Reflections: CMR Engagement and Philanthropy Deborah Lein August 2018 annual retreat

Engagement: From activity to strategy… Getting at the “why” What ties it all together? What strategic relationships are most important? What’s the long-term vision? Right now, lots of promising experimentation across the CRM membership but it’s “random dots that don’t add up to a picture.” Need to get to the “why” – that’s when engagement becomes fundable, either for project support or as a key component of the general operating case for support.

Marketing: Stepping up It’s ALL marketing Claim your space, take credit Get emotional! Don’t take audience for granted Don’t leap to conclusions First: I consider everything in the engagement and philanthropy space to be marketing in the very broadest sense. But lack of classic marketing (branding, positioning, promotion, PR) is holding us back in engagement and philanthropy. We have a great story to tell – we need to get much better and more consistent about telling it. Step fully into the space you already occupy relative to other local arts and classical organizations. Don’t forget to let your passion and love for the music be reflected in your marketing and positioning – your funding competition is good at doing that. And don’t leap to conclusions about what content is or isn’t working in attracting or serving audiences when basic marketing practices aren’t in place – too soon to determine.

Philanthropy: Your next five years Reframe your wish list LOCAL + DIGITAL Trust your donors Take the leap: designated gifts We don’t always ask for money for those things that will really move us forward. Reframe your wish list: how will the things you need organizationally provide benefits to the community? I recommend looking at the next five years and coming up with a philanthropic fundraising strategy – not a formal campaign, just priorities for raising money. Donors are extremely interested in your local partnerships and audience development and also in your digital operations – they know you’re up against stiff competition in the digital space. Bring your best donors closer in (and your fundraising staff too!) as you formulate your strategic priorities; don’t wait until you’ve already got everything figured out. Donors love being asked for advice and it will help them feel a closer connection to what you’re doing. And do find ways to allow donors to designate gifts easily… that is the strong trend in both individual and foundation giving at high levels.