After two years at TCG, I recently had to put into practice everything I have absorbed as part of the fundraising consulting world to write a personal appeal letter for a cause near and dear to my heart: the annual Walk MS event for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Greater Northwest Chapter. I thought that I would knock that letter out of the park! I work with
fundraising professionals every day! I know how to do this. Then I stared at my computer screen for a really long time. I knew it wasn’t easy, but I didn’t expect how hard it would be to actually write my own letter versus the support I provide to our consultants every day on the same topics. Here are a few of my personal lessons learned.

Get specific

Explain clearly and succinctly the who, the what, the how, and the why. Who is the organization you are fundraising for? What they do? How does their mission impact people?  In
addition and, perhaps most importantly, why are you involved? Even though you are most likely writing an appeal to people within your social and professional networks, don’t assume they
are familiar with your organization or cause.

Make it personal

Donors respond to stories. They want to know the stories and reasons as to why you are choosing this particular cause to spend your time and energy on to raise money. If you connect a personal story to your case statement, it’s much more effective in reaching your audience.

Make it bold and true

Explain your fundraising goals clearly and often. Tell your potential donors exactly how much money you are trying to raise and why. My fundraising goal is a seemingly arbitrary $2,665,
but it’s not. This number represents my out-of-pocket medical costs for the year. By personalizing my fundraising goal and making it symbolic of a greater cause, I am asking my donors to emotionally connect. And, I’m proud to say, the MS Walk has been able to exceed our fundraising goals every year.

Cultivate those relationships

Your donors know you so you must tailor your appeal to each person so they aren’t put off by receiving a boilerplate request. Use your network and social media to broaden your reach. Thank your donors for supporting you and update them on the status of your fundraising efforts. Most importantly, ask your current donors to speak out for you. Last year, one of my team members
invited her good friends (whom I hadn’t met) to join the team. They had such a great time at the MS Walk that I not only got a shout out in their annual Christmas letter, but was able to cultivate repeat donors for future efforts. We’ll all be walking at the April MS walk together. Want to join us?

The Seattle Foundation (TSF) took additional steps to motivate donors by raising funds for a “stretch pool”: $500,000 that nonprofits received based on the percentage of donations they earned throughout the day (if a nonprofit earned one percent of the total GiveBIG funds, they received one percent of the stretch pool). Needless to say, the community embraced the giving event with open arms. GiveBIG 2012 looks to be bigger and better than ever, involving more nonprofits and encouraging more philanthropy across the city. Pretty amazing!

Did you know…

• 13,000 individual donors gave on June 23^rd, with 18,000 transactions (meaning many donors gave to more than one organization)
• 904 nonprofits received GiveBIG donations
• The average gift size was $189.99
• 85 percent of nonprofits attracted new donors, while 64 percent had previously lapsed donors return to give
• 16 percent of nonprofits raised additional funds outside of TSF’s stretch pool to further incentivize their donors with stretches or matches on the day of GiveBIG
• TSF employees worked from 5:30am-1:30am on the day of the event, and kept the technology running without a crash the whole day (in contrast, when Texas did a similar initiative their technology went down, and they had to record thousands of transactions over the phone!)
• Reel Grrls produced a five-minute documentary about GiveBIG, following around key executives and nonprofits recording the success of the day
• Many nonprofits used GiveBIG to jumpstart their social media programs, finding new ways to reach out to donors

Looking ahead to 2012:

• Bigger and better: TSF hopes to increase the scope of GiveBIG, partnering with more nonprofits and increasing the stretch pool in 2012. TSF is also looking into ways to offset transaction fees, to ensure as much money as possible ends up in the pockets of NPOs
• Mobile giving: From a text-to-give campaign at a Sounders’ game to an optimized website for your smartphone, you’ll be able to donate right from your pocket wherever you happen to be
• Education opportunities: TSF hopes to educate more donors about GiveBIG, giving them plenty of notice about how dollars make a difference on the day of the event
• Partnering with the Sounders: TSF will once again partner with the Sounders to ensure a stadium full of people cheering for Seattle philanthropy and making a difference by donating to volunteers or with their smartphones

We love the GiveBIG challenge. What do you need to prepare for the 2012 event? How can we help you or the community get ready? Share your ideas!

