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How to raise more money this Giving Tuesday

Giving Tuesday, the Global Day of Philanthropy is on Tuesday, November 28.  The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is partnering with Facebook again this year to provide a  match up to $2 million to donors who give during that day.

Here are the specifics of this match:

Donations made to participating nonprofit organizations through Facebook’s charitable giving tools beginning at 8:00 am EST on November 28 will be matched — up to $50,000 per nonprofit, or $1,000 per fundraiser or donate button — until the matching funds run out. Facebook and the Gates Foundation are contributing $1 million each for the campaign, and all matched funds will be paid out to nonprofits through Network for Good’s donor-advised fund.

So, what can your organization do to prepare?

Here are some simple steps that I have been recommending to nonprofits to take advantage of this match:

1 – Determine what your Giving Tuesday monetary and non-monetary goals are.  How much do you want to raise?  How many new donors do you want to attract?

2 – Ensure that you have activated your Facebook “Donate” button first and foremost.  Ensure that you are using Facebook’s full scope of charitable giving tools. Otherwise, you will not be eligible for the match.  You also want to ensure that your pages are branded so that folks can recognize the Giving Tuesday campaign.

3 – Ensure that your website and online donation portal are up-to-speed and ready to go.  Make sure that you rigorously test them.  Your website and donation portal should be easy for a donor to use and navigate.  Donating should not be difficult.

4 – If you have work to do on your donor lists, now is the time.  Make sure that they all get uploaded into your Donor Management System, particularly your email addresses.

5 – Draft your social media and email messaging now.  You will want to announce this match opportunity in advance as well as send out reminders the day before, the day of, and an acknowledgement the day after.  Use key days such as “Black Friday” as messaging points.  Be sure to use photos, videos, and testimonials.  Consider integrating into your current calendar year-end campaign.

6 – Be sure to recruit ambassadors as social media messengers for your cause during this campaign.  You may want to enlist your Board, staff, and volunteers to help spread the word about your GIving Tuesday by sharing your social media messages with their family and friends.  If you are using Peer-to-Peer Fundraising, then get your folks set-up and engaged in advance of the actual day.

7 – Develop a plan to steward these Giving Tuesday donors once Giving Tuesday is complete, and you begin marching into December.

These are some simple steps that you can take to begin to plan for your Giving Tuesday campaign.

Now, I want to hear from you.  What steps is organization taking to prepare for this day of giving?

Post your thoughts in the comments below.

 

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How to have a direct mail appeal reply envelope that increases your appeal returns

When organizations create their direct mail appeal letters, the remittance envelope is often an afterthought.  Far too many organizations put little thought into how the envelope or reply device should appear and what it should say.  Many believe that a generic reply envelope will do just fine for their purposes or others want to “use up” their existing reply envelopes and what better way?

Well, time to start thinking otherwise.  Your direct mail appeal reply device can help boost your direct mail appeal returns.

If designed correctly, you can inspire donors giving sights and increase charitable income towards your mission.Below are a few simple steps to help you begin to segment your major donors and start to ask them more personally to support your calendar year-end appeal.

Below are a few simple steps to help you begin to segment your major donors and start to ask them more personally to support your calendar year-end appeal, just by making a few simple and easy tweaks.

1 – You want to be sure that your reply device mirrors the messaging of the direct mail appeal including using similar wording and themes.

2 – Ensure that even your reply device includes your mission statement and perhaps even a donor impact statement.  One reply device that I created for my client states “She had nowhere else to turn…but, you gave her hope and a home.”

3- I long ago advocated against the use of Business Reply Envelopes (BRE’s).  You know the ones where the organization pre-pays them up front and then uses them to entice donors to give.  Do you think saving money on a postage stamp is going to make all the difference in the world to a donor?  Not a big incentive.  Save your organization money and have the donor place the stamp.

4- Include monthly/quarterly or any recurring donation option on your form by simply stating, “I/we would like to provide ongoing support. Please charge my credit card $ _________ per month until ________.”  Or even better “continue indefinitely.”

