Collaborative Fund-raising Activity Checkpoint: 3/12/2009

The Phoenix Homeless Agency (PHA) is in the need of increased funding to further future funding toward job counseling for qualified clients. Regularly agencies get traditional contracts and grants; but the economy has increased the need and requires them to find other sources. The Executive Director and Board of Directors have begun their search by using the internet, other agencies, and community networking. They have agreed on, that there are three options that will yield revenue while keeping costs under control. This will result in money left over for their program; appealing to local government officials, contacting local businesses for donations, and holding a strong public donation campaign. Contacting local government officials the agency may access information about funding that is available to community agencies that are not related to federal or state traditional grants and contracts. These may include United Way, connections to people who might donate, grants from large out-of the area businesses and foundations, or city donations to help unemployment. They may also receive (employ, volunteer, students) grant writers who will be willing to help organization understand, locating, and the writing process, that achieve better results.
Local businesses are often feeling the same negative results as the individuals with the recession. The people understand needing help and should donate products to be sold, in exchange for tax donation credit. The donations could be sold or used within the program; either raising money by their sale or saving the program money, respectively. Ultimately, the people they help may become their future employees and/or consumers; people remember who helped them when they were in desperate times. Auctions, trade of services, and door-to-door product sales may raise money which can be helpful in the continuation of the program, with very little if any cost.
The option to run a successful donation drive in the community may be quite strong! The agency has been helping the locals for years and many will wish to see it continue. At a time when support may be needed the most, communities tend to rally behind local agencies rather than donate to larger, more nationally-based organizations because they can see the way their money is being spent. Asking people for money is never a pleasant or easy task, but when the option is ceasing to exist, it must be done. Appealing to individuals helps pull the community together and provides much needed assistance to agencies.