2. Your “Core Group of Volunteers”

Your “core group of volunteers” is usually the foundation of volunteers that sit on your committees, attend and volunteer at all your functions and makes decisions about your events and programs.  Are they organized?  Do they each have a specific role?  Does each one bring more to the table besides themselves?  What more can they do for your organization?

Have you even asked them who they know in the corporate community?  Who do they work for?  Where do their spouses, partners, brothers, friends, sons and daughters work?  How good would they feel if they could open a corporate door for their organization?  Have you ever discussed the profile of a corporate honoree (it’s amazing how the light bulbs go off when you just take the time to involve people and spell out what/who you are looking for.)

If you need to expand your group of volunteers, ask each one to bring just one person to the next committee meeting.  Ask them to talk to the people that they have invited to events – whether they have attended or not.

3. Corporate Contacts in the Community

We all know what we go to our corporate connections for – Money, Money, Money.  Of course, we have to – their financial support is what funds our programs, research, medical equipment and operational expenses.

But, they have so much more to offer and will do so if you let them know what you need.  Develop a separate list of needs –

• Networking for new corporate relationships
• In-kind services or product
• Special campaigns that they can get involved in that will help raise money without them spending money
• Developing a steering committee with corporate leaders to help develop a fundraising plan and execute it in the next 12-18 months.

If you can show corporate leaders that you have a plan and need their advice, support and connections, most of them will feel honored to support your organization in this capacity.  If they are already “hooked” to your organization, they are your best ambassadors to the corporate community.

4. Friends in the Community

This is a broad category and we will discuss it in our next newsletter.

Part One of this article is available here.

Our next newsletter we will talk about your core group of volunteers - but if you would like to have conversation before then please call Joan at 732-613-3724 or (800) 613-3724 or email at jmound@ejimpact.com.