tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66235605910050639492024-02-20T15:36:11.599-08:00Empty Handed Giving'Empty Handed Giving' is dedicated to professionalism in non-profit fundraising, a crusader for Major Gifts, thoughtful pondering, can-do attitude and sharing ideas that work. Visit our website at www.gpbcoaching.com. If you don't understand something want to know more please ask.
Please share your thoughts, insights and comments below. Gary Broussardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511211156775482757noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6623560591005063949.post-31559619022338680282013-02-20T14:21:00.000-08:002013-02-20T14:21:06.979-08:00Do you know what makes successful major gift fundraisers?<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A question posted on a Linked<span style="background-color: blue;"><span style="color: white;">in</span></span> discussion board recently asked <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/groupItem?view=&gid=78083&item=212650030&type=member&commentID=120547514&trk=hb_ntf_COMMENTED_ON_GROUP_DISCUSSION_YOU_COMMENTED_ON#commentID_120547514" target="_blank">what are the characteristics of successful major gift fundraisers</a>. At last count over 20 people had offered their lists "successful" characteristics. The suggested characteristics offered have a predictable repetitiveness yet with a range of "outliers."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Passion for the mission </b>is the characteristic<b> </b>most often dubbed the most important. I'll say it's overrated and among the least important characteristics for successfully garnering major gifts. More on this later. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Many of the suggested characteristics are collectively called "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft_skills" target="_blank">soft skills</a>." Soft skills are personal attributes<b> characterizing relationships with people</b><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">. </span>The characteristics offered included:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 19.1875px;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 19.1875px;"> Integrity </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 19.1875px;">Patience</span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 19.1875px;"> Good listener </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 19.1875px;">Positive</span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 19.1875px;"> Sincerity Good with people </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 19.1875px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 19.1875px;">Some of the suggested characteristics fall in to the <i>hard skill</i> category. Hard skills are about a persons<b> ability to accomplish a certain task</b> - in this case closing major gifts. Suggested hard skills included:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 19.1875px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 19.1875px;"> Self-motivation </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 19.1875px;">Strategic</span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 19.1875px;"> Creative </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 19.1875px;">Good writer</span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 19.1875px;"> Organized P</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 19.1875px;">ositive</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Will finding all of the characteristics in one person equal a successful fundraiser? Maybe. Maybe not. There are few, if any, that possess all of the soft/hard skills. <b>Some combination, greater or lesser, is the reality.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The problem with lists is it <b>provides convenient excuses for NOT raising money</b>. If you lack a skill or two you can't raise money.</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I can't raise money because I'm not good with people.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I don't have the patience to raise money.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I'm not good at raising money because I'm not creative.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I'm not organized enough to raise money.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>It goes on and on and on. You've heard them. Heck, you may have even used them! </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">There are literally thousands and thousands of <b>people that will bleed for their mission and <u>can't</u> or <u>won't</u> raise a dime</b> for the cause they profess such great passion for. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">You've seen it. You know it is true. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This is why </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">"passion for the mission" is highly overrated.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Given that a person is not socially inept or against the cause, there are<b> two essential characteristics </b>that are absolutely necessary for successful major gift fundraising - along with <b>one tool</b>. The two characteristics are:</span><br />
<br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The desire to raise major gifts.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The ability/discipline to use the tool.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></li>
</ol>
<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I don't wish to minimize the soft/hard skill list. </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Certainly, adding more from the soft/hard list to the essential characteristics will enhance the major gift outcomes. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The more the merrier! <b>But, without the desire to raise major gifts - success is unlikely.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The tool that is essential to major gift fundraising </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">is <b>a proven </b></span><b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">major gift process. </b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's an equalizer. Those who rely only on "being good with people" etc. will close fewer gifts. Those that use a major gift process, yet </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">lack some soft/hard skills will close more gifts. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Widely known as moves management, <b>a major gift process levels the playing field</b>. It allows the majority of us, <b>with fewer of the soft/hard skills, to be more successful </b>than those who are blessed with the skills but don't use the tool. </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Using a set, sequence (process) to guide the qualifying, cultivating/ stewarding, soliciting, and closing of major gifts <b>can mitigate the lack of soft/hard skills. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If you haven't heard the phrase moves management or you're not sure what the phrase means <b>you can access a free, easy to understand, ebook titled <a href="http://gpbassociates.webs.com/demystifying-movesmanagement" target="_blank">De-Mystifying Moves Management by following this link</a>.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's not rocket science. </span><br />
