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Donor Relations, Major Donors

Major Donor Game Plan: Recognition

by Pat McLaughlin
March 10, 2021

Do you love me or do you not… you told me once, but I forgot! How do you say thanks and really, really mean it? Recognition is a very important part to all your donors but especially your mega and major donors. A very simple but appropriate thank you is all it takes to acknowledge the gift, show your appreciation, drill deeper in the relationship, and prepare the way for the next opportunity to ask. It’s not manipulative, it’s not syrupy, but surprisingly rare. If the gift is a multi-year gift (some are given monthly or quarterly) you have many opportunities to say thanks. If it’s a one-time gift you must thank your donor well to create an opportunity for the next gift. You are not saying thank you to get the next gift, but not saying thank you might keep you from another gift.

Many development departments are very proficient at donor research, relationship building, and even requesting. Unfortunately, many organizations spend more energy on receiving the gift and little or no effort on showing appreciation for the gift. How do we thank, recognize, and love our donors? Here are some simple tips:

Golden Rule
How do you want to be treated? Seriously, if you had $1,000 dollars or $1,000,000 to give to your favorite ministry, how would you want to be recognized? By mail, e-mail, phone, zoom, in person, by a board member, all the above, some of the above, or none of the above? Think about your personal giving experiences. In what meaningful way you have been recognized in the past? There you go, now go do it!

Don’t Be Late
Be timely, very timely in recognizing a ministry partner. Like milk, thank yous have an expiration date! When the check or the wire transfer comes through pick up the phone and call them. Yes, I said call them—not text, or e-mail, unless that is their preference. Even if it is, pick up the phone and say thanks. There is nothing like personally saying thank you. Make it a ministry call to share your mission, vision, and core values. Tell them what they will accomplish with their gift. Most of all, share your love and appreciation for them.  Share your heart with them. Oh, BTW do it quickly, don’t wait 3-5 days, a week, or even a month. Carpe Diem—seize the moment and say thanks NOW!

Words of Wisdom
The executive director of one of the largest foundations in West Michigan said, “Pat, if an organization does not thank us in a timely manner, they are all done receiving funds from our foundation. We are testing the character and integrity of the organization on not just receiving the gift but how they respond after the gift is given.” It’s just common sense to say thanks in an appropriate way. It’s not difficult. Make it your priority.

How Many Times is Too Many?
A friend of mine who fundraises for a large medical facility said they often thanked their key donors seven times. WOWIZER, is that too much? The thanks came from a variety of team members: the university president, the medical center CEO, heads of various departments (cardiology, orthopedics, etc.), physicians, the VP of Advancement, the major gift officer assigned to the donor, and a patient who had benefited from their gift. You make the call. Too much? Too little? Or about right. Ergonomics is the study of fit. How you recognize donors needs to fit your culture, your staffing limits, your CEO involvement. Make it fit for you.

Closing Thoughts
Will Rogers said, “Common sense ain’t common.” Recognition plans will vary. Everyone has their own ideas. Here are some commonsense ideas:

·  Develop a well-conceived plan to say thanks to every donor.

·  Ask yourself how you would want to be recognized—that’s a great start.

·  Be timely. Show your appreciation while the gift is still fresh in their mind.

·  Use multiple thankers from a variety of sources in your organization.

·  Utilize a variety of methods: call, zoom, hand-written note is very effective, text, e-mail, or a small gift of appreciation.

Sit down with your team today and develop a Thank You Plan. Put actions to your words then watch God do amazing things in your donors’ lives, hearts, and checkbooks!

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

Leadership Giving

by Kent Vanderwood
March 10, 2021

Your first question might be, what exactly is leadership giving?

Leadership giving is a principle introduced in the Old Testament that is still relevant today. Two main passages teach this concept. In Exodus 25, Moses asked for gifts to build the tabernacle:

“The Lord said to Moses, ‘Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from everyone whose heart prompts them to give. These are the offerings you are to receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze; blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and fine linen; goat hair; ram skins dyed red and another type of durable leather; acacia wood; olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breast piece.’” (Exodus 25:1-7).

