1. NAYDO Webinar Series sponsored by Lighthouse Counsel

2. Your Annual Campaign: Obstacles You CAN Overcome
October 3, 2013
Jeff Jowdy, President, Lighthouse Counsel
Dave Fulscher, Senior Consultant, Lighthouse Counsel

3. Objectives
Identify most prevalent obstacles facing YMCA’s to conducting an effective annual campaign and how they have overcome them
Provide the tools to overcome these obstacles

4. Obstacle 1: Ineffective board solicitation
Select board solicitation chair
Assist the chair with recruitment of board solicitation committee members
Assess board member giving capabilities
Make assignments for solicitation
Set deadline for board personal contacts before campaign kickoff
Engage top volunteer leadership first with best practices

5. Obstacle 2: Poor recruitment of volunteers
Volunteer recruitment is a numbers game
Ensure that all volunteers are recruited face to face and by another volunteer
Staff person should have a personal visit with the campaigner whether new or returning
Increase the number of volunteers each year
Avoid using staff members as campaigners on teams
Always outline expectations and make it easy for the volunteer

6. Obstacle 3: Inadequate coaching (training) of staff and volunteers
Establish culture of a year-round process
Provide opportunities for volunteer training, including options for new and experienced campaigners
Include experienced volunteers in training
Focus on mission, testimonials and how the funds are being used
Campaign mechanics can be orchestrated by staff

7. Obstacle 4: Staff taking on volunteer roles
Recruit all leadership volunteers face to face
Prepare volunteer leadership for meetings
Assist volunteer leaders in recruitment by accompanying them on visits
Be specific with volunteers about duties and assist them but don’t do the jobs for them
Never give staff the leadership roles that volunteers need to fill

8. Obstacle 5: The case for support is too general and not mission-specific
Engage the staff in formulating the case statement
Select specific initiatives and causes that your campaign supports
Make storytelling a key component of the campaign
Tell the story of those positively affected
Give donors options to support specific portions of your mission initiatives

9. Obstacle 6: Ineffective use of membership base
Provide new member mission orientation
Make year-round mission and campaign education a priority
Recognize member donors
Recruit program participants to become team members who raise funds to support the charitable effort for that specific program

10. Obstacle 7: Not enough prospects identified
Ask for a minimum of 10 prospects from your volunteers
Research potential donors from your membership lists and past donors to be selected by current volunteers
Follow up on all prospects by the end of the campaign

11. Obstacle 8: Not enough attention paid to developing major gifts
Initiate major gifts process late summer and early fall
Recruit top leadership for the major gifts committee
Make specific assignments with deadlines
Ensure year-round major gift stewardship

12. Obstacle 9: Social media and the internet
Coach volunteers to navigate donors to the Y website to make donations and for information
Provide opportunity for one time and pledged fits online
Follow up on all online gifts with a personal call and contact
Ask all volunteers to make call and thank their donors who made gift through internet or social media
Use social media in community phase

13. Obstacle 10: Inadequate reporting
Can lead to substantial shrinkage of funds collected compared to dollars pledged
Don’t count a pledge without written confirmation
Confirmation pledge with thank you within 48 hours

14. Obstacle 11: Volunteer and staff apathy
Often results in poor attendance at campaign events and reporting dates
Communicate campaign events in advance and keep them to a minimum
Make events brief and ensure a specific function
Reward event participation
Communicate weekly with volunteers through periodic phone calls and letters, as well as s

15. Obstacle 12: Low donor retention
Recognize donors within 48 hours
Make a personal call to the donor
Regularly report progress on your mission initiatives
Ask for donor feedback
Do not make donors ATM’s
Educate donors on campaign timing so that they can plan
Encourage participation at campaign celebration

16. Obstacle 13: Low volunteer retention
Recognize all volunteers
Identify all top producers
Ask for volunteer feedback
Make sure succession of leadership and volunteers
Identify volunteers year-round
Provide volunteers with personal support and coaching

17. Survey suggests most important parts of a strong campaign:
Board commitment as well as involvement
Involvement of the right people who can make things happen
Involvement of as many volunteers as possible
Large number of preselected prospects
Develop a campaign calendar and plan—and sticking to it
The CEO must be the lead staff person in the campaign and own every detail in its implementation

18. Questions?
Attendees online may conduct the poll at this time.

19. Y-USA Training Resources
Red Book and Green Book resources
The YMCA of the USA is providing a one stop shop on their website for annual campaign training materials

20. Thanks to the YMCA Professionals involved in this webinar:
Erik Daubert, Director Fund Development Partnerships, YMCA of the USA
James Finck, President/CEO, YMCA of Austin Texas
Robin Furness-Fallin, Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer, YMCA of the USA
Gail Glasser, Senior Vice President for Association Advancement, Capital District YMCA, Albany New York
Curt Hazelbaker, CEO, YMCA of Northwest North Carolina

21. Thank you!
Jeff Jowdy Dave Fulscher LighthouseCounsel.com Find us on: