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Donor Relations, Major Donors

How Can Your Data Yield Better Year End Results?

by Jon Helder
August 20, 2021

Is your CRM ready to maximize your year end appeals?
As we come to the end of summer, nonprofit professionals like you are assuredly thinking about and planning for a busy and productive year end. For many, this planning includes hosting events, drafting year end solicitations, and crafting that perfect Christmas card. While those can be all important for engaging with donors during this crucial time, we believe that leveraging your nonprofit’s data will improve the performance of each of these initiatives.

Let’s look at your donor data.
How confident are you when pulling mailing lists? For a lot of nonprofits, this can be a significant pain point and is their least favorite task associated with mailings. However, even just a few hours of sorting and filtering data can help you identify 95% of the donor profiles that need updating. Do yourself a favor and pull your largest YE mailing list right now. Once you have it in a spreadsheet, highlight the data and click the “sort and filter button” in the home menu. This will allow you to sort and filter each column’s data. As you do this, highlight all of the errors you run across (i.e. “123 Main St” in the “State” field, “Apt. #1” is in the “Address 1” field) and update them in your donor database. Looking for duplicate profiles? Try sorting by street address, full names, or email address.  Once updated in the system, go ahead and rerun that list. However, this time submit it to a service like truencoa.com which will run your entire list through the USPS database and provide you with forwarding addresses as well as 9-digit zip-codes. Implementing any one of these strategies will save you postage and will ensure your mailings will be delivered as timely as possible.

Segment Your List.
Another way to boost your year end is through effective data segmentation. Perhaps your organization engages in a Giving Tuesday campaign and sends personalized hand signed Christmas cards to donors. You don’t have to be a seasoned marketing professional to realize that mailings for these two initiatives likely shouldn’t targeted the same audience. After all, do you really want your top donors to give a potentially smaller gift on Giving Tuesday when their large gifts have always come in the last week of the year? Likewise, sending handwritten notes to someone that only gives small online gifts might not be the best use of your staff’s time. This year, why don’t you try the following segmentation examples to maximize your efforts:

Christmas Card
•    Donors that give $500 or more 
•    Donors that give most of their support in the last 2-weeks of the year
•    Donors that gave more than 3 gifts in the last year
•    Donors that have given in the past via soft credit (i.e., donor advised fund)

Giving Tuesday Mailer
•    Donors that give less than $500 a year
•    Donors/Prospects that are highly engaged with your organization’s email marketing
•    Donors that have given online or by credit card in the past

Call us for a free 30 minute consultation for how you can improve your existing data and, more importantly, show how to leverage your data to make your year end the best it can be!

Donor Relations, Major Donors

How Often Should I Ask?

by Denny Bender
August 10, 2021

We don’t have to look far to understand our responsibility when it comes to forgiveness. Christ was very explicit when Peter asked how often he should forgive a brother who sinned against him. “… Up to seventy times seven” was Jesus’ reply (Matt. 18:22). Clearly there is no limit on how often we should forgive. But as fundraisers, is there a cap to the number of times we can ask a supporter to give?

I learned a valuable answer to that question during my time as the director of a men’s homeless shelter and recovery center. We had just completed a very successful capital campaign to build a transitional housing unit for graduates of our discipleship program. The lead gift of $1 million was provided by the owner of a multi-national business with plants in the U.S. and South America. He was a generous, long-time supporter of the mission. Since he was one of our Top 10 lifetime contributors, I personally managed the relationship and would meet with him periodically to share news about our ministry.

During one of these cultivation appointments, a month or two after completion of our capital campaign, I happened to mention that the mission hadn’t yet found a way to purchase a bus to gather homeless men and bring them to the mission for a meal and a warm bed. It was not an ask. I merely wanted to share how our outreach program was expanding.

The donor looked at me rather sternly, “How much do you need to buy a bus?” When I quoted the cost he said, “Why didn’t you come to me for the funding?” Apologetically, I told him we were looking to other donors because “you’d given us a million dollars just two months before.” I explained that I felt awkward asking for more so soon after such a large gift.

I’ll never forget what he said to me next, “Denny, don’t deny me my joy.” Though he was an extremely successful business owner, this donor found his greatest fulfillment in the stewardship of the profits God had entrusted to him. He felt a deep-seated responsibility to help those in need, but he relied on organizations like our mission to point out those needs.

