The self-help legal publisher NOLO has come out with another nonprofit book, The Volunteers’ Guide to Fundraising: Raise Money for your School, Team, Library, or Community Group. Written by Ilona Bray, this companion to her Effective Fundraising for Nonprofits (NOLO, 2010) is aimed at volunteer-led efforts and small groups.
Sections run the gamut of fundraising, from broad concerns (Where do you start?) to the nitty-gritty, such as the ideal number of portable toilets you would need for a walkathon or festival. Of course, it also goes over much legal ground, reviewing fundraising that could be considered illegal, and explaining what protects you from personal liability if your group gets sued.
Each chapter features advice from an expert advisor. For example, “Fairs and Festivals” features tips from Cherie King, who was a volunteer co-chair of the 2010 Candler Park Fall Fest in Atlanta. Her tips weave in and out of the narrative, and talk about ordering t-shirts (use demographics instead of just buying equal amounts of S, M, and L), treating artists well so they come back next year, and planning activities that appeal to attendees’ ages.
The book also covers business sponsorships, auctions, dinners and food events, and a bonus chapter talks about applying for grants from foundations, corporations, or government. Being a NOLO guide, you have access to a wide variety of forms and templates, ranging from auction sheets to donor thank-you letters.
Foundation Center libraries offer a multitude of related nonprofit NOLO guides, including Peri Pakroo’s Starting & Building a Nonprofit (2011) and Stephen Fishman’s Nonprofit Fundraising Registration (2010). For more information about these books, visit NOLO’s Nonprofit Center which also includes FAQs, articles, legal updates, and podcasts that provide helpful guidance for those working in or running a nonprofit corporation.
The Volunteers’ Guide to Fundraising can be found in all Foundation Center libraries under call number 710 BRA VOL.
Robert Bruno
Catalog/Reference Librarian, The Foundation Center
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