Blog 20: Exit Interview

• (1) What is your essential question and answers?  What is your best answer and why?

Eq: What is the best way to raise funds for a nonprofit animal rescue?

Answer 1. By having an up to date and eye-catching website to raise online donations

Answer 2. By having a variety of social media accounts to allow people to follow your organization.

Answer 3. By following up with your fundraising committee to discuss previous or future events to come in monthly meetings. 

BEST ANSWER?  By having a variety of social media accounts to allow people to follow your organization.

WHY? When interviewing my mentor Lisa Anderson,  whom is a Supervisor at Priceless Pets Rescue, is part of the Fundraising Committee, and volunteers at least twice a week at Priceless Pets Rescue with the dogs mentioned that the biggest factor contributing on how to get people to attend your events is through out their Social Media Account. Its the cheapest and quickest way to get the word out about the organization to people. She also stated that they use this method for everything. For example, Priceless Pets Rescue raised $1,600 through a restaurant fundraiser in one night by putting it all over there Facebook and Instagram.

• (2) What process did you take to arrive at this answer?

I first came across this answer through my foundational pieces. They would mention how a huge majority of nonprofit organizations that were successful had social networks. Apart from that, I noticed that all the "big" nonprofits such as Red Cross and YMCA have social media sites. 

• (3) What problems did you face?  How did you resolve them?

The one problem I faced was on how to complete my 2nd semester Independent Component 30 hours because I was not sure how or on what I could focus on. I resolved this by finding out that Priceless Pets Rescue had a Fundraising Committee and joining it. This extremely helped me because I was putting my EQ into action. This committee focused on raising funds for the organization which is what my EQ is trying to find. 

• (4) What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?

My first significant source would have to be my mentor Lisa Anderson. As I mentioned above she is heavily involved within the organization and she has helped me discover answers to my EQ plus answer any questions I have about the organization or use her opinions to further research possible answers. My  second significant source was a book written by llona Bray J.D. titled "Effective Fundraising for Nonprofits: Real-World Strategies That Work". This was also an important source because not only was it written in 2013, the most recent possible but it breaks down every aspect of Fundraising for a nonprofit.