FUNDRAISING GUIDE PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS JOHNS/NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC 1 Surprising Facts About Big Cats Getting Started Social Media Fundraising Ideas Build a Boma FAQs
Surprising Facts About Big Cats People love big cats. However, many people would be surprised to learn that the number of big cats in the wild has declined dramatically over the past century. To help your family and friends understand just how bad it is for big cats out there, share these important facts with them. Africa s lion population has declined 90 percent in the last 75 years. There are more tigers in captivity in the U.S. alone than there are in the wild. There are approximately 32,000 lions left in the wild. A century ago, there were more than 450,000. There are approximately 4,000 tigers, 7,500 snow leopards, and 10,000 cheetahs left in the wild. Cheetahs have disappeared from more than 75 percent of their range. Habitat loss and retaliatory killings of big cats are two of the major reasons for their rapid decline. 2
Getting Started Get your fundraising campaign off to a roaring start! Whether it s your first time fundraising or you re a pro, these tips and tricks will help you create a successful campaign. Set a realistic goal and deadline. Set a fundraising goal you believe you can reach and a deadline to meet your goal. $500 will build one boma, but setting a fundraising goal of less than $500 does not make your fundraiser less worthy. For example, if your goal is to make $250 in 5 weeks, make it a priority to ask 10 family members and friends to donate $25 within that time frame. Make the first donation. Sign in and make the first donation. Others will be more likely to donate when they see you have contributed to your own campaign. Email your close contacts. Reach out to your family and friends first, because they are the most likely to donate to your cause. They may decide to start their own campaign! Add a why to your email template. Tell people why you are fundraising (see the Surprising Facts About Big Cats section). Adding a personal message to the email template included on your fundraising page lets others know why you truly care about big cats and why they should too! Thank your fundraisers. Show your appreciation by sending a thank you note to your donors, and continue to share updates about your campaign with them. It may inspire them to contribute more toward your goal. Share your progress. Send follow-up emails and post updates on your social media pages. Sharing milestones will keep your contacts engaged. PHOTOGRAPHY BY EMILY FITZHERBERT/NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC 3
Social Media Use social media tools like Facebook and Twitter to increase the success of your fundraising campaign. It s possible that a friend of a friend will be inspired to donate. Read on for social media tips to help you widen your network and reach your fundraising goals. Use tags and say thank you. Once you have received a few donations, thank your donors via social media. This method builds on social influence; when your peers see that your friends contributed, they may be moved to donate as well. See Figure 1 here. Ask for a share or a retweet. Request that your friends share or retweet your campaign. Even if people do not donate, they may be willing to share information about Build a Boma. Raising awareness about the need to save big cats is just as important as raising funds. Update your network. Let your social network know when you are 25 percent, 50 percent, and 75 percent of the way to accomplishing your goal. Continue to ask for their support and emphasize why it is important to protect big cats. Visit causeanuproar.org for more information and resources on big cats. Figure 1 Change your profile picture and cover photo. Change your profile picture and cover photo to your favorite big cat and include a link to your fundraising campaign so people know where to donate. Download a Build a Boma Facebook and Twitter cover photo, profile picture, and Twitter background here. 4
Facebook cover and profile photo Twitter header, background, and profile picture (Social Media continued). Suggested Social Media Posts Facebook: Help me save lions by donating to my Build a Boma campaign! I m raising money to help National Geographic build predator-proof enclosures that protect livestock from lions. Donate here: [Include link to your fundraising page] Lions, tigers, and other big cat species are disappearing at alarming rates. One way to save big cats is to build predator-proof fences, or bomas. I m raising money to #BuildABoma and you can help: [Include link to your fundraising page] Lions are disappearing at an alarming rate due to human-predator conflicts. I m raising money with National Geographic to prevent retaliatory lion killings by building boma fences. Help me reach my fundraising goal: [Include link to your fundraising page] It costs $500 to build a boma fence and protect big cats. Will you make a donation to save these majestic animals? [Include link to your fundraising page] My goal is to raise $X to build boma fences, which protect livestock and prevent human-predator conflict. Can you help me reach my goal? [Include link to your fundraising page] Twitter: Do you know what a boma is? Check out why I m helping National Geographic build a boma. [Include link to your fundraising page] I m raising $X to build boma fences that protect big cats! Will you join my campaign? [Include link to your fundraising page] I m raising funds for #BuildABoma to help prevent human-lion conflict. You can help too: [Include link to your fundraising page] Please donate to my #BuildABoma campaign. Together, we can build boma fences to protect livestock and lions! [Include link to your fundraising page] Lions need our help! I m raising money to build predator-proof fences to protect them! Join me: [Include link to your fundraising page] 5
