Credentialing an Organization

7 ways Board members credential an organization and increase the likelihood of funding: 

 

Ø Provide credentialing by lending their name and reputation

Ø Act as an ambassador for the organization in the community

Ø Develop and cultivate networks that will be beneficial in reaching short and long-term goals

Ø Function as the only truly objective and credible participants in a cultivation or solicitation

Ø Function as part of a solicitation team

Ø Exhibit support for the community they serve, particularly in times of disaster relief funding

Ø Indicate a willingness to support the organization long after initial funders are gone

The Style Advantage in Donor Meetings

Donors and their advisors react positively or negatively to personal style and clothing choices in the first 90 seconds. Although they may not be able to acknowledge or articulate it at the time, a strong cultural perception is formed that carries through the remainder of the meeting or presentation.

The five key factors related to personal style and clothing choices are identified below:

1. The 90% rule always applies for the first meeting and for meetings with any donor over the age of 70. The 90% rule implies coverage of everything but face, neck, wrists and hands.
2. When asking for gifts at a million dollars or over, at least one member of the presentation team should wear the same color as his or her eyes.
3. At the point of handshake, the donor will look from eyes to hands to feet. Hence, presenters  should always wear close-toed shoes.
4. In presentation teams of three or more, at least one member should wear "sincere gray".
5. Donors assess the seriousness of the presentation and the importance of the meeting in the first ninety seconds, based on the presence of the following colors: black, gray, navy blue, burgundy and taupe.

The Importance of the Venue in a Cultivation Strategy

Selecting the location for a cultivation and solicitation meeting is based on a combination of respect for the donor's privacy, comfort and the greatest likelihood of engagement:

1. In a recent survey, ninety-seven percent of donors over the age of seventy reported hesitation or unwillingness to discuss their financial situation and resulting philanthropy in a public location or country club.
2. A site visit of less than an hour increases the likelihood of a successful outcome by forty-two percent.
3. Female donors over the age of seventy express discomfort when two males (board members, board development officers) request a meeting in their home.
4. Meetings that include donor advisors (CPA, attorney or trust officers) are best held in a neutral location to minimize the impact of the advisor's agenda.
5. Sixty-four percent of donors are uncomfortable when the non-profit pays for a meal, as they do not feel that non-profit funds should be spend on them.
6. Whoever controls the venue controls the first six minutes of the meeting.

7 Key factors in successful campaigns

1. Despite use of the term "philanthropic investment", funding moves from the donor to the organization in a pure gifting process. Philanthropy must never be confused with entrepreneurship - and the process required to obtain a charitable gift is 4.3 times the amount of time required to secure an investment with an expectation of return.
2. A highly targeted and researched pipeline dictates the outcome. Less than 1.8% of campaign gifts materialize without pipeline management.
3. The fastest way to alienate a donor is through presentation of financial need. Donors do not give to "save-the-Titanic" campaigns. While they take great joy in giving money away, they do not want to lose money by becoming the last paycheck for a financially strapped nonprofit.
4. Regardless of organizational need, the gift timeline is solely the purview of the donor. Well intentioned executives and board members who believe that pushing a donor toward commitment or check will likely have the dubious distinction of losing the gift.
5. A comprehensive due diligence packet will never "sell" the donative opportunity - but without it, the gift may never materialize. Documentation of stewardship, oversight, and best practices will demonstrate the worthiness of the organization.
6. Donors alone determine whether or not a phone call or a meeting is necessary in the solicitation process.
7. Successful campaigns and post-campaign funding hinge entirely on the ability of the organization and Board to connect with the emotional psyche of the donor and develop a strong and lasting relationship.

3 Things Donors do not expect from Board Members

As discussed in the last blog post, donors have a specific set of expectations relative to board involvement in the solicitation. Equally important are the things that donors do not expect. The degree to which board members are prepared to meet donor expectations will help signify a successful outcome for the solicitation. If board members clearly understand expectations, they can rehearse to those expectations and develop a corresponding comfort level.

What donors do NOT expect:

1. Although a strong trend in the last decade, research indicates that donors do not expect board members to make the ask. They do however, expect the board member to be present, physically and emotionally, when the ask is made. Of interest, research indicates that at key benchmark points of two weeks, two months and two years post-solicitation, donors believe that the board member actually made the ask if he or she was fully present at the time of the solicitation.
2. Donors do not expect board members to have full knowledge of all programs, projects and endowments within the organization. A successful solicitation is ten percent fact and ninety-percent passion.
3. Donors do not expect board members to have a full and working command of IRS regulations related to charitable gifts. Board members can and should encourage donors to seek counsel in this area prior to finalizing the gift.

A knowledge of donor expectations will be reassuring to board members and will ultimately and positively impact the success of the solicitation.

