The Houston Flood Relief Fund has just surpassed the $13,000,000 mark in fundraising as of 9/1/17. The Houston Flood Relief Fund was set up to provide much needed assistance to the victims of Hurricane Harvey. This fund was organized by JJ Watts (Houston Texan – NFL Football Player). Using the very known brand of JJ Watts, the Houston Flood Relief Fund was able to successfully raise a lot of money in a short period of time and will be able to assist a lot of Houstonians.
Well known individuals are often able to use their brand to help a particular charitable cause. However, there are many other ways of boosting the success of your charity.
The Break-Offs. We’ve set up many ministries which have broken off from churches. We’ve seen many of these organizations get off to a good start immediately, with a participant base, programs and funding in place on day one. The support was already part of the pre-formation entity. We’ve seen similar results from after school programs being set up separately from affiliated schools.
Growth through the social network. One of our clients has over 100,000 social network followers and his 501c3 is in constant demand. The program offers kids educational programs and the nonprofit is able to leverage the great program with lots of social media exposure. As you meet more individuals during your programs and activities in live sessions, you have a greater opportunity to obtain more social network followers.
501c3 set up for a specific grant. There are programs which provide funds for meals for kids of low income families. These grants are offered by government as well private foundations. Many 501c3 founders do their research prior to setting up the 501c3. Upon obtaining 501c3 status, the organization immediately applies for and obtains funding for providing meals for kids. There are grants and funding opportunities in many areas available to 501c3 organizations.
Free Google Advertising. There are some small organizations which have been able to obtain in excess of $100,000 per year in free google advertising. To receive such free advertising, you must have services and programs which you can advertise and get good results from your audience. There are also many other opportunities in the market for in-kind donations.
A few large funders. Your organization may be fortunate enough to come across one or two foundations or other large donors. These large donors are likely to know other potential large donors and will often make the introduction for you. Even one small private foundation may contribute over $100,000 to one particular 501c3 public charity. Seek private foundations which focus on your particular cause.
Combining program service revenues and contributions. Having a diverse source of income is a plus for any 501c3 organization. We have a client which offers an aviation program and charges small fees for some of its activities. Having a program which brings in income is a plus as you can cover the cost of the program. If the participants are really satisfied with your program, many participants will make a contribution to your organization in addition to paying for a specific activity.