Category: Financing & Loans

I find it interesting that, of all the topics we’ve addressed in this forum, the Gift Table has consistently been at the top of that list.

Gift Tables, or Gift Pyramids, are great fundraising tools for all modes of fundraising — capital campaigns, major gifts, “the Annual Fund,” and for Special Events.

Prior to the beginning of every fiscal year, an NPO goes through its budgeting process and comes up with a (realistic, attainable) figure for how much money will be needed for operations, and how much of that will be needed to be raised via charitable giving.

The latter figure must be based on prior experience and analysis of the likely giving (not wishful thinking) of those currently in the organization’s database. If the figure was obtained by sound financial analysis, one is able to construct a Gift Table that should reflect reality.

Although the term “gift pyramid” is often used, the resulting “table” does not always take the pyramidal shape … with the one “biggest” gift at the top, gifts in a graduated descending scale below, and with the arithmetic (or geometric) increasing number of gifts for each of the descending levels. (See Contructing The Gift Table”)

The Gift Table, an outline as to how you can reach a particular fundraising goal, is a tool that can help you stay focused on what needs to be done to achieve that goal. Since the “Table” is based on the potential gifts of specific individuals, NPO staff and volunteers can allocate their resources most effectively.

In essence, a Gift Table should ask (and answer) the question: “What do we need to do to reach our dollar goal?”

The “Gift Table” is not a list of what certain (potential-) donors should give, or will give. It “outlines” only what donors might give … based on prior giving, circumstances and on other reliable information.

Gift Tables should be constructed for each element of a fundraising program that focuses on specific individuals … as opposed to those elements involving mass solicitation. You should have a “Gift Table” for all the fundraising activities that are included in your organization’s budgeting process – keeping in mind that some (so called) fundraising activities are more in the realm of donor acquisition, and often can’t have specific/realistic dollar goals attached.

Please do keep in mind that the Gift Pyramid/Table is only a tool, and does not replace the judgment of an experienced fundraising professional.*

[*To clarify the definition of a Fundraising Professional: This is not someone who deals in the sales of items and/or in the conduct of “fundraisers” to generate income. This is someone who understands why people give, why they support an organization. This is a person who understands that the creation of a loyal following, not of an annual/special event, but of an organization and its mission, is what can ensure that organization’s future.]

If you’ve devoted the needed time, research and planning to the creation of a Gift Table, you’ve already done most of the work needed to create a fundraising plan.
[More on Fundraising Plans in a future posting.]

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Next Week, the first half of a piece by Natalie Lewis
on the elements of, and the absolute need for
“Tastings” as part of planning for an event.

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Have a comment or a question about starting, evaluating
or expanding your fundraising program?
AskHank
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Have you heard about
The Fundraising Series of ebooks?
They’re easy to read, to the point, and inexpensive ($1.99-$4.99)
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If you’re reading this on-line, and would like to comment/expand on the above piece, or would just like to offer your thoughts on the subject of this posting, we encourage you to “Leave a Reply.” If you’re reading this as an email, and you want to comment on the above piece, click on the title of this posting, then go to the bottom of the on-line version to offer your thoughts.

This week, two short and to the point pieces from Tony !!

1. Staff Involvement In Strategic Planning

Should/must nonprofit staff be involved in the strategic planning process ??

With all of the discussion that I’ve seen/heard on this subject over the years, with the range of positions respondents have taken – from the globally inclusive to the highly restrictive, and considering the passions that this question and its responses often evoke, I offer, here, my attempt to clarify the issue:

• The Board of an NPO has the sole responsibility and authority for determining vision, mission and strategic goals;

• Staff of an NPO are employees who can be great resources in the vision and planning processes, but who do not have the authority, responsibility or mandate to shape the future of an NPO, just to pursue the vision the governing Board has adopted;

• Absolutely, staff should be included in the process, but only when the Board, in its wisdom, requests/requires that participation;

• Ideally, it would be wonderfully warm and fuzzy for all to be included in the planning process, and it would be preferable to have staff buy-in to the process end-product (the strategic plan); but,

• The CEO hires/evaluates/replaces staff on the basis of whether they do their jobs in a way that supports/advances the NPO’s mission.

It is not my position that staff should be excluded from the planning process, but neither should it be imposed upon a Board that they must include staff members.

