Carolyn Farb: First Lady of Philanthropy
To be first at anything takes unbridled enthusiasm, unstoppable determination,
bulldog tenacity, enormous amounts of hard work and shameless good luck. If
you take all those admirable characteristics, mix them together with vivacious
charm, classic beauty and a profound zest for life, you will have a pretty good
picture of Carolyn Farb.
Descriptions and characteristics are one thing, but facts speak louder than
words. In the past twenty years Carolyn has:
In short, Carolyn Farb is a dynamic, passionately driven individual who personifies all that is good about volunteers who devote their lives to helping others.
For someone who has never hired a publicist, her face is one of the best-known in Houston and her name is nationally recognized because of her stellar reputation as a mover and shaker of formidable proportions. She has made chairing successful charitable events an art form and unselfish life's occupation. From cancer and medical research, children's and women's issues, to arts, education, and culture, Carolyn's skill as a volunteer fundraiser has been fine-tuned to equal that of the best professional fundraisers in the country. In Houston, Carolyn has raised funds for Texas Neurofibromatosis Foundation, Society for the Performing Arts, Challenger Center for Space Science Education, United Cerebral Palsy, Museum of Fine Arts Houston, I Have A Dream-Houston, San Jacinto Girl Scout Council, Houston Ballet Foundation, High School for Performing and Visual Arts, and the University of Houston, just to mention a few. Her most recent stellar achievement was chairing the recording-breaking Houston Grand Opera Ball 2001 which netted more than $1.3 million.
A native of Houston, Carolyn has been involved in charitable activities since she was a teenager. Her first experience at helping others was with Texas Children's Hospital where she spent countless hours making pimento cheese sandwiches for the patients' families and visitors in the snack bar. Now, she spends months and sometimes up to a year planning and organizing record-breaking and innovative fundraisers for numerous worthwhile organizations. Carolyn is renowned in Houston and abroad as a diva who knows the secret to raising money for deserving and worthy causes, and is affectionately referred to as the First Lady of Philanthropy.
"It should be acknowledged here and now that when you first begin to lend yourself to such efforts, your motives are going to arouse curiosity," she stated. "That is until people come to realize this is your calling in life. It is not an ego trip. You are not some kind of dilettante. There is, of course, an enormous amount of satisfaction to be earned. Call it a sense of accomplishment, of making a contribution. The fact is, the work is there to be done -- research programs to be funded, memorials to be built, and services expanded -- and in the end knowing what motivates people doesn't matter much. The doing is what really matters. One of my favorite quotes is from Danny Thomas. He said, 'Success in life has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It's what you do for others.'"
"In the Trenches" Fundraiser
Carolyn Farb is an "in the trenches" fundraiser; she learned her successful development techniques by doing. "I am very hands-on and committed to give whatever it takes to accomplish our goal," she stated. "Fundraising is my art -- I love the excitement of it all coming together. It begins with a concept that I take from the beginning to its final creation. It is very thrilling. You can't be effective unless you are totally hands on."
In addition to her hands-on approach, her tried and true development practices have been cultivated and nurtured over twenty years of successfully planning and executing events. A steadfast operating principle that she quotes to any organization looking to raise money through a special event is zero budgeting. "Basically, that means you don't have to spend money to make money," she stated. "Fundraising events should ideally cost zero dollars to stage, thereby giving the entire proceeds to whatever the cause may be. That doesn't always work out in practice but I come about as close as anyone can get, roughly between 5 percent and 10 percent of total contributions for all expenses."
Selecting her causes
Carolyn never wants for volunteer work. As soon as she successfully completes one major event invariable another charitable organization asks for her help. With so many good programs and causes how does she pick and choose where to invest her time and talents? "Before I get involved with an organization it has to speak to something I believe in and care about before I take on the responsibility of giving of my self and my time. I feel like I can help them make a difference by bringing in new donors, starting innovative trends, helping them focus on their mission, and assist them in broadening their donor base. I take the responsibility of chairing an event very seriously making certain that almost every dollar raised goes to the cause that I am championing. I am always willing to renegotiate a better proposal on behalf of the charitable organization -- it's certainly worth a try."
According to Carolyn, the most important element to consider when committing to an organization is yourself. "Listen to your heart," she says. "It takes a 'no mountain is too high' vitality."