So, is there a limit to how often a development officer can ask a supporter to give? My answer is a lose translation of James 4, “we have not because we ask not.” You’ll never raise the resources necessary to support your ministry if you don’t ask people directly. But how do you know when it’s too much or too often. Here are three thoughts:

The donor will show you.
Part of cultivating a fruitful donor relationship is understanding the motives and rhythm of a donor’s giving. Some supporters prefer to time their giving with specific events such as tax refunds, the last week of December, employment bonuses or investment dividends. Others have more personal giving triggers. I once had a couple who always made their annual contribution on their wedding anniversary. Use your CMS database to track donor giving habits and be sensitive to your donors’ patterns and preferences.

Ask when to ask.
Especially with your mega- and major donors, it’s not only appropriate but especially helpful to ask how a donor prefers to be approached. Some may only want to meet annually with your director or CEO. Others will appreciate more frequent contact. Asking about timing also allows you to identify areas of your ministry that are the most appealing to a donor, such as woman’s programs, scholarship needs, campus expansion, etc.

Also, donors who are direct mail responsive will quite often tell you how frequently they want to receive your appeals. Don’t yield too easily to donors who promise to give without a reminder. Ask permission to mail them at least appeal a year, rather than honoring their request to be dropped from your file to save the printing and postage cost.

One-to-One
As my mentor in fundraising says, “People give to people for people.” Invest in knowing your donors, particularly those of high capacity, so you can invite them to partner with your organization when and how they prefer.

“God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). You do, too! Give your donors something to cheer about by asking them again and again to partner with your ministry. Don’t deny your donors the joy of giving!

Author: Denny Bender, Consultant
Before joining The Timothy Group, Denny served as Executive Director of Union Rescue Mission in Wichita, Kansas, a 114-bed emergency housing shelter for homeless men that also provides addiction recovery, a residential life-change and re-engagement program, as well as food assistance and infant care items for women and needy families.

Client Impact, Donor Relations, Fundraising, Major Donors

Great Donor Stories from the Road

by Ron Haas
June 28, 2021

Johnny Cash’s “I’ve Been Everywhere” should be the theme song for every major gift officer who covers a territory. Dan Dark is a ministry representative who is responsible to cultivate donor relationships in sixteen states from North Dakota to Texas and Colorado to Kentucky. Dan hasn’t visited all 93 cities in Johnny Cash’s hit, but he’s close.

Traveling is hard work, but the ministry partners you meet make it all worthwhile. Loving on donors is the greatest aspect of fundraising. Join Ron and Dan as they share some incredible stories of great relationships and great gifts God has provided. Hear why cultivating genuine relationships is your key to fundraising success.

Join Ron Haas and Dan Dark as they talk about “Great Donor Stories from the Road”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sa3buCbFKy8
Communication, Donor Relations, Fundraising, Major Donors

Fix Your Roof!

by Ron Haas
June 1, 2021
Capturing meaningful donor information is critical for your ongoing fundraising success. How can you encourage your team to write meaningful contact reports in your CRM? Submitting visit reports is an afterthought for many development representatives who “will get to it when they have time,” but never seem to find the time. Some simply don’t like paperwork and procrastinate until their scribbled notes no longer make sense. Good fundraisers are typically more relationship-oriented than task-oriented so writing contact reports doesn’t come naturally to them. Donor contact reports add to your institutional knowledge about your donors and their relationship to your ministry. Contact reports bring accountability to your team and give future team members insight into your key donor relationships. If you don’t write it down, you’ll forget some important conversation and miss an opportunity. Unrecorded contact reports might not seem like a big deal, but it’s like overlooking a small leak in your roof that, if not addressed, will cause a lot a damage.  Effective donor reports key gather data and should include these four R.O.O.F. points: R—Reason for the Visit Every visit must have a definite purpose. Categorize your visit as “Discovery,” “Cultivation,” “Solicitation,” or “Stewardship.” If your goal is “Discovery,” listen for information you can glean about your donor’s connection to your ministry, their giving capacity, and why they might be motivated to give. If your purpose is “Cultivation,” take specific steps to build a closer relationship between your donor and your ministry. Whom from your organization could you introduce that would establish another attachment? What information could you share to spark a greater interest? When you are ready to “Solicit,” take a personalized proposal based on their giving interests and ask for a specific amount or gift range. The purpose of “Stewardship” visits is to genuinely thank your donors and continue to deepen your relationships. O—Observation Listening and observing are top fundraising skills. Philosopher and Yankees catcher, Yogi Berra, once remarked, “You can observe a lot by just watching.” From a fundraising perspective: you can also hear your donor’s heart by listening. How did your donor respond to your questions? What questions did they ask? What excited them about your ministry? What concerned them? Notice their pictures on the wall, magazines on the coffee table, or any plagues or awards on their desk. Look for clues that reveal the things that are close to their heart so when you’re ready to ask, you will ask for the right project and the right amount. O—Opportunity In every donor meeting you should present an opportunity. Obviously, for a Solicitation meeting you will present a specific proposal for how your donor can partner financially with your ministry. In Discovery, Cultivation, and Stewardship meetings your opportunities may be to seek their advice on your project, ask a probing question, provide additional information, invite your donor for a tour, or pray for them. Have a specific outcome in mind. What will make this meeting a success? Record important takeaways from your meeting. F—Follow-Up Fundraisers can learn the value of follow-up from the world of sales.  A study by Brevet revealed that 80% of sales require five follow-up calls after the initial meeting and 44% of sales reps give up after one follow-up meeting. Thomas Edison said, “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” Don’t let your donor opportunities slip through the cracks simply because you got tired of following up. What unanswered questions did your donor have that you can research and report back to them? What next move will bring your donor closer to a gift? Record your specific follow-up steps. Lead/Lag Indicators There are many data points you can track in fundraising. Some ministries have high accountability for their team members. If the visit isn’t recorded in the database within 48 hours after the meeting, it doesn’t count. Essentially, the manger is saying, “It didn’t happen.” Contact reports don’t have to be a book. Just record the key points that will give you or the next gift officer insights into your donor’s heart. Ministries that concentrate on tracking R.O.O.F lead indicators, discover their lag indicators will follow. Don’t lose your donor conversations, fix your roof!
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.
Communication, Fundraising, Major Donors

