FINDING WEALTHY DONORS

Stan Levenson

            Colleges, universities, private schools, nonprofits, and churches are very adept at finding wealthy donors within their communities and among their alumni and friends. They also know that there are consultant companies that specialize in this area and are available to assist them. It has been my experience that regardless of where you are located in the United States, whether it is in a rural area, big city, or the suburbs, there are wealthy people living there. You have to dig hard! Many times they might be your next-door neighbor. Take a look at the book The Millionaire Next Door, by Thomas Stanley and William Danko (http://www.nytimes.com/books/first/s/stanley-millionaire.html).

            People with money in your community who have attended your schools, have relatives attending your schools, have taught or been administrators in your schools, or are involved in your schools at this time are most likely to give to your cause. All these people are potential donors. Nurture these people with gusto! Treat them with dignity and respect and become their friends. You won’t believe the payoff!

            Asking for money from friends, relatives, or strangers is an unnatural act. Most of us don’t know how to or don’t want to do this. But it’s not all that difficult once you learn how. When approaching a potential donor, you are making a human connection over time that hopefully will lead to a desired gift. My more than 40 years of experience has helped me to understand that individuals don’t want to give their money away, but they do want to invest in worthy causes that change people’s lives. There are few causes more worthy and more life-altering than public education.

Inherited Wealth      

        When it comes to studying and understanding wealth in America, I continue to be very excited about the research and writings of Paul Schervish and John Havens, who are researchers at the Center on Wealth and Philanthropy at Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. They have projected that people throughout the United States will be inheriting a total of $41 trillion by the year 2052, a number that is based on a 2 percent growth rate. They have further indicated that with a growth rate of 3 percent, $73 trillion will be inherited, and with a growth rate of 4 percent, that number will increase to $132 trillion. Of special interest at this time is the baby boomer generation (ages 50 to 68). Schervish and Havens believe that the boomers will keep fundraisers busy for the next 30 years because they are wealthier in total and per household than any previous generation and are just now coming into prime giving ages. In addition to the boomer generation, they recommend that we continue to solicit from prospective donors older than 68 as well as those under age 50 who are just coming into inherited money. If Schervish and Havens are correct in their projections, public schools all over the nation that are ready and able to solicit major donors will reap major rewards.

            Below you will find links to websites that will be of help to you. Some of the links lead to classic books written by some of the biggest names in fundraising in America. Also included are links to discovering wealth in America and how to approach the people who have it. Of particular interest is the Center on Wealth and Philanthropy at Boston College, where some of the foremost research is going on, and the Giving USA Reports, where you can get a yearly update on fundraising in the United States and get a feel for what’s happening across the nation and a breakdown of where grants come from and who gets them.

Fundraising, Marketing, & Communications

The Essential Fundraising Guide for K-12 Schools, by Stan Levenson

www.stanlevenson.com

Big-Time Fundraising For Today’s Schools, by Stan Levenson

www.stanlevenson.com

Asking, by Jerold Panas

http://emersonandchurch.com/bookstore/asking/

Mega Gifts, by Jerold Panas

http://emersonandchurch.com/bookstore/mega-gifts/

How to Connect with Donors, by Thomas Wolf

http://emersonandchurch.com/bookstore/how-to-connect-with-donors-and-double-the-money-you-raise/

Rural Schools

http://www.cdsfunds.com/rural_fundraising_looking_beyond_the_locals.html

Locating Wealthy Donors

America’s Top Donors

http://philanthropy.com/factfile/gifts

http://www.philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/charitable-giving-grew-13-percent-in-2013-atlas-of-giving-estimates

www.jgacounsel.com/resources

Center on Wealth and Philanthropy, Boston College

http://www.bc.edu/research/cwp/

Giving USA Reports

http://store.givingusareports.org/

DonorPerfect

http://www.donorperfect.com/

Wealth Engine

http://www.WealthEngine.com

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NOTE: For more references, go to my new book!

