Transcript Historical and Organizational Contexts of Fundraising

Who Gives and Why:
Understanding our Donors
Thomas P. Holland, Ph.D., Professor
UGA Institute for
Nonprofit Organizations
Major Sources of Income for
Nonprofit Organizations
1. Individuals with particular interest in
the mission of this organization
2. Foundations and corporations
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Independent foundations
Corporations and corporate foundations
Community foundations
Operating foundations
3. Public Sources (federal, state, local)
Category #1: Individuals
Types of Individually Contributed Income
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Annual gifts (unrestricted)
Telephone and mail campaigns (unrestricted)
Special Events (unrestricted)
Capital funds (restricted)
Bequests, wills, trusts, endowments
In-kind contributions
Characteristics of Donors
• Individuals make up largest share of contributions to
nonprofits
• Givers tend to be
– Wealthier: A few wealthy individuals give over half of nonprofits’
income
– As % of income, wealthy people tend to give more than others
– Religious
– People who volunteer
– Men (control family budget) but women leave $ in wills (live
longer)
– Married
– Well educated
Over 80% of All Adults Give Annually
Reasons why they do, in rank order:
1. I was asked to give by someone I trust for a cause I believe in.
2. I believe those with more resources should help those with less.
3. I get personal satisfaction from giving.
4. Because of my religious beliefs or commitments.
5. I feel that I benefit when I help others.
6. Sustaining a family tradition.
7. Giving sets a good example for others.
8. Giving helps my community.
9. Gift in remembrance of a loved one.
10. Gift is tax deductible.
11. Giving is encouraged by my employer.
Most Productive Method:
IN-PERSON SOLICITATION
• 84% of contributed funds for most nonprofits come from
individuals
• 90% of households make contributions, averaging ~$1,500
per year.
• 90% of all gifts come from 10% of donors
• Identify people with means through research
• Then find people who know them and who will introduce
you to them
• Invite them to get acquainted with your organization, attend
events, volunteer
• Listen to their interests and increase their involvement
accordingly
• Invite them to help sponsor activities
• Thank them
Giving and Asking
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People give money because they want to.
People don’t give unless they are asked.
People give money to people, not programs.
People give money to opportunities, not deficits.
People give to successful organizations, not to
distressed ones.
• People give money to make a change for the
good.
• People give on their timetable, not yours.
Motivations differ, so you must
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Learn each potential donor’s interests
Engage them with your program
Demonstrate accountability
Build involvement and trust
Offer them opportunities to provide input
and support
• Ask what form of recognition is best for
them
• Be careful not to make unsupported
assumptions anywhere in the process
Types of motivations
in rank order by percentage of donors
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Communitarians: I give to help my community.
Religious: I give because of my beliefs.
Investors: I give for tax reductions.
Socialites: I enjoy being engaged socially with
worthwhile projects.
• Repayers: Someone benefited me, so I want to
pass it along to others.
• Altruists: This program is consistent with my
life values.
• Dynasts: Our family has always been involved
with organizations like this.
Relationships and Emotional
Engagement are Primary
for Any Approach
• Concentric circles of engagement
• Begin with friends, volunteers, former users of
services, alumni, and any others with history of
engagement with your organization.
• Do not waste time or money buying lists from
vendors. You won’t raise much money by calling or
writing to people who don’t already know you or the
organization.
• There is no substitute for relationships.
• Share your excitement and satisfaction with others.
• Invite them to participate in ways that interest them,
and listen to their responses.
• Nurture involvement and trust.
Never Damage Relationships
• Guard against anything that might damage trust,
such as misuse of money or negative publicity.
• Move quickly to deal with potential problems.
• Don’t cheapen relationships with gimmicks (such
as penny in letter or return address stamps)
• Continue to ask and listen to people regarding
organization and gifts.
• Find multiple ways to say Thank You.
The Ladder of Effective
Communication
• Two-way communication is most effective.
In order of effectiveness:
1. Face to face conversation
2. Small group discussions
3. Telephone conversations
4. Handwritten letter, inviting response
5. Large group discussion
The Ladder of Effective
Communication
• One-way methods are far less effective.
