One of the interview questions we always ask donors is whether they feel satisfied with the way in which our client organization solicits, acknowledges, and recognizes their gifts. Responses vary – from people who feel well connected and appreciated to those who only hear from the organization when they are asked for money once a year.

The Montana donors we interviewed each answered the question the same way, and it was an answer we don’t expect these days. The collective response went like this: “We don’t wait to be asked. The need is so great and the organization is so important, we just give as much as we can, as often as we can.”

Back to Anne Frank’s tree. This past week, wind, rain and disease felled this venerable tree that comforted a young girl hiding from the Nazis. Eleven prized cuttings from its branches were sent around the world. The news reminded me of a quote from young Anne that has captured pure generosity for generations: “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”

Today more than ever, nonprofit organizations need to build relationships through which they communicate with their donors frequently and meaningfully. What a wonderful thing when those dialogues inspire giving that doesn’t “wait a single moment,” and is offered with the joy Anne Frank felt when she looked out her window.

As you begin a new season of fundraising, what inspiring donor stories do you have to share? Let us know. We’d love to be able to share your stories with a wider audience.

The Collins Group is honored to continue as campaign counsel with the Tateuchi Center and congratulates the staff and board for their tremendous accomplishments.

Read The Seattle Times’ generous coverage of this gift and check out the new Tateuchi Center website for more details and news!

Last year, a representative from my sorority’s foundation contacted me. She was coming to Seattle and wanted to meet me while in she was in town to let me know about this great new program they have. I’ve been a regular, though unspectacular, donor and have always intended to get more involved with the organization, but haven’t. When I met Lauren for coffee, I was surprised at how much research she had done on me. I realize this sounds naïve coming from someone in the industry, but I just thought she wanted to meet and maybe get me to volunteer for something, I didn’t realize that I had been flagged as a donor prospect worthy of a personal visit. I was flattered and so pleased to be considered in this new “young donor go-getter” category, that not only did I make a five-year pledge to the foundation (my largest gift to anyone ever), but I volunteered to plan an event for other young donors in the near future and invite all my alumna friends. Well, would you look at that – now I’m engaged on several levels.

Last week, I received a call from a local children’s theatre asking me to give to their scholarship program. The caller was informed, friendly, and persuasive. He knew that I was a season ticket holder and asked me my opinion on the four plays I’d seen with my son. He also knew that my son had attended winter break camp at the theater and thanked us for getting involved in the education programs – and from there he moved smoothly into explaining why my support of the scholarship program would allow other children access to plays and educational programs. Would I consider a gift of X? I hesitated – it was more than I wanted to give right now. He countered with would I give half today and the remainder in equal payments over the next two months? Could he charge my credit card that they conveniently have on file? Can he send me a voucher for two tickets to their currently showing play to thank me? Well, when you put it that way, yes, yes, and yes. He got his gift when they needed it; I feel good about helping other kids experience live theater, and my boy and I are seeing an extra play this weekend!

I understand there are stats and data to consider and relationships to carefully be cultivated, but if you make your donor feel relevant and special they’ll give to you. It worked on me.

But I have a big beef with my college. Their donor communications to me (eNews, eBlasts, event notifications) and phone solicitations are all geared toward remembering my storied undergraduate experience.

Remember living in the dorms? Nope. I lived in a crappy apartment across the river with my singer/songwriter/poet boyfriend (Hey, it was the 90s and I was in my 20s. Seemed like a good idea at the time.) Remember that bar that everyone hung out at? Nope. We grad students had no money and if we did, we hung out at that other bar – the one where the grad students hung out. Remember Parent’s Weekend/the freshman mixer/classes at the…NO! I don’t remember because I had none of those experiences.

Don’t call me to ask for a gift that is three times the amount of my last one (and what’s your rationale for that?) and invoked the new theatre complex and dorms as a reason I should give. I was in the graduate writing program – doesn’t it say that in my record? Ask me to give to the graduate school, the School of the Arts, or, even better, the Department of Writing, Literature and Publishing. Because that’s what I care about; that was my experience.

I don’t want to give my college a gift because it is clear that they haven’t considered the best way to approach me. I know I give small gifts – but I still want to feel special; like they know me.

Later this week I’ll post on an organization that made me feel special – and in return, inspired me to give my first significant major gift.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/outdoors/2011108575_nwwmaritimecenter18.html

BBMG’s 2009 Conscious Consumer Report explored consumer attitudes, behaviors, preferences and priorities during a moment of great social and economic transformation. Based on the national poll and in-depth ethnographic interviews, the study showed that Americans are re-evaluating what truly matters in their lives and seeking brands that deliver both value and values. It concludes, that, “in this age of radical transparency, nonprofit organizations must show how they live their values in every action and interaction.”