Particularly helpful were the “Solutions Salons” roundtables where each of us were able to share a vexing social media problem and receive immediate feedback from our peers. The conference was held at Microsoft’s beautiful Conference Center in Redmond which offers giant coolers of free sodas. Free sodas are very tempting to those who work for and with nonprofits as evidenced here.  Read a full recap of the day using storify.com, courtesy of Mixtape Communications‘ Zan McColloch-Lussier.

Another great presentation I was lucky enough to be part of recently was Maria Ross of Red Slice explaining the “Seven Deadly Sins of Branding” at the Association for Women in Communications luncheon. Maria succinctly explained the steps of building a brand identity in understandable terms. Repeat after me, “A logo is not a brand. A brand is your promise to your community.”

Have to started planning for 2012? TCG has some helpful presentations coming up in the next few weeks. If you happen to be in Medford next week, check out TCG’s Natalie Lamberjack and James Plourde presenting “Developing Annual and Long-Range Fundraising Plans” as part of our ongoing partnership with the Nonprofit Association of Oregon. We’re excited to have a full day to explore this topic with our Southern Oregon friends.

Aggie Sweeney will present on “Trends in Giving: What Can We Expect in Our Community?” for the North Sound Development Association on November 15th. She will  share national, regional, and local leading indicators for giving and the direction it is expected to take through 2012, highlighting key findings from the Giving USA 2011 report, the most recent Philanthropy 400 and High Net Worth Donor studies, and mix that with knowledge of our local community to help us see what ahead.

As part of WVDO’s ongoing Development Series (of which we are the sponsor), Aggie and James will present a two-part presentation (November 17 and December 1) on launching successful campaigns. Click here to register!

What have you attended lately? What should we mark our calendars for next? Share, please!

Giving days are growing in number (and contributions) around the country. Minnesota’s “Give to the Max” Day raised $24 million from 80,000 people in 2009 and 2010. Last year, the Colorado Gives Day raised $8.7 million for 530 charities, far exceeding its goal of $1 million.

Giving days maximize the fundraising tools and strategies that every campaign should employ: urgency (“today is THE day to give”), leverage (“your donation will go farther”), visibility (multi-modal approaches and community-wide messaging), and ease of giving (in this case, online giving).

The Seattle Foundation has provided a toolkit to nonprofits to help them encourage giving via communications and social media strategies (http://www.seattlefoundation.org/nonprofits /GiveBIG/).

Given this amazing opportunity, I hope participating nonprofits are giving the same thought and planning to how they will steward their donors and first-time donors who invest in their missions during giving day. Don’t forget to “ThankBIG”!

Here are some ideas:

• Use all the same communications and social media channels as GiveBIG used to thank your donors and announce the results of GiveBIG giving for your mission
• Don’t stop there! Put these dollars in the context of the impact they will have in the community and share personal stories that illustrate how donor investments are making a real difference
• Continue to follow-up with donors regularly with impact updates and stories, using technology to find engaging ways to do this: videos, blogs, and social media channels
• Consider a casual event to bring together donors to celebrate success. Find a mission-relevant opportunity or space, or ask well-known supporters host such a gathering
• Follow-up with donors through phone calls or surveys to thank them for support and find out how they’d like to hear from you and other ways they might wish to support your organization

We’d love to hear from you. How will you make the most of GiveBIG?

After the event:

When will a first-time donor hear from you next?

Both technology and old-fashioned people power make it possible for your organization to thank attendees within a few days of an event. Whether you send a postcard or a personalized letter, reiterate a few program highlights their generosity will make possible. Then make sure the next time you communicate is to share results, not to ask for money again.

