So many of us worry about how to generate major gifts. We forget about the tremendous little nuggets already in the database. Many more small donors than large ones, right?

Did you know that 100 monthly donors are worth an average of $24,000 a year? That they’ll stay with you for at least 5 to 7 years and often even longer? That they’re 7 times more likely to leave you in their will? That’s very powerful, isn’t it?

If you are considering a monthly giving program or if you’re looking to grow your current program further, this session is for you!

Join us to learn what’s involved in growing your monthly donor program, so you can ensure that monthly donors will provide sustainable revenue for many years to come.

Presented by Erica Waasdorp, President at A Direct Solution and author of "Monthly Giving.  The Sleeping Giant." 

As a result of this workshop, participants will understand who and what monthly donors are, learn how to implement a monthly giving program as part of the overall communication strategy, know the tremendous impact on sustainable and unrestricted revenue by converting small donors to give monthly, and come away with real life examples and case studies on how best to start asking donors to join your monthly donor program by using tools and media you already have in place.

Registration Fee:

 $25      Current J. Milito & Associates Customers

 $25      Students

 $50      AFP Members

 $75      Not-Yet Members or Customers

Register here by May 31, 2017 

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Did you know . . . more than $373 billion was given to charities in 2015? (Giving USA)

Your organization likely received a modest portion of that charitable giving. 

But did your organization get all that it needed to support your mission and ministry?  Not talking about your annual fundraising goal, but rather the impact goals needed to sustain and grow your organization for today and the future. 

Oxford Dictionary defines impact as – “The effect or influence of one person, thing, or action, on another”.  So impact goals are those things our organizations do to deliberately “effect or influence” our community members:  The children we educate, the hungry that we feed, the ill and infirmed that we care for and cure, etc.  The impact . . . to improve the world.

So, why is impact important and what does this have to do with finding more donors?

“Twenty-first century philanthropy is investment in solutions, not cash for problems,” said Susan Raymond, Ph.D., Executive Vice President for Changing Our World.  “What that means is (philanthropists) expect evidence of impact. Money is contingent on results. Impact, not intention, is the coin of the realm.”

Your donors, all of your current and future donors need to know that their “investment” will have a positive impact on those served by your organization and the larger community where you live. 

And in order to attract, retain, renew, and upgrade donors, engaging them with your impact stories is essential. 

And this isn’t just those donors who give major gifts, but rather all donors, and all gifts. 

All Gifts Matter.

And, most important, ALL DONORS Matter.

Mary Cahalane (Hands on Fundraising) aptly stated it this way, “Our missions are broader than dollars and cents.” 

Your mission and ministry prosper upon your ability to secure contributions of all amounts from lots of faithful donors every year. And yet, you struggle every year to find the donors to help meet the impact goals that support your mission and ministry.

The truth is . . . finding new donors isn’t complicated.

It isn’t scientific.  It isn’t impossible.  And it isn’t costly.

So, where do you find these donors?

First, you don’t get them by purchasing a list or by hosting yet another “special” event.

You find donors in your faithful supporters.  Your current stakeholders.  Your “natural constituency”.

What?

Remember the line from the movie “Field of Dreams”—“If you build it [they] will come.”  It is also true in fund development, advancement or whatever you call it in your organization. 

It is philanthropy. 

“Philanthropy is inherently optimistic, reflecting the deeply held belief that we can have a positive impact on the lives of others as well as on stubborn societal issues. Through philanthropy, individuals can make a difference, promote change, and improve their communities.” ~ Bruce DeBoskey, philanthropic strategist.

Think about it this way ---- if you would connect and engage with those who already believe in your mission and ministry, the money and support will follow.  Really.

All the donors you need right now are already connected to your organization.  Your job is to: 

1. Connect their desire to improve the world with your ability to do just that . . . improve the world, through your mission and ministry. AND

2. Treat those individuals like beloved members of your family.  Treat them well, share the stories of impact, engage with them, and they will remain with your organization for the long haul.  Whether it is annual fund, endowment, capital campaign, or major gift donors, “if you take care of your donors, your donors will take care of you”.

So where do you begin? 

