Transcript Individual Annual Giving

Your Annual
Fundraising
Strategy
November 11, 2008
Alberta Council for
Environmental Education
Facilitator: Pat Christie, CFRE
Today’s Session
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Key messages
Case for Support
Annual Giving strategies
Effective Board involvement
Looking after your donors
Begin to design an Annual Giving
timeline and plan
Pat Christie Consulting, 403.771.5093
Assisting organizations to lay the foundations for fundraising and to find sources of sustainable support....
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What is your key message?
 Elevator Speech
 Compelling and Urgent
 Case for Support
• Internal document
• All asks, proposals and grant applications flow
from it
Pat Christie Consulting, 403.771.5093
Assisting organizations to lay the foundations for fundraising and to find sources of sustainable support....
3
Case for Support
 Self-Confidence
 Effective Management
 Efficient
 Proactive
 Continuity
 Tradition
 Meeting a critical need
 Your donors must believe you are all of
these, and that you can successfully fulfill
your mission
Pat Christie Consulting, 403.771.5093
Assisting organizations to lay the foundations for fundraising and to find sources of sustainable support....
4
What is Annual Giving?
 Gifts received every year
 Not for capital expenses such as
building or equipment
 Pays for salaries, paperclips
Pat Christie Consulting, 403.771.5093
Assisting organizations to lay the foundations for fundraising and to find sources of sustainable support....
5
Pyramid of Giving
Planned
Giving
Planned Gifts
Few donors, large gifts
Enabling
Gifts
Major Gifts
Personal Contact
Major Gifts
Smaller number of donors,
larger gifts
Consistent Donors
Personal contact, letter, phone
Repeat Annual Giving
Personal contact, letter,
phone call
Sustaining
Gifts
Annual Gifts
Large number of donors, gifts
usually small
First Time Annual Giving
Direct Mail, Special Events, Media, Door-to-Door
Original Pyramid of Giving – James M. Greenfield CFRE
Pat Christie Consulting, 403.771.5093
Assisting organizations to lay the foundations for fundraising and to find sources of sustainable support....
6
Advantages of Annual Giving
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Brings in new gifts
Reliable unrestricted source
Uses diverse methods
Funds everyday operations
Gets renewed gifts
Pat Christie Consulting, 403.771.5093
Assisting organizations to lay the foundations for fundraising and to find sources of sustainable support....
7
Looking for Supporters
 Start with those you know
 Look for connection to organization
 Seek people with interest in your
cause
 Keep good records
Pat Christie Consulting, 403.771.5093
Assisting organizations to lay the foundations for fundraising and to find sources of sustainable support....
8
Fundraising Strategies
 Grantseeking
 Special Events
 Mail
• Direct Mail
• Email
 Individual solicitations
Pat Christie Consulting, 403.771.5093
Assisting organizations to lay the foundations for fundraising and to find sources of sustainable support....
9
Grantseeking
 Government
• Form a society
• Charitable organization: $25,000 annual
• Lotteries funding: www.tprc.ab.ca
 Corporate/Foundation Grants
• Corporate websites: check focus
• www.imaginecanada.ca
• www.bigdatabase.ca
Pat Christie Consulting, 403.771.5093
Assisting organizations to lay the foundations for fundraising and to find sources of sustainable support....
10
Special Events
 Events are good for
• building awareness
• raising funds
 Are very labour intensive: have one
signature event per year
 Choose an appropriate event: gala or
grassroots
 Take time to plan and have a back up
plan
Pat Christie Consulting, 403.771.5093
Assisting organizations to lay the foundations for fundraising and to find sources of sustainable support....
11
Raising Funds at an Event
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Create a budget and timeline
Find Sponsors
Get whatever you can donated
Partner with another group
Always evaluate afterwards
Keep good records
Pat Christie Consulting, 403.771.5093
Assisting organizations to lay the foundations for fundraising and to find sources of sustainable support....
12
Requesting Gifts by Direct Mail
 Compelling and urgent
 Easy to read
 Make it personal, add stories or
quotes
 Ask often, be specific re amount
 Make it more than 1 page, add photos
and P.S.
