2015 Affiliate Network Workshop Contents:

• Cycle of Fund Raising

• How Diverse Is Our Income?

• Prospect Form

• The Case - Simplified Worksheet

• Sample Major Gifts Letter

• Phone Responses to Objections

• Major Gifts Visit – Structuring the Conversation

• Trust Your Instincts- Six Quick Asks

• Sample Fund Raising Plan

• BSC Fund Raising Plan 2014

• Fund Raising Planning Calendar

Materials courtesy of Andy Robinson http://andyrobinsononline.com

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Facilitating the exercise

1. Photocopy the handouts in advance.

2. Share copies of the Cycle of Fundraising handout (page 44) with your trainees. Explain that this is a simple map for creating healthy, mutually beneficial relationships with donors. Note that only a fraction of the work is asking for money. Most of the cycle is about what happens before and after asking.

3. As a warm-up for the small group work to follow, ask the full group to brainstorm one or two activities that might fit into each phase. For exam-ple, “What are some of the ways we might identify prospective donors?” (Two possible answers: compile lists of friends, and review published donor lists from peer organizations.) Ask similar questions for each phase

Cycle of Fundraising 1:00

Why Do this exercise?It’s an easy first step to creating a model for strengthening relationships with your donors

Use this exercise WhenYou want to emphasize that asking for gifts is only a small part of a larger process

time required60 minutes

audienceAll participants in your fundraising campaign: some combination of board, staff, and volunteers

settingA space large enough to accommodate several small groups of three to five

Materials• Flipchartpaperandmarkers• Threehandouts:Cycleof

Fundraising, North Lakeland DiscoveryCenterDonorEngagementMenu,andCycleofFundraising:BuildingaDonor Engagement Menu

(See pages 44-46)

This exercise reduces resistance by helping people move past the idea that fun-draising equals asking for money. You can create a menu of ways everyone—board, staff, volunteers, donors—can participate, even if they’re unwilling to be askers. If you want to develop a fundraising culture throughout your orga-nization, this is a great way to start.

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of the donor cycle—“What steps could we take to educate and cultivate donors?”—encouraging an answer or two for each phase.

4. Once the large-group brainstorm is complete, distribute copies of the donor relationship menu developed by the North Lakeland Discovery Center (page 45). Explain that it was created by board and staff working together. Give participants a few moments to review the handout and ask questions.

5. Ask your colleagues to form small groups of three to five. Share copies of the worksheet Cycle of Fundraising: Building a Donor Engagement Menu (page 46). Ask each small group to fill it in, brainstorming one stage of the cycle at a time: “What are our different options for identifying prospects? Fill in the relevant box. How about educating and cultivating those pros-pects?” And so on. Let them know they will have about fifteen minutes to complete the worksheet.

6. While the small groups are brainstorming, write the following titles—one per sheet—on flip chart paper:

• IdentifyProspects• Educate,Cultivate,Involve• Ask• ThankandRecognize• InvolveMoreDeeply

7. After about fifteen minutes, reconvene everyone into the large group to report their work. Begin by collecting all the items for Identify Prospects, writing them on the relevant flip chart page. Then collect the items for Educate, Cultivate, Involve. Capture all ideas for each stage in the cycle before moving to the next.

8. To debrief this exercise, use some combination of the following questions as you discuss each flip chart page:

• Whichofthesetasksarewealreadydoing?• Whatstepsdoweneedtofocusontoimproveourdonorrelations?• Arethereanyspecifictasksyouwouldliketohelpwith?

9. To conclude, draw a large circle on a piece of flip chart paper. With the help of the participants, divide the circle into a pie chart graph indicating how much time your organization should spend on each of the five func-tions. For an example, see page 47.

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As you wrap up, ask for a volunteer to transcribe your flip chart notes into the Cycle of Fundraising template. It will provide a simple one-page map outlin-ing your donor identification and engagement strategy. It also creates a menu of ways everyone in the organization can assist with fundraising, including many ways that don’t involve asking.

training tip Templates help people understand new concepts in a tangible way. While not necessary, we have found that reviewing a com-pleted template (see next pages) helps people build a model that fits their own organizations. We have tried this exercise both ways—sharing the template first vs. allowing the group to build its own from scratch—and can vouch that using the template early in the exercise is very helpful.

