Fundraising Resources
For any limited government activist trying to organize an effort within his or her community, fundraising is both critical and challenging. As either a participant or organizer in the national Tea Party movement you could see how even modest costs for things like sound/video equipment, poster-board to make signs, or fees for acquiring a protest permit really add up.
FreedomWorks is now helping to organize the March on Washington on 9/12/2009, but we realize that many of you will need to raise funds for yourselves and/or your local group to come to DC. As a result, we’ve put together the following tips to help you in your fundraising efforts for this important project:
- Have a Fundraising Goal: Step one of course is figuring out how much it’s going to cost for you and your fellow activists to travel and stay in Washington, D.C. Work with FreedomWorks National Office to help you figure out travel and lodging costs and then, after you’ve reviewed the other tips below, establish a realistic fundraising goal and outline how you plan to get there in the form of a brief fundraising plan. Periodically discuss your specific plan with FreedomWorks staff. We can help you figure out what is working with your plan and what needs to be adjusted.
- Create Lists: As you get started looking at “who” you think would be likely donors to your effort, start to create lists. Begin with who you know and create a list of friends, family, church members, business acquaintances, service clubs, etc. who know you and support the limited government mission of the Tea Party movement. Draw from sources such as Christmas card lists, rolodexes, and address books. After you have created your lists, you can then begin to form a plan of attack.
- Develop Your Fundraising Pitch: Think about how to frame your March on Washington fundraising “ask” and be specific. For example, if you and your group need to raise money for a bus, van, or certain number of airline tickets, detail that in your pitch. Then, looking at the size of your fundraising list, determine an average amount you need to raise from each prospective donor in order to reach your goal. Refine your pitch as you go and keep your prospective donors updated on how close you are getting to your goal or how much work you still have left to do.
- Email: For those names on your list that have email addresses, an email ask is an easy, low-cost way to communicate your pitch with prospective donors in greater numbers. Keep email asks short, simple, and to the point. Emails, and particularly group emails, are of course less personal so the more personalization you can add to individual emails, the better.
- Telephone: One-on-one phone calls are a great way to reach out to the people on the lists that you have created. Depending on whom you are calling and how well you know them, you might feel more comfortable at first just talking about the Tea Party movement, the impetus to “March on Washington” on September 12th, and what we are trying to accomplish. Then you can ask the prospective donor if he/she would like to set-up a meeting to talk more about how they can help and get involved. At that meeting could be the appropriate time to make your fundraising pitch.
- Special Events: Similar to a mass-email ask, special events such as breakfasts, lunches, dinners, barbecues, wine and cheese receptions, birthday parties, house parties, raffles, and other functions can help you raise money from larger groups of people, but have the face-to-face component that an email lacks. Remember when planning these events that the primary goal is fundraising. Keep your costs as low as possible, and certainly no higher than 20% of the amount you hope to raise. It is key to use your imagination and not your checkbook to make these events successful and examples abound of successful, low-cost fundraising events. FreedomWorks state chapters for example, have had great success raising money for local campaigns through low-cost events that include rocking chair raffles, hot dog suppers, BBQ’s, and pancake breakfasts. Consider asking local merchants or restaurants that support the Tea Party movement to donate prizes and/or food for events like these as another way to hold costs down.
Hopefully these tips will help you and possibly a group of your fellow limited government activists attend the 9/12/09 March on Washington, D.C. and continue the Tea Party Protests’ historic momentum. Remember to stay in close contact with FreedomWorks National Office as you put together and execute your plan.
The forces supporting the Obama Agenda of big government are formidable, but if we speak loudly and with one voice we can make a difference!
Entries(RSS)
I went to the tea party in Houston Texas. I will go to the next.
So, far we have performed without funding and still managed to get 1000 people to a tea party in our small community. We were talking about fund raising, but were concerned about taxes. Do we have to incorporate to collect funds. Can we get away with simply taking donations and then spending the money. I doubt we would take in over $1000 in a year. It doesn’t make sense to create a corporation for that.
Spencer Leiter
Organizer Bloomington Tea Party
I am just a member of the Baton Rouge Tea Party but I do know we incorporated within the state of Louisiana as an LLC (limited liability corporation) and also registered as a 527c organization. If I understand it correctly, we’re basically a PAC (political action committee) so we’re tax-exempt and can endorse candidates if we so desire. However, donations to our group are not tax-deductible for the donors. Hope this helps… two months after you posted.
is promoting the phrase “I didn’t vote for this Obamanation” and just completed a 10,500 mile RoadTrip across the USA. I passed out buttons, stickers and t-shirts to thousands of people, spoke to about 50,000 people and collected responses and other information about the condition of our country. I plan to make the trip again for the 9/12 march on Washington, D.C.. I am a construction worker in southern California, the illegals have stolen my work and my phone quit ringing when Obama got elected! I need some financial help to be able to attend the 9/12 event and your tips on this page may help. Thank You!
I was asked to speak about my trip at a Tea Party on July 4th and here is a link to a video of that speech…
…enjoy!
