A Model (Citizen) Fundraising Partnership

When we partnered with Karma to fundraise, they had a variety of fundraising strategies in play that were direct and effective, creating a smooth process all around. In one instance, Karma hosted a more intimate fundraising social event at my home in Beverly Hills (which was a follow-up to the Vegas event), where members turned up to donate, learn more and have a great time. Again, 100 percent of the proceeds benefited Model Citizen Fund and Hurricane Isaac victims. From there, Karma produced a short video piece on the effects of the hurricane and how families are still coping today, which was shared throughout all of our social-media platforms.

Social media is another great tool available to boost donations. You'll be pleasantly surprised knowing that other people in the world are equally as passionate about the cause — and multiple free platforms are available right at your fingertips.

FS: What advice would you give to fundraisers looking to expand their fundraising and perhaps reach out to corporate or other nonprofit partners?

DF: If you're going to reach out to anyone on a corporate level, there are three things you should expect to encounter. For one, these people are extremely busy. Two, the corporate company most likely has other nonprofit involvements, so adding another to the list is probably not on a CEO's agenda. Lastly, corporate execs don't have a lot of time on their hands to listen to a 60-minute presentation on your mission.

With this in mind, you need to be concise and efficient with presentation delivery to the corporate world. The execs are not going to be the "hearts and flowers" emotional-based group — they are more practical and tactical than anything else.

My advice is to really understand who you are presenting to: Do your homework and research the company beforehand, and see if they are adamant about a particular cause, and try to connect your own mission to it. Don't make your pitch too complex to understand — keep it short, concise and unique. Stand out amongst any other nonprofit presentations, and always distribute supporting material. This way, even when the elevator pitch is done, your pamphlet sits at their desk, constantly tempting them to give you a call back. Endorsements from their contemporaries about your cause are always helpful as well.