FUNdraising Good Times Mini campaigns: campaign within a campaign

What do you do when you have multiple priorities that you are raising money for? We suggest a campaign within a campaign, otherwise known as a “mini-campaign.” Here’s the real-life story of Valerie R. Harris, Director of Choirs at Miles College, with how she raised over $100,000 for the choir to perform at Carnegie Hall in NYC while the college itself is busy raising $25 million to complete its $125 million campaign. “This was my first fundraiser. In all my years of being in music, I have never had to raise this kind of money. It wasn’t easy. I learned a lot about people and how they will contribute if they think there is a good cause. They were excited about our going to Carnegie Hall and wanted to be a part of it.” That’s Harris in her own words. While she hadn’t had such a large fundraising goal before, she had no problem asking for money, especially from those who heard the choir perform. They were sold. But she also had to reach out to those who wouldn’t have an opportunity to experience the choir. To reach those people she used a “mini-case.” She created a four-color deck that...