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44

Cycle of Fundraising

iDentiFyprospects

involve MoreDeeply

eDUcate,cUltivate, involve

thank anDrecognize ask

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46

Cycle of FundraisingBUilDing a Donor engageMent MenU

Create a menu of activities for each stage of the relationship:

identify prospects

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

educate, cultivate, involve

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

the ask1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

thank and recognize1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

involve MoreDeeply

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

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Adapted from Tina Cincotti, Funding Change Consulting. Used with permission. Thanks, Tina!

Cycle of Fundraising Time Allocation

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Breakdown of Time Spent on EachPhase of Fundraising Cycle

AFFILIATE NETWORK Typical Annual Revenues

Typical Annual Revenues

250000

15000

43327

350000

170000

30000

200000

100000

43000

4000

160000

25000

170000

10000

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

350000

400000

Colorad

o

Florida

Illinois

Kansa

s

Kentuc

ky

Maine

Marylan

d

New Eng

land

New Je

rsey

New York

City

Ohio

Tenne

ssee

Utah

Wyoming

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Colo

rado

Flor

idaIlli

nois

Kans

asKe

ntuc

kyM

aine

Mar

yland

New

Engla

ndNe

w Je

rsey

New

York

City

Ohio

Tenn

esse

e

Utah

Wyo

min

g

Fees for Services

Conferences

Fund RaisingEvents

Grants

Individual, Board,Corporate andMajor DonorsMembership Dues

AFFILIATE NETWORK Revenue Sources *Not shown in chart: 25% of Colorado’s revenue comes from in-kind salaray and office space

AFFILIATE NETWORK Typical Percent of Revenues Derived from Various Sources

Affiliate

Typical Annual

Revenues

MembershipDues

Indiv. Giving

Board Giving

Corporate Gifts

Major Donors

Foundation and

Corporate Grants

Gov Grants

Fund Raising Events (stand alone)

Fund Raising

Events (held within

conferences, etc.)

Conference Registration

fees and Sponsorships

Fees for services

and other earned income

Interest, investment,

or Endowment

income

CO $ 250,000 2 10 1 1 1 24 4 3 0 24 5 0

FL $ 15,000 10 2 0 0 0 0 38 0 1 49 0 0

IL $ 43,327 14 4 4 0 0 35 0 0 4 9 25 3

KA $ 350,000 5 8 2 0 1 14 42 3 1 15 8 0

KY $ 170,000 0.9 0.9 1.5 0 0 48 14.5 5.25 4 16 4 0.03

ME $ 30,000 10 0.25 0.05 0 0 35 15 0 0 40 0 0

MD $ 200,000 4 2 1 0 0 19 35 0.3 0 41.5 0 0

NE $ 100,000 6 0.1 0.1 0 0 0 50 0 1.3 43 0 0

NJ $ 43,000 0 0 0 0 0 4.6 0 0 95.4 0 0 0

NYC $ 4,000 38 13 0 0 0 0 0 49 0 0 0 0

OH $ 160,000 4 0.75 0.5 0 0 30 56 0.75 2 6 0 0

TN $ 25,000 12 1 0 1 0 0 0 3 8 60 1 14

UT $ 170,000 2.72 8.23 0.44 4.6 2.14 21.09 47.28 1.38 0.44 1.48 10.2 0

WY $ 1,000 0 0 10 0 0 0 90 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0.5 0.5 10 0 20 0 30 0 0 30 0

Prospect Form

Name/contact info Relationship to me

Believes in cause?

Gives to nonprofits?

Gives to us?

Gift range

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

The Case, Simplified -- Worksheet

What are we selling? In other words, what do we do well? Write down three things about our organization -- accomplishments, structure, the people involved, etc. -- that you're most proud of: 1. 2. 3. Differentiation: What makes our group unique? What do we have or do that no one else has or does? It’s OK to think about this geographically: “We are the only group in Washington County that…” 1. 2. 3. Market segmentation: Who are we trying to reach? List the audiences we want to reach for any purpose: education, service delivery, fundraising, advocacy, collaboration, etc. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

What's your favorite story? Write notes about your favorite anecdote or example that describes the impact of our work. Remember, “Statistics raise eyebrows but emotions raise money” – so go easy on the data and jargon. Pretend you’re talking to a friend or neighbor.

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Sample letter: Setting up the face-to-face ask

Martina Jones 123 Main Street Des Moines, IA 55555 Dear Martina: It’s that time of year again – we’re doing our annual fundraising campaign in support of (brief description of your mission). Last year, you made a very generous donation of $500, which is a big gift for us, and we really appreciate your support. Contributions from people like you helped us to accomplish the following: o (Big, impressive accomplishment) o (Not so big, but still impressive) o (Something interesting the donor is unlikely to know about)

This year, we face a number of challenges:

o (Big, scary challenge – maybe increased demand for your services?) o (Not so big, but still impressive) o (Perhaps something related to organizational development, rather than external factors)

To meet these challenges, we are asking our most generous supporters to consider doubling their gifts, which in your case would be a contribution of $1000. I appreciate that this is a big commitment, so before you decide, I would love the chance to meet with you, give you an update, learn more your interest in our work, and ask for your support. I will be calling you next week to set up an appointment. Again, thank you for your generous and loyal support. I look forward to speaking with you, and meeting with you, very soon. Warm regards, If you’re uncomfortable naming a number, consider language like this: We’re asking for gifts of between $500 and $5000 toward a campaign goal of $50,000. To be honest, I have no idea how much to ask you for, so let’s sit down together, discuss it, and you can tell me how much would be appropriate.

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If you’re soliciting a new prospect, the relevant paragraphs might be:

As you might know, I’m on the board of Everybody Loves Everybody, which works to (brief description of your mission). Our organization has a long history of success, including (insert bulleted items here). One of my tasks as a board member is to identify new supporters for our work. We’ve set goal of $____ and we’re seeking donations of between $____ and $____ to help meet that goal. I’d like to arrange an appointment so we can discuss the work and see if you’d like to contribute.

Use these letters as templates by adapting the language and tone as you see fit. In writing the letter, keep the following points in mind:

o It’s brief – no more than one page.

o It says “thank you.” It acknowledges past support or, in the case of new prospects, it thanks them for considering a gift.

o It’s explicitly about fundraising. It doesn’t hint or use code words – your intentions are

clear from the start.

o It includes numbers. It mentions the amount you seek or suggests a range of gifts.

o The purpose of this letter is not to get money, but rather to get a meeting. It’s not necessary to craft a piece of great literature – after all, this is a one-page “I want to meet with you” letter – so don’t strive for perfection. It might make sense for one person, perhaps a staff member, to prepare a standard letter that board members and other solicitors then customize. Get it done and mail it out.

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Do I Hear Any Objections? Responses to common put-offs

Sooner or later you will have this experience. After a few words of explanation – “Hi Leroy, this is Andy. I’m following up on the letter I sent about our fall fundraising campaign” – the person on the other end of the phone will say, “Sure, I’d love to get together. When’s a good time for you?” Until that day, however, you must learn to respond to the most common objections. I don’t mean to imply that this is one conversation and you have to handle eight or nine put-offs in a row. However, the general rule is that you should respond to at least three before you give up.

Objection: “I don’t have time to talk right now.” Response: “When would be a good time to call?” Objection: “You sent me a letter? What letter?” (Or alternatively, “There’s a pile of mail on the kitchen table – bills and such – and I’ve been avoiding it.”) Response: “Well, let me tell you about the letter.”

Objection: “I don’t really have the time to meet. Can’t we just do this over the phone?” Response: “That’s up to you. The meeting takes about twenty minutes, and I’ll make it as convenient as possible – I can come to your home or office, whatever works for you. This just works better if we meet face to face. But if you’d prefer, we can talk about it now.”

Objection: “I can’t afford the amount you’re asking for.” Response: “The amount is completely up to you. Let’s sit down together, discuss it, and then you’ll decide.”

Objection: “You know, I generally make charitable decisions with my spouse/partner/financial advisor/eight year old child/psychic friend.” Response: “Is it appropriate for the three of us to sit down together? If so, when would be a good time? If not, how can I help you to have that discussion – maybe the two of us could meet first?”

Objection: “You know, I support so many other groups and I’m tapped out for this year.” Response: “I know the feeling. Tell you what – let’s take the money off the table. I’d still like to meet with you because a) I’d like to thank you for your generous support last year, and b) when you’re budgeting for next year, perhaps you could remember us then. So let’s assume you won’t be giving now – I hear that. But I’d still like to meet. When would be a good time?”

Objection: “I gave because of your work on ____, but I don’t like the position you’ve taken on ____.” Response: “You know, I’d like to hear more about your concerns. Frankly, I don’t like everything the organization does, but overall I believe that the mission and the work are very important. Let’s get together and talk about it; then you’ll decide. If you choose not

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to give, I certainly respect that. When would be a good time to meet?”

