YoungLeadersConferenceonIsraelStudies
Overview
AttendingtheYoungLeadersConferenceonIsraelStudiesisanexcitingopportunity.
Earningandraisingthemoneyfortuitionisaleadershipdevelopmentopportunityandthe
traitsandcharacteristicsforrunningafundraisingcampaignarevaluablelifeskills.Setting
goals,identifyingaudiences,developingmessages,creatingandexecutingaplanandbuilding
relationshipsareallskillsthatwillhelpyouthroughoutyourlife.
ManyofthedelegateswhoattendtheConferencewillinvesttheirtimetoraiseenoughfunds
fortuition.Fundraisingisallaboutbeingresourceful.Thisguidehasbeenpreparedtohelpyou
developleadershipskills,raisethenecessaryfundstoattendtheConferenceandultimately
leadtoagreatersenseofsatisfactionandaccomplishmentintheend.Don’tforgetthat
planningaheadandstartingearlyareyourkeystosuccess!
Havefunandgoodluck!
5StepstoSuccessfulFundraising
1.SetYourGoal.
2.IdentifyPotentialSponsors.
3.CreateandExecuteYourPlan.
4.FollowUp.
5.Say“ThankYou!”
www.brandeis.edu/youngleaders/israel
©BrandeisUniversity2015
YoungLeadersConferenceonIsraelStudies
Step1–SetYourGoal
Beforeyoucanbegintoraisefunds,youneedtodeterminehowmuchmoneyyoumustraise.Thebestwayto
dothisiscreateabudget.Thinkaboutthecontributionsthatyouandyourfamilycanmakeandwhatfinancial
assistancemaycomefromyourextendedfamily,yourchurch,yourcommunity,andothers.
Usetheworksheetbelowtohelpyoudetermineexactlyhowmuchyouneedtoraisefromyourcampaign.
ConferenceCosts
ConferenceFee
EstimatedTravelto/fromBoston
SpendingMoney
TotalConferenceCosts
+
+
=
$2,180
$
$
$
+
=
$
$
$
-
=
$
$
$
FamilyContribution
YourSavings
FamilyContribution
AvailableFunds
AmounttoFundraise
TotalConferenceCosts
FamilyContribution
RequiredFundstoRaise
Step2–IdentifyPotentialSponsors
Great!Nowyouknowexactlyhowmuchyouneedandyoucanstartmakingaplantoraisethosefunds.Toget
started,makealistofallthepeopleandorganizationsthatyouthinkmaybewillingtosupportyou.
Remembertothinkbig–thislistmayincludepeoplesuchascoaches,teachers,communitygroups,extended
familymembers,localbusinesses,churchmembers–thelistgoeson!Don’tforgetyourparents–theyhave
friends,co-workers,doctorsandneighborswhomaywanttosupportyouinthisendeavor.
Usetheformbelowtolistalltheindividuals,companiesandorganizationsyouplantocontact.
IndividualstoContact
IndividualstoContact
BusinessestoContact
Someorganizationstoconsidermightinclude:PTA/PTO,LocalPoliticalOrganizations,JuniorChamberof
Commerce,TempleandChurchGroups,AlumniAssociations,ElksClubs,AmericanLegion,Doctors,Hospitals,
LocalCompanies,LocalRetailStores,Restaurants,CarDealerships,SchoolBoardandLawFirms.
www.brandeis.edu/youngleaders/israel
©BrandeisUniversity2015
YoungLeadersConferenceonIsraelStudies
Step3–CreateandExecuteYourPlan
Whencreatingaplan,itismostimportanttothinkaboutwhatisgoingtoworkbestforyou.Takesometime
nowtothinkabout(andwritedownsomenotes)whyattendingthisConferenceisimportanttoyou.Howdo
youbelieveitwillhelptoshapeandimproveyourfuture?Havinga30-second“elevatorpitch”whereyouare
abletoexpressthesethoughtsclearlytofriends,familyandotherpotentialsponsorswillmakeabigdifference
inyoursuccess!
Anddon’tforgettogatherinformationabouttheConference.Preparetalkingpointstosharewithpotential
sponsorsabouttheamazingopportunitiesyouwillhavewhileattendingtheConference.
BepreparedtoanswerquestionsaboutyourselfandwhyyouwanttoattendtheConference.Makeaplanto
presentthisinformationinawaythatwillmakepeoplewanttomakeaninvestment–inYOU!
GETTHEMESSAGEOUT:
SocialMedia–DoyouhaveaFacebookorTwitteraccount?Doyouwriteablog?DoyouuseYouTubeor
Instagram?AlloftheseareagreatwaytogetoutthemessagethatyouareexcitedtoattendtheYoung
LeadersConferenceonIsraelStudies!Youcanquicklyletallthepeopleinyourlifeknowthatyouhave
receivedthehonorofbeingacceptedtoattendandyouneedtheirhelp.Makepostsannouncingyour
acceptance,updatingyourfundraisingprogressandthankinganyonewhohasmadeafinancialcontribution
alongtheway–“shout-outs”canbeapowerfultool.
