With the global economy facing the worst financial downturn this generation has ever recorded, there is no surprise philanthropy, and the notable charities it serves, has seen a considerable crash against operations. Charities are now more than ever forced to seek new and creative fund-raising opportunities in order to accomplish their mission.
Recognizing a finite pool of traditional or legacy philanthropy partners, diversifying giving, identifying unique fund raising tactics and exploiting current consumer habits have been increasingly important to the health and financial strength of modern day philanthropies.
While Philanthropy 101 dictates orchestrating extravagant galas for the hyper-targeted affluent and social elite, the difficult climate has forced many charities to solicit the larger educated public and exchange real services to gain capital.
Today's economy has demanded a physical value proposition beyond playing the emotional heart strings of the consumer. Real goods in real time, however at a premium, has proven to be a successful formula.
As an executive with the Karma Foundation, an exclusive membership-based lifestyle organization, we have captured broad capital by producing sensational events at landmark venues and providing a night of exclusive access Capturing the essence of benefiting a cause through simple fun has become a priority in understanding what motivates business objectives towards giving.
Moreover, our current economic climate stresses more than just 'spot giving' and a truly comprehensive partnership. Because of limited resources, even the giving organization can't afford the loss of an invested partner. Instead, both parties stand to benefit from growth and overall health. A wise philanthropy would also develop outreach strategies and a fund-raising legacy to ensure proper support and fair visibility among applicable constituencies. The system of "if you build it, they will come" is successful only if you can create awareness, recognition and a mechanism for individuals to support specific causes. Additionally, taking special care in designing a legacy strategy in cooperation with charities - before getting involved - is ultimately important in order to manage expectations and establishing success standards.
As a testimony to recent accomplishments, the Karma Foundation recently completed its 10th event at the exclusive Playboy Mansion and has amassed an average yearly giving over $100,000 throughout its five year history. Karma's upcoming signature event, Kandyland, on June 26th will once again claim the Playboy Mansion as its host and is scheduled to outperform previous events with the headlining performance of recording artist, Sean "Diddy" Combs.
In addition to producing large scale events for the benefit of philanthropy, the Karma Foundation has also recognized a need in establishing a community around giving and professional enrichment. The foundation hosts a comprehensive lifestyle membership base comprised of successful business entrepreneurs that offer a lifeline to continuous giving.
Additional opportunities for strategy diversity include developing promotional opportunities around partner awareness. The Karma Foundation recently launched such programs including the NSPCA's "Cutest Companion Contest" and "Adopt a Patient" for Journey Forward to great fanfare and consumer involvement.
In summary, the economical challenges ahead of us all are not only sizable but undetermined. In order to secure interest and most importantly increase giving inventory for charities, today's philanthropies could differentiate themselves by diversifying potential fund raising efforts.
Provide a solution, create an exchange and appeal to broader audiences and you'll find an efficient strategy that allows the charity to focus the majority of their attention on what they understand best: their mission.
For more information on the Karma Foundation, please visit: KarmaFoundation.com
To attend the 5th annual Kandyland, featuring recording artist Sean "Diddy" Combs," visit KandyEvents.com and input invite code: PR9469