Who is Eligible to Present a Charity?

Any member of Women Who Care of Kent County, this includes the director or CEO, staff member,volunteer, or someone who has benefited from the charity.  

 

Which Charities are Eligible for Nomination?

Any 501(c)3 organization, located in Kent County - this includes local chapters of national organizations. 

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How do I Nominate a Charity?

Once you become a member, you are welcomed to present on behalf of a local charity. Upon arrival at a Quarterly Meeting, you may fill out a short form with your name and your charity of choice - you will place this into the "hat" for the drawing

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Three names will be drawn from the "hat" and each member will be given 5 minutes to present information on the charity she is promoting. There will be a 5 minute opportunity for members to ask questions of the person requesting the funds. 

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What Happens After I Present? 

All three presenters will present their case of support to the group, then by ballot, the group will vote. The majority rules, each member agrees to donate to the chosen cause regardless of her personal views. 

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If your charity is chosen, the charity will be presented with the checks at a later agreed-upon date and it is time to celebrate! 

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Talking Points for Your Presentation

Making your case for support in a short amount of time takes some planning. . . following are some talking points you might want to incorporate in your speech. 

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1.) Start with a gripping opening line. . . "100 women in our community are involved in a domestic violence dispute every month. . ."

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2.) State your name and the name of the organization you would like to receive funding. 

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3.) What is the mission of the organization?

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4.) Describe the program that you would like to help fund. Provide some background information for the program. Who will it impact? How many it will impact? What is the major source of current funding? 

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5.) How essential is this program - what will our community be missing if this program is not funded? 

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6.) How will success of this program be measured? 

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7.) What will this $15,000+ gift provide for the Kent County Community? 

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8.) End with a heartfelt ask and a thank you. 

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Remember, there will be 5 minutes for questions at the end of your presentation. Be prepared to answer such questions as: 

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1.) How many paid positions support this program? 

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2.) What is the current budget? 

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3.) How long has the program been in existence? 

 

4.) What other sources of revenue do they have?  

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What Nonprofits Wished Everyone Knew:

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1. Quality leadership is worth the investment.
    

2. To determine an effective nonprofit, the most important criteria is impact, not low overhead.
    

3. Generous unrestricted financial support enables nonprofit leaders to strengthen their organizations.
    

4. More than 70% of giving comes from individuals and only 16% by foundations.
    

5. Nonprofits value the relationship with their donors.

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Some Questions to Ask a Nonprofit Before Donating:

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• What is your mission?
   

• Do you have a strategic plan to carry out that mission and is it posted on your website?
   

• How are you measuring effectiveness?
   

• What other organizations do what you do?
   

• What are the main obstacles to fulfilling your mission and how do you plan to overcome them?
   

• Describe your financial management practices.
   

• What plans do you have to remain sustainable?
   

• Are you paying competitive wages and offering benefits to employees?
   

• How much turnover of staff and board members have you experienced in the past two years?
   

• How can I best help you to make your organization successful?