Beyond the Bake Sale: Fundraising for Local History Organizations

by Jamie Simek

If food is nourishment to a person, money is sustenance for most nonprofit organizations. Yet many small organizations rely on one-off efforts and get-rich events in place of real fundraising strategies. Just because an organization is small, or volunteer-run, or located in a rural area, does not mean its leaders can’t professionalize their fundraising, establish effective processes, and build genuine relationships that will lead to the ultimate people giving to people.

Beyond the Bake Fundraising for Local History Organizations meets organizations where they are, cutting through all of the assumptions and mumbo-jumbo, taking professional fundraising strategies and scaling them to an accessible level. Designed specifically for small cultural heritage organizations, this book is written with their unique challenges in mind. From caring for objects-based collections to succeeding with minimal (or no) permanent staff to grant writing for those who’ve never written grants, this book is for local history organization leaders doing critical work to care for our shared history.

Complete with explanations, examples, and thought-provoking questions, this book challenges local history leaders to brainstorm, communicate, experiment, and plan. Blank worksheets encourage readers to put ideas down in writing and establish processes to build upon. Whether read cover to cover or used as a reference text for specific topics, users will find material that begins with a broad overview before narrowing to focus on tips and tactics that will help grassroots fundraisers feel more comfortable, confident and confident in their efforts.

Above all else, this book is grounded in the idea that fundraising is an intentional, people-focused process built on genuine, personal relationships. This philosophy should be as accessible to leaders at small cultural heritage organizations as to anyone else doing important nonprofit work in their communities.

249 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 20, 2022

Reviews

[Sarah Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is good general info, but I honestly didn't see much that applied directly to history organizations in a meaningful way.

[Matt Curts · Rating 5 out of 5]

For anyone entering the non-profit world for the first time or the idea of hiring a professional fundraiser is beyond reach, Beyond the Bake Sale is a must read. Many resources on fundraising exist but tend to be written for a professional fundraising audience and and answer why, what, where, and when. But rarely does one find a resource that answers how to actually go about the work. Beyond the Bake Sale does that and more. The use of everyday vernacular makes this work accessible to the novice and expert alike. It provides cradle to grave suggestions that assist you in developing a fundraising policy that breathes confidence into your team and board members as you embark on what many would consider their second greatest fear behind public speaking. Our non-profit start up has benefited greatly from Ms. Simek’s book and continue to use it as our greatest asset in the development of our fundraising plans. If you have been fearful or stuck on how to go about asking others to join you in the problems you hope to solve, start with reading Beyond the Bake Sale.