5 – Include a section where donors can make gifts “In honor of/In memory of…”

6 – Ensure that all email captures are “permission-based.”  If you have a line to capture email addresses and you plan on sending out newsletters or updates, be sure that you ask the donor permission.  Consider having a check-off box that states something like, “Yes, I would like to receive periodic updates from the organization.”

7 – Consider having a check-off box to encourage volunteering, i.e., “I would like to learn more about volunteer opportunities at the organization.”

8 – Surely, have a check-off box where folks can indicate interest in making a planned gift to the organization and a separate one noting employer matching fit programs.

9 – Always have contact information on your reply device.  If donors have specific questions, they need to know whom to contact, and your job is to make it easy and simple for them.

10 – You may also want to consider adding gift strings.  Don’t leave the giving up to the inevitable “other” giving category.  If you can do personalized gift strings, at least have suggested amounts that mirror the copy of your direct mail appeal letter.

So there you have the simple steps that you can immediately take to supercharge your reply envelope and increase your direct mail appeal returns to your calendar year-end campaign.

These are the same steps that I ensure I use when I create my client’s direct mail appeal package. And, they work!

For more simple steps that you can immediately take to enhance your calendar year-end appeal to support your charitable mission, feel free to contact me and schedule a 15-minute consult to discuss your specific campaign.

Join me for a FREE webinar on Thursday, November 16 at 1 p.m. on “How to Develop a Gift Range Chart and Customized Gift Strings to Maximize Your Year-End Giving Efforts.” – Don’t delay register today! Registration limited to the first 100 registrants.

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How to have the most leverage in your new fundraising office

Many organizations when seeking to start their first development office do not which way to turn or where to start first.

Far too many organizations often start and end with grant writing.  They don’t get beyond this particular strategy and never get to the point of having a diversified fundraising function.

If done correctly from the start, organizations can set themselves up for success both today and well into the future.

With a few simple steps taken right from the start of your new fundraising office, you can create a strong and impactful program that will support your organizations mission well into the future.

Let me share with you steps on how to set up your fundraising office for success

1 – Start by conducting an assessment of the organization’s opportunities and challenges including getting an accurate read on the culture in which fundraising will operate.  Does the organization have different programs and functions that operate differently, perhaps off-site, or on other campuses?

2 – Research and obtain a Donor Management System.  Excel and Access are not database systems that you can efficiently use for development purposes.  Today’s software is geared towards building the most effective development program at simple pushes of buttons.  Many provide dashboards with important metrics built in so that you can instantly gauge important development benchmarks such as donor retention and donor engagement. Many also offer wealth screening capabilities for modest fees.  These days an organization does not have to go with the top-of-the-line software suite to have a substantial impact on its development program.

3 – Then I would determine what the leverage points are for your organization based on the prospective donor base demographics.  At this point, creating an ideal donor profile would be helpful.  After creating this donor profile, you can then use that profile to find donors that match up to the characteristics that you have identified.  This profile will help you to define your strategies.  For instance, if you are a senior housing program, a reasonable approach that your organization should consider is planned giving and what I have termed a “Grateful Resident” Program.  If you are a domestic violence shelter, then perhaps a special event to bring awareness to your mission.

4 – One thing that you can immediately start doing is to conduct grant research.  Most charities are eligible for some form of private and public support. With the lead time necessary both in conducting research and in the application process, it behooves organizations to conduct the research straight out.  Some application deadlines are months away and in some cases, foundations take months to make decisions.  So, this is one area that you don’t want to delay in starting.

5 – Start to build a culture of philanthropy that supports your development program whether that is one-on-one meetings or “Meet and Greet” events.  The important thing is to dispel myths surrounding fundraising. Most Board members do not have clear instructions and expectations regarding their role in fund development. Most are afraid of it, given the fear that they are expected to ask for money or to ask their friends in a “quid pro” way.  So, meet and speak with those closest in your organization so that they get an understanding of what philanthropy and development are in support of your efforts.  From there, you can work with each of them to begin developing a prospect list with a new understanding of the important purpose.

