19-04-2014, 10:36 AM
There have been ideas for fundraising and expenditure over a number of threads, but I wanted to return to this one to make a more general point about fundraising.
Chess organisations raise a certain amount from their 'membership' and when more funding is required the immediate reaction is a small increase in fees, be they membership fees, grading fees, affiliation fees or entry fees. The aim to get a small amount of money from a relatively large number of people. I would suggest that in the medium term this is the wrong way round - the aim should be getting a very small number of people to pay (give) a lot. If membership fees went up 20% and membership remained constant (which seems unlikely) it would still only raise a fraction of the amount given by the anonymous benefactor to the Scottish Championships.
Their is the view that anonymous benefactors come along at random, or that sponsorship consultants need to be employed to recruit them. Neither of these is correct. Attracting benefactors to chess is a subtle process which requires chess to have a profile amongst individuals with substantial disposable income.
Here was my first idea for fundraising again.
"Invite the great and the good from Edinburgh Chess Club to a Black Tie Dinner at a local establishment. Get them schlossed, have a game of heads and tails if they can still stand and then have a charity auction. It's a tried and tested formula"
Chess organisations raise a certain amount from their 'membership' and when more funding is required the immediate reaction is a small increase in fees, be they membership fees, grading fees, affiliation fees or entry fees. The aim to get a small amount of money from a relatively large number of people. I would suggest that in the medium term this is the wrong way round - the aim should be getting a very small number of people to pay (give) a lot. If membership fees went up 20% and membership remained constant (which seems unlikely) it would still only raise a fraction of the amount given by the anonymous benefactor to the Scottish Championships.
Their is the view that anonymous benefactors come along at random, or that sponsorship consultants need to be employed to recruit them. Neither of these is correct. Attracting benefactors to chess is a subtle process which requires chess to have a profile amongst individuals with substantial disposable income.
Here was my first idea for fundraising again.
"Invite the great and the good from Edinburgh Chess Club to a Black Tie Dinner at a local establishment. Get them schlossed, have a game of heads and tails if they can still stand and then have a charity auction. It's a tried and tested formula"