<br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Find someone that <u>wants</u> to do it</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Provide <u>the tool</u> and the guidance to use it.</span></li>
</ol>
<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It's an equalizer. More major gifts will be closed. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>Gary Broussardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511211156775482757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6623560591005063949.post-76950239219075885002013-02-12T10:27:00.000-08:002013-02-12T10:27:23.528-08:00Survey says fundraising problems are extensive and entrenched!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/A6T1arBzOhY?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>What nonprofit executives are saying about development directors</b>;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">30% are less than satisfied with their development director</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">25% of their previous development directors were fired</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">24% of their development directors have no experience/novices at securing gifts</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All of the above and much, much more can be found in "<a href="http://www.compasspoint.org/sites/default/files/images/UnderDeveloped_CompassPoint_HaasJrFund_January%202013.pdf" target="_blank"><b>UnderDeveloped: A National Study of Challenges Facing Nonprofit Fundraising</b></a>" a new national study released January 14, 2013.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><b>“This study shows that the fundraising problems facing</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><b> nonprofit organizations are more extensive and more </b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><b>entrenched than anyone
imagined,”</b></span> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">said Jeanne Bell, CEO of CompassPoint and coauthor of the study.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> “As
a sector, we need to elevate the importance of fund development </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">as a leadership issue,
invest in a stronger talent pool, </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and strengthen the ability of nonprofits to
develop </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">the systems that enable fundraising success.”</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>I was struck by two words</b> in Jeanne Bell's comment. Specifically <u>extensive</u> and <u>entrenched</u>. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Extensive" is very worrisome to me but, it doesn't scare me. "Entrenched" </span><a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/entrenched?s=t" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">defined by dictionary.com</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> is "to place in a position of strength; establish firmly or solidly," - <b>really scares me</b>. </span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No, I don't think that anyone purposely "entrenched" a problem. As the leadership of organizations, <b>boards and npo executives must shoulder the lion's share of the blame for fundraising problems,</b> consequently they must lead the charge on solving the fundraising problems. What scares me, are the ones that have contributed to the problem and don't recognize it in themselves! If you don't see it - you don't know to fix it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The "</span><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">UnderDeveloped</b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">" report sounds alarms in many directions. The "calls to action" prescribing specific directions to begin solving the problems outlined in the report are spot on. It is a good document and </span><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">you can read it by following the link in the report title near the beginning of this blog</b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Strengthening the talent pool is one action point. The report points out that <b>when seeking to hire a development director many of the positions go unfilled for 12 months or more</b> and that 53% of the candidate pools don't contain candidates with sufficient skills. Leading one executive director to say: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"I think some kind of self-perpetuating cycle is going on </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>where, on one hand, the jobs are really hard and </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>not that many people are successful at them, and then</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i> there is the issue of salaries, they just keep going</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i> higher and higher and higher. So development directors </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>who are good can write their own tickets and command </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i> what they want. And the larger institutions pick off </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>the best. And so then there’s scarcity, so all of us</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i> have to pay more for a shrinking pool of people." </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Along the same line</b>, I recently came across this in the biography of a newly hired development director on the organizations website; "<i>...... she brings with her 18 years of customer service experience in the sheet metal industry.</i>" Hiring someone for a position that has never done the job - especially if the candidate pool is dreadfully thin - is not ideal but may be understandable. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some how you have to convert the experience in the sheet metal industry into the successful tools for fundraising industry!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With talent in short supply, for my two cents, too little emphasis was placed on one key tool in addressing the problem. <b>When skills are lacking they can be acquired in two ways</b>; hire the skills or acquire the skills through training. Yet, training without follow-up action that includes quality supervision and leadership is rarely enough.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"<b>UnderDeveloped</b>" points to changes and areas of emphasis that can only be done my an organizations leadership. The tone and tenor must come from the top. The support to solve the fundraising problem must come in <u>words</u>, <u>actions</u> and <u>deeds</u>. Including actions and deeds that <u>spend dollars</u> where and when it is appropriate.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, what's it going to be? Get busy on the fundraising problem, or "they're not talking about us. We are doing just fine."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We'll have to wait and see!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
