Expert Advice on How to Secure Funding for Your CAC’s Interview Room
The Child Advocacy Center of Simcoe/Muskoka, Ontario, Canada
CaseCracker Customer Since 2014
“People get excited to be part of funding an organization if you show them the value the community receives as the result of their gift.”
—Jennifer Jackson, Executive Director 2014-2017
In an ideal world, securing the funding necessary to keep your child advocacy center operating at the highest possible standard should be easy. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. A cost-effective system with easy-to-understand benefits is a great first step in getting funding—and a major reason why Jennifer Jackson and Jennie-May Banks chose CaseCracker when they first opened The Child Advocacy Center of Simcoe/Muskoka in Ontario. “CaseCracker frees up IT tech support funds because it’s so easy to use,” explains Ms. Banks. “Plus it includes free phone support for the duration of the warranty.”
In addition to sourcing a forensic interview recording system that was affordable and did not require extensive training or additional tech support expenditures, Ms. Jackson and Ms. Banks make the following suggestions for other CACs looking to fund their technology investments:
- Look to government agencies for support. Ms. Jackson explains that while essential to their work, technology isn’t necessarily seen as the “sexiest” thing for private donors to fund. Instead, both federal and local government agencies are great places to look for financial aid, as they tend to favor this kind of support.
- Focus on local fundraising teamwork. Ms. Jackson recommends not only reaching out to corporate and foundation funders, but to service clubs such as your local Kiwanis or Rotary club chapters. “Sometimes several branches can band together to fund something,” she explains. “For example, if five branches each give $2,000, they can each advertise that they funded a recording system even if it was just one-fifth of the total donation.”
- Real-world results get funding. Another great fundraising resource Ms. Banks points out is showcasing your organization’s real-world impact on the community. Donors want to know exactly what kind of work you’re doing and how their investment will help you make an even bigger impact. To that end, she says, use statistics to your advantage. “Local organizations can get behind things like, ‘We conducted x number of interviews and served y number of children in 2015.’”
- Wow them with a presentation. Finally, don’t forget the value of an engaging fundraising presentation. When you can show a potential donor how much value an interview room recording system can have on your CAC, including how many children it can help, they have that many more reasons to feel good about their gift. “People get excited to be part of funding an organization if you make the right presentation,” says Ms. Banks. One that can show them the real “value the community receives as the result of that gift.”
About The Child Advocacy Center of Simcoe/Muskoka
A grassroots initiative, the Child Advocacy Centre of Simcoe/Muskoka opened its doors in 2014 and is one of the first centers of its kind in Canada. CACSM’s motto, that “children’s voices will be heard,” is based on the understanding that when a child has experienced sexual or physical abuse, speaking up can be frightening, confusing, and overwhelming. By bringing together police, child protective services, healthcare professionals, and victim services in a safe, neutral space, community partners have created a warm, homelike environment that eases the burdens placed on child victims and their families facing extraordinarily difficult circumstances. At CACSM, children and youth are empowered to tell their stories on their terms.
