Creating a Development Plan

Hitting the Target

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Mary Lee Gannon, CAEPresident, St. Margaret Foundation

President, StartingOverNow.com

The Development Plan Hitting the Target

• 1. Know your “Case for Support” – the need must be timely and urgent.

• Are you mindful about your case for support

• 2. Define your constituents.

• 3. Define strategies around your constituents and NOT your timeline of fundraising activities.

• 4. Keep and analyze good data.

• 5. Create an individual strategy for every constituent.

• 6. Create a goal for every constituency.

• 7. Determine how many donors you will need and at what level to reach each constituent goal when appropriate.

• 8. Create a timeline for each initiative in the plan.

• 9. Create a budget for the plan.

• 10. Track and record results and communicate results to stakeholders.

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*What do you respond to first – what you know or how you feel?

How do you create a Case for Support that stands out? What motivates people to engage, donate, act, change their behavior?

One of your best friends just told you she got a great job out of town. Is your VERY FIRST thought, “What a great opportunity for her” or “I am really

going to miss her?”

One of your best friends just told you she got a great job out of town. Is your VERY FIRST thought, “What a great opportunity for her” or “I am really

going to miss her?”

How you feel!

What you know.

What motivates people to engage, donate, act,

change their behavior?

*What do you respond to first – what you know or how you feel?

How do you get at the heart of what people feel so they

can begin to care about your mission?

*MindfulnessMindfulness:

* A non-judgmental awareness of one's self, including sensations, thoughts, emotions and the awareness of your perceptions of others and situations. It is an acceptance of what is.

* The quieting of a busy mind, becoming more aware of the present moment and less caught up in what happened earlier or what’s to come.

* You give your full attention to what you are doing in the moment.

Great leaders, top producers,

outstanding executives are

mindful.

• There were 477 scientific journal articles on mindfulness published in 2012.

• Researchers have found that multitasking leads to lower overall productivity.

• The Department of Defense awarded two $1 million grants to investigate Mindfulness-Based Mind Fitness Training in Marines.

• The government dedicated $3.4 million in grant funds to study mindfulness training and stress at work and school.

• The Mindful Revolution was the cover story in Time February 2014.

*Mindfulness

"It's about training our minds to be more focused, to see with clarity, to have spaciousness for creativity and to feel connected," said Janice Marturano, deputy general counsel at General Mills who founded the mindful program at the company told Financial Times Magazine. "That compassion to ourselves, to everyone around us - our colleagues, customers - that's what the training of mindfulness is really about.“

There are 500 employees on the waiting list at Google for the class “Search Inside Yourself” taught by Chade-Meng Tan, an engineer.

*Mindfulness

How do you slow down enough to notice what will engage a

donor to care about your mission?

*#1 reason people feel fulfilled and successful:

They feel WORTHY to be there! They BELONG!

How do you provide donors an

experience where they BELONG?

#1. Know your Case for Support – the perceived need must be timely and urgent.

Who is the face of your organization? (It’s not you. You are the messenger)

hope…

Whose story are you telling?

Is it in their voice?

Is your Case for Support supported by a strong mission, vision and goals?

MISSION AND VISION OF THE ORGANIZATION :

Mission Vision Values

GOALS :Strategic goals Financial goals

#2. Define your constituents.

Constituents are any parties that might be a potential source for donations – people who have a stake in your success.

ARTS:PatronsTicket holdersArtistsEducatorsFacultyEmployeesSchoolsVolunteers

CRIME PREVENTION:PoliceLawyersVictimsVictims’ FamiliesUniversitiesStaffVolunteersPerpetrators’ FamiliesSOCIAL SERVICE AGENCY:

EmployersVolunteersGovernmentCommunity Neighborhoods

Your internal family must donate first so that they may be referenced in asking the community constituents.

Approaching DonorsThe goal is to move constituents up the “Donor Pyramid” for greater giving.

#3. Define strategies around your constituents and NOT your timeline of fundraising activities.This is a Timeline –

NOT a Plan

• February – Employee Campaign

• April – Foundation deadlines

• May – Grateful Patient Mailing

• August – The Golf Outing

• September – The Gala

• October – Physician’s Appeal

• November – Annual Appeal mailing to existing donors

• December – Phon-a-thon

This is a Pre-Defined Plan WITH a Timeline

Employees

The Employee Campaign - June 13th to July 11th. Goal: $74,000 for FY 2012 – 10%^ Audience = all employees and employed physician employees. Payroll deduction. Employees will be encouraged to give here and not during United Way (12% held by UW) but may give in Sept. during UW as well.

