Are you thinking of starting up a non-profit organisation? Here are some ELE’s practical tips to get you thinking on the right track.
It is a complicated world that we live in. Painfully divided by the haves and the have-nots. In South Africa, we are faced with it every day. Too many people go to bed hungry because they are unable to find employment and are often responsible for more than just themselves. No matter your background, it is impossible to live in this world without wishing it could be another way.
We know that there are many of you, who like us, want to do something positive in their community.
Make your non-profit organisation ideas come to life
Teamwork makes the dream work
Non-profit work is usually voluntary in nature. This means you need to find the time in your existing schedule to prioritise the goals and ideas of your non-profit organisation. Establishing a team means you’ll always have access to a variety of resources and skills.
Working in a group naturally extends the organic reach of your fundraising efforts. Not to mention working alongside your friends as you aim to deliver something of value to the community is fulfilling and can often be fun.
Brainstorm and evaluate your non-profit ideas
When sitting down to a brainstorming session for the year it is important to understand who your market is, who the audience is that will be receiving your messages and will ultimately be called upon to donate and spread the word on the beneficiaries and their needs. Once you understand this you can have an effective brainstorming session around what types of activities would engage your audience.
At ELE, we aim to create an environment where donors can contribute to fundraising projects without spending outside their normal lifestyles. Most of our ideas are built on the foundation of getting people together for a fun time. The possibilities are endless.
Once we’ve got these all down we evaluate each idea on a couple of factors.
- How much could this idea raise?
- What kind of preparation would be required to make this non-profit organisation idea a reality?
- In what way will our market respond to this idea?
- Do we have (or can we get) the necessary resources to pull off the idea with very limited funds?
From then on, it’s all about planning and executing – something we’ve become pretty good at over the years.
Always deliver on your promise
When we host our audience at ELE fundraising events we want to ensure that the donors get what they expect. A fun and unique experience, surrounded by a network of open-minded individuals coming together to raise funds for a worthy cause. That means we have to perfectly mix the elements of fun with the reason why we have come together.
It doesn’t stop there, it’s just as important to keep the communication up after your non-profit organisations’ idea has come to life. Share details, show the impact of the generosity and engagement of your audience. It is so important to express just how much collective effort delivers immeasurable value to your community.
Being able to facilitate that between donors and the recipients is rewarding work and growing a greater community of people who want to impact positive change with their time here on earth is one of the most fulfilling jobs you can have.
