Fundraising /Proposal
Writing Workshop
SHPE 2011 National Conference
Agenda
 Introductions
 Before You Start- Do you have a Plan?
 What are some methods for Fundraising?
 Proposal Writing Strategy
 Why are you writing? / What are you soliciting for?
 For whom will you be soliciting from? How well do you know them?
 Strategy for request? Per program or during their fiscal planning
 Who will be responsible for writing and following up with the proposals?
 How will you write the proposal and what will the proposal include?
 Letters of Support/Recommendations
 Follow-ups (Maintain the Relation)
 Ethics
 Re-Cap
Before you start- Do you have a Plan?:
 Do you have a strategic plan for the year?
 What activities will you be trying to complete?
 Have you laid out a calendar of activities?
 Have you reviewed last year’s SHPE End of Year report to determine
 Lessons learned
 How to improve/where to improve
 Do you have a Fundraising Strategy?
 What activities need funding? How will you fund them?
 Develop solicitation database to be kept by your chapter updated regularly
 Establish Fundraising Chair/Committee

This person needs to be able to network, charismatic, good with people,
organized, fully understands your programs and can clearly articulate them
 Solicit for a Fundraising Mentor/Advisor – possibly a corporate rep
What are some methods for Fundraising?
 Bake Sales/Food Sales
 Flower Sales (Valentine’s Day/Mother’s Day)
 Job Fairs
 Car Wash
 Dances
 _______________________
 _______________________
 Proposal Writing/Solicitation
Proposal Writing Strategy
 There are a few items you need to think about, organize and prepare
before you begin to solicit:
 Why are you writing? / What are you soliciting for?
 From whom will you be soliciting from? How well do you know them?
 Strategy for the request? (Per program or during their fiscal planning)
 Who will be responsible for writing and following up with the proposals?
 How will you write the proposal and what will the proposal include?
 Letters of Support/Recommendation? Referral?
 Follow-ups (maintain the relation)
 ____________________________
 _____________________________
Why are you writing? / What are you
soliciting for?
 Money
 In-Kind
 Banners, Tshirts, Computers, Ipods, Ipads
 _________________
 People
 Tutors, Workshop Presenters/Trainers, Chapter Company Advisor
 __________________
 Services
 Printing (Resume books/Business Cards, Brochures), Mailing for the
Chapter, Web Services for the Chapter (server user or web design)
 ______________________
From whom will you be soliciting from?
How well do you know them?
 Get a good contact that can directly grant your request or has contacts to have
the request granted
 Some organizations have guidelines you may want to write ahead to obtain a
copy (research on their website)
 Try to develop a relationship with the organization or person targeted
 Some possible target sponsoring organizations:
 Those that hire individuals in your major or support your department
 Those who recruit from SHPE, NSBE or local chapters
 Those you have worked for or your peers have worked for
 Those with offices or site local to your area
 Those organizations that are local to the area
 Those who have ads in SHPE, NSBE, Hispanic, or other related magazines
 ____________________________
From whom will you be soliciting from?
How well do you know them?(cont’d)
 Your University has many departments and hidden funds as
well:
 Leverage the Student Government
 Student Finance Board
 Provost/President’s Office
 Administrators
 Deans/Faculty
 Alumni
 ___________________________________
Strategy for the request? (Per program or
during the fiscal planning)

Solicit individually for every program

Solicit once for the entire year

Solicit from particular organizations during their Fiscal year-end/targeting time

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Fiscal Year – It is a 12 month accounting period. That is the period that the company spends/executes the plan
created. You want to be part of their plan.
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Some companies plan their budgets in July/August for a Fiscal year starting in September.
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Other companies plan their budgets in November/December for a Fiscal year starting in January.
Solicit 6 months or more prior to the event/events

This is dependent on how soon you need the request granted and how well you know the contact

Do you need early seed money or can you wait to receive during or after the program/even
_____________________________
Who will be responsible for writing and
following up with the proposals?
 Will the proposals be written by members, Chapter President, Chapter
Treasurer? (There is also a strategy in who submits the proposal)
 Whether it be the President, the Treasurer, or an appointed person from the
fundraising committee- that person needs to be pre-designated
 This person is responsible for calling all those organizations you have not heard
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from as to the receipt of the request and confirm support.
This follow-up should be done 1-2 weeks after initial contact was made –
whether by phone or email
This person is also responsible for providing any additional information needed
or clarifying any concerns
This person should ask when a decision can be made
This person needs to confirm if he/she is working with the correct person at the
company or should their be someone else you should work with to fulfill this
request
If the entire proposal cannot be funded can you negotiate to have portion of it
funded or maybe have them provided some other assistance.
Who will be responsible for writing and
following up with the proposals?(cont’d)
 Timeline Line:
 Mark when to start sending proposals (indicate the amount of
time before the event this must be done)
 Mark when to follow-up the proposals
1 week
Today
2 weeks
Send Proposals
Followup on
Proposal
Oct 2011
SHPE 2011
Conference
How will you write the proposal and what
will the proposal include?
 1 to 2 page Cover letter that is easy to read and concise

