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Description
Since 1999, our association has participated in 300 renovations or rehabilitations and has built 94 new homes for low-income and homeless families. The “First Homes” Association, builds simple accessible housing for working families, in a non-profit system. Such projects require significant, long-term investments, meaning the budget is largely dependent on companies’ sponsorships. The C.O.R.E. project aims to develop the NGO’s long-term capacity to fundraise and attract volunteers, by creating a sustainable system at a level adequate with the investment needed, focusing on donor experience and systemic empowerment of the NGO. The system will be based on three pillars: our current not-for-profit building system, the CORE platform and the CORE Workshop. The CORE platform aims to transform online donations in an opportunity to connect between donors, NGO and beneficiaries, using modern technology. CORE will be created by applying modern UI/UX principles to the know-how specific to the non-profit sector. The platform will include functions to control donations, information about spending of funds raised, calls for volunteers and scheduling events with the involvement of beneficiaries. The CORE workshop will help us use attracted resources more effectively, by internalizing operations such as wood processing, and allowing a larger frame for volunteering, thus reducing the costs per family served. The three pillars support each other in creating a sustainable system past the financing period, and long-term will ensure a supplementary source of income for the construction of social housing. CORE aims to triple the number of online donors and double the amounts raised in its 1st year of functioning, with further growth perspectives. Funds will be used to build a home exclusively from the donations of natural persons, thus increasing their involvement in our association’s mission.
Summary of project results
The C.O.R.E. Project was implemented to address the organization''s need to enhance its fundraising (FR) capacity in a challenging economic environment.
This period was marked by the inability to host volunteers at the nonprofit construction site due to COVID-19 restrictions, alongside a shortage of corporate sponsorships and individual donations. The project focused on the creation of a modern and secure donation platform, the construction of a workshop to safely accommodate volunteers year-round, and the promotion of continuous volunteer involvement at the build site.
As a result, an advanced FR platform was developed and customized, featuring functions such as donation history tracking, recurring donation management for donors, peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns, and dedicated donations—both of the latter introducing new revenue streams for the organization. Given that corporate volunteer teams serve as a crucial fundraising source, the ability to host them throughout the year, regardless of season or weather, significantly enhanced the organization''s capacity to attract sponsorships from corporate employers.
The workshop also facilitated the hosting of international volunteers year-round, in collaboration with Fuller Center for Housing, which sends volunteers to Romania, creating a new and valuable income stream. Additionally, communication efforts, including the amplification of the organization''s presence on social media, in the press, and through advertising campaigns, resulted in an unprecedented increase in volunteer participation. Nearly 100 volunteers attended the six open volunteer days organized as part of the project.
In conclusion, the C.O.R.E. Project has left the organization with a greatly enhanced capacity to host volunteers and finance its activities through sponsorships and international fundraising.