Category: Finance

In the context of charitable giving/fundraising, the anonymous donor is someone whose name will not be publicly linked to the gift they’ve made … or even if they’ve made a gift.

Usually the recipient organization will know the name of the “anonymous” donor; but, consistent with the donor’s wishes, will not allow that donor’s name to be linked to a specific gift, or to any gift, to that organization.

Occasionally, a gift will come to an institution through a third party, such as an attorney, ensuring that the institution will not even know the name of the donor.

In any case, whether or not institutional staff knows the donor’s identity, and even though no public mention is made of the donor’s identify, every effort should be made to acknowledge the gift … to thank the donor.

Even if the donor is not being acknowledged publicly for his/her gift, s/he should get the appropriate recognition for the gift … for the support … for caring !!

“Recognition” is something done “for” the donor, not for the public. And, for recognition to be appropriate, it must be consistent with the needs of the donor.

That’s an important concept that many people in the nonprofit sector don’t know and/or understand. “Development” is all about the needs of the donor, ‘cause if you’re not considering her/his needs, s/he is not likely to be giving to you … or not likely to give to you again.

Bottom line: All gifts to nonprofit organizations are made to satisfy the donor’s needs – from wanting to do some good, to helping his/her community, to “giving back” to an organization that has helped them or someone or some community they care about, to wanting the recognition that comes with giving, to wanting to enjoy the feeling of having helped, to any other reason that results in a gift.

That’s not being cynical. It’s realistic. If making the gift didn’t in some way satisfy donors’ needs, if making the gift didn’t make donors feel good about giving, then they wouldn’t be giving.

Most “anonymous” donors are known to the institution(s) they support, and those institutions know what has motivated that person to make the gift(s) and what it will take to get the donor to want to make future gifts.

In knowing/understanding the needs of the donor, it’s not difficult to give that donor the appropriate recognition. It could be a handshake from the organization/s board chair or CEO, a report on how the donor’s gift will make and/or has made a difference in people lives and/or how that gift has impacted society, a note from someone whose life has been changed because of that gift, a video of the organization’s programs in operation, a small but appropriate gift (like a book) or any combination of those and/or anything else you can think of … that would fall into the category of “satisfying the needs of the donor.”

Of course, if the donor is not known to the recipient organization, you can’t know the range of his/her needs; but, you can make an assumption – mainly that the gift would not have been made if it wasn’t satisfying one-or-more of the donor’s needs.

What would you think one of those needs might be ?? What would satisfy that need ??

I encourage you to share your thoughts, your answers to those two questions. Your responses (with attribution) can/will be the basis of a follow up posting.

Next Week Jon Howard discusses THE essential element in Direct Mail Fundraising

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Have a comment or a question about starting, evaluating
or expanding your fundraising program?
AskHank
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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, email Comments to offer your thoughts. Your comments, with appropriate attribution, could be the basis of a new posting.

 
 
 
January 14:

Recognizing The “Anonymous” Donor
by Hank Lewis

“Recognition” is something done “for” the donor, not for the public. And, for recognition to be appropriate, it must be consistent with the needs of the donor.

January 21:

Getting To Know “YOU”
by Jonathan Howard

Every time I sit down to write a fundraising letter … I suffer a period of anxiety. I’m worried that readers will reject my writing. Reject me.

January 28:

Development Staff as “The” Fund Raisers
by Tony Poderis

I’ve been fighting the development-as-sales battle for too many years, and I fear we are all losing to the growing trend of having boards of trustees believing that fundraising is someone else’s responsibility….

February 4:

Dear Millennial, There’s Nothing New Under the Sun
by K. Michael Johnson

Like many Millennials, I’ve definitely ticked off some of my older colleagues with my so-called “new ideas.” I’m not particularly interested in doing things a certain way just because that’s how they’ve always been done.

February 11:

Development as a Profession vs. Development as an Activity
by Hank Lewis

No one can decide to be a professional in any field, without learning the rules/practices of that field. No one can be a development professional their first day in fundraising.

February 18:

Dear Boss, Let’s Try This….
by K. Michael Johnson

The Millennials are coming, the Millennials are coming, and they’re bringing their “new ideas.”

