sugars before drying. The green coffee beans are then spread over a large concrete or rock plane, where they are dried by air and sunlight.
The next step in preparation is categorization of the beans by color and size. Discolored, decayed and damaged beans are removed at this point. The roasting process that follows is important in producing an aromatic cup of coffee. When roasted, the green coffee bean expands to nearly twice its initial size, changing in color and density. As the bean takes in heat, the color changes to yellow and then to a light 'cinnamon' brown. At this point in the roasting process, the coffee beans will start cracking, quite like popping popcorn. The final product can be crushed into savory coffee powder.
Thus, we see how all the coffee, as we know it today comes actually from green coffee beans.
Author Bio:
Coffee provides detailed information on Coffee, Coffee Makers, Gourmet Coffee, Coffee Shops and more. Coffee is affiliated with Gourmet Flavored Coffee.
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Green-Coffee-Beans&id=302377
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Brief History of Coffee
There are many stories on how coffee beans were discovered. In one story, an Ethiopian shepherd was tending his sheep, found that they became quite active after eating red cherries from some plants; he, too, tried the cherries and became as hyperactive; this led to the start of coffee drinking using this red cherries.
So as it is, the first coffee beans were cultivated in the Ethiopian highlands, and subsequently entered Yemen, a country at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. Coffee was called 'qahwe' (wine), the truncation of qahhwat al-bun or wine of the bean, by the Arabs; and 'kahve' by the Turkish. The Islamic religion prohibits the consumption of alcoholic drinks, and coffee was an alternative choice. Turkish coffee was originally brewed in little pots called ibriks or cezves.
As the Arabs expanded trades, coffee beans were exported and cultivated in northern Africa, and later, spread to India and Europe. Coffee entered Europe first through Venice in Italy. The Venetians and Arabs traded in a wide range of commodities and goods, including coffee, which was introduced to wealthy people. Stories have it that at that time, Christianity was facing the threat of Islamic power, and the Pope was advised that coffee should be banned since it came from the East. But when the Pope tried the beverage, he blessed the drink and made it a Christian beverage.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Brazil became the biggest producer of coffee. Due to its high profitability, many countries, such as Colombia, Indonesia, Vietnam and India, then started to plant coffee beans. Since early 20th century, US became the largest coffee importing country. Starbucks Café started their café chain in 1970s and thus leads the café business around the world.
Today if you walk around any parts of the world, you will definitely find cafes in every corner, selling different coffee from various parts of the world.
Author Bio:
Ten, writer for brew1819, a cafe situated at one corner of 8 Shenton Way, Singapore. [http://brew1819.com/blog]
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Brief-History-of-Coffee&id=1360830
So as it is, the first coffee beans were cultivated in the Ethiopian highlands, and subsequently entered Yemen, a country at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. Coffee was called 'qahwe' (wine), the truncation of qahhwat al-bun or wine of the bean, by the Arabs; and 'kahve' by the Turkish. The Islamic religion prohibits the consumption of alcoholic drinks, and coffee was an alternative choice. Turkish coffee was originally brewed in little pots called ibriks or cezves.
As the Arabs expanded trades, coffee beans were exported and cultivated in northern Africa, and later, spread to India and Europe. Coffee entered Europe first through Venice in Italy. The Venetians and Arabs traded in a wide range of commodities and goods, including coffee, which was introduced to wealthy people. Stories have it that at that time, Christianity was facing the threat of Islamic power, and the Pope was advised that coffee should be banned since it came from the East. But when the Pope tried the beverage, he blessed the drink and made it a Christian beverage.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Brazil became the biggest producer of coffee. Due to its high profitability, many countries, such as Colombia, Indonesia, Vietnam and India, then started to plant coffee beans. Since early 20th century, US became the largest coffee importing country. Starbucks Café started their café chain in 1970s and thus leads the café business around the world.
Today if you walk around any parts of the world, you will definitely find cafes in every corner, selling different coffee from various parts of the world.
