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Is Your Board Looking Through the Lens of Mission?

The lens of mission must guide everything that a Board of Directors decides in an organization. Everything.

Board members are the vanguard of the mission.  They develop it; they refine it, and they ensure it.  They ensure that Decision making through lens of missionthe organization is meeting the needs of those that they serve through assessing the community during a strategic planning process, then evaluating current services to ensure that there is alignment between need, mission, and programs.

A mission statement is nothing to be taken lightly.  It is the very essence of who your organization is and as such, such be deliberate and thoughtful in its crafting.  Mission statement crafting or refining is not something undertaken lightly.  In most cases, in happens in tandem with strategic planning.  Once a mission has been crafted or revised, the Board should use this mission in all that it does through its governance role.

Whether making a financial decision or a programmatic one, the mission is the lens by which organizations make all their decisions.  Let’s take funding for instance.  I have seen groups who will actively seek funding dollars, not based upon the mission, but because they are in need of monies to run the organization.  And, then when they receive the money, they are not able to provide adequate services.  Or, other agencies which are religious in nature that begin to solicit and accept government funding, and then when mandates come down from the federal and state government, these organizations find themselves in precarious moral and ethical quandaries because they have now engaged in these types of contracts.

Programmatically, I have witnessed groups who have started programs or provided services to new constituencies without a thorough discussion centering upon the mission.  Then years later, they are serving populations that they never set out to help and wonder how they have moved so far from their core.

Mission.  For Board of Directors, this is the lens through which they should make all their decisions.  Every strategic governance issue or question should also start with an analysis of the situation through the mission.

Will this particular change impact our mission?  If it does, what does that mean?  If it doesn’t, should it?  How do we remain faithful to our mission?  What does it mean to be true to our mission?  Should we accept this funding or will it lead to “mission creep?”  Do we serve this new population in need or is there another organization who can better meet their needs?

And, yes, sometimes our missions are met.  Horrors of all horrors, what happens when we meet our mission.  Sometimes that means a group ceases.  But, in far too many cases, we think that our organization should go on forever.  But, yet we were all started in some senses to alleviate social conditions.  What does it say when we never allow ourselves to get there.

Mission.  Don’t over gloss the importance of it.  And, don’t forget to use it as the lens of every decision made within an organization.  It is just that critical.

 

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From here to minutia…Board of Directors and their committees

Ah, Board committees. Now, we get knee deeper into confusion. So, keeping the Board focused on governance is challenging work. Keeping the committees focused on governance seems at times almost impossible.

A few observations from the field.

Just like with Board of Directors, Board committee’s need position descriptions and expectations. Now, I won’t recommend specific committees because each organization is different, but the basics such as Finance and Governance Committees are essential.Board Committees are all about governance

Why a position description for the committee? Well, far too often, I have seen committees want to take over management types of activities. You know, they think governance is at the Board collective level, and therefore, they can focus on getting things done. Yes, to some extent, but with specific parameters in place. A committee also needs to be engaging in governance regarding examining trends and their implications.

Take, for instance, a Development Committee. Where does the line end between helping to establish a philanthropic goal, approving a fundraising plan, and then actually implementing the work and sometimes even circumventing staff efforts? Ah, yes, this does happen. And, it happens more than we like to think. Once you get down to the committee level, management seems to creep in. So, a powerful committee position description will help to create appropriate boundaries.

Now, I say, in the case of Fund Development, members as part of this committee work to engage their fellow Board members in the process of fund development. So, they may call upon a Board member to chair an event, or to help solicit funds, or to introduce the organization to a significant prospect. This fact does not mean that the manage the fundraising process. And, this is not to say that they manage staff. That is up to staff. But, even in all-volunteer organizations, when Board members must manage, governance comes first. Heck, you can establish a special event committee of the Board that works on event logistics with both Board and non-Board members. Governance rules.

Moreover, committees in no way, shape, or form make decisions for the Board. No, way. You see, the only people that make decisions for the Board is the Board collective. Committees can wrestle with tough strategic, governance issues, and make recommendations for actions at the Board meeting, but in now way does the Committee make a decision that is not vetted and voted by the Board as a whole. Again, clearly outlined position descriptions and expectations create parameters for appropriate behavior.

