Update from the 2018 AFP International Conference
Case for Support: Not Just for Big Campaigns
Leah Eustace - Blue Canoe Consulting
The following is a recap of the first session of AFP International Conference, I attended on Cases for Support.
The essence of the presentation was that a good case for support focuses on the "WHY" not the "How." We are again encouraged to put the donor at the center of the story. If we use strong emotional language and good storytelling, then we will "sell" our campaign.
Speaking of campaigns many times we only think of Cases for Support regarding campaigns, but they are useful for general organizational support. In fact, I would say that a good case for support keeps us honest about who we are and what we are doing. It keeps us as Leah said "Singing off of the same song sheet."
She recommends a 5 to 6-page document as a start. This document can serve as the base for a longer case as well as an Annual Report, website, brochure or Gratitude Report. I could also see using it as the base for a Major Donor annual gift request.
Leah recommends the following seven parts to a case for support.
1. Emotional Powerful Opening ( You might want to write this last.)
2. Mission and vision
3. History of Impact (brief)
4. Problems that need solutions
5. Outcomes/solutions
6. Sense of urgency
7. Call to action
She also recommends, and I heartily agree that you should get your designer involved early. You may find that the design can help drive the project. Your case shouldn't look and feel like a term paper or dissertation. She actually drew a little schematic of the finished piece. You don't have to be a designer to do this you just need to figure out how many pages you want your case to be and then divide the seven parts among the pages. I would then add a couple of pages for attention-grabbing and emotional pictures. Once you add the pictures your 5 to 6-page document might be 10 to 12 pages.
The other big take away from the session was the following: If you need money, ask for advice. If you need advice ask for money.
If you would like the slides from this presentation click here.
I will be posting recaps of other sessions from the 2018 AFP International Conference in the future.
Looking back at last year's AFP International Conference while looking forward to this year's conference next month in New Orleans.
Live Blogging for AFP International Conference in San Francisco
Here we go. The crowd at the Moscone Center is primed and ready to go.
Are you thoughtful in your acknowledgment process?
Every year at this time I like to remind people that this is the perfect time to review your acknowledgment process. Do you do enough? Is it possible to do too much?
First and foremost every donor should get a letter that acknowledges their gift. At a minimum, it must include the amount of the gift and a statement telling if any "goods or services" were exchanged for the gift. That isn't my rule it's the IRS's rule.
We produce seven different letters; New Gift, $.1 - $99, $100 - $249, $250 - $499, $500 - $999, $1,000 and up, Special Letters.
Every new donor gets a welcome letter that also serves as their thank you letter. Ideally, this would be two different letters, but for the sake of expediency, we combine those letters. This system works out ok because mid-level and major donors get additional contacts via phone, email or a handwritten letter.
A different letter is sent depending on the gift's level. Each letter is different and each one emphasis the donor's role in helping the organization fulfill its mission. Also the higher level donors get live signed letters. The lower levels get digital signatures on their letters. We also try and put personal notes on as many of the letters as time allows.
Donor's giving $1,000 or more get a totally different letter that is signed with the board chair's name. This one is the most personal. Finally, we have special letters these are written when a gift is exceptional, unexpected or different in some way.
We produce over 10,000 letters a year the largest number during the year-end season. We could not do this if our CRM / donor database didn't allow us to automate the process. But even if you don't have full automation you can still do a great deal with a spreadsheet and a word processor.
What else do we do? Well as I mentioned before we send personal notes and make phone calls to donors. Besides their thank you letters, donors who give at $250 to $999 get a personal phone call, and donors at the $1,000 level and above get a handwritten note and possibly a special letter.
Every individual giving program is different, but one thing that should be the same for everyone is thanking your donors.
What does 2018 hold for individual giving?
How will the new tax code affect charitable giving in 2018? I wish I could tell you, but no one knows. The charitable deduction is still part of the tax code but with the individual and married couples deductions being doubled who knows what will happen. I like to use data to figure things. I crunch data, I look at historical patterns, and I create graphs. None of this is a help in this particular case.
There are so many variables I just don’t know. Mainly how many of my donors itemize their taxes now that won’t need to in 2018. We are counting on people merely being charitable, wanting to use what resources they have to make the world a better place and not expecting anything tangible in return.
2018 begins a new chapter for all non-profits who depend on donations for middle-income individuals. It would seem to me that we might slip through 2018 since most people won't know exactly how the new tax law will affect them until the end of the year, which is problematic since year-end is when we count on the majority of our donations coming in.
If you have any ideas or techniques, you are using to estimate changes in your individual giving goals; please share them here. I, for one, am going to double down on being donor-centric and telling thoughtful and compelling stories. I believe that though we will see some shrinkage in gifts in 2018 that overall people will continue to support the causes in which they believe.
I just wish I could crunch some data to back up that belief.
Short Thoughtful Post
It Occurs To Me
August 25, 2022
Quitting Quietly-
I am fascinated by this concept, this movement. I always figured that once you got a job, you did your best at the job, maybe you learned some new stuff and used that to, at some point, move to a higher position. If you are "quietly quitting," are you doing your best at your job? Isn't that our part of the hiring bargain? This NYTimes article examines many of the issues surrounding this movement. What do you think? Click the photo below to read the article.
Please leave a comment, thoughtfully.
Thoughtful Stewardship
I recommend...
I have used MailChimp for years and not just for sending E-Correspondence. It is great for website sign up forms and event registration. The best part is it integrates with lots of other apps and is FREE up to a point. To register and learn more click on FREDDIE!
I recommend...
I have used Suteground or a ny=umer of years for hosting bith full websites and domains usrd for emails. They support all of the major CCM and CRM system. The also have a number of free extensions and apps. Most importantlh they have put a great deal of time and resources into customer support. Click here to receive a discount. and to learn more about their services.