Nashville company aims to put the fun in fundraising
An emergency clown nose is the perfect photo shoot accessory. At least it is if you are Amy Wolanski, one of two chief do-gooders at the new Nashville company FundGiving.
Before posing for the camera, the 33-year-old entrepreneur pops on the spongy adornment, which is a few shades more intense than her apple-colored shoes.
Just so people don’t think she’s crazy, she makes it clear it’s part of her overall message: “Giving is fun.”
Reinforcing that message can be difficult, particularly in a tough economy. As an alternative to opening their wallets, givers often offer volunteer services or to donate an item. But more essential to charities is cash.
FundGiving attempts to bridge that gap by matching a do-gooder’s deeds with a nonprofit’s needs. On the company’s website, which launched April 1, people can sell their items, time and talents and donate the money raised to the charity of their choice.
It is a solution for many organizations struggling to find ways to raise money, and it offers a way for people who can’t afford cash donations to still benefit their causes.
“It’s kind of like Craigslist for charities,” said Matt Clark, programs assistant at nonprofit Blood: Water Mission, which has partnered with FundGiving.
“It’s a great way to reach people of a whole wide range of backgrounds, and also it can give our supporters an alternative way to give to us — a different way than just writing a check.”
Community service
The business idea was born out of a beehive.
While raising funds for Flying Kites Global, Wolanski received a call from a friend who wanted to help but hated asking for cash. Her solution? Sell her services: washing windows, mowing yards, cleaning houses and more.
“She said, ‘I don’t care what I have to do as long as I don’t have to ask for money.’ ”
A week later, the friend received a $250 donation for removing a beehive, and Wolanski was buzzing with an idea. She approached Ann Taormina, a fellow Belmont University MBA student, with the concept last fall. The women launched the business earlier this month.
Sixteen organizations — or good causes, as the company calls them — use FundGiving’s site. Each cause pays an annual fee of $300, then encourages individuals to sign up to sell goods and services to support it.
Local nonprofit organizations including Brown Dog Foundation, Special Olympics Tennessee and Safe Haven Family Shelter are the main users now, but the idea is to create a platform for companies and individuals to sell services to benefit church and school groups.
“We really see this business model not only as a great way to raise money and awareness for good causes everywhere, it’s a great way to bring community service back to neighborhoods,” Wolanski said. “We envision dads going to cut the neighbor’s yard with their child rather than knocking on the door to sell them wrapping paper.
“We want to challenge people to dig deep and think of things that they are good at but never thought about marketing.”
Now available on the site are everything from quilt creation and photo scanning to spreadsheet-making and sober-driving services. People sell items such as old bikes or furniture.
As on Craigslist, buyers can search the site’s marketplace for specific needs. Fifteen percent of each sale goes to FundGiving as a transaction fee. The other 85 percent goes to the cause.
In the past, Carol Smock, board chairwoman of Brown Dog Foundation, has had supporters offer to hold yard sales. But Smock didn’t have time to coordinate such events.
FundGiving appealed to her because it was the same idea, without the work.
“It’s like a virtual garage sale,” Smock said.
Other online services promote similar concepts. EBay has online auctions for charity, as do sites such as biddingforgood.com. Facebook and Twitter are often used as fundraising avenues.
That approach makes FundGiving a good option for organizations looking to move fundraising to the Internet, Smock said.
“I think time will tell, but I am cautiously, extremely hopeful (of its fundraising power). It looks like an easy way to motivate people to do something different.”
And if you do, expect to receive a red clown nose in the mail, courtesy of the chief do-gooders.
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