Fundraising
What Makes a Good Friends Group?
Over the years since Library Strategies was created, we’ve worked with dozens of Friends groups across the country. Some were led by board members who’d been serving as volunteers for as many as thirty years and were praying for a way out, but were too committed to just leave. Other Friends groups have a kick-butt…
Read MoreWebinar Series: The Importance of Planning
This free webinar series “The Importance of Planning” shows you just how important it is for Libraries and support organizations to prepare for their future. The series includes Library Strategies’ unique and innovative Rapid Results Planning® strategic planning process. The three-part series is produced by Library Strategies and hosted by consultants Sue Hall and Stu…
Read More9 Ways to Make Your Grant Proposal Stand Out
Grant proposals can stand out for any number of reasons. In some cases, it’s because they’re missing two attachments, or they’re trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Or sometimes, they’ve buried the mission statement somewhere in a blizzard of text. Below, we’ve included tips to stand out—for all the right reasons.…
Read MoreCaring for Your Major Donors
First, who are your major donors? You’ll have to analyze your donor base and identify those individuals – not foundations – who have given your most significant gifts. There is likely a small group that rises to the top as your major donors, whether that is gifts of $5,000 or $50,000. This group of your…
Read MoreA Guide to Corporate Sponsorship
Corporate sponsorship opportunities and benefits differ greatly depending on the size and cost of the event, but there should be an incentive for any business to sponsor your event at some level. If you are fortunate enough to have a corporate sponsor who is willing to underwrite the entire cost of the event, you can…
Read More7 Unconventional Library Fundraisers That Worked (And May Work for You)
While there is no good substitute for fundraising fundamentals – such as a strong end-of-year annual appeal – a little outside-the-box thinking can do a lot to stoke donations and pad your library’s budget. We want to share with you seven of our favorite ideas for unconventional fundraising. All have turned a profit and offer…
Read MoreThe Law of 80/20 and Capital Campaigns
The Pareto Principle, or the law of 80/20, seems to apply to many things in our lives – from Pareto’s original observation of wealth distribution to a wide range of phenomenon revealing that 80% of effects come from 20% of causes. This principle certainly applies to capital campaigns. In other words, you can expect to…
Read MoreA Rocking Case Statement for Successful Fundraising
A Case Statement is one of the most important documents necessary for effective fundraising. It is written specifically for private donors and describes your library’s purpose and vision in a compelling manner designed to attract donors to financially support your work. A well-written case statement is concise and compelling. While supported by statistics and driven by…
Read MoreThe Power of Endowments
Every non-profit organization strives to create endowment funds as a part of their finance strategy. But why are they so important and how should newer organizations attempt to create them? Let’s start by defining an endowment, which can be described as a sum of money that is permanently invested in equities (stocks) and fixed income…
Read MoreCapital Campaign in Your Future?
Are you anticipating a capital campaign to help fund a new building or renovation of your library? Before launching a campaign, there are several steps you should be taking now to prepare your organization and improve your potential for a successful campaign. Long before launching a capital campaign – and to strengthen your library’s future…
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