Donor-Centric Communication

by Ron Haas
May 3, 2021
President John F. Kennedy inspired a generation his with Inaugural Address on January 20, 1961, “Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.” JFK changed the focus from receiving to giving and motivated hundreds of thousands of volunteers to give their lives in public service to make the world a better place. Nonprofits should apply this famous quote to their donor relationships, “Ask not what your donors can do for you – ask what you can do for your donors.” We fixate on meeting our needs and ask donors to help us achieve our goals. There is a practical side to fundraising. We must meet our budget or risk going out of business. But this organizational self-focus overlooks the mutual benefit donors can share by partnering with your ministry. This concept of doing something for your donors doesn’t mean giving them some tangible gift although that’s a nice way to express your gratitude. Doing something for your donors involves the intangible gift of including them in your mission to change lives for eternity. Paul referred to his relationship to the Philippian church as a “partnership in the gospel” (Phil. 1:5). They were partners because they gave generously time and time again to share in his troubles (Phil. 4:14-16). They saw themselves as co-workers. Here are three ways to treat your donors like full partners. 1. Communicate Good News and Bad News The Philippians were partners with Paul through thick and thin. In 2 Corinthians 1:8, Paul wrote, “We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself.” Paul was authentic about the challenges he faced. Our donor communications tend to be guarded especially when we share bad news. A ministry recently sent a cryptic letter explaining why the executive director was fired. One donor reacted, “The letter said something without saying anything.” Open and transparent communication will strengthen your bond with your donors. When Paul sat chained in prison, in a real sense those Philippian believers were right there with him. When he floated to shore during his shipwreck (Acts 27), they were also bobbing up and down in the waves with him. When he preached the gospel and men, women and children came to faith, the Philippians shared in his harvest because they had invested in planting the seed. 2. Speak from your Donor’s Perspective Too often we ask our donors to support us as we do the work. Help them see their value by placing them on the front lines of ministry. Recently at a donor event the executive director of a relief and development agency made his appeal extremely personal. “Next week you will be serving food to refugees in Syria providing a warm meal and hope. You will be in Thailand rescuing young women trapped in sex-trafficking. You will be in Iraq sharing Bibles with people who have never seen a Bible. And you will be in India meeting the most urgent needs of a child in poverty.” These phrases transported donors from being spectators to becoming participants. 3. Emphasize Eternal Dividends Who really benefits from a donor’s gift? You do, because you can raise the funds to stay in business. The people you serve benefit, because you can continue serving them. But your donors also benefit because they will receive eternal rewards. Paul responded to the Philippian’s generosity, “Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account (Phil 4:17). Donor partnership is not just a one-way street. It should be a genuine partnership mutually beneficial to both your ministry and your donors. As a Christian ministry, you give your donors the unique opportunity of laying up treasures in heaven. In all your donor communication you must tell great stories of changed lives. It’s not about your buildings, but what happens inside your buildings. It’s not about your professors, it’s how they impact your student’s lives. It’s really not about your ministry at all, its about helping your donors fulfill their God-given responsibility to be good stewards. Give them compelling reasons to partner with you to impact eternity.
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.
Capital Campaigns, Fundraising, Major Donors

Too Many Chickens

by Ron Haas
April 19, 2021
Every chicken farmer knows that you can only put so many chickens in a coop before you start losing productivity. The same principle applies to non-profit organizations. Cram too much ministry into too small of space and you’ll struggle to be effective. Are you running out of ministry space, meeting rooms, offices, parking, and storage? Maybe it’s time to consider a larger facility. But that can be an expensive project which will probably require you to launch a capital campaign to raise the money. It’s a daunting task. Where do you start? A successful capital campaign requires five key components: 1) a compelling case, 2) committed leaders, 3) willing volunteers, 4) a good plan, and 5) prepared donors. Let’s look at each of these in more detail. 1. A Compelling Case

Just because you want a new facility, doesn’t mean that your donor base does. You must make the case that your ministry plan makes sense. You must demonstrate a winning track record that proves more space will translate into more changed lives. Successful ministries attract dollars because donors want to support causes that advance the cause of Christ.

A campaign can include property, bricks and mortar, personnel, program initiatives, and endowment. Your campaign must solve urgent problems and answer pertinent questions. What outreach ministries won’t happen if you don’t move forward with your plans? What essential programs won’t be accomplished without this campaign? Why should a donor make a significant gift to your campaign? What eternal investments are at stake?

2. Committed Leaders

John Maxwell says, “Everything rises or falls on leadership.” This is especially true of fundraising. The number one fundraiser in any nonprofit organization must be the executive director. Major donors want to talk with the boss. They want to look the leader in the eyes and ask themselves, “Can I trust this person?” “Will he or she actually follow through and accomplish the mission?”

One of the biggest challenges for a ministry leader is carving out 70 to 80 percent of their time to focus on a capital campaign. Maybe you’re thinking, “I work 80 hours a week now, how in the world could I lead a major fundraising effort?” Before considering a campaign, you, your board members, and key staff need to have a serious discussion about how to delegate some of your tasks to others, so you can schedule enough time to visit donors. Think of it this way. If you can become successful at fundraising, you can hire staff to cover some of your other ministry responsibilities.

Successful capital campaigns also depend on committed board members who will lead by giving generously and encouraging others to give. Collectively, the board should give 10 to 15 percent of the campaign total. When David gathered resources to build the Temple, he gave first, then he asked the elders of Israel to give, and finally he challenged the entire congregation (1 Chronicles 29:1-5). Apply this same pattern to your capital campaign. As leaders, you and your board must lead the campaign with generous, sacrificial gifts. You must set the pace before you ask anyone on the outside to give.

3. Willing Volunteers

Staff will play important roles in a capital campaign, but the most successful campaigns have strong volunteer involvement. Volunteers can identify donors, cultivate donor relationships and even ask for gifts. Take a close look at your database and find key donors who know and love your ministry who might also invest their time and talents in a fundraising effort.

Ask God to lead you to people who could open doors to new donors. When major donors get excited about your project, they will encourage their friends to get involved as well. There is no stronger appeal than friends asking friends to join them in supporting a worthy cause. In one recent campaign, we asked the lead donor to identify others who might be interested in supporting the project. He said, “I’ve got five people in mind and I’m going to tell them, ‘I’m into this campaign in a big way and I want you to consider a significant gift as well.’” 

4. A Good Plan

If you break down the gift amounts in a typical campaign you will find that 80 percent of the funds come from 20 percent of the donors. But a misguided campaign strategy focuses on lots of events that target the 80 percent of the donors who will only give 20 percent of the money. Don’t forget, it’s not enough to be busy, you must be productive. You will need a well-designed fundraising plan to stay on target.

You will also need a clear plan for what you will accomplish with the money. Occasionally, campaigns get sideways because the board or executive director keeps adding projects to the case statement. It’s hard to hit a moving target. Your major gifts team will have difficulty communicating a concise, compelling “ask,” if the story keeps changing.

Scripture teaches us to “count the cost before building the tower.” Before you announce a capital campaign, you should conduct a feasibility study to determine if your donors understand your plan, if they like your plan, and if they would be willing to give. A feasibility study helps you determine an attainable campaign goal, identify lead donors, and test if the timing is right to move forward.

5. Donors

The key element that many campaigns lack is strong major donor relationships. The ministry may know a few key potential donors, but sometimes the big money is two or three relationships removed. A campaign provides a great opportunity to attract new donors who could get excited about your vision. Don’t wait for a campaign to build relationships with major donors. Start now by identifying, cultivating, and soliciting donors for your annual operating fund.

Large capital gifts usually come from individuals who have made annual donations to the ministry over a period of years. Giving is based on trust and long-term donors have developed a level of confidence in your ministry. It’s much easier to ask a person for $10,000, if you have asked them for $1,000 each year for the past 5 years. Many major donors make their first gift to an organization as a “test” gift. They will give you an amount, and see how you handle it. If you thank them, use it wisely, and actually accomplish what you said you would, then they will be more inclined to give a larger gift in the future.

If you are considering a capital campaign, take this self-assessment. Do you have a compelling case worthy of support? Are you and your board members committed to leading this fundraising effort, financially and with your time? Can you recruit key volunteers who will open doors to significant donors? Do you have the right strategies in place, or will you need to find a coach who can guide you to success? Have you been asking major donors to contribute to your annual fund to prepare them for a future capital campaign? If you have too many chickens, answer these questions and move into a campaign with intentionality. A successful campaign requires prayer, careful planning, and direction from the Holy Spirit because whether you’re trying to raise $500,000 or $5,000,000 – it ain’t chicken feed.
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, Major Donors

Major Donor Game Plan: Report

by Pat McLaughlin
April 6, 2021

Bang for the Buck: Report How You Used Your Donors’ Money

Major Donor Game Plan has been sold and distributed far and wide – in the USA, Canada, Central America, Africa, the Middle East, the UK, China, and Australia. In it I simplified, “Moves Management” into 6 R’s: (1) Research, (2) Relationship, (3) Request, (4) Recognition, (5) Recruitment and (6) Report.

In our information age, it should be easy to honor our ministry partners by reporting how we invested their money to change lives. They deserve to know what difference their contributions made for eternity. It sounds simple, but why does it seem difficult to accomplish? Here are a few tips for better donor accountability.

Be Genuine 
Make your impact report easily accessible. Donors shouldn’t have to search your annual report or some other document to uncover your annual, capital, and endowment campaign results. Make it personal! You’ve already thanked them for their gift (Recognize), now use a personal donor touch to report back the great things they accomplished. Donors love “bang for the buck.” Share specific results: lives changed, new programs, new buildings, new opportunities. You don’t report just to receive another gift, but if you report well you will very likely set the table for their next gift. If you don’t report well, you might not see another gift.

Focus on What God is Accomplishing
In Jesus’ parable of the talents, the landowner summoned his stewards to account for how they invested his money. Reporting to donors is an exercise in accountability as you share how you managed the resources entrusted to your care. Your organization must demonstrate financial integrity. Giving a donor update should have a different feel. Donor reports are more than numbers. Ultimately, it’s not just about what the donors gift accomplished, or even how you used the gift, your report should focus on what God is accomplishing in your ministry. Make certain your donor update/report reflects all the praise to God. When Paul and Silas returned from their first missionary journey, “they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles” (Acts 14:27). That’s a great pattern for us.

Praise and Prayer
Too often our fundraising plans focus on how the donor can help our ministry and not how our ministry can help the donor. We see the gift as a one-way transaction from their DAF, wire transfer, or checkbook to our budget, but that is a shortsighted perspective. Praise your ministry partners. Say thanks for their investment in your ministry. Paul reminds us that the receiver should overflow with thanksgiving, rejoicing, and offering prayers for those who gave. When you report, thank your donors, share your prayer requests, and ask for theirs.

It’s a Two-Way Street
Fundraising is built on solid relationships. Reporting helps you drill deeper with your ministry partners. Some ministries act like a freshman in college, they only call home when they are out of cash. Don’t be that organization. Love your donors by reporting the eternal difference their generous gifts are making in your organization. Share stories of evangelism, discipleship, mercy ministries, education, homeless impact, children, food, clothing, and shelter. There’s a story behind each of those ministries waiting to be shared. The miracle of a changed life is the greatest story to report.

Solomon said it best, “Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land” (Prov. 25:25). What cup of cold water will you share with your key donors this week?

About the Author: Pat McLaughlin President/Founder – Pat started The Timothy Group in 1990 to serve Christian ministries as they raise money to advance their missions. TTG has assisted more 1,800 Christian organizations around the world with capital, annual, and endowment campaigns. More than 25,000 of Pat’s books, Major Donor Game Plan, The C Factor: The Common Cure for your Capital Campaign Conundrums, and Haggai & Friends have helped fundraisers understand the art and science of major donor engagement. Pat makes more than one hundred major donor visits annually and provides counsel to multiple capital campaigns.

Fundraising, Major Donors

Big Rock Fundraising

by Ron Haas
April 5, 2021
In his book, First Things First, Steven Covey shared a story about a seminar leader who used an empty jar and some rocks to illustrate the importance of setting priorities. “How many rocks do you think will fit into this jar?” the instructor asked. After a few guesses from the audience, he began to carefully place as many rocks into the jar as he could. When he reached the top, he asked. “Is the jar full?” “Yes!” someone in the back shouted. He then grabbed a bucket of gravel and began pouring it into the jar, stopping occasionally to shake it into every available space between the bigger rocks. “Is the jar full?” he asked. Now the audience was catching on and someone replied, “Probably not.” “Good!” he responded as he reached for a bucket of sand and dumped it into the jar, shifting it back and forth until every crevice was filled. “Is the jar full now?” he asked. “No!” the crowd yelled. “Good!” he replied as he poured a pitcher of water into the jar of rocks, gravel, and sand. Then he asked, “What does this jar of rocks, gravel, sand and water teach you about time management and your priorities?” Somebody replied, “There are gaps in my time, and if you work really hard you can always fit something more into your life!” “Wrong answer!” he replied. “The lesson is: If you don’t put the big rocks in first, you’ll never fit them in.” Too Busy to Fundraise As a ministry leader you have many big rocks in your life: cast the vision, build, lead, and motivate your team, inspire enthusiasm, drive new initiatives, manage multiple constituencies, and successfully engage the board. Then there’s all the gravel, sand, and water issues of budgeting, marketing, organizing, planning, scheduling, writing, reporting, encouraging, and handling personnel issues which can easily explode into big rock issues. I’m convinced. You are an incredibly busy person with no room for another big rock in your life—especially the big rock called “fundraising.” “Big Rock” Fundraising involves two key principles: identifying major donors and investing your time with them. Yes, you need donors who can partner with you at all levels. Yes, your ministry is grateful for every donor no matter what size of gift. But to reach your gift income potential, you must cultivate personal relationships with major donors. Remember the 80/20 rule: 80% of the resources will come from 20% of your donor base. The ratio is more like 95/5: 95% of your funds will come from 5% of your donors. Who are your “big rocks?” Do you know their names? Do you know what motivated them to give? Have you personally thanked them for partnering with you? The most important fundraising strategy you could implement is to list your top twenty-five donors and begin making personal visits. Connect a name with a face. Get to know them and listen to their giving priorities. Share stories of lives you’ve touched. Tell them what their gift could accomplish. Making Time for Big Rocks If you’re serious about finding more resources for your ministry, the fundraising rock must be one of the biggest rocks in your jar. Now before you pick up a rock and throw it at me, consider this. What nonprofit organization in your city has the most fundraising success? If you were to ask them why they are successful at fundraising, you would discover that their CEO devotes at least 50% of his or her time cultivating relationships with major donors. Those who invest even more time achieve extraordinary results. Those who spend less time often struggle to survive. You are thinking, “But I didn’t get into ministry to spend all my time raising money.” I understand. But think of this, there are certain things that only the executive director can do; cultivating relationships with major donors is at the top of the list. Major donors want to talk with the boss. They want to hear your passion and vision for the future. They want to make a difference with their gift, so they want to know if you will follow through with what you say you will do. They want to give to people they can trust, and you build that trust by meeting with them face to face. If you can succeed with your big rock relationships, you’ll be able to expand your personnel, programs, and even your property. I challenge you to commit even 20 percent of your time cultivating big rock donors. Delegate tasks that others could do. Focus your time on big rocks. You ask, “OK, where do I start?” The first problem you will face is the urgent often crowds out the important. Take control of your calendar and clear one day a week from all the gravel, sand, and water that gets in your way. Spend the entire day identifying, cultivating, and soliciting major donors. Your “Big Rock” Day Some CEOs try to ease into this time management shift, but it is best to go “cold turkey.” Don’t worry—meetings that require your presence will fill into the cracks somewhere. Divide your time into six key strategies:

1. Research. Identify those individuals who have the capacity to support your ministry. Discover who in your organization knows them the best and can introduce you.

2. Relationship. Invest time cultivating these donor relationships before asking for a large gift. Educate them about how your ministry impact lives.

3. Request. You must ask for a specific gift. Hinting is not enough; you must be straightforward and ask. “Big Rock” donors want to know what you want from them.

4. Recognize. Say, “Thank You” in an appropriate way.

5. Recruit. Encourage your new donor to open doors to others who might also support your cause.

6. Report. How your organization shows appreciation to donors becomes an important factor in whether your donor cultivation cycle keeps moving forward or grinds to a halt. Continue sharing compelling stories of changed lives.

You have an important decision to make. You can spend your time shifting around gravel, sand, and water, trying to squeeze in enough room for big rocks, or you can dump the jar and start over. Remember, if you don’t put the big rocks in first, you’ll never fit them in. Resource: Stephen Covey, A. Roger Merrill, Rebecca R. Merrill, First Things First, New York, NY: Fireside, 1996
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, Major Donors

Major Donor Game Plan: Recruitment

by Pat McLaughlin
March 24, 2021

The Toughest Test with your Donors
I’ve heard it. You’ve heard it. We all have heard it. Donors say, “I have more money than I have time.” “I’m happy to write a check or give through my DAF. But please, please don’t ask me to volunteer, be a friend raiser, or serve on a committee or board. I just don’t have the time.” People have the time—they just don’t want to invest it in your ministry. How can you encourage your donors to give their talent, treasure, and time? Here are some keys to unlocking this valuable commodity.

Confidence
How have you done with the first 4 R’s of major donor engagement? (1) Research (2) Relationship (3) Request (4) Recognition. Did your donors feel loved and confirmed? Did their confidence in you and your organization grow during these steps? Remember, fundraising is based on relationships. If you simply “grab the money and run,” your relationships will suffer. You build trust by doing what you said you would do with their hard-earned money. You also build trust by spending time as friends doing life together. Not every visit or phone call is asking for money. People will only introduce you to their friends when they have complete trust and confidence that you will treat their friends with love and respect.

Chemistry
The NCAA men’s basketball “Road to the Final Four” has proven that sometimes it is not about the best team with the best players, but the team with the best chemistry. You need to build a major donor recruitment team who will help you open doors to new donor relationships. Be proactive. Donors usually don’t say, “WOW, that was so much fun giving big money to your organization, I may know 4 or 5 friends who might like to do the same!” The number one reason why people give is because of who asks. Help your key donors encourage their friends to join them in your project. Develop a donor recruitment strategy that clearly defines some simple steps your friends can take to engage their friends.

Culture
Your recruitment/donor acquisition strategy must be S.M.A.R.T. (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound). It must fit the culture of your organization and the culture of the major donors helping you. Donor acquisition by direct mail is expensive and not as effective these days (before, during, and after COVID). Won by one is the best donor acquisition/recruitment strategy. Your key donors prove they love and trust you by their generous giving. Asking them to network to their friends on your behalf will reveal how much they really love you. Major donors know other major donors. They live in the same gated communities, play golf at the same country clubs, and may have second homes in the same winter destination. If you can tap into the major donor networks within your existing constituency you will never run out of contacts. Why? Because every new and existing donor becomes a center of influence.

Multi-Faceted Offense
Good teams have a variety of offensive plays to advance their efforts.  You need to do the same:

• Personalized Mail. Assist your donor with an effective mail presentation package. Include a handwritten note.

• Phone Call. Ask your friend to ask their friend to meet in person or by zoom to hear more about your ministry. Encourage them to share why they find joy in supporting you.

• Zoom Call. One of the blessings of the pandemic is that people are more comfortable with technology. Use video calls to give your prospective donors a tour of your facilities or introduce them to various staff members.

• Donor Gatherings. Encourage your key donors to host a small group event in their home to introduce their friends to your ministry. It doesn’t have to be a formal dinner; coffee and dessert are fine. Your event should include an exciting testimonial from your host couple, 30-45 minutes of presentation by a ministry representative, Q & A, and a response card to schedule a follow up visit. Don’t ask for money that evening. You may embarrass the host couple or even worse, you may get tipped. Donors might write a small check as a favor to their friends, but not make a true prayed-through stewardship gift.

Final Thoughts

1. Use your time wisely. Invest in your donors and ask them to invest in you by giving and recruiting. Cultivating major donors is a life-long pursuit.

2. Your close ratio is very high when a major donor agrees to lead you to a friend.

3. Small group events are still a great major donor recruitment strategy.

4. Face-to-face. All the direct mail and large events in the world will not compare to what a personal face-to-face meeting with a friend or colleague can accomplish.