A sample from my new book

Here's a feel from my latest fundraising book, The Essential Fundraising Guide for K-12 Schools (A 1-Hour Book With More Than 350 Links) available on www.Amazon.com

Chapter 3

 Corporate and Foundation Grants

        

Corporate Giving

            Corporations provide support to nonprofit organizations, including schools, through their own private foundations, direct-giving programs, or both. These separate legal entities maintain close ties with their parent organizations, and their giving philosophies usually mirror company priorities and interests. Corporate foundations are required to follow the laws and regulations governing private foundations, including filing an annual Form 990-PF with the Internal Revenue Service. The 990-PF provides a complete grants list, the names of the foundation’s trustees and officers, and other relevant information.

            Having access to 990-PFs will assist you in determining the giving trends of a particular foundation as well as the size of the grants made and other

vital data. Fortunately, 990-PFs are public records, and you can access these documents through the Foundation Center and tax returns for foundations in state attorneys general offices. For additional information on accessing 990-PF Forms go to: http://foundationcenter.org/findfunders/990finder/

            In addition to corporate foundations, corporations are also involved

in direct-giving programs. These giving programs are not separately incorporated

and the IRS does not require the corporation to adhere to private foundation laws or regulations, including the filing of Form 990-PF. Corporations are allowed to deduct up to 10 percent of their pre-tax income for charitable purposes.

            In my work in the public schools, I have discovered that corporations typically contribute in those communities where their employees live and work. I have also discovered that corporations are interested in forming partnerships with the schools and typically contribute dollars, equipment, and resource personnel to the schools. Some corporations have mini-grant programs. Others have mentoring and volunteer programs for kids and schools. Become familiar with all the corporations located in or near your school or school district and involve and welcome them in your schools. Invite corporate CEOs to become members of your foundation board or your Board of Trustees. Many of the people working at these corporations have kids or grandkids attending your schools. They want to contribute to your cause. Ask for their help!

Independent Foundations

            Independent (private) foundations are nongovernmental, usually have a principal fund or endowment, are managed by a board of trustees and directors, and give cash and non-cash gifts to the schools. America’s 1,000 leading private foundations have given annually to colleges, universities, nonprofit organizations, and the schools. They typically support charitable, educational, religious, and other causes that serve the public good.

            Independent foundations are interested in funding “excellence” and innovation in the public schools. They typically have not been interested in compensatory education or remedial types of programs, although some foundations do support these efforts. Independent foundations are concerned with bringing about change in a positive manner or in enhancing and supplementing outstanding existing programs. Some foundations support math, science, and the environment, while others are interested in music, art, and dance. Certain foundations give preference to computer technology and literacy, while still others are interested in health education, parent education, and staff development. Some independent foundations support capital equipment, however, only insofar as the equipment is directly related to a clear vision and an overall program plan.

            Most recently, a number of independent foundations have become interested in the charter school movement and have given millions of dollars to the schools. As such, many charter schools have more dollars per child behind them. What this suggests is that with more dollars behind each child, and with more innovative programming, the public schools can and will succeed. I am very interested in seeing more private and public dollars flow to the public schools just like at the public colleges and universities.

Community Foundations

            There are more than 700 community foundations across the United States. These foundations are usually made up of individuals, businesses, and organizations located in specific communities or regions. Within certain parameters, anyone can be a donor to a community foundation. Donors can give cash, stock, bonds, real estate, and other assets. These gifts can usually be made within the lifetime of the donors or through their estates, with the donors receiving maximum tax benefits.

            There are community foundations located in every state in the United

States. Grants from these foundations help to support charitable groups and programs working to improve the quality of life within a specific community or region. Over the past several years, I have observed community foundations become more interested in the public schools. Competitive grant programs such as teachers’ funds to assist classroom teachers with mini-grants have been established. I have been fortunate to work with the San Diego Community Foundation as Chairperson of the Teacher Fund Committee. Since 1995, the Teacher Fund Committee has distributed more than $1 million in teacher mini-grants.

            Other types of innovative grants are also being made to schools by community foundations to provide funding for programs that improve teaching and learning in the classroom. These foundations are sprouting up all over the country. They are a good source of funding for teachers, schools, and school districts. Take the time to locate the community foundations in your area of

the country and get to know the people who are responsible for awarding grants and gifts.