In order of effectiveness:
6. Videotape
7. Mass-produced letter
8. Newsletter
9. Brochure
10. News item
11. Advertisements
Preparation:
Develop the Case for Giving
• Begin with the why: what is our mission?
• Then state the what: what do we want to achieve?
• Then state the how: how will this new project
meet a need and fulfill mission?
• Then who: who we are and how well we have
been serving our constituencies.
• Finally, what specific action do you want the
reader or listener to take?
• Do all this in one page.
• Task: ask your organization for a copy of its case
material or search Internet for others.
People have different means, so
ask for appropriate gifts
Giving Levels: Two Examples
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Benefactor
Patron
Sponsor
Donor
Contributor
Friend
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Senior Associate
Associate
Sponsoring Member
Sustaining Member
Contributing Member
Member
Sustain relationship by good
stewardship of gifts
• Thank the donor (you can’t do this too often)
• Find appropriate ways to recognize and
publicize the gift. Ask their preferences.
• Use the money as the donor intended
• Report to donor periodically
• Continue to engage him/her with organization
• Nurture long-term relationships of involvement
and trust (Any gift should be the first of many,
so avoid anything that seems like “take the
money and run.”)
• Past gift is best predictor of giving
Special Events:
Doorways to Friendships
• All types of special events require extensive work by
board and staff, often with modest returns
• Use for public awareness more than fundraising
• Think creatively. Banquets, golf tournaments, marathons
have been overdone and lack appeal.
• Invite local companies to co-sponsor events in
exchange for publicity.
• Plan to build on early events and grow to larger
attendance and income later
• Maintain data base on all givers
• Thank everyone for their efforts and gifts
Sales and User Fees
• People expect to pay for useful services (ask)
• Use sliding scale for service fees, with top end
offsetting losses at bottom end
• Build larger income over time
• Add direct sales of goods or services
• For-profit subsidiaries (museum gift shop)
• Begin with market research on consumers’ and
donors’ views of sales or fees
Planned Giving
• Money coming from the donor’s capital
holdings (savings, rather than current income)
• Examples: bequests, insurance, gifts or
property or income, trusts, endowments
• They may be deferred gifts
(most common: pledge in a will) or
current (interest from a trust)
• Donors may gain by tax benefits
• Needs specialized skills for more complex
forms
Support Category #2: Foundations
• Independent foundations
– Private
– Public charitable
single source of money
multiple sources
• Corporate foundations
– Funded by a specific company
• Community foundations
– Multiple donors
– Serves identified geographic region
• Operating foundations
– Funds restricted to identified organizations
– No grant proposals considered
Independent Foundations
• 88% of total number of foundations
• 78% of funds granted by all foundations
• Private: Usually begun by a family (Ford, Lilly, Carnegie,
Mott, Kellogg, MacArthur, Packard, Mellon)
• Family puts money into foundation for tax benefits
• Public foundations receive donations from multiple
contributors.
• Funds invested and grants paid from interest
• Board sets funding priorities (often very specific);
staff screens applications and makes recommendations
to board
• I.R.S.: Foundations must give away minimum of 5% of
total assets every year to keep their nonprofit status.
Corporations and
Corporate Foundations
• ~2,000 U.S. companies have their own
foundations (including UPS, AT&T, IBM,
Home Depot, SunTrust Bank,)
• Company gives money to foundation, gets
tax deduction, appoints officers to admin.