No misspellings/No grammatical errors
 If it is too long or hard to read, it will not get read
 Letter Introductory Paragraph:
 If you have a personal relationship with the contact – indicate the
relationship and who you are

E.g., We met at SHPE Gala Reception where we discussed opportunities for my
chapter
 Who are you? (The person writing the proposal from what organization)
 E.g., your name, year, position in SHPE, major if relevant to the company
 What is the purpose of the proposal? What is your request?
 E.g., support for conference attendance or a computer
How will you write the proposal and what
will the proposal include? (cont’d)
 Second Paragraph:
 Give specific details of the event or use of equipment
 E.g., where is it? When is it? What is it? Who sponsors if? Who will use it?
Why is it important to get this proposal approved?
 Outline specific details of what you want:
 Semi-itemized budget per person
 Appropriate expenditures to request: flights, hotel, registration,
special event tickets
 Inappropriate expenditures to request: meals, rental car to the
hotel, paraphernalia, clothes
 These should be items that you need to execute your program and
not lavish requests- rental car costs can look extravagant
 How many and what kind of calculators, computers, cars or printers
How will you write the proposal and what
will the proposal include? (cont’d)
 Third Paragraph:
 How will the organization benefit by supporting you? What are the benefits
to you and your members?
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E.g., Publicity, recognition of support, development opportunity, represent the
organization
Several Benefits for the Organization
 They will show support for SHPE- a Latino/Hispanic organization and its
members
 They will get easy and free publicity
 They can start developing relation with SHPE chapters
 This is an ideal recruitment opportunity – recruit members of your chapter
 Create good relations for future customers
 You and your members could be ambassadors for the organization to assist
in recruitment efforts
 Tax deduction for supporting SHPE
 ______________________________
How will you write the proposal and what
will the proposal include? (cont’d)
 Fourth Paragraph:
 Give contact name, phone number, email address: for designated
contact(s) and possible President of the Chapter
 Give Deadlines: when a follow-up to the proposal is needed and by
when you need a definite decision
 Appendix
 Who are you?
 Include a fact sheet, brochure, or summary letter:
 describing history of organization
 List or prior accomplishments
 Organization’s Mission/Goal
 Historical Statistics (# members)
 Organization’s Supporters (especially if they are competitors)
How will you write the proposal and what
will the proposal include? (cont’d)
 Appendix
 Program Funded?
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Program Goals
Program Description
Previous Program Supporters (especially if they are competitors)
Program Statistics (# people benefitted, males vs. females)
Letters of Support/Recommendation
Brochures- The 2011 Conference Brochure provided
Magazine Clippings
Pamphlets
Flyers
Pictures
______________________________
Letter of Support/Recommendations
 Have your advisor write a letter of support to include in the
proposal
 Have your advisor talk to some possible supporters to influence
their decision
 Have other supporters from your university or other private
organization write a letter
 Have your Regional VP from SHPE write a recommendation
 Have your local Professional Chapter President write a support
letter
 ___________________________
Follow-ups (Maintain Relation)
 Thank you letters (within a month of the event with any memorabilia.
Remember your support needs to justify their support. The more you give
them the higher the possibility they will support you in the future)
 Progress Reports
 Brochure
 Pictures/Video from the event
 Invitation to Future events on campus: Banquets, Reception
 Holiday Cards
 Phone Calls
 Newsletters
Ethics- proposal writing/fundraising
 Remember to have a give and take philosophy
 Coverage should be requested for what is absolutely necessary to execute your
program and not lavish requests- rental car costs can look extravagant
 Integrity- Use the Money/Equipment for what you requested it. If you need to
use it in an alternate way ask the organization who sponsored if for
“permission” to alter your previous plans.
 Try not to constantly request support from the same sources through out the
same year. (Do not abuse your contributors)
 Always thank your supporters.
 ________________________________
 ________________________________
Re-Cap
 Have a Strategy, a Plan and a Timeline
 Determine who is responsible for executing
 Develop the Proposal
 Determine who you will approach
 Send out the Proposals
 Followup- Followup- Followup!!!- In a nice way.. 
 Obtain the resources you need- and be Gracious!!
 Develop the Relationship- this is all about the Relationship!!!!
Questions/Comments?
vmjohn@aol.com
serafinf@aol.com
Thank you for your time. See you and your chapter a SHPE 2011
Conference!!!
www.shpe.org/shpe2011/rldc