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| Volume 1. Issue 4. October 2004 | |
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In this Issue:
Upcoming Woolbright Group Workshops Speaking
with One Voice: Developing a Communications Plan When?
The
Top of the Pyramid: Raising Leadership Gifts in the Annual
Fund When?
Why
Participate? Is participation important in the Annual Fund? When?
Secrets
of Successful Stewardship When?
Join Us! Join our principals at the following upcoming workshops: SOX
and the City: Implications of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act for Non-for-Profit
Boards When?
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By Penny Hunt, Woolbright Group Principal Editors note: From 1998 – 2003, Penny led Campaign Northwestern, which raised $1.5 billion for Northwestern University, Evanston, IL A campaign can help your organization bring its vision into reality, motivate your donors to new levels of support, and take your development efforts to new levels of sophistication and professionalism. Organizations often launch a campaign to signal the reaching of an institutional milestone: The arrival of a new president or an approaching anniversary. If similar events are driving your institution into undertaking a major new effort, be sure to take full advantage of the opportunities such a campaign provides. Begin by asking yourself (and your team) these five questions:
A campaign is a great opportunity for growth, for both your organization and you. Proper planning and preparation will ensure that your organization continues to benefit from the campaign long after the last thank you letter has been sent. For assistance
in assessing your organization’s campaign
readiness contact us for a consultation: info@woolbrightgroup.com or
585.787.0325. |
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the (Calendar)
Year with Better Annual Giving Results
Will you meet 60-65% of your fundraising goals by December 31st for your July-June fiscal year? Are you taking strategic steps to secure your annual gifts? If not, here are 10 ways to secure more commitments. Need
help with your Annual Fund? Attend a Woolbright
Group Workshop on annual giving. Or inquire
about an on-site consultation: |
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Think Outside the Box: Subtle Stewardship By Sandra Lively, Director of Stewardship, Deerfield Academy (MA) Tired of preparing annual reports for donors? Looking for something different? “Be creative. Think outside of the box,” says Sandy Lively, Director of Stewardship at Deerfield Academy. She offers these tips on how to improve your stewardship activities:
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Trends in Philanthropy: An Interview with Suzanne Mink, World Wildlife Fund Suzy joined Washington-based WWF in April 2002 as the Vice President for Development. Previously, she spent four + years as a fundraising consultant with Campbell & Company. She also served as the director of development at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.; as a former Vice President of Development at Drew University, in New Jersey, and as Vice President at the Council for Advancement and Support of Education in Washington. Suzy is a popular and frequent speaker for fundraising conferences and seminars. This is the first of a two-part interview. WG: How do you view the current state of philanthropy in the U.S.? SM: We are seeing an increase in mega-gifts (those of a $100 million or more), as well as an increase in the overall number of gifts we receive due to moderate strengthening of the economy. At the same time, we see major donors reducing the number of gifts they are making over all. So in that sense, things have become more competitive. And we find that our donors – individuals and foundations – are taking longer to decide on where and how they want to invest in an organization. In fact, they view it as just that: an investment. So there is a lot of focus on results and deliverables. There is also a greater need for and desire for human contact with the endowed organization. WG: I think your success may not be widely shared? SM: I think the fact that we are getting more gifts now is a result of the efforts we made to maintain relationships with our donors during the worst financial years and to treat non-donors as prospects and friends. WG: How do you view the next five years in terms of challenges and opportunities? SM: I think philanthropy will continue to grow. But organizations like ours must be cautious and exceedingly focused on maintaining excellent donor relations, providing impeccable stewardship, and ensuring proper use of contributions. Not-for-profits have come under intense scrutiny recently as a result of some organizations’ questionable accounting practices and abuse of resources. WG: Andy advice on how to find the right volunteer leaders to help lead your fund-raising efforts? SM: We must remember that their lives are busier than ever. So we must use their time effectively and judiciously. WG: As you look ahead, what do you think about in terms of best/worst case scenarios? SM: Best case: The economy stabilizes, no major
worldly events disrupt our focus, and we settle into a rhythm more
typical of the 1990s. Worst case: We continued to be destabilized,
rocked by terrorism and a downward spiraling economy – which
dramatically reduces the amount of philanthropic dollars available
to us and other organizations. |
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The Woolbright Group Helps UNM Turn Spotlight on Major Gifts With an enrollment of nearly 25,000 students in 11 colleges, centers and schools, and average annual fundraising of $40 million, state-run University of New Mexico wants to enhance overall philanthropic support for the campus – and especially from major donors. Background: The (interim) associate directors of development wanted to enhance the skills of the school’s major gifts staff and help others in the organization learn more about major gift fundraising. They also wanted to work on team building across the university development staff. Our Role: Develop and conduct a one-and-a-half-day workshop on strategies for major gift fundraising that would accommodate the varying backgrounds and experience of staff drawn from across the university’s many in schools and colleges. We were also asked to meet with the provost, deans and key volunteers to give them insight into the roles each of them must play in a major gifts drive. Woolbright Principals: Penny Hunt and Cynthia Woolbright Results: Thirty-five development staff participated in the full workshop. Another 28 academic leaders and key volunteers attended a luncheon and presentation. “Our development team came away with a much better understand of major gift fundraising as a process,” says Andrea Bromberg, the Interim Associate Director of Development. “Our staff learned how to build a donor pool, manage their prospects and make and effective ‘ask.’ Our group also had an opportunity to weigh various stewardship strategies for major gifts.” As importantly, Andrea says, “our deans and volunteers came away energized and ready to play an even greater role in our major gift fundraising." For more information on Woolbright Group Workshops: info@woolbrightgroup.com or
585.787.0325. |
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By Eve Forbes, Woolbright Group Principal Are your planned giving marketing materials bogged down with technical terms? Titles and texts filled with words such as "charitable gift annuity," "pooled income fund," or "charitable remainder trust" may discourage prospective donors from exploring these wonderful gift strategies. Not only do the terms not mean much to (or worse, intimidate) many donors, they do not quickly identify the benefits of such contributions. Check your marketing material for overuse of financial terms – and think about replacing those words with phrases such as "a gift that returns income" rather than the actual planned gift vehicle name. Also, be sure that you are not making the case for support solely on the benefits to the donor. Be sure to emphasize the benefits to your organization. And, wherever possible, demonstrate how other donors made a difference with similar contributions. While planned gifts have obvious tax and income advantages, donors must be motivated to help further a cause in order to consider making a significant gift. Want help boosting your planned giving program? Contact
us for a consultation: info@woolbrightgroup.com or
585.787.0325.
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The Woolbright Group A member of Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). |
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