Leading financial education nonprofit provides consumers with guidance on how to solicit donations for charities tastefully among family and friends.
Boston, MA – June 25, 2014
There is no doubt that Americans are charitable, last year alone donations in the U.S. reached $416.5 billion, a 13 percent increase over the prior year. Americans aim to support causes that are close to them, whether for their child’s school or sports team or for research on a disease that has affected a family member or friend. And in the effort to fundraise individuals often find their charitable efforts are outpacing their circle of friends and family leaving them to ask themselves – how often is too often and how much is too much? Leading financial education nonprofit American Consumer Credit Counseling has compiled a list of tips that will maximize the fundraising success, while also keeping relationships intact.
“Supporting several charities and soliciting your friends to financially contribute to the cause is a worthwhile mission, but one that should be navigated and carried out with care,” said Steve Trumble, president and CEO of American Consumer Credit Counseling. “By following these guidelines, consumers will be able to raise funds without damaging relationships with friends and family members – the ultimate win-win situation.”
- Develop your message. If you can speak with conviction about the charity? and demonstrate your passion for the cause, people will be more motivated to support you. Your ability to answer questions with ease, instills a sense of faith in those you’re approaching for donations.
- Be comfortable asking, and comfortable hearing no. This coincides with how often it is appropriate to solicit the same individuals for different charities. Close family and friends can be approached for each event, while distant relatives and acquaintances should be limited to two or three requests per year to avoid inundating them. While raising money for charity is notable, don’t expect every person to give. If you send a solicitation and the person doesn’t respond, don’t badger them. Maintain a ‘no hard feelings’ policy and never put people on the spot. If your request is declined, thank them anyway and move right along in the conversation.
- Know your target audience. You will get better results by targeting your solicitations rather than blasting your entire address book. For instance, if you know someone who is an animal lover, contact them to help raise funds for the local shelter you’re supporting.
- Finances are not created equal. It’s important to understand that not everyone has the financial means to donate, no matter how worthy the cause. Try to be aware of this and introduce other ways that the friend and family member can support the charity through volunteering or helping in your effort to raise funds.
- Mind your manners. Always send a thank you note or e-mail after a person has donated to your cause. By supporting your charitable interests, the person has gone above and beyond. Be sure to let them know that their generosity made an impact.
ACCC is a 501(c)3 organization, that provides free credit counseling, bankruptcy counseling, and housing counseling to consumers nationwide in need of financial literacy education and money management. For more information, contact ACCC:
- For credit counseling, call 800-769-3571
- For bankruptcy counseling, call 866-826-6924
- For housing counseling, call 866-826-7180
- Or visit us online at ConsumerCredit.com
About American Consumer Credit Counseling
American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) is a nonprofit credit counseling 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to empowering consumers to achieve financial management and debt relief through education, credit counseling, and debt management solutions. ACCC provides individuals with practical debt solutions for solving financial problems and recognizes that consumers’ financial difficulties are often not the result of poor spending habits, but more frequently from extenuating circumstances beyond their control. As one of the nation’s leading providers of financial education and credit counseling services, ACCC’s certified credit advisors work with consumers to help them determine the best plan of action to get out of debt and regain financial stability. ACCC holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and is a member of the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies. For more information or to access free financial education resources, log on to ConsumerCredit.com or visit TalkingCentsBlog.com.