Gary Broussardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511211156775482757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6623560591005063949.post-39364613634350062612013-02-04T20:59:00.000-08:002013-02-07T14:29:53.826-08:00Communication that is seen - read - heard <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Communicating with constituents and donors is considered a "must do" </b>and rightly so. There is no substitute for keeping your constituents and supporters well informed. Effective communication is <b>a tie that binds</b>.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Because of rising postal costs </b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">many organizations are taking a fresh look at the effectiveness and "return on investment" of the printed newsletter and magazine-type mailing pieces. The rush to gather email addresses is underway to take advantage of the more economical email versions of newsletter. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The question is</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> how to communicate in a way that is </span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">cost effective - and gets read!</b><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </b></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You might investigate <a href="http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp" style="color: #333333;">Constant Contact</a>, <a href="http://mailchimp.com/" target="_blank">Mail Chimp</a> or <a href="http://www.verticalresponse.com/" style="color: #333333;">Vertical Response</a> to mention a few. You can use each of these to reach out to constituents via standard text email. Using these same vendors you can also easily create attractive HTML newsletter formats - I don't know about you, but<b> I'd rather get information that is pleasing to the eye, with pictures than a standard, run of the mill email</b>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://simplebooklet.com/publish.php?wpKey=8w3ygZS2nbwyZrC0BY7Slj#wpKey=8w3ygZS2nbwyZrC0BY7Slj#page=0" target="_blank">Simplebooklet</a> makes it easy to create a basic "page turning" effect and even provide a link that you can post in emails or add the HTML code to your website or blog! </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Still others use various forms of "home grown" solutions. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The point is, creating visually appealing email messages can be done <b>quickly, cheaply, easily, and often.</b> Anybody can do it! </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are not using these or similar products - get on the stick. If you are using them great! Now get ready to take another step.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now you can give supporters voices - <i>your voice - the voice of a board member - a message delivered by a grateful recipient. </i> </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A familiar voice! A thankful voice! </i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Imagine the impact</b> that voice</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">and video</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">can have on how your supporters know and understand your organization.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks to the availability of internet technologies<b> </b>you can communicate in ways that are</span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </b><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">meaningful, cost effective, gets read and now - HEARD!</b><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A collection of words, colorful visuals and audio - a winning combination.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/">YouTube</a> , <a href="http://present.me/">Present.me</a>, and <a href="http://www.movenote.com/site/intro" target="_blank">Movenote</a> and others can allow you to use video with audio, some use split screens allowing live narration of a slide presentation or other visual aids. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To <b>talk to your donors in a more personal, meaningful way </b>invest<b> </b>a few minutes in</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> a Google search for free video and audio postings and you will find solutions - most require very little or no technical skill.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Free and no technical skill is a winning combination.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/0rJRAFukBLM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Share the steps have you taken to better communicate with your constituents below.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Gary Broussardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511211156775482757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6623560591005063949.post-9935643153896799852013-01-28T06:26:00.000-08:002013-01-28T06:26:01.857-08:00Biggest gifts are under the brown stones<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">Early in my career </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">during a conversation about seeking major gifts</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"> a veteran fundraiser once told me “picture a rocky riverbed filled with softball size river stones as far as you can see.” </span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 11px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"> <img src="http://images.quickblogcast.com/1/6/0/1/9/299491-291061/RiverRock.png?a=72" style="border: 0px solid;" /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 11px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">“<b>Each stone represents a gift prospect," </b>he continued. "And all you have to do is go to a stone, pick it up and turn it over. If there is money under it great – if not, then put it down and pick up the next one. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"> You never know what you will find under a rock until you turn it over. Just keep turning over rocks. It really is pretty simple.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 11px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">That example has stuck with me over the years for several reasons. <b>It</b> </span><b style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">serves as a reminder of two important and often overlooked facts;</b></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 11px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; padding: 0px;">
</div>
<ul style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px 1.5em 1.5em 3em; padding: 0px;">
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">Successfully seeking big gifts is not rocket science</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">Seeking big gifts, in its basic form, is a systematic <u>process</u>.</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 11px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 11px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><b>Surveying the many stones in the riverbed - they all look the same.</b> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">So many stones. Where to begin. Which stones to turn over first. Do you work back and forth across the bed of rocks or up and down? </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">The sheer number of stones that must be turned over can be overwhelming.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 11px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; padding: 0px;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><b>If through trial and error </b>you discovered that the brown stones have more money under them than the red ones, the red ones more money than the tan ones and the grey ones have no money at all, then the task would be fairly straightforward. Turn over all the brown stones first! Then the red ones and save the tan stones for last and don't waste time with the grey ones. But, how do you discover the color code in the first place?</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<div style="color: black; font-size: medium;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">" I don't know who to ask" or "I don't know what to ask for" these and similar phrases are common in organizations that don't have major gift programs. Information that you need and don't have </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">doesn't suddenly become known because we want or need it.</span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-size: medium;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The process of sorting out "who" and "how much" is commonly known as "screening and rating" of donors.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"> </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 11px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">You need <b>a conscious and thoughtful screening and rating plan</b> to identify which "stones" are most likely to produce big gifts and the gift size.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Generally speaking there are </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">three methods of screening and rating donors</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">. Broadly speaking these methods are:</span></span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">
<ul style="margin: 0px 1.5em 1.5em 3em; padding: 0px;">
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Internal Screening & Rating</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Electronic Screens/Prospect Research</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Peer Screening & Rating</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Screening & rating based on your internal information</b> that normally includes;</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">
<ul style="margin: 0px 1.5em 1.5em 3em; padding: 0px;">
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Giving History</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Call reports/Anecdotal information</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Personal Knowledge</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Using this <b>internal </b>screening and rating information your organization can draw certain conclusions from the information that you have on hand. Most everyone in the community knows or <i><u>thinks they know</u></i> who are the more wealthy members of the community. However, the fact remains: <b>" You don't know what you don't know."</b></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>To go beyond </b>internal screening and rating based on information that you already have you may consider "<i>electronic screening</i>" or individual prospect research for addition information. It is absolutely amazing what these services can discover. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Visit The <b>Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement</b> <a href="http://www.aprahome.org/" style="color: #333333;">website here</a> to learn about the wide variety of professional services offered from prospect researchers. Personally I have used the electronic screening company <a href="http://www.wealthengine.com/" style="color: #333333;">WealthEngine</a> in the past and found them to be helpful.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>If professional services are beyond your reach</b> then consider <i>Peer Screening and Rating<b>.</b></i></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gather a small <b>representative group of your constituents </b>(6-8)<b> </b>for the <b>systematic examining of each</b> potential donor and the goal is to gain <b>consensus on the estimated donor value</b> to your organization. Each donor will be evaluated in 2 ways;</span><br />
<br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Likelihood to give to your organization</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How much they are able to give</span></li>
</ol>
<br />
<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Key to the process </b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">is a </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">clear understanding of <u>and</u> the difference between <u>screening</u> and </i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>rating</u></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">:</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">
<ul style="margin: 0px 1.5em 1.5em 3em; padding: 0px;">
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A prospect is <b>screened</b> according to their<b> propensity</b> (an innate inclination; a tendency) to give to your organization.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A prospect is<b> rated </b>according to their <b>capacity</b> (the maximum or optimum amount that can be given) to give to your organization. </span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Create a screening scale</b> similar to the one pictured below.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <img alt="" src="http://images.quickblogcast.com/1/6/0/1/9/299491-291061/ScreeningScale.png?a=68" style="border: 0px solid;" /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Use a rating scale</b> like the one below. Plug in appropriate dollar amounts for your organization.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <img src="http://images.quickblogcast.com/1/6/0/1/9/299491-291061/RatingScale.png?a=45" style="border: 0px solid;" /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">Using these scales <b>your representative constituent group process</b> will yield screening and rating results that will look something like below for each donor prospect.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 11px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 11px;">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 528px;"><colgroup><col style="width: 114pt;" width="152"></col><col style="width: 78pt;" width="104"></col><col style="width: 204pt;" width="272"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="39" style="height: 29.2pt;"><td class="oa1" height="39" style="height: 29.2pt; width: 114pt;" width="152"><div align="center" style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0px; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Screening</span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></span></div>