As the holidays approach, what opportunities do you offer that a values-driven consumer may perceive as a potential gift? Think through your programs, volunteerism, and communications. What types of gifts can be made available to the typical consumer? Take for example an experience – such as town hall tickets to a panel discussion on an issue they care about or a presentation by a favorite author. How are you marketing such opportunities for the holidays?

The nonprofit sector is a values-facilitator. We can help families think creatively about each other and about what is meaningful in their lives. Whether it is gender equity, animal rights, or non-violence, there is an organization living those values. I hope, by reevaluating the concept of a Christmas present, we can return to a holiday motivated by meaning, rather than one focused on fourth-quarter earnings.

One of several frameworks discussed yesterday was “preparing for the recovery.” For many of us, we feel we’ve been doing just that by focusing our development efforts on all cultivation, all the time. We’ve rationalized this approach by telling ourselves that keeping donors close to us and our missions will position us for more and bigger gifts when the economy improves. But, I ask you, how much GREAT stewardship have you given or gotten lately?

Does inviting someone to our gala qualify as a “move?” What if I send a major donor a note with an article that speaks to his field of expertise? Defining what “cultivation” and “stewardship” mean in your organization is key to imagining and acting on steps that make the most sense for each donor in and of themselves. Karen Osborne went one step further by suggesting that we strike the word “cultivation” from our fundraising vocabulary. Instead, she opined, it is meaningful engagement that begets giving. Whatever you call IT, be clear about how you do it and why.

As you prepare for the recovery and think about what cultivation/stewardship/engagement means to you, remember that it’s the small, unexpected gestures in life that often make the biggest impression. Ask yourself today and everyday, what is a mission-focused, inexpensive, and quick experience I can create for a donor that will make her say “wow!”

P.S. The final word from speaker Bill Tolliver of The Matale Line: “Headlines, hardship, and stock indexes are not supposed to define who we are, they are supposed to test who we are.” Good luck and godspeed!

The role of social media in nonprofits is getting an enormous amount of attention these days. Without a doubt networking tools enable your organization to build a level of awareness previously unimaginable (and prohibitively expensive). However, just like the ability to “friend” hundreds of people in our personal lives can blur the boundaries of deep vs. casual relationships, too much focus on social media can risk shifting your efforts away from personal, face-to-face meetings with donors who have the capacity to further your mission and vision.  In other words, when it comes to the foundation of a strong development program, it still is – and will always be – about major gifts.

So what does it take to build a major gifts program that can create a strong foundation for operational sustainability or to prepare for a special campaign that will take your organization to the next level?  

Think peapods.  Yes, peapods.  Like a peapod, every successful major gifts program – regardless of the sector you serve – has several “P’s”:
 
Planning:  At the organizational level, donors want to know how you are thinking strategically about the future, what you’re thinking about, and why. They also want to see a business plan, based on realistic projections, that shows how you’ll pay for that future. Within your development department, sound annual and multi-year plans should map out the role fundraising will play in getting you there.
 
People:  You can’t build relationships without them! Professional staff creates a culture of philanthropy, holds or brokers relationships with donors, and choreographs ongoing stewardship that demonstrates accountability, transparency, and impact. Volunteer peers open doors, often step inside, and ask others to join them in the essential work of your mission.  
 
Policies:  Whether you’re setting investment strategy, clarifying the kinds of gifts you accept, protecting donor confidentiality, or determining who has access to prospect research, clear policies lend integrity to the relationships you are growing. Your board should craft them carefully and review them regularly. 

Procedures:  Like all relationships, those with donors and prospects are based on trust and follow-through. Clear processes to manage, track, prioritize, and monitor prospects ensure that you have the time to do what matters most: inform, listen, engage, and act.
 
Performance:  Developing a mature major gifts program takes time. Because the return on investment ultimately will be high, measuring success to sustain momentum during what is an ongoing journey requires both qualitative and quantitative evaluation and benchmarks.
 
Positioning:  Strong key messages bring your unique market niche and purpose to life. You’ll want to respond to a donor’s specific motivations and interests by sharing the many chapters of your organization’s story, simply and compellingly.
 
At the end (and beginning!) of each day, having the patience to build upon the relationship-based work you are already doing or are committed to start will create a base of loyal, engaged donors eager to partner with you and your dreams.

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009307289995