Dear friends,
Here are the video and resources from the Sikkha and Future Dharma seminar entitled Effective Fundraising for Triratna Centres.
Video of Seminar
The video for the seminar is now available in our Online Seminars Playlist on YouTube. Feel free to share with anyone who might find it useful.
Future Dharma Fundraising Toolkit and Resources
You can find the Fundraising Toolkit page Kusaladevi mentioned on the Sikkha Website, including the videos. Here you will find resources like the Fundraising Toolkit Document and the Comparisons of Online Giving Platforms.
You can also check out the Fundraising Forum on thebuddhistcentre.com, and post ideas yourself too.
And the Future Dharma team have planned an updated, version two of this Fundraising Toolkit, which will be available in the coming weeks. Future Dharma will email you about that when it comes out.
Karuna Appeals
You can see the Karuna Appeals website too, and think about getting the excellent training available there.
Other Resources
Here are some other fundraising resources – training, seminars, etc. Unfortunately, most of these are UK-based.
- Charity How-To Portal (UK).
- Charity Digital (UK) for helpful free and reduced cost IT software (or TechSoup outside of UK).
- CharityComms network for communications professionals working in UK charities.
- The Institute of Fundraising (UK).
- Bright Spot Fundraising (UK) Podcast.
Future Dharma Thrive Online Appeal
Please do give to Future Dharma’s Thrive Online Appeal, as mentioned by Maitrinara!
Top Ten Tips for Effective Fundraising in Triratna Centres
These ten tips are a summary of the seminar today.
- See Fundraising as Spiritual Practice – being aware of our tendencies, willing to open ourselves up to rejection and stay with the vedana, without reacting. Learn to close the gap and polarisation between ourselves and others, with communication and Metta. Being willing to look at our own views, fears, interpretations, and assumptions.
- Remember the Case for Support format – more on this in the Fundraising Toolkit.
- Get away from the script – be real and in touch with what is alive in the moment!
- Regular giving makes a situation more sustainable. It also invites the Sangha to take shared responsibility of the situation with us.
- Stay with the tension – Leave space – breathe.
- Connection – with yourself, the vision, the audience.
- Make it easy to give.
- Practically – links, etc.
- Good giving platform.
- Clarity around what you are asking (regular/ one-off).
- Suggest an amount.
- A clear and specific ask!
- Targets help – a sense of urgency and a joint vision of reaching something together.
- Be willing to be aware of your views around money / generosity / asking for help, etc. and to challenge these views.
- Be willing to learn/change/grow – ask for and give kind and helpful feedback – see fundraising as a practice/skill.
Finally, don’t forget you can email Kusaladevi at kusaladevi@futuredharma.org if you want to follow up anything with her or the Future Dharma team.
Much metta,
Vajrashura.