Summary
St. Joseph Development Programmes is the developmental wing of the broader St. Joseph the Worker parish, in the informal settlement areas of Kangemi. SJDP had received a matching grant from Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF) for which SJDP had to raise 20% of the total grant request. After they took a classroom course in Local Fundraising, offered by Change the Game Academy Kenya through KCDF, they decided to raise funds locally for the purchase of tools to improve the quality of the skills training programme at St. Joseph Technical Secondary School. A comprehensive plan was made and various fundraising ideas were developed. It took over 6 months of preparation. There were 5 lead volunteers. The Board members were very supportive and some were involved in a fundraising activity. The result was excellent and plans are underway to repeat the experience.
Tips and lessons learned
1. Make annual plans of fundraising activities. In planning, setting the target was key. Staff were given a target to achieve at the end of the day. SJDP remained conscious of the Rate of Return on Investment.
2. Check and align with companies CSR in advance.
3. Contact and communicate to people in advance so that you can be part of their plans. Many companies sought to be informed way in advance.
4. Physical contacts with donors are more fruitful than virtual ones. Sometimes writing letters is not necessarily the best. Knocking on people’s doors, inviting them to visit worked the magic.
Review by Wilde Ganzen Foundation
St. Joseph Development Programmes took the time to prepare thoroughly for their fundraising activities. They moreover ensured that there were interesting activities for all age groups, including a bouncing castle for the children and a music extravaganza for the youth. Another strong point of this campaign is that all opportunities to raise in-kind donations were used and that SJDP keeps in touch with their supporters through updates on the project and Christmas/Easter thank you cards.
Details
Short description of the organisation the funds were raised for
St. Joseph Technical Secondary School is an institution under the management of AOR Jesuits Fathers & Brothers, established to provide an integral opportunity in education for the youths in and around Kangemi slums. The school aims at providing secondary education and to equip her students with technical skills in an array of courses such as Electrical & Solar PV Installations, Fashion & Design, Computer Science and Hair Dressing & Beauty. The students sit for Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (K.C.S.E) and they are also accredited by National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) and Directorate of Industrial Training after a successful completion of the selected Technical Course. The school also runs a Technical College, which offers various courses such as Electrical & Electronic Installation, Solar PV Installation, Fashion & Design, Hair-dressing & Beauty and Basic Computer Packages. With the view of achieving both theoretical and technical skills at the same pace, the school demands enormous commitment and a high sense of discipline to achieve the needed academic excellence.
Short description of the project or programme the funds were raised for
As the numbers of the people seeking technical skills were increasing, through this particular project St. Joseph Technical School was seeking to be able to serve the increasing numbers and also improve the quality of education to the people it serves. The funds enhanced the capacity of St. Joseph Technical Secondary School through the purchase of equipment for the various courses such as Hairdressing and Beauty, Fashion Design, Electrical and Solar Installation and Computers.
Summary of fundraising action
A number of activities were carried out. These included writing request for support letters to individuals, churches, donors, embassies and various organisations and companies, We also sold raffle tickets and we had a music extravaganza.
Objectives
1. Purchase equipment for the Technical Department.
2. Increase our donor base and being known.
3. Equip the Library.
Targeted donors
1. The community members especially the church members.
2. Embassies, companies, organisations.
3. New and existing donors.
Results
| Cost/benefit |
National currency (KES |
Euro |
| Total amount raised |
4,500,000 |
39,301 |
| (-) Total amount invested |
400,000 |
3,493 |
| Net amount raised |
4,100,000 |
35,808 |
Accounting details
We raised Kshs. 4.5 Million.
These were contributions from organisations, churches, individuals and companies; we sold raffle tickets, children using the bouncing castle paid a small fee.
We incurred costs of Ksh. 400,000.
These costs included purchase of raffle tickets, printing and distribution of letters, purchase of gifts, hiring of a PA system.
Result comments
• St. Joseph Technical Secondary School is now known to even more people than before the fundraising activities. As a result we witnessed an even further increase in numbers.
• Most organisations supported us later when they had CSR activities.
• We built a good relationship with the community.
Description of preparatory work
The process involved constantly having team meetings and distribution of tasks with set deadlines.
These activities involved:
1. Writing and distributing of request letters to potential and existing donors.
2. Approaching individuals, companies and organisations for support.
3. Material requests to companies for use in the grand draw.
4. Reading about companies and their CSR.
5. Purchasing of raffle tickets, distributing them and purchasing of the gifts.
6. Benchmarking with other organisations who have successfully implemented this.
7. Having frequent meetings with KCDF Technical Assistance Team.
8. Organising a music extravaganza targeting the youth.
Description of implementation
• Clear work plans and set out roles and responsibilities.
• Set out a target to be achieved.
• Emphasis on volunteering.
• Letters written were delivered to individuals and companies by team members who would book appointment before time.
• There were persons responsible for making phone calls to avoid conflicting information.
• Announcements about the fundraising were made in churches and posters distributed.
• Different musicians were contacted in advance to be informed about the activity.
• Companies, individuals and organisations were approached for one on one meetings.
• Approaching companies and individuals to give in kind towards gifts of raffles.
Follow up: Donor appreciation and acknowledgement
• Thank you letters were written to the organisations and physical visits made to thank our partners.
• Accountability.
• Inviting donors who contributed and are not fully aware of what we do to visit us and see for themselves.
• We sent Christmas and Easter cards in 2019 and 2020 and we have continuously given feedback on progress.
• Continued updates even during the pandemic period.
• Sharing of our strategic plan with them.
Plans to repeat the action
Yes, plans are underway but in different forms because of COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions that come with it. We are doing online updates and trying to plan better how we can achieve more.
