Important: check with Elections Canada or your provincial equivalent for copies of the Elections Handbook as well as the Official Agent Handbook before you launch your fundraising campaign.

1)    Be prepared
Delegate a Fundraising Chair to create campaign goals and a budget long before the writ is dropped. The earlier you start, the more time you will have to prepare for the campaign.

2)    Be organized
The Fundraising Chair should create a timetable with weekly fundraising targets throughout the campaign and keep track of potential donors and outreach strategies. Building a system to keep track of this information is a real asset. Your municipal, provincial, or federal party may have software or web-based tools to help manage and process fundraising data.

3)    Good attitude
Campaigns are long hard battles and not everyone is going to give you money. Some people will hang-up the phone or close the door before you have a chance to make your pitch. So it’s important to recruit fundraising team members who have a positive, can-do attitude.

4)    Accountability
Each member of the fundraising team should have a specific responsibility assigned to him or her and be familiar with Elections Canada rules and regulations. The fundraising team must ensure that records are kept on who donates, the amount of each donation, and on expenditures related to fundraising.  

5)    Hard work
Successful fundraising requires dedication, commitment, effort, patience and long hours. Ensure that your team feels valued and confident in their role in order to maximize productivity. It’s also important to have fun so that others feel the positive momentum of the party. 

6)    Hold events
There are lots of different types of fundraising events, but the simplest to organize are often the most effective. Just remember that the goal is to get like-minded people in the same room, get them to give according to their abilities, and have a good time doing it.

7)    Recognition
Thank your donors no more than 14 days after you have received their contribution. Call or write a short note on a card to let them know how important their support is to the party. Remember to thank your volunteers and staff throughout and after a campaign.