• Priorities identified for grants
• Usually make grants only in those
communities where the company has
stores or services
Corporate donations
• Companies sometimes also make larger
donations out of own operating budget
• “Cause-related marketing”
• Collaborative activities or sponsorships for
nonprofit organizations, linked with corporate
goals (such as a publishing co. sponsoring a
literacy program or a computer co. donating
equipment to schools)
• Seek to gain positive public image by
association with good causes in community
• May involve altruistic motivations
Community Foundations
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Recent development but rapidly spreading
Example: Metro Atlanta Community Foundation
Money comes from multiple local donors
Pooled funds for endowment
Grants made from interest income
Board drawn from donors and community
leaders
• Staff screen applications and present
recommendations to board for decisions
• Grants made in designated geographic area
only
• May have some donor-designated funds
Information about Foundations
• Larger foundations have own web sites for
initial screening about funding interests
and priorities, how to apply
• No substitute for direct relationship
• Central resource: The Foundation Center
– Web site: fdncenter.org
– Libraries: Both UGA and Foundation Center Library
(50 Hurt Plaza) in Atlanta have printed copies of the
Foundation Center Directory.
– Magazine: Foundation News & Commentary
– Newspaper: Chronicle of Philanthropy
Cultivating Foundations
• Research to identify foundations with priorities
that match your organization’s interests
• Call to discuss specifics of their priorities and
preferred forms of interaction
• Draft 2-3 page letter of interest and inquiry
• Ask for direct interview
• Prepare full proposal (only if invited)
• Make revisions as requested
• Foundation staff submits to board for decision
• If your proposal is not funded, ask for feedback
and whether you should re-apply
• Thank them, regardless of outcome, as you may
be back later with another inquiry
Grant Proposals
• Must follow specific guidelines from foundation
• Success depends more on relationship than on
word-crafting
• Typical components
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Overview or executive summary
Statement of problem to be addressed
Goals and objectives to be attained
Description of program activities to be conducted
How results will be evaluated
Experience and capabilities of your organization
Plans for funding after grant expires
Budget
Letters of support/ endorsement
Support Category #3:
Governmental grant sources
• Federal, state, local departments make grants
and contracts
• Fed. offices often have web sites to announce
R.F.P.s and funding priorities (issue of time)
• State and local sources often do not, hence
require personal visits (ex. Community
Development Block Grants)
• Most depend more on relationships than on
highly crafted proposals
• Fed. competition extremely demanding
• Expert panels review proposals for quality and
reputation of applicants
• Political reviews trump everything
Federal Grants and Contracts
• High competition, relatively low yield for effort
• Require good writing skills
• Directed at special programs, not ongoing
operations (leaves you hanging when $ runs out!)
• Ask local public officials about community
development block grants that might match your
programs (if you serve low-income population)
• Search directories and web sites for those
departments interested in your programs and goals
• Spend time with grant officer, develop relationships,
get to know their interests
• Follow their guidelines for proposal
Finding out about Federal Grants
• U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services
www.hhs.gov
• Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
www.cfda.gov
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www/cdc/gov/funding.htm
• U. S. Dept. of Education www.ed.gov
• National Institutes of Health www.nih.gov
• U.S. Dept. of Justice www.usdoj.gov
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
www.epa.gov/ogd
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration www.samhsa.gov
Proposals to Governmental Sources
• Most have VERY specific guidelines for
proposals plus numerous forms, so ask
them for copies and follow instructions.
• Word-crafting more important, but
relationships essential too
• Typical components of proposals are
similar to the outline for foundations
• Proposals reviewed by expert peer panel
• Political reviews often override experts
A Marketing Perspective
on Funding Nonprofits
Marketing perspective on
fundraising for nonprofit organizations
• We are accustomed to thinking of actual
and potential consumers of our programs
in terms of market segments.
• Donors are another whole area of
essential constituents of our organization.
• Applying basic concepts of marketing to
donor audiences can open up fresh
perspectives and steps.
Most nonprofits have two
key constituencies
• Clients or consumers for whom the
organization exists and to whom goods and
services are provided, and
• Donors (and volunteers) who provide the
majority of resources necessary for the
organization’s services to take place.
• Sometimes these overlap (membership
association) but more often they do not
(homeless shelter).
• Dual constituencies make marketing
complex, as the needs and interests of both
must be addressed.
Marketing is an external orientation
• Most staff are internally focused, concerned
with quality of projects and programs.
• The external environment is increasingly
complex, competitive, and demanding about
accountability and responsiveness.
• Our intended supporters’ points of view,
needs & interests are vital to our success.