Author Bio:
Ten, writer for brew1819, a cafe situated at one corner of 8 Shenton Way, Singapore. [http://brew1819.com/blog]
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Brief-History-of-Coffee&id=1360830
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Elementary School Fundraisers - Quick and Easy Ideas
Elementary schools need help with fundraising for trips, supplies and all the other necessities of keeping children educated. If your school is stuck for ideas this year, try these tried-and-true ideas along with a fresh twist on an old favorite. With a little planning and a lot of school spirit, you can help raise the funds that your school needs to make the school year great.
Holiday Grams
This festive fundraiser is a great way to give the community and the school something it really needs. They can be done before each major holiday, such as Christmas, Easter and Valentine's Day. The grams can be distributed within the school or all around the community. They should be sold for no more than 50 cents, since students will primarily be buying them.
To keep costs low, use construction paper purchased tax free through the school district. Use a die-cutting machine to make festive shapes, like trees for Christmas or pumpkins for Halloween. Attach a piece of candy and then use a black marker to write the message on one side and the "to" and "from" information on the other.
Before the sale, students will distribute order forms and then collect money and the forms. Parent volunteers can spend an afternoon addressing them and then they can be distributed to students in class or throughout the community on a specific day.
Bake Sale and Cake Walk
A bake sale and a cake walk play on everybody's love of sweet treats. Bake sales require participation from a large number of families at the school. Send home a signup sheet with each child so that parents can commit to baking items for the sale. Give information on the sale so that parents who don't bake can attend and purchase items. To be sure you'll have enough food to sell, organize with several other involved parents to make sure that you'll have enough food to sell.
The week of the sale send out another set of flyers to remind parents of the event. Post flyers around town at grocery stores and other public locations to drum up interest outside of the school. The day of the sale, make sure everyone has enough space to display their wares, including money jars that will be collected by members of the school staff at the end of the sale.
EcoFriendly Fundraising
The sight of elementary school students walking around with brochures is nothing new. But there are new types of products that your school could use raise funds. Because eco-friendly products are so popular these days, there are many fundraising companies that have risen to the occasion. They can provide your elementary school with attractive products that can be sold to parents, grandparents and other people in the community.
From gifts to reusable bags, to home and office products, there are several different companies that can provide eco-friendly goods for elementary school children to sell. You can use the natural influence of these products to tie into Earth Day celebrations and other "green" teaching plans.
Author Bio:
Jamie Jefferson writes for Momscape.com and Susies-Coupons.com -- where you'll find more fundraising ideas as well as printable grocery coupons.
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Elementary-School-Fundraisers---Quick-and-Easy-Ideas&id=1889061
Holiday Grams
This festive fundraiser is a great way to give the community and the school something it really needs. They can be done before each major holiday, such as Christmas, Easter and Valentine's Day. The grams can be distributed within the school or all around the community. They should be sold for no more than 50 cents, since students will primarily be buying them.
To keep costs low, use construction paper purchased tax free through the school district. Use a die-cutting machine to make festive shapes, like trees for Christmas or pumpkins for Halloween. Attach a piece of candy and then use a black marker to write the message on one side and the "to" and "from" information on the other.
Before the sale, students will distribute order forms and then collect money and the forms. Parent volunteers can spend an afternoon addressing them and then they can be distributed to students in class or throughout the community on a specific day.
Bake Sale and Cake Walk
A bake sale and a cake walk play on everybody's love of sweet treats. Bake sales require participation from a large number of families at the school. Send home a signup sheet with each child so that parents can commit to baking items for the sale. Give information on the sale so that parents who don't bake can attend and purchase items. To be sure you'll have enough food to sell, organize with several other involved parents to make sure that you'll have enough food to sell.
The week of the sale send out another set of flyers to remind parents of the event. Post flyers around town at grocery stores and other public locations to drum up interest outside of the school. The day of the sale, make sure everyone has enough space to display their wares, including money jars that will be collected by members of the school staff at the end of the sale.
EcoFriendly Fundraising
The sight of elementary school students walking around with brochures is nothing new. But there are new types of products that your school could use raise funds. Because eco-friendly products are so popular these days, there are many fundraising companies that have risen to the occasion. They can provide your elementary school with attractive products that can be sold to parents, grandparents and other people in the community.
From gifts to reusable bags, to home and office products, there are several different companies that can provide eco-friendly goods for elementary school children to sell. You can use the natural influence of these products to tie into Earth Day celebrations and other "green" teaching plans.
