Transcript Creating an Upgrading Team: Presenter: Kim Klein Sponsored by: Kansas Health Foundation KLEIN & ROTH CONSULTING Real money.

Creating an Upgrading Team:
Presenter: Kim Klein
Sponsored by: Kansas Health Foundation
KLEIN & ROTH CONSULTING
Real money. Real people. Real change.
Presenter: Kim Klein
Kim is the author of Fundraising for Social Change and
Reliable Fundraising in Unreliable Times. She co-founded The
Grassroots Fundraising Journal in 1981. She is a lecturer at UC
Berkeley’s School of Social Welfare, and has taught fundraising
in all 50 states and 21 other countries. She is on the board of the
California Association of Nonprofits.
Klein and Roth Consulting helps organizations build strong
fundraising programs that are mission-driven. We provide
practical, hands-on advice on how to build a broad base of
individual donors, grounded in social justice values.
kleinandroth.com
Goals for our time together:
You will expand your knowledge about:
What upgrading means
Who is a prospect for an “upgrade”
Several upgrading methods
How to build a team of people who like
this strategy
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
Are most people: 70% of adults

Give to 5-10 organizations each year

Equal numbers of men and women

60% of money given comes from families with
incomes of $90,000 and under

# 1 reason people give: someone asked them
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Strong acquisition rate: 1%
Strong conversion rate: 40%
Strong retention rate: 70%
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The Most
Thoughtful Gift
(Bequest)
Upgrade Donors
(Thoughtful)
Retain Donors
(Habit)
Acquire Donors
(Impulse)
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TIME IN
Strategy
MONEY OUT
Response Rate
Personal:
Face to face asking
Phone Call
Letter or email
50%
25%
10-15%
Less personal:
Phone-a-Thon
Direct Mail (Acquisition)
On-line
Special Events
5%
.5-1%
.5-1%
Varies
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“This is one of the organizations I support”
“I like this organization a lot”
“This is one of my top three giving
priorities”
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Almost everyone can give more
 We don’t who will or can until we ask
 Even people who don’t increase their giving
become more thoughtful about their current
giving
 Not asking for an upgrade will cause some
donors to stop giving altogether

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Any donor who has:
 Given 3-4 times
 Given consistently for several years
 Given larger than usual gifts ($50-$250)
 Given odd amounts ($65.34, $91, $73)
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Donors who:
 someone in your organization thinks could
give more (based on good evidence)

Have shown interest in a particular program,
sometimes by making a larger gift to that
appeal

Are major donors to a similar organization
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The job of the “upgrade” team:
Focus on moving current donors to more
engagement:



Making larger gifts
Volunteering
Finding other donors
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What makes a good fundraising team?
Clear expectations
Meaningful work
Time off
Honest discussion
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




Former board and staff
Long time board members or
volunteers
People who have recently upgraded
their own gift
Recently retired professionals
People who don’t want to ask friends
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All team members are asked to:
 upgrade their own giving.
 personally ask others to increase their giving.
Specifically, each team member should ask ##
people a week for (period of time)
Some team members are also asked to:
 provide names of prospects
 help create the message for donors
 help thank donors for their gifts
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Sent promptly
Personalized
Content changes every two months
Remember:
The thank you note is the one thing donors will
read—don’t waste that opportunity
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Surveys
Phone to thank the donor
Ask for volunteers
Seek new board members
Get advice
Focus groups
Thank you events, such as tours of your facility
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Donors can be asked for money four times a
year, as long as:
 You thank them for what they have already
done
 Each appeal educates donors about an aspect
of your program
 Use language like “extra”, “stretch”,
“in addition” etc.
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Letter, with photo:
This is a photo of me
being able to use the
Community Center for
the first time. We have
one more ramp to go,
and want to put it in
before winter.
Can you help?
Mary Sandoval,
Community Member
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Steps in asking:
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Dear Fran and Ellery,
Hope all is well ….
Last time I saw you, I was leaving for a meeting with the Rural
Alliance Against Violence Initiative (RAAVI) and you told me you
were donors to that.
I am writing today for two reasons: one—it is because of
people like you that we have created a comprehensive approach to
addressing domestic violence which is already having great
success.
But, we need to do more. Bottom line: we need to raise an
extra $50,000 this year.
As a member of the board, I have given an extra $1,000 to the
organization, and have committed myself to raise $5,000.
Would you two be open to talking about increasing your gift
this year? I’d like to talk with you about what the money would be
used for, as well as more personally ask you to become a bigger
part of our organization.
I will call you in a few days to see when we can get together.
Best,
Susanna
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Dear Ms. Peters,
You have been a generous donor to our work for educational equity for the
past several years. Let me say again how much we appreciate your
commitment.
As you may know from reading our newsletter, we are embarking on an
ambitious campaign to expand our work into four more counties.
We hope to form at least three more chapters of Quality Education for
Everyone, which will allow us to work in at least 20 more schools.
I’d like to make a time to talk with you to discuss whether you might be
able to increase your donation this year to help us with that expansion.
Although we don’t know each other, I think we have in common a deep
commitment to making our public schools the best they can be for ALL
students. I would very much enjoy meeting you, if you have time. I’ll call you
in the next few days to see if we can find a time to talk.
If it is more convenient, feel free to call my cell: 899-999-8765, or reply to this
e-mail.
Becky Morrison, Board member
[email protected]
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Donors have a lot going on in their lives, and
they put down your letter or they delete your
e-mail.
REMEMBER:
Forgetting about your
organization is not “no.”
NO is short for “Not
now.”
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Have ready:
Opening sentence
 Message for VM
 Most exciting thing
about the project
 Where are you toward
the goal?
 How much do you
want?

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Have ready:
Stories
 Statistics
 Philosophical reasons
why this is important
 Responses to common
objections
 Budget and fundraising
success so far

Keep in mind:
The donor/s agreed to
see you
 They are going to give
the money somewhere

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Ask questions
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If a donor agrees to give more, your
organization agrees to give him or her more
attention
 You will need to be thoughtful in return:
• Personal notes on letters
• Occasional phone call
• Requests for advice or time

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Order your list as follows:
 Prospects most likely to say yes to a big gift
 Prospects most likely to say yes to something
 Prospects who could say anything
--Set a time each week to call two people,
starting at the top of your list

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Magazine and e-newsletter
Grassroots Fundraising Journal
www.grassrootsfundraising.org
Books by Kim Klein
Reliable Fundraising in Unreliable Times
Fundraising for Social Change
Other recommended books:
Working Across Generations by Robby Rodriquez, Frances
Kunreuther and Helen Kim
Accidental Fundraiser by Stephanie Roth and Mimi Ho
Order from www.josseybass.com or your local bookstore
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KLEIN & ROTH CONSULTING
Kim Klein
[email protected]
510-893-8933 x306
www.kleinandroth.com
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