I know, I know, governance in small nonprofits. Again, governance discussions come first. Operational issues can be done by a task force or other such components. The Finance Committee in a large or small organization needs to look at economic trends in the overall community both locally and globally and make sound fiscal decisions. That does not mean that they get into the minutia. Yes, Board members do need to do management kinds of things in small non-profits, but they can also engage their membership or volunteers to assist in getting things done. So, while a nature organization needs to discuss trail maintenance and who is going to do it, they most importantly need to discuss which trails where, why, and how much is going to cost. What are the environmental impacts of a trail system, etc. They can always appeal to their membership or the general community to help clear brush.

So, again, clear, written, articulated in advance, position descriptions for the Board as a collective, individual Board members and the committees of the Board themselves are needed to create parameters and boundaries around keeping the Board focused on its significant role in governance.

I have been known to point out, “Would you see a Board committee of Pepsi-Cola engaging in supervising staff other than the CEO, or working in the factory bottling soda pop?” Even small, family-owned businesses, need to talk about things like, “there is a new competitor in town, what does that mean for us?” or “Our chocolate sales hit rock bottom, what is our cash flow over the next year?”

No, so what makes us in nonprofits think that we need to operate any differently? Just because we are “non-profit” doesn’t imply that our Boards of Directors should operate any differently. The difference being that for-profit Boards report to stockholders and our Boards report to stakeholders. And, yes, my friend, we can offer our Board compensation if we wanted to go that far.

For more articles on your Board of Directors, start here!

P.S. – Are you ready to get started with your first large fundraising campaign?  And, you want it to be successful?  Get started with my FREE 7 Steps to a Majorly Successful Fundraising Campaign and use the EXACT same steps that I share with my clients.  Click here to download your FREE 7 Steps “Cheat Sheet” and start planning your fundraising campaign today.   I will share with you all the steps you need to be successful before launching your next campaign.

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Great expectations for Board Members

Last week, I noted how all-volunteer and small staffed organizations must engage iBoard members need position descriptionsn governance at the Board level.  I pointed out that one of the first steps is to secure commitment to change.  Some groups may not want to change and need to wrestle with the question of “what does not changing mean for our organization?”  You can read that article here.

Others on the other hand do.  So, after they gain consensus and commitment to changing, one of the next natural steps to creating this cultural shift on the board level is to look at the Board’s position descriptions.  Now, I must say, this is where the dialogue gets quiet for my me and my client.  For you see, I find that many have some form of a Board member expectation outline, simple as they may be, but lack a basic Board of Directors position description.

How can that be?  I am not sure. I think that sometimes, perhaps groups don’t understand the full role of the Board and therefore don’t design a position description outlining the roles and responsibilities of a Board.  On the other hand, some Boards by design, especially smaller nonprofit organizations, create Board positions to assist in getting the day-to-day organizational work complete, and the Board mainly functions as a management/volunteer rather than as a governance focused Board.

Just like in the “real” world, we wouldn’t expect to hire someone or to take a job that does not have a position description.  The case is the same here.  Why would we expect a Board member to come on Board without outlining for them their duties and responsibilities and sharing that with them?  The Board holds one of the largest, if not THE most important role within an organization.  In fact, the “buck” stops with the Board.  How do you assess and release Board members if they or you haven’t defined that role for them?

And, we wonder why Boards are not functioning the way we want or expect them to.  We haven’t begun to identify the parameters of what that work entails.  We expect Board members to come on board fully engaged and knowing of their responsibilities, and when they don’t, we get frustrated and upset with our Board’s performance.

So, after seeking consensus and commitment, an organization must move to defining what a Board member’s role is and formalize and adopt this position description outlining functions and responsibilities.  From there, you can design, based on the culture and needs of your organization, individual Board member expectations regarding their participation in a wide variety of organizational matters including, most importantly, fund development.

We all know that there is a difference between a Board of Directors as a collective unit and an individual Board member, right?

For more articles on your Board of Directors, start here!

 

P.S. – Are you ready to get started with your first large fundraising campaign?  And, you want it to be successful?  Get started with my FREE 7 Steps to a Majorly Successful Fundraising Campaign and use the EXACT same steps that I share with my clients.  Click here to download your FREE 7 Steps “Cheat Sheet” and start planning your fundraising campaign today.   I will share with you all the steps you need to be successful before launching your next campaign.