 Make it easy to respond
Pat Christie Consulting, 403.771.5093
Assisting organizations to lay the foundations for fundraising and to find sources of sustainable support....
13
Direct Mail Facts
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Direct mail can reach a lot of people
Helps to find new supporters
Does not result in many gifts
Timing is important
Writing letters is hard!
Keep records
Pat Christie Consulting, 403.771.5093
Assisting organizations to lay the foundations for fundraising and to find sources of sustainable support....
14
Website and Email
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Growing numbers make gifts on-line
Use Canadahelps.org
Ask for support on all materials
Keep in touch by e-newsletter
• Constantcontact.com
• Send them to your website
Pat Christie Consulting, 403.771.5093
Assisting organizations to lay the foundations for fundraising and to find sources of sustainable support....
15
Board of Directors: Your
Champions
 Belief in and support of the mission of
the organization is the most critical
requirement for serving on the Board
 Important to find diverse, connected
members who can support fundraising
Pat Christie Consulting, 403.771.5093
Assisting organizations to lay the foundations for fundraising and to find sources of sustainable support....
16
Board Roles in Fundraising
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Policies
Monitor revenue streams
Planning
Giving
Asking Other to Give
Create a fundraising committee
Pat Christie Consulting, 403.771.5093
Assisting organizations to lay the foundations for fundraising and to find sources of sustainable support....
17
Looking After Your Donors
 Build donor loyalty
 Never take a donor for granted
 Donor policies:
• Immediate thank yous
• Provide recognition for donors
• Keep donors informed
Pat Christie Consulting, 403.771.5093
Assisting organizations to lay the foundations for fundraising and to find sources of sustainable support....
18
Giving Clubs
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Receipt versus recognition
Tax issues
Giving Clubs – membership
Corporate versus individual
Pat Christie Consulting, 403.771.5093
Assisting organizations to lay the foundations for fundraising and to find sources of sustainable support....
19
Sample Giving Clubs
Theatre Sponsor Benefits
PRODUCTION:
Ad
Investment Tickets Gala size
Starring Role
$25K-$28K*
440
Supporting Cast
$13K-$15K*
220
$7-$8K*
100
Cameo Appearance
Behind the Scenes
$4K-$5K*
50
logo
placement
logo size
prime logo
2 full pg size
prime
1/2 size of
2 1/2 pg Starring role secondary
lower
1 1/3 pg 1/4 size
placement
smaller
1 1/6 pg again
Not present on
all advertising
opportunities.
Pat Christie Consulting, 403.771.5093
Assisting organizations to lay the foundations for fundraising and to find sources of sustainable support....
20
Fundraising Timeline
DATE
Jan-Mar 08
Jan-May 08
Mar-08
Mar-Apr 08
May-08
Sep-08
Oct-08
TASK
Case for Support
FD Plan
Direct Mail
Approach CIP
Donor Breakfast
Donor Breakfast
Donor Breakfast
DETAILS
Research, write, revise
Research, write, revise
Prepare and send
Solicit $20,000
Book hall, set fall date
Sell tickets
Final Details
RESPONSIBILITY
Consultant,
Board, FD
staff
Consultant, Board, FD
staff
FD staff
FD staff, Board
FD staff
FD staff, Board
FD staff, Board
Pat Christie Consulting, 403.771.5093
Assisting organizations to lay the foundations for fundraising and to find sources of sustainable support....
21
The Annual Giving Plan
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Sets goals for year
Decides on methods to use
Outlines time needed
Renewable document
Retains flexibility
Pat Christie Consulting, 403.771.5093
Assisting organizations to lay the foundations for fundraising and to find sources of sustainable support....
22
Why Have a Plan?
Energy spent on worrying how to get
everything done is energy gone to
waste.
Energy spent on planning how to get
everything done is energy well used” .
Anon
Pat Christie Consulting, 403.771.5093
Assisting organizations to lay the foundations for fundraising and to find sources of sustainable support....
23
Summary
 Need strong diverse base of funding
 Build on your strengths
 Don’t try everything new all at the
same time
 Take time to plan
 Questions?
Pat Christie Consulting, 403.771.5093
Assisting organizations to lay the foundations for fundraising and to find sources of sustainable support....
24