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Development, Fundraising

Critical Year-End Appeals And Solicitations – Part 2

by The Timothy Group
October 1, 2020

“Finishing Well”
When I think of the phrase, “finishing well,” I am reminded of Paul’s encouragement to Timothy “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7). 2020 has been incredibly challenging from a fundraising perspective, but we must continue “fighting the good fight” to ensure the success of our year-end appeals and gift solicitations. Your fundraising activity in the final months of 2020 will be more critical than ever to catch up from the pandemic restrictions and limitations forced on us.

Our Fall and Year-End Solicitation Guideline included preliminary activities that you should have initiated over the summer months which included a Fall mail and email appeal in September. If you have not initiated your year-end gift planning, you are behind schedule and must work diligently to catch up. 

Here are your October and November action steps:
October 2020
• Fall appeal follow up via email out on or before 10/15; customize for donor segmentation.
• Prepare draft of year-end appeal and personal solicitation materials. Copy should include information on benefits of planned gifts at year end; (stock gifts, IRA Rollovers, planned giving, etc.).
• Conduct Ministry Briefing event and arrange follow up visits to those attending event expressing interest in learning more about the ministry.
• Continue personal contact with major/mega donors to schedule personal visits during final quarter of 2020 by CEO, COO, and CDO; prepare sample script for contact by phone with goal of making visit appointments (not solicitation of gifts).
• Recruit team members to make “thank you” calls to major, mega, and faithful donor groups as part of year-end outreach. These will be acknowledgements of gifts received during 2020, particularly major gifts. Team members could/should include board members, administrative staff, development department staff and faithful friends or donors (volunteers) dedicated to the ministry’s mission and vision.

November 2020
• Initial year-end appeal sent out via email and snail mail on or before Nov. 15th.
• Conduct Ministry Briefing event and arrange follow up visits to those attending event expressing interest in learning more about the ministry.
• Continue personal contact with major/mega donors to schedule personal visits during final quarter of 2020 by CEO, COO and CDO; prepare sample script for contact by phone with goal of making visit appointments (not solicitation of gifts).
• Continue to recruit team members to make “thank you” calls to major, mega and faithful donor groups as part of year-end outreach. These will be acknowledgements of gifts received during 2020, particularly major gifts and reminder re: year-end appeal. Team members could/should include board members, administrative staff, development department staff and faithful friends or donors (volunteers) dedicated to the ministry’s mission and vision. Prepare sample script for call team members to use for donor outreach calls in December.
• CEO, COO, and CDO travel to make personal visits with key donors for solicitation of significant year-end gift commitments.

We will continue these Fall and Year-End Solicitation planning reminders through the end of this year. Please also visit our website for other resources that can assist you in specific planning for general appeals and major/mega donor contacts and gift requests. Do not hesitate to contact us if we can be of help or assistance.

Author: Dan DiDonato, Consulant

Donor Relations, Fundraising, Major Donors

Do I Have to be a Donor’s Best Friend to Ask for a Gift?

by The Timothy Group
September 21, 2020

This is a fair question that the men and women of TTG have been asked many times over the past 30+ years. Please allow me to go out on a limb early and give you a simple answer… “NO!” Let me harken back to my high school algebra class where you can give the right answer, but then you must produce the equation to show how you got there, so here goes.

We have been conducting executive searches for more than 25 years. One of the questions we ask development directors, major gift officers, vice presidents, and presidents is, “If you began your new position on November 1st, how long would it take you to schedule a donor appointment and make an ask?” Are you ready for some of their answers? Two years, eighteen months, twelve months, six months, three months—we too, are baffled by these responses. These candidates assume that they must be the donor’s friend and, in some instances, their BFF to make a gift request. Can you imagine how long donor acquisition, cultivation, education, inspiration, and solicitation would take if you had to become everyone’s best friend to ask for a gift? Apparently, according to some people, it would require at least a year and perhaps two.

A few years ago, in a search for a major gift officer for a well-known ministry, I asked that question and received an absolutely refreshing answer. My candidate responded that he would be ready to make an ask the first week on the job. What? How could that possibly work? Here’s how he envisioned his first week as a new fundraiser/relationship officer:

·       Day 1 – Orientation and paperwork.

·       Day 2 – Find my desk and begin reviewing the solicitation materials and the giving history of his donor portfolio.

·       Day 3 – Meet with his immediate supervisor and other team members to hear their presentation/pitch.

·       Day 4 – Visit the president to hear his mission, vision, and core values of the organization.

·       Day 5 – Call close friends and schedule personal appointments to share the ministry and make a request.