LetterstoFriendsandFamily–Whenaskingforsupportfromyourfriendsandfamilyyouwanttosendthema
letterinthemail,sendamessagethroughemailorevenpickupthephoneandcallthem.Theywilllikely
alreadybeproudofyouraccomplishmentsandexcitedtosupportyouasyouworktoachieveyourgoal.Let
themknowthatitisanhonortobeacceptedtotheConferenceandshareyourexcitementaboutattending.
Perhapsyoualreadyreceivegiftsfromfamilyandfriendsforbirthdaysandotherspecialevents–consider
suggestingthatthesebesentasan“earlygift”tosupportyourfundraisingefforts.
LetterstoBusinessesandOrganizations–Whenwritingtobusinessesandorganization,youwillwantto
addresstheminaprofessionalmanner.Besureyourmessageisclear,conciseandthoughtful.Consider
deliveringtheletterinperson.Youmayhaveanopportunitytospeakdirectlytoapotentialsponsorandeven
buildfuturenetworkingcontacts.Dressprofessionally,remainpoisedandbepreparedtoanswerany
questionstheymayhaveaboutyouortheConference.Someinformationyoumaywanttoprepareinadvance
includes:
Ø
Ø
Ø
Ø
DetailsabouttheConference
WhyyouwereselectedtoattendtheConference
Youracademicbackground,includingachievementsandawards
Howmuchmoneyyouneedtoattend
www.brandeis.edu/youngleaders/israel
©BrandeisUniversity2015
Step4–FollowUp
YoungLeadersConferenceonIsraelStudies
Aftermakinginitialcontactwithpotentialsponsors,besuretofollowupwithaphonecalloremailinafew
days.Refertothematerialsyoudroppedoff,deliverormailedandaskiftheyhaveadditionalquestions.
Rememberthatalldonations,bigorsmall,aregreatlyappreciated.
Makesureallpotentialsponsorsknowthatallchecksshouldbemadepayabletoyou,theindividual,to
supportyourConferencetuitionandtravel.YourfinalConferenceregistrationandtuitionisdueinfullby
May15th,2016.
Step5–Say“ThankYou!”
Assoonasyoureceiveadonationfromasponsor,sendathankyouletter.Ifyoucan,givethemanupdateon
yourfundraisingprogress,andofcourse,thankthemfortheirgenerouscontribution,regardlessofthe
amount.Don’tforgettosend“shout-outs”viasocialmediaaswell.
Anothertimetosay“ThankYou!”isafteryouhavereturnedfromtheConference.Besuretoshareyour
experiencewithfriends,familyANDyoursponsors.Sendanotherthankyounotesharingwhatyoulearnedand
thewonderfulactivitiesyouexperienced.ConsiderincludingapictureofyouattheConference.Alsothink
aboutuploadingyourpicturesfromtheConferencetosocialmediasitessothatyourfriendsandfamilycan
seehowtheircontributionsimpactedyourlifeandmadeadifferencetowardsyouachievingyourgoal!
www.brandeis.edu/youngleaders/israel
©BrandeisUniversity2015
YoungLeadersConferenceonIsraelStudies
KeystoSuccess
ü Doyourresearch.Seekoutsponsorsthatyouknowhavemadefinancialcontributionsto
educationalendeavorsbefore.
ü Startwiththeplacesyouandyourfamilygomostoften–Wheredoyougoouttodinner?
Whoisyourfamilydoctor?Wheredoyoutakeyourdrycleaning?Wheredoyougofor
haircuts?
ü Alwaysdressprofessionally–youareaskingpeopletoinvestinyou,soyouwantto
presentaqualityproduct!
ü PRACTICE!Recruityourfriendsorfamilytoletyoupracticeintroducingyourselfand
sharinginformationthatyouhavepreparedforpotentialsponsors.
ü Makecopiesofyourinvitationandacceptancematerialstotakewithyou.Bepreparedto
leavecopiesalongwithaletterateachcompanyyouvisit.
ü Don’thesitatetoacceptanycontributions–evensmallones.Intoday’seconomy,even
peoplewhoreallywanttosupportyoumayonlybeabletomakeasmallcontribution.
Butdon’tworry,thesesmallcontributionswillquicklyadduptoalargeamount.
ü NEVERGIVEUP!Fundraisingisnoteasy,andsomepeoplewillsay“no.”Don’tbe
discouragedbyrejection–keepyourheadup,bepersistentandyouwillbesuccessfulon
yourjourney!
Keepinmindthatcontributionsyoureceivearenottax-deductibleandshouldnotberepresented
asatax-deductiblegift.Contributionsmadeforaspecificpersondonotqualifyastaxdeductible
accordingtotheInternationalRevenueService(IRS).
Bestofluckinyourfundraisingefforts!
Wewishyougreatsuccessandlook
forwardtoseeingyouinJuneforthe
YoungLeadersConferenceonIsraelStudies!
www.brandeis.edu/youngleaders/israel
©BrandeisUniversity2015