In 1 Chronicles 29, David gathered resources to construct the temple:

“Then King David said to the whole assembly: ‘My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is young and inexperienced. The task is great, because this palatial structure is not for man but for the Lord God. With all my resources I have provided for the temple of my God—gold for the gold work, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron and wood for the wood, as well as onyx for the settings, turquoise, stones of various colors, and all kinds of fine stone and marble—all of these in large quantities. Besides, in my devotion to the temple of my God I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God, over and above everything I have provided for this holy temple: three thousand talents of gold (gold of Ophir) and seven thousand talents of refined silver, for the overlaying of the walls of the buildings, for the gold work and the silver work, and for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. Now, who is willing to consecrate themselves to the Lord today?’  Then the leaders of families, the officers of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of the king’s work gave willingly. They gave toward the work on the temple of God five thousand talents and ten thousand darics of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of bronze and a hundred thousand talents of iron. Anyone who had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the temple of the Lord in the custody of Jehiel the Gershonite. The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord. David the king also rejoiced greatly” (1 Chronicles 29:1-9).

We see a model for giving in each of these passages. God told Moses to start with gifts of “gold, silver and bronze” (Ex. 25:2). Who had valuable gifts like this to give? The leaders of Israel, presumably. But He also added the phrase, “from everyone whose heart prompts them to give.” Moses invited everyone to give, but he asked the leaders to give first.

King David followed the same model. The first gifts were gold, silver, bronze, iron, followed by wood, fine stones, and marble. The key phrase appears in 1 Chronicles 29:3-5, where David gave his OWN treasures for the temple. He did not ask others to do what he was not willing to do himself. He set the pace, and everyone followed his lead.

This is how the 1 Chronicles 29 campaign ended, “Then the leaders of families, the officers of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of the king’s work (all) gave willingly” (vs. 6). When the people saw their leaders give, they rejoiced for what God was accomplishing (vs. 9). When your leaders set the pace, others will be inspired to give.

Who are the “leaders” in your organization? Who should be the first to give? Depending on the type of non-profit you are, this would include the trustees, foundation board, steering committee (if you are engaged in a capital campaign), staff, parents, and possibly even service recipients. Each of these groups serves in leadership in some way and together they form your “leadership giving.”

Four Takeaways:

•  Start with your giving. David gave first in 1 Chronicles 29:1-5, then the other the leaders gave (vs. 6-7), and finally the rest of the people joined in (vs. 8-9).

•  Start at the top. Top-down giving begins with the leaders (gold, silver bronze).

•  Move inside-out. Giving should start with those who are the closest to the ministry, then move to those who are less involved.

•  Invite everyone to give. Exodus 25:2 and 35:4, “Everyone who is willing…” It’s important to ask everyone in your constituency to partner in fulfilling your mission.

So, how much should each person give?
This is a very personal matter, between the individual and God, leading through his Holy Spirit. Moses said, “From what you have, take an offering for the Lord” (Exodus 35:4). Can you give a gift of gold? If so, you should. Maybe your gift is fine linen, acacia wood, or onyx stone. Giving is about “equal sacrifice, not equal gifts.” If you pray and ask God with a sincere and open heart, he will speak to you.

Paul gives this instruction for leaders:
“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds and to be generous and willing to share. In this way, they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life” (1 Timothy 6:15-17).

Leaders demonstrate their leadership through their sacrificial giving. Lead by example and others will follow.

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 Inte
rnational, 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.

Donor Relations, Major Donors

Major Donor Game Plan: Request

by Pat McLaughlin
February 24, 2021

We’ve been unpacking the 6 R’s of major donor fundraising: (1) Research, (2) Relationship, (3) Request, (4) Recognition, (5) Recruitment, and (6) Report. All 6 R’s are important but perhaps the one most misunderstood, misused, and underdelivered is Request. The Ask involves both the art and science of good stewardship practice. Asks fail for two reasons: (a) we never make the ask or, (b) we don’t know what to say or how to say it.

