Year-End Giving, Economic Downturns and the Wit of Douglas Adams

“Nothing travels faster than the speed of light with the possible exception of bad news, which obeys its own special laws.” –Douglas Adams

As we enter the busiest time of the year for philanthropic efforts, there is, in the hearts of many fundraisers, fear and dread about how the economy will impact year-end campaigns.

Well, to cite Douglas Adams once again…“Don’t Panic.”

As noted in the article, Resilient Philanthropy, in the September/October issue of Advancing Philanthropy, throughout the years, giving statistics have remained level or have increased even in times of recession.

Now is the time to get back to basics:
• What is your connection to the donor or prospective donor? Do you have a strong enough relationship that they will go the extra mile for your cause? Or is your relationship strictly transactional, and easy for the donor to cut out of his or her budget?
• Do you have a solid case for support that demonstrates why your service or cause is needed, especially in tough economic times?
• Can you effectively communicate how your donor’s gift will make a difference, even more so now than before?
• Have you been fiscally responsible in the past and are you now so that you don’t have to panic?

Some suggestions for year-end campaigns:
• Make it easy for donors to give a contribution to your organization as a holiday gift. Have dedication cards, customizable e-cards, or other inexpensive but appropriately festive items for donors to present to their honoree.
• Be top of mind, which can be challenging amongst the holiday clutter. Send regular emails, use social networking sites like Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook or MySpace, think about increasing other traditional marketing, and be present at as many social functions as possible. In his column for Entrepreneur Magazine, Robert Kiyosaki notes, “When times get tough, your job is to promote more, not less.”
• Be realistic, but optimistic. All your donors aren’t going to stop giving, but there will be a few that you’ll need to “bless and release.” This is probably not the time to project huge increases in your program, but it is still the time when people are most generous.

We hope that your organization will be blessed with generous donors during this time of giving!
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Connect with GoalBusters: LinkedIn - Alice Ferris / LinkedIn - Jim Anderson / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / Myspace

Communicating Your Mission with Infectious Passion

It has been said that no one ever gave to an organization because of a Power Point presentation. Or a case statement.

Fundraisers talk about case statements a lot. It’s a document that outlines the history, mission and vision of the organization, plus gives the detail of the project that is the center of the fundraising campaign. Sometimes the documents are long, and sometimes they can be a bit dry.

The question becomes, “Will the donor even read it?” Maybe not.

So, turn your case statement into a “bedtime story.”

First, you have once upon a time. What was the situation that caused your organization to come into being?

Next, introduce your hero or heroine. This might be a founder, or a current leader, or a person your organization serves. Highlight the quest or mission—what do they want or need to accomplish?

Then, put obstacles in the way. Why can’t our hero succeed in the current state?

But don’t leave it at that. Describe what happily ever after looks like. Show how the world can be a better place if the hero accomplishes his or her goals.

Finally, put the donor in the story. Show how the donor can be your “deus ex machina” or “god from the machine.” Demonstrate that your donor can help make the happily ever after, happen.

It’s very easy to fall into the habit of putting together slides and charts to communicate your cause. While valid data is still critical to support your case, if you can develop a short “once upon a time” tale, you have a great way to immediately connect with a potential contributor.

This Tip is excerpted from “Storytelling: Communicating Your Mission with Infectious Passion,” soon to be presented in Tucson, Arizona. For more information on this workshop, contact GoalBusters or check our Workshops and Presentations page.

Also, for a great article on storytelling in fundraising by Alessandra Bianchi, visit Stanford Social Innovation Review.
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Connect with GoalBusters: LinkedIn - Alice Ferris / LinkedIn - Jim Anderson / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / Myspace

Diversifying Your Donor Base

In a personal portfolio, you may have some money in stocks, some invested in bonds, and other resources in cash or checking. You may even have collections like art or coins that you are holding. Some tools provide regular cash flow, others provide long-term equity. The reason you have all these tools at your disposal is to even out risk.

Likewise, your organization’s philanthropic portfolio should be diverse. Foundations and corporations might be able to provide generous grants, but they are also highly sensitive to economic conditions. Special events great for a quick boost to your contributions, but are hard to rely on for a long-term base. Individuals and their estate plans are wonderful for long term equity building.

By not becoming over-reliant on any one contribution source, your organization can survive the ebbs and flows of our economy. This is critically important, because many nonprofit organizations have been asking lately, “Will donors still give during an economic downturn?” Historically, yes!

According to Giving USA, people in the United States gave $306 billion in 2007 to charitable causes. While we may not see enormous, record-setting gifts this year, we will probably see more people getting involved. Often people think, “If I’m having a tough time, others must be too.” The contributions may not be as large, but there will be more of them!

So if your organization has a solid, diverse base of support, you too can weather the economic storm. And, you can continue to do great things for your community!

This Tip is excerpted from “Fundraising Boot Camp: Diversifying Your Donor Base,” soon to be presented in Yuma, Arizona and Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information on this workshop, contact GoalBusters or check our Workshops and Presentations page.
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Connect with GoalBusters: LinkedIn - Alice Ferris / LinkedIn - Jim Anderson / Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / Myspace