Year-End Fundraising Rush?
This blog post appeared in the
Foundation Center’s website blog,
“Philanthropy Front and Center—Cleveland”
It is her fourth for the organization.
Fundraising is a marathon, not a sprint. Because our jobs as development professionals are never really finished (there is always more to do,) it is critical that we pace ourselves. Whether your organization follows a calendar or fiscal year, autumn can be a very busy time that requires juggling many balls simultaneously—foundation deadlines, individuals’ year-end giving, holiday events, etc.
Following is a suggested list of things to do to help maximize your overall results and position your organization for an even more prosperous new year. We know that the vast majority of individual donors wait until the end of the year to make their charitable gifts, so December is often the busiest month for nonprofit fundraisers who find themselves scrambling to get out the final “asks”, process gifts, and thank their last minute donors. Are you adequately prepared for this rush? Consider adding these things to your calendar for the last three months of the year:
1. Take a half-day to review and edit your gift acknowledgment letter.
It will never get more use than in December, so why not take some time in the months leading up to it to make sure your letter is as effective as it can be. Compare it to those in The Great Acknowledgement Letter Swap, a very cool online database of hundreds of sample letters. Some of the best advice? Be direct and brief and consider a more creative closing than Sincerely, like my favorite, Ever Forward,.
2. Perform a weekly comparison of last year’s largest donors to this year’s to make sure your key donors have made their gifts this year.
If they have not, make personal calls or enlist a board member or two to help you do so. You might want to do this several times a week or daily the last few weeks of December.
3. Spend an hour each week for personal thank you calls to the largest donors as the donations are received.
This a great way to engage a board member who is resistant to do fundraising because it is easy to do and tremendously rewarding for both the “thanker” and the “thanked.” If you have clients who are able to do this or other volunteers, that works great too! Be sure to make permanent notes in the donor’s database record about any contact that is made or anything your "thanker" learns about the donor that might help inform how you interact with him or her in the future.
4. Spend one hour every two weeks to
reach out to the masses.
The end of the year, especially the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, is considered a light week for news. This means that news outlets, including papers and local news stations, will be looking for stories, particularly “feel good” stories about your clients who made it despite the odds, and donors who have made a difference in their communities in unique ways. Think about distinctive angles on all of the heartwarming stories you encounter this fall; write a press release about them and call on your press contacts. Good press coverage can generate more last-minute donations as everyone is feeling the holiday spirit.
5. Take a day to prepare and send a special holiday message to your top foundation donors. Write a holiday note, share a program update or another tidbit of interest.
In addition to plain old good stewardship, this practice is an effective way to place your organization at the top of their minds. Because many foundations operate on a calendar year, your top foundation donors might even be inclined to direct any last minute discretionary funds to your organization as their year comes to a close. The bottom line? Don’t leave your foundation donors in the dust in December. If you put these things on your calendar now, you will ensure you have the time to do these important activities when the crunch is really on.
Happy fall!
—Lauren Steiner
Contact Lauren Steiner of Grants Plus at:
lauren.steiner@grants-plus.com
This blog post appeared in the
Foundation Center’s website blog, “Philanthropy Front and Center—Cleveland”
It is her third for the organization.
Imagine for a moment that your organization is a house and you are getting ready to put it on the market for sale. Think of funders as the potential buyers of your house. What's rule number one for readying a property for sale and positioning it for maximum revenue potential? Getting your house in order, of course.
Using this analogy, a grant proposal could be compared to interior decorating, or what is known in real estate as “staging.” Staging a house might mean adding a fresh coat of paint, de-cluttering a room, or rearranging the furniture—all aimed at making an impeccable first impression on a buyer. Just like staging, your grant proposal allows you to put your organization’s best foot forward. You can organize it to flow logically, use clear and concise language and proper grammar, and describe your organization in the most positive light possible.
While potential home buyers appreciate these staging efforts, truly savvy buyers will look beyond this to what truly matters. They may bring in a specialist to check things like the foundation, the roof, and whether the basement has ever flooded. Applying the analogy to your organization, it is vital that before you even start a grant proposal, you make sure your “grant house is in order.” Consider the following:
A solid foundation: Does your board of directors function well as the governing body of the organization? Does it have sound policies and procedures in place? Does it support the organization financially and participate in fundraising? Does the organization have a current strategic plan on which all key decisions are based?
Adequate and up-to-date plumbing and electrical wiring: How well is your organization embedded in the community? Does it function at capacity or are programs/services going unused? How does the organization stay aware of and meet the needs of the community it serves?
A stable roof: How financially sound is the organization? Does it consistently cover its operating expenses or has it run at a deficit for a number of years? Does it have an endowment? Does it conduct and independent financial audit each year? Does it have diverse funding streams?
A basement free from water damage: Has the organization endured a crisis of some form in the recent past and how was it handled? Is that crisis completely resolved? What, if any, perceptions still exist in the community with respect to that event?
Many times, no matter how pretty and organized your proposal is, funders are looking much deeper and basing their decisions on other factors, including the structural issues of your organization listed above. If your organization is lacking in one of the above key structural issues, addressing it should become your first priority before you attempt to seek a grant.
Because a house is one of the biggest investments people will make in their lives, it makes sense that buyers do their homework before making that investment. Funders, like home buyers, are also making an investment when they make a grant to your organization. If your organization has spent time caring for and maintaining important organizational issues, it will be more likely to succeed in grantseeking than an organization that has neglected these critical facets.
What steps have you taken to get your grants house in order?
Contact Lauren Steiner of Grants Plus at:
lauren.steiner@grants-plus.com