So there you have the simple steps that you can immediately take to build your organization’s first development office to support and even supercharge your charitable mission.

These are the same steps that I use when setting up a client’s first development office. And, they work!

For more simple steps that you can immediately take to build your development function to support your charitable mission, feel free to contact me and schedule a 15-minute consult to discuss your specific campaign.

For a FREE grant research template in Excel, email me.  

 

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How to segment and personalize your year-end fundraising campaign

It is year-end campaign planning time.

Far too often I see organizations using a blanket approach with their donor base. With a few minor tweaks in their strategy, they can increase their revenues by a third, sometimes even double.

What strategies do I recommend?

Well, what I often see is that one of the most overlooked areas of planning in small to mid-sized nonprofits is segmentation and personalization of their campaigns.

What do I mean, don’t send everyone the same letter for starters.

Let me share with you steps on how to segment and then personalize your year-end fundraising efforts.

1 – Start by determining all of your different donor segments and audiences. For instance, you may have Board members, Honorary Trustees, major donors, planned giving donors, monthly donors, lapsed donors, LYBUNTS, loyal and consistent donors, staff, volunteers, etc.

2 – Once you have your “buckets” of possible segmented donors, then begin to think about your various approaches to them. For instance, with major donors “hold” their letters, and instead engage the Board of Directors in making personal visits and calls.  Also, have designated staff members conduct an in-house campaign.

3 – Once you have determined your specific strategies for segments, you will move to creating your actual solicitation approaches. For personal and telephone solicitations, you may need a “pre-call” letter and a packet of collateral materials with the letter prepared.

4 – For the bulk of your segments, you will probably be utilizing some form of direct mail appeal. Do NOT use a “Dear Friend” letter. In today’s age, mail merging even in office is easy and simple to do.

5.  I do NOT recommend using a generic, blanket letter approach.  Instead, you want to custom tailor a letter for each segment identified.  What do I mean?  Well, in most cases, you are not going to create an entirely new letter for each segment.  What I recommend you do is creating a paragraph or two of custom-tailored text that you will insert into a “base” letter.  You may have loyal and consistent donors who have been giving to you for multiple years. In this case, you may have a paragraph front and center that thanks them for all their past support of the organization.   For a sample of segments and custom tailored text, email me!  

6 – You may also personalize gift strings.  Personalizing gift stings helps to upgrade donors to a higher giving level.  There are many formulas to use, but pick one and be consistent.

7 – Once you custom tailor the letter and the gift strings, then you need to determine if you will use a “lift” note or write personal notes right on the letters themselves and to what segments of donors are you using this technique.

8 – Determine how you are going to mail these letters.  Major donors you may want to consider sending a personalized letter with a first-class stamp.  Other donors you may want to use a non-profit pre-cancelled stamp or bulk mail indicia.

9. All of these techniques can be done for your online audiences as well.  You can custom tailor segments in your email marketing provider program, create separate emails, and email out to them. Don’t forget when doing second or third emails to filter out all those who have given by using a dynamic filter.

So there you have the simple steps that you can immediately take to enhance your year-end fundraising campaign to inspire your donor’s sights to support your charitable mission.

These are the same steps that I use when designing and implementing my client’s year-end fundraising campaign. And, they work!

For more simple steps that you can immediately take to enhance your year-end fundraising campaign to inspire your donor’s sights to support your charitable mission, feel free to contact me and schedule a 15-minute consult to discuss your specific campaign.

For a FREE sample template of personalized segments and custom tailored text, email me.  

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How to find new donors for your nonprofit organization

Each year, approximately 10% of your non-profit donor base will attrition naturally through death, moving, or just not giving any longer.  Then you add lapsed donors on top of that natural attrition, and you are looking at an eroding donor list.  Sound familiar?

Well, in previous blog posts, I examined how to begin attracting new donors to your organization and how to re-engage lapsed donors.

In this article, I tackle the ever important question of “How to find new donors for your nonprofit?”

