We first worked for Arlington Life Shelter (ALS) in 2012 after responding to an RFP for fundraising/marketing consulting made possible by a North Texas Community Foundation (NTCF) Toolbox grant. That work was in part, to help get ALS ready for a pending capital campaign and we were so pleased to hear recently from the former ED about some results of that work together, “You were able to provide a detailed, step-by-step plan that staff and board members with passion, but little fundraising experience, could easily follow. Thanks to your direction, ALS was able to increase individual giving from 7% to 66% while tripling our budget.”
When the current ALS leadership reached out this spring about the possibilities of work together again, to be partly funded by a 2022 Toolbox grant, we all recognized the work before us. We will focus on a development plan refresh, with particular interest in taking advantage of ALS having completed a successful capital campaign, and with a focus on the mission-minded fundraising model, the re-engagement of the scores of food volunteer groups, and stewardship of mid-level donors.
Some think that a focus on fundraising, volunteer engagement, and community relations is over once a capital campaign is complete, but that is rarely the case!