Matthew 7:7 encourages us, “Ask and will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” James teaches, “You do not have because you do not ask.” Should we be making requests in this pandemic? Allow me to answer that question with a resounding YES!

Preparation and Perspiration

Making requests is hard work, but an ask is the ultimate opportunity to fulfill your annual, capital, and endowment funding needs. Now that you’ve completed the first two steps of research and relationship-building, the most difficult task is setting the appointment. It may take several calls, texts, and e-mails. There is the perspiration. Be faithful and persistent. You need to see your donor in person. Mega/major donors will often ask that you send them the proposal. Don’t make that mistake; your close ratio goes way up if you can see your donor in person or on Zoom.

Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt (FUD)

The FUD syndrome stymies many donor requests. Stewardship officers often suffer from Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt. Questions can paralyze us. Is the ask too big? Too Small? Or about right? Do we have the right materials? Has our research clearly identified their hot button?

It’s human nature to feel some of these conundrums as we approach a major donor meeting. We fear offending the donor. We may be uncertain if they are ready to give. We doubt if they can give at the amount we are asking them to consider. Now wait a minute. You have done the research and have drilled deeper with the relationship. If you know you have shared values, be confident!

When you schedule your in-person or zoom meeting let them know you would like to share a personalized gift proposal. A bit of perspiration (working hard to set up the appointment) will have a huge impact on your production and their participation level.

No Heavenly Hinting

Most major donors are quite sophisticated, so please avoid any form of “Heavenly Hinting.” Be specific, straightforward, and forthright. ASK! Too much proverbial “beating around the bush,” communicates to the donor that you are unprepared, unaware, or suffering from a severe case of FUD. This should be a 30-minute presentation more or less; it’s certainly not an all-day event. Major donors have shared with us some “Heavenly Hinting” statements from some of their favorite ministries:

♦ “We believe the Lord wants us to do this and there may be people whom he wants to help us.”

♦ “We believe God’s work done God’s way will not lack for God’s supply.”

♦ “We are praying that God will open the windows of heaven and meet our needs.”

These are all great statements but your Research and Relationship-building with this donor couple has prepared them and you to make a specific Request!

It’s Personal

Take along a personal request or be ready to jot down on your yellow pad a specific amount or at least a range of giving you are requesting. People tip God because we give them the opportunity to tip him! Win, Keep, Lift applies to Mega/Major Donors.

Who and Where

Who is the right person or persons to make the ask? A couple of weeks ago I made a $500,000 request and three of us went on the donor visit. We informed the donor couple in advance who was coming and why. It was a mentoring opportunity for me with their CEO, and campaign chair. They shared the story, and I made the ask. The couple received us and the ask very well.

We have coined the phrase “Kitchen Table Ask” (KTA). Where is the best place to make a request? Their kitchen table. It’s not at Starbucks, or a local restaurant. Your office or their office can work as well, but nothing is as personal as their kitchen table. Not even their living room or family room, the best place is the kitchen table.

Just Do It

This is not rocket science, it’s all about relationships and preparing each ministry partner for a sit-down KTA. Ergonomics is the study of fit. Your mega/major donor has got to fit the culture of your organization, the project, and the ask amount. Treat every significant ministry partner as a small mini campaign. Build the request around their giving interests and your needs; then go test it. Meet them in person or over Zoom and make the ask. Go for it and remember to practice Pat’s 4 C’s: See the People, See the People, See the People, and See what God is going to do with the relationship.

 

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. 

Donor Relations, Major Donors

Major Donor Game Plan: Relationships

by Pat McLaughlin
February 10, 2021

It’s Not Rocket Science… It’s Relationships

Donors don’t give to organizations; they give to people. They don’t give to direct mail; they give to people. They don’t give to proposals; they give to people. The second “R” in my book, Major Donor Game Plan, is Relationship. The deeper you develop relationships with mega and major donors the more opportunity mega and major gifts can become a reality for your ministry.