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Corporate Governance is a Must Even in Your Small Nonprofit

Board governance is challenging work.  It is especially difficult for smaller organizations.  Even more so in all volunteer organizations.

When organizations lack staff including an Executive Director, it is the Board of Directors who often fills in the “gap” of responsibility regarding getting the day to day activities of the organization done.  Board members may be out sweeping, cutting down trees, writing appeal letters, and providing critical direct services to clients.  So, doing Board governance is often last on a small Board’s list of things to do or to talk about at Board meetings.Board Governance in small nonprofits is challenging but necessary

What is Board governance? Board governance is the process whereby the Board operates as a collective unit to ensure the health of the organization through overseeing things such as legal and moral obligations and a relevant and impactful mission.  That is governance.  It is not the day to day oversight of an organization; that is management.

There is a distinction between the Board as a collective and the roles of individual Board members.  So, when the Board meets as a collective, it must focus on Corporate Governance.  However, that does not preclude individual Board members from wanting to do management kinds of things – within reason.

It doesn’t matter the size of the Board or the staff.  All Boards need to focus and act on Corporate Governance. They can’t be focused on management and expect to do a Board’s due diligence in terms of ensuring the health and sustainability of the organization.  Some have said to me, “We are an all volunteer organization, we don’t have staff.  These types of things don’t apply to us.”  A Board is a Board is a Board, and Boards exist to ensure the legal, moral, and ethical fabric of the organization and be the vanguard for its mission.

Board members should not be discussing whether or not the clients need more hours or that some gardens need planting.  That is not the realm of the Board.  The Board as a collective should be looking at things like what is on the horizon in terms of financial risks, how they should plan for the future strategically, do they have a leadership succession plan in place, what are the expectations of their Board members, and are they in compliance with federal and state mandates.

How does a small organization with limited staff or all volunteers make this transition from management to Corporate Governance?  It is not easy, but it can be done.  When any Board is thinking about moving towards a Board governance model, which they should, the most important first strategic questions they must ask themselves as a Board collective is “Do we even want change?”  “What will change mean for our organization?”  “What will happen if we don’t decide to change?” and “What will change look like for our Board?”

There must be consensus on these critical questions before moving forward towards a Corporate Governance model.  Before thinking about term-limits or financial risks, the Board of Directors must be committed to moving forward in a different, new way.  This will be the first exercise that the Board undertakes in its new Corporate Governance role. Without this commitment, Board Governance will not happen.

 

P.S. – Are you ready to get started with your first large fundraising campaign?  And, you want it to be successful?  Get started with my FREE 7 Steps to a Majorly Successful Fundraising Campaign and use the same EXACT steps that I share with my clients.  Click here to download your FREE 7 Steps “Cheat Sheet” and start planning your fundraising campaign today.   I will share with you all the steps you need to be successful before launching your next campaign.

 

 

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What running Mt. Washington taught me about fundraising

This past weekend, I embarked on an event that frightened me.  Literally and figuratively.

You see, several months ago, I entered a lottery.  And, the drawing was for a chance to run up Mt. Washington in the Mt. Washington Auto Road Race.  I got in. At the time, it seemed fabulous.  Then as reality dawned, I realized that I need to step up my training, if I were to tackle this 6,288-foot peak, and not hiking it, but running it.

IMG_1787So, many months ago, I set out and found a hill.  I went up and down that hill over and over again.  Then, searching online, I found mountain races.  And, I entered them.  And, I began running up to the summits of mountains.  First smaller ones, and then larger ones.  But, nothing greater than 3,000 or so feet.

When the week dawned, and I made my trek to New Hampshire, I began to have second thoughts about what I was doing. Most everyone in my life, asked me, “Do you know what you are  getting yourself into?”  Admittedly, I thought I did.  But, when the mountain physically appeared on the horizon, I began to wonder, if this is something I should attempt.

