Most Important Hire

Have you ever thought what personnel you would need in an ideal shop?  Say you have 10 employee spots.  What types of job descriptions would you need?

You be the Chief Development Officer.  Next what about hiring 3 major gift fundraisers?  A good major gift program is essential for fundraising.  It is the most effective way to raise money according to most benchmarking services.  Next I would want an estate planning professional, then I would look for 2 in the annual fund area to develop and implement our annual fund and to manage a "signature" special event or two. 

What are we up to in our count?  7 in our ideal shop!  I would like to hire two executive assistants - to manage the administrative, the filing, data entry, receipts, mailings, publications, so these people would really have to be excellent quality people.  They are like having communications people as well as administrative professionals.  One BIG part of their job would be to call potential donors for appointments.  They would help our major gift officers to stay in the field where they should be!

What about grant writers, prospect researchers, web design and communications?  I would like to have the latter in our ideal shop.  The first two could be hired as vendors, consultants, etc. 

So that gives us at least something to ponder, doesn't it?

Think and act from abundance, not lack!

What to Do Next?

Do you ever sit in your office (or behind the wheel) and ask yourself "what do I do next?" Even experienced fundraisers have times like these. The answer: go back to basics, best practices, the fundamentals! You need to find the project that you (or your boss) is most passionate about, find the people who you think would invest, get appointments with said people and tell your story. However that isn't the end, is it? You also need to ASK. Ask for their "consideration of your proposal." Leave with them a concise, passionate appeal that is a summary of your conversation. Include a specific ask, a return form and envelope. BUT leave the door open for your next visit. Say something like, "I will call you next week to see if we can visit again about this."

These activities will always be a "go to" when you wonder what you should do next.

Year End Activities

Year end for fundraisers is a time for focused, thoughtful activity. It's a time to let our donors know what we did with the money they donated; a time for meaningful asks; and a time to let them know how much they are appreciated.

What did they accomplish by giving to your organization (instead of some other)? Continually let them know.

Just Work

Many times we make excuses. You hear about the economy, the prospective donors won't return my calls, or about internal meetings - all designed to show why it is impossible for you to do your job.

I want to call us back to basics. Take time every day (at least a few times a week) to look at your donor database, find people that could benefit your organization and make some calls to ask for appointments. Once you get a few appointments - you have justified your travel expense. Why not use Google to find a few corporations and foundations in the area to which you are going? We did that recently with a great outcome!

You don't raise money sitting behind your desk (unless you are a grant writer - and even then a personal visit to the grant making organization could be beneficial to you).

So just pick up the phone and call. This will be an exciting day!

Details

I believe strongly that we show how much we care and value our donor relationships by how much attention we pay to the details. Here are a few ways that it is evidenced:

1. Our correspondence to them is perfect (or at least close!).
2. We spell correctly.
3. Their name is correctly spelled and in the form they have requested.
4. We know business etiquette and we use it.
5. When with them, we talk about them not about us and our projects.
6. We anticipate what they may need when we are with them or they attend our events and we make sure they are comfortable and at ease.
7. Preferred methods of communication are utilized (IE. cell phone, business, home, or e-mail - we know what they like and use it).

Knowing details about our donors show that we pay attention and that we care.

Kindness and Respect

This may be a different angle to the subject of donor stewardship, however I believe that this is important in the interaction between the office of philanthropy and its supporters. Being "acknowledged" is a basic human need. How might we do that with our donors?

The Power of Seven
Try to truly, honestly, humbly thank each donor to your non-profit at least seven times. Think about how you can do that - phone calls from you, your board; letters, emails, and for your larger donors, public demonstrations of your appreciation such as dinners and donor walls.

Be thoughtful. If you can be thoughtful, it will be recognized as such.

The Annual Fund

The annual fund, defined, is the process of seeking financial support on an annual basis from the same and broadening constituencies. The annual fund should be used to help foster and establish a culture of philanthropy that is donor and relationship-centered.

The purpose of the annual fund is to:

• raise funds to support the greatest areas of need;
• increase awareness of the University within the local and broader communities;
• identify major gift prospects; and
• cultivate future leadership.
  

Best ways to raise money through annual fund would be:

• Direct Mail or Email – Segmentation is key. Segment by class, by college, by activity, and by giving level.
• Phone Campaign – This provides the donor with an update on the university and allows them to connect with a student volunteer.
• Special Events or Reunions – This allows the donor to gather with friends and be in a more comfortable environment. It also allows you to share the exciting events and needs of your university to a large audience.
• Faculty/Staff Campaign - This allows staff members to support their own department or college by having a donation deducted from each paycheck.