Are you signed up for CITA?

The Central Iowa Training Association (CITA) Fire School takes place at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on September 25 & 26, 2010. This Fire School is among the largest and most comprehensive in the Midwest.

You will find a comprehensive list of classes here.  CITA is also on Facebook here. 


Today's update is a special invitation for you to join either or both of the learning seminars offered by FlashPoint Fundraising at CITA:

Developing a Community Grants Tool Belt: Finding More Connections with Your Mission
Instructors:    Dawn Svenson Holland, FlashPoint Fundraising, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Objective: Current federal grant programs provide significant support to fire departments nationwide to approximately 25% of the departments that apply. What else is out there in terms of grant programs? What standard information do you need in your department’s tool belts before starting to apply for more grants? When considering grant opportunities, how do you best determine up front if the potential for fit with a grant program aligns with the time and effort needed to complete the grant? How do you know how much money to ask for? Once you register for this course, you will be provided with a list of department information to bring to start the process of filling your grant application tool belt  This course will also touch on ideas for non-governmental grant sources in your area.

Sunday, September 26 (12:30-3:30 pm) Section #: ETFR-5001-3945            Cost: $27.00

It's Not an F-Word: Integrating Fundraising into Your Department's Operations

Instructors:     Dawn Svenson Holland, FlashPoint Fundraising, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Objective: Calls. Training. Recruiting. Budget management. Maintenance needs. The list goes on. With increased demands, who has time to think about fundraising beyond that annual pancake breakfast (or other special event)? Who really wants to spend precious time talking about “begging,” the dreaded f-word? Fundraising includes so many options – where should your department’s focus be? How do your harness the fact that it’s all about your mission to help the community? Using information you will provide once you register, this course will focus on class interaction and practice scenarios. This course will  provide you with starting steps or building blocks (depending on your need)  to take back to your department for action.

Saturday, September 25 (1:00 pm - 4:00 pm) Section #: ETFR-5013-3940 Cost: $27.00

Need more information on these course options? Click here to contact FlashPoint Fundraising today.

Wishing you a safe and productive week in terms of lives saved and changed for the better through the incredible work you do.

The Meat of What Donors Want: Defined in the Cygnus Research Survey

Your hard work makes a difference. Due to your willingness to respond to your community's emergencies 24 x 7 x 365, your department is generally blessed with the respect of your fellow residents. Without you, your community wouldn't be as safe a place as you make it. Thank you for all you do! 

How do you build on this respect to connect donors with your mission of saving and changing lives, of doing everything you can during times of greatest stress for your fellow residents?

The foundation of your emergency response is your passion and enacting your training. In a similar fashion, beginning or building your fundraising efforts starts with the foundation of what your donors/potential donors want. 

In July 2010, Cygnus Research released a survey with over 15,000 responses from donors across the country. The full survey overflowing with insights and helpful information can be purchased here. 

Some trends for 2010 noticed across all donor demographics in this Cygnus survey include:

• 69% of respondents prefer giving to nonprofits that provide donors with measurable results
• 67% of respondents plan to eliminate or reduce donations to nonprofits that over-solicit
• 65% take costs per dollar raised into account when making a giving decision 
• 59% now do more research on a nonprofit prior to making a giving decision 
• 43% plan to shift giving to nonprofits operating locally 
• 41% plan to support fewer causes in the future 

What measurable results are you providing your donors? 

What information do you have available on your website for donors and potential donors in terms of the priorities Cygnus identified above? 


What's working for your department in terms of responding to what your donors want? Your comments are welcome below.

As Labor Day Approaches, Work Your MDA Story Into Your Donor Communications

The history between MDA and the Fire Service is decades long and strong.  With Labor Day approaching, thousands of volunteers connected to many fire departments across the country will be a part of the annual Fill the Boot campaign. 

The Hiawatha Fire Fill the Boot campaign has raised $37,500 for medical research, equipment loans, support groups for those impacted with neuromuscular diseases since 2007.  Each hour volunteered at city intersections and store fronts results in more than $100 collected for local MDA efforts.

Instead of the traditional sticker acknowledging the donation, consider how you might replace that sticker with a business card. Perhaps that business card would link to an online video that tells the personal connections your department.

Which do you think your donors will remember - a personal story of the impact of their gift, or the sticker?

The above example of such an MDA message was created using the video function of a cell phone camera. From initial recording through website upload, less than 15 minutes elapsed.

What works well for your department in terms of MDA fundraising?

How might you apply this MDA story lesson to your department's year-round fundraising efforts?

A Fire Service-Focused Foundation for Strategic Planning

Now is the perfect time to start the strategic planning process for an even better future for your community, your department and your members. Where do you start?

Author Mark Wallace offers a solid foundation for your efforts with his text, Fire Department Strategic Planning: Creating Future Excellence (Amazon Affiliate Link). 

If you're a department leader who likes an ongoing reference available at your fingertips focused on the unique aspects of your work to protect life and property in your community, this book is an excellent option.

A well-constructed strategic plan can provide a launching pad for focused, successful fundraising efforts through clear identification of critical, unfunded needs. 

What's working well for your department in terms of strategic planning? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

A Singular Focus: Communicating Your Department's Needs

What is the singular focus of your message to your community? If you needed to match donors to with unfunded needs at an animal rescue organization, you could reinforce a singular focus by using a photo like the one above of our friend Boston. If you're an animal lover, do you want to know more about Boston?

Recently, the Center Point Ambulance service hosted its annual pancake breakfast in conjunction with Center Point Pork Days 2010.  During the breakfast, those waiting in line had a chance to learn more about joining their volunteer service. Center Point Ambulance made the need for more volunteers the singular focus of their largest gathering of community members at the station all year.

Your singular focus might be an unfunded opportunity to help save or change lives or property through better equipment, training or apparatus. It might be attracting and/or retaining volunteers. Whatever that focus is, the more simple the message, the better. 

As the above example illustrates, visuals powerfully reinforce a solid singular focus. Your visuals might be a compelling photo from a scene, a photo of your volunteers in action, or a video testimonial from a grateful victim. The most effective fundraising and organizational development messages are a combination of statistics and stories.


What one thing represents your greatest current department need? 

FlashPoint offers fixed cost, project based fees to assist you in narrowing down your needs and developing appropriate messages with a singular focus. Contact Dawn for your free initial consultation today.