Communication

You identified your donor prospects and suspects in the research step. Now, it’s time to create an individualized communication plan. What works for one donor may not work for another. Treat every mega and major donor as a small mini-campaign. What do they need to hear from you to draw them closer to your ministry? Personal contact is always the best method. The pandemic has forced many organizations to be creative and cultivate successful relationships via Zoom. Interestingly, some donors are responding more to texts than emails. Every relationship needs to be nurtured as you educate, cultivate, inspire, inform, motivate, and eventually ask for their financial support.

Keep the information flowing. Customize the information your ministry partners receive. Do they want lots of details, not too much, or somewhere in between? Listen for their “hot button.” What gets them excited about making a difference with their hard-earned money? Key donors receive great joy knowing their gift has made a significant impact on your organization.

Value-Based Relationships

A marriage that lasts is built on a foundation of shared values. Jane and will celebrate 47 years of wedded bliss this year. We’ve been blessed with the bliss part because we share similar values such as, our faith, our children, our grandchildren, her good golf game, my bad golf game, well you get it. Our values are aligned.

Drill deeper with each donor relationship to identify their value system. Discover how their values match the values of your ministry. Are they excited about missions, human need, clean water, education, evangelism, children, the disenfranchised, health care, housing? Sharing personalized information with value-based donors about how your organization is addressing the problems they want to solve is the quickest way to mega and major gifts.

Donor Care

Many of your relationship-building experiences with your key donors will not involve asking for a gift. It’s just lunch, a visit, a ministry tour, a call, or any opportunity to strengthen your relationship. Two four-letter words impact every relationship, L-O-V-E and T-I-M-E. Donors sometimes equate love with the time you invest with them. A phone call to hear how they are doing, a visit, a handwritten note, a food delivery (masked up of course) will go a long way in deepening your relationships. Plan special donor care connections for each of your mega and major donors in 2021.

Never-Ending Love

Relationships are job one. Your pursuit to develop deep donor relationships never ends. Review these four key strategies:

  1. Communicate personally and consistently with your key donors.
  2. Match their values with your ministry’s mission, vision, core values, and key outcomes.
  3. Care for your donors. Schedule time to show love to each key donor.
  4. Slow down. Take your time. Successful fundraising is not grab-the-money-and-run. It’s a life-long friendship.

Want to extend the shelf life of your major donors? Build authentic relationships. It’s the path to bigger gifts over a much longer time. Successful key gift fundraising is a process that takes years, not weeks or months.

Some think fundraising should be as complex as rocket science fueled by expensive software that produces fancy charts and graphs. But the more effective strategy is to find a rocket scientist, develop a personal relationship, share your ministry story, and ask for a gift that aligns with their heart!

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

Fundraising Superpower: Mind Reader

by Kent Vanderwood
February 10, 2021

Perhaps you’ve heard this famous fundraising axiom, “Successful fundraising is the right person asking the right prospect for the right amount for the right project at the right time in the right way¹”.

So, how do you know the right amount to ask for? What if you ask too high? Or, too low? Can you go back for seconds if you asked for the wrong amount the first time? Here’s where the fundraising superpower of reading your donors’ minds would come in handy. You could nail the right ask every time. This superpower doesn’t come by gamma radiation, exposure to chemicals from another planet, a science experiment gone wrong, or a radioactive spider bite. But it’s not as complicated as you might think.

Asking for the right amount starts with research. Who is this donor or prospect? Have they given before? How much? What do you know about them personally? What other ministries do they support? How much do they usually give? You can research this donor with internal and external data. Internally, you should review your donors’ giving records, talk to staff who know them, ask board members if they have any personal or business relationships. Check out external online wealth screening resources such as Blackbaud Analytics, Donor Search, Donor Scape, iWave, and Wealth Engine to name a few. Both internal and external research provide key datapoints to help you determine the right gift amount.

