AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY COLLEGES Thursday July 30 th, 2009 PRINCIPALS OF FUNDRAISING SHABINA BAHL STEPHANIE HENSON KATIE NORTON

INTRODUCTION SHABINA BAHL –Director of Development (major gifts, board and program management) KATIE NORTON –Associate Director, Friends of Johns Hopkins Medicine (annual giving, direct mail) STEPHANIE HENSON –Interim Director, Department of Donor Relations and Development Events

DEFINING ANNUAL GIVING Gifts on an annual basis Annual gifts = current-use, unrestricted, sustaining, under a certain threshold Acquiring new donors, repeating, and upgrading gifts Bottom of the fundraising pyramid

GIVING PYRAMID

PURPOSES OF ANNUAL GIVING Consistency and flexibility Pipeline for major gifts Mode of communication Engagement and stewardship

ANNUAL GIVING: PLANNING What are your goals? Who is your audience? What is your budget? What is your case for support?

ANNUAL GIVING: SOLICITATION Direct Mail Phonathon / Online Giving In-Person Asks

ANNUAL GIVING: TESTING Factors to test in Direct Mail: –Package –Envelope: Window, Teaser –Postage –Front-end Premiums, fulfillment premiums –Letter signer and copy –Ask amounts, payment options

ANNUAL GIVING: EVALUATING Result analysis Know what to expect Appeal codes Donor feedback Peer benchmarking

MAJOR GIFTS RESOURCE ALLOCATION –What do you need to run a successful major gifts program? –How to hire GREAT major gift officers PHILANTHROPIC PRIORITIES –Who is in charge –What is realistic BOARDS –You cant live with them, but you can’t live without them!

MAJOR GIFTS IDENTIFICATION –Pipeline development CULTIVATION –Listen with your heart –Respond to what they said, not what you wish you heard! –Timing is everything SOLICITATION –Right person, at the right time, for the right request –Oh no! They said NO. Now what?

SUCCESSFUL STEWARDSHIP Customized Allows donor expression Brings the donor and institution together Shows spending as agreed and prudent management Create year-long plans –Number of touches –Pre-planned institutional activities Incorporate variety Coordinate schedules

STEWARDSHIP COMPONENTS Acknowledgments/Letters Financial reporting Gift clubs Special events

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS & LETTERS Determine letter thresholds –(Chair, Dean, President) Should NOT contain the amount of the gift –Separate from tax receipts Should be personalized to the gift and the donor Determine the correct timeframe for delivery –Acknowledgments: 2-5 business days –Letters/reports: annual

Ensure correct data –Amounts –Documentation –Transparency Annually updated templates Donors expect clear financial reports FINANCIAL REPORTING GIFT CLUBS Run like effective volunteer boards –Member knowledge –Donors engaged in your mission and advance the threshold of their giving

SPECIAL EVENTS Establish goals and a budget Determine your audience –Personalization Dovetail with institutional events Theme and “moment” variety Correct branding, media coverage, government officials Record all that you do

THE MORE THE MERRIER Allow a donor to tell their story –One-sentence quotes can be effective as an entire article –Asking permission to tell the story is in itself powerful stewardship Use all of your institution to reinforce messages

WHY DO WE STEWARD? To nurture identification and cultivate Cyclical deepening of relationship with the institution When it’s time to create the ultimate gift, your institution will come immediately to the donor’s mind

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING! SHABINA BAHL