A Real Difference

2007 Direct Mail Fund Drive

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Background

• GCCF Foundation established in 2005

• 2nd year for direct mail fund drive– Same timing = October mailing– Same type of materials in mailing:

• Letter• Donation form (reply device)• Brochure• Pre-addressed return envelope

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Goals

• General goals for 2007 fund drive:– Build endowment $– Build donor base #’s– Achieve similar “net” as 2006

Donations “in” endowment

exceed costs “out” of pass-through

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Tactics

• Measurable goals• New target• New message• Reinforced message• Team coordination

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MADE A REAL DIFFERENCE EXCEEDED GOALS!

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Measurable Goals

2006

Act

2007

Goal# HH’s mail 433 600

Cost $560 $1100

Donations $1520 $2000

“Net” $960 $900

Response 9 = 2% 20 = 3%

Set realistic goals based on last year results

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Results as of 11/30/07

2007

Goal

2007

Act# HH’s mail 600 600

Cost $1100 $1100

Donations $2000 $8150 4 x goal!

“Net” $900 $7050 in 2 mo.

Response 20 = 3% 49 = 8%

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Results as of 1/22/08

2007

Goal

2007

Act

2007

Act# HH’s mail 600 600 600

Cost $1100 $1100 $1100

Donations $2000 $8150 $9762

“Net” $900 $7050 $8662

Response 20= 3% 49 = 8% 57 = 10%

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New Target

Last Year:• Board members = 34• list of HH’s $100k+ = 399 Total = 433

HH’s

This Year:• Past donors = 70 (incl. Board Members)

• Board Members = 21 Total = 600 HH’s• list of “charitable” donors = 509

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Charitable Donors

List from infoUSA.com • Consumer database

– lifestyle variable = charitable donors ( “ever donated”)

• 890 HH’s of 3916 HH’s in Greene Co.• Cost = $178• Income disbursed:

HHI Charitable Total Greene Co.<$59k 64% 71%$60-99K 25% 20% $100k+ 11% 9%

• receive instantly via email• Only 509 names used!

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Results by Donor

List $ % # %

Past Donors* $7892 81% 27 47%

Board Members $850 9% 7 12%

Charitable List $910 9% 21 37%

Other $110 1% 2 4%

Total $9762 100% 57 100%

*includes Board Members

•$910 from $178 charitable donor list•30 new donors (7+21+2)

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New Message

Last Year:• Tax benefit appeal

– “Two ways to decrease the tax you owe with just one donation”

– Tax credit hard to explain• Deduction in 2006 but credit in 2007

• Donate to one of funds listed– Most likely confusing…

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New Message (cont.)

This Year:• Two-pronged emotional appeal

– Make a real difference– Giving back to your community means giving forward

for the FUTURE of Greene County

• Emphasized “local” connection of giving– Examples of recent grants awarded per town– 36 board members from across the county

• Two versions: past donor & new donor

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Letter

Used pointers from Mal Warwick book, 2001,

“How to Write Successful Fundraising Letters”• Greeting (local connection)

– “Dear Friend and Neighbor”

• Why donate (emotional appeal)– “Would you like to feel the satisfaction of knowing

that something you did made a real difference in the lives of the next generation of Greene County families?”

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Letter (cont.)

• Ask for donation– “If yes, then I invite you to join others … through a

donation to the Greene County Community Foundation.”

• Back-it up (support w/local connection)– Listed examples of grants awarded to across the

county

“If you’ve seen the renovations made to Grand Junction’s swimming pool, Churdan’s Centennial Building…”

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Letter (cont.)

• How donate– Listed dollar amounts

“…whether it’s $10, $100 or $1000.”

– mentioned donation form and return envelope

• When donate– Deadline and reason (take advantage of tax credit)

• Thank you & closing– GCCF president’s scanned signature in blue ink

• Include P.S.– P.S. You can also donate online at …

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Reinforced Message

Repeated message in mailing materials:• donation form• enclosed brochure (board listed by town)• back-of-envelope sealing label:

Make a real difference!OPEN NOW!

From your Churdan board members,

Lawrence Geisler, John Hunt, Julie Towers

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Reinforced Message (cont.)

Supported message with:• Press release reminders in local papers

– One week before mailing– Two weeks before deadline

• Email to board members for donations• Special newspaper column in local papers

– Week of deadline

• “Thank You” letter from GCCF president– Included tax credit application form with GCCF return

address

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Team Coordination

• Met to determine approach and tactics– review pointers in fundraising letter book – back-of-envelope label– “localize” message– mention smaller donation amounts– stamps purchased from every Post Office in county

• Met to delegate tasks– Tasks listed– Target dates for completion– Task assigned

• Email updates & reminders

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Summary

• General goals for 2007 fund drive:– Build endowment $

4 x goal in 2 months!

Approx. $10,000 total!– Build donor base #’s

30 new donors!– Achieve similar “net” as 2006

Donations well exceeded cost of mailing!

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Summary

New tactics=

MADE A REAL DIFFERENCE!

CVC Award=

Will help to make a difference again!Thank You!