Objection: “We’re down to one income and we don’t have the money.” Response: “I’m sorry to hear that. Is there some other way you’d like to be involved in our work?”

Objection: “This is just not a priority right now.” Response: “Well, your past support has meant a lot to us. Shall we keep you on the mailing list? Is it appropriate to contact you again in the future?”

You’re probably thinking, “What’s wrong with this guy? Can’t he take ‘no’ for an answer?” My response: “When people say no – “We don’t have the money” or “This is not a priority right now” – I hear them say no. But when they say, “That’s more than I can afford,” or “I have to talk with my spouse first,” that doesn’t mean that they don’t want to give – it means that they want to choose the amount or would prefer to consult with someone else before making a decision. The Three Rules of Telephone Appointment-Making: 1. Whatever the objection, take it literally. Rather than making assumptions about what other people mean, take them at their word. The corollary is this: if they say no – a clear, explicit no – you have to honor that. 2. Assume success. Don’t say, “Do you want to meet?” Ask, “When do you want to meet?” This is a subtle distinction, but it makes a big difference. 3. Keep bringing it back to your agenda. “When do you want to meet?” You have to find your own comfort level. If these suggestions seem a bit too assertive for your taste, back off a little. Strive for a balance between assertiveness and humility, between boldness and fear. If you give in to the fear – if you backpedal at the first objection – you do a disservice to yourself, your group, and your donors. Be bold and watch what happens.

Major gifts visit: Structuring the conversation

1. Build rapport. Chat a little. Start with topics that have no bearing on your organization or fundraising campaign. “How’s your job? What are your kids doing these days? I notice you’ve got your garden in; what are you growing this year?” Don’t spend a lot of time on idle chatter – the meeting might get away from you – but it’s good manners to ease into the topic at hand. 2. State your goals for the meeting. This step is optional but recommended. You might say, “Margarita, I’ve come today with three things on my mind. One, I’m here to tell you about our work. Two, I want to learn more about you and your interests. Three, it’s my responsibility to ask for your financial support. To tell you the truth, I’d like to know why you’re interested in our organization, so let’s start there.” This provides a clean segue into the next item. 3. Uncover the person’s needs and interests. Find out why he or she cares about your work. For a donor, the questions might be, “You gave us $500 last year, which is a big gift for us. Why did you do it? Why do you care about this issue?” When talking with a prospect who is considering a first gift, perhaps you can ask, “What’s your experience with our work? Why does it interest you?” Initiate a dialogue by asking questions. Get the prospect talking. 4. Present your organization: your goals, programs, and financial needs. Tell stories. Where relevant, cite statistics. Keep it brief; don’t overwhelm the person with a blow-by-blow description of your 14-point strategic plan. If you have visuals that tell your story – maps, graphs, photos, charts, or site plans – this is an opportunity to use them. Encourage questions. 5. Ask for the gift. Be clear, explicit, and straightforward. “Sally, as I mentioned in the letter, we were hoping you'd consider a gift of $1,000 to support our work. It would mean a lot to us. What do you say?” As an alternative, “As I mentioned in the letter, we’re looking for gifts of between $500 and $5,000. I appreciate that this is a wide range, and to be honest, we don’t know the appropriate amount to ask of you. How much would you like to give?” Once you’ve asked for the gift, wait – keep your mouth closed. Don’t make excuses or start to backpedal before the donor has a chance to respond. Just sit quietly and wait. 6. Deal with any objections. Some of the objections you answered by phone are likely to come up again now. Think in advance about these objections and how you might respond. Practice your answers and bring notes to the meeting. For example, if the person says, “You’re asking for more than I can afford,” you can reply, “How much would you like to give?” In response to, “I’m unable to give right now,” you could say, “Do you want to make a pledge now and pay later? If that works for you, it works for us.” Most of these responses are nothing more than common sense, so:

o Take a breath, o Ask yourself, “What’s the logical response to this concern?” o Respond accordingly.

7. Close the meeting. Restate any agreements you've made so both parties leave the room with the same expectations. Once again, be clear, explicit and straightforward.