• April 26th – A survey will be circulated to all employees on the Foundation to build engagement.

• May 23rd and 24th – Team Leader Meetings 8:00 am and 2:30 pm – department representatives to lead the charge.

• June 1st – Hospital President’s letter will be mailed to employees’ homes.

• (Continued)

Examples of tools for soliciting and communicating with constituents – Stay in Front of Your Donors! (Not always with an “ask.”)

• Direct Mail – Specific amounts, recurring donation via credit card, donor centered newsletters

• Online – Web site, e-mail - Online revenue accounts for 8% of total annual giving (Target Analytics 2010)

• Social Media – Drive traffic to your Web site (Pinterest, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter)

• Telemarketing

• Mobile “Text to Give”

• Printed Materials – newsletters, brochures

• E-newsletters – Like us on Facebook and WIN!

• Advertising Marketing

• Public Relations and Press Releases (BEFORE the event)

Personalize your solicitations and communications.

• Reference past giving history.

• Reference deceased family member for whom you have received memorial gifts.

• Call donors to thank them personally. Have their record open and reference something you know about them personally.

• Send birthday cards.

• Personal notes

• Other examples?

#4. Keep and analyze good data.

• Analyze your returns from last year for each constituency (and from previous years if you have the data).

• Include for each constituency group (existing donors, patient list, volunteers, board, etc.):

• 1. A description of the audience used for the mailing

• 2. # solicited

• 3. # of gifts – new gifts vs. previous donors

• 4. # Average gift amount

• 5. Variable costs associated with the appeal

Example:Annual Appeal Mailing FY11• Total Money Raised:

$60,482.25• Number of Gifts: 344• Average Gift: $159.66• Total Solicited: 6,102 • Audience: Donors past 6

years-all former doctors, board members, all $500 and up donors- add ons: all $100 and up donors, 15215, 15238 non donors-grateful patients mailing list (no patients)

• Total New Donors: 24 (Did not mail to anyone that was not already a donor or a visit.)

• Percentage Returned: 5.64% (most of the mailing was to lapsed donors)

• Mailhouse expense/bulk mail: $2,667.03

• Net: $57,815.22

#5. Create an individual strategy for every constituent. Who should be partnering with you?

• Strategies may include:

• Mailings

• Personal solicitation

• Volunteer leadership to assist with solicitation ie: Employee Team Leaders from each department.

• A communication plan

• A review of past appeal performance

• Partners to support the appeal ie: Are there local businesses that will donate product for an employee campaign? Will the president of the medical staff sign the solicitation letter to your physicians? Will the board chair call other board members about their gift?

#6. Create a goal for every constituency.

• Set a percentage increase goal for which you will aim ie: Increase 10%. Base this goal on trends you see in the data across what new innovations you will implement.

• Example:

Employee Campaign Goal: $74,000 for FY 2013 – 10%^ (FY2012 Annual Fund Campaign in July 2011 raised $67,000 from 405 donors – the goal was $50,000. The FY2010 campaign raised $33,000.)

#7. Determine how many donors you will need and at what level to reach each constituent goal when appropriate.

What will the mindful message be for each individual? Corporations? Organizations? Foundation? Banks?

#8. Create a timeline for each initiative in the plan.

Development Calendar – (not including grant submissions)

Sept. 1- Annual Appeal Letter sent- $33,565Sept. 1- Retired employee solicitationSept. 13- Physician SurveySign up for Pittsburgh Foundation’s day of giving5K Solicitations- $44,200United Way- $31,560Oct. 7- Family Health Center AppealOct. 11- Physician solicitation letter- $27,000Oct. 13 – Day of GivingOct. 25- Poinsettia bulk mailing sent- $5,250Nov. 1- Send Thanksgiving cardsDec. 1- Begin Phonathon for Lapsed Annual DonorsJan. 1- Spring HaloMarch 1 – Drop Doctor’s Day AppealWishbook Application Pittsburgh FoundationMarch 22- Mothers Day appeal bulk mailed- $5,000April 15- Oncology Appeal sent- $4,700April 26-Send surveys to employeesMay 22- 5KMay 23- Team Leader Meeting #1 for ECMay 24- Team Leader Meeting #2 for ECMay 26- Lybunt/Sybunt letter mailedJune 1-Mail Hospital Presidentletter to employees for ECJune 8- Distribute pledge forms to team leaders- $74,000

