1. 1
Mid-Level Donor Stewardship
Lynne M. Wester
Yeshiva University

2. Road Map
 Understanding the Giving Gap
 Benefits of Mid-Level Strategies – What’s in it
for you!
 What’s a Mid-Level Strategy Look Like
 Visualizing the Future: Evidence for Success
 Questions?

3. The Collapsed Giving Pyramid
Annual Fund
Major Giving
What’s Missing?
No real focus on mid-level donors
The Giving Gap

4. The Donor Sombrero

5. • Donor Intelligence Driven
• Multi-Channel & Truly Integrated
• High Tech
• Highly Personal
• Appropriate ROI Measurements
What Mid-Level Strategy Looks
Like

6. Determining Interest
PASSIVE DATA
• Demographics
• Historical Giving Data
• Mail – Responders Only
• Interactive / Online
• Open rates
• Click-thru rates
• Video view rates
• Multiple sessions
• Response rates
• Heat map

7. Determining Interest
ACTIVE DATA
• Face to Face
• Survey
– What are the most important
questions to ask?
– What can we learn?
– Rate your loyalty, connection
points, likelihood to give
• Cross-Channel Integration
• Involvement

8. 1. Analyze current situation
2. Identify Mid-Level potential and donor interest
3. Develop Mid-Level strategies
4. Establish timelines and measures of success
5. Creating Accountability
6. Make the Case; Create win-win
7. Refine for the future
Implementation Plan Steps
Changing the Culture

9. Calendar Approach
• 9/2011 Thank You postcard
• 10/2011 Hanukkah Dinner Invite
• 11/2011 Thank A Donor card mailed
• 11/2011 Send email invite to YC play 1776
• 12/2011 Mail Hanukkah postcard/museum invite
• 1/2012 email invite to private screening of "Footnotes"
• 2/2012 Soy Seforim Sale invite
• 2/2012 Purim Postcard with recipe for hamentashen
• 3/2012 thank a thon
• 3/2012 Scholarship Reception invitation
• 4/2012 Scholarship impact piece mailed
• 5/2012 Invitation to commencement mailed
• 6/2012 end of FY thank you postcard
• 8/2012 Calendar with student art work

10. Tips and Tricks
• Everything starts with data – validate assumptions
• Data informs strategy
• Don’t get distracted by “shiny” tactics
• Begin with the end in mind
• Set appropriate metrics for success in the start
• Continuously measure and tweak ideas and efforts
• Repurpose content but with unique spin for each segment, use
• Personalize everything for the individual – no excuses!
• Don’t be afraid to let go and be transparent once framework exists

11. Examples

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17. Questions? Comments
• Lynne Wester
• wester@yu.edu
• www.donorrelationsguru.com
• Friend me on Facebook
• Follow me on Twitter @donorguru