[Osmf-talk] Consultation on fundraising strategy

[steveaOSM]

Money is money.  Sometimes, there are "finder's fees" or "brokerage" or "a percentage" or "professional services" or "marketing and outreach costs" associated with the often-lengthy chain of "a good cause that could use a donation from you took some effort to extend a kind and accurate solicitation to a carefully-selected audience who are likely to give."  And then they do give.  It takes effort to ask and to do so costs somebody something somewhere.

While I hear (though don't necessarily fully understand) how using a "professional fund raiser may turn some people off," I personally don't have a problem with it, as I understand that it is a perfectly natural feature of the methodology by which non-profits can be, and often (even usually) are, funded.  "Fundraising = funded" is the goal.  There are efficient ways to do that as well as inefficient ways to do that.  It reminds me of the old saying in the boardroom that goes "You know what happens when you don't fund Marketing?  NOTHING!"

My father had a high position at a public television station (in San Diego, California) back in the 20th century and he gave a talk (at NAB? I think) called "Not too proud to beg."  There is an entire industry, structure, strategies, costs, benefits, language, pitfalls and rewards associated with non-profits "getting funded."  He spoke about both getting grants AND getting direct donations, but it's easy to focus on one or the other at any given time.  It's both well-established and 100% OK to expend effort (yes, this means costs) on fundraising, especially as it is shown (and it should be shown) to be cost-effective to do so.

I'm heartened to see that OSMF intends to "consult" on "best practices" (strategies) to fundraise.  Go, OSMF!