A Success Story
Rob, the new headmaster, was looking for ways to connect with the school’s donors and asked board members and faculty for help. Joe, a long-time faculty member, wasn’t convinced Rob was the right choice and was reluctant to introduce him to anyone. A former faculty member passed away and Rob decided to attend her funeral. He stopped at the receptionist to ask for directions. Joe was also there asking for directions. He was surprised that Rob would take the time and offered to give him a ride. Rob’s willingness to go to a funeral of someone he never met to comfort the family on behalf of the school broke the ice with Joe. When he drove Rob back to the school, Joe said, “You need to meet Bill. I’ll call and introduce you.”

Rob met Bill for breakfast. Bill was a former board member, major donor, and community leader. He was a wealth of information and helped Rob better grasp the school’s history. At the end of breakfast Bill said, “If I can help you in any way. Please let me know.” Rob responded, “There is one thing you can do. I don’t know anybody. Could you introduce me to the people I need to know?” Bill replied, “If you’re serious, I will connect you with all the former board chairs.” And he did. Joe opened the door to Bill and Bill opened the door to twenty-eight key stakeholders.

Recruitment is the toughest test for your donors, board members, or even faculty. Don’t give up if someone is reluctant to connect you to key donors. Keep asking. God can lead you to the right person who can unlock incredible relationships.

Have fun it works!

About the Author: Pat McLaughlin President/Founder – Pat started The Timothy Group in 1990 to serve Christian ministries as they raise money to advance their missions. TTG has assisted more 1,800 Christian organizations around the world with capital, annual, and endowment campaigns. More than 25,000 of Pat’s books, Major Donor Game Plan, The C Factor: The Common Cure for your Capital Campaign Conundrums, and Haggai & Friends have helped fundraisers understand the art and science of major donor engagement. Pat makes more than one hundred major donor visits annually and provides counsel to multiple capital campaigns.

Development, Fundraising, Major Donors, Stewardship

Fundraising with Heart!

by Kent Vanderwood
March 22, 2021

We often talk about fundraising metrics: donor retention rate (DRR), donor attrition (DA), donor churn (DC), donor frequency (DF), donor lifetime value (DLV), return on investment (ROI), cost to raise a dollar (CRD), the stress levels of advancement personnel (SLAP). Wait, I made that last one up. You get the idea. We have devised many ways to measure many things, but when it comes right down to it, relationships are the key to all successful donor engagements. Let me share a brief testimonial.

As consultants, we often work on behalf of our clients—meeting donors, assisting with solicitation calls, making thank you calls, and more. Recently, I delivered some donor appreciation gifts for one of my clients. The gift was a beautiful picture and “thank you” inscription framed in a nice plaque. One of my deliveries was to an elderly donor whom I first met in December, when I called on her for a year-end gift. She has been a widow for two or three years and became a major donor last year when she attended the ministry’s fall banquet with her church group. No one from the ministry had met with her personally before me. We had an enjoyable visit as she shared how she and her husband made giving decisions. He loved supporting Christian ministries that made an eternal impact. So, when I called her last week to ask if I could stop by to deliver a gift, she quickly responded, “yes!”

When I arrived at her home, she graciously led me to her kitchen table. I noted that her speech was somewhat slurred but did not draw attention to it. I asked how she was feeling. She shared that she had recently had a tumor removed in the back of her throat—that explained why it was difficult for her to speak clearly. She was scheduled for radiation therapy next week, 5 days a week for 6 weeks. We talked about how her sons and friends would rotate driving duties to and from her treatment sessions.

I asked her if I could pray with her and she readily accepted. As we held hands and prayed, I felt God touching her body as I spoke words of peace to her. When we ended, I told her we would add her name to the ministry’s prayer list, and she thanked me. I asked if I could call her halfway through her radiation treatments to see how she was doing. We hugged and she led me to the door, but not before handing me an envelope—inside was a $5,000 gift to the ministry.

Now, here is the point I want to make. Was she going to give that money anyway? Perhaps, but maybe not now, or in this way. I noted the date on the check was the date of my visit. She wrote that check knowing I was coming. She could have mailed it, but instead personally handed it to me. I believe that was intentional. I am sure this was not the last time I will meet with her or pick up a donation at her kitchen table. Her hug was the metric I value because it shows that this ministry has connected with her heart!

About the Author: Kent Vanderwood, Vice President – Kent offers clients over 35 years of non-profit experience including teaching, administrative, consulting, and directorships. Through his work as Development Director for The Potter’s House, Gospel Communications International, and Mel Trotter Ministries, Kent brings a wealth of experience in fundraising and development. He currently serves as a board member for the West Michigan chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). His passion for seeing Christian stewardship principles applied in a systematic way helps the non-profit organization or ministry be successful in fulfilling its mission.

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