Race morning dawned, and I was feeling more than butterflies in my stomach.  This day was the moment given to me.  I had trained for it, and now it had arrived.  All my “new” mountain running friends told me that this was going to be the most difficult thing that I was going to do.  But, they all told me I could do it.  I wasn’t even sure of the weather conditions that I would encounter at the summit.  I packed a hat and gloves just in case.

The race cannon fired, and off we all went.  I had a strategy; I worked it.  Slowly but surely, I chipped away at the mountain and tenths of miles passed.  It got hard. No, it got downright painful.   As the 5,000-foot mark appeared,  my upper body felt like lead.  Then 6,000 feet.  And, I knew that if I kept going, I was going to do this.  Slowly but surely,run-walking all the way to the top.  When the summit appeared, one last obstacle presented itself.  A 22% percent grade in the road and then the finish line.  Nothing stopped me at that point.

What does all this have to do wIMG_1780ith fundraising?  Well, a great deal.  Courage.  I honestly believe that the most significant characteristic of a fundraiser is courage.  These exceptional individuals know that even in the most difficult times, perseverance is key, and that “this too shall pass.”  Courage to get a lot of “no’s” and to be able to ask for a gift without hesitation.  It is the ability to do this, with rumblings and butterflies floating around in your tummy.

I now know that I climb any mountain.  There is no project, no tasks, that I cannot do.  Courage is something that no everyone has, but surely, the best fundraisers do.

Someone remarked to me recently, “The thing I like about you is that you live life to the fullest.  You don’t live on the edge looking in.”  And, truly, that is what we should expect of all our fundraiser.  They are making the mission possible.  And, you can’t make an organization’s mission possible by looking in from the fringes.  You need to be in the field, each and every day, living life to the fullest, in the thick of it all.

While I did know that Mt. Washington would change my life, I didn’t realize that it would give such professional perspective and insight.  Courage. A life worth living for causes life-changing and life-saving.  Isn’t that the characteristic you want for your organization?

P.S. – Are you ready to get started with your first large fundraising campaign?  And, you want it to be successful?  Get started with my FREE 7 Steps to a Majorly Successful Fundraising Campaign and use the same EXACT steps that I share with my clients.  Click here to download your FREE 7 Steps “Cheat Sheet” and start planning your fundraising campaign today.   I will share with you all the steps you need to be successful before launching your next campaign.

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Fundraising in the trenches, getting out of your funk!

Feeling listless, stressed, in a funk?  Snap out of it!

I have been in the field of fundraising for a long time.  And, I know that sometimes (maybe a lot of occasions), development work can be hard and draining, and sometimes you end up in a funk.  Well, here are some great ways that YOU can get yourself out of that funk, and go on serving your donors and your organization. in-a-funk

So, there are hormones that contribute to our moods; you know things like endorphins, serotonin, dopamine, testosterone, etc. that regulate how you feel to get you up and running, we need to stimulate those hormones that will make you feel good.

Here are some ways that you can jumpstart that process during your day:

Pull out some old photos and take a walk down memory lane.  Remember those times you felt on top of the world?  Get those pictures out.  Take a look at them on your break time.

Journal your proudest fundraising moment or the time when you got the most done.  How did you feel?  What was that experience?  Why did you feel the way that you felt at the time?

Create a bucket list, and then take some action steps towards that bucket list.  Why not create a summer bucket list and go out and do it.  Just thinking about creating a bucket list and getting started, makes you feel good.  That hope of getting started on a bucket list alone gets your motor running.

Get into a “power pose” you know the Superwoman, Rocky kind of pose.  Stretch out your hands like you are crossing a marathon finish line.  Do that for two minutes, and you will feel revved and ready to go.

Call someone or think of a person who makes you laugh or gives you good advice.  Who is your “go-to” person that makes you feel connected?  Give them a call!

Get your body moving, biking, walking, kayaking, running, dancing to your favorite song, etc.  Get your heart going and get those endorphins going.  You will immediately feel good.

Development work can be hard.  And, sometimes, let’s face it, we don’t always feel up to par and on top of the word.  I know, I have been there.  Trust me; I have been there.  So when the down times “hit!’  Take these quick and easy steps on your break or lunch time, and immediately trigger the chemical reactions in your brain that will start to turn the funk tide.

What are some ways that you get your fundraising motor running when you feel as if you are running on empty?

