Identifying and Cultivating Individual Donors. Presentation for the Arts & Business Council of Chicago.

1. Small Scale, Big Ask: Identifying and Cultivating Individual Donors March 2011

2. Martin Grochala Director of Institutional Advancement Chicago Academy for the Arts Mark D. Warner President MDW Consulting, Inc. Facilitators

3. Understand how to maximize the value of your development operations Learn how to be out of the office as much as possible Learn how to engage your trustees to support your work Outcomes of Presentation

4. Creating a Culture of Philanthropy

5. Board Identify personal and professional networks Cultivate potential donors (e.g. invite to events) Activity participate in solicitations Hold staff accountable Staff Support and update board members Follow-up on solicitations Steward gifts Board and Staff Roles

6. Create a prospect list Set a realistic number of visits per week Balance fundraising with other responsibilities – but holding it equal to those other responsibilities Hold each other accountable on the staff Give making appointments the same urgency as other deadlines Report on activities to the development committee System of Accountability

7. Develop systems and routines that will support you staying out of office Report back to development committee and board on fundraising progress Use this reporting tool to build and refine your fundraising plans Tracking Activity

8. Discuss philanthropy at each Board meeting Set goals that are realistic and that can be achieved – rally around that common goal Don’t forget to celebrate achievements – big and small Celebrate Philanthropy!

9. Prospecting – creating an actionable prospect list Cultivating – activities that keep prospects informed Soliciting – builds on the cultivation process Framework for Annual Giving

10. What has worked for your team to successfully arrange a solicitation visit? Asking for a Meeting

11. Not being prepared – set aside 15 minutes day before to go through the conversation Unclear roles for members of solicitation team Lack of confidence Failure to ask Lack of follow-up after visit Pitfalls and Etiquette

12. 10-Minute Break

13. Schedule the meeting, letting the donor know that you would like to ask them to support your organization Staff prepares a briefing with background information and an outline of the ask, including: Ask amount History of the donor’s relationship with organization Giving history Personal or professional information Roles Who will make the ask? Making the “Big” Ask

14. Introduction and update Make the Case Outline the overall fundraising Goal “Would you make a gift of $XX,XXX to _______” Silence (Absolute!) The Pitch

15. Let the donor respond Make ask and then sit quietly with your hands in your lap. Give donor the time to consider request and answer Withhold impulse to fill the pause – regardless of how long The donor willrespond Once they have responded, it will be your turn to say “Thank you” After the Ask…

16. “Yes, I/we can make a gift.” Your reply: “Thank you. That is very generous of you. When/how would you like to make your gift?” Collect all the key information you need: If they immediately write a check, ask how they want to be acknowledged Ask if they would like to receive e-mails Leave behind a listing of donor benefits Let them know that they