Author Bio:
Jamie Jefferson writes for Momscape.com and Susies-Coupons.com -- where you'll find more fundraising ideas as well as printable grocery coupons.
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Elementary-School-Fundraisers---Quick-and-Easy-Ideas&id=1889061
Sunday, October 24, 2010
The New Temperature Regulating Coffee Mug!
All coffee lovers should be cheering now that a new temperature regulating coffee mug has been invented by scientists. This mug is able to absorb the temperature of its contents, store that data, and keep the hot beverage at the correct temperature. This temperature regulating coffee mug will work to keep the coffee inside at the correct temperature level by releasing heat back into the contents continually.
Most coffee lovers are familiar with the fact that an insulated coffee mug works well to keep your coffee warm for a longer period of time, but now there is a mug that is technologically advanced to enable your drink to be kept at the correct temperature for a half an hour, whether it is cold or hot! This is exactly what you need if you have your coffee sitting next to you on your desk at work because it will ensure that it will be hot enough to drink when you choose to enjoy it. No more forgetting about your cup of Joe and then taking a sip of cold coffee, which can be both disappointing and disheartening. This temperature regulating coffee mug is made of phase change material, or PCM. This material is capable of storing and releasing heat by the changing of its phase.
This was developed at the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics by two scientists who first designed a porcelain shell that was filled with highly conductive aluminum ribbons. This aluminum was shaped in a honeycomb structure, and the holes were filled with PCM. This enabled the PCM material to absorb the heat of the coffee and melt into a liquidy wax. This worked to cool the beverage to the correct temperature, and when it cooled, the PCM released the heat that it had stored back into the beverage, which enabled it to stay at the perfect temperature for half an hour.
Different beverages do have various optimal temperatures. Coffee and tea taste best at 136°F, beer at 44°F, and iced drinks at 10°F. These call for different chemical makeups within the PCM, which is why different mugs are designed for each of these beverage types. The only downside to this wonderful invention is that one mug will not work for both hot and cold liquids.
You can expect to see these innovative mugs on the market at the end of next year, and they should cost slightly more than an average coffee mug, but still be affordable. Furthermore, PCM does provide many different uses, including the potential to keep perishable foods from going bad, or even to protect paintings in museums from fires because it is a non-flammable substance. Currently, PCM is used in some winter jackets to provide warmth in cold weather, and it also can be used to store computer data without any electrical current. As far as keeping your coffee warm, this is the perfect use of this material, and every coffee lover will be thankful!
Author Bio:
Another popular accessory for coffee is the Bodum 8-cup French Press! For a great selection, check out Mark Ramos' website, The Coffee Bump.
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?The-New-Temperature-Regulating-Coffee-Mug!&id=2854897
Most coffee lovers are familiar with the fact that an insulated coffee mug works well to keep your coffee warm for a longer period of time, but now there is a mug that is technologically advanced to enable your drink to be kept at the correct temperature for a half an hour, whether it is cold or hot! This is exactly what you need if you have your coffee sitting next to you on your desk at work because it will ensure that it will be hot enough to drink when you choose to enjoy it. No more forgetting about your cup of Joe and then taking a sip of cold coffee, which can be both disappointing and disheartening. This temperature regulating coffee mug is made of phase change material, or PCM. This material is capable of storing and releasing heat by the changing of its phase.
This was developed at the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics by two scientists who first designed a porcelain shell that was filled with highly conductive aluminum ribbons. This aluminum was shaped in a honeycomb structure, and the holes were filled with PCM. This enabled the PCM material to absorb the heat of the coffee and melt into a liquidy wax. This worked to cool the beverage to the correct temperature, and when it cooled, the PCM released the heat that it had stored back into the beverage, which enabled it to stay at the perfect temperature for half an hour.
Different beverages do have various optimal temperatures. Coffee and tea taste best at 136°F, beer at 44°F, and iced drinks at 10°F. These call for different chemical makeups within the PCM, which is why different mugs are designed for each of these beverage types. The only downside to this wonderful invention is that one mug will not work for both hot and cold liquids.
