connecticut friends fundraising beyond the book sale -- in ... · • booknook, bookstore, book...

Connecticut Friends Fundraising

Beyond the Book Sale -- In 2011

Presented by:

Carl W. Nawrocki November 5, 2011 [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

2

Data Collected

Survey with questions on both Insurance and Fundraising went to all 2010 FOCL members

40 groups responded – a good sample

This presentation covers the fundraising information

Thank you

Observations

Most Friends groups conduct a used book sale

Many groups conduct more than one fundraiser with their used books

Many successful fundraisers are:

Tied to a holiday or town event

Repeated (so they become established)

Selling goods (tee shirts, book bags, etc.) have significant up-front costs and often deliver only minimal profits that take a long time to accrue

4

Organizing the Data

Small = less than 10,000 ……………….. 14

Medium = 10,000 to 30,000 ………….. 13

Large = greater than 30,000 …………. 13

Divided responses into 3 population groups

Responses

Based on used books

Donation-based (e.g. cookies)

Other – most require up-front investment

Created 3 categories of Fundraisers

5

Using Used Books

Observations:

Many Friends groups do some sort of continual sale of used books

A few report selling on the internet

Only one variation on the book cart/store approach to fundraising with used books

6

Book Sales – All Year Long

Sm

all

• Book Carts (4)*

• Depends on effort and book quality

$300 - $3,500

• BookNook, Bookstore, Book Cellar (4)

• Need space and volunteers all year

• $17,000 requires 60+ volunteers

$600 - $17,000

* Indicates number of Friends groups that reported this activity

7


Sm

all

• Book Carts (4) $300 - $3,500

• BookNook, Bookstore, Book Cellar (4) $600 - $17,000

Med

ium

• Paperback Rack, Book Table (2)

• Year-round volunteer and specialty sales

$1,500 – $19,000

• BookNook (3)

• Dedicated and knowledgeable people

$2,500 - $8,000

8


Sm

all

• Book Carts (4) $300 - $3,500


Med

ium

• Paperback Rack, Book Table (2) $1,500 – $19,000

• BookNook (3) $2,500 - $8,000

Larg

e

• Everyday Book Sales (2)

• Lots of volunteers, computers, bookkeeping

$2,000 - $7,000

• BookNook (1)

• 100+ volunteers – books sold for $3

• $ committed for expenses (rent, etc.)

$39,000

• Book Store (1)

• Friends run two stores with a paid manager and 11,700 volunteer hours

$ 121,000

9

All Year Long Sales – Recap

Sm

all

• Book Carts (4) $300 - $3,500


Med

ium

• Paperback Rack, Book Table (2) $1,500 – $19,000

• BookNook (3) $2,500 - $8,000

Larg

e

• Everyday Book Sales (2) $2,000 - $7,000

• BookNook (1) $39,000

• Book Store (1) $ 121,000

10

Internet Sales

Sm

all

• None mentioned

Med

ium

• Year-round Internet Sales (1)

• Need space, phones, internet services

• Very dedicated people

$40,000 – $50,000

Larg

e

• Internet Sales (1)

• Sell on e-bay only two days per year

$200

Variation on Sale of Used Books

Themed Book Sales (3)

All reported by small libraries

Often tied to holidays – Christmas, Valentine’s Day, etc.

Examples include:

Chocolate Day and Fall/Apple motif $600 - $2,500

Paperbacks at a summer arts festival - $1,000

Books and Cookies - $n/a

11

12

Donation-Based Fundraisers

Based on ‘things’ you:

Already have or

Can get for little or no money

Little outlay of funds

Minimal risk of losing money

13

Donation-based Fundraisers

Sm

all

• Cookie Sales to accompany Holiday Book Sales (1)

• Lots of phone calls to get cookie donations

$500

• Holiday Silent Auction (1)

• Lots of phone calls to get 25 lots of prizes

$3,000

14


Sm

all


$500

• Holiday Silent Auction (1) $3,000

Med

ium

• Silent Auction (1) • Committee to get donations

$3,000

• Early Spring & Fall Plant Sale (1) • Local nursery (now OOB) provided plants

• 6-person hours – not repeating

$ 490 (gross)

• Christmas Cookie Sale (1) • Lot’s of volunteer bakers

• People like quality cookies

$ 800

• Holiday Cookie Walk (1) • Friends bake a large selection of cookies which

are displayed on long table.

• Buyers purchase a container for $5 and can chose the cookies to fill the container

$ 400

15


Sm

all


$500


Med

ium

• Silent Auction (1) $3,000

• Early Spring & Fall Plant Sale (1) $ 490 (gross)

• Christmas Cookie Sale (1) $ 800

• Holiday Cookie Walk (1) $ 400

Larg

e

• Holiday Basket Raffle (1)

• Minimal expenses

• Callers, and assemblers and decorators

$1,200

16

Donation-based Fundraisers - Recap

Sm

all


$500


Med

ium

• Silent Auction (1) $3,000

• Early Spring & Fall Plant Sale (1) $ 490 (gross)

• Christmas Cookie Sale (1) $ 800

• Holiday Cookie Walk (1) $ 400

Larg

e

• Holiday Basket Raffle (1)

$1,200

17

“Unique” Fundraisers

Most require:

Up-front money, sometimes a significant amount

Large number of volunteer hours or volunteers

Many are not limited to a library focus

We will look at:

• Small 11

• Medium 6

• Large 9

18

Unique Fundraisers – Small p.1

• Annual Roast Beef Dinner • High cost of food made dinners too expensive

• Volunteers “worn out”

Discontinued

• Holiday Artisan Sale (1) • 10 hours of volunteer time

• Friends get a % of sales

$450

• Mother’s Day Plant Sale • $ 1,500 investment

• 6 to 8 people

$900

19


• Parade of Pooches Dog Show • Small entry fee = $5

• Judging is simple – youngest, oldest, longest ears, etc.