Here are some simple steps that you can take to combat this natural attrition and to begin adding new names to your donor list.  These are the actual suggestions that I use with my very own clients.

1.)  Conduct a fun exercise with your Board members such as a “Treasure Map” activity to help them to think of all those who they come into contact with in their networks i.e. people who they attend church with, volunteer on other Boards of Directors, friends, etc.

2.) Host a gathering or tour and have Board and staff bring those prospective donors to this event.  This event should have a program that shares information about the organization and its mission, services, ways to get involved, and most importantly, a testimonial. Don’t forget to conduct follow-up with all those who attend these events to find out what they thought about the event and to determine further interest for engagement.

3.) Use social media as a way to find new donors.  Consider having a presence on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.  Don’t overwhelm yourself with having to manage and pay attention to too many networks at a time.  Instead, be strategic, profile your ideal donor and then determine what networks that you are most likely to find them.  Keep up to date on your competitor’s website and how they are managing their social media presence.  Then promote, promote, promote and have your Board and staff act as “Social Media Ambassadors” sharing the page with friends, family, and other interested individuals.  Keep content fresh, consider automating content with an automating app, and don’t forget to comment and interact with others.  Keep content 80% of interest and 20% promotional.

4.)  Take a look at similar organization’s annual reports, websites, and newsletters and compile a list of who is giving to them. Compile a prospective list of donors. Ask Board and staff if they happen to know anyone on these lists.  If so, begin to cultivate them.

5.)  Get the local voter or street records list, sometimes referred to as “Grand” lists and review this list with Board and staff based on property assessment, location, or other criteria that meet your ideal donor profile.  From there pull together a prospective donor list and cultivate!

6.) Ask for referrals from your current donors.  These donors already are giving to you and love you. So why not just ask them who else may they know who might be interested in becoming more involved in the organization.

7.)  Be sure when you are doing outreach at events or speaking engagements to bring along a guest book so that interested attendees can sign up to receive more information.  You have a captive, interested audience, so you want to be sure to get their names and contact information. Research them if possible, segment out those with greater interest and capacity for cultivation, and add all the other names to your mailing list.

8.)  Identify new attendees to your organization’s fundraising events and create strategies that will take their transactional attendance to possible transformational engagement in your organization.  One possible first step is to call those new attendees and find out what they thought about the event and if they see themselves getting more involved or interested in learning more.

9.) Capture interested website visitors with a website “pop-up” offering free information and resources.  Send these folks a welcome and begin to send them relevant informational emails in cultivation.  Ensure that your site is mobile-friendly as more and more folks are using their mobile devices to access content.

10.)  And, of course, you can always rent and purchase mailing lists from a list broker.

So there you have ten steps that you can begin immediately taking to start to stem the tide of donor attrition by adding new names to your donor lists.  These are the same steps that I use to help my clients build their donor lists. And, they work!

For a FREE half hour coaching session with me, email me now to schedule your complimentary time.  Offer ends Friday, August 4.

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How to ensure the success of your next fundraising campaign

Often, I get asked, “What is the magic behind a successful fundraising campaign?”

Well, it is not all magic.  There is some science.  And, with over twenty years of experience, I am going to share the top tips that have made it all “seem” like magic so that you can too.

How to ensure a successful fundraising campaign

I am going to share with you step-by-step the formula that I use with all of my clients to ensure that fundraising campaigns are as successful as can be.

#1 – Ensure that you have the best fundraising team possible.  Be selective in whom you choose, develop expectations and responsibilities in advance, and seek the chair of your fundraising effort first.

#2 – Once the Chair is in place, then have them assist you in the search for the rest of your fundraising team.  Be sure that you only select folks who do what they say they are going to do. Test them with small tasks first.  Be sure to select high-performing people to have a high-performing team.  And, don’t be afraid to say “no” to someone who just can’t meet the expectations or pass the “test!”  Never recruit as a group – always person to person.  Ensure you have a good mix of influential and effective candidates.