Truth About Green(T.A.G.) is a grassroots group of people who are organizing to educate the public about faulty environmental data held out as truth,when in fact it is skewed or slanted to meet the needs and agendas of special interest groups.Truth About Green(T.A.G.) will seek out and promote credible data to be used in advocating legislative discipline when spending taxpayer dollars. Truth About Green(T.A.G.) has secured Lafayette Park, across from the White House in Washington,D.C., on September 26th,2009, to hold the nation’s first Green Tea Party! This event will follow 2 weeks after the 09/12/09 March and will compliment and further the momentum stirred by that event. Our planning committee has attracted Author Steven Milloy, Green Hell, and was featured on the Glenn Beck Program. Mr Milloy is also founder and publisher of http://www.junkscience.com. Also included in the program are International documentarians Ann McElhinney and Phelim McAleer who recently completed ,Not Evil,Just Wrong,a rebuttal film aimed at uncovering the falsehoods presented in Al Gore’s ,Inconvenient Truth. Charles Lollar,Chairman of New Day Maryland,www.newdaymd.org,and Andrew Langer,creator of the Institute for Liberty. Whatever help or advise you would like to leave us please do so. We are continuing to look for sponsors and financial donors.Please strongly consider how you can assist or support this effort.
I am part of a small teaparty group, we made one tea party so far and are working on another. I also attended the Madison, WI tea party April 15. I desparately want to go to the WashingtonDC one on Sept.12,2009 but I cant get the funds. Is there anyone/group working to help those of us that would march if we can get there?
Greetings!
Thank you for your good effort to preserve freedom. Actually, I have a wonderful concept / idea that could
potentially give people a secondary income stream, which would enable them to give more abundantly to
those organizations on their contribution lists. I understand each organization has their legal perimeters
that they must follow. However, I’m thinking this is something individuals could participate in — outside of
the various organizations. My vision is to find someone from each of the organizations who can be a connecting point to others interested in this type of a product / bizop. I’d like to go into more detail, however
I’m sure this format is somewhat limited. The company and the product is truly topnotch and full of the kind
of integrity we expect. It is growing exponentially at a grassroots level, and we’re opening several more international offices because everywhere this product / bizop goes it is extremely well received. I can tell
you that absolutely the first people that one is inspired to share this information with is their “dear ones”
because they realize how much it improves the quality of their lives in so many ways. Then, they can spend
more time & effort doing ALL those other more meaningful things to do. I promise you you’re going to love this… I look forward to sharing this information with you: basically, I can forward you many of the links online;
plus, I can send you some brochures; also a prestigious independent magazine with an objective POV.
In other words, you are welcome to all these various informational tools that explain everything in more detail.
Prior to that I look forward to speaking to someone from your organization who handles this type of inquiry.
I saw Max Papas on CSPAN today, and I was motivated to contact your organization. I look forward to speaking to you at your earliest convenience (maybe this coming week…) After 3PM is usually a bit more
convenient for me.
Kind regards,
Susan
Greetings!
Thank you for your good effort to preserve freedom. Actually, I have a wonderful concept / idea that could
potentially give people a secondary income stream, which would enable them to give more abundantly to
those organizations on their contribution lists. I understand each organization has their legal perimeters
that they must follow. However, I’m thinking this is something individuals could participate in — outside of
the various organizations. My vision is to find someone from each of the organizations who can be a connecting point to others interested in this type of a product / bizop. I’d like to go into more detail, however
I’m sure this format is somewhat limited. The company and the product is truly topnotch and full of the kind
of integrity we expect. It is growing exponentially at a grassroots level, and we’re opening several more international offices because everywhere this product / bizop goes it is extremely well received. I can tell
you that absolutely the first people that one is inspired to share this information with is their “dear ones”
because they realize how much it improves the quality of their lives in so many ways. Then, they can spend
more time & effort doing ALL those other more meaningful things to do. I promise you you’re going to love this… I look forward to sharing this information with you: basically, I can forward you many of the links online;
plus, I can send you some brochures; also a prestigious independent magazine with an objective POV.
In other words, you are welcome to all these various informational tools that explain everything in more detail.
Prior to that I look forward to speaking to someone from your organization who handles this type of inquiry.
I saw Max Papas on CSPAN today, and I was motivated to contact your organization. I look forward to speaking to you at your earliest convenience (maybe this coming week…) After 3PM is usually a bit more
convenient for me. Or rather send me an email, and then I will coordinate to send you my phone, etc.
here you go:
National Day of Service and Remembrance
Please take a moment now to post your personal plan to perform a good deed, volunteer or engage in another charitable activity in observance of the newly established September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance. Help create a wonderful legacy that honors the victims and those who rose to service in response to the attacks on America.
http://911dayofservice.org/
guess cheney forgot to tell bush it was his job to set up a national day of remembrance.
Please forward this to those who are going on your busses to DC.
I have a complete survival list / check list of things to take and do on
your 9.12 / Tea Party Trip to DC on Sept 12th, 2009. ITS FULL of stuff
that you are going to want to know before you leave.
http://www.beforethestormhits.com/make_your_DC_912_trip_perfect.htm
I know this list will help you a lot.
Thank you
Steven Harris
Preparedness Instructor – BeforeTheStormHits.com (nothing for sale here!)
OhH Baby ! “The Mother of all Tea Parties” is about to unfold !!!
If you want signs,banners or buttons, I’m a small business owner who’s really angry at what this administration is doing, I’ve had to lay off 90% of my staff and I don’t know how much longer I can hang on.
I want to offer my services and will donate a portion of proceeds to help this cause while I still have my equipment available. I’m a fighter and I won’t go down easily, I thank God there is still something I can do.
Yes I can hold up one sign because I’m one man, but if I can make many signs for many to hold that’s even better !