Most charities are small. And many start humbly—with a determined handful of folks scrapping for those initial dollars.
Darla Farmer was in that camp three years ago when she started Hope for Three, a local autism charity in suburban Houston. Ms. Farmer first got the idea when her friend, Hope Montgomery, gave birth to triplets with autism spectrum disorder. Her desire to help turned to action when she realized there were no nonprofits in her county dedicated exclusively to helping autistic children and their families.
Hope for Three became an official 501(c)(3) in April 2011, and Ms. Farmer began her fundraising efforts with a kickoff luncheon at a friend’s home. The roughly 70 attendees were friends and friends of friends. She raised about $3,000.
Next, Ms. Farmer hit the road. She drove to all but two of the county’s 18 towns, met with each of the mayors, and persuaded them to issue official proclamations recognizing April as autism-awareness month. She says gaining the support and recognition of local politicians raised the organization’s profile significantly.
“I probably put in 1,000 miles just on driving, maybe a little less,” Ms. Farmer says of her first year with the nonprofit.
She also approached one of the county’s largest private employers, a construction firm, the Fluor Corporation, and applied to be an official benefactor for its annual golf outing.
“Look, I don’t have any graphs,” she recalls telling the company’s selection committee in a face-to-face meeting. “I don’t have any bells and whistles. I just have a story to share.”
A 10-minute speech about her friend’s struggles and the dearth of local autism charities netted her a critical $50,000.
Since then, the charity has held an autism-awareness night with the local minor-league baseball team, held a charity fun run, and hosted a casino night for local business leaders. The group also sent direct mail to residents of nearby towns, focusing on those Ms. Farmer considers up-and-coming.
Hope for Three raises autism awareness in the region and uses the money it brings in to help families pay for some of their autistic children’s medical expenses. Last year, the organization generated $266,507 in revenue, $149,326 of which came from private donations.
It all started, Ms. Farmer says, with her ground game—reaching out to friends, pressing the flesh with politicians, and courting local businesses.
“You gotta prove yourself. You get the ball rolling,” she says. “It’s been a 24/7 job. Thank god I have a very compassionate husband.”
Individual Donations by Year (excluding money from events)
2011: $1,491 raised, 13 donors
2012: $19,129 raised, 40 donors
2013: $30,123 raised, 83 donors
2014: $44,243 raised, 122 donors