The Power of Philanthropy
Cornerspring Montessori School, Belfast, Maine, new school groundbreaking. It’s never too early to start learning about philanthropy.
Journey Home, The Campaign for Cornerspring Montessori School.
Are you on the right DEI course? Or do you need a course correction?
DEI, MUCH?
6/7/2022
When it comes to awards, are you considering DEI? (Diversity, equity, and inclusion.) Whether internal awards or external awards, like a Hall of Fame, business awards, volunteers of the year, distinguished community service; are you consciously factoring DEI into the work of recruiting nominees, the selection committee, and ultimately those people who are honored with awards?
And speaking of the selection committee…is anyone paying attention to the composition of committee members? Does it represent DEI, or is it homogeneous?
If no one is paying attention to DEI, it will be clear in the groups of people selected for awards. For example, what message does a white, all-male Hall of Fame class communicate in a country where women represent 51.1% of the population? And what is the message you are communicating about BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) if no one is paying attention to DEI?
It starts with leadership paying attention to committee composition. Both leadership and committee members need to take real action on DEI. We must reveal relevant opportunities; elevate equity; activate diversity; and lead inclusively.
Read more here about taking real action on DEI. And then put it into practice!
If you’d like to talk I’d love to chat. Contact me at (207) 852-1056 or email alicia@ajnfc.com.
Follow this space for more thoughts on philanthropy. Be well. Take Care. ~ Alicia
DON’T Ask
6/4/2022
STOP Asking!
“I’ll do anything, just don’t ask me to ask for money.”
How many times have I heard nonprofit volunteers say those words?
Too many to count!
Nearly every nonprofit needs to raise money, but so many board members and campaign volunteers do not want to be fundraisers.
They abhor the thought of asking people for money. It’s invasive. It’s too personal. They don’t want to talk to their colleagues and friends about money (their friends’ and colleagues’ money.)
It happens everywhere – the people with the closest and most important connections to the nonprofit do not want to raise funds because they do not want to ask!
Years ago, I incorporated the concept of “not asking” into my nonprofit solicitation training. I told volunteer solicitors that they would never ask anyone for money. The puzzled looks on their faces were priceless. They were certainly thinking, “How are we going to raise money if we don’t ask anyone for money?”
We will, I continued, invite people to join us in supporting the campaign. We will invite…not ask!
Today, I challenge volunteers to eliminate the word “ask” from their vocabulary when it comes to raising funds. Do not talk about “the ask.” Instead, talk about the invitation!
I also invite volunteers during training to catch me using the words “ask” or “asking” when related to solicitation, and if they do, I’ll put $1 in a jar for the campaign for each occurrence.
By eliminating the one thing people have identified over and over that they don’t want to do – to ask for money, it puts volunteer solicitors at ease. They are relived – they don’t have to ask for money!
Of course, all solicitors must make their own gift or pledge before soliciting anyone else. Making an invitation shows that you too, have already participated in in the campaign. You are inviting them to join you. Once you have had a chance to tell the full story about the campaign, who will benefit, and how the goal will be achieved, you make the invitation.
“Laurie, this is such a transformational project, I am so excited to be a part of the campaign committee and make my own personal gift. I invite you to join me in supporting ‘The Brighter Future Campaign’ with your contribution.” (After you make the invitation, you will offer a suggested gift amount, but that’s for another blog.)
Inviting a contribution turns the solicitation process into a collaboration, rather than a transaction. It becomes “We’re all in this together,” rather than we’re waiting on you to give the campaign what we asked for.”
Invitations carry a positive connotation. People love being invited to participate, to events, to be part of a group.
Plus, the words invite and invitation work so well in follow-up after the solicitation.
“I hope you have had a chance to consider my invitation to participate in the campaign.”
“Have you had an opportunity to talk with your spouse about my invitation to support ‘The Brighter Future Campaign?”
Nonprofits continue to refer to “the ask.” I’m on a personal quest to eliminate asking and instead, invite people to support your mission, your campaign, your annual fund.
So please, STOP asking!