In addition, all week this new major gift officer spent time in the dining commons having breakfast, lunch, and sometime dinner with students asking them why they attended this institution. He listened to what God was calling them to do now and in the future, because he wanted to share their stories as part of his presentation.

We helped him with the phone script for scheduling appointments, but much of his donor engagement strategy was just his innate, God-given relational skills. The script went like this:

Bill and Mary, this is John. I wanted to tell you about a wonderful new opportunity God has given me. I have the unique privilege of sharing the incredible work God is accomplishing though ABC Ministry and inviting people to partner with us. Don’t feel under any obligation to our friendship; I just want to share with you this unique organization and ask for your prayer and financial support. Could we meet Tuesday evening in your home? I will update you on the ministry and bring along a personalized proposal for you to consider and invite you to give. I only need an hour of your time so we can both plan our other Tuesday evening activities.”

He included this phrase in the presentation to those who were already donors:

“Jim and Joan, the president would like to visit with you personally, but time and his travel schedule will not allow it. So, he asked me to meet with you on his behalf and invite you to consider a generous year-end gift. Would you be available next Tuesday evening?”

As a fundraiser, it’s not your relationship with the donor that’s the most important. It’s the donor’s relationship with your ministry they have known, loved, and supported with their prayers and dollars for many years.

Back to answering our question; No, you do not have to be everyone or anyone’s best friend to ask for a gift. The real issue is connecting with the donor’s passion for your ministry. When you tell them you are bringing along a proposal, you open the door to ask on the first visit, if the opportunity is right.

OK, OK, I hear you, “but what about building relationships?” We encourage our clients to “date your donors.” You may not be ready to ask your donor on the first date, it may require a second date. But it certainly doesn’t take five or six dates to reintroduce yourself and make a request. Overcome your FUD—Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt. Pick up the phone, text, write a hand-written note, and schedule a personal visit (in a mask, of course), or a Zoom call. This step of faith will impact your bottom line the next 90 days as we head toward calendar year-end.

A few years ago, I evaluated a chief development officer’s performance. We visited a donor couple in early October. While driving there, he informed me this would be his sixth visit. Count them, six! My role was only to observe and evaluate. Twice during the presentation, the couple mentioned they had some funds still available to give yet that fall. This was the ultimate donor research information. They were screaming, “ASK US!”

My friend never missed a beat, he just kept talking. He ignored all their giving signs. No ask… no close… no money. It was very apparent that he was attempting to become their best friend or even their BFF before he could make an ask. It will come as no surprise that this former gift officer is now pastoring a small church on the west coast. Allow me to say it again, “No, you don’t need to be your donor’s best friend to invite them to upgrade their giving or consider a new gift to your organization.” Be bold! Ask!

Author: Pat McLaughlin, President and Founding Partner

Donor Relations, Fundraising, Major Donors

Asking Permission To Ask

by The Timothy Group
September 18, 2020

In our work with major donors, we often use the expression, “Asking permission to ask.” But what does that mean? When is it appropriate to use in a donor conversation? In Pat McLaughlin’s book, Major Donor Game Plan, he talks in depth about the transition from the “Romance/Relationship” step to the “Request” step with donors. This may be one of the most important steps you will manage in the donor process. A fumble or a miscue here can negatively impact a donor relationship for months, if not years. A successful transition will generally result in a gift to your ministry and an enhanced relationship with that donor forever.

The “Romance/Relationship” step is when you cultivate or strengthen your relationship with an individual donor before you ask for a gift. You have researched as much information as you can about your donor and believe there is good potential for a relationship, but the donor is not quite ready. Don’t make the mistake of asking too soon. Share with them how your ministry impacts lives and aligns with the donor’s giving interests. Build a solid relationship before asking.

The “Request” step is when you personally ask for a specific gift for a specific project or need. It may be a general request for ongoing operations or perhaps a request for a three-year pledge to your capital campaign. Whatever the need, this request is generally done face-to-face with major donors and usually includes a personalized proposal or “ask” piece.

“Asking permission to ask” generally occurs at the end of the romance or cultivation step. Let me describe this scenario. You have identified Mr. and Mrs. Smith as potential donors to your organization. You have researched their capacity and the types of causes they like to support. You have leveraged a board member or another donor to help open the door to a conversation with them. You now have the meeting you were waiting for. The conversation proceeds and Mr. and Mrs. Smith seem to resonate with your ministry. They have questions but seem open. They may ask you to get back with them with some specific information (statistics, annual report, financial reports, etc.). This may even require a second face-to-face meeting or phone conversation.

