First Adams Institute Promotes New Fundraising Idea and Approaches

Fresh ideas, new approaches, and creative partnerships were the common threads that ran through sessions of the first Victorine Q. Adams Institute held at the Tremont Plaza Hotel in Baltimore, September 16 and 17. Over seventy development specialists from NFFN member organizations and companies attended.

The Adams Institute, a two day series of workshops and panel discussions, was designed to improve fundraising practices and increase fundraising opportunities for NFFN members and other energy assistance programs. The Institute was named after fuel fund pioneer and former Baltimore City Council member, the late Victorine Q. Adams.

The Institute kicked off with a ribbon cutting and reception at the Baltimore City Hall, where the Baltimore City Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake read a proclamation honoring Ms. Adams and welcoming the NFFN.

At the Institute, participants heard from featured speakers Dr. Laura Otten, Director of The Nonprofit Center at LaSalle University, Malinda Small, Vice President of Baltimore Gas & Electric Company and Deborah Flateman, CEO of the Maryland Food Bank.

Dr. Otten addressed the group on the role of the board in fundraising in nonprofit organizations. Dr. Otten spoke about the need to make sure that board members made a personal contribution to the organization before becoming involved in fundraising. She stressed the importance of insuring that board members are committed to the goals of the organization.

Maryland Food Bank CEO Deborah Flateman discussed the use of collaborations and partnerships to increase fundraising. She explained how her organization looks to national organizations or businesses that have a local impact as they consider possible fundraising partners. Ms. Flateman pointed out how the Maryland Food Bank contacts national grocery chains like Food Lion and national producers like Kraft to help publicize the Food Bank’s efforts and raise contributions locally.

Ms. Small spoke to the role of her utility’s philanthropic program in the Baltimore community. She also stressed the need for partnerships between companies and nonprofit service providers like fuel funds.

NFFN members also participated in a number of workshops that explored fundraising practice from different points of view. Discussions covered technologies for building donor revenues, linking energy assistance to energy efficiency fundraising, best practices for utilities, working with suppliers of deliverable fuels, raising funds from foundations and accessing government funds.

In the final session, participants reviewed the ideas and techniques they had discussed during the Institute and filtered out the approaches that they felt would work best for NFFN members. Among the concepts considered the most useful for fundraising were know your fundraising target, develop solid leadership, engage your donors and look for leveraging opportunities. The Network is preparing a report on the Institute that will be available to all members.