Fundraising Ideas The options are endless when it comes to creative ways of fundraising. Use your imagination! Below are some inspirational ideas to get the ball rolling. Offer a gift or service. Do you know your grandmother s secret oatmeal raisin cookie recipe? Are you a great artist? Do you have a special skill that others would benefit from, like gardening? Let your network know that for a specific dollar donation, you will help out or provide a service. Everyone loves gifts, and this is a great way to engage your network and say thank you! Run a race. Look up a local race in your area and let your family and friends know you are training for it to raise awareness about the need to protect big cats. Ask them to donate to your campaign as you train! Donate your birthday. Instead of presents for your birthday this year, ask for donations to your Build a Boma campaign. You could even ask for a donation to match the age you are turning. Host a party. Nothing beats a good old-fashioned get-together! Plan a cook-off, an after-work party, or a big cat costume party and invite your family and friends to donate to your campaign. Be social with a purpose! Reach a personal goal. Have you always wanted to run a marathon, eat healthier, or quit your caffeine habit? Ask your network to sponsor your Build a Boma campaign as you work toward achieving your goal. They could sponsor each mile of your race! You ll reach two goals at once in no time! 6
www.buildaboma.org Build a Boma FAQs Boma fences are an effective way to protect big cats because they help prevent retaliatory killings a major reason for the rapid decline of big cats. However, describing what a boma is and what it does can be a bit tricky. Here are some key terms and descriptions to help you with your campaign. What is a boma? A boma is a fence-like enclosure that protects livestock or homesteads from predators in Africa. The Build a Boma campaign is creating fortified boma fences, which are stronger and more secure than average bomas. How do bomas protect big cats? In Africa, livestock is the livelihood of many communities. When livestock is killed by a lion or other big cat, communities often retaliate by killing the big cat. Building fortified bomas reduces the risk of livestock being killed by big cats and, in turn, eliminates retaliation against big cats. How much does it cost to build a boma? It costs $500 to build a boma, and $25 per year to maintain one. What is a boma made of? Bomas are made in a variety of ways depending on the region and the person building the boma. BCI grantee Laly Lichtenfeld plants living trees around chain link fences to form living walls. In other areas, bomas are made from poles and chain link fencing. These bomas are fortified and are nearly 100 percent effective at preventing livestock loss when properly installed and maintained. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE RUAHA CARNIVORE PROJECT How long does a boma last? If maintained properly, a boma can last 20 years. How many lions, on average, can a boma protect? This answer varies by region. In the Maasai Steppe in Tanzania, for example, a boma can protect four lions from retaliatory killing over the lifetime of the boma. PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARCUS WESTBERG 7
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARCUS WESTBERG (Build a Boma FAQs continued). Are boma fences only effective in protecting lions? No; bomas are an effective means to prevent livestock loss to leopards, jaguars, tigers, hyenas, and many other large carnivores around the world. These predator-proof fences are used in other parts of the world under different names. Aside from protecting livestock, how do bomas impact communities? Livestock means livelihood for many communities in rural Africa. When people lose their livestock, they lose their wealth. By protecting his livestock, a villager maintains his status in the community and is able to provide for his family. In many communities, the women and children are responsible for protecting livestock. When livestock is well cared for, children can attend school and women aren t held responsible for losing cattle. Who receives the Build a Boma funding? National Geographic Big Cats Initiative grantees receive the funding. You can view their profiles on the Build a Boma website, www.buildaboma.org. Why is National Geographic raising money to build boma fences? Bomas have been proven to be extremely effective at preventing human-predator conflict where big cats live, and many of National Geographic s Big Cats Initiative (BCI) grantees endorse boma fortification as a successful conservation action. Boma fences are an easy, tangible way to help protect big cats. How is National Geographic using the funding? Funds raised for Build a Boma will go towards building new bomas, maintaining and fortifying existing bomas, and in some cases, completely rebuilding bomas to make them more effective. COURTESY OF THE AFRICAN PEOPLE AND WILDLIFE FUND 8
www.buildaboma.org PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL NICHOLS/NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC