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NPA fundraising: How to get a grassroots organizing win!
By Robin Acree
Do you want to go to the National Peoples Action (NPA) National Neighborhoods
Conference in Washington, D.C., April 23-25, but don’t know how to raise money
to send folks? Well, do you organize to win issue campaigns? If so, then you can organize to send leaders to NPA! Here’s how:
- Identify a core team of leaders who want to go to NPA and are willing to work on grassroots fundraising and form a “team,” “committee” or “campaign.”
- Determine how many folks you want to send, research the costs and set a fundraising goal.
- Once a money goal is determined, brainstorm ideas for possible ways or targets to raise funds. (Remember no idea is to be shot down!)
Prioritize what fundraising things, or ideas, leaders are most interested in doing and assign a leader to chair each fundraiser and serve as the person responsible for the participation in and outcomes of the event or activity.
Some profitable annual fundraising events that GRO – Grass Roots Organizing, have organized successfully include:
- Phone banking – get leaders on the phones together, bring a potluck and call allies and people you know, and get pledges for money to match what an individual or group has raised.
- Holiday basket drawing – Leaders ask for donations of items from local merchants to put into a basket of gifts. Leaders identify a high traffic venue to sell tickets or give donations for an opportunity to win the basket(s).
- Sweetheart luncheon and silent auction – Leaders identify a menu and ask folks to donate the food and silent auction items for the event. Leaders sell tickets (mostly in advance), prepare and serve the food!
There are many other possibilities to raise monies. It is also important that leaders invest a small portion of their own personal funds to go! It is never too early to start planning for NPA!
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