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Donor Relations, Fundraising Verse of the Week, Major Donors

Passing the Donor Test

by Ron Haas
September 24, 2020

“When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. Arriving with a very great caravan—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all she had on her mind. 2 Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain to her. 3 When the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon, as well as the palace he had built, 4 the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, the cupbearers in their robes and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the Lord, she was overwhelmed.” 2 Chronicles 9:1-4

Donors are investors. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. once said, “I have been brought up to believe, and the conviction only grows on me, that giving ought to be entered into in just the same careful way as investing–that giving is investing, and that it should be tested by the same intelligent standards. Whether we expect dividends in dollars or human betterment, we need to be sure that the gift or the investment is a wise one and therefore we should know all about it.”

Solomon was by no means a charity case, but the queen of Sheba came with expensive gifts and hard questions. He answered her every question, nothing was too difficult for him. Major donors also ask hard questions. They conduct the same due diligence as they would for a potential business partnership and look for least three key indicators.

Fiscal Responsibility. Businesspeople want to know that your ministry plans make sound financial sense. They may want to review your audit, challenge your financial projections, and question your strategic plan. The bottom line is they want assurance that if they give significantly, you will manage their gift well. “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much” (Luke 16:10).

Spiritual Impact. Kingdom givers want spiritual outcomes and resonate with everything you do that advances the Gospel. Supply facts and figures that demonstrate your ministry effectiveness. Always tell your story through the stories of the lives you have reached for Christ. Be just as concerned about your spiritual accounting as you are of your fiscal accounting.

Healthy Organization. Wise donors know that only spiritually healthy organizations can make an eternal difference. Solomon’s kingdom was breathtaking. The palace was beautiful, the food superb; everything and everyone were in their right places. The queen even noted his attending servants’ exquisite uniforms. But what caught her attention was how happy Solomon’s people were (v. 7). She recognized that God was the reason Solomon’s court was so special. “Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you” (v. 8).

For the queen, seeing was believing. Solomon exceeded her expectations. She was amazed at his wisdom and how God had blessed him in every imaginable way. Will your ministry pass the donor test? Interestingly, Solomon gave her more that she brought to him (v. 12). That’s true for your donors and you. They bless you with their gifts, but your gift to them is far greater. By partnering with your ministry, they will lay up treasures in heaven!

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.

Donor Relations, Fundraising, Major Donors

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

by The Timothy Group
September 21, 2020

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

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

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

·       Day 1 – Orientation and paperwork.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Author: Pat McLaughlin, President and Founding Partner

Donor Relations, Fundraising, Major Donors

Asking Permission To Ask

by The Timothy Group
September 18, 2020

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Author: Kent Vanderwood, Vice President

Donor Relations, Major Donors

Finding Hidden Major Donors

by The Timothy Group
August 25, 2020

“As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. 58 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59 Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away” (Matthew 27:57-60).

Joseph of Arimathea plays an important role in the crucifixion account. What we know about him is literally B.C. and A.D. Before the cross, we observe that he was a rich man who had commissioned a garden tomb for himself; he was a prominent member of the Council and a good and upright man (see Luke 23:50). After the cross, we learn that Joseph was a secret disciple of Jesus who had not consented to the Council’s decision. Instead, he took decisive action to boldly ask Pilate for Jesus’ body which he and Nicodemus prepared and placed in his tomb. Joseph was a hidden disciple who rose to the occasion to serve Jesus.

How can you discover hidden major donors?

Pay Attention.

Even the casual observer recognized that Joseph was a rich, influential man who had prepared a very nice final resting place for himself. Donor research gathers hard and soft data. Hard data comes from observation. What does your prospect do for a living? What external indications of wealth can you see? A wealth asset screening can provide some insights. Soft data is more difficult to ascertain. What motivates your prospect to give? Would your mission resonate with their heart? This insider information is most likely gleaned from your prospect’s family and friends. No doubt his friend Nicodemus had many conversations with Joseph about Jesus, perhaps he even shared his John 3 encounter. Joseph’s heart may have been a secret to others, but not to Nicodemus.