February 25:

Who Should Raise The Money – Part One
by Tony Poderis

We are not selling to a prospective donor; we are presenting her with an opportunity to satisfy her own needs … by supporting/contributing to an organization that serves her community and her concerns.

March 4:

Who Should Raise The Money – Part Two
by Tony Poderis

I fear we are all losing ground with the growing trend of having boards of trustees believing that fundraising is someone else’s responsibility….

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

I always reply, saying, “Before you make commitments for expenses for which you may not have the funds, I suggest you begin with your Board Of Trustees. You should have on your board, at the beginning of your creation process, as many serious givers-and-getters as possible – people who are rated at the best levels for giving of their own money, who are willing and able to get money from others, and who are willing and able to recruit others who they know will do the same.

Chances are that most “new” organizations will be serving constituencies that are unable to pay for their services; and, so, neither would/could they be donors. Those new NPOs, then, must look with their board to other sources.

Most new groups, in order to have time for developing paths to outside funders, should have each board member commit personally to a set amount — which each may contribute from their own pockets, may raise from sources close to them, or may raise the funds from a combination of both. Compliance to this concept, or the lack thereof, would be a good indication of whether you’ve assembled the right board to ensure that your organization will have a future.

[Editor’s Note: If your Board Members can’t/won’t support, won’t give to their own organization, why should anyone else, why would they want to ??]

When I was in that position, before my development career began and as a board member of a new organization, each of us agreed to go out and raise a dollar amount that was calculated by dividing our number of fund-raisers into the amount needed to balance the books for that fiscal year. We each had a fundraising goal of $1,800.

Off we went, giving what we could of our own money, then asking family, friends, our employers, and owners of places we did business. (I received donations from my company, doctor, dentist, florist, dry cleaner, etc.) We all, individually, worked to our own goal to collectively meet the overall goal of the organization for the year.

Along with that productive activity, we were researching local granting foundations and corporations, learning who they were, what they gave to, how much they gave, and seeking to know of any personal or business links our board had with officials of the grantors. You, too, can easily learn who those grantors are from the Foundation Center directory and from references in your local library – and the good old, and very effective, “word-of-mouth.”

As well, your team should work to gather annual reports and other of their publications from organizations similar to yours and review their listings of donors as potential donors to your particular cause.

These are but a few of the ways you must slog along to learn who cares about your organization and who might care. You cannot expect to get funding from distant and uncaring donors.

You find qualified donors only in those ways – working from the inside out.

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We’re Taking a Break for Two Weeks.
Wishing you and yours a Happy Holiday and a Happy & Healthy New Year.
See you on January 7

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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.

We have had many a tasting with delicious desserts that were not chocolate. So, when selecting one that was not chocolate, we usually added a plate of truffles to the table so people would not feel as though the meal was incomplete.

A good caterer should also be a guide to all of the different foods and presentations. A simple change of plate from round to square or serving salad in a shallow bowl instead of on a salad plate can make a noticeable difference in the presentation. Don’t hesitate to ask the caterer for different approaches to serving a meal.

Also, be open and honest about the food. If something is too salty or two sweet (could that really happen?) say something. Remember to keep your audience in mind. Age and gender are factors to consider when setting the menu.

Also remember that many people have allergies and food issues that you have to deal with. Every meal you plan should have a vegetarian and a vegan option; and, more and more people eat gluten free.

The caterer will usually take care of all of these issues provided you give them the information in advance.

Of course, not every attendee will tell you in advance. On one occasion, we had an attendee walk in 5 minutes before a formal dinner was to be served and then asked one of the staff members about the menu. Upon learning what was to be served, she announced that she was highly allergic and could only eat a plain piece of chicken and some fruit.

Fortunately, the caterer had brought a few plain chicken breasts and was able to take care of the attendee. That rarely happens. A more likely scenario would have been an angry attendee without dinner! It would be the attendee’s fault, but guess where the blame would fall.

It probably wouldn’t hurt to ask that the caterer make provision for such an occurrence.

