New year, new fundraising realities
Happy New Year!
This my first day back to work after two lovely weeks off. I’m feeling apprehensive about what’s going to happen to both charitable giving and the pressure on charities for services in the year ahead. January will be the month to assess how your holiday giving compared to previous years and think hard about how your fundraising plans should change to deal with the economic climate.
I wanted to share a few random things with you:
AFP Vancouver has asked the government of British Columbia to increase the provincial portion of the charitable tax credit. The province’s Finance Committee is recommending that the government include AFP’s recommendation in the upcoming budget. Should the government decide to include the measure in the 2009 budget, it would place BC on par with Alberta and provide a combined (federal and provincial) charitable tax credit of 50 percent at the top-end. Please take the time to send a letter or email to Finance Minister Colin Hansen in support of this change. It is the kind of policy reform that could help encourage donors to give.
Also from AFP Vancouver, registration for First Course is now open. The course dates are February 16th and 17th. Early bird prices are available until January 16th.
Over the holidays The New York Times had an article about a fundraising success story that began at the BC SPCA and has gone on to raise more than $30 million for the American SPCA in the last two years. Their most successful fundraising appeal ever is a two-minute TV ad featuring Sarah McLachlan. Simple, emotional and powerful. The ad has generated 1,000 new monthly donors for the BC SPCA. It all came about because a board member, who knew McLachlan and that she loved animals, asked if she would do it. (Thanks to Mary-Ev Anderson for pointing out the article.) Here’s the ad:
Related Posts:
- Procrastinator’s Guide to Year-End Fundraising
- Tip of the Week: United Way does it right
- Weathering the Storm: the state of nonprofits in BC
- Market meltdown hits Vancouver Foundation
- Goodbye little orange boxes