Create Significance.

God prepared Joseph for this moment to serve. Unlike the apostles, he had the financial ability to contribute something no one else could. He was a leading member of the Council known by Pilate, so he had access to make his request. He had even pre-arranged for his burial and could offer his personal tomb as a gift to Jesus. Major donors fund projects that few others can; significant projects that will make an eternal difference for the Kingdom. Are you presenting opportunities focused on earthly things or heavenly things?

Inspire Boldness.

Mark emphasizes that Joseph went boldly to Pilate to ask for Jesus’ body (Mark 15:43). Joseph knew that his stand for Jesus would cost him his personal reputation, his status on the Council, and possibly even his friends and family, but he was willing to take the risk because the reward was so great. A generous Christian businessman made an insightful comment, “Some ministries have the attitude, ‘Send us your checks and we’ll do the rest.’ It’s easy to give money, It requires a much greater commitment to invest your time and talent.” Don’t just ask for money. Invite your donors to participate in your ministry.

You will discover hidden major donors when you give them a reason to boldly stand with you.

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, Major Donors, Stewardship

Who Makes It Rain?

by The Timothy Group
August 23, 2020

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

BHAQ (Big Harry Audacious Question):

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

Donor Relations, Fundraising Verse of the Week, Major Donors

Donors Are More Than Supporters

by Ron Haas
August 21, 2020

“Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you. 6 They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God. 7 It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. 8 We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.” (3 John 5-8)

The Apostle John commended his friend Gaius for his generosity in supporting several believers on their journeys even though they were strangers to him. This is a wonderful example of the relationship between missionaries and their supporting team members. Those who support your organization are more than donors; they are your ministry partners. As such, we should engage them as partners in prayer, advice, concern, as well as their financial resources.

Booker T. Washington (1856-1915) was an African American civil rights leader and founder of Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University). In his many roles, he became a skillful fundraiser and wrote about some of his experiences in his autobiography, Up From Slavery.

“I called on a gentleman who received me in the most cordial manner. He wrote me his check for a generous sum, and then, before I had an opportunity to thank him, said, ‘I am so grateful to you, Mr. Washington, for giving me the opportunity to help in a good cause. It is a privilege to have a share in it. We in Boston are constantly indebted to you for doing our work.’”

Do you express to your donors that they are worth more than money to you? Sometimes we communicate a “They Give/We Serve” attitude. Start framing your appeals by emphasizing to your ministry partners, “You can provide…” “You can impact…” “You can rescue…” You can educate…” Thank them from the same perspective, “You have made an eternal impact…” “Your giving introduced many people to Jesus for the first time.” “Through your generosity you have been the hands and feet of Jesus.”

See your work through your ministry partners’ eyes.

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.

Donor Relations, Major Donors

Engage Your Donors On LinkedIn

by The Timothy Group
August 18, 2020

Advancement professionals can no longer say, “I don’t need LinkedIn to help me find or engage with donors.” How we connect with donors has changed and there’s no going back. Don’t put it off. Engage your donors on Linkedin daily.

LinkedIn is a necessary tool when it comes to building your personal brand, establishing authority and credibility, researching and recruiting new volunteers, donors and employees, and building stronger relationships with your current constituents. It’s a vehicle to share your knowledge and experiences so that your connections keep you top of mind.

As an advancement professional, it’s a place where you can check in on your donors wherever you may be in the world, see what they’re up to, and celebrate their successes and achievements.

Here’s how you can apply the 6R’s of Donor Engagement on LinkedIn:

Research and Recruit

(1) Who do you know?

Dig into your donor list. Begin building your LinkedIn network. Sync your profile with your email address book. This enables LinkedIn to suggest people you could connect with. It’s also simple to use LinkedIn’s search bar to look for your major and prospective donors’ profiles. Personalize your connection request with an encouraging note or a reason they might like to connect with you.

