How to Fund your dream

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​Fundraise like a Pro

As we head closer to spring, it’s about time young professionals begin to receive their acceptances to young artist programs, opera workshops, and schools. After the initial excitement begins to settle, it’s not uncommon to go into sticker shock. Whether it be fees for a $3,000 month-long pay-to-sing or for a $50,000 a year conservatory, the fees are a tough pill to swallow. If you find yourself in a place where scholarships and grants are not enough to cover the costs and you can’t afford the remainder of the cost yourself, you don’t necessarily have to let go of that dream opportunity. Fundraising can be your answer! ​

I know, I know. Fundraising is sometimes seen as a dirty word. Especially now in the days when everyone seems to be throwing up a GoFundMe on their Facebook page. Asking for money can be really daunting. You might be scared of sounding presumptuous, or sounding like you’re begging, or sounding like an egomaniac, or any number of things. But guess what, as long as you are respectful and gracious, nobody will think that! When a girl scout shows up at your door, you don’t think they’re presumptuous. When the Salvation Army rings their bell outside the grocery store, you don’t think they’re begging. When the local basketball team holds a bake sale, you don’t think they’re egotistical. So, give yourself the same grace you give everyone else.

The worst thing you can hear is “no.” That’s it. When you think about it, that’s really not that bad at all. There are many reasons a person can say no. Usually it has to do with their financial situation. If someone CAN help you, they most often will be GLAD to do so.

I’ve made two lists to get you started: basic fundraising tips and singer-friendly fundraisers.

Tips:

• Be specific. Don’t ask if donors can donate anything. Ask if they can donate $25. Ask if they can donate $200. If you ask for any size donation, you will tend to get much smaller donations than you could otherwise receive. Donors simply won’t know what the threshold or expectation is and they will under-give almost every time.
• Write letters. If you have lots of extended family or friends everywhere, you could piece together a letter to send to them asking for specific donation amounts. If you need $100, write 10 letters to 10 friends asking for $10. Better yet, write 15 letters to 15 friends asking for $15. Incorporate room for some people not responding and keep in mind that small increments can create big results. It helps if you write down a list of all the family, friends, and mentors you can think of, then go from there. Now, try not to make these letters sound too much like marketing. Make it personal and genuine.
• Use your connections. Speaking of writing to family and friends, it can pay to ask them if they know people who may be interested in donating. You never know which of your friends has a secret opera buff uncle.
• Shoot higher. Ask for a higher amount than you think you will receive. If you think a business could give you $200, ask for $400. You’d be surprised, they might give you the full $400, or they might instead offer $300. You never know someone’s financial situation.
• Be gracious. Thank your donors with a handwritten thank you note. If possible, deliver it in person. If it is a business donation, tag them in a public thank you post on social media. Always make your donor feel appreciated. In fact, if your donor is a business, it is even better to ask them what would help them with their business. For example, maybe their business doesn’t gain much from a program ad, but would prefer a shout-out via LinkedIn! Consider donating a ticket or two to each local business who gives you money. If you get a $200 donation from a business and give them two $25 tickets, your net profit is still $150. This technique can also work for local friends and family. (Plus, then you automatically will have supporters in the audience!)
• Be to the point. If you write a letter or make a pitch asking for donations, make your monetary ask towards the beginning. Keep it short and sweet. Nowadays, people have attention spans less than a goldfish. They won’t read a full letter.
• Make it about the donor. Instead of putting all the focus on you, focus on what an amazing help the donor would be to make this dream come true for you. Maybe their donation would help the community at large. Make them understand that you can’t do it without THEM.
• Consider a donor’s resources. Typically, people of retirement age have more resources for donations and are more willing to donate than people in their 20’s. When asking for donations, consider the age and resources of the group you are asking.

Fundraising Ideas:

• Throw a recital. Use your own talents to raise money! One of the easiest ways to gain a lot of cash quickly is to hold a benefit recital. If you work in or attend a church, they may even offer you a space to perform for free. Charge for tickets or offer a suggested donation amount. Invite friends, family, colleagues, and of course church members if the venue is a church.
• Sell your CD. If you’ve been applying to opera programs or schools, you probably already have a slew of recordings prepared. Put together a CD and sell it as a fundraiser online and to everyone you know.
• Sell your belongings. If you already have items you are looking at giving away, try selling them instead. Hold an old-fashioned garage sale. Sell your designer clothes and purses to a consignment shop. You can even sell specialty items like evening gowns in groups on Facebook or websites like Shoperatic or Ebay. Sell all your miscellaneous items like furniture pieces and kitchenware on apps like OfferUp. All these little purchases will add up quickly!
• Try crowdfunding. Yes, crowdfunding links are everywhere, but if used appropriately, can be quite successful. Don’t just put a link on Facebook. Send the link in a personal message to your potential donors. Make sure your message directly references your relationship to them. Do not copy/paste your message. They will know right away if you did! Also, make offers for different donation levels. For example, a $30 donation will get them a CD of your music!
• Consider sponsorship or investment. If you are fundraising for a larger project - like putting together an opera production, consider asking businesses for larger donations. Visit them personally and speak directly with the owners. Offer to give them a free ad in your program book, plus social media shout outs.
• Pick up a side hustle. Teach voice lessons! Tutor college students or high school students in subjects like music theory. Apply for choral scholar jobs or sing freelance for churches. If you have another secret talent, like photography, pull it out and use it. Offer to take all your singer friend’s headshots for a small fee. Take up bartending on weekends! I once had a friend who made more money bartending on one weekend than she did a whole week at her day job. It pays to work extra hours!  
• Partner with a business. If you are a regular patron at a local restaurant, ask to host a takeover night where you invite all your friends and the restaurant gives you a portion of the proceeds. If you know a network marketer, like a Stella & Dot or Mary Kay representative, ask if you can host a party for them and they could donate a portion of their proceeds from the party. If you work at a coffee shop, ask if you might create a special tip jar for you. Get creative. Businesses love to support local.
• Dirty jobs. Make like your high school self and throw an event to raise money. Recruit your friends for a car wash. Put together a bake sale. Utilize cheaper resources and volunteer labor to help you reach your goal.

Still need ideas? Check out these websites regarding fundraisers:
(We are not affiliated with them, but like what they offer.)

Fundraising blog by Jeff Brooks: http://www.futurefundraisingnow.com

The #1 online fundraising platform for individuals: https://www.gofundme.com

An online fundraising platform for entrepreneurs: https://www.kickstarter.com

As a singer, fundraising will be a part of your life forever. Every arts and music program will always be in the business of fundraising. It’s best to develop this skill early on in your career.

​What are your fundraising tips? Have you had a particularly successful fundraiser? Let us know in the comments! You can never have too many ideas for fundraising. It’s a necessary skill for the young performer!

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