The Houston Grand Opera Ball 2001
In a succession of dynamic changes and shrewd innovations, Carolyn reinvented the way the Opera Ball 2001 raised money. A Night at the Alhambra, a March event, incorporated the mystery and old-world elegance of Spain in the exotic palace of the Alhambra. As the visionary and chairperson of this incredibly successful event, Carolyn moved the Ball from the Wortham Center where it had been traditionally held for the previous 13 years, to the more accommodating space at the Hyatt Regency Houston. It was a bold and controversial move that initially caused eyebrows to arch but was later lauded as a brilliant strategic decision. This year's event was the first to honor an artist, in this case visionary writer, sculptor and playwright, Robert Wilson. He was presented with the inaugural Andrea Palladio Award which will be presented annually -- another Farb innovation.
Her most ingenious idea was to coordinate the development of an on-line auction web site to premier, preview and bid on the more than 160 silent auction items. "Creating the Web site was an innovative way to enhance donor recognition and bring our success story of Opera Ball 2001, A Night at the Alhambra, literally to the entire world," stated Carolyn. "On-line bidders could browse the items, submit a bid, daily check their bid status, and register for both the silent and live auction prior to the event. Making the auction items for the Opera Ball available on-line was just good business. It opened the auction to potential bidders worldwide. At the same time it offered the auction donors and underwriters greater recognition and appreciation. The Web site gave auction items a longer shelf-life and increased the donors visibility prior to and beyond the evening of the event."
The event also featured a live auction which was purposely limited to only four exquisite items: a Mercedes-Benz 2001 CLK 320 Cabriolet, a one week stay for ten at the Château Robert in the heart of Gascony, France, with airfare provided by AirFrance, a Salvador Dali bronze sculpture Femme Violin, and a Rudolfo Moráles painting Tres Novias.
More than 900 guests attended this year's event which netted a record $1.3 million. The ballroom of the Hyatt Regency was transformed into the Spanish-Arabian Palace, the Alhambra. The black-tie event featured the exotic decor created by a team of designers -- each fulfilling a different component of Farb's overall design concept.
Probably the boldest decision Carolyn made, and one that sends shivers down the spine of most development professionals, was her decision not to have a steering committee to help develop the event. "Many times it's more labor intensive to work with a committee," Farb stated. "Sometimes volunteers merely lend their name and are not actively involved in the work. I'm a great believer in the buck stops here. Every chairperson has their own unique management style and makes that personal choice whether to have a large committee, a small committee or no committee. You have to be willing to go out there and make proposals and talk with people one on one. People always say to me, it's easy for you to do it. But it's not easy. It's taken a lifetime of hard work and dedication to build these relationships."
In spite of developing the event with a core group of close friends and supporters, all of her innovations, combined with $750,000 of in-kind donations, $670,000 in donated auction items, and table sales at $1.01 million and expenses at an all-time low of nineteen percent, made the A Night at the Alhambra, Opera Ball 2001 not only a record-setting event, but the hottest party ticket in town. "Everyone wanted to be there," Carolyn explained. "There was a real buzz about it and the pre-event functions created the momentum that led the way to Alhambra."
Houston Grand Opera general manager David Gockley was not only thrilled with the success of the event but impressed by the hard work of Carolyn. "When Carolyn was asked to chair the Opera Ball, she responded with, 'I want to make a difference.' Her fundraising abilities are legendary, and her leadership qualities, along with her hands-on planning and execution of every detail, serve as an ideal model for all event chairs, as well as all nonprofit organizations."
Her secret of success?
In her fundraising textbook, "How to Raise Millions Helping Others, Having A Ball!" she explains that working smart and working hard are the keys to success. She takes on each new project just as a Fortune 500 CEO would, creating a fundraising plan much like a corporate business plan. She always begins her projects with vision and finesse, learning as much as possible about the program and quickly becoming its chief cheerleader and most avid defender. Working within her strict "zero budget" financial guidelines is something business people understand. "It's like running a corporation over the short term," she explained. "I work very hard at it. It's challenging and very competitive to raise funds."
In her book she also recommends plenty of preparation time for major events. "Start early!" she emphatically states. "Make each event unique and true to the cause and make sure that every detail and ancillary event builds on the theme. Watch expenses. Make the event and the auction alive, fast paced, and exciting. And, probably most importantly, show appreciation to all your donors, underwriters and volunteers. So they will be ready to assist you at your next event." In addition to smart budgeting, and dedicated volunteers, Carolyn has eight other cast in stone principals which are: concept, showmanship, originality, commitment, details, decorations, media, delegating and recognition. Fundraising, Farb style, leaves as little to chance as possible.
