5R. Fund Raising Co-ordinator's Report

[Fred McKim]

Posting this on behalf of Edward Porper

In an attempt to raise money for CFC's causes, I have contacted a number of people - a bank manager, an insurance company representative, a manager from the Business Department of the University of Alberta and several professional fundraisers. Some of them were interested to discuss possibilities, yet each and everyone told me that to succeed, I would need at least two inevitable starters - a well-phrased letter of intentions concerning both general goals and particular projects supported/planned for by CFC AND a professional business plan.

I could possibly improvise the former but it's completely beyond me to provide for the latter as I have no business background. Numerous times I was asking for help in creating such a plan but unfortunately none has been offered. Consequently, no progress has been made, and today things are where they were 6 months ago. If/when a business plan in question has been created, it should be possible to follow the initial leads.

Regards,

Edward Porper (in his capacity of the CFC Fundraising Coordinator for the first half of 2013)

[Bob Gillanders]

Thank you Edward for your fundraising efforts. A lot of us talk about getting sponsorship money, but then leave it to others to actually approach potential sponsors (me included). Well done.

Sponsors want to know that an organization is well managed and serious. Many of our governors question the need for an audit, but showing that we take our finances serious enough to get an audit, gives us credibility with potential sponsors.

[Edward Porper]

Bob, I still believe that a professional business plan is key to every successful effort to raise funds. Approaching sponsors will remain a futile effort (and I can understand why people would shun it at the present stage) as long as we can't show the sponsors what their benefits might be.
Financial profit, tax exemption, enhanced reputation (in case of promoting educational values) - whatever it is, _some_ of it should be there and look attractive enough. I feel it's a professional skill to create an incentive like that - and, in my opinion, fundraiser should be a commission-based paid position that might attract those who possess those skills.

[Vladimir Drkulec]

Posting this on behalf of Edward Porper

In an attempt to raise money for CFC's causes, I have contacted a number of people - a bank manager, an insurance company representative, a manager from the Business Department of the University of Alberta and several professional fundraisers. Some of them were interested to discuss possibilities, yet each and everyone told me that to succeed, I would need at least two inevitable starters - a well-phrased letter of intentions concerning both general goals and particular projects supported/planned for by CFC AND a professional business plan.

I could possibly improvise the former but it's completely beyond me to provide for the latter as I have no business background. Numerous times I was asking for help in creating such a plan but unfortunately none has been offered. Consequently, no progress has been made, and today things are where they were 6 months ago. If/when a business plan in question has been created, it should be possible to follow the initial leads.

Regards,

Edward Porper (in his capacity of the CFC Fundraising Coordinator for the first half of 2013)

I believe that the 2012 long term strategic plan would have been exactly what they were looking for. I am quite familiar with preparing business plans and have been involved with creating quite a few of them over the years.

http://www.chesscanada.info/forum/showthread.php?2702-6-Reports-(L-Long-Term-Planning-Committee)&highlight=strategic+plan

[Edward Porper]

I believe that the 2012 long term strategic plan would have been exactly what they were looking for. I am quite familiar with preparing business plans and have been involved with creating quite a few of them over the years.

http://www.chesscanada.info/forum/showthread.php?2702-6-Reports-(L-Long-Term-Planning-Committee)&highlight=strategic+plan

As a starting point, it might do a good job - yet what I was talking about are particular business plans covering particular projects.
In any case, it merits discussion...