• Investment = $400 in goods, 200 hours in preparation and 300 hours at the event

$1,000

Annual Town event – builds community support

• Perpetual Calendar and Tote Bags • Costs: Calendar = $5k, Totes = $ 1k

• Annual Sales = $ 1k for each

• Takes too long to recoup investment

$1,000

20


• Bus Trip to NYC & Special Museums • 20 hrs/month volunteer time

• Cost of publicity

• Profit plus good public relations

$ 1,000

• Wine & Cheese (1) • Cost = $250 + donations

• 25 volunteers

• Profit plus community involvement

$2,500

• Scrabble Challenge • Cost = $600 goods and

• 15 volunteers

• $ plus people have lots of fun

$ 2,500 A C B

21


• Artful Cooking Series • Popular chef demonstrates with tasting

• Includes small auction

• Cost = $650 for goods & publicly

• 12 – 15 volunteers

$5,500

• Holiday Tree and Wreath Auction • Small trees and wreaths decorated to book theme

• Costs = $500 goods, $200 publicity

• 12 – 15 Volunteers

• Social activity with appetizers

$8,000

22


• Annual Bookworm Ball & Auction • Ticket price is $50/person

• An annual event people look forward to and donate generously

$28,000

23

Unique Fundraisers – Small Recap

Sm

all

• Annual Roast Beef Dinner Discontinued

• Holiday Artisan Sale (1) $450

• Mother’s Day Plant Sale $900

• Parade of Pooches Dog Show $1,000

• Perpetual Calendar and Tote Bags $1,000

• Bus Trips to NYC & Special Museums $1,060

• Wine and Cheese / Wine Tasting (1) $2,500

• Scrabble Challenge $2,500

• Artful Cooking Series $5,500

• Holiday Tree and Wreath Auction $8,000

• Annual Bookworm Ball & Auction $28,000

24

Unique Fundraisers – Medium p.1

• Christmas Gift Wrapping at Brookstone

• One or two people in peak hour shifts

• Too few dollars for the effort

n/a

• Apron with Friends of the Library Logo • Cost = $ 400

• Sold in the Library and at the library Book Sale

• Too expensive in this economy

n/a

• Book Bag Sales • More about Library promotion

than about profit

$ 500

25

Unique Fundraisers – Medium p.2

• Author Luncheon • Cost = $ 5k (depends on author)


• Great PR even though not a large money maker

$1,000

• Kitchen / Garden Tour • Annual event over 9 years

$8,000

• Floral Evening • Done off-site with a

knowledgeable floral designer

$ 1,400

26

Unique Fundraisers – Medium Recap

Med

ium

• Christmas Gift Wrapping at Brookstone

Discontinued

• Apron with Friends of Library Logo Too expensive

• Book Bag Sales $ 500

• Author Luncheon $1,000

• Floral Evening $1,400

• Kitchen/Garden Tour $8,000

27

Unique Fundraisers – Large 1

• On-going Art Gallery • Shows change monthly

• Friends get a % of the sales

n/a

• 3 Mystery Writers • Cost = $300

• Will not repeat

$ 60

• Tellabration • Joint fundraiser with CT Storytelling Society

• First 5 years were successful, last two not so successful

• Need lots and lots of publicity

$ 250

28


• 50th Anniversary Wine & Cheese • CT Beverage Mart provided wine

• Friends provided the cheese et al

• Costs: Food ($175), insurance ($400), Entertainment ($250), Raffle ($100)


• Part fund raiser, part celebration

$ 400

• Shop for a Cause

• 8 volunteers – event ran at the end of the summer so it was difficult to get volunteers

$ 780

• American Girl Tea Party • Costs = $100 in goods

• Breeds good will and we have a waiting list for attendance

$ 500

http://www1.macys.com/index.ognc

29


• Sale of Book Bags • Cost = $850 (contributed by public

utilities

• Normally avoid high up-front costs

$ 900

• Matching Gifts • Letter to members reminding

them of possible company match and thank you notes

$2,300

$ $

• Cook Book Sales • Costs = $1,800

• A lot of work

• Need community support

$ 4,800

30

Unique Fundraisers – Large Recap

Larg

e

• On-going Art Gallery n/a

• 3 Mystery Writers $ 60

• Tellebration $ 250

• 50th Anniversary Wine & Cheese $ 400

• America Girl Doll Tea $ 500

• Macy’s Shop for a Cause $ 780

• Sale of Book Bags $ 900

• Matching Grants $2,300

• Cookbook Sales $4,800

Overall Conclusions

31

Fundraisers using donations have a limit on what can be earned other than running a full-time book store or room

Fund raisers outside of the library (Bookworm Ball, Garden Tour) have potential to raise more money, but require:

Upfront costs

Lots of volunteers and publicity

Need to establish the event as a community activity

connecticut friends fundraising beyond the book sale -- in ... · • booknook, bookstore, book...

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