Self Quiz
Answer Sheet![](images/finance/background2.jpg)
The correct answer with an explanation is provided for each question below.
- When establishing your organizational priorities, it is important to:
- The S-W-O-T Analysis refers to:
- When creating a fundraising budget
- The "pyramid of giving" refers to:
- You should strive for donations from 60% of your organization's board.
- Planned giving refers to:
- The key to a special event is:
- The most stable funding source is:
- Which funding source (on average) has the highest cost to profit ratio?
- What are the top characteristics that funders look for in your organization?
- States its mission, purpose, and goals clearly
- Shows evidence of and articulates the needs of those being served
- Explains how its programs work, how much they cost, and what benefits they produce
- Shares financial information such as costs of governance, operations, and programming
- Is open and inclusive in procedures, programs, and processes
- Takes leadership on behalf of the public interest
A. Start from scratch
B. Disregard what other organizations are doing in your community
C. Formally adopt the priorities
Correct! Once you have set the priorities, it is a good idea to adopt them formally. Formal adoption facilitates decisions about the organization's direction and allows everyone to take ownership of the priorities.
D. Only look at existing programs
A. The Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats Capacity Analysis
Correct. The Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis is a tool to help understand your organization's ability and capacity to fundraise.
B. Establishing that there is bug problem in your building
C. A Special-Watershed-Opportunity-Training
D. Analysis of a British slang term for an inoffensive person who nevertheless offends his peers by giving too much attention to his schoolwork
A. include direct and indirect costs
B. get both staff and boardmembers involved
C. plan for a surplus
D.all of the above
Correct. Thinking about direct and indirect costs, planning for a surplus at the end of the year, and getting all staff and board members involved is critical to your budget.
A. an ancient tradition started in the Nile
B. a fun special event you can do on the river
C. building your membership base to larger and larger gifts
Correct. The "pyramid of giving" refers to the process of building a membership. You begin by recruiting people as volunteers and eventually move them into becoming members giving larger and larger gifts. The number of people decreases as you move to larger and larger gifts, which is why it is necessary to recruit as many volunteers and annual giving members as possible.
A. True
B. False
Correct. You should strive for donations from 100% of your board! When all board members give, it demonstrates that all are committed and active in the organization. This is an important message to potential donors. Would you want to give to an organization if its own board members are unwilling to contribute money? An organization that can report 100 percent board giving can leverage more donations from other sources.
A. donation of a stock
B. gifts where the donor receives a fixed income from the organization
C. donation of a title deed for a property after death
D. all of the above
Correct. Planned giving can be donations of stocks, property deeds, or gifts that allow fixed income from the organization.
A. getting everyone out on the river
B. planning
Correct. The key to a successful special event is being organized and planning ahead. Remember, when planning a special event you should consider volunteer and staff resources, financial resources, organizational image, audience, and timing.
C. finding a popular performer
D. making sure to have a silent auction involved
A. membership
Correct. While grants and corporate donations are important sources of funding for many types of projects, donations from individuals, local industries, and private businesses are especially important. Although they may initially require a higher investment in staff time and resources, these private sources of funding should be the base of your financial support because they are more stable and have fewer restrictions than grants. In the long term, they will actually save staff time in researching options. Grants are unpredictable; their availability can change due economic conditions and changes in political priorities.
B. grants
C. corporate donations
D. special appeals
A. membership (renewal)
B. membership (acquisition of new members)
Correct. See the chart below for expected costs per $1.00 raised.
Source of Funds | Expected Costs |
Membership | $0.20 to $0.30 per $1.00 raised |
Special Events | $0.50 to $1.00 per $1.00 raised |
Corporations/Foundations | $0.20 per $1.00 raised |
Direct Mail (acquisition) | $1.25 to$1.50 per $1.00 raised |
Direct Mail (renewal) | $0.20 to $0.25 per $1.00 raised |
D. foundation donations
A. States its mission, purpose, and goals clearly
B. Shows evidence of and articulates the needs of those being served
C. Is open and inclusive in procedures, programs, and processes
D. all of the above
Correct. A funder wants to see an organization that: