Starting a Major Gifts Program: Mining the Buried Treasure in Your Backyard (June 9, 2015)

Starting a Major Gifts
Program: Mining the Buried
Treasure in Your Backyard
Paul Jolly
June 9, 2015
United Way of the National
Capital Area

Jump Start Growth, Inc. Proprietary 2
You have donors or volunteers
You have a few hours a week for donor relationships
You have a few board members willing to learn & participate
Your finances are stable & not desperate
You have some accomplishments to brag about
You have aspirations for an impactful future
My assumptions

• Grants
• Mailings
• Online
campaigns
• Events
Big gifts

R e l a t i o n s h i p s

10 years: one-person development offices of Quaker organizations
5 years: major gift officer in a $20M advocacy organization
4 years: one-person development office for state affiliate of a national
advocacy organization
Various train wrecks and fiascos between successes
My background

1. Principles of major gifts fundraising
2. Who is (and who isn’t) a prospect
3. Strengthening relationships
a. Face to face visits
b. Tours
c. House parties
4. Detour: galas
5. Asking
6. Detour: boards
7. The power of thank you
8. Five things to do in the next month
Session Agenda

Make a comprehensive list of top prospects
Figure out next steps for each person on list
Make a calendar of cultivation events
Schedule 1-on-1 meetings with at least 4 board members
In the next month

Principle 1:
Curiosity

Principle 2:
Activity vs Relationship

Principle 3:
The Prospect Cultivation Cycle
2. Researchrcch
1. Name on
a List
3. First MeetingFirst Meetinrst Meetin
6. Thankskkks
4. Acquaintance
5. Ask
$

Principle 4:
The Gift Pyramid
Direct mail program
Online solicitations
Social media
Advertising/promotion
Events
GIVING CIRCLES ($1,000, 2,500, 5,000, 10,000)
Personalized invitations to exclusive and open events
Board or staff member responsible for stewardship
Handwritten notes on appeals and newsletters
INDIVIDUAL CONTACT
Face-to-face visit
Solicitation by individual proposal
Review all bulk mail before sending
TOP
25 – 100
DONORS AND
PROSPECTS
MID-LEVEL
DONORS

Who is a prospect?
Affluence to make a $____ gift
Belief in your cause
Connection to your organization

Who is not a prospect?

3 iffy ideas and 1 good one
Interest > > > > > >
Bill
Gates,
Oprah
Winfrey,
etc.
Raffles
&
gift
wrap
Best
Prospects
1,000
x
$100
=
$100,000

Ideal prospect list
Interest >
Long
shots
Best
Prospects
100
x
$1,000
=
$100,000

Current donors
Former donors
Donors to similar
organizations
Friends of board
members
Friends of donors
Friends of founder
Friends of executive
director & other staff

How to ask successfully for prospect names
• One-on-one conversation
• Explain: no kissing on the first date
• Explain: prospect cultivation plan
• Be specific about characteristics of a prospect
• Be specific about threshold for major gifts
• Share list – empty page >>> empty brain!
• Don’t take names instead of money

Google (name + philanthropy, name + city)
Linked in
Facebook
Annual reports and event programs of similar organizations
Foundation Center resources
Federal election commission
records
State real estate records
The Five Minute Prospect Researcher
(use a timer)

Look for intro from mutual friend
Separate request for visit from scheduling of visit
Make clear when asking for visit whether or not you
will solicit gift
Give donor a good reason for wanting their time.
– “I want to ask your advice” is the best.
– “I want to thank you for your support” almost always fails.
At event: “Thanks for coming. Great things are happening at this
organization. Can we get together in the next couple weeks and talk
about it?”
On thank you call: “Thanks for your gift. If you have a few minutes I
would love to hear what motivates your support” … and follow trail of
interest
How to get an appointment

A donor visit is a three ring circus
1. Tell donor about organization
2. Learn about donor
3. Plan next step in
donor engagement

Tours: show off your stuff!

How to make tours work
“Tours are boring!”
What can you show people that will make them want to learn more?
The goosebump factor – The Civil Rights Museum in Greensboro NC
Who are the best spokespeople?
Replicate the life-changing experience of your clients

House Parties

How to make a house party work
Mix of donors and friends of the host
Minimal presentation
The most common problem is no one “owns” the invitation list
Highest goal: host’s satisfaction
Aim is not to raise money but to make friends
Make sure everyone agrees about how to measure success
Follow up is key

How most galas raise money
Sell tickets ($25-100 net per person)
Find sponsors (corporate, not personal, gifts)
Boy Scout wilderness method

How donor-centered fundraiser use events to
raise money
Introduce new prospects without asking for a gift
Urge board members to consider who they can invite without asking
for a gift
Engage current donors more deeply
in your mission
Thank your donors

Highlight your mission

Do not indulge in excess party planning
Big name speaker
Fancy venue
Entertainment
Elaborate decor

4 Acquaintance
Know who is in the house
30

Schmooze with a plan
Basic script: “Thanks for coming. Great things are happening at this organization.
Can I call you next week to share some of our plans?”
31

Giving Circles
Direct mail program
Social media
Events
GIVING CIRCLES ($1,000, 2,500, 5,000, 10,000)
INDIVIDUAL CONTACT
Face-to-face visit
TOP
25 – 100
DONORS AND
PROSPECTS
MID-LEVEL
DONORS
IRC
naliz
oard or st
Handwritte
w all bulk maiReview
GIVING CIR
Personaliz
Board
Hand
ie

Giving Circles
Easy for solicitor
– “Please join me as a Friend of X with a $1,000 gift” vs
– “Please give $1,000”
Easy for donor
– Quick answer to one of a thousand questions
– “If I gave you $500 and I give another $500, does that make me a
Friend?”
Easy for development staff
– Unrestricted
– Encourage your board to set an ambitious goal
– Track and report on progress
– Launchpad for larger gifts
33

Major Gifts
Direct mail program
Social media
Events
GIVING CIRCLES ($1,000, 2,500, 5,000, 10,000)
INDIVIDUAL CONTACT
Face-to-face visit
TOP
25 – 100
DONORS AND
PROSPECTS
MID-LEVEL
DONORS
UDIVIDU
Face- oto
aSolicitaDDD
INDIVI
S

The 4 rights
– The right amount
– The right project
– The right solicitor
– The right time
QUICKER Signal from
the donor (“How
can I help?)
SLOWER Need to
get unstuck
The right time to ask

It’s a fundraiser’s job to figure out
what “No” means.

Why all board members must give
• If you get support from foundations
• If you get support from individuals

How much should a board member give?
“Give till it feels good.”
Make a significant gift
Consider this organization a top priority

Replace your “give-or-get” policy with “give and
maybe get”
• Everyone makes a personal gift of money
• People who can give the most can also get the most!
• Don’t focus on the laggards!
• Change happens incrementally

Giving is required. These things are optional:
• Introducing friends to the organization
• Hosting a house party
• Organizing a tour
• Helping to plan an event
• Bringing a team of volunteers
• Arranging speaking opportunities at church, club, or
business

What “I don’t know any rich people” means
(5 possibilities)
• Everyone I know is destitute
• I don’t think of my friends in terms of their money
• I am not giving sufficiently myself
• All I know about raising money is selling tickets for
events
• I don’t know Oprah

Create a culture of gratitude

Your donors are superheroes

Speed matters.
Aim for 2 day turnaround
between gift arrival
and acknowlement departure

6 month thank you

1. You (not a contributor, a
partner)
2. Us (not an organization, a tribe
or movement)
Two most important words
in your thank you letters

Start where you are
Use what you have

Make a comprehensive list of top prospects
Figure out next steps for each person on list
Make a calendar of cultivation events
Schedule 1-on-1 meetings with at least 4 board members
In the next month

Contact me!
Paul Jolly
(301) 758 3410
paul@jumpstartgrowth.com
www.JumpStartGrowth.com

Starting a Major Gifts Program: Mining the Buried Treasure in Your Backyard (June 9, 2015)

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Starting a Major Gifts Program: Mining the Buried Treasure in Your Backyard (June 9, 2015)