Rules of Thumb

•  Start with their largest annual gift. If you are   asking for another annual gift, suggest the donor increase their gift by 25% or more.

•  If you’re asking for a capital campaign multiple year pledge, you could request 10 to 25 times their largest single gift, depending on their capacity.

•  If in doubt, ask high. It is usually better to ask a donor to “stretch” their stewardship decision, rather than feel like you asked too low. If it is too high, they will tell you. Rarely will they say, “You didn’t ask enough, I was planning to give $_______.” Charles W. Phillips of the McLellan Foundation once remarked, “No large ask should be a surprise; every smaller ask is an insult.”

A client shared a recent capital campaign ask where the donor responded, “You’re leaving money on the table. You asked for $4,500 but we could give $10,000.” Their largest single gift was $1,500, so she tripled it for the three-year campaign ask, but she didn’t realize that this donor was silent partner in a very successful local car dealership whose profits were up this year. If she had done her research, perhaps she would have asked for more and received more.

“Sweet Spot” Solicitation

Personal solicitation is built on relationships which you cultivate before the actual ask. Get to know your donors – their interests, passions, and what motivates them most about what you do. The more you know, the more accurately you will discern the right project and the right amount. A donor’s “sweet spot” is not always easy to detect or uncover, but once you do, you have a better chance to hit a home run. Just like in baseball, hit the sweet spot, and watch it fly out of the park!

I saw this principle happen firsthand on a recent visit with a client engaged in a major capital campaign. The development director and I visited a couple and presented a gift proposal for $30,000, based on their last campaign gift eight years ago and their annual giving since that time. It was a bit of a “stretch” over their past giving.

The visit went well; they loved the campaign components. After our $30,000 ask, the donor said that he and his wife would talk and have an answer in a week. We then showed him a list of named gift opportunities ranging from $100,000 to $1 million. It’s helpful to share this information even if the donor can’t give more or is not interested in recognition, because they may know someone who might be.

Little did we know that one of the items on that named gift list hit a “sweet spot.” Four hours after our visit, the donor came to the office with a completed pledge card for $150,000! That is right – not the $30,000 we asked him, but five times that amount. Their family’s interest in music, drama, and the arts had gone largely undetected, but they wanted to leave a legacy. As they discussed the campaign, they decided to put their name on an outside amphitheater.

Just think of the success you could have with every major donor if you took the time to uncover their “sweet spots.” It doesn’t always happen the way I described above but you need to be intentional about discovering your donors’ true interests. It’s hard work, but the rewards are well worth the effort.

You really don’t need to be a superhero to know how much to ask your donor. Listen to their heart and passion, then you can pitch the right project and the right gift amount!

Resource: ¹Weinstein, Stanley. The Complete Guide to Fundraising Management, 4th Ed. Wiley. 2017.

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.

Client Impact, Development, Donor Relations, Fundraising, Major Donors

Major Donor Game Plan: Research

by Pat McLaughlin
January 27, 2021

I have invested 40 years in the stewardship arena with major donors raising money in the USA, Canada, the UK, the Middle East, China, Cuba, Honduras, Europe, Africa, Cambodia, New Zealand, and a few other spots around the globe.

Yes, I believe in moves management. If you force me, I will work with it. I understand it, however, over the years I have seen so many organizations get bogged down trying to understand the right next move with their key donors. I wrote Major Donor Game Plan in 2006 to help ministries simplify their approach to donors. This article is the first in a series unpacking the 6 R’s of major donor engagement: (1) Research (2) Relationship (3) Request (4) Recognition (5) Recruitment and (6) Report.

We know a lot about mega/major donor relationships because we have seen a lot. My team and I understand both the science and the art of finding, cultivating, educating, soliciting, and stewarding major donors because we spend time in the field talking with major donors. The art of fundraising paints a ministry story for your donors; the science of fundraising uncovers and manages donor information.