You can expect to see these innovative mugs on the market at the end of next year, and they should cost slightly more than an average coffee mug, but still be affordable. Furthermore, PCM does provide many different uses, including the potential to keep perishable foods from going bad, or even to protect paintings in museums from fires because it is a non-flammable substance. Currently, PCM is used in some winter jackets to provide warmth in cold weather, and it also can be used to store computer data without any electrical current. As far as keeping your coffee warm, this is the perfect use of this material, and every coffee lover will be thankful!
Author Bio:
Another popular accessory for coffee is the Bodum 8-cup French Press! For a great selection, check out Mark Ramos' website, The Coffee Bump.
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?The-New-Temperature-Regulating-Coffee-Mug!&id=2854897
Friday, October 22, 2010
Fundraising With Fire Pits
Fundraising is probably one of the most important activities in our society. Fundraising does everything from help beginning businesses off their feet to funding non-profit organizations that help people beat deadly diseases. Fundraising can transform the lives of people. Because of how powerful the impact of fundraising can be, it pays for people to be attentive while planning events that hold the intention of raising funds for a business or non-profit organization.
For non-profit organizations, a great fundraising idea is to host a cocktail party at the home of someone involved in the organization. Hosting at someone's home saves money that would have been spent on purchasing time at a venue or expensive hall. It may be wise to host the fundraiser at the home of someone who has benefited from the organization or needs benefits from the organization. This way, people can have a firsthand account of how the organization works to improve the lives of other people.
In setting the ambiance of a cocktail party, it should always be kept classy, even if the dress code for the evening is casual. By creating a high-class ambiance, the people that are attending the event will feel their contributions are respected and honored. Set out tables with appetizers and hors d'oeurves. Placing a fire pit in the center of a patio or backyard can also make the event classy and unforgettable. There is nothing wrong with adding a touch of fun to a classy event, by inviting guests to make s'mores. Or, better yet, you can hire teens in the neighborhood to dress up as servers and make s'mores for the people making contributions to the non-profit organization.
For small businesses, hosting a similar type of cocktail event can be an effective way to gain investors. Small businesses often depend on the financial contributions of angel investors. A great way to captivate and impress investors is by creating a dynamic presentation that is unforgettable for these people. Making the presentation in front of or beside a fire pit can bring everyone's focus to your business presentation. This heightened focus will also make your presentation more memorable in the end.
The next time you are in charge of planning a fundraiser, simply consider hosting a cocktail party. Invite volunteers to be the servers or bartender at the event. This way, you can save money that should go toward your start-up business or non-profit organization!
Author Bio:
Geoffrey F. Moore
Firepit
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Fundraising-With-Fire-Pits&id=4535425&opt=print
For non-profit organizations, a great fundraising idea is to host a cocktail party at the home of someone involved in the organization. Hosting at someone's home saves money that would have been spent on purchasing time at a venue or expensive hall. It may be wise to host the fundraiser at the home of someone who has benefited from the organization or needs benefits from the organization. This way, people can have a firsthand account of how the organization works to improve the lives of other people.
In setting the ambiance of a cocktail party, it should always be kept classy, even if the dress code for the evening is casual. By creating a high-class ambiance, the people that are attending the event will feel their contributions are respected and honored. Set out tables with appetizers and hors d'oeurves. Placing a fire pit in the center of a patio or backyard can also make the event classy and unforgettable. There is nothing wrong with adding a touch of fun to a classy event, by inviting guests to make s'mores. Or, better yet, you can hire teens in the neighborhood to dress up as servers and make s'mores for the people making contributions to the non-profit organization.
For small businesses, hosting a similar type of cocktail event can be an effective way to gain investors. Small businesses often depend on the financial contributions of angel investors. A great way to captivate and impress investors is by creating a dynamic presentation that is unforgettable for these people. Making the presentation in front of or beside a fire pit can bring everyone's focus to your business presentation. This heightened focus will also make your presentation more memorable in the end.
The next time you are in charge of planning a fundraiser, simply consider hosting a cocktail party. Invite volunteers to be the servers or bartender at the event. This way, you can save money that should go toward your start-up business or non-profit organization!
Author Bio:
Geoffrey F. Moore
Firepit
Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Fundraising-With-Fire-Pits&id=4535425&opt=print
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