1. Ask, Ask, Ask. If you don’t get out and start asking, you'll never get a penny. Start with friends and family; ask them each for $40. Next move onto work colleagues and employers, finally move onto community groups and local stores. Never stop asking until your goal amount is reached.
2. Be Specific One. When asking for a donation, always state a specific dollar amount. There are no benefits to being vague. One donor might consider a “contribution” to be $2; another might consider it $6,000.
3. Be Specific Two. Instead of just asking for a donation. Ask for $10 to cover one week of food and housing or $50 dollars for a backpack. People are more likely to contribute if they can visualize their donation as making a different.
4. Company Sponsorship. Outdoor equipment companies are great places to solicit donations. Offer to take pictures and write about your volunteer trip for the store to post in their locations. This gives added incentives to donate either products or funds to your trip. Many outdoor store love to show how their equipment is used in international and extreme locations, thus many will offer a few dollars worth of equipment in return for articles and photos which can be hung up in the store.
5. Get the Check. Work hard to get the check. Giving you a donation is one of the lowest priorities for a business, thus it is important to follow up again and again until you get a check. “I can return tomorrow to collect the check”. “Do not have the money now? You can just post-date the check for the end of the month”. Do whatever you have to do get your hands on the check.
6. Offer a Service. Offer to bring a gift back to every donation of $40. The price of a hand carved African knife might be 25 cents in Gabon, but it might be worth $40 to those who will never go there.
7. Learn to Live With “No”. Many friends, family members, and companies will be reluctant to give donatations no matter how well you solicit. Accept their decision and move on to the next potential donor!
8. Don’t Spam. This is the most common mistake. If possible, speak to each potential donor individually and in person. If not possible, send a personalized letter (not email) to your potential donors. Personalize your pitch for each potential donor. Nothing makes people feel exploited more than an impersonal mass mailed letter.