</td><td class="oa1" style="width: 78pt;" width="104"><div align="center" style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0px; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Rating</span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></span></div>
</td><td class="oa1" style="width: 204pt;" width="272"><div align="center" style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0px; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;"></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr height="39" style="height: 29.2pt;"><td class="oa1" height="39" style="height: 29.2pt; width: 114pt;" width="152"><div align="center" style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0px; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">A</span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></span></div>
</td><td class="oa1" style="width: 78pt;" width="104"><div align="center" style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0px; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">2</span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></span></div>
</td><td class="oa1" style="width: 204pt;" width="272"><div align="center" style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0px; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Definite</span><span style="font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> gift/ $2500</span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr height="39" style="height: 29.2pt;"><td class="oa1" height="39" style="height: 29.2pt; width: 114pt;" width="152"><div align="center" style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0px; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">B</span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></span></div>
</td><td class="oa1" style="width: 78pt;" width="104"><div align="center" style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0px; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">4</span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></span></div>
</td><td class="oa1" style="width: 204pt;" width="272"><div align="center" style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0px; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Very likely gift/$500</span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr height="39" style="height: 29.2pt;"><td class="oa1" height="39" style="height: 29.2pt; width: 114pt;" width="152"><div align="center" style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0px; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">B</span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></span></div>
</td><td class="oa1" style="width: 78pt;" width="104"><div align="center" style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0px; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">2</span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></span></div>
</td><td class="oa1" style="width: 204pt;" width="272"><div align="center" style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0px; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Very likely gift/$2500</span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr height="39" style="height: 29.2pt;"><td class="oa1" height="39" style="height: 29.2pt; width: 114pt;" width="152"><div align="center" style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0px; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">A</span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></span></div>
</td><td class="oa1" style="width: 78pt;" width="104"><div align="center" style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0px; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">1</span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></span></div>
</td><td class="oa1" style="width: 204pt;" width="272"><div align="center" style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0px; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Definite</span><span style="font-size: 18pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> gift/$10,000+</span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr height="39" style="height: 29.2pt;"><td class="oa1" height="39" style="height: 29.2pt; width: 114pt;" width="152"><div align="center" style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0px; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">C</span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></span></div>
</td><td class="oa1" style="width: 78pt;" width="104"><div align="center" style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0px; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">3</span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></span></div>
</td><td class="oa1" style="width: 204pt;" width="272"><div align="center" style="direction: ltr; margin: 0pt 0in; padding: 0px; text-indent: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">Likely gift/$1000</span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr height="39" style="height: 29.2pt;"><td class="oa1" height="39" style="height: 29.2pt; width: 114pt;" width="152"><div align="center" style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0px; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">C</span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></span></div>
</td><td class="oa1" style="width: 78pt;" width="104"><div align="center" style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0px; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">3</span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></span></div>
</td><td class="oa1" style="width: 204pt;" width="272"><div align="center" style="direction: ltr; margin: 0pt 0in; padding: 0px; text-indent: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">Likely gift/$1000</span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr height="39" style="height: 29.2pt;"><td class="oa1" height="39" style="height: 29.2pt; width: 114pt;" width="152"><div align="center" style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0px; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">D</span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></span></div>
</td><td class="oa1" style="width: 78pt;" width="104"><div align="center" style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0px; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">1</span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></span></div>
</td><td class="oa1" style="width: 204pt;" width="272"><div align="center" style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0pt; padding: 0px; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Not likely to give /$10,000+</span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"></span></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 11px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white;">
<div style="color: #333333;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #333333;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With these screening and rating results <b>your work can be ordered</b> in such away to yield the greatest results first. For example you may choose to begin with the A-1&2"s first then the B-1&2's, then C-1&2's, then A-3&4's etc. Eventually working with all of your potential donors in an orderly way.</span></div>