In terms of the early questions at the start of this article (last week), no matter how well you know a caterer, every event is different and your menu will reflect those differences. You will want to taste the menu to be sure it works,

As to hiring a caterer first and doing a tasting after the contract is signed, that is a good way to get stuck with mediocre food and bad service.

In that context: I recently met with a caterer who we have never used, but about whom the client was very excited. I had done the advance work, but had gotten preliminary menus that were far from what we wanted — I asked for changes, and a tasting.

We were invited for a tasting; but, when we got there, discovered that we were merely there to again discuss what we were looking for and what might be available to us.

We were three people, and they brought out one plate with small portions of some tasteless food for us to share. When I said something about the tasting, I was told, that “once we sign a contract, we will do a real tasting.”

Clearly, we will not be going back for that “real tasting.”

When you leave a tasting, whether it is at a hotel or at an “off-site,” what you’ve just experienced should have you excited and eagerly looking forward to the actual event. Short of that, you clearly need to rethink your vendor/caterer.

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Next Week, Tony Poderis responds to The Age Old Cry:
“We’re A New Organization. Where Do We Find The Donors?”

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Have a comment or a question about
creating or expanding your special event?
Ask Natalie.
With over 30 years in conference and event planning,
she can help you turn your vision into reality.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Look for Natalie’s ebook on Special Events.
It’s part of
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.

QuestIon: Should I do a tasting even if I have worked with this caterer before?

Answer: Absolutely.

Question: Should I hire a caterer and then do a tasting?

Answer: Absolutely NOT.

In the past, people who were frequent event attendees tended to have great expectations, except when it came to food. There was a constant “rolling of the eyes” if someone commented that the food at a particular event was really good. That was fairly common, when rubber chicken dinners were flying high (pun intended).

In recent years, food at both, hotels and “off-sites,” has improved enormously … in taste and presentation. Now, expectations are high and caterers and chefs work to outdo each other and are, frankly, getting better and better at it.

Food makes the evening more (or less) remarkable, and is something everyone talks about. Hotel chefs have stepped up their game and are more than happy to help create a themed event with interesting presentations.

A recent reception had a gelato bar flavored with various vodkas alongside the standard wine and beer fare. A dessert bar for an after party focused on a variety of champagnes with assorted mini sweets.

When doing an event at an “off-site,” catering is an essential element … along with the lighting, sound and décor, and choosing a caterer takes time.

You begin the process with a list of caterers who are approved to work in the facility. Asking the site manager which caterer works the space most often is a good way to start your search. You have probably been to a few events yourself and had some good experiences. Find out who the caterer was and ask the person who did the planning whether they were pleased and would use them again.

Try to narrow down the search to two or three caterers and contact each one asking the same questions. I will frequently explain that I am looking for creative menus with really good food that a variety of people with varying tastes can enjoy.

I made some calls recently about a breakfast event we were handling, and explained that I wanted something “creative,” and not just a bagel bar. I was disappointed, but not surprised, that 2 out of 3 sent me menus with … a bagel bar !!

Look over the menus carefully. Based on what you see, select 2 of the caterers (unless one is so outstanding that no one else can compete) and ask for a tasting.

A good caterer will have asked you about the type of event, colors, décor, background on the attendees, your goal for the evening and most important, what you want the attendees to take away from the event.

Usually, a tasting lasts about 2 –3 hours with time to taste a lot of different foods (from hors d’oeuvres to entrees to desserts). Look at linens and china, crystal, chairs and anything else needed for that event.

Notice the word “taste!” It does not mean eating everything on your plate, no matter how delicious. A few bites will tell you if an item will work. And you do want to save room for dessert, especially if it’s chocolate ☺

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Obviously, Tastings are about more than food, and
next week Natalie Continues the discussion.

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Have a comment or a question about
creating or expanding your special event?
Ask Natalie.
With over 30 years in conference and event planning,
she can help you turn your vision into reality.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Look for Natalie’s ebook on Special Events.
It’s part of
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.

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.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Have a comment or a question about starting, evaluating
or expanding your fundraising program?
AskHank
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Have you heard about
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.

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.

==============================
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.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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.
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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)
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