#3 – Divide up your fundraising team into different divisions i.e. events, mail, personal solicitation, phone, prospect rating, etc.

#4 – Create a fundraising goal that includes the costs of the campaign in the total.  It costs money to raise money so be sure that you calculate those costs into the overall campaign goal.  You can estimate campaign costs at 10% of the fundraising goal i.e. materials, staff, events, donor recognition, etc.

#5 – Create a gift chart to outline the number of gifts and prospects needed to reach your fundraising goal. Custom tailor the gift chart to your organization. It is not a one size fits all approach.  Email me for a copy of a campaign gift chart example.

# 6 – Develop a prospective donor list from both your current donors as well as by conducting overall research to find new ones.  Once you have your prospective donor list, then you will need to rate and rank them.  Get a committee together who will focus on rating prospects according to capacity, affinity, and interest.

#7 – Once you have rated your prospects, then you can tier them into an “A List,” “B List,” etc.  This ranking will allow you to focus your efforts on those who have the greatest capacity and interest in your cause.

#8 – Modify the gift chart as your campaign progresses depending on the level of gifts that come in.  If you have fewer major donors than expected than you need to adjust your lower tier of donors, etc.

# 9 – Employ a sequential model of fundraising.  Classify prospects according to assessed giving potential and start solicitation with the Top Giving Levels and move down.

#10 – Start with your “Family/Nucleus” gifts first.  Your Board, staff, and volunteers must demonstrate a commitment to the mission before you begin asking anyone else.  If they are not committed, how can you expect anyone else to be committed?  You should conduct all Top Giving and Family/Nucleus levels by personal solicitation.

#11 – Develop strategies to solicit the lower level donors i.e. direct mail, events, telephone, etc.

#12 – Be sure to develop a realistic month-by-month timeline to ensure that you keep the momentum of the campaign fresh and have key benchmarks to meet.

#13 – Develop ways to recognize donors of all giving levels to the campaign.  Donor recognition levels can inspire donors to give more than they may usually give.

Sequential fundraising is THAT important.  Once you violate the “Top Gift” solicitation sequence, your entire fundraising campaign is in jeopardy.  Failure to follow this approach lowers giving standards across the Board.

If I could choose the number one reason why most campaigns fail, it would be that they did not follow this sequential model of fundraising including asking their “family” first.  In fact, I have seen campaigns languish for years never reaching their goal.

And, if you need help developing your next fundraising campaign, let us help you! 

 

 

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How to follow up on your direct mail appeal letter

Do you mail a spring or fall direct mail appeal letter and hope for the best?  Well, “a wing and a prayer” is not a strategy.  A strategy by definition is a plan of action or policy designed to achieve a major or overall aim.

Here are some simple steps that you can take to follow up on that direct mail appeal letter beyond just putting a stamp on it and sending it out in the mail.

  1. About three weeks to a month after your appeal drops, determine what donors are about to “lapse” from the appeal.
  2. Of these, donors determine how many are major donors at whatever threshold it is that you have determined a “major donor” is for your organization.
  3. For those that you have indicated as “major donors,” determine if in-person visits or telephone calls are needed.
  4. Determine if there are key relationships with some of the regular, loyal donors and  perhaps segment these folks out to use a more personal
    approach i.e. visit, telephone call, or even (in some cases) an email.
  5. For those who are not major donors, determine if a second “lapsing” donor direct mail appeal letter is needed, or perhaps a gentle reminder “post” card.  If you would like to see a sample “Lapsing Donor” postcard, email me!
  6. Consider trying a telemarketing campaign to turn non-responders into responders.  (Direct mail telephone follow-up generates two to 10 times more response than direct mail with no telephone follow-up.)
  7. Create a series of social media posts and email blasts to send to your donor file. Do not send out emails to everyone on your list.  You want to be able to segment out those email addresses of donors who have already given to the appeal.

And, there you have some simple “how to’s” on how to maximize your appeal results while working to prevent lapsing donors.

And, if you need help developing a direct mail appeal follow-up strategy, let us help you! 

