Terry Axelrod, head of Raising More Money, sits with her books at the Liberty Theatre where she lectured on Wednesday, March 23.

By SUSAN BAILEY

The Wood River Journal - Ketchum

Terry Axelrod said she stumbled onto the methods she teaches in her seminar Raising More Money when working with a failing private school in Seattle.

But her methods are meant to keep other non-profit organizations from stumbling.

"Sustainable funding is what you are looking for, a chance to get off what I call the treadmill," said Axelrod, who spoke at 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 23, at the Liberty Theatre in Hailey.

Brought by Benjamin Wood and the Company of Fools, Axelrod spoke to an audience of non-profit organizations about her system of raising money.

Jeanne Cassell, former Advocates director and board member at the Sawtooth Botanical Garden, asked about the effect of such a system being used by every non-profit in the Wood River Valley.

"I'm a little concerned if we all go out and do this," said Cassell.

Cassell pointed out she recently attended events modeled after Axelrod's plan. Already, Blaine County Recreation District uses the Raising More Money method. Axelrod didn't see a problem with many organizations in the Wood River Valley using her concept of attaining sustainable funding.

"This is a strategy for getting your endowment," said Axelrod, "and for cultivating your donors."

Axelrod pointed out national statistics indicate 84 percent of charitable gifts are made by individuals. Corporations only make up 5 percent of the funding and foundations supply a mere 11 percent of the gifts the keep non-profit organizations humming.

Therefore, she suggests targeting individuals after first capturing their interest in the mission of an organization.

Axelrod said she thinks of fund-raising as a circle that never stops.

Starting with a Point of Entry, she suggests moving to cultivation of people who have shown interest in the mission of an organization and only after involvement does she ask individuals for money. The final link in the circle is Introducing Others, accomplished though a "feel good free event."

Cassell said she's recently become familiar with those feel good events.

Raising More Money holds two-day workshops around the nation, or gathers 20 or more organizations in a community for community workshops.