Running a charity is like running a business in some ways, but in others it is totally different. There are few of things you need to assess and come to grips with before sending aid or money abroad. To grow your charity you need to prove that it is successful and helping people. However, to do this you need to implement a large array of systems and control to ensure you are having the desired effect, whilst making sure everything is above board and working well.
This guide can help you ensure that you are on track, while also giving you tips you can use in the execution of your charitable work.
Look After Your People
If you are sending people to places where other humans need help then you need to ensure they are safe in the work they do. Check up on local issues, such as warring faction like IS in the middle east or adverse weather conditions like monsoons in Africa. You need to implement a system to tell your workforce about these issues so consider something like the system seen at https://www.alertmedia.com/emergency-notification-system. Being able to inform is the first step towards making them safe. If they don’t know what’s going on around them how can they prepare for it. This can help you ensure they are kept safe, this should be your first priority. If you can’t do this you won’t attract other aid workers and as a result your charity will be dead in the water.
Check Local Laws
You need to ensure you check up on local laws before you go to the intended location. They obviously change from place to place, but some countries have more obscure laws and you should know them before you commit to travelling. In Singapore, for example, chewing gum is illegal. You need to know otherwise you could find yourself in trouble, regardless of the fact you were trying to help. Bear this in mind if you are close to a border too. A simple step across and you could find yourself in a whole different world, so make sure you stick to the intended country when working close to the border.
Get Jabs
Many places with bad sanitation have illness everywhere. Ensure you are protected. Get your jabs. Malaria is a must, as are some of the other jabs for things like dengue fever and the like. If you can get a jab then do it. You may have to pay for them, so ensure you take this out of the overall profit pot. They can be expensive too, but never skimp on them because you could end up spending your whole trip in hospital. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can go without because you can’t. Sometimes this mistake can be fatal.
Brand Your Charity
You need to make sure that you brand your charity as you would a business. This gives it a face, an image that people can get behind. Be recognisable. Market your charity. Think of a good snappy name, and most certainly a logo. You should assign a certain amount of your funding towards marketing. It may seem like money wasted, but the more people that see or know about your charity the more people who will get behind it and pay you cash so that you can help people. In this way, you need to run your charity like a business.
Target Funding Events
Think outside the box when it comes to funding events. You can go for swanky glitzy events where you can solicit larger amounts of cash from the high and mighty or you could consider doing something easy and community based. The more you do the more you will get in return. Always go for the sustained monthly donations rather than the one off sum, this way you know you are getting a consistent monetary influx each month which you can use either in aid or to keep your business running. It takes the pressure off constant fundraisers too, meaning you’ll know you have cash coming so you won’t need to panic all the time.
