Following-up On Your Grant Proposal

“Congratulations, you have been awarded a grant!” This is wonderful news and well worth celebrating, but don’t forget to: Call and say “thank you.” This should be done by your fundraising volunteer who assisted with the process, or by you or your organization chair or president—preferably on the same day you receive notification. Write a…

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A Guide to Corporate Sponsorship

Corporate sponsorship opportunities and benefits differ greatly depending on the size and cost of the event, but there should be an incentive for any business to sponsor your event at some level. If you are fortunate enough to have a corporate sponsor who is willing to underwrite the entire cost of the event, you can…

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6 Components of a Grant Proposal

Most grant proposals can be broken down into the following sections: 1) Organization information. This can be up to one page in which you brag about your organization. Everyone has an idea of what a library is and does, but you cannot assume people know what happens in a library today. It is insufficient to…

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Marketing vs. Public Relations

Many people use the terms marketing and public relations interchangeably, assuming they mean the same thing. They do not, although they do have some important aspects in common. Both build a strong foundation for good feelings about your library, and both help attract supporters to your library. Both have the potential to change the way…

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Ten Ways Consultants Can Help You

10 Ways Consultants Can Help, Library Consulting, Library Strategies Consulting Group

Sometimes it really does take money to make money. You may not need a professional’s advice for a book sale, annual fund, or a small fundraising project, but some kinds of fundraising activities can benefit from professional assistance. Capital campaigns, for example, can be very difficult to complete successfully without this expertise. How do you…

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Writing an Effective Solicitation Letter

Writing an Effective Solicitation Letter, Library Consulting, Library Strategies Consulting Group

The solicitation letter may be one of the oldest fundraising strategies out there, and although it is true that there are many other, more modern efforts, the solicitation letter is still around for one major reason: it works. We decided to outline a few tips and tricks to make your next solicitation letter more effective.…

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Is a Membership Program Right for You?

Is a Membership Program Right for You?, Library Consulting, Library Strategies Consulting Group

Many libraries and fundraising organizations are faced with this question, and the answer isn’t easy, especially if you are also conducting an annual fund or other kind of campaign. Why run a membership program when you have nothing really tangible to offer? Read these pros and cons to help you decide.   Pros Your donors…

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10 Great Ways to Thank and Nurture Your Donors

10 Ways to Thank Donors, Library Consulting, Library Strategies Consulting Group

With year-end fundraising wrapped up, it’s time to thank your donors for supporting your library, Friends, and foundation. Although December may be your busiest fundraising month, these ten tips for recognizing your donors should be followed throughout the year. Properly thanking and honoring donors is a crucial step in fundraising. It helps strengthen relationships with…

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12 Must-Know Facts about Library Fundraising

12 Library Fundraising Facts Blog, Library Strategies Consulting Group, Library Consulting

From Beyond Book Sales Effective fundraising is about relationships first, money second A clear case for support and strong, consistent messages are crucial To value the library is not enough Libraries have both an intellectual and emotional appeal to donors Everyone on your staff plays a role in fundraising. EVERYONE. A strong fundraising committee or…

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Beyond Book Sales

Beyond Book Sales, Library Consulting, Library Strategies Consulting Group

Whether your library undertakes only occasional fundraising projects or is well along in this effort and wants to become more successful, Beyond Book Sales: The Complete Guide to Raising Real Money for Your Library will guide you through proven methods of effective library fundraising. It will help you think about raising dollars in new ways…

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