Financial abc

During our discussions about the most effective ways of raising funds for environmental groups, we dealt with the philosophy and practice of fundraising. It turned out than apart from groups aggressively raising funds for their activities, there are some who are ashamed of their "begging" and hence do not ask for help. Pragmatics apart, this later attitude seems to be wrong from the philosophical point of view as well. Every environmental organization, even acting on small scale, works for the good of at least the local community if not the whole society. Such a socially useful group has a well defined right to request aid, support and financing from the society and its institutions.

There is then nothing to be ashamed of! You have to remember to ask for help. But who do you ask? Those who may give us something. If the mentioned community is poor and has nothing to offer but their moral support, we have to get to know what institutions, organizations, funds and foundations are interested in what we are doing or in the development of the region we work in. Very often those institutions will or should be interested in promoting our activities. After all, we are doing the lion's part of their job!

Let us remember that foundations' goal is to collect and manage funds. Remember to ask!

It is not only money that will help us to carry out our goals. Each thing, offered to us as a gift, each free service performed for our group, is a real help. Do not underestimate this kind of aid because it is much easier to receive than money. Any company will be more willing to offer you its products than money.

Make use of your knowledge! Let us try to sell it in publications, specialist or commercial consulting. Do not forget that the knowledge given us for free is a form of subsidy too.

Obey and listen to your sponsor. If we presume that we are the wisest and will not follow the sponsor's directives, we are on the way to loosing all financial support. The sponsor will finance what he wants or what we convince him to subsidize. Often get in touch with your sponsor!

Let us consider even the strangest ways of raising funds. Let us to be flexible, sometimes strange ideas do work. Openness, reliability and endurance will present us with the opportunity of raising some money.

These are just some of the points to be remembered. If you are interested in further details on financing your group activities, please contact me at below address.

Radek Tendera
Fundacja Wspierania Inicjatyw Ekologicznych
31-506 Krakow
ul. Topolowa 26/6
POLAND,
tel. +48-12-21-01-45,
fax. +48-12-21-64-60