 

P.S. – Are you ready to get started with your first large fundraising campaign?  And, you want it to be successful?  Get started with my FREE 7 Steps to a Majorly Successful Fundraising Campaign and use the same EXACT steps that I share with my clients.  Click here to download your FREE 7 Steps “Cheat Sheet” and start planning your fundraising campaign today.   I will share with you all the steps you need to be successful before launching your next campaign.

 

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Is your fear of asking causing you to make assumptions for your donors?

Let’s cut to the chase.  I know, and you know that one of the biggest things that stop us from being effective in our fundraising is fear.  Good old, heart pumping, nail biting, fear.

Recently, I had a conversation with some folks, and I asked them the question, “what is your number one concern around fundraising?”  And, time and time again, folks responded, “fear of being rejected.”Fear being rejected in your fundraising

Let’s face it; we just don’t like being told no.  And, while no may not be personal, it sure feels that way, right?

So, then I have had to ask, are we projecting onto our donors and making assumptions about how they will respond?  Meaning, are we projecting our fear of rejection onto them.  I am sure that we have all thought at some point, “Oh he won’t give anything to support us, so why even ask in the first place.”  Are we projecting our thoughts, fears, and assumptions on a donor, so that we won’t have to attempt to ask or even just develop a relationship with him or her?

There once was a very insightful book I read.  It was  Don Miguel Ruiz’s The Four Agreements.  He spends a whole chapter on “Making Assumptions.”  Here is a quote that I think will help you in your work with donors:

“The biggest assumption (in my opinion) is that we assume everyone sees the world and each circumstance the way WE do. We assume they think, feel, and even judge the way we do. This assumption sparks our internal fear of being ourselves around othersŠ we think they will judge, victimize or blame us; just as we do to ourselves. So before someone has the opportunity to accept or reject us, we have already rejected ourselves. The way to keep from making assumptions is to ask questions.”

I urge you to take a look at your fears before embarking on major gift work.  Are you fearful of rejection personally?  And, how is that fear allowing you to make assumptions for donors, just so that you won’t suffer the slings and arrows of rejection in the asking?

This question that I pose is a tough question to think about, but I am asking you to dig deep, not for me, for you, or even for your organization, but for all those in need that you can help by clearing away your fears and your assumptions.

 

P.S. – Are you ready to get started with your first large fundraising campaign?  And, you want it to be successful?  Get started with my FREE 7 Steps to a Majorly Successful Fundraising Campaign and use the same EXACT steps that I share with my clients.  Click here to download your FREE 7 Steps “Cheat Sheet” and start planning your fundraising campaign today.   I will share with you all the steps you need to be successful before launching your next campaign.

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Is scarcity stopping you from asking for a major gift?

Do these phrases sound familiar to you?

“I never have enough money!”
“Money goes out faster than it comes in!”
“Money doesn’t grow on trees!”

How often have we heard these phrases growing up?  Well, if you were like me, probably a lot.  As a child, these were the Scarcity mindset in major giftsmessages that I subconsciously learned about money, and they helped to develop my now adult relationship with it.

Just this week, I led a workshop on asking for money.  As part of the icebreaker exercise, I asked attendees to share with me some of their greatest fears about fundraising.  And, fear after fear centered around scarcity.  In fact, many participants commented that they grew up hearing the very same phrases above.

Stop and think about what you believe about money.  Are your beliefs limiting you in your work?  Do you have a scarcity mindset?

Have you ever found yourself saying these types of things?

“There are only so many donors to go around!”
“Donors only have so much money to give!”
“We already asked our donors once this year; we can’t ask again!”

Are we placing our beliefs on our donors?  Are we making assumptions for our donors?  Are we self-sabotaging our work?  Are we limiting our role in the work that we do?  Are we focusing our efforts and time on things such as events that will take us out of the context of asking?

To be truly effective fundraisers, we all need to dig deep and look at our views and those beliefs of scarcity that may be holding you back.   Are they self-limiting and if so how can you work to create an abundance mindset?  We don’t want scarcity from preventing our life-changing work from happening both for our donors and for our missions. So, it is critical that you identify your mindset and work to change it.  Major gifts start with you.  Get that part of the relationship right first.