<div style="color: #333333;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: red;">P.S.</span></b><span style="color: #333333;"> When you create representative constituent groups you have also created cultivation points, face time, and donor involvement! So much in our business have overlapping benefits. </span></span><br />
<div style="color: #333333;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #333333;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Gary Broussardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511211156775482757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6623560591005063949.post-59847739058744773432013-01-21T05:30:00.000-08:002013-01-22T11:07:01.287-08:006 Steps can lead to more major gifts in 2013<br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">“I have another $1.6 million in other places” he said.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">My heart leapt at his words. Quick mental math told me this could be <b>a gift worth more than $3 million! </b></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">We have all heard of really big gifts that come “over the transom,” out of nowhere. I even have a couple of stories myself. However, the truth is, really big gifts from “over the transom” are too few and too far between to hang your hat on or even worse – your budget.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Really big gifts don’t happen every day. But, <b>big gifts can happen more often than you may think.</b> The steps leading to big gifts include;</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; padding: 0px;">
</div>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Identifying prospects</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Qualifying the donor</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Donor cultivation</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Making the “ask”</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Gift design </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Stewarding the gift </span></li>
</ol>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Circumstances of time and place can make the specifics of each step vary, but make no mistake about it <b>big gifts are the result of intentional actions, </b>keen listening and good fortune (No pun intended).</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>What is intentional action?</b> Specific actions designed to accomplish each of the 6 steps listed above in a <i><span style="text-decoration: underline;">organized, managed process</span>.</i> Consider that about 85% of all philanthropy in the USA comes from private individuals - <b>NOT corporations</b> like many people believe. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">It is clear that big gifts should be on the radar screen of </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">all</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> donor supported nonprofit organizations.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Intentional action, s</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">ome call it "<b><a href="http://bit.ly/XuPrUs" target="_blank">moves management,</a></b>" is the proven path to "big gifts." Regardless of the name, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><i>when more than 80% of charitable giving comes from 20% of the donors or less</i> </span>- asking for major gifts is the way to go. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">An a</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">nonymous survey respondent to the </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://foundationcenter.org/gainknowledge/research/pdf/nrc_sept2011.pdf" style="color: #333333;">Nonprofit Research Collaborative, Summer/Early Fall 2011 </a>may have said it best:</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span></div>
<div align="center" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">"<i>I used to have four people working for me and all of them have been laid-off. This means that our board has had to take on greater responsibility in fundraising. <u>We have limited resources for fundraising so asking for major gifts is the most time-efficient way to do fundraising.</u>"</i></span></div>
<div align="left" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Common barriers to establishing major gift programs involve "<b>I don't know ...... </b><i><b>who to ask, how to ask, when to ask, how much to ask for</b>, </i>and on and on and on...." </span></div>
<div align="left" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Learning from your peers</b> is a great way to go. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">==> By joining your local <a href="http://www.afpnet.org/" target="_blank">AFP chapter</a>, low cost or no cost training may be available. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: small;">==> Another more focused approach for your organization to establish a major gift program can include seeking the specific<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/strategiccoachingphilanthropy/" target="_blank"> </a></span><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/strategiccoachingphilanthropy/" target="_blank">training, knowledge, and guidance designed for your organization</a> that a consultant can offer.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Whichever way you decide to go - an organized, managed, major gift program and the significant funding it can provide can transform your organization forever! </span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
Gary Broussardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511211156775482757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6623560591005063949.post-53397318400518341122013-01-16T06:13:00.001-08:002013-01-16T06:13:31.972-08:00The benefits of making it easy.<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Non-profits should consider being Square (or something like it.) Here's why?</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">About 8 years ago while boarding a flight from Oklahoma City to Tucson I found myself standing next to an<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><b>Executive Vice President from Sonic, the drive-in fast food company</b><span style="font-size: small;">. Knowing that Sonic was among the first fast food outlets to test using credit cards I took the opportunity to ask how that had worked in a notoriously profit thin industry.</span> </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Smiling, he said. ”<b>Our average ticket went from a little less than $3.00 per ticket to almost $8.00 per ticket!”</b><b> </b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Remarkable evidence of 2 key points:</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px;">
</div>
<ul style="margin: 0px 1.5em 1.5em 3em; padding: 0px;">
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> More and more people are carrying less and less cash </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A striking example of the business axiom: <b>Make it easy for your customers to give you money!</b><b> </b></span></li>