You reach the point where you want to make the ask but you are not quite sure. You do not want to rush it, but neither do you want to miss the opportunity to ask. You then ask a couple questions:

“Mr. and Mrs. Smith, ‘Is our ministry (or this project) something you could see yourselves supporting as a financial partner now or in the future?’” If yes,

“Do I have your permission to come back and share a proposal for your financial partnership?” In other words, you are asking their permission to proceed with an ask.

Obviously, a “yes” response is what you are hoping for and you can then schedule a time frame for follow up. You might ask a question like, “Would two weeks from now work for us to get back together?” Or, “when would you like to talk next?” Get a date on your calendar, if possible.

If they answer “no” or “unsure,” it simply means you have more cultivation to do. The donor is not ready. By asking the permission question, you have not offended the donor by asking outright before she/he is ready. You are keeping the conversation open. And keeping them in charge of the timing by first asking permission to ask, then planning your follow up accordingly.

One last tip – When you are a point in the relationship where you are not 100% sure, or relatively confident, the donor is ready, you should always revert to asking permission to ask first. That way, you cannot lose. They will tell you if they are ready.

Author: Kent Vanderwood, Vice President

Development, Fundraising

Critical Year-End Appeals And Solicitations

by The Timothy Group
September 9, 2020

“Stepping through the Planning Timetable”

In a previous issue of “What’s New in Donor Relations,” we provided a complete Fall and Year-End Solicitation Guideline. This document gives some step by step recommendations and reminders for planning and executing fund raising activities as you close out 2020. For most non-profits, 50-60% of their gift income is received during the final four months of the calendar year. No doubt, with the challenges and limitations we all faced during the second and third quarters of this most unusual year, solicitations for contributions through the remainder of this year will be more critical than ever.

For September, consider these action steps:

• Fall appeal out via mail, email, and social and digital media platforms on or before Sept. 15th!

• Prepare follow up appeal via email to be sent out on or before Oct. 15th.

• Begin personal contact with major/mega donors to schedule personal visits (if possible) during final quarter of the year by the CEO, COO, and CDO as well as other key staff, board members and volunteers.

• Prepare sample script for personal contacts by phone or virtual call with the goal of making appointments for personal visits or Zoom calls – NOT for solicitation of gifts.

• Identify hosts (board members a priority) for Fall and Year-End Ministry Briefing events and confirm date, time, and location. (Note: In-person small groups are preferred, if possible. However, arranging these events via “Zoom Call” can be an alternative this year as meeting restrictions continue to be a challenge.)

• Prepare invitations for mailing to those friends and faithful donors of the ministry near the event location. Provide additional copies of the invite to your designated host for a personal invite to their network of friends and associates.

With this article, we begin a monthly series of Fall and Year-End Solicitation planning reminders that will continue through the end of this year. Please also visit our website for other resources that can assist you in specific planning for general appeals and major/mega donor gift proposals. Do not hesitate to contact us if we can assist you. We would consider it a privilege to partner with you on these most urgent year-end fundraising activities!

Author: Dan DiDonato, Consulant

Fundraising, Major Donors, Stewardship

Who Makes It Rain?

by The Timothy Group
August 23, 2020

I have never once caused it to rain in my nearly 40 years of stewardship practice here at TTG. I know who sends the rain and it is not me. However I do know what to do with the rain once God sends it. I have been in the irrigation business all these years. I also admit to an occasional attempt at “cloud seeding.” Yes, I’m trying to help God out a bit! This reveals the need to pause and ask myself the following question.

BHAQ (Big Harry Audacious Question):

DOES GOD REALLY NEED US TO ACCOMPLISH HIS TASKS HERE ON EARTH?

Fundraising, Stewardship, Strategic Planning

The Ultimate Fundraising Power Tool

by The Timothy Group
August 11, 2020

I was reading a home improvement magazine recently and noticed an article, “Ten Basic Tools for Every Homeowner.” What do you have in that special drawer in the kitchen to help you do-it-yourself? First, you must have a hammer; not that a hammer will fix every problem, but sometimes it just feels good to pound on something that’s not working.

Don’t forget screwdrivers, pliers, an adjustable wrench, and a tape measure. If you’re going to hang your art piece, it helps to have a nifty electronic sensor to find the studs in the wall. A utility knife is another essential tool that will either solve your problem or make a bigger one.

I was somewhat disappointed not to find any power tools listed in the article. Maybe it’s my go-to, but I feel like they at least should have included a cordless drill for installing face plates on electrical outlets.

While you might be able to take care of all your minor household repairs with a few hand tools, when it comes to raising money for your organization, there is one ultimate fundraising power tool that you must have:

THE CASE STATEMENT & GIFT PROPOSAL

This solicitation power tool effectively tells your story to a potential donor. Here are 8 key elements to consider when writing your first fundraising power tool:

(1) The gift proposal must be professional but doesn’t need to be fancy. Colorful printed and digital brochures can be compelling, but they don’t raise money; they educate.

