How can I raise funds for an non-profit organization which focuses on organizing annual conferences and has a high net-worth individual as a founder?

Hopefully I can help, i've helped over 125 start-ups raise money spanning every sector you could think of.

The first thing to note is everything has a value proposition.

In this instance you are suggesting it isn't the profitability of the company but the founder's profile that represents this value. In that case this becomes more of a marketing exercise than a fundraising exercise.

I've done part-time work for Sean Ellis' Growthhackers.com for just under a year and in that time been lucky enough to speak to some really impressive people and onboard some exciting guests to do AMA's (including Guy Kawasaki). Sean actually launched a conference that went really well, this was a profit generating exercise but the draw was him and the profiles of the speakers.

The point i'm making is you are right to single out the profile of the founder and most likely the 'cause' the organization is supporting. E.g. If it's a non-for-profit that pours Benzene into waterways you're not exactly going to have much success irrespective of the founder.

So the formula you have is prestigious founder + good cause. The good news is from my experience of dealing with 1000's of High Net Worths is sometimes returns aren't everything. It is highly unlikely our client base would invest into start-ups just for the 100x returns as most start-ups will fail, they do it because they believe in what it is trying to achieve. Simon Sinek does a pretty good Ted Talk on 'The Why'.

So some investors may just want to buddy up with the founder of the organization e.g. I would invest into the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation if I thought at their annual conference i'd get to speak to them.

If this direct approach doesn't work look at tangibles. I'm sure there are organizations that would like to be associated with your cause or your founder - can they offer up rewards or giveaways? You can then take the Red Paper Clip approach of trading up good will for tangible value supplied by corporates fulfilling CSR etc and then trade this for cash.

Equally is there an educational component to the conference? I think i've hammered the point enough, it's just to say sometimes people won't do stuff for money and that's okay just make sure you don't confuse the message and appeal to a different sense.

As the others have pointed out, your stated mission is a key component to the strategy of raising funds for your organization. Often, in my business, I have a non-profit partner included in the sponsorship or the ownership structure of the entity seeking funding. Non-profits open you up to a world of grant opportunities, foundational support, and government funding.
If your organization is solely focused on putting on conferences, you can raise money in educational areas, or in the target specific areas you are geared towards.
I encourage you to seek funds in your local area through regional foundations, focusing on your mission, your ability to create jobs, and the long term benefit your organization will provide to the communities you serve.
To start that process, make sure you have your mission statements, business plans, board resumes all ready in a package to send. Focus on financials, and focus on the intended outreach. Grant organizations like to get the broadest reach.
For more information, visit us at: www.governmentdealfunding.com

I have raised around $40MM for nonprofits and have invested 15+ years in fundraising for charitable organizations. I'm happy to share any insights that could be helpful.

as background:

I co-founded a nonprofit that had a very high-profile billionaire backing it. The net worth of the founding donor was a significant hurdle because it gave the appearance that no money was needed.

This is exactly the opposite of the for-profit sector. If this same founder were backing my for-profit company, it would attract other capital because people would see it as a great investment. In the charity space, this can be a significant hurdle.

We overcame this challenge by being very transparent In what the founders paid for and what they did not. This made donors realize that they could still make a significant impact on the organization without merely supplanting the Founder's gifts.

We also leveraged the value of being associated with such a prominent figure. That was probably something that we did not capitalize on enough, and something you should particularly focus on ... especially because you are organizing big public events.

I would especially look at developing a significant corporate giving strategy, and develop a robust sponsor package that provides them with measurable impact on their brand as well as on your organization.

Happy to talk if you have time. Either way, my best wishes to you!

Great question. I've raised funds in the political and non-profit worlds for years. So many non-profits I've come across tell me they can not raise funds the "traditional way." I generally strongly disagree with their view. A need for innovative tactics does not mean the basics that get you to the tactics, a strong base and a great strategy, are not needed. They are.

A non-profit organization always has to start with a case. If you don't have a strong case or mission or reason for people to give you money, whether that is through personal donations, corporate/foundations gifts or sponsorships or through registration fees, then you aren't ever going to get it.

Once you have a reason to ask, then figure out a budget and design a strategy to get you there.That means mapping what a strong board looks like and then recruiting it. Developing a target donor base, then qualifying them and going after them.

Remember when you are strategizing to think about how gifts, sponsorships and registration fees are different. Gifts rely on philanthropic instincts, and are most closely tied to a mission. Sponsorships rely on the value you can give to a sponsor - whether that is through visibility to attendees, or through association. Registration fees rely on the value you give to attendees.

You might think out of the box in terms of funding - big name speakers waiving their fees (essential a gift-in-kind donation). But I would still ground myself in the basics of fundraising. And remember the old rule of thumb still generally holds - the best person to make the ask is the person who it is hardest for the decision maker to say no to.

The only major caveat I would give you for having a high networth founder is if that founder is not involved. If the founder does not care enough to get involved, it will hurt your fundraising ability. You are better off with them not being involved.

This is not any different from funding a startup, or sales, or advocacy. Have a reason to exist, have a plan and build relationships or connections.

I am happy to talk more about your challenges and give you more specifics that would help you meet your goals.

Fundraising or asking for a donation is the activity to raise money for a non-profit’s specific purposes. For a successful fundraising, you need to understand what your non-profit’s goals and objectives are, and the various fundraising options that are available. It is exceedingly difficult to convince donors. Nobody wants to waste their hard-earned money on things they do not have any idea about. They might ask, “Why?” And we might not have a great answer. You can help them realize that they are contributing to a valuable cause.
1. Attract People for Fundraising: If you really want to increase the funds for your non-profit, you need to grab the attention of more and more people.

2. Research Your Donors: If you want people to truly support your non-profit cause, it is important to know your donors. You need in-depth research on the kinds of people who you want to donate to your non-profit.

3. Promote the Fundraising Efforts: After researching prospective donors and building a good image in people’s mind, the next crucial step is promoting the fundraiser. It is an easy, effective, and useful way to attract more people to donate to the cause.

4. Building your brand is difficult but not impossible: If nobody knows about your organization, how will you raise funds for the mission? You need strategic planning, time, effort, and persistence to build your own identity. No matter how talented the people you have and how good your cause is, if it is unbranded, it is of no use.

5. Inspire More Donations at Your Fundraising Events: Fundraising events are powerful ways to engage with donors, grow your community and celebrate your non-profit’s mission with large audiences.
Besides if you do have any questions give me a call: https://clarity.fm/joy-brotonath