Break the scarcity mindset before you ask for a major gift.

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Let’s talk about YOU, not me!

Research has shown that people like to talk about themselves. And, there is a reason why. It stimulates areas of the brain. It makes them physically feel good to talk about themselves – stimulating the same areas in the brain that sex, cocaine, and good food does. And, we all know what good food does for us!

What scientists found is that “Activation of this part of the brain when discussing the self-suggests that self-Let's talk about YOU!disclosure, like other more traditionally recognized stimuli, may be inherently pleasurable—and that people may be motivated to talk about themselves more than other topics (no matter how interesting or important these non-self topics may be).”

Talking about oneself makes you likeable, builds trust and social bonds, and creates overall happiness. Talking about oneself also leads to the feeling of teamwork. So when we get folks talking about themselves, areas of their brains start to fire and create a pleasurable experience.

This fact all indicates to the types of conversations that we should be having with our donors. Discussions not about our organizations or what we are doing or are interested in, they should be aimed at getting the donor to talk about themselves. It makes them feel good, and it starts that cycle of self-sharing where they feel as if they want to share more.

While we all have been told to find out more about what makes our donors tick, in this case, I urge you to do that and more. Find out what makes them “tick” and help them feel good about meeting with you, the relationship that is developing, and ultimately your organization! People like to talk about themselves because it feels good. So, get people feeling good and happy, and you will build trust and likeability. Go ahead, do it.

So, how can we engage donors in self-talk? Start by asking them what their interests are:

  • What personally excites them?
  • What legacy are they hoping to leave in the world?
  • Why does this cause matter to them?
  • What do they enjoying doing in their free time?
  • What enrages them most about what is happening in the world today?
  • What is one thing on their bucket list?
  • What keeps them up at night?
  • How would they like to make a difference?
  • What has been their greatest life achievement?
  • What book have they read that has been most thought provoking?
  • Etc., etc., etc.

Ask them to share about their:

  • Family
  • Hobbies
  • Job
  • Pets
  • Personal mission
  • Personal values
  • Etc., etc., etc.

Use these conversation starters to get your donor to begin talking about themselves and sharing more about what interests them. It is your job to listen. So rather than think about what you’re going to say before going into a donor meeting. Think about what questions you can ask that will stimulate this self-sharing and ultimately lead the donor to share more while feeling good. And, we all know what happens when you make a donor feel good!

For more reading pleasure:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-neuroscience-of-everybody-favorite-topic-themselves/

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What does your body language say about you in fundraising?

Recently, I had some conversations with a former co-worker. Her outlook and atmosphere had changed so dramatically that I had pause and ask, what is different. Well, she set me on the course of all of her “research” on the importance of human body language. And, I realized that there was profound applicability for me personally, but also for me professionally as a fund development professional, particularly as it applied to major gifts work.

So, I set out to view some of these suggested videos on research from my friend. And, I wanted to put some ideas in practice.

The first important concept I learned about is “setting your intention.” When I Googled setting an intention, I came up with many entries. The practice of doing so has deep historical and religious roots. However, it is about stating what you want the outcome to be for a given encounter. The second concepts that I am learning about are the importance of non-verbal body language and how to “command”

body-language-groupyour territory. Use facial gestures that indicate happiness, open up your chest area, use hands to illustrate your words, etc.

With an upcoming major gift visit, I decided to put some of these concepts into practice.

For this particular major gift solicitation, I knew that there was an ideal gift in mind. So, before I arrived at the meeting, I had decided that I was going to set the intention. The intention of this particular meeting was to obtain a gift of a pre-determined amount. I also made a conscious effort to use some of these body language techniques. Sitting with shoulders back, feet planted, a smile on my face, conversations “easers,” and the most important topic, using hand gestures.

What was the result? Well, evidently I felt more confident and at ease. I held the attention of those I were meeting. They and I were both at ease with each other. And, most important when negotiation started regarding the gift amount, that intention was there, and it propelled me forward. So when an objection popped up, I found myself more purposeful regarding setting the donor’s heights higher than what they were even thinking.

The question remains will the gift come in at that amount? Truly, it is up to the donor to decide, and they are going to take that time to do so. However, what was most important is that these “new” techniques gave me greater confidence to be able to ask for my intention with much greater ease. Subconsciously set, the intention moved me forward in a way that I had not been before.