You begin with your inner circle, “the people who know you and love you.”  They are your customers, the reason you exist.  They are: 

• Your current donors and your recently lapsed donors
• Your parents and grandparents
• Your alumni/alumnae. 
• Your members.
• Your board AND your employees.
• Your special event sponsors and attendees (and honorees)
• And believe it or not, the folks who directly benefit by the service you provide.

You say, “Oh no we can’t ask them.  They already give of their time.  They already pay tuition.  They receive assistance.  They are just starting out.  Etc., etc., etc.” 

Don’t ever assume that your “inner circle” can’t and won’t give and give generously. 

Your assumptions are what keep you from a prosperous and fluid mission and ministry.

In the words of the great Wayne Gretzky “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”  For our purposes that translates to – you miss 100% of the gifts of support you never ask for. 

Remember ALL gifts and ALL donors matter.  Your “inner circle” if you keep them close and make them feel truly appreciated, they will give, when asked, what they can, even if it’s $5.

So, let’s say you take the plunge and decide it’s time invest in building better more meaningful relationships with your “inner circle” so you can convert them to faithful donors. 

Remember, “you probably didn’t propose marriage or accept a marriage proposal on the first date” – so, please don’t just ask the “inner circle” for a gift without getting to know them first. 

You need to know the following:

• Who are they (name, address, phone, email, etc.)?
• What is their connection to the organization?  Parent, grandparent, volunteer, donor, etc. 
• How long have they been connected to your organization?
• What is their current relationship, if any, with you? 
• How do you communicate with them?  How do they communicate with you?
• Do they attend your special events?  One time or regular attendees?
• Do they attend your mission programs?
• Have they given before?  If so, how do they like to give (online, mail, phone, text to give, check, credit card, etc.)?
• If they are alum, what year did they graduate?  What have they been doing since graduation? 
• Where do they work?
• Do they have family members that are connected to your organization?
• What other information will help us get better acquainted?

Wow, that’s a lot of information to collect.  How can we possibly do this?  Yes, there are probably a million reasons why you can’t possibly fit all this into your already over extended workload.  But, in reality, there are a $Million reasons why you can’t afford not to make the time to get to know your “inner circle”. 

Lao Tzu, an ancient Chinese philosopher and writer, said it best, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” 

You have to take the first step.  And the first step is to start the conversation with your “inner circle”.  Ask them about themselves. Research has repeatedly found that “self-disclosure produces a burst of activity in neural regions associated with pleasure, motivation, and reward.”  People like to talk about themselves.  So ask.

Ask them when they attend events, make donations, become members, attend meetings, etc.  Ask them in a survey.  Call them.  Make the effort to connect with them.  Take notes, lots of notes.  And then, please put these jewels of information in your database. 

Remember, the goal here is to engage your “inner circle”.  They already have some affinity for your mission and ministry.  By connecting “their desire to improve the world with your ability to do just that, you inspire them to share themselves and their precious resources with your organization. 

Yup, just that easy. 

Every year for 30+ years, a school teacher faithfully sent her $15 membership to an arts organization.  Upon her death, the organization received a significant six-figure bequest.

Gina was homeless.  She was undereducated and lived on the streets.  She connected with an organization whose mission and ministry was to give hope and dignity back to the homeless, getting them off the streets and into meaningful employment.  Gina worked hard to complete the program.  She eventually secured a job and a small apartment.  Shortly after she began her new life off the streets, Gina dropped by the organization with a note and check for $20.  “Thank you for helping me make a better life for myself.  Please accept this $20.  Wish I could give more.”  And she did, whenever possible.

Grandparents Day is a long standing tradition at this Catholic elementary school.  Grandparents and grandchildren look forward to this day every year.  Many travel long distances to spend this day at school with their grandchildren.  As a result of this inspiring engagement, grandparents successfully pushed the capital campaign fundraising goal over the top and were on-hand to proudly move a shovel of dirt at the ground-breaking ceremony.

These stories are not uncommon.  And they have one thing in common . . . a meaningful relationship between the donor and the organization. 