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How to turn your fundraising event attendees into supportive donors

Spring is the season of Galas or so it seems.

And, rightly so, the weather is turning warmer and everyone’s thoughts seem to be on getting out after a long winter.

I am often asked by organizations who are holding galas or other fundraising events, what is the key to turning event attendees into loyal donors?

I do have to say that this is not an easy feat in and of itself.  Most folks who attend a fundraising event are doing so because they have either been invited, they are attending because it is a social night out, or for a host of other reasons that are not necessarily about a measure of donor commitment or loyalty.

I believe that there are a number of things that you can do to stimulate interest both pre, during, and post-event to at least begin to develop a relationship with some donors who may be interested in supporting your charity in a more transformative way.

I will outline several steps below that you can take to steward your event attendees after the event.

Here is a possible post-event stewardship plan:

New attendees – Call preferred for all by Board member with a relationship or other assigned designee.  Mention donation made, how the money will be used, and learn about their possible interest in the organization.

Repeat attendees that did NOT donate – Handwritten note by Board member with a relationship or Executive Director.  Thank for continued support of the event and ask about their interest in learning more about the organization.

Repeat attendees that did donate – Call if a relationship or donated more than $1,000, note for everyone else.  Mention donation made, how the money will be used, and learn about their possible interest in the organization.

Donated but did not attend – Call if a relationship or if donated more than $1,000.  Mention success of the event and how the money donated will be used.  Ask about their interest in learning more about the organization.

People who donated significant auction items – Personal call by the person with a relationship and letter of acknowledgment.  Executive Director and/or Board Chair may send a note as well.  Mention how the money will be used and ask about their interest in learning more about the organization.

While you don’t have to follow this post-event stewardship plan to an exact science, the one thing that you need to do is to have already developed your post-event stewardship plan before the event even happens so that immediately after the event, you can put this plan into action.

Think expansively and creatively about how you can recognize your donors.  But, the important part is to put some thought in it, to begin with.

Key things to think about:

  • Who?  To what categories of event attendees?  For instance, Silent auction and raffle donors? First-time attendees, etc.  And, who will be doing the follow-up?  Board members with relationships, staff with relationships, etc.
  • What?  What vehicle will you use to steward your donors?  Will it be a hand-written note, a telephone call, or a visit, etc?  Will you use e-mail and social media?  And, how?  What is the message?  What do you intend to share with them?
  • When?  When will this stewardship take place?  Immediately after the event?  A week or so later?
  • Other follow-up and planned engagement?  What planned follow-up after the initial engagement will you schedule in?

The key piece again, please do not wait until it is too late.  Think through your post-event stewardship plan, seek buy-in and ownership from the Board, and be ready to implement fairly soon after your event concludes.

While these are some of the hardest folks to take from transactional to transformative, it can be done with a bit of thoughtful planning and strategy.

Don’t let your event, just be an event. Use it as a way to cultivate potential new donors who may be interested in who you are and what you do.

And, if you need help creating a custom post-event stewardship plan, let us help you!  Email me today to schedule an hour to get your event stewardship plan in shape!v

 

 

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Is it time to close our nonprofit doors?

As a nonprofit organization, you are here to meet a mission to your stakeholders.  Maybe long ago, or not so long ago, you were founded to assist a particular group or meet a critical need.  And, months go by, years go by, and you are still in existence.  But, is the need still there?  Are you still relevant towards meeting that need?

Sometimes, we just don’t want to answer this question.  Because in answering it, you may find, that yes, indeed, you have met your mission or, in fact, are no longer relevant, or facing a crisis, or maybe even just plain exhausted and lack energy as an organization.

Is it time to dissolve perhaps?  Maybe merge with a similar group?  Shutting down is not the only option, but it is one.

Let’s face it, was it ever our intent to be here forever?

Hopefully not.

In admitting that you have met your mission, you have done exactly what you have set out to do.  And, more and more nonprofits are choosing this route, admirably I may add.

Ultimately, though, this is a larger Board discussion.

Why?