June 13- Nickel Sundae MondayJune 21-Frownie Brownie Day -ECJune 28-Free Fountain Drink - ECJuly 1- SON Appeal letter sent- $5,000July 5- Free Pizza - ECJuly 11- EC Campaign closesAug. 1- Annual Donor Halo sentBoard Giving- $78,500Hospital Board Members- $1,000 per person

Creating a Strong Fundraising Committee

• Recruit with referrals from current volunteer leadership

• Invite them to a training

• Create and give them a Fundraising Manual. The Manual should include:

• Contact information on all key stakeholders

• Your Development Plan

• A Committee Description and Agreement

• A history of the organization

• Current programs

• Basic fundraising strategies

• What is expected of the Fundraising Committee

#9. Create a budget for the plan.INCOME

• Unrestricted Income (Contributions)

• Temp. Restricted Income (Contributions)

 

EXPENSES

• Salaries & Wages

• Payroll Tax Expense

• Employee Benefits

• Office Supplies

• Software Maintenance

• Copying

• Printing - Internal

• Printing - Outsourced

• Printing - Outsourced

• Storage

• Telephone

• Postage

• Website Fees

• Repairs & Maintenance

• Prospect Research

• Travel

• Auto

• Meals & Entertainment

• Legal Fees

• Consulting

• Bookkeeping

• Audit

#10. Track and record results and communicate results to stakeholders. Modify!

• Post daily updates in your office to keep the enthusiasm high.

• Send email updates on campaigns and initiatives to the people who helped to brainstorm ideas for you.

• 15 minute stand up meeting every morning to track progress.

• Everybody gives a review of what they are working on – is it aligned with our metrics in the plan?

Analyze your data and keep key metrics.

Know these facts:

• Number Mailed

• Responses

• Gross Income

• Total Cost

• Know how your different constituencies did

• Keep attrition and retention data – what % of donors do you loose annually

• Online - open rates , click-through rates, number of actions (sign-ups, votes, donations)

Calculate and Track:* Percent Response * Average Gift * Net Income * Cost Per Dollar Raised

Have a dashboard with monthly updates on your metrics visible at any time.

The Donor Database

• Your database should fit the needs of your organization. If you only have 100 donors you do not need expensive donor software. If you want to grow a program beyond that you should fully evaluate all of the available options. Vendors for database management include:

• Blackbaud – Raisers Edge

• DonorPro

• DonorPerfect

• Convio

• eTapestry

• FundRaiser Software

The Donor Database

• Your database should enable you to keep specific information on donors that will help you build relationships. ie:

• Track all relevant contact information

• Track familial relationships

• Track solicitations appeals sent

• Track donations and from what source

• Track donor/prospect “moves” (visits, calls, emails, etc.)

• Track birthday (age) for planned giving

• Track email addresses

• Run reports on highest amount given, all donors who have given the last three years, all donors to a specific purpose, etc.

Clean up your donor database.

• Eliminate duplicates

• Update bad postal addresses

• Eliminate non-deliverable e-mail addresses

• Properly flag records (deceased, do not mail, do not e-mail)

• Honor donor choices (mail me 1x year)

Stewardship is key to donor development. It’s all about the relationship.

• Thank donors.

• Invite donors to the facility to hear testimonials from other donors and see your program at work.

• Report back on how their gift is being used to make a meaningful difference.

• Thank them again.

• Invite them to your facility to see their dollars at work making a difference

• Thank them again.

• Send them video testimonials of who their gift is making a difference.

• Thank them again.

Post your daily results to celebrate!

• Update this daily to keep focused. Staff, visitors and donors pay attention!

Questions?

The Development Plan Hitting the Target

Mary Lee Gannon, CAEPresident, St. Margaret Foundation

President, StartingOverNow.com