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Trust Your Instincts: Six Quick Asks

Facilitating the exercise

1. First model the exercise. Recruit a partner to join you at the front of the room. Explain that your partner’s job is to ask you the question “Why should I give?” six times in a row. Your job, in modeling the exercise, is to come up with six different answers, customized to address what you know about your partner. For example,

“Why should I give?” “Sally, our organization sustains the community programs your mother

helped create. Your gift would be a great way to honor your family legacy.”

“Yes, but why should I give?” “Our group is one of the most effective in the city, and I know you like to

invest in groups that use money wisely and achieve tangible results. That’s why we’re asking you to consider a gift.”

00:30

This activity is a great warm-up for other, more complex role plays. You can even use it as a warm-up before a meeting with a real donor. It’ll help you learn to think on your feet, which is a key skill for fundraisers. Facilitators love it because it brings instant energy to the room and it’s simple to organize.

Why Do this exercise?Becausesoonerorlateryouwillhave to answer the question “Why should I give?”

Use this exercise When You are preparing people for face-to-face solicitations

time required20-30 minutes

audienceAnyone involved with your fundraising campaign: some combination of board, staff, and volunteers—especially those who are preparing for visits with donors

settingA quiet room large enough for people to pair up, talk, and hear each other

MaterialsNone

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“That’s good, but why should I give?” “Sally, you’re one of our most dedicated volunteers—so you understand

that volunteer labor isn’t enough to get everything done. Your gift supports the staff and training that makes volunteers like you so productive and increases our impact.”

(Continue with three more variations on “Why should I give?”)

If you like, encourage your partner to incorporate a few common excuses into the questions. For example, “I already support several organiza-tions—why should I give to yours?” or “I don’t have much money at the moment—why should I give?” As you model the exercise, do your best to provide thoughtful responses to the questions.

2. When you complete your six responses, take a bow and enjoy the applause. Spend a few minutes on feedback from the group: what they observed, what worked, and what might be improved.

3. Provide the following instructions to your participants.

a) Pair up; choose someone you don’t work with very often. (If both board and staff are being trained together, suggest board-staff pairs.)

b) Within each pair, decide who will be first to ask the questions and who will answer them.

c) The person being solicited asks the question six times: Why should I give? Variations on this question are encouraged. If you’re responding, do your best to come up with six different answers.

d) Switch roles and repeat.

e) Once you’ve completed the role play, take a few minutes to give each other feedback: What worked? What could we each do to make the case more effectively?

4. After the role play and feedback, reconvene the full group to debrief the exercise by asking some combination of the following questions:

• Whatworked?Whatdidyoudowell?• Whoheardagoodresponsetothequestion“WhyshouldIgive?”that

you’re willing to share?• Whatdothemosteffectiveresponseshaveincommon?

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One reason this exercise is effective is that with each subsequent reply to the question “Why should I give?” solicitors tend to come up with deeper, more meaningful answers, because they use the easy ones first. These later responses tend to have greater impact.

We thank our colleagues at the Center for Progressive Leadership for sharing this exercise.

training tip The success of this exercise depends, to some degree, on how well you model the answers at the start. If you require a lot of prepa-ration, set aside time to practice in advance with a friend or colleague, or even in the mirror. Talk into a voice recorder. You don’t have to be flaw-less, but you do need to be comfortable and authentic.

And if you’re one of those people who prefers improvisation to preparation, this activity was made for you. Jump in and have fun with it.

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SAMPLE FUNDRAISING PLAN-- ABC River Organization Strategy Goal(s) Action Steps Who When/How Much 1. New Member Acquisition

200 new members $4,000

1. Do a direct mail campaigns to 5,000 prospects, 1.5% response=75 2. Each board members recruits 5 new members(45) 3. Participants in rafts trips become members(50) 4. Buyers of books of raffle tickets become members(30)

Staff with help of consultant Board Staff Staff

May & Sept/$4,000 monthly/no cost summer/no cost fall/no cost

2. Renewals 100 out of 154(65%)@ $35 dues $3,500

1.Call last year's unrenewed members, asking them to renew 2.Do 3 mailings to current members, spaced 1 month apart 3. Call unrenewed members, asking them to renew

Staff & volunteers Staff Staff & volunteers

January/$50 Jan, Feb, Mar/$400 May/$50

3. Special Appeals

454 names @ 10% response, $50 ave. gift= $2,250

1.Prepare a special appeal to all members on lawsuit;

Staff Mid-November/$400

4. Special Events

$10,000 1.Hold a raffle which will generate money, educate the public and recruit members. Sell 2,000 tickets @$5/ticket

Board Committee

June-Oct/$2,500

5. Major Donors

$5,000 30 Donors: 20 @$100 8 @ $250 2 @ $500

1. Research names of potential major donors(120 names); 2.Create a special donor club with special benefits; 3. Schedule personal visits with as many of these people as possible to ask for money; 4. Where visits not possible, call or write a personal letter.