Because the Board of Directors is directly responsible for the organization’s future:  whether to grow, change, downsize, merge, evolve, or close.  This is governance at its most important and highest level.

Here are some important questions to explore as a Board before you do:

  • Are we meeting our stated mission?
  • Are we helping our intended audience?
  • Are we still relevant to our community?
  • What is the situation that is precipitating this discussion?  Are we tired, lack energy?  Financial constraints?  No longer needed?
  • What would be the implications if we did no longer exist?
  • Do we want to continue?  Can the organization be saved?
  • Have we simply run out of steam and need to close down?
  • Is it time to let us fail instead of always trying to “right” the ship?
  • Do we have adequate human resources to keep things going and are they the right people?

After seriously reflecting on these questions, a nonprofit Board can choose to take several routes.

  • You can choose to change your mission statement to reflect who you are and what need you are truly meeting.
  • You can choose to restructure your operations, programs, and activities to lead to a better functioning organization.
  • You can find a similar nonprofit organization in mission and merge.
  • If under undue financial stress, you may consider filing for bankruptcy
  • Or, if you are just tired or having met your mission, you can cease to operate and dissolve.

Ultimately, the Board must recognize that a crisis situation exists, focus efforts on addressing this issue, and come to a consensus-based conclusion on which path is most appropriate to your mission, to the community you serve, and to yourselves as individual Board members.

 

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A season of burnout?

I have worked in the nonprofit world far longer than I can remember.  My job began in the sector back in 1992 or so, when I became a grant writing intern for a local non-profit organization as part of my undergraduate work.

Little did I realize that some twenty plus years later, I would still be working in the sector.  First as a professional at local non-profit organizations and now as an industry consultant.  This week, I had cause to pause.  I received a telephone call last Friday evening that a former client of mine had passed away due to cancer.  I cried.  And, I cried.  And, I even cried some more.

Then, after a long season of constant deadline oriented projects, finally feeling a bit of downtime between clients, I became sick with the flu and was laid up in bed for several days, still weak as I write this article.  While sick in bed, I received another telephone call, someone else in my personal life had passed on, again due to cancer.

One thing I do know is that our work is long and hard.  And, we are often fighting for the lives of others in our sector.  But, does that mean that we don’t take care of ourselves?  Do we even stop a moment to breathe, to reflect, to take in the season that we are in, to spend time with our loved ones?

I am guilty of this.  I admit it.  I work tirelessly so that my clients can be the best that they can be.

This fall, I purchased a new book out by Beth Kanter, called the Happy Healthy Nonprofit.  I have yet to read it, of course, time has not allowed.  But, I am going to make it priority reading over the upcoming Christmas break.  And, I suggest that you pick up a copy too.  There are lessons in this book about self-care, taking the time to recharge, and not burnout out.  Let’s face it; our sector is a sector of burnout.

If you can do one thing right now, stop, get up, walk around – thank your employees, take in the sights and sounds of the season, perhaps take the afternoon off, hug a loved one, give someone close to you a call just to say “hi!”  There is more beyond our work than our nonprofit.  Yes, I said it.  And, if you don’t rest and recharge, there will be little else for you to give to others.

This week, I pause and remember my former client, Fr. Stan Kolasa of the Sacred Hearts Retreat Center in Wareham, MA, I take the time to honor his life and his legacy.

And, I take the time just to be – in the season and the moment.  And, I urge each of you to do the very same.

Reflect on your life, and take good care.  The fight always goes on, but it only goes forward when you are stronger.

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Do not take Fund Development best practices at face value!

Best practices. We hear that phrase often. This week, I even read a question asking if “best practices were misleading?”

Are we throwing that phrase around to legitimize our field? Our do we have best practices and what are they?Fundraising best practices

Well, I contend that the only true best practice is one that is grounded in research. Those are harder to find that than the other so-called “best practices.”

While studying for my Masters Degree in Philanthropy and Fund Development, I learned that philanthropic research has many gaps. However, there are people now making a study of philanthropy and conducting research. Folks like Adrian Sargeant and Jen Shang. More research is needed in our field to support our work.