Pro Bono and In-Kind Gifts

       There are many opportunities for schools and school districts to obtain pro bono and in-kind gifts from corporations and foundations in your community. Study the links below and make personal contacts for assistance.

http://www.amazon.com/Powered-Pro-Bono-Step-Step/dp/1118140958

http://www.grantspace.org/Tools/Knowledge-Base/Funding-Resources/Corporations/in-kind-gifts

http://www.raise-funds.com/2008/in-kind-gifts-how-to-acknowledge-and-recognize-them/

A Sampling From My New Book

                
THE ESSENTIAL FUNDRAISING GUIDE FOR K-12 SCHOOLS (A 1-HOUR BOOK WITH MORE THAN 350 LINKS) 

To give you a feel for my new book before you order it, I thought that you might like to take a look at parts of the book. Here is a sample from Chapter 1. Note:  There are many more links in Chapter 1 than are listed here. Thanks for taking a look.

Best,

Stan Levenson

Chapter 1

Grants for Teachers and Schools

            K-12 classroom teachers are busy people. They need all the help they can get. I know this as a fact. I’ve been there, done that. My wife has been a teacher for many years. My daughter-in-law is a teacher. It’s a daunting task! Good teachers are constantly dipping into their wallets to pay for paper, pencils, pens, computers and other necessities not available in today’s schools. How can classroom teachers find funding for some of the basic necessities they need in their classrooms today? Also, how can classroom teachers find monies for some of the things that have been eliminated at their schools like music, art, P.E. foreign languages, and field trips? You’ve come to the right place! This chapter will lead you in the right direction and alleviate some of the budget strains that you face each and every day. Take a look below and feast your eyes on sites like DonorsChoose.org, Grants Alert, Education World Grants Center, The Foundation Center, eSchool News, and others.

DonorsChoose.org

             In 2000, Charles Best, a New York City public school teacher, spent a lot of time in the teacher’s lunchroom, talking with his fellow teachers about the books they wanted their students to read, the art projects they wanted them to engage in, and the field trips they wanted their students to take. They didn’t have the funding to do these things, so Best founded DonorsChoose.org out of his classroom. In 2007, this nonprofit organization expanded to serve every public school teacher in the United States

, and today it is one of the most successful fundraising programs in the country.

How it works: Public school teachers from every corner of America post short classroom project requests on DonorsChoose.org. Requests range from pencils for a poetry-writing unit, to violins for a school recital, to microscope slides for a biology class. Individuals can browse through the requests and give any amount online to the project that inspires them. Once a project reaches its funding goal, DonorsChoose.org sends the materials to the school. All donors hear back from the classroom they supported with thank-you notes and photos. At DonorsChoose.org, anyone can give as little as $1 and get the same level of choice, transparency, and feedback that is traditionally reserved for someone who gives millions. They call it “citizen philanthropy.”



            I became aware of DonorsChoose.org when they first started operating in New York City in 2000. Their motto was “Teachers Ask, You Choose.” This approach appealed to me so much that I personally became involved as a donor. The first project I funded was a second-grade reading project in the Bronx. They took my personal info and money online with my credit card. It was as simple as paying for almost anything online. The staff provided the classroom teacher with my name and also purchased the materials for her to implement the project. I got immediate positive feedback from the teacher and the kids, as they were in touch with me via the DonorsChoose.org website and thanked me profusely. I was also able to communicate with the kids via the teacher online. As a follow-up, I received wonderful thank-you notes with photos from the kids in the mail. I became so excited about DonorsChoose.org that I started mentioning it in my writings and talks and was hopeful that the idea would spread across the country. I continue to fund projects and encourage others to do so as well.

            Since 2000, the DonorsChoose.org community of more than 800,000 donors has channeled more than $105 million into classrooms in need and benefitted approximately 6.2 million students. K-12 public schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, including public charter schools, have been funded. You can be funded too! Below is the info you need to get started right now. You won’t be sorry!

Get Started Right Now with DonorsChoose.org

http://www.donorschoose.org/teachers

More Grants for Teachers and Schools

         In addition to DonorsChoose.org, there are many more funding opportunities for individual classroom teachers, schools, and school districts. The following links will save you time and energy and familiarize you with what’s out there.

Grants Alert

www.GrantsAlert.com

Education World (Grants Center)

http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/archives/grants.shtml

The Foundation Center

www.foundationcenter.org

To order the book now, go to: 

http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Fundraising-Guide-K-12-Schools/dp/1500999970/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1414435896&sr=8-1&keywords=the+essential+fundraising+guide+for+k-12+schools