• Other organizations that are more attentive
and responsive will successfully compete for
our donors and their resources.
• So we must identify our specific donor
audiences and then find out what each wants,
in what forms and ways of delivery. Ask them.
Market segmentation
• Look for natural groupings among possible donors,
based on needs & interests (such as age, sex,
geographic location, status, employment, income,
marital status, developmental stage, motivations)
• Who is involved with us? Why? How often? In what
ways? What motivates them to do so (quality,
benefits, contacts, specialty, variety, recognition)?
Think in terms of concentric circles of levels of
engagement.
• For each segment, How do they evaluate their
involvement? What alternatives are available to
them? What should we do to expand their
involvement with us?
• Identify the most relevant targets and approaches to
each group, and then tailor our approaches to the
relevant characteristics of each individual.
• Get their views and input early; don’t make
assumptions that you already know anything about
their views.
Major Segments of Nonprofits’ Markets
• Terms: segments, audiences, publics
• Public: federal, state, local
• Foundations: charitable, private,
community, corporate
• Individuals: categories by gender, age,
education, prior interests, motivations
• Must get to know the interests of any
segment before asking for money
Supporters and organization
must share in the mission
• If it is based upon donor concerns and
interests, there will be energy and
resources to achieve shared goals.
• The organization must know what criteria
actual and potential donors are using to
judge the success of its performance.
• Activities must be consistent with shared
core values or there will be little chance of
achieving donor satisfaction.
Aspects of effective reciprocal
relationships with sponsors
• Each group is necessary for the other to succeed.
Both must receive adequate benefits in order to be
successful.
• Organization must involve donors to accomplish its
goals. Forms of engagement must be tailored to their
identified interests.
• Messages of encouragement, solicitation, and benefit
are sent by those inside the organization to those
outside, while messages of acceptance, displeasure,
and encouragement are sent from those outside to
those within the organization.
Appealing to donors
• There must be some degree of current interest in the
topic for people to respond to overtures from the
organization
• Information presented by the organization must be
compatible with listeners’ prior values & attitudes for
them to be receptive
• People respond in differing ways to same material,
and their response depends on their beliefs and
attitudes.
• We must understand each potential sponsor’s
interests and tailor our approaches to match.
• Example: packaging aspects of the organization to
appeal for donor support (naming opportunities)
Understanding sponsors’
needs and interests
• Who are our targets? Specific groups and individuals.
• What are the key segments (sub-groups) and
persons of influence within those groups?
• What are the needs/ interests of each? Ask.
• What business do they think we’re in?
• How much interest or awareness do our activities
generate among them?
• How satisfied are they with our output? Good fit?
• What are our competitors doing about these issues?
• Do we have any distinctions that allow us to be in a
more attractive position than our competitors to
appeal to potential sponsors?
Trends in donor markets
influencing their views of us
• The external environment is increasingly
turbulent, unstable, changing
• Supporters want more control, and loyalty
cannot be assumed
• Informal networking is less reliable as source
for money, volunteers, publicity
• Public policies are changing
• Demands for accountability are rising
• While some nonprofits are paying attention to
such changes, most are not
More trends relevant to donors
• People are less loyal to old, familiar
organizations; brand loyalty diminishing
• People have fewer close friends or long-term
commitments; more transience
• Average age is increasing
• People distrust large organizations, and
interest in joining organizations as formal
member is declining
• Investment in civic activities has diminished
• Technology emphasizes quick responses
• Choices among options, brief engagement,
and privacy are valued
To respond, we must be clear about
• What exactly is our mission, and how should we carry
it out?
• How do our actual and potential supporters view our
mission? Will they support it? Why?
• How will we identify and communicate our goals?
• What approaches to supporters will best fit with our
mission and best appeal to them? Ask them.
• How will we present the organization in ways that are
positively noticed and valued by them?
• How will we organize our efforts to engage them so
we will be successful in accomplishing our goals?
• How will we make best use of their resources to
sustain our programs? Ask them.
The self-interest aspect:
Exchange
• Marketing involves identifying how to get the
desired response from those people the
organization has targeted for involvement.