I can tell you that when research is grounded in actual studies, it works. Eye motion studies, philanthropic psychology, etc., etc.

Recently, I have been working on many appeal letters. And, each time I craft one for the client, I get pushback. Why do you indent paragraphs? Why do you repeat yourself often? Why is there bold and underline? Do we need to include a P.S.? And, can’t the letter just fit on one page? Must we send more than one appeal?

Pushback that is unfounded. And, I push back with research. When the client allows me to use those best practices, the results speak for themselves.

When those results speak for themselves, it is magic. Campaigns get funded, new projects begin, and donors have the opportunity to make a greater impact.

We forget that the fact (and it is a fact) that we are not beggars. Donors want to give. And, to give, they must be asked. Asked in a way that moves them to feel connected to their core beliefs through your organization’s mission.

Know the difference between unfounded best practices and best practices backed by scientific research. Read blogs, stay current with trends, and keep furthering your informal and formal education. When you do, and you practice it, your results will show all the difference.

Fund development does have a researched body of knowledge. Don’t allow anyone to convince you that it does not.

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Yep, the Board does have a role in a capital campaign!

What, wait, we hired that Capital Campaign Consultant to run the campaign, and now you are telling me that I have to do something.  No, this can’t be possible.

Yep!  It would be unrealistic to think that a capital campaign is left up to the staff to manage.  How could they?  The staff doesn’t have access to donors and to peer networks?  A campaign is not a one, or two, or even three person job.  It is even more unrealistic to think that now the capital campaign consultant is in town, no one
needs to do anything period.

So, I know you’re shaking in fear that you might have to ask for money.  Well, yes, you may.  But, that is not your only role in a capital campaign.

When running a capital campaign, I meet with each of my campaign’s Board of Directors and review the Campaign Plan, goal, schedule, gift chart, and Case for Support.  I insist that they vote to approve these primary campaign documents.

And, I also share with them a Board commitment form that I have each and every one of them sign and date.

Board members have many responsibilities to a campaign. Below is my top ten list of capital campaign responsibilities and what I expect them to commit to:

  1. Not taking on any major new volunteer roles for other organizations and consider how to pare down current obligations and be accessible to the campaign.
  2. Review their philanthropic planning for the next year and perhaps beyond, as well as their calendars for those years.
  3. Consider what role they could and would like to play in the campaign. Every board member will be responsible for some part of the campaign and will be engaged in identifying and enlisting campaign committee members.
  4. Review their list of contacts – friends, neighbors, business associates – and carefully consider which of them may be interested in learning more about the organization.
  5. Review and approve the capital campaign plan as recommended by the capital campaign planning committee.
  6. Make a “stretch” gift to the campaign. 
Board members will all support the Annual Fund campaign each year in addition to supporting the capital campaign. All board members will participate financially in the campaign – to the best of their ability. The board will be the first to give. 
It is essential that other donors see 100% percent participation of the board.  It shows them that the board has the utmost faith, confidence, and enthusiasm for the organization.
  7. Ensure that contribution are used well and according to donor intent.
  8. Read all materials given to them by the organization and the campaign. Members of the community – donors, clients, friends, neighbors, etc. – will turn to the members of the board for guidance and information.
  9. Be an advocate for the organization, to the best of their ability, in the local and the wider community. Help expand the organization’s influence and exposure throughout the community by:

o   Securing the sponsorship of a community group to support the campaign.

o   Recruiting a speaker, host, or sponsor for a special event.

o   Arranging tours of the organization for interested individuals, corporations, foundations or others.

o   Hosting an event at their home, place of business or community organization.

o   Endorsing a solicitation made by the campaign leaders, either by phone or by letter.

o   Setting aside at least 20-30 minutes weekly to plan how to help the organization’s campaign.

o   Thanking donors and staying in touch keeping them informed of the project plans.

o   Evaluating the success of the campaign to determine strengths, areas of improvement and effectiveness of board policies and decisions.

 

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