It might be nice if all aspects of NPO “vision-making and planning” tended toward inclusivity, but in some cases, more can be accomplished in “restricted” groups.

The key is in knowing what would work best in specific circumstances, and not insisting it has to be any one way.

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2. Keeping in Touch with Donors

Even if you successfully get donors to make site visits, to see personally what your organization does, and are able to reach out to them with visits to where they do their business, it is not enough.

You need to do more !!

After all, how many times a year will a donor be willing to come to the organization, or how frequently can you call for an appointment without becoming a pest? There are many ways to communicate and express interest in donors.

Let’s begin by looking at communication that is more about the donor than the organization. Send birthday and other appropriate greeting cards. Send get-well cards and even flowers to a donor in the hospital. Keep your eye open for items about donors in newspapers. When you see one, clip it and send it along with a “congratulations” note to the donor.

In the more formal communication media: You should have a regular newsletter that goes out to donors. By regular, I mean at least every other month. Actually, I would recommend monthly. The newsletter can be sent as paper or email.

The latter will cost far less and make a more frequent schedule easier to maintain, but be prepared to get paper into the hands of those who do not want to receive email. I would expect that number to be very small and shrinking almost daily. The newsletter should be aimed at the donor community, rather than something that goes to everybody from clients to employees.

Include donors on your press list and make sure they get copies of every press release you send out. Think email again.

Send photographs of things the organization is doing. Again email is easier, quicker, and far less expensive.

And, finally, send something special that reflects well on the organization. If you’re a social service organization and your clients make crafts, how about sending something made by a client?

Share with donors the thank-you notes you receive from the people whom you serve – names withheld, unless you have an OK. Have clients of the organization write to a donor explaining the difference the organization has made in their lives. You would be surprised how many would be ready and willing to do so. Just ask.

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Next Week Hank Lewis revisits the GIFT TABLE,
It’s Construction and its Use.

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Have a question or comment about the above posting?
You can Ask Tony.
There is also a lot of good fundraising information on his website:
Raise-Funds.com
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Have you seen
The Fundraising Series of ebooks?
They’re easy to read, to the point, and inexpensive ($1.99 – $4.99)
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

If you’re reading this on-line, and would like to comment/expand on the above piece, or would just like to offer your thoughts on the subject of this posting, we encourage you to “Leave a Reply.” If you’re reading this as an email, and you want to comment on the above piece, click on the title of this posting, then go to the bottom of the on-line version to offer your thoughts.

Many Millennials don’t love talking on the phone … especially with people whose numbers aren’t already programmed into our phones; and, many of us are terrible at it. In fundraising, however, phone skills are a must.

This is a continuation of my posting on how to make more and better outreach calls – specifically, introductory calls requesting face-to-face meetings with prospects we’ve never met.

4. Ask questions. As you’re writing your script (see last week’s posting), remember that your job is to build a relationship with your prospect, not lecture them. Build in a few easy-to-answer questions near the beginning: “Did you survive the storm last week?”, “Is your summer off to a good start?” Ask about the last event they attended. Ask if they received the last newsletter – “Did you see the item about _______?” Ask about their feelings regarding one or more of your organization’s  programs, programs that you know they support. But, avoid questions that can evoke negative answers.

5. Practice and find your “guru voice.” Here’s what I mean. You represent an amazing organization that’s doing amazing work. You’re an expert in the issues your organization addresses and you have the potential to help connect your prospect to your organization in a meaningful way.

Gurus are confident in their abilities, yet still inquisitive, calm in their demeanor, but never apathetic, and they are clear in their delivery, yet not heavy-handed. Gurus have a child-like mastery.

You don’t need to be apologetic, you don’t need to worry about whether or not you’re bothering the prospect, and you don’t need to try and muster up false enthusiasm. Practice aloud and find your warmest, most inquisitive, most confident self. Speak from there.

6. Leave messages. Play to your strengths by using the phone to get people to email you. The odds are good you’ll need to leave a message for your prospect. Do leave your call back number, but also, let the prospect know you’ll follow up via email. Send that note shortly after the call. I get far more replies to my follow-up emails than return calls.

You don’t have to love your phone. But if you want to be a top performer, you do have to use it. Thankfully this skill can be learned, and improved over time.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Was/is getting comfortable on the phone a hurdle for you? What would you add/delete from my list above?