A new book by Carolyn is on the horizon. This book will provide fundraising tips in case something unexpected happens at your event. For example, what do you do if a critical escalator stops functioning at your venue, or a printer can't complete your event program on time? Her new book will give practical advice so you can quickly and efficiently handle most any difficult situation.
Carolyn Farb's fundraising efforts are a win-win situation for everyone involved. The organization receives the money and exposure it needs and the patrons and underwriters receive enormous recognition and leave the event with a genuinely good feeling about being involved with a successful benefit for a cause close to their hearts.
How does the First Lady of Philanthropy want to be remembered? "I want to be remembered as someone who cared and felt compassion for others, wanted to make a difference and wasn't afraid to dream."
The world of philanthropy is a much better place because of Carolyn Farb.
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Sidebar
Carolyn Farb raises millions of dollars for charitable causes; most recently
$1.5 million for the Houston Grand Opera Ball 2001. The following advise comes
from her book, How to Raise Millions, Helping Others, Having a Ball! (1993 Eakin
Press, Austin, Texas)
Before the Event...
1. Get your "documents" (auction donor forms, event fact sheet, letters to prospective benefactors and prospective in-kind donors, reply cards, etc.) out early. There is a lot of competition and both benefactors and in-kind donors will appreciate time to reflect on your request.
2. Every detail of the invitation should mirror the event's theme -- for example, designating the levels of giving with interesting names. Let your imagination run wild!
3. You don't have to spend money to raise money. There will be some expenses, however, that are fixed and not covered by in-kind donations, such as the rental of the venue, the cost of meals, etc. Try to keep your expenses at 15 percent or less of the revenue from your event, not counting in-kind donations. People who contribute look carefully at how their money is spent, and they will appreciate seeing the effect on the bottom line.
During the Event...
4. Keep the "live" in live auction! This segment of your program should be fast-paced and exciting, and limiting the number of high-dollar items to just a few will help. Remember: the majority of your guests are not bidding, and a long live auction could become boring and dissolve the momentum of the evening. It's a good idea for guests to see the items while they are being auctioned, either on a projection screen or actually displayed in the room.
5. Consider placing plainclothes security guards at strategic locations during the event to keep an eye on the silent auction items. Even though you can trust your guests, most events are held in public locations where those more unscrupulous might be tempted to walk away with a valuable item.
6. When honoring a dignitary or well-known figure during an event, it is a nice gesture to have a proclamation or letter from the governor or the mayor to present to the individual during the course of the event.
After the Event...
7. It's important for the event photographer to develop your photographs as soon as possible for meeting media deadlines. Always have the proper names, titles and other pertinent information written on the back of each photograph. And spell those names correctly!
8. Remember to thank volunteers and the chairperson with a letter, a phone call, flowers or a small gift. If you treat volunteers as you would like to be treated, they will be ready to assist you at your next event.
9. What do you do after an event is over and someone has not upheld his or her commitment? Sometimes it just takes a friendly reminder. First, determine if there is a reason for non-payment or if the payment is en-route. Secondly, re-invoice, making certain your invoice is getting to the person responsible for payment. You will also have more leverage if the individual or organization has already been recognized in print, on the pre-event publicity and event program.
10. Document the event to continue its promotion and to publicize its success. If a video is made and copies are cost-effective, they may be used as a thank-you gift to benefactors or as fundraising tools for future events.
Quotes for the Article
"She is truly a remarkable, unique lady of boundless energy.
You cannot say no to her because she is a master artist of persuasion. Her generosity,
her time, and her spirit all guarantee her a place in heaven. She has truly
touched the lives of so many people that don't even know her, and that surely
must be the definition of charity."
Robin Leach
Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous
"The success of the event which Carolyn chaired was testimony
to her extraordinary fundraising skills and dedication to worthy causes. With
ever-increasing competition from charity organizations, strong leadership is
necessary to bring good results. Carolyn certainly knows how to set and exceed
goals."
Vanessa Redgrave
UNICEF Special Representative for the Performing Arts
"Someone should write a book entitled, 'One Million Things
Carolyn Farb Has Done to Help Others.' She is committed to making our community
and our world a better place, and were she being considered as a faculty member
in public service, she could definitely qualify as a professor with tenure."
David Hohn, MD
Vice President of patient Care at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
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