(2) Tell your ministry story — where you have been, where you are, and where you are going.

(3) Be optimistic, easy to remember, and brief.

(4) Communicate clearly what the donor’s investment will accomplish.

(5) Include information that will reach your donor’s mind and touch your donor’s heart.

(6) Share a story of how your ministry has met a need.

(7) Express a sense of urgency to complete the project.

(8) Describe your project and outline a simple budget for each phase of the campaign.

STEWARDSHIP PROFILE & SCALE OF GIFTS

An effective way of communicating the range and size of gifts you need is to include a suggested “Stewardship Profile.” Showing the summary budget and scale of gifts quickly conveys the scope and needs of your project. Major donors will scan your list to identify how they might be involved.

Here is an example:

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN

Purchase Land   $1,500,000
Building addition   6,000,000
New Program   1,000,000
Annual Fund for 3 years   1,500,000
Total   10,000,000

STEWARDSHIP PROFILE

Proposed Scale of Gifts for the Campaign

Giving Units   Gift Amount   Total
1   $1,000,000   $1,000,000
2   750,000   1,500,000
3   500,000   1,500,000
6   250,000   1,500,000
15   100,000   1,500,000
20   50,000   1,000,000
40   25,000   1,000,000
40   10,000   400,000
60   5,000   300,000
80   2,500   200,000
100   1,000   100,000
Numerous other gifts …        
Total       $10,000,000

THE ULTIMATE ASK

The final tool in an effective gift proposal is the call to action. Ask your donors to help your ministry in 4 ways:

(1) “Would you pray for the success of our campaign?” As a ministry leader, you understand the necessity of prayer. Enlist your donors for their prayer support.

(2) “Would you consider a generous, sacrificial gift to this project?” Ask this question to get them thinking how they might get involved, but come back and expand upon it, after you ask the next questions.

(3) “Would you consider volunteering your time as a ‘friend-raiser’ by introducing your friends to our ministry?” Some of your greatest opportunities could come by networking with your current donors. Remember: proposals don’t raise money, people do.

(4) “Would you consider remembering our ministry in your estate plans?” Be gracious but ask boldly. You do not have bequests because you do not ask.

The last page of your leadership proposal has one purpose — to request a specific amount for the campaign.

Ask them, “Based on the need presented and your appreciation of our ministry, would you prayerfully consider a gift of $1,000,000?” Ask for a specific amount. Major donors anticipate an “ask.” They want to know what you want.

The leadership proposal is the ultimate fundraising power tool that will help you focus your conversation on why you are meeting with the donor in the first place — to ask for their financial support. If you add this power tool to your fundraising toolbox, you will become a master craftsman as you build your ministry.

 

Ron Haas has served the Lord as a pastor, the vice president of advancement of a Bible college, a Christian foundation director, a board member and a fundraising consultant. He’s authored two books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising and Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for At the Center magazine and Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.

 

Donor Relations, Fundraising, Major Donors

Maximize Your Donor Outreach Strategies With Wealth Screening

by The Timothy Group
August 4, 2020

WealthEngine (WE) is a screening tool that we use at The Timothy Group to assist our clients in researching, profiling, and categorizing donors into the proper brackets. Wealth screening is a helpful tool to maximize your donor outreach strategies.

WealthEngine was developed over 20 years ago to help clients in both the commercial and non-profit markets expand their audiences and increase their revenue. The WealthEngine components are Wealth Search, Wealth Screening, Prospect Research, Analyze, Model and Integrations.

Using breakthrough technology, the WealthEngine 9 (WE9) platform consumes trillions of points of data to create more than 250 million pre-scored profiles complete with scoring and insight into prospect propensity, capacity, and intent. WeathEngine calls this Engagement Science™.

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Fundraising organizations and agencies (like us) using the WealthEngine platform because it leads the market in delivering the best wealth intelligence and prospect research. See published case studies.

The Timothy Group offers the following three WE components to our clients:

Individual Wealth Engine Searches

Individual WE Searches pull together data from 60 sources to look through 300 million profiles and 122 million households and also provides valuable insights from the data. Some of these insights include net worth, income, assets, real estate, and charitable giving. WealthEngine also has a system developed in order to rate each search, providing a consumer-friendly approach to the data analysis. Using a “ratings and scores” method,

WealthEngine breaks down each search into the following 2 main attributes:

(1) Wealth Insight Scores include Propensity to Give (P2G), Estimated Spending Capacity, Total Assets, Net Worth, Cash on Hand, Estimated Annual Donations, and Gift Capacity Range.

