Our mission is to provide financial assistance to ANY non-profit organizations that have a strong presence in and serve residents of Franklin County, Vermont. We encourage all members to submit nominations for consideration. As you prepare for your presentation be sure to review the Charity Nomination Form. This form will ensure that you have the key information you’ll need to present when you nominate. Used in conjunction with the tips below, the nomination form will guide you in giving a detailed and professional presentation (but don’t forget the “heart” story!)
If your charity is selected, you or a representative from the charity will have up to 5 minutes to talk about the charity (please, no PowerPoint presentations or videos), about what kind of impact it makes and the intended use of 100 Women Who Care-Franklin County’s donation. Talks will be timed and you will be informed when time is up. Please be respectful of the time limit. After your talk, there will be a 5 minute Question and Answer period where members can ask questions or add comments about the organization. Use the time you have been given to make an impact.
Here are a few tips:
KNOW THE FACTS! Practice your elevator speech. You need to be able to talk about the work the organization does in under 1 minute. People get lost easily by drawn out explanations. Write down what it is, how they accomplish their mission and who is affected. Then wrap that around a few sentences and viola! you’ve got your pitch. If you want to nominate an organization but don’t know the necessary details, do the research and brush up on the organization so you can make a solid pitch.
TELL THE HEART STORY! Think of a way to tie in a personal story of those impacted by your organization so the group has a very clear understanding of how it works. As you prepare, write down: Why are you involved. Why does the organization matter to you and what changes or growth have you seen during your involvement with the organization. Remember, if it matters to you, it will probably matter to others. After you’ve written your remarks, PRACTICE!
SHOW THEM THE MONEY! Where will the money go? The people in the room want to make a wise choice about where they donate. We shouldn’t need detailed financial statements but do need a strong description of what the funds will be supporting. Taking the time to find out where the money will go pays off in the long run and will give you the confidence to stand up and make your pitch to the group.
DON’T GIVE UP! If your organization is not drawn to present or is not selected as the donation recipient KEEP TRYING! Continue to practice and tweak your nomination so you’ll be prepared to present again.