Staff with help of Board Staff Staff & Board Staff & Board

Do two campaigns, one in May/June and one in Nov/Dec/$500

6. Businesses $2,000 1.Talk with local businesses and ask them to sign on as "Friends" with a gift of $100 2.Send proposals out to selected corporations

Staff & volunteers Board Committee

Jun-Jul/$100 May/$100

7.Foundations: Lazar Trust UPS Found. Beldon Fund

$35,000 1. Research & prepare a list of foundation prospects 2. Prepare & mail out proposals 3. Follow-up

Intern Staff Staff

Ongoing; insignificant cost

8. Workplace Giving

$1,000 1.Apply for admission to state enivronmental federation or local Combined Fed Campaign

Staff or Board Member

Spring/Fall no cost

9. Planned Giving

-0- income unpredictable

1. Put an ad about bequests in every issue of newsletter

Staff Ongoing/no cost

Total Income $62,750 Total Expenses $11,300

Fundraising Calendar, ABC River Organization Strategy Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec New Members

X X X

Renewals X X X X Special Appeals

X X

Raffle X X X X X Major Donors

X X X X

Businesses X X X X Foundations X X X X X X X X Workplace X X X X X Bequests X X X Newsletter X X X

Cycle of Fundraising

Identify Prospects

1. Business Assoc. – Peers,

Personal, Rolodex 2. Tapping like organizations via

member lists, etc. 3. Ask supporters to “friendraise”

especially in outlying areas. 4. Identify people/businesses

directly benefiting from our work and our personal connection to them

5. People who own property abutting or near our preserved lands

6. Via lawyers / financial planners / CPA’s.

7. “Usual Suspects” around town

Involve More Deeply

1. Ask donors how they want to

be stewarded.

2. Invite donors to attend board meetings to provide feedback / advice

3. Invite donors to serve on committees / focus groups

4. Create a legacy society

Thank and Recognize

1. Speedy thank you letters from staff 2. Personalized thank you letters from the Board 3. Phone thank you (staff and Board) 4. Member-only events (feed people) 5. Give away local product (honey, seeds, etc.) 6. Leverage our artwork – give some away 7. Public recognition

The Ask

1. Face-to-Face 2. On the phone 3. By mail 4. Micro-events 5. Electronically

o Email o Website o Facebook o Twitter

6. Events / Fundraiser 7. Planned Gifts

Educate, Cultivate, Involve

1. Educate ourselves first 2. Provide on-land opportunities 3. Create professional maps for

sharing with donors/prospects 4. Utilize our photos 5. Host “Conservancy 101” events 6. Be at the table for decision

making opportunities 7. Bus tours of properties 8. Collaborations with other

organizations 9. Educate lawyers, financial

planners and CPA’s.

BLACK SWAMP CONSERVANCY FUNDRAISING PLAN

Strategy Goal Action Steps Who When 1. Major Donors

$90,000

1. Pair donor with a Conservancy liason 2. Create a donor specific “Touch” calendar 3. Meeting with Liason/ED 4. Invite to “Special Opportunities” 5. Asks by Conservancy Liason/ED 6. Invite to board meetings for feedback/ advice

1. ED/Trustees 2. ED/Liason 3. Liason 4. ED/Liason 5. ED/Liason 6. ED/Liason

1. ASAP 2. ASAP 3. At least once a year (non-ask) 4. Ongoing 5. Ongoing 6. March/May/June

2. Existing Donors

$38,000

1. Solicitation letters, phone calls, emails 2. Hand-written notes on solicitation letters 3. Written thank you from Trustee 4. Invite to “Member Only” events

1. Office Manager 2. Trustees / ED 3. Trustees 4. AC

1. Series of three, starting 11 months after last gift 2. Ongoing 3. Ongoing 4. Ongoing

3. Monthly Giving

$2,500

1. Asks in conjunction with solicitation letters. 2. Include in newsletter. 3. Find a Challenge Grant sponsor 4. Conduct 2-week campaign around challenge grant 5. Special mailing