(2) Wealth Attribute Ratings include Gift Capacity Rating, RFM, Planned Giving—Bequest, Annuity & Trust, Influence, Inclination/Giving, and Inclination/Affiliation.

They are also able to provide demographic and lifestyle attributes for each search to help focus your donor criteria.

Batch Wealth Engine Screens

Batch Wealth Screens help by utilizing your current contact database and integrating it with the WE “rating and scores” method in bulk. Using the same data key points as the wealth search, screens will help you identify, segment, and prioritize your current donor base. These screens are also useful in identifying inaccurate information in your current database and updating that information for you. With results delivered via the cloud, you can rest assured that your contacts personal information is safe and secure. Using wealth screens can help you really maximize your donor outreach strategies.

Prospect Research

Prospect Research can help identify targeted custom audiences who may not be in your database yet. Using criteria and attributes based on income, work and home residences, donation preference, etc. you can develop a segmented contact list of donor prospects who may have giving interests similar to your ministry. These prospects should end up being very receptive to your mission and will have many goals in common.

The attributes available to use for segmentation include identity, wealth, giving, real estate, demographics, life events, lifestyle, interests, professional, vehicles, organizations, buying and technology. You can also use the criteria from successful past or current donors to create a look-alike model to base your prospecting from. By understanding past donor success, you can prospect to people with characteristics in common with your best donors.

All screens are completed and delivered digitally and can be completed in a day’s time as folows:

(1) We send the search template to you via email.

(2) You complete the template and send back.

(3) We submit the template and are notified that the results have been received.

(4) We process the results and then send them to you digitally.

(5) After you receive the results and have a chance to review them, we are available by phone to discuss the results with you. This phone conversation generally ranges from 30 minutes to one hour.

We would love to be of assistance to you through the use of WealthEngine. Please contact us if you have questions about the process. You can also check out the WealthEngine website at www.wealthengine.com.

Author: Jessie Blodgett, Marketing & Operations Manager of The Timothy Group

Fundraising

Connected Workers Connect Hearts

by The Timothy Group
July 29, 2020

Has your Christian organization or ministry team adapted fully to flexible or remote working? How have you been seeking digital opportunities to share your vision and leadership knowledge to inspire others? What steps can you take to connect hearts and minds to advance The Good News of Jesus Christ?

New technologies and enhancing donor engagement are key initiatives for Christian organizations and nonprofits seeking digital transformation, The most important reason for prioritizing this shift is to embrace entirely new opportunities for growth. No Christian organization, private or public sector is immune from the powerful effects of connected devices and real-time communication platforms.

Connected Workers

Flexible or remote working looks different depending on your institution, organization, or sector. Team members who carry out different tasks remotely using digital technologies are known as connected workers. Know the term. The term is not a one-size-fits-all. There are many different types of connected workers with different roles such as executives, board members, educators, team members, missionaries, and volunteers. Titles don’t seem to matter much anymore in any industry. Every connected worker plays a crucial role in digital reach and transformation.

Connected Worker Technologies

A connected device has the ability to connect with other devices and systems through the internet. The connected worker device market foresees extreme growth over the next two decades. By harnessing this power, connecting workers to their audiences proves targeted and timely.

Platforms: Hardware or software that uses artificial intelligence like chat bots and data to allow communications and processes remotely and around the clock.

Interfaces: Technologies such as Slack or MS Teams that enable peer-to-peer information sharing.

Cloud and edge computing: Using the cloud allows workers to communicate with each other and manage shared data more efficiently.

Smart sensors and IoT devices: Sensors that monitor assets provide a more holistic overview of processes in real-time and prevents dangerous incidents.

Connected Decision-Making

When teams connect in real-time, they make more inclusive and informed decisions—becoming more efficient and effective in their roles and responsibilities. Potential results:

Improved accuracy and fewer mistakes

Increased proficiency and productivity

Reduced costs and saved time

Reduced dangerous mission field incidents

Connected Future

Implementing connected worker technologies continues to be an increasingly important priority. Not only is digital transformation important for taking advantage of new growth opportunities, but it’s crucial for the future of Christian organizations.

Connected Hearts

What will become of your beloved open-door policy and office plan? Work-life plans may have changed for good. One beloved approach remains the same – People over policy. So, what to do next? The same as usual, but with new methods. Connect the hearts and minds of your donors, board members, volunteers, teams, and mission field workers. Embrace technology and digital communications. Share the Good News Of Jesus Christ.

Are You Ready For Digital Donor Bounce Back?

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Submitted by The Merry Marketing Mavens of The Timothy Group

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