Excellence in Fund-raising

Quota International of Baton Rouge

While we often think of people becoming set in their ways, it never occurs to us that a fund-raising idea can follow the same path. It takes courage to examine a concept and make a change. The Quota Club of Baton Rouge, long associated with their successful "Open Door Tour" fund-raiser, did some serious soul-searching to reexamine their hugely successful house tour fund-raiser. With the help of an outside consultant, the Quotarians decided to revamp the house tour by changing the event from the fall to the spring.

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Even before Katrina roared into Louisiana, the club members decided that a project overhaul was needed. With ticket sales in a slump and the profits dipping, it seemed that the twelve-month preparation and the work of the 65 club members weren't worth the effort. The fund-raising consultant took an objective look and made some excellent recommendations.

Instead of splitting the profits with a number of good causes, Quota looked for a single project that would fulfill the club's mission. After much research, the Quotarians decided to bring Girls Hope to Baton Rouge. The money donated from the house tour would help provide funding to renovate a residential facility for girls with high academic potential but no financial means.

The results? A net profit of U.S.$25,000 and a breath of fresh spring air for a fund-raising project that is as vital today as it was when it started in 1951.

To read or print the club's winning application, click here*.

Quota International of Manila South

With determination, hard work, and a strong belief in a cause, a lot of money can be made even when economic times are tough. Quota International of Manila South had the determination to create a well-organized fund-raiser that would be so much fun that people would "delight in" spending their money. The event, a dinner-dance concert, was held at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club. With lively music from a local band called "The Angfourgettables," the club netted U.S. $28,850.

The project took six months of organizing, obtaining sponsorships, selling tickets, and securing advertisers for the souvenir program book. With an all-out promotional campaign, club members contacted 10 newspapers and several radio stations to spread the word. An amazing 1,200 tickets were sold!

The members truly enjoyed working on the event because the proceeds benefited five very worthy causes: Philippine General Hospital to assist children stricken with cancer, refurbishing a home for the aged, improving the deafness resource library, audiometric testing, and scholarships for deserving deaf students.

The Quotarians not only met their financial goal but exceeded it. Thanks to hard work, a tremendous amount of planning, and maximizing the talents of all the club members, "A 'Quota' Evening" set a new standard for fund-raising events.

To read or print the club's winning application, click here*.

To return to the 2006 Excellence Award Winners main page, click here.

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