Rudyard Kipling used five strong men to tell a story: who, what, when, where, and why. A compelling case is your starting point for identifying new ministry partners. Your case for support, in essence, is a story that involves your mission, vision, core values, and the human need you are addressing. Who will you tell your great story to? How do you find new donors? Let’s start with Research. There are two basic forms: external and internal. Let’s explore both.

External research. Consider conducting a wealth asset screening of your donor base to discover hidden donors. There are many services available: Blackbaud Analytics, Donor Search, Donor Scape, iWave, and Wealth Engine to name a few. These sources provide insight on an individual’s net worth, income, assets, real estate, stock holding, charitable contributions and other financial related data as well as business and personal contact information. For instance, Wealth Engine pulls together data from 60 public sources to look through 300 million profiles and 122 million households. Their profiles also provide an estimated gift range for each donor based on their assets. Intrusive no. Valuable yes.

NOTE: Wealth asset research does not get you any closer to the donor, it merely gives you more information about them and their capacity. Use it wisely and do not misuse it. Practice the Golden Rule and the Mom Rule. Treat every ministry partner like you would want your mother to be treated.   

Internal research starts with the information that you already know from your CRM. What prompted their first gift? How long have they given? What are their giving motivations? Look for patterns and opportunities to lift your donors to a new level of engagement.

What relational knowledge can you discover about your donor? Someone knows this person or couple. Who do mega/major donors hang around with? Other mega/major donors. They work together, golf together, live in the same gated community – someone knows them. Handle this information very carefully. Be circumspect. Ask your existing donors who they might know who may be interested in partnering with your ministry. Share a few names of donor prospects and suspects you are trying to meet and ask if they could an open door.

A conversation goes like this, “Bill and Mary, you have been such close friends of our ministry and great financial partners. One of the great joys I have is meeting new friends who could partner with us to reach more people for Christ. Do you know Scott and Judy? What kinds of ministries do they support? What gives them joy in their stewardship practices? Would you be willing to introduce them to our ministry? We would love to share with them all the wonderful things God is accomplishing in our ministry and invite them to pray and consider partnering with us.”

External research coordinated with internal research will help you discover new ministry partners with capacity. Do your homework. Involve your major donor team and volunteers. Your trustees can and should also play a key role in your new major donor research.

Research… don’t leave home without it!

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 Verse of the Week, Major Donors, Stewardship

Avoiding Donor Fatigue

by Ron Haas
January 4, 2021

 “The leech has two daughters.
    ‘Give! Give!’ they cry.
“There are three things that are never satisfied,
    four that never say, ‘Enough!’:
the grave, the barren womb,
    land, which is never satisfied with water,
    and fire, which never says, ‘Enough!’
(Proverbs 30:15-16).

Do your donors feel this way about your ministry? Do they see you as a leech crying, “Give! Give!” or a fire that never says, “Enough!” Do they believe that the only time you communicate with them is to ask for money? Donors grow weary of the never-ending appeals from all sorts of nonprofit organizations who always want more. You can avoid donor fatigue with your ministry partners by adopting three simple attitudes:

1. Don’t be a “Living Vampire.” Billionaire Ted Leonsis attributes his wealth creation to his master networking skills. His counsel for others seeking to build their networks is, “Don’t be a “living vampire.” Before asking for a favor, Leonsis always seeks to add value to each relationship. He asks himself, “How can I help this person get closer to their goal?” His unselfish approach to business serves as great example for fundraisers.

How can you help your ministry partners get closer to their spiritual goals? Is your donor interested in evangelism? education? feeding the hungry? helping the poor? You add value by treating them as full partners in your life changing ministry. How are you blessing your donors before you ask for their support?

2. Connect authentically. Leonsis’ second tip for successful networking is to be real, not phony. Business associates seek authenticity, so do donors. A major donor commented to a president, “Please don’t have John contact me again. I think he’s disingenuous.” Evidently this donor rep said or did something the donor thought was insincere and hypocritical. Building trust is a key factor for successful fundraising, you can’t pretend. Donors desire openness and transparency and know when you’re hedging. Authentic people do not say things they do not mean or make promises they cannot keep.

3. Follow up with a thank-you note. Amazingly, Leonsis’ final tip is to follow up every networking meeting with a thank you note. If it works in business, it definitely works in fundraising. Most people don’t send follow-up correspondence, yet it’s a simple, powerful way to stand out in your donor’s mind. A thank you note is a strong remedy for donor fatigue because it adds a human touch to your ministry partner relationships. Email thank you notes are like a “mist that appears for a little while then vanishes.” On the contrary, most people have difficulty throwing away a handwritten thank you card and often read it more than once.

Response: Father, forgive me for not adding value to my relationships with my ministry partners. Help me authentically reach out to them and build trust.

Think about this: If a billionaire takes time to write a personal thank you note to everyone he networks with, what’s your excuse? Take time today to send a handwritten note to three donors.

Have a Spirit-led fundraising week,

Ron

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.

Fundraising Verse of the Week, Major Donors, Stewardship

The Gift is Not for You

by Ron Haas
December 20, 2020

“On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh” (Matthew 2:11).

Every nativity scene includes shepherds and wise men, but Matthew 2:11 rewrites this Christmas pageant script. Luke shares the shepherds’ perspective as the angels proclaim, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14). The shepherds ran to Bethlehem and “found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger” (Luke 2:16).

Many people have heard the Christmas story all their lives and have missed this detail: The Magi arrived perhaps two years later. Notice: (a) they came to a house, (b) Jesus is called a child, and (c) King Herod reacted by putting to death all the male children in Bethlehem who were two years old and younger (Matt. 2:16-18).

When the Magi came to the house, “they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasure and presented him with gifts” (Matt. 2:11). This may sound obvious, but the gifts weren’t for Mary and Joseph, they were for Jesus. But a two-year-old doesn’t understand gold, frankincense, and myrrh so Mary and Joseph became stewards of these gifts. Likewise, the gifts your donors generously give are not intended for you or your ministry; they are for Jesus. We can draw applications from these gifts.

Gold. The inside walls of the temple were completely overlaid with gold (1 Kings 6:20-22). John reveals that the streets of heaven are made of pure gold (Rev. 21:21). As fundraisers you ask your donors for gold, but you are ultimately asking them to lay up their treasures in heaven (Matt. 6:19-21).

Frankincense. The priests mixed a special blend of fragrant spices including pure frankincense to use exclusively in temple worship (Ex. 30:34). In heaven an angel “was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel” (Rev. 8:3-4). Ask your ministry partners for their special gift of prayer.

Myrrh. This gift pictures Jesus’ death. Myrrh was a key ingredient in the mixture of spices that were used to prepare bodies for burial (John 19:39-40). Invite your donors to offer “a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God” (Phil. 4:18) by remembering your ministry in their estate plans.

Mary and Joseph were faithful stewards of the treasures the Magi gave Jesus. You are called to be a faithful steward of the gifts your ministry receives. These gifts pale in comparison to the indescribable gift God gave to us in Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 9:15)!

Response: Father, thank you that every gift our ministry receives is a good and perfect gift from you (James 1:17). Help me to be a faithful steward.

Think About This: Who are the wise men in your circle of influence that you could ask for gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh?

Have a Spirit-led fundraising week,

Ron

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.

Fundraising Verse of the Week, Major Donors, Stewardship

That Feeling of Vujà De

by Ron Haas
December 15, 2020

“When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before” (Joshua 3:3-4).

Déjà vu is a French term for that intuitive feeling you have when you see or experience something that’s familiar, like you’ve already seen or experienced it before. Organizational guru, Karl Weick describes Vujà De as the feeling that, “I’ve never been here before, I have no idea where I am, and I have no idea who can help me.”

Joshua had to feel this as he prepared to enter the Promised Land. Moses had died and the Lord had given him the mantle of leadership for the next phase in Israel’s journey. Perhaps God is calling you to a new ministry or to lead your current ministry into uncharted territory. Learn these three lessons from Joshua.