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Next Week, Two short pieces by Tony Poderis, offering his views on:
1. The Age-Old Question About the Role of Staff in the Strategic Planning
Process, and 2. Really Staying In-Touch With Your Donors.

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K. Michael Johnson is a major gift officer at a large research university
and the founder of Fearless-Fundraising.com,
where he discusses the inner game of deeper relationships and bigger asks.
You can contact him at K. Michael Johnson.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Have you seen
The Fundraising Series of ebooks ??
They’re easy to read, to the point, and inexpensive ($1.99 – $4.99)
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

If you’re reading this on-line, and would like to comment/expand on the above piece, or would just like to offer your thoughts on the subject of this posting, we encourage you to “Leave a Reply.” If you’re reading this as an email, and you want to comment on the above piece, click on the title of this posting, then go to the bottom of the on-line version to offer your thoughts.

Confession: I don’t love making phone calls.

In fact, there was a time when I’d do anything to avoid calling prospects. Like many in my generation, I was far more comfortable emailing or texting, or even sending them messages through LinkedIn.

Digital tools are great, but it didn’t take me long to realize that the top performers in our line of work are good on the phone. It’s better for building rapport, and it creates a sense of urgency that email and other tools simply do not.

Now, I make at least four outbound calls daily. I still don’t always love it, but I’ve come a long way.

In this post, I want to begin to focus on the type of call that is among the hardest to make: an introductory call requesting a face-to-face meeting with someone you’ve never met.

For my fellow phone-averse Millennials, there are six perspectives that have helped me:

1. Divide and conquer. Making outreach calls requires mental and emotional energy; and, let’s face it, our supply of those is limited… so is our willpower. But I’m able to make more calls if break up the process and make each step a separate activity:
a. Deciding whom to call, what I want to talk about, and when to call
b. Preparing for each call I’m planning to make in a given session (see #4 – next week)
c. Calling
d. Following up, if needed

This approach gives me the least opportunity to talk myself out of picking up the phone. By the time I’m ready to make calls, the decisions are all made; the preparation is done; and all I have to do is pick up the phone and “dial.” ☺

I’ve learned the hard way that, if don’t frontload most of the work, I’m just not going to get through as many calls.

2. Call when you’re fresh. I like to do A and B (above) at the end the workday, and then C and D the next morning. I know that I’m freshest (read: most caffeinated) between 9:30 am and 11:30 am.

3. Write a script. Yes, I know you’re not a sleazy telemarketer, but having a script, or at least an outline, will keep you on track, reduce your fear of the unknown, and boost your confidence. And sketch out the message (see #6 – next week) you’ll leave (under 30 seconds) if you don’t get the prospect on the phone. A script is also a handy tool to help you remember specific, phrases that have proven effective.

Be sure to come back next week, when
K. Michael Johnson lays out the rest of the list!

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K. Michael Johnson is a major gift officer at a large research university
and the founder of Fearless-Fundraising.com,
where he discusses the inner game of deeper relationships and bigger asks.
You can contact him at K. Michael Johnson.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Have you seen
The Fundraising Series of ebooks ??
They’re easy to read, to the point, and inexpensive ($1.99 – $4.99)
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

If you’re reading this on-line, and would like to comment/expand on the above piece, or would just like to offer your thoughts on the subject of this posting, we encourage you to “Leave a Reply.” If you’re reading this as an email, and you want to comment on the above piece, click on the title of this posting, then go to the bottom of the on-line version to offer your thoughts.

Stocks and mutual funds make great charitable gifts, yet many non-profits overlook them; and, donors may not think to make those kinds of donations, unless you remind them.

Once donors learn about the tax advantages of donating stock, they often become consistent stock donors.

Stocks and mutual funds are securities that represent an ownership interest in a single corporation (stock), or an interest in many corporations (mutual funds). Appreciation is when a stock or fund grows in value, which often accounts for most of the profit from investing in a stock. Some stocks pay dividends (a share in the corporation’s profits) to stockholders, some don’t.

Most securities are publicly-traded, which means they are bought and sold daily in an exchange or active market. The fair market value (FMV) of a publicly-traded security or a mutual fund is fixed daily by the buyers and the sellers. You can look these up in the Wall Street Journal and many other newspapers.

