Tips for Presenting a Charity

Making a Good Pitch

If you put your name in the hat and your name is drawn, you or the person of your choosing will be asked to give a 10-minute informal presentation about the non-profit you nominated. These 10 mins. should include time for questions from our members.  Having notes is fine, but no PowerPoint slides or handouts. This presentation should be casual and from the heart, but here are some things that you should be prepared to talk about.

Note:  There may be multiple nominations for the same organization (i.e., multiple members can put their name in the hat for the same organization), but only one presentation for that organization may be made per meeting.

You have 10 minutes to MAKE YOUR PITCH and ANSWER MEMBERS QUESTIONS so COME PREPARED and MAKE IT COUNT

Give A Little Background

  • Tell our members about the non-profit:  who they are, what they do, how they do it, the people they serve, and the impact they have. 
  • Although handouts and/or PowerPoint slides cannot be used during the presentation, presenting members are encouraged to bring materials, e.g. brochures, fact sheets, descriptions, pictures, etc. pertaining to their nominated charity. These materials will be made available at the start of our meetings on an information table that our members may choose to visit to learn more about our supported charities.

Describe the Need & How the Money Will be Used

  • Describe the program(s) or service(s) to be funded
  • Describe what and how many clients or populations our group donation would likely impact
  • Clarify if any of the donation will be used for administrative fees or salaries
  • Be clear on what the money will “buy” for the community
    • Remember, people want to make wise choices as to where their money goes. Make sure you are well informed. Will the money be applied to the general operating budget to help your chosen non-profit grow? Will funds be used to purchase supplies, materials or technology? Will the donation be used to expand a program or service?

Make It Personal

  • Tie in your own personal story about why the organization means so much to you
    • If it matters to you, it will likely matter to someone else. Use testimonials, stories and real-life events to help your audience make an emotional connection with the non-profit and gain an understanding of the non-profit’s values.
  • End with a very heartfelt request

Be Ready to Answer Questions

  • Remember, you’ll be the one to answer any audience questions (not someone else from the nonprofit)
  • People might ask questions about overall budget, how many staff the nonprofit has, or number of people served in a year. If you don’t know the answers to these questions, that’s fine. Just say so. If you like, you can get the answers after the meeting and follow up.

Above all be yourself! Use your commitment, passion, and knowledge of your non-profit to move you beyond any nervousness you might have. Remember, we’re a friendly group that wants to give away money and help our community.