In This Edition:

• Cutting Back On Everything, Including The Event
  
  
• Advocacy ...
  5 essential questions to ask yourself
  
  
• Fundraising ...
  Making the case for case statements
  
  
• Major Gifts ...
  Getting the face-to-face visit with a donor
  

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Cutting Back On Everything, Including The Event

By Mark Hrywna

The historic economic downturn of the past several months has altered the business decisions of individuals, corporations, and nonprofits. One question that some organizations might be asking is whether it’s worth it to put together a gala when corporate support is expected to dwindle and there’s plenty of anxiety about individual giving.

What would have been the Connecticut Audubon Society’s 10th anniversary Eagle Festival was done in by a lack of corporate support. Planning for the February event usually begins in May, but the society decided in November to cancel because of a lack of corporate sponsors.

To read the complete article click here...

Advocacy ...
5 essential questions to ask yourself

Sometimes, it’s just the questions.

Not every question lends itself to a facile answer, but very often asking questions can lead to discussion or private consideration that can bring about change.

At a session titled “Social Justice and Progressive Philanthropy: Subversive Acts” at a recent national conference on fundraising, Simone P. Joyaux of Joyaux Associates offered several essential questions that everyone, not just in the philanthropic sector, can consider:

• Ask yourself: What is the nature of the social compact in your country? For example, at what point did the conversation in the United States shift from fighting poverty to accumulating wealth?
• Think about this: People are struggling for a living wage in nations that want Wal-Mart prices. How is this possible?
• What is the link between privilege and power? How does this play out in your organization? Think about your donors.
• Confront yourself and others. Being for removing barriers to equity means being against discrimination. So, what will you do?
• Examine your approach to fund development. What does it mean to have a major gifts program? What are the implications for others? Consider how you treat your diverse donors.
  

Fundraising ...
Making the case for case statements

How about that case statement? Most nonprofit managers can talk about a case statement, but how much do people really know about one?

At a recent international conference on fundraising, consultant Tom Ahern presented several interesting facts about case statements. For example, a case statement is not just for capital campaigns, Ahern said. It is just as important for ongoing, annual giving, planned giving, corporate gifts and foundations grants.

Further, most multimillion dollar campaigns achieve 80 percent of their target from between 100 and 150 gifts.

All of that is good to know, but for many nonprofits, the entire case can be summed up in a few chestnuts that might make perfect sense to insiders of an organization but won’t do much to move a donor.

The asker’s job is to see the project through the eyes of the donor, not to assume a potential donor will be moved by considerations that matter to fundraisers.

Those case “summaries” that are sure losers are:

• “We do good work. We need (or deserve) the money.”
• “An endowment sure would be sweet.”
• “Here comes that mean old deficit again.”
• “Let’s grow to twice our size. Who can we tap for cash?”
  

Major Gifts ...
Getting the face-to-face visit with a donor

There are more ways to communicate with people than we’d dared to imagine even just 10 years ago. While one generation might think email is cold and impersonal, another generation might believe it’s slow and outdated compared to text-messaging.

But face-to-face communication is still critical when it comes to raising money, which is why the personal visit will never go out of style.

There are a few things to review and think about before setting up the personal visit. Terence M. Green, vice president of development at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, who led a session about “How to Ask” during the Association of Healthcare Philanthropy’s International Conference in Chicago, presented a few solicitation pointers appropriate for both staff and volunteers.

First, think about your prospect, and review any information you have about your prospect’s family, interests, employment, wealth, charitable giving, etc. Also, think about your organization and review its needs and plans.

Call to arrange a personal visit but try not to solicit over the telephone. Instead, make an appointment to discuss your organization. Asking someone in person says three things:

• You are committed to your organizations;
• Your organization is important, and;
•  Your prospect is important to your organization.

To make the initial appointment, turn the conversation into a scheduling question rather than a solicitation.

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