5 Key expectations donors hold for board members

1. At least two compelling reasons why you joined the board and why you choose to devote your time, talent and resources to the organization.
2. An ability to articulate why the donor's money is important to the organization and why this funding will make a difference.
3. A thorough explanation of how you (and the rest of the Board) will take care of the donor's money, as evidenced through stewardship principles, strict accountability and oversight.
4. Thank you notes, emails and phone calls or other appropriate expressions of gratitude - as a means of communicating both appreciation and commitment to a long-term relationship.
5. Participation in organization-sponsored events and community activities with collateral commitment to ambassadorship for the organization.

Stay tuned for next week's post, which will discuss what donors do NOT expect from a board member!

Color Psychology & Importance of Presentation

Color psychology centers on the idea that particular colors can evoke a specific mental or emotional response. While it is most commonly used in marketing practices, its presence in the donative and philanthropic market is growing.

First impressions and the way one presents themselves in front of a donor can have a significant impact on the ask or campaign as a whole. In an effort to combine professionalism and the science of color psychology, the following points have been provided to help you:

·         Closed-toed shoes must be worn by men and women, regardless of the season.

·         National-level research indicates that it is always better to wear more clothing, rather than less. Women should be 90% covered in fall, winter and spring and 80% covered in the summer.

·         Your clothes must be conservative and well-fitting. If needed, have your clothes tailored.

·         The color of your clothing makes a significant impact on the presentation. Most commonly, the following colors are associated with:

o    Purple: religious affiliation or intent

o    Navy blue and tailored: historical or military

o    Green: ecology or environmental

·         The following colors and associated meanings and emotions are particularly important to note:

o    Black: authority, strength, power and intelligence

o    Gray: sincere, neutral and timeless

o    Green: growth, natural, environmental, harmonious

o    Blue: calmness, wisdom, truth, loyal and focused

o    Purple: royalty, wealthy, religious/spiritual, sophistication and prosperity

o    Brown: stable, reliable, warmth, comfort, natural or organic

·         Recent studies suggest warmer and darker colors are more professional

·         Someone in the group must wear “sincere gray”

·         When asking for $1 million or more, the attire should match the color of the presenter’s eyes.

Value Propositions

Donors have specific areas of interest and expectations, relative to their involvement with nonprofit organization - and national research indicates that their giving patters closely follow these value propositions:

Baby Boomers:

• Education, Social service, Environment
• Participation in programs
• Charitable financial control
• stewardship

Entrepreneurs:

• Education
• Efficient use of time
• Strong case for financial support
• Investment vs gift

Women:

• Social change, new projects, enhanced partnerships
• Value alignment
• Tangible management results
• Opportunities to learn
• Collaboration

Executives:

• Education and "doing the right thing"
• Peer-to-peer board relationships
• Business Orientation
• Networking Opportunities

Successful engagement depends on the match between donor expectation and the values and bold dreams of the organization.

Why Americans give & will continue to give

In ongoing donor surveys and aggregated donor profiling, the following are identified as the basis for philanthropic behaviors. Percentages overlap as respondents cited several reasons:

·         66.6% to help those less fortunate

·         47.3% personal satisfaction

·         44.1% give back to society

·         7.2% community recognition

·         5.8% maintain family heritage of philanthropy

·         1.4% tax considerations

And, Americans will continue to give for the following reasons:

·         Participate in the use of charitable dollars

·         Control philanthropic assets

·         Manage societal changes

·         Teach children the importance of philanthropy

·         Create community partnerships

·         Witness a return on the gift

As donors follow bold dreams, grand plans and great adventures, the successful solicitation matches the opportunity with the reason for giving.

How to send the best personal thank you to a donor

As mentioned in the previous post, thank you letters are critical in creating and maintaining successful donor relationships. Failing to thank a donor properly may harm your reputation so drastically that you will never truly recover. In an effort to avoid this, the following post is designed to help you construct the perfect thank you letter.

·         A thank you note should be kind in nature and filled with expressions of gratitude and appreciation.

·         It is ideal to send thank you notes on what is deemed “social stationery”. Social stationery is high-quality notepaper in either ivory or white, with either a monogram or name on the front. Though it may seem appropriate, notecards with an embossed ‘thank you’ are not suggested.  

·         Handwritten notes portray a stronger sense of warmth and personal gratitude than the business-style typed letter. Given the time, money and commitment the donor is graciously giving, a handwritten thank you is most appropriate.

·         Sending electronic thank you notes is not appropriate as they lack class, warmth and generosity.

·         Your salutations and closing will be determined by your relationship with the donor. “Sincerely” or “Cordially” are best for a warm and personal gratitude. When signing, always use your first and last name.

·         Tips for writing a business thank you:

o    Make it personal – use the pronouns ‘I’ and ‘you’

o    Be yourself – make the letter conversational and friendly, while also keeping it polished and professional

o    Avoid clichés and use personal phrases in place

o    Use correct spelling and grammar

o    Be specific

How to thank a donor

The most important thank you to any donor, in any setting, in any situation, is this: “Thank you so much for your time”.