If you’d like to talk about solicitation training for staff and/or volunteers I’d love to chat. Contact me at (207) 852-1056 or email alicia@ajnfc.com.
Follow this space for more thoughts on philanthropy. Be well. Take Care. ~ Alicia
Shorter Letters - Bigger Impact
4/4/2022
A four-page appeal letter from a well-known, reputable national nonprofit arrived last week. The letter arrived with two “premiums,” thank you gifts for a contribution not-yet-made. In the letter were two lovely note cards. It was odd because the cards did not have envelopes. What to do with note cards without envelopes? It was perplexing and took my focus away from the appeal. The note cards were stuck in a desk drawer and saved for later.
With the note cards put away, I realized this was a long letter. Page one was eight paragraphs long, with five bullet points on benefits to me if I make a gift. (More premiums.)
Turning over page one, I saw that page two was jam-packed with 12 paragraphs. Same for page three – another 12 paragraphs. Page four had six paragraphs and ran three-quarters of the way down the page, with a five-line P.S. at the end of the appeal.
Four pages…38 paragraphs, plus the postscript.
I did not read the letter. It arrived at the end of a busy day, during a hectic week. Looking at the four pages was exhausting. Why on earth did they need 38 paragraphs and four pages to communicate the need?
I advise my clients to think about:
- What time of day they get their mail;
- How they prioritize the mail they open and read;
- What mail they set aside for later;
- And when they ultimately get around to focusing on the mail they didn’t read.
Think about people who are working full-time, caring for children and/or elderly parents, obligated to outside responsibilities – volunteering, involved with school, faith organizations, or a second job.
If they work outside the home, they likely get their mail at the end of a very long day when they return home. Once they’re home, there are still obligations – making dinner, helping with homework, walking the dog, doing laundry…and on and on.
If this describes you – how much energy does it take to read a four-page appeal letter at the end of your day?
For most people, their tank is empty, and these letters are not read. In my case, I set the letter aside. For many people, they either put it in the recycle bin, or the trash.
It doesn’t have to be this way. It shouldn’t be this way.
Some of the most effective appeal letters are written for political candidates (of all parties).
- They are short – no more than 12 paragraphs, one page – or a brief email.
- They can be read briefly and get right to the point by inviting you to be part of something much bigger with your contribution.
- They do not exhaust the reader, but instead engage the reader to act – right now.
Are your direct mail appeals getting the job done for your nonprofit? Contact me at alicia@ajnfc.com and let’s have a conversation about your mail results. I’d love to help you raise more.
P.S. Yes, I did read the letter, and no, I’m not going to contribute. I support the local Maine chapter and appreciate how they use donor funds.
Follow this space for more thoughts on philanthropy. Be well. Take Care. ~ Alicia
Photo by Pamela Dorman
Ready, Get Set, Go!
What does it take to be ready for a capital campaign?
Imagine trying to build a new home without an architect, general contractor, or financing.
That is not exactly a plan for success.
Just like a campaign, you need the right people, in the right positions, and you need funds in-hand for it to all go smoothly.
Think of planning a capital campaign as a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle, because that is exactly what it is – and those pieces need to be put together for a successful result.
Planning starts with asking the right questions:
“Are we ready for a capital campaign?”
“Do we have the available seed funds for campaign expenses?”
“Do we have enough staff and/or volunteers to work on the campaign for one, two or three years, or more?”
You will also need a campaign consultant with the expertise, experience and time required to work with you on the following steps:
Conduct a campaign readiness assessment of your organization. This is not the same as a feasibility study. This is an internal assessment that audits your organization’s infrastructure to determine if you have everything in place for a campaign.
Lead a feasibility study to identify lead donors and volunteers.
Create a written plan for each phase of the campaign – pre-planning, planning, quiet phase, launch, wrap-up, that clearly explains what needs to be done, when, and by whom.
Advance the quiet phase and then launch the campaign.
Within each step are hundreds of details – the puzzle pieces to be identified and fit together for your campaign to take shape. Like a concise statement on who will benefit from the campaign.
You know your organization needs funds to achieve your goal – but what exactly will be better because of this campaign?