1. I’ve Never Been Here Before. You may be a rookie with no prior experience to draw on for your new assignment, or you may be a veteran with years of battle scars. Either way you must view your opportunity with fresh eyes. Some people boast of their fundraising experiences saying, “I have twenty years in development.” That may be true, but this is a chance to walk by faith, not to replay the greatest hits of the past. Determine to learn and grow personally and professionally through each new challenge.

2. I Have No Idea Where I Am. In the dark ages before GPS, we used to print off donor trip itineraries. These pre-phone maps would show your destination, but not where you were. Now, the little blue dot pinpoints your location. The same is true when it comes to your fundraising strategies. We know what the final goal is, but we are not sure where we are or what next steps to take. Consider conducting a development audit to assess your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges to get an accurate understanding of where you are.

3. I Have No Idea Who Can Help Me. Joshua didn’t have Karl Weick’s problem. The Lord had promised to help him, “No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Joshua 1:5). The Lord also promises to be with you as you start your new ministry. Solomon taught, “Plans are established by seeking advice; so if you wage war, obtain guidance” (Proverbs 20:18). As you begin your new assignment, seek the counsel of a trusted friend, another ministry colleague, or a fundraising professional. You’ll be glad you did.

Response: Father, I thank you that even though I’m facing something I’ve never faced before, you are in complete control and will guide my steps.

Think About This: Am I trusting in my fundraising experience to bring me success, or am I trusting in God? Who will get the glory if you succeed?

Have a Spirit-led fundraising week,

Ron

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.

Fundraising Verse of the Week, Major Donors, Stewardship

One Size Does Not Fit All

by Ron Haas
December 15, 2020

“Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. ‘I cannot go in these,’ he said to Saul, ‘because I am not used to them.’ So he took them off” (1 Samuel 17:38-39).

David heard Goliath cursing the Lord and volunteered for the fight of his life. Saul thought he was too inexperience, but after David shared his resume (1 Samuel 17:34-37) that included killing a lion and a bear, Saul agreed to let him try. David didn’t arrive dressed for battle, so Saul outfitted him with his own tunic, coat of armor, helmet, and sword—but it was too heavy and restricting. David took it off and decided to face Goliath with his sling and five smooth stones. You know the rest of the story. David’s strategy teaches us four important fundraising lessons.

1. Don’t mimic another organization’s strategy. King Saul thought his approach was the best for David. Many ministries base their fundraising plan on what another ministry does. While you can learn lessons from others, you have a different constituency, a different fundraising budget, unique strengths and weaknesses, and a different team with different capacities. Just because something works for XYZ ministry doesn’t mean it will work for you. Don’t pursue a particular fundraising event or strategy simply because other non-profit organizations are doing it.   

2. Stick with what works. David’s lion and bear experiences were great preparation to fight Goliath mano a mano. Personal face-to-face fundraising is the most effective strategy for every ministry. Learn to identify, cultivate, and solicit your key donors one-on-one. It’s easy to get distracted with the latest fundraising fad, but you cannot replace personal solicitation. As you hone your asking skills on lions and bears, God will prepare you for your Goliath.

3. Pray and be courageous. David is a great example of courageous faith. He wasn’t relying on his human effort; he was relying on God. “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty” (1 Samuel 17:45). Fundraising isn’t a fight with your donors, but it’s a spiritual battle with your fears that can only be won with prayer and courageous faith. Be brave and ask.

4. Use new tools when helpful. After David had struck the Philistine with the stone, he showed Goliath the end of his sword he wasn’t used to seeing. Innovate and learn new strategies. Some new fundraising methods can be effective, just don’t abandon the proven strategy of personal asking.

Response: Father, forgive me for attempting some other organization’s fundraising strategy and not trusting you to help us conquer our Goliaths.

Think About This: David didn’t take on Goliath in his first battle; he started with a lion and then a bear. What smaller gifts could you solicit this week to increase your courage for the big ask?

Have a Spirit-led fundraising week,

Ron

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.

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