Publicly-traded securities make great charitable gifts for a number of reasons:

• They are easy to accept and liquidate.

• They are easy to value, as the IRS accepts the market price for
   the determining the charitable deduction. (To calculate the gift
   value for a stock, you take the average of the High and low
   selling prices on the date of the gift. The value of a gift of mutual
   fund shares is the closing price on the day of the gift.)

•  If highly-appreciated shares of stock or a mutual fund are donated
   directly to a charity, the donor earns an income tax deduction
   based on FMV of the shares, yet pays no capital gains tax.
   Your donors may find this a very attractive alternative to making a
   cash gift, especially if they own highly-appreciate stocks.

   It is often more of a tax advantage to contribute appreciated stocks
   or mutual fund shares instead of cash. Many people hold on to
   highly-appreciated stock to avoid the capital gains tax that would
   be due if they sold it. This is increasingly important, as the top
   capital gains rate has recently risen to 20% and that does not
   include state taxes that may also apply.

• Publicly-traded securities can also fund life-income gifts like
   charitable remainder trusts and gift annuities (more on those
   topics in a future posting). A donor can convert an appreciated
   stock with low or no dividends into a steady stream of lifetime
   payments and earn a sizable tax deduction. If you do not offer
   these gift arrangements, try working with your local community
   foundation. They can often set them up for you and manage
   the details.

Before you can accept stock and mutual fund donations, you’ll need to set up an investment account. You can do this at many financial institutions, like banks and online discount brokers. Once you’ve done that, you should earn how to transfer donated securities into that account. Most securities are now transferred electronically, directly from the donor’s account.

Many mutual fund shares can be transferred just like stocks. Other funds are proprietary and cannot be held in standard investment accounts. In those cases, you may need to an open an account with the mutual fund company to liquidate the shares. Your investment account manager can guide you through this.

Once you start accepting donations of stocks and mutual funds, if you don’t already have one, you will need an Investment Policy Statement. This defines how your Board of Trustees will govern/manage the organization’s investments. This can get complicated if your organization maintains a stock portfolio, so you may wish to adopt the simple policy of liquidating every donated share to cash as soon as it arrives in your account … but that’s a conversation you should have with your financial advisor(s).

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Next Week, another insightful piece from K. Michael Johnson
on how Millennials can grow in the Development field.

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John Elbare, CFP, has spent the last 30 years helping non-profits
raise more money through large, planned gifts.
He shows them how to add an effective planned giving
strategy to their current fund raising effort
without a lot of extra expense or staff.
You can contact him at John Elbare, CFP.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Have you seen
The Fundraising Series of ebooks?
They’re easy to read, to the point, and inexpensive ($1.99 – $4.99)
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

If you would like to comment/expand on the above piece, or would just like to offer your thoughts on the subject of this posting, we encourage you to “Leave a Reply” at the bottom of this page.

Here six key objectives I set for every fundraising letter I write. I use these as standards to review and rewrite a draft appeal until I can’t improve it further.

1. Create a personal connection. Always use the first person singular (“I,” “me,” “my”), never the snooty-sounding, disembodied “we.” Talk to me as if we are sharing coffee together. Use the word “you” as often as you can. Finding ways to use the word “you” naturally helps make your writing conversational and friendly.

2. Tell a story. I know you’re saving the world. Now, can you show me one specific person (whose life you’ve changed? Can you name them? Quote them? Introduce that person and a problem. Then tell me what happened. Or better, tell me what can happen if I get involved.

3. Appeal to emotions. We give with hearts first, heads second. That story you’re telling should arouse my pity or pride or fear. Your first-person narrator (the “I” in your letter) can express emotions directly, prompting the reader to reflect your own feelings of anger, sadness or hope.

4. But still make sense. You always need to make a logical connection between my gift and important results. Who else will your organization help with that extra dollar? How will you make a bigger difference in their life?

5. Show donors the benefits. Your organization’s direct outcomes, such as meals served, acres saved or patients treated are great – but they are not benefits to the donor. Tell me what I can expect to get out of my donation. Benefits may be direct and tangible, (free admissions and publications), indirect, (a safer, more prosperous community) or emotional, (the warm feeling of helping a child).

6. Give readers one thing to do. And make it easy. If this is fundraising letter, then ask for money early, and again at the end – don’t ask for volunteers, phone callers, etc. Suggest a specific amount for my gift, but provide opportunities for larger gifts with an “ask string” of gift amounts above the target amount and an “other amount” option for those who can’t send your target gift.