How will you identify new donors who are prospects for your major gifts program?

Regroup key staff and volunteers to review the list of first-time attendees and the gifts or pledges they made at the event. Whether or not a guest came “just because they were asked,” the introduction to your organization may have sparked further interest. Identify a “Top 25 of New Prospects” for further cultivation and stewardship.

How will you evaluate event success?

Many events have financial targets only, and as a result success (or failure) is defined by net revenue. Take time to look at the non-financial goals you may have set less formally, especially those that engage more stakeholders in your mission. Did young donors attend? Was your story-telling clear and compelling? How many newcomers did board members personally meet? How many first-time donors are connected to your social media?

Special events are your organization’s opportunity to recognize major donors, retain loyal donors, and introduce newcomers to the transformative work you do. With a few key strategies for welcoming and educating first-time attendees, your events will serve as the first step toward a powerful, mutually rewarding, and life-long partnership.

At the event:

How will your board members and event volunteers greet the guests? First-time guests may arrive knowing only the person who invited them. In addition to formal greeters, ask volunteer leadership to arrive early, to introduce themselves to at least three people they don’t know, and to share their personal commitment to the organization.

Why should a newcomer make a beyond-minimum gift? First-time attendees expect to make the “suggested minimum gift.” They also expect to learn more about your programs and services. Remember that they need to learn the difference philanthropy makes in your organization’s ability to effectively deliver those programs and services. Make sure to share easy-to-understand information about your “revenue pie” both from the podium and in table collateral.

How will you leverage new gifts? Matching challenges build momentum and excitement and come in all shapes and sizes. Some challenges match gifts of a certain dollar amount; others match percentage increases. Consider a simple match for all ”new and increased gifts.” For some newcomers, the minimum suggested gift is a personally meaningful stretch, and a match on their dollars validates their generosity. Target first-time attendees with the capacity to make a beyond-minimum gift to receive personal notes with their commitment cards – from their table captains, key staff or a board member – thanking them for attending and inviting a gift or pledge of a specific amount.

Tune in tomorrow for the third and final part in the ‘Tis the Season (for Special Events) series!

Before the event:

What first impression will you make for newcomers? For many attendees, the first time they hear about your work is when a friend or colleague invites them to sit at their table. If they need to register online, is the process an easy and clear one? Does the confirmation – by email or snail mail – include your mission statement and vision? Your website address? Recent highlights of the impact on your clients? Do you have an easily visible link a new attendee can click on to find out more about you before they attend your event?

What will you learn in advance about first-time attendees? Table captains and board members reach out to prospective supporters who might otherwise never appear on your organization’s radar. Ask multiple people in your organization to review the list of attendees in advance. Does the guest list include long-time major donor prospects with whom you have not previously had a connection? Do corporate tables include executive leadership as well as their own clients?

How will you follow up with invitees who are unable to attend? Some people will not wish to attend and many others may not be able to. What tools and resources will you give your table captains to follow up and introduce your mission and clients to those they reached out to? What’s your plan to capture their attention if they don’t attend the event?

Tune in tomorrow for Part Two: At the Event

Despite what our on-the-ground experience and common sense as fundraisers may tell us, to-date there has been little if any published research documenting gender differences in philanthropy.  A new report published by the Women’s Philanthropy Institute at the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University last month confirms that, once factors such as income and education are controlled for, women are not only more likely to give to charity than men, they’re likely to give more when they do.  This holds true across all income levels but one.

As fundraisers, we are well aware that women live longer than men, and I would wager that every one of us has worked not only with women philanthropists, but couples for whom the woman’s perspective drives charitable decisions. In all-female colleges, of which I am a graduate, there is a keen sensibility that women will likely outlive their male partners by years if not decades, inheriting—and likely controlling—all of the assets accrued during their marriage(s).  By virtue of their longer life spans and growing earning power, women also accumulate their own assets as well as inheriting and controlling wealth from extended family members (grandparents, aunts and uncles, parents, cousins, siblings, and sometimes daughters and sons).