So, I see where my former co-worker is getting her energy. There is something to this science of body language. Others have spent work studying the importance of what we say and the emotions in which we say it in fund development, but I have seen little on the non-verbal study of people and their behaviors and how we interact. I suppose if we are involved in major or individual gift work that it would behoove us to learn more about these techniques for ourselves and to study what they mean in others.

Off I go to watch more TED Talks. And, you need to keep track of this gent…Mark Bowden, the leading expert on body language!

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Ask your donors key questions, and fundraising becomes simple!

Let’s get rid of our printed newsletter and just send an e-newsletter.

Our donors don’t like personal solicitations.

We are only going to send out one appeal a year because we don’t want to send too much mail to our donors.

I hear statements like this all the time.  And, I wonder if we are making decisions for our donors.  I know that this goes for some groups.

Donor survey toolWhen I surmise this is the case, I often ask, “Have you asked your donors?”  And, the response is “No, how do you ask them?”

Well, quite simply you meet with them, or you call them on the telephone, and you ask them questions.  Questions like, “how much mail would you like from us?” or ” how do you prefer to be called upon to make a gift to us?”  or even, “how do you prefer to get information from us?”

There are other ways to ask donors what they prefer.

Try a donor survey.  You may design a questionnaire that asks things such as:

  • Why does he/she support the organization?”
  • Which programs, projects, or issues you address are the most important to him/her?
  • Is your organization one of his/her top philanthropic priorities?
  • Do he/she actively use email and do does he/she prefer to get emails from you?
  • Is he/she planning to remember your organization in his/her estate plans?
  • How old is he/she (hint ask for a birthday or date range)?
  • Etc., etc., etc.

Before mailing to your donors, be sure to test the survey and solicit feedback from other folks like your colleagues, friends, or family members, and include an envelope, a personalized letter, a brochure, and a self-addressed reply envelope as part of a survey package.

Then send this package out and be sure to analyze and document these returns. Don’t just let them pile up.

Then and only then will you be able to understand truly who your donors are, what motivates them to give to you, and what decisions you should make regarding your strategy, approach, and appropriate communications.

For instance, after you analyze and track the returned information, you can then segment your donors and mail materials that interest them.

But, the adage of “you don’t know until you ask” is such a critical element of driving all that you do in fund development.

We surely cannot begin to make assumptions for our donors based on our thoughts, interests, and profiling.

 

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Where are all your donors going?

Are you looking at your donor retention rate?  It seems like this is old hat in the field, but yet, it is such an important metric to be measuring in your development office.  The question is, are you?

It is more expensive and difficult to obtain a new donor than it is to keep a loyal donor. Do you know that it costs an Make-Me-Feel-Special-200x300average of twenty cents per dollar raised to renew donors via direct mail?  It costs about $1 to $1.25 to acquire a donor using that same method.  That is five times more.  And, on the converse, these new donors tend to give substantially less.  It is much easier to upgrade an existing loyal donor to a higher level of giving.

Are you running regular donor retention reports to determine what your rate is?  How does your donor retention rate compare to industry standards?  How does your donor retention rate compare to organizations in your area?  Is your rate going up, or is it going down?  If it is going down, what steps are you taking?

Here are a few ideas to boost your retention rate:

 

  • Consider decreasing the time required to send out an acknowledgment letter.  Best practice is 24-48 hours.
  • Call higher level donors and thank them for their gift or why not try calling everyone new.
  • Send out a welcome package to new donors making them feel a part of the organization
  • Send out regular updates either via email or printed news or both several times per year that are no solicitations.
  • Report back to the donor what their gift was able to make possible.
  • Develop a formal stewardship plan with donors of different giving levels getting different touches.

If you are not looking at donor retention, start.  While donor acquisition is still important, you can’t overlook the importance of keeping your donors interested in your work and supporting your mission.

What ways are you keeping your donors happy, satisfied, and giving?

Here are some more great resources:

Will I raise money with donor acquisition?

What is cultivation really about?

Knock, Knock, who is there?  Your new donor that is who!

How do you make your new donors feel welcome?

 

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