Remember that you get only a small slice of a reader’s attention when they first look at your letter. Pursuing these goals from your very first word will earn more time with your reader, engage their interest and convert interest into donation action.

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Next Week’s posting is a piece by John Elbare
on the “value” of getting your constituents to donate
stock and mutual fund shares.

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Jon is Vice President of Cause & Effect, Inc.
He has helped nonprofits develop successful direct response strategies and
effective donor communications for more than 25 years.
Contact Jonathan Howard or
visit the Cause & Effect website
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Have you seen
The Fundraising Series of ebooks ??
They’re easy to read, to the point, and inexpensive ($1.99 – $4.99)
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

If you would like to comment/expand on the above piece, or would just like to offer your thoughts on the subject of this posting, we encourage you to “Leave a Reply” at the bottom of this page.

October 29:

Six Goals For A Direct Mail Letter
by Jonathan Howard

…six key elements for every fundraising letter – standards to use to review and rewrite a draft appeal until it can’t be improved further.

November 5:

Remind Your Donors to Give Stocks and Mutual Funds
by John Elbare

Stocks and mutual funds make great charitable gifts…. Once donors learn about the tax advantages of donating stock, they often become consistent stock donors.

November 12:

Dear Millennial, Pick Up The Phone. Love, Your Boss. (Part I)
by K. Michael Johnson

I don’t love making phone calls … but it didn’t take me long to realize that the top performers in our line of work are good on the phone.

November 19:

Dear Millennial, Pick Up The Phone. Love, Your Boss. (Part II)
by K. Michael Johnson

Many Millennials don’t love talking on the phone … especially with people whose numbers aren’t already programmed into our phones … but phone skills are a must.

November 25:

Staff Involvement In Strategic Planning & Keeping in Touch With Donors
by Tony Poderis

Two short pieces from Tony: The first addressing whether staff should/must be involved in strategic planning, and the second discussing some common and some creative ways to stay in touch.

December 3:

Revisiting The Gift Table
by Hank Lewis

Of all the topics addressed by the contributors to this blog, this one, Gift Tables, which has had relatively little written about it, is one of the oldest and one of the most visited topics we’ve posted. This, then, is an updated version of a four-year-old posting.

December 10:

Special Events: Why A “Tasting” Is An Essential Part Of Event Planning
by Natalie Lewis

This is the first half of a two part posting on the elements of, and the absolute need for “Tastings” as part of planning for an event.

December 17:

Special Events: Why A “Tasting” Is An Essential Part Of Event Planning
by Natalie Lewis

Part Two of a posting on the elements of, and the absolute need for “Tastings” as part of planning for an event.

December 23:

“We’re A New Organization. Where Do We Find The Donors?”
by Tony Poderis

An all too common question, that usually arises far later in an organization’s forming process than it should have been asked.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Have you seen
The Fundraising Series of ebooks.
They’re easy to read, to the point, and inexpensive ($1.99 – $4.99)
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

If you would just like to offer your thoughts on this posting, and/or you would like to suggest topics you’d like us to address in future postings we encourage you to “Leave a Reply.”

In my last post, I shared a few thoughts with fundraising managers about supervising “digital natives.” Today, I have some tech-related advice for my fellow Millennials.

1. Stay open to the possibility that the internet may not be the solution every time.

Sometimes, for example, emailing your prospect just won’t get it done. You may need to pick up the phone or meet face-to-face to move the conversation forward. I’ll talk more about this in the weeks ahead.

2. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn from your older colleagues.

Fundraising is about people – other people, specifically.

I mentioned earlier that many of the best frontline fundraisers I know have been at it for decades. These gift officers are beloved by whoever they meet and can build trust quickly with just about anybody. And a little secret: some of them don’t use a computer. Ever.

If anyone like that works at your organization, get to know them … in as great a depth as you can. Ask if you can listen in when they call prospects, or if you can tag along on donor visits.

In particular, focus on how they establish rapport and nurture relationships. What language do they use when speaking to prospects? Listen to their tone of voice, and watch their body language and mannerisms. It will be an education in people skills, I promise.

