Stories From The Front Lines

Is it possible to raise money in this economy?

Yes, yes, and yes.

We heard that over and over again at a roundtable last week that was sponsored by Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) NYC and Capital One Bank and hosted by Con Edison – and that featured several Cause Effective clients telling stories of how they’d turned around their fundraising in the dead center of the recession:

• Like Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation, which raised $157,000 from its Spring 2009 anniversary gala and accrued all sorts of other benefits as well – like a new friend who led them to a $10,000 grant from a private foundation.
• Like Good Old Lower East Side (GOLES), which almost tripled its special events income in Summer 2009 by taking to heart the maxim that “fundraising is everyone’s job” – program as well as development staff, board members, friends, and even members.
• And like the Pratt Area Community Council, which saw its Fall 2009 45th anniversary celebration come in 50% over goal, through a closely-honed partnership of staff, board and volunteers working together to follow-up their connections and leave no stone unturned.

It was inspiring to sit in the audience and hear these groups think out loud about the hard-won lessons they’d incorporated into their fundraising practice going forward. Even though Cause Effective was the architect – the catalyst – of many of these changes, once we’ve counseled our clients on how to reconceptualize their approach to fundraising, it’s our turn to sit back and watch them take off…and fly.

And then…we marvel.

In the coming months we’ll be releasing more video clips of these remarkable stories, but for now, here’s three to start.