Donors believe that their time and availability are more important than their money. Research indicates that no matter how many times a donor is thanked (including post commitment and post gift) the only thank you they remember, with any degree of clarity, is “thank you for your time” – and they will return to it time and again in the course of the relationship. This thank you values the donor more than the money and honors the relationship above all else. This thank you best occurs immediately and certainly within, the first ninety seconds of a cultivation or solicitation meeting.

Following a commitment, the donor must receive a thank you and acknowledgment in writing. This confirms and validates the commitment. It begins the paper trail toward the ultimate culmination of the gift.

In a post-gift setting, the donor must be thanked three times:

·         Once as an official acknowledgment of the gift – with copies to all appropriate parties and a receipt for tax purposes

·         A warm and gracious hand-written note from a member of the board or senior staff, indicating how much the gift truly means to the organization.

·         A note, again hand-written, from an ultimate beneficiary of the gift – a student, teacher, victim of domestic violence, patient, etc. – as this is, the communication that tells the donor that he or she made a difference.

The most important priority in development is to say thank you. The second is to raise money.

What Donors expect from Board Members

The relationship between board members and donors is one of the most important relationships throughout the course of the campaign. Though often left unsaid, the following points are crucial in creating and maintaining a positive relationship with the donor.

Donors look for:

·   A strong and passionate commitment to the organization and campaign from every board member

·   An honest and sincere team that will use the donor’s money wisely to help advance one step closer to the end goal of the campaign

·   Courage in the ask and development of the campaign

·   An honest and forthright relationship; the relationship means more than the money

·   Strong communication between the board member and the donor

·   A professional board – professionalism is the ‘make it or break it’ factor in feeling comfortable and strong in his decision to support your campaign

Donors want to know:

·  “Why should I support your organization?”

·  “How committed to this project and campaign are you?”

·   “How do you plan to use my money?”

·   “How will I be sure my money is being used as intended?”

Above all, donors want to know that their time and resources are helping to make a difference; be sure to thank them at least three times.

How board involvement increases the likelihood of a major gift

The value of board leadership and involvement in the solicitation is best defined through donor research:

·         Donors identify and correlate the financial stability of an organization with the competence of board leadership

·         Donors expect board members to address organizational problems and opportunities with vigor and efficiency

·         Board Members are the only completely credible witness to the value of the organization and its fund-raising initiative

·         The quality of volunteerism credentials the organization; board members become true ambassadors

·         Participation and involvement by board members increases the likelihood of a major gift by 37%

A successful solicitation is based on the unbreakable bond of regard and respect between the donor and the board member.

Meeting a Potential Donor

There are five important steps to remember when meeting with a potential donor:

1. Establish eye contact during the handshake. Doing so credentials the urgency and sincerity of the contact while validating human capital in the organization.

2. Employ a firm handshake and designate a member of the group to use a double handshake (left hand placed lightly over the donor’s hand).

3. Dress professionally and conservatively, using the 90% rule. The “90% rule” suggests that your clothing should cover at least 90% of your body. A donor should simply recall that the board member or development officer ‘looked nice’ without recalling exact clothing details. For women, closed toed shoes are a must. Donors look at your eyes, your hand and your shoes – in that order.

4.   Selection a meeting location that is quiet, private and minimizes distractions. Avoid restaurants. There is nothing worse than a waiter who wants to announce the specials at a critical moment in the solicitation. Most donors do not feel comfortable discussing money in a public setting.

5.   Thank the prospective donor for his or her time. No matter what else happens in the course of the conversation, even if the potential donor commits to a major gift, the only memorable ‘thank you’ is the first. Thanking the donor for his or her time places more emphasis on the relationship than the money.

…the beginning of a donor-focused, relationship-based fundraising approach.

Introduction

Welcome to Fund Raising Consultants’ new blog! We are incorporating the advances of the technological world with our knowledge, experience and expertise to create a support resource for you and your organization.

This blog is designed to provide you with simple tips and psychological determinants related to donor-driven and relationship-based fund development.

FRC will publish weekly blog posts, providing information on a variety of topics. Some topics may only require one post, while others may span a few weeks. Most posts will be text-only as we feel this is the most direct approach. However, as it becomes appropriate in context, videos and articles may also be included.  Some examples of topics to be covered, include:

·         The difference between charity and philanthropy

·         Donor engagement techniques

·         Psychological implications of donor behaviors

·         Reading the donor and profiling for success

·         Gratitude and appreciation

·         Donor relations and retention

·         Pros and Cons of incorporating technology into the philanthropic world

·         Board recruitment and development

·         Financial accountability and stewardship – from the donor’s perspective

·         Leadership – the importance for both staff and board

·         What is the donor ‘really’ saying…and how to continue the relationship once you have the gift

You may subscribe to our blog by entering your email address in the box provided in the bottom right corner of this page. Subscribing to this blog via email allows you to receive a notification any time FRC makes a new post.

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We look forward to connecting with you and appreciate your participation!