3. Be skeptical of your multi-tasking abilities.

A growing body of research shows that multi-tasking doesn’t lead to higher productivity. Why? There’s a small cognitive “cost” to switching between tasks – these add up over time. Moreover, Stanford professor Dr. Clifford Nass has shown that multi-taskers have a harder time tuning out distractions.

So, my recommendation is to test it. Schedule a few 45-minute windows in your day where you focus exclusively on your highest priority tasks. Put your phone on silent and place it out of reach. Close down your email program, along with unnecessary web pages.

Whether you’re making outreach calls, writing an appeal letter, or developing a project strategy, commit to focusing on nothing else for those 45 minutes. Try this for a few days and see if you don’t find yourself getting more of the most important things done.

That’s it for this topic, but keep coming back. In my next posting, I’ll talk about something most Millennials would rather avoid: phone calls.

In the meantime, leave a comment and share your funniest story about generational differences in the workplace.

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K. Michael Johnson is a major gift officer at a large research university
and the founder ofFearless-Fundraising.com ,
where he discusses the inner game of deeper relationships and bigger asks.
You can contact him at K. Michael Johnson.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Have you seen
The Fundraising Series of ebooks ??
They’re easy to read, to the point, and inexpensive ($1.99 – $4.99)
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

On June 18 & 25, Lynne deLearie wrote about “Reason and Emotion in Grant Proposals.” Coincidentally, I’ve recently been involved in some discussions in which some folks were leaning much too far in one direction or the other.

Those conversations were prompted by what one participant reported as an interesting article in The Chronicle of Philanthropy (April 4, 2014) about “grantors acting more like investors.” An excerpt:

“For at least a decade, movers and shakers in philanthropy have been trying to persuade donors to behave more like data-driven investors.

But the so-called effective-philanthropy movement suffered a significant setback last month when the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, a prominent champion of the idea, announced that it was ending an eight-year, $12-million effort to get donors to rely as much on their heads as their hearts.

After this year, it is dropping support for groups like Charity Navigator, GiveWell, and GuideStar that provide publicly-accessible information about the financial performance and social impact of nonprofits. (Editor’s Note: The previous sentence has been revised to more precisely describe the initiative.) [The Foundation, however] is continuing to fund groups that provide research on philanthropic strategies that produce measurable results.

The decision pleases some critics worried that philanthropy has become too heavily focused on short-term measurements at the expense of worthy efforts that may not bear results for years.”
……….

That excerpt has a few points made which are not as I have come to know them – the first being the relatively short time span cited by the writer of “at least a decade” of the philanthropic community working to convince donors to be more data-driven. (Head over heart.)

The head part of the dichotomy was in place over four decades ago, in 1971, when I began my career in non-profit fund-raising. I believe those contrasting approaches to what prompts donors to give their money had a head-related history long before my time. (Flexner/Carnegie and Rockefeller/General Education Board, as prime examples.)

Fast-forwarding to the 90s, I really saw the head rearing itself when the tech bubble was at its peak, and those tech billionaires greatly influenced the head, not only for reasons of giving, but as well bringing their entrepreneurship methods of making millions into non-profit board rooms – expecting, even demanding, that those non-profits operate in the same bean-counting manner as their Silicon Valley businesses.

Most of our local foundations, for the most part, still operated mainly by the heart, though some were beginning to weigh in on how to use financial ratios as units of measurement to gauge the sustainability of non-profits.

Thus, the worthless and harmful self-proclaimed arbiters of the worth of non-profits were created – such as CharityNavigator. (Interesting how those self-appointed judges of non-profits had no similar evaluations made on their own effectiveness.)

I also believe that the Chronicle writer ascribed too much worth to Hewlett’s decision to end an eight-year funding program. Over my long career, I could count on one hand the number of foundations granting for more that five years.

As well, what I interpret as conflicting are statements that Hewlett was ending grants to charity evaluators whose mission was head-based, but that Hewlett would continue to fund groups that provide those very same head-based outcomes. So, I do not see Hewlett’s action as a trend, rather than a grant program simply reaching the end of the line.

The argument which we continually make regarding head and heart giving differences implies – indeed asserts – that they are somehow far apart.

For the most part, I do not think they can be all one or all the other. It’s mostly a blend of head and heart. It must be, to some degree.