Potential volunteers and donors will need to completely understand your plans.
Capital campaign planning takes time and is worth the investment. One thousand puzzle pieces to be turned over, sorted, and identified; and when the puzzle is complete, it is a beautiful thing.
Follow this space regularly for more thoughts on philanthropy. Be well. Take Care. ~ Alicia
Truth Telling
Photo by Pamela Dorman
I wrote earlier about what has not changed this year.
Here is something else that will never change – the need for transparency.
Some have a distorted definition of transparency. They believe that telling people only what they think they want to hear, is being transparent. Alas, it is not. Absolutely not. That is a form of hiding the truth.
My favorite definition of transparency is from the Cambridge Dictionary: “…the quality of being done in an open way without secrets.”
Without secrets. Truth telling.
Certainly, organizations must keep some information confidential, like personnel records. Not everything in a nonprofit’s books is confidential. Nonprofits that operate thanks to public support should do so with the utmost degree of transparency.
Tell your constituents what you are doing, and why.
A total commitment to organizational transparency is key, especially now, when many nonprofits are facing financial challenges to their very sustainability.
Do your donors know your annual operating budget? It not, tell them.
Do they know the percentage of the budget devoted to programming and what is committed to staffing? No? It is time for show and tell.
Being transparent is part of your obligation to your constituents, and certainly to your donors. When they know what you are doing, when you are doing it, and why, they are likely to be far more responsive to your invitation to support the mission.
Do you need unrestricted gifts?
It is time for nonprofits to help everyone understand that “overhead” is not a bad word.
We must invest in people and programs to serve our mission. Imagine telling a for-profit business to not improve their bottom-line with a financial injection into a new initiative or marketing?
If we want donors to understand nonprofit priorities and operational needs, we must be transparent in our communication.
If you are facing harsh realities – do not put on a happy face and pretend “…everything’s great!”
Be transparent. Always be transparent. Transparency builds trust and underscores the integrity of your leadership and your organization.
You will be pleasantly surprise at how your donors respond when you are open and honest with them.
Tell the truth. Be open and out front with the truth.
Explain what has happened, why, and how you are taking the challenge head-on.
Donors, your organization’s best friends, have already made an investment in your nonprofit because they care about your mission and believe in your work.
Why wouldn’t you want to tell your friends the truth?
Follow this space regularly for more thoughts on philanthropy. Be well. Take Care. ~ Alicia
What Hasn’t Changed?
Photo by Pamela Dorman
Life has changed.
Our world has changed.
We are all adjusting, in our personal and professional lives. New rules, new social mores, new “normal,” (no, I do not like it, either.) Change is now the new constant.
Yet, there are some things that will never change. Like how we talk with donors. The importance of listening, of truly hearing what people say.
To hear your donors, you need to talk with them often. We are, after all, building relationships with the people who support our nonprofit mission, yes?
If we are not building relationships, we reduce fundraising to transactions, and our organization will not have friends who are passionate about our work.
How frequently do your donors hear from you?
Do you only contact donors when you need funding?
If you have a written annual plan for communicating with donors, bravo!
Infrequent communication with donors is a habit many nonprofits practice. It sets a trap for your donors to disengage and feel dissatisfied with your nonprofit, if the only time they hear from you is when you are seeking a contribution.
Throughout 12 months, there are ample cost-effective reasons to communicate with donors with regular updates on programs, grants, new staff, and of course – multiple expressions of gratitude. Yes, say “thank you” throughout the year! Remind your donors that you cherish their financial support.
Frequent communication with donors also gives you an opportunity to learn what is important to them. When you are communicating outside of a solicitation, it is the perfect time to ask for their input, advice, and suggestions.
“How are we doing?”
“Is there anything you think we should consider doing?”
“What do you believe we do best?”
Your questions will reveal your donors’ priorities and concerns.
Later, when it is time for a solicitation conversation, you will have what you need to tailor your approach.
Make friends. Build relationships. Never change those two priorities.
Follow this space regularly for more thoughts on philanthropy. Be well. Take Care. ~ Alicia
Ready to start the journey?
Photo by Pamela Dorman