(2) Why should they know you?

It’s important that your profile is complete, and your photo is current and professional. Add links to your organization’s company page, articles, enews, or publications.

(The last thing you want to do is look like you don’t know what you’re doing – here is a list of 25 things you’ll want to avoid.)

Relationship

Building donor relationships is a marathon not a sprint. Just as you would phone calls or email messages, dedicate time daily to engage on LinkedIn. A good rule of thumb is to set 15 minutes aside each morning. (Watch going over, it’s easy to do!)

(1) Check your donors’ posts often.

Engaging with your donor connections puts your profile directly in front of their networks; and all it takes is a “like” or comment on their posts. A simple, “Great thoughts” or “Thanks for sharing” can help expand your reach and it’s simply the considerate thing to do when someone’s thoughts or content resonate with you. Commenting with your personal insights or questions will increase engagement and exposure even more.

(2) Often post yourself.

Posting often creates additional opportunities for engagement, thus syndicating your content across home page feeds everywhere. Don’t be concerned about annoying people by posting every day. LinkedIn’s algorithms are tricky, and your network isn’t likely to see every post (A great idea is to publish articles natively with LinkedIn’s newsletter tool which does notify your network.)

Posting the answers to these questions will help you turn your followers into donors:

-What knowledge, insights, information, experience, or stories can you share?

-How can you draw your followers closer to your mission and vision?

-What posts could you share from your organization along with your own personal comment?

Important note: Watch your approach. Stay away from blatantly “selling” what you do or putting out the “ask.” LinkedIn is a professional network for independent thought – not a storefront, lemonade stand, or collection plate.

Request

If there is a prospective donor that you’ve connected with and would like to get to know more, use the private messaging feature to ask them if they’d like to connect virtually, by phone, or in person. This is the best place to make requests of a more personal nature.

Recognize

As you see fitting posts by your donors, “like” and comment by thanking them for what they do for the community or our society. Celebrate their work anniversaries, birthdays, milestones, successes, and achievements. Use the private messaging feature if you’d like to make your encouragement more personal. It’s also great to share their posts in your own personal feed along with an encouraging caption.

Lastly, endorse skills and post recommendations for your donors and connections if you’ve worked alongside them on campaigns, projects, or in service. This is a great way to recognize others and build rapport.

Report

If you have some exciting personal news or accomplishments to share, by all means, share it! Let your donors and connections encourage you! Remember, you are extending them the privilege of being there for you.

If your organization is in the middle of an exciting campaign or has its own exciting news, keep your donors and connections updated. Share posts and send private messages on progress.

It’s also favorable to share annual reports, video tours, photos, success stories, ribbon cuttings, media coverage, testimonials, and more.

LinkedIn is today’s way of accessing your supporters’ networks and “Rolodexes.” It allows you to draw supporters closer by engaging them on another level and in another place where they congregate. It’s about relationships, not rocket science. Don’t look back. Engage your donors on LinkedIn daily.

Article submitted by Pam Jacobs, Project & Digital Specialist

Major Donors

The Care and Feeding of Elephants

by The Timothy Group
August 15, 2020

Do you sometimes feel it’s not “spiritual” to ask for money – particularly from major donors? Maybe you’ve thought, “We shouldn’t ask for money. God will meet our needs.”

In this webinar (20 min), Pat McLaughlin will demystify the art of fundraising by presenting FOUR benefits to asking. Find out why asking for gifts is not only spiritual, it’s BIBLICAL. And find out how giving transforms the heart of the donor.

View Video
Donor Relations, Fundraising, Major Donors

Maximize Your Donor Outreach Strategies With Wealth Screening

by The Timothy Group
August 4, 2020

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

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

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

View Short Clip

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

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

Individual Wealth Engine Searches

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

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

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

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

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

Batch Wealth Engine Screens

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

Prospect Research

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

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

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

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

(2) You complete the template and send back.

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

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

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

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

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

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