Few, if any, major granting foundations would make feel-good grants which had little or no operational or outcome sense. Conversely, they would not be inspired to give money to the best constructed, rational, proposal which did not excite or move the heart.

But, there are some caveats.

The granting foundation Program Officer does indeed have a heart. She or he could really care about your institution, but the money they help give away is not theirs. Except in the case of a tightly controlled family foundation, those people are stewards of other people’s money.

Stewards must, to a great extent, base their gift recommendations on logic and the value proposition placed before them. They are going to feel less comfortable making a judgment call from the heart, and are more likely to feel compelled to rely upon the reassurance of sound numbers. Further up the line, when there are volunteer review and distribution committees, heart-giving could indeed hold sway.

But, let’s not get too heart conscious when dealing (solely or mostly) with the Program Officer “gatekeeper,” whose very job depends on much more than gut instinct and having a heart.

So, carefully crafting proposals with the “right” blend is the challenge, and we more likely will know the correct weighting of head and heart when we know our prospects.

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Next week we offer some Tech Advice for Millenials
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Have a question or comment about the above posting?
You can Ask Tony.
There is also a lot of good fundraising information on his website:
Raise-Funds.com
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Have you seen
The Fundraising Series of ebooks?
They’re easy to read, to the point, and inexpensive ($1.99 – $4.99)
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If you would like to comment/expand on the above piece, or would just like to offer your thoughts on the subject of this posting, we encourage you to “Leave a Reply” at the bottom of this page.

In my previous two posts, I’ve suggested that checklists can be very valuable in helping your non-profit achieve success with its enrollment in the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC).

One reason that a checklist is valuable is that it helps you create consistent results over time. Notice that I said, “helps.” I didn’t say that a checklist guarantees success. You are, however, more likely to achieve the results you desire with one than without one.

And while it is simple concept, I do think the thought of “checklists” can be intimidating for some people, evoking images of the life or death scenarios in the operating room, or in an aircraft experiencing an emergency.

Actually, we have all used checklists before, particularly when we want to ensure favorable results in something that almost all of us does at some point – cooking.

At home, we frequently use checklists, some of which may be decades old, handed down from our grandparents. We do, however, call those checklists, “recipes.” That’s really all a checklist is, a recipe for success.

In non-profits, checklists are valuable tools that can help you achieve success with your Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) fundraising effort.

The exact nature of your checklists will vary according to the type of non-profit you are: local, national, or international, and whether you have only one, or multiple locations.

If your non-profit’s CFC strategy includes participation in CFC charity fairs, there are a number of items to have on your checklists:

Marketing Information: Brochures with your CFC number, Display Board with success stories, marketing giveaways, etc.

The Fair’s Site Information: Name and location of charity fair, including parking information and what’s required to get onto the facility. If it’s a military base with many visitors it may take a half-hour to get through security, allow enough time.

Thank You Information: In addition to the person organizing the charity fair, get the name of the agency head and of the CFC campaign manager so you can send them a letter of thanks.

CFC Non-profit Solicitation Campaign Checklist for All Staff
As I’ve noted in many previous posts, if your non-profit is in the CFC, there are two questions that all staff – paid or volunteer, should be able to answer:
1. Are you in the CFC? (Yes).
2. What is your CFC number? CFC Code 12345.

Any other questions: “Let me have my CFC project officer contact you. His or her name is ___________.”

The CFC solicitation seasons opens on September 1st of each year. And, by having your CFC Action Team work on and develop checklists for the various components of your non-profit’s CFC fund-raising program, you can develop the tools that allow for consistent and successful CFC results!

As you get some practice and experience with the technique you’ll find yourself applying it to other aspects of your non-profit’s fundraising program.

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Next Week Tony Poderis posts an Essay
inspired by Lynn deLearie’s (two-part) June
piece on Reason & Emotion in Grant Proposals
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During his 25-year career in the Federal sector,
Bill Huddleston, The CFC Coach,
served in many CFC roles.
If you want to participate in the Combined Federal
Campaign, maximize your nonprofit’s CFC revenues,
or just ask a few questions,
contact Bill Huddleston
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Have you seen
The Fundraising Series of ebooks?
They’re easy to read, to the point, and inexpensive ($1.99 – $4.99)
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

If you would like to comment/expand on the above piece, or would just like to offer your thoughts on the subject of this posting, we encourage you to “Leave a Reply.”