Think about it.  A constituency that makes up at least half the population in younger cohorts—and increases to well over half in older cohorts.  A constituency more inclined to give, and to give more at virtually every income level.  A constituency whose educational level and earning power increases each decade.  Sounds like a fundraiser’s dream to me.

While our country’s business schools are pumping out MBAs armed with the latest research on human motivational theory, precious few nonprofit CEOs, executive directors, or development directors are benefiting from this new body of information, instead relying on old-fashioned and short-sighted “carrot and stick” tactics which do more harm than good.

This year’s AFP Major Gift Symposium in Seattle was a real gift for people like me who lie awake at night pondering these issues. The planning committee deserves our applause for pulling together a group of speakers who seem to be aware of the new research coming out of Stanford, Princeton, Harvard, and Tufts. For those of you who didn’t make it, I recommend picking up a copy of Susan Howlett’s slender new book entitled, “Boards on Fire: Inspiring Leaders to Raise Money Joyfully.” Her ten suggestions for board management are refreshingly down to earth. If you are familiar with Gail Perry’s 2007 book, “Fired Up Fundraising: Turn Board Passion into Action,” you’ll recognize many of the same concepts distilled to a more simple and accessible form.

Symposium leaders also unveiled a new “dashboard” tool for measuring fundraising performance that goes beyond simply counting the dollars raised. Besides being a more accurate predictor of fundraising performance 24-36 months out, this tool promises to improve the job satisfaction for the countless development professionals whose work is so often misunderstood or unappreciated by executives and board members. If you want a copy, I’d suggest contacting the AFP-Washington board. I don’t know if they’re giving it out to people who weren’t at the Symposium, but it can’t hurt to try.

While we’re on the topic of good management skills, I also want to put in another plug for Daniel Pink’s 2009 book, “Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us,” which I wrote about in a previous blog post a few months ago. This remains my favorite book for describing how to effectively motivate non-profit professionals and volunteers to remain loyal, inspired, and effective in our work. You can make it a holiday present for your boss.

So, now that I’ve shared mine, what resources are you coming across, dear reader, that are informing your staff and volunteer management style? Drop us a line at TCG and let us know.

I attended for the purpose of presenting with Sarah Brooks, Associate Director of the Methow Conservancy, on how a successful capital campaign – beyond the dollars raised and acres protected – can transform organizations and build community. We focused on the “non-negotiable principles” to follow in creating transformational campaigns and shared how the Methow Conservancy applied these principles based on their own vision, goals, and community. Our intent was to inspire people to think broadly about how to bring their organizations’ visions to life through the process and structure of a campaign.

The day after our presentation, I attended an incredible field trip with a cohort of Rally attendees from all over the country. Together we explored local museums, a colonial homestead, and hiked a mountain preserve in the area. I gained new perspective not only by touring this part of New England, but also by talking with diverse people engaged in conservation efforts in several different contexts.

Reflecting on both our presentation and the enjoyable field trip, I am reminded once again that our experiences and successes are so often defined by relationships. Our presentation did not focus on the numbers of donors, prospects, and gifts, but on how the Conservancy was able to foster genuine connections with people about their own values and vision for the Methow Valley. The Methow Conservancy’s campaign was made successful by bringing people together and helping them collectively discover what they could make possible, not by laying out maps and reciting data points.

Like most of my formal and informal learning experiences, my exploration of Farmington, CT, Ragged Mountain, and the New Britain Museum of American Art was insightful because I was able to share it, and learn from, those around me willing to share their own experiences and knowledge.

On my flight home, I stumbled upon a few lines from Margaret Wheatley’s Leadership and the New Science, which seemed to crystallize my ruminations: “I have learned in this exquisitely connected world, it’s never a question of ‘critical mass.’ It’s always about critical connections.”