BLOW UP YOUR CASE FOR SUPPORT

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BLOW UP YOUR CASE FOR SUPPORT
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Keeping donors Sustainable Fundraising
http//www.cygresearch.com
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What gives?

• 89 of American give
• But we are losing 90
• 50 drop off rate after first gift
• 30 after second gift
• and so on
• Source Donor Centered Fundraising, Penelope
  Burk

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Why Donors Stop Giving To You

• Poor or lack of information (46)
• Mismanagement of funds (37)
• Multiple solicitations (38 turned off 28 not
  likely to give again)
• No progress in mission (28)
• High overhead (15)
• Negative media (14)
• Aggressive fundraising (12)
• Other causes (10) Source Donor Centered
  Fundraising, Penelope Burk

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Donors Dont Stop Giving

• They stop giving to you
• 89 of all households give
• Average donor supports 10 organizations
• Over 34 of donors support 20 organizations
• Of these, they really value three to four
• If you fail to meet their expectations, they will
  go elsewhere
• Source Donor Centered Fundraising, Penelope
  Burk

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What All Donors Want(BEFORE you ask them again!)

• 1) Prompt acknowledgement that the gift was
  received
• Two weeks from receipt of the gift
• 2) INFORMATION Confirmation that the money was
  used in the way they intended it to be used
• 3) INFORMATION Updates on progress made because
  of the donation
• Donor-Centered Fundraising Penelope Burk,
  Cygnus Applied Research, 2003 http//www.cygresear
  ch.com

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What if You Give Donors What They Want?

• 93 of donors say they would definitely or
  probably give again
• 74 would continue to give continuously
• 64 would give more
• Donor-Centered Fundraising Penelope Burk,
  Cygnus Applied Research, http//www.cygresearch.co
  m

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II. Meaningful Information is key to Major Donor
investment

• Donor Centered Fundraising puts satisfying
  donors need for meaningful communication at the
  top of the agenda
• Donor-Centered Fundraising
• Penelope Burk, Cygnus Applied Research, 2003,
  http//www.cygresearch.com

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Our donors are changing
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News alert! Your donors are not giving to you,
they are giving through you

• Donors do not give to organizations because
  organizations HAVE needs
• they give because they MEET needs.
• Kay Sprinkel Grace, Beyond Fundraising

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Values based fundraisingand why it raises more
money

• Tin-cup begging approach to fundraising charity
• 21st Century philanthropy is about meeting needs,
  not having needs. It is about social investment
• Todays donors have two portfolios financial and
  social. They take from one to enrich the other
  and expect return and impact from both.
• Conveying values and the perceived needs you meet
  allows you to attract new donors with no previous
  giving relationship
• Your goal I give to your organization because
  it is a catalyst for everything I believe in!

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Vision Sample

• Support a new clinical research campus
  because we need more space
• IS NOT A VISION
• We Will Eliminate cancer as a major cause of
  human suffering and death
• IS A VISION

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• Placing domestic violence counselors and
  anti-violence curriculum in every class room in
  Spokane.
• -- ARE THE MEANS
• Looking forward to when we can put the abundance
  of resources used to protect children from
  violence towards nurturing their potential.
• --TO A VISION

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• Dont be howling at the moon!
• VISION WITHOUT RESOURCES IS LUNACY!
• --Some college president somewhere
• Connect your vision to a solid plan requiring
  philanthropy

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III. SUSTAINING DONOR SUPPORT ANNUAL CASE FOR
SUPPORT WILL SET YOU APART FROM THE PACK

• The Bigger Picture Whats happening in the issue
  you deal with?
• Remember, I am not giving to you, I am giving
  through you to meet community needs, not your
  needs.
• What are you doing about it?
• Your successes and challenges be honest about
  whats working/whats not
• Whats changed, for better or worse?
• A chance to me become an informed advocate for
  you.
• If nothing has changed, then my gift hasnt made
  a difference or isnt needed.
• What role does philanthropy play?
• Dont assume I understand your business the role
  of donations vs. the other types of support you
  get. Be specific about the benefits of flexible
  funding to your mission.
• What would you do with more money this year?
• I need to know that your mission is urgent,
  needed and that you could do oh so much more with
  increased philanthropy.
• Remind me that I am part of a community of donors
  you rely on
• You will miss me if I dont show up