Philanthropya.k.a. fundraising, development, advancement

Fundraising is the gentle art of teaching the joy of giving

You knew what you knew how to do, and when you knew better, you did better.

Maya Angelou

Experts in the room?

Raise your hand if you have participated in a fundraising ask.

Raise your hand if you are or have been a fundraising professional (marketing, admissions?)

Raise your hand if you have personally asked for a gift in either a volunteer or professional capacity.

Raise your hand if you have a fundraising horror story.

At the risk of offending...

There is a very easy technical formula:

The Right Person asks

the Right Prospect

for the Right Amount

in the Right Way

at the Right Time

for the Right Cause

with the Right Follow-up

Why is fundraising perceived as challenging?

An art and a science

It requires relationship building skills and technical expertise

It is about the power of storytelling and number crunching smarts

It is about the pitch and the research

There are resources galore on the technical elements…

Legal realities

IRS regulations

Planning essentials

Research

Social Media

Fundraising Vocabulary

Staffing

However, the technical landscape changes radically and quickly…

And it is complicated….

IFA: Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (managing underwater funds)

SARBANES-OXLEY trickledown impact on donor relations and stewardship

Tax Code changes

IRS: the 990

New Planned Giving Strategies /Opportunities

Blended professional roles in advancement/marketing

The changing fundraising pyramid: 90/10 as the new 80/20

And, yes, emerging trends require close monitoring…

Intergenerational transfer of wealth

Technology: Social media, segmented asks

International philanthropy

Women’s philanthropy

Entrepreneurial donors are your new nightmare

Increased demand for talented professionals

Increase in restricted gifts

Annual fund needs a modernized argument

However, there is very good news:

The critical constants are skills you can master and retain forever.

People will always give to people

Relationship building

Communication skills

Communication strategy

The dance of the ask

The art of recognition

Creative stewardship

What else won’t change?

The Head of School is the Chief Advancement Officer

1/4?

1/3?

Ten Maxims that Still MatterPhilanthropy at Independent Schools, NAIS

Leadership gifts are essential to the success of every fundraising campaign

People give to people

The best prospects are almost always previous donors

Major donors usually make their largest gifts to organizations they serve as trustees

Donors respond to exciting plans and ideas more generously than to timetables or deadlines

Fund raising formulas and strategies must be appropriate for your school culture

Set your sights high when you solicit a major gift

Always bring a personalized written version of the specific gift request

Every major gift solicitation is, by definition, a success

You can never say “thank you” too often

You Will Always Have to Know the Basic Vocab(no excuse)..

Annual Fund – An annual campaign for annual gifts (generally expended in the year received) that strives to raise unrestricted gifts. Unrestricted money is utilized to benefit student financial aid, technological improvements, excellent faculty and many other college needs. Goals stem �from the strategic plan, but the ultimate goal is to further the culture of philanthropy even as individual sights are raised. Serves as foundation and platform for all major giving efforts.

Comprehensive Capital Campaign - An organized, intensive fundraising effort on the part of an institution or organization to secure extraordinary gifts and pledges, for capital and annual fund, for a specific purpose during a specified period of time.

with credit to www.franklincollege.edu

Annuity

Beneficiary

Bequest

Charitable Gift Annuity

Deferred Gift

Designated Gift

Endowment

Endowment Distribution Policy

Gift in Kind

Matching gift

Pledge

Unrestricted gift

Planned Gift

The right director of advancement will always be critical, not just nice

Creativity Flexibility Superb communicator Eager to learn Able to lead, but a team

player, too Deep commitment to the

school A passion for the details Roll their sleeves up type Works hard…and long…

Partnering with a consultant really does make sense.

Match is everything; consider the contact person and the project

Find someone who understands and knows how to assess the value of hard data.

Select someone who has walked the walk; you need a professional fundraiser

Use a professional to assess your fundraising operation and climate

The best consultants have the best to offer in the planning phases of a campaign—don’t wait too late.

The best/most effective consultants will put every effort into helping you discern what you really need

Know your role in the partnership

Head of School

Set clear development priorities—share vision

Establish reasonable, stretch goals

Supply sufficient resources for a successful fundraising team

Provide ample one on one time to partner with the director

Invite the director to board meetings

Ensure the director is in the inner circle

Permit director to make presentations to faculty

Let director manage her own time

Director of Advancement

Prepare head fully, orally and in writing, for donor meetings and key fundraising events

Provide timely drafts of gift acknowledgments and stewardship letters for head’s signature

Share all constituency rumors or concerns

Manage budget and staff competently

Use head’s fundraising time wisely

Operate with the highest of personal and professional standards

The board’s role hasn’t changed either……..

APPROVE FUNDRAISING GOALS

BE LEAD GIVERS

SOLICIT (BE SURE TO ADD TRAINING TO BOARD MEETING)

IDENTIFY SOLICITORS AND MAJOR DONORS

PROVIDE RESOURCES TO ADVANCEMENT TEAM

AMBASSADORS FOR THE CAUSE

The starting point will always be the same.

Know everything possible about the institution, its goals, its vision, its programs.

Make certain you are completely committed to the worthiness of the ask, project, etc.

Learn everything you can about the prospects before you call on them. (Research, research, research)

Fundraising will always be a process not an event.

We have to talk about the ask.

Really, we do.

The ask is an art…

Empathy: You need to truly listen

Energy: The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire (sparks!)

Enthusiasm: unbridled, contagious

Integrity: never tamper with the truth

Questions you should have answers to before an ask…don’t skip this step

How did you happen to go to Miss Nancy’s Fancy School? How was the experience for you?

How are Jim Bob junior and little Mary Pat doing at Ojai Country Day?

How do you feel about the strategic plan we mailed to the school community last month?

What has you excited/concerned about Happy Valley Community School?

Before the ask…

Rehearse with a partner—say the amount out loud

Write out all the reasons you may get a no

Practice responses to the resistance

If possible, go in pairs

Signal when the ask may occur

Focus on open ended questions

No one ever “listened” themselves out of a gift. (Jerold Panas)

A general rule: Talk

about 25% of the time during a

fundraising presentation

Dreams typically open wallets…before needs do.

No one wants to save the sinking Titanic; they want to know you have a bona fide plan to sail through choppy waters.

Donors like bold, heroic, visionary programs that make a difference.

No one wants to hear that they owe you for an experience they had years previously.

The reality that tuition doesn’t cover the full cost is a tired, unexciting, overused tale.

Tell a compelling story about your reality that fits this mold.

The setting matters—remember, this is art

Where is the ask going to occur? Why?

Who is along on the ask? Why?

Who makes the ask? Why?

You need a plan, a script and a timeline.

And then be prepared to fly by the seat of your pants.

11 minutes to present your case

Research indicates that this is the about the length of time you have before you will be tuned out:

Be straightforward

Be compelling

Be inspiring

Create a sense of urgency

In 11 minutes. Or 11 minute segments.

The number one reason why most people say they did not give a gift….

They were not asked.

I would like you to consider a gift of….

What do you do after you make the ask?

Nothing.

Nada.

Be comfortable with the silence.

Don’t fill it, no matter how tempting.

Be Quiet.

Just sit there.

Don’t talk.

Wait.

The Four Magic Questions

Is it the institution?

Is it the project?

Is it the amount I asked for?

Is it the timing?

Get them to say yes…to something.

Another visit

A gift to the annual fund

A visit to campus

Contacting a classmate, prospective parent

Volunteer for an upcoming assignment

An article in an upcoming newsletter

The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciatedWilliam James

You can probably never be grateful enough often enough...

SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION AND Q&A