1. ED 2. AC 3. ED 4. Trustees / ED / AC 5. AC

1. Ongoing 2. February newsletter 3. Jan – March 4. April 5. April

4. New Donors

$10,000

1. Trustee / staff rolodex 2. Micro-event (Trustee/supporter hosted) 3. Direct mail to like-organization member lists

and neigbors of preserves 4. “Usual Suspects” around town and

businesses/people directly benefitting from our work. Generate a list of potential supporters and cross-reference with Trustees rolodex

5. Written thank you from trustees 6. Public presentations 7. Invite to “Member Only” events

1. Trustees / Staff 2. Trustees/ Supporters 3. Lists by volunteers/ interns, letters by staff 4. Staff/Trustees 5. Trustees 6. Staff 7. AC

1. Names in April Signed at May board meeting 2. At host’s availability 3. Ongoing 4. June (Annual Meeting) 5. Ongoing 6. Once per month 7. Ongoing

5. Blue Grass & Green Acres

$32,500

1. Establish committee and begin planning 2. Solicit sponsorship 3. Secure auction items 4. Marketing / invitations 5. Execute event

1. AC 2. AC / ED / liasons 3. AC/Committee 4. AC 5. Committee

1. August 2. August-February 3. August-February 4. January-March 5. March 13, 2015

6. Foundations

$55,000

1. Prepare 2015 grant calendar 2. Research new opportunities 3. Submit grants/reports per grant calendar 4. Prepare database of foundation trustees

1. AC 2. AC 3. AC 4. Volunteer/Intern

1. January 2. January, June, September 3. Ongoing – per grant calendar 4. ASAP

7. Corporations

$18,000

1. Submit grants/reports per grant calendar 2. Focus corporate efforts on event sponsorship 3. Identify primary contacts & existing

relationships

1. AC 2. Trustees/ BG&GA Committee 3. All

1. Ongoing – per grant calendar 2. October - March

8. Board Giving

Included in Major Donors / Donor Renewals figures

1. One-on-one coversations with President 2. Board member pledge form at the annual meeting 3. Hard copy of annual report 4. Reminder note from the ED 5. Personal reminder from President

1. President 2. Executive Director 3. Staff 4. ED 5. Board President

1. March - May 2. June 3. July 4. September 5. November/December

9. Planned Giving

Long-range

1. Establish a working group 2. Put together plan 3. Board & Insider pledge campaign 4. Create a legacy society 5. Meetings with estate planners

1. ED 2. Working group 3. ED / Liason 4. Working group 5. ED & others

1. Now (meeting in January) 2. January – March 3. March 4. April 5. May - ongoing

10. Other

$2,500

1. Grain donation campaign 2. Prepare a “Friendraising” event calendar

1. ED/Landowners 2. ED/AC

1. August-December 2. ASAP

Totals $248,500

1. Major Donors

Better Steward our Major Donors and Build Stronger Connections with Them

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov DecPair donors with a Conservancy liason Goal: Cover at least our top 25 donorsCreate donor-specific "touch" calendarsMeetings with liasion and executive director Goal: At least one non-ask meeting per yearInvites to Board Meetings for feedback / adviceMailed hard copy of Annual Report, personal noteInvites to "special opportunities" Design special opportunities as they arise and based on donor interestsFace-to-Face / Phone asks On cycle based on donor's past giving and Conservancy's current needs

Prospect Development

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov DecTrustee and staff rolodex mining Goal: Identify 5-10 qualified major donor prospects (rolodex "owner" becomes liason)Create prospect-specific "touch" calendarsInvites to "special opportunities" Design special opportunities as they arise and based on prospect's interestsFace-to-Face asks with liason and ED

2. Existing Donors

Make Sure Donors Know We Value Them -- Retain Current Donors

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov DecRegular contact from the Conservancy Goal: "touch" every donor at least every six weeks in one form or anotherSolicitation letters, phone calls and emails Series of three, starting 11 months after last giftHand-written notes on solicitation letters Strategically ask for increased gifts Via hand-written notes and phone calls -- ED, or other contact with personal relationshipEnd of year postcards Last ditch effort if no gift receivedSpeedy thank you / gift receipt from ED Goal: Not more than 48-hour turn aroundHand-written thank you note from a board member Goal: At least 20 per monthInvites to "member only" events Special nature walks / transition Down-Home to free member-only event