</ul>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What does this have to do with Why Nonprofits being Square? </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a class="" href="http://www.square.com/" style="color: #333333;" target="">Square</a> is a postage stamp sized adaptor that plugs into a smart phone and <i>allows you to accept credit card payments on the spot!</i><i> </i></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I saw <b>this nifty little device in action</b> recently in a local park. The Lupus Foundation of Southern Arizona was holding their annual “Loop the Loop for Lupus” walk and selling raffle tickets for a new car. The car raffle tickets cost was $25 each. More cash than many people carry - especially at a walk! </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>More than 75% of the raffle tickets sold was via credit card avoiding lost sales because of a lack of cash.</b> Now with the swipe of a credit card, approval code, an approval signature written by finger tip, and a receipt sent to the buyer’s smart phone - all at internet speed. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While visiting <a href="http://www.square.com/" style="color: #333333;">www.square.com</a> I learned that simply by signing up Square will send you the <b>postage stamp sized card scanner AND the software application all absolutely free.</b> The cost per transaction is nominal considering the portability and the opportunity to increase ticket/event sales in remote locations. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Nonprofit organizations be Square</b>(or something like it)<b> and make it easy for your donors to give you money!</b></span><br />
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
Gary Broussardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511211156775482757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6623560591005063949.post-31710901406396145212013-01-11T15:05:00.002-08:002013-01-11T15:05:41.633-08:00Looking back at 2011.... How have you changed?<br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Reading "<a class="" href="http://www.philanthropy.iupui.edu/research/docs/2011NonprofitFundraisingSurvey_September.pdf" style="color: #333333;" target="">The Nonprofit Research Collaborative</a>" from September 2011 the following quote forecast the need to adapt to a "new reality":</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<div align="center">
“While the survey numbers may seem okay at first, the reality is that giving levels were</div>
<div align="center">
much higher in 2007 before the recession. With many economists predicting a flat</div>
<div align="center">
economy for several more years, charities face a very challenging environment in the</div>
<div align="center">
near future, with fewer funds available while the demand for services and programs</div>
<div align="center">
remains quite high. This is the new reality charities will have to address.”</div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Andrew Watt, FInstF</div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>President and CEO</div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP)</div>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<b>To deal effectively with this "new reality" </b>charitable organizations must re-examine and make improvements aimed at greater results by; </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<ul style="margin: 0px 1.5em 1.5em 3em; padding: 0px;">
<li>Improving communication</li>
<li>Refining skills in fundraising</li>
<li>Improving program deliver and organizational effectiveness across the board</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
A <b>self re-examination and assessment takes an investment</b>. The investment can take a variety of forms including <i>optimizing time</i> (staff & volunteer), <i>sharpening skills and acquiring new ones</i> (again, staff & volunteers), and at times <i>seeking outside advice</i>. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white;">
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<i>Some investments require <u>only time</u> others require<u> time and money</u></i>. <b>Both of which are in short supply in most nonprofits</b>. Take advantage of "<u><i>free</i></u>" whenever you can. That means this is a good place to visit! It also means join your local <a href="http://www.afpnet.org/" target="_blank">AFP chapter</a> or any other organization where you can learn from your peers at little or no cost.</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From what I have observed many have not yet taken that "</span><b style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">self re-examination and assessment" </b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">or have made few significant changes in there procedures in the last 2 years. </span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If your organization has re-examined / re-assessed what important changes have you made?</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Make a comment below and share what changes you have made.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you have not, share why you have not.</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm interested to know.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The<i style="font-weight: bold;"> Empty Handed Giving</i> blog is dedicated to sharing <b><i>ideas that work.</i></b> You can get good ideas here by <i>visiting, reading, and implementing</i>. If you don't understand something simply ask <a href="http://www.gpbcoaching.com/contact.html">here</a> - remember conversations are always free.</span></div>
Gary Broussardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511211156775482757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6623560591005063949.post-92143572252694356372013-01-09T11:22:00.001-08:002013-01-09T11:22:20.837-08:00Behind this blog's title<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Several years ago I was having a conversation with the creative director of a print advertising company. After a few minutes the creative director mentioned how difficult it must be "to go hat-in-hand and beg for money." A description I dislike - a lot.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"No" I responded, "That's not how its done. When you have a good cause with a compelling need, delivered in a thoughtful, and professional way - there is no begging. My hands are always empty - and I <i>never</i> carry a hat."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My remark, granted a bit forceful, was met with a momentary blank stare, complete with blinking eyes, and a quiet, thoughtful expression. A few more silent moments passed, cocking his head he remarked, "<i>empty handed giving</i> - an interesting concept."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />That conversation provided the phrase that, when properly understood, is the essence of everything that we believe and embrace.<b> <a href="http://www.gpbcoaching.com/">GPB Associates LLC</a></b> works everyday to share professionalism and <i><b>ideas that work</b></i> in nonprofit fundraising.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Perhaps what is shared will ring true to you. Check in regularly. I invite your thoughts, remarks and questions. Sharing is key to learning. I learn from experience and others everyday.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /> </span><br />
<br />Gary Broussardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511211156775482757noreply@blogger.com0