So, it’s possible. But it will take commitment and hard work, and yes, financial resources.  The whole organization must commit to connecting with your “inner circle”.  There must be within your organization, a culture of philanthropy.  Research shows that “an organization’s culture dramatically affects its effectiveness. Culture is pervasive, affecting all areas of the organization, including fund development.”  Fund development, in order to be effective and successful must be the responsibility of the whole organization, not just one department.  If the relationships are to succeed, if we are to embrace the “inner circle” as beloved members of the family, the whole organization must contribute to the effort. 

But . . . it isn’t enough to just get the gift.  The gift of support is but one step in what can be a long and meaningful relationship.

Once you have engaged and embraced your “inner circle” make sure that . . .  

• You make it easy for them to give.

• You show them an abundance of authentic appreciation

• You regularly demonstrate impact of their gift on your mission and ministry – “Because of you . . . .”

• You inspire them to give again.  Inspiring is what makes “the ask” possible.

• You inspire a legacy gift.

Remember, “if you take care of your donors, your donors will take care of you”.

So make the commitment, take the time, and embrace your “inner circle” and you will have faithful donors for a lifetime. 

-published in September 2016 "Dimensions", a publication of the National Catholic Development Conference

Gratitude is defined as “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.” 

Gratitude to our donors -- those who support our organizations with their time, talent and treasures, should be about expressing our thankfulness for their kindness and generosity.

If we are serious about fundraising, gratitude toward all of our donors regardless whether they give us $5 or $5 million dollars, must be a priority.  Our job is not just asking.  Our job is also to shower our donors with genuine and plentiful doses of gratitude.

Every “ask” you make must be followed by a show of gratitude.

Until you’ve shown gratitude to your donor for their generosity, you should not ask them for another gift. 

Gift Receipts Are Not Gratitude!  They are a legal obligation.  Period. 

Gratitude isn’t about us.  It’s not about our mission, vision and values.  It’s not about why we need your money, why we think you should support us, or how you can support us.  It’s not about our new approach; our new shiny thing.  It’s not about the gap.  It’s not about why we think we’re different.  It’s not about how great we are or “we’ve been in the news”.  It isn’t about our presence on social media. 

Now don’t get me wrong, these are important.  They help your organization run efficiently.  But most donors don’t really care.  And a newsletter twice each year filled with “we are awesome” is not gratitude. 

Donor Relations Guru Lynne Wester reminds us that donors “are in a relationship with us and it is incumbent upon [us] to keep this relationship strong and vital.  We must know what drew them to our organization.  We need to know what will keep them loyal to our organization.  We need to keep wooing them.  We cannot take them for granted.  We need to demonstrate our deep respect to them.  We need to find new ways to show them we need them and are grateful for them.”  

It is our job to keep the relationship with donors strong and vital.  We must give them what they need or they will go away.  Really they will.  Current stats tell us that only 3 out of 10 donors will give a second gift.

The wise words of Simone Joyaux, ACFRE should remind us about what motivates our donors:  “Donors don’t give TO your organization. They give THROUGH your organization to make a difference and fulfill their own personal aspirations.”

Our fundraising efforts must focus on the donor and their aspirations and how we can make them feel amazing about their generosity.

It has to be about amazing expressions of gratitude to all of our donors.

Expressing gratitude is as simple as

• Demonstrating to our donors that they are our heroes.

• Sharing amazing and inspiring stories.

• Asking our donors what inspires them to give.

• Showing our donors that we value them and that they DO make a difference.

• Remembering what our donors have done and said and using that to personalize our relationship with them.

• Treating each donor like they are the most important and only donor we need.

• Asking them for their honest feedback and not flipping out when they give it.

• Saying “thanks” with passion and sincerity (before the check clears their bank or the credit card statement arrives).

It’s frustrating to see so many organizations treat their donors like ATM machines and their development efforts as merely bucket filling exercises. 

Just imagine if you gave a little more time, effort and resources on gratitude and cut back on all the high cost low ROI acquisition and “special” events, your retention rates would soar and your impact would be off the charts.

Remember, if you can inspire your donor to give a second gift, “they are about three times as likely to stay with you.”

Until we understand what motivates our donors, what inspires them, and what they really don’t care about, we are doomed to fundraising mediocrity and abysmal retention rates. 

All it takes is just a little Gratitude.