Get-em'-Backs

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov DecRegular contact from the Conservancy Goal: "touch" every donor at least every six weeks in one form or anotherSolicitation lettersPhone calls Within a week of solicitation letter -- ED or (perferably) personal relationshipEnd of year postcards Last ditch effort if no gift receivedGratitude & Recognition As above, current donors

Landowner Giving

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov DecSolicitation letters Phone calls Best relationship -- ED, stewardship staff, AC -- adjust per monitoring visit scheduleLeverage annual monitoring visitsGrain donation push Leverage landowners and other key contacts to create examples

3. Monthly Giving Program

Grow Our Monthly Giving Program - Ensure Regular Funding

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov DecMake asks in conjuction with solicitations (notes) Try to move $30/yr donors to $5/mo, $50/yr donors to $10/month, etc.Highlight program / benefits in Feburary newsletterFind a challenge grant sponsor (e.g. "John Doe will donate $5,000 if we can sign up 20 new monthly donors this month"Conduct intensive 2-week campign around challenge

Black Swamp Conservancy Fundraising Calendar

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4. New Donors

Identify and Culture New Donors

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov DecTrustee and staff rolodex mining / letter from "owner" Goal: Identify 50-100 potential new donorsDirect mail campaigns to like-orgs member lists As lists are prepared by interns / volunteersInvites to "member only" events Year one onlyMicro-event hosted by Trustee / invested donor One of each … try it … see if it worksHand-written thank you note from a board member Goal: Lump with line 35, aboveEditorials / Letter to Editor by ED or President Goal: At least quarterly in appropriate communitiesPublic presentations Respond to community requestsFriend-raising Events See below

5. Blue Grass & Green Acres Fundraiser

Throw a GREAT Party, and Raise Important Funding in the Process

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov DecEstablish committee / begin planningSolicit sponsorships Face-to-face whenever possible, phone calls as second tierSecure auction itemsEvent marketing / invitationsExecute the event

7. Foundations

Ensure Continued and Expanded Foundational Support

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov DecPrepare Annual Grant CalendarResearch New Opportunities / Add to Calendar Intern / Volunteer vets for AC reviewCreate "Trustees List" to Avoid Carbon Copy Requests Intern / VolunteerIdentify Key Community Members / Roll Into Major Donor ListSubmit Grants / Reports Per Grant Calendar

8. Corporations

Garner Support From Corporations that Allign with Our Mission

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov DecSubmit Grants / Reports Per Grant CalendarTrustee and staff rolodex mining / identify relationshipsAssign Conservancy liasonInvites to "special opportunities" Invite to special opportunities as they arise and based on prospect's interestsFocus Corporate Efforts on BGGA Sponsorship By liason, face-to-face whenever possible, phone calls as second tier

2014 / 2015 Non-fundraising Events

Host Regular Friendraising Events

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov DecDown-Home 10/11 1:00 - 4:00 at Carter Historic Farm, Bowling GreenWinter Nature Walk Sawyer QuarryWildflower Walk Forrest WoodsNature / Bird Walk Cedar MeadowPhotography Workshop AC work with Art WeberPaddling Trip Maumee RiverSummer Nature Walk Bell PrairieSummer Nature Walk Pearson WetlandsVolunteer Workdays Stewardship Staff to design / manageDown-HomeEducational Speaker (Conservation Issues)

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Fundraising Planning Calendar

This works best if you reproduce it on a chalkboard, white board, or large pieces of paper taped to the wall. Adjust the spacing as needed; for example, if you submit many grant proposals, you will need more space to mark down application and reporting deadlines for all prospective funders. (Some groups include even more details: grant research, preliminary phone calls, trips to meet funders, etc.) Ideally, 3-5 people should prepare the first draft of this calendar, then share with program staff and board members. Include planning time for newsletters, alerts, and other donor cultivation and communication strategies. Organization ________________________________________________ Year _____________ Total FR goal $_______________ FR goal/ Cost/ Action steps Strategy strategy strategy by month: January February March April May June July August September October November December 1. Foundations $ $ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Corporations $ $ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Government $ $ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Membership/ $ $ Annual giving __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. Board giving $ $

_________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. Major donors $ $

_________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. Benefit events $ $

_________________________________________________________________________________________ 8. Earned $ $ income/sales __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 9. Investment $ $ & interest __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 10. Other $ $

_________________________________________________________________________________________ Totals $ $ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________