Becoming a Fund Raiser

I started out as a parent then teacher. I always seemed to be involved with agencies or schools that needed money. First off, as a parent and stay at home mom, I volunteered a lot at my children s school. They attended a Catholic elementary school and were always fund raising starting with the first day of class in August. We went from selling candy, wrapping paper, sub sandwiches, to auctions as the school year progressed.

I guess I made it to the official volunteer fund-raiser position when the principal told me we needed some money. Without giving it much thought I arranged an ice-cream social at the local uncle Rays Ice cream store. We received a percentage of the sales. i think we made around $150 the first day and the next two months (in the summer) we had two more socials that generated consistently less money. I never asked the principal how much she needed or for what fund but that was a defining moment to my yet to be realized career.

Several years later while I was working for a public school as the Day Care Director I wrote a request for 100 flower bulbs. To my surprise we received the flowers. At this point I thought grant writing was a breeze. A few months later I changed positions and became a Kindergarten teacher at a Catholic Mission School called Dukette. Dukette had all the elements necessary to receive grant funding. The school was a non-profit, it was located in economically challenged Flint, MI, (well known for that fact thanks to Michael Moore), we have a Community Foundation in the area, we were serving children and the school had me.

I had all the confidence I needed. After all, I had been awarded 100 bulbs. I began by writing to local agencies with beginners luck I received several monetary awards for the school. It was a great time to be in fund raising.

Later, when I went back to school and qualified for work study I choose to work for the community foundation that had awarded Dukette $3,000 for equipment for their after school program. I made the career change to fundraising as a profession that spring when the Community Foundation was looking for a Summer Youth Coordinator.

How did you start fund raising?