• People voluntarily give up something (time,
money) in exchange for benefits they see as
more valuable (recognition, involvement,
friendship, worthiness).
• There are costs & benefits on both sides.
They must be in balance to create satisfied
sponsors and a successful organization.
Aspects of successful
exchanges
• Each party in the transaction should sense
that they are receiving more than they are
giving up.
• The nonprofit must understand what
supporters want and how it truly provides
them their expected benefits.
• The nonprofit must satisfy efficiently and
effectively its half of the transaction.
• Are we truly adding value for them?
• By building on its strengths, the organization
can better engage sponsors and strengthen
their loyalty.
13 key questions for developing
a strong marketing strategy
• 1. What services does this organization
provide? How clearly are they grounded
in our mission?
• 2. Who are our intended sponsors? What
segments (interest groups) are there
among them? How well do we know the
specific needs and interests of each?
• 3. What characteristics and interests of
our sponsors are most relevant to the
design of steps to engage them?
Key questions continued
• 4. Who are our sources of income? Who do we
want to become sources?
• 5. What steps are necessary to secure,
diversify, and sustain support from each of
them?
• 6. What are the best ways to understand the
interests of actual and potential sponsors?
Answer: by asking them.
• 7. What factors are relevant to deciding what
benefits we offer them? What impacts do those
answers have on success of recruitment efforts?
More key questions
• 8. What are their preferred ways for us to
communicate with them and keep them informed
about our programs?
• 9. What influences our intended supporters’
motivations to become and then stay engaged
with this organization? Their criteria?
• 10. How can we package aspects of our
organization so they appeal to donors?
• 11. What alternative sources for engagement
are available to them, and how do those sources
influence the appeal of our organization?
Key questions concluded
• 12. Are our sponsors satisfied with what they
are getting from their engagement with this
organization? (periodic assessments)
• 13. What steps should we take to improve and
enlarge their engagement with us? Such as:
– Fine-tune and tailor efforts, diversify them with
horizontal or vertical additions, improve quality,
reduce costs, change location, heighten attraction
– reach people earlier or in more effective ways
– anticipate future interests and prepare to address
them before our competitors do
Components of marketing
strategy
• 1. Mission, purposes of organization’s existence,
must guide all our actions
• 2. Programs depend on supporters’ interests
(requiring market research using demographic
analysis, focus groups, individual conversations)
• 3. Knowledge of competition: what are they doing
and how do those actions impact us and our actual
and potential sponsors?
• 4. Identify and use our competitive advantages:
Are we distinctive because of highest quality, best
networking opportunities, most appropriate forms of
recognition, lowest costs for them, most respected
staff, most highly endorsed programs?
Steps to a competitive strategy
• Gather information on market conditions and
supporters’ interests
• Identify avenues to donor acceptance by asking them
for input, suggestions.
• Every member of our organization must approach
work in terms of engaging supporters.
• Emphasize that accomplishments of this organization
are due to supporters’ efforts
• Specify goals and action steps for engaging them
• Monitor results and publicize them
• Use appropriate and tailored forms of recognition
• Modify programs (and people) that do not engage
sponsors and produce results
Commitment is crucial
• Everyone must be fully committed to meeting
supporters’ interests, from board and top
management on down through all staff
• Articulate our strengths and weaknesses
• Always tell the absolute truth about the
organization and its programs. Integrity
builds trust.
• Explain actions in light of mission and goals
• Put our explanations in supporters’ terms
• Focus on the key donor issues critical to the
organization’s success
• Communicate with them in their preferred
approaches and media
Application Exercises
Ask nonprofit leaders to identify major categories
of support sources and amounts from each.
What are the ways each source is
approached?
Examine case statements from nonprofits: are they
clear and persuasive?
See material on Internet resources for web sites to
use in research on potential donors and grantmaking organizations.
Explore foundation and governmental web sites
and see what you find that may be relevant to
your selected nonprofit.
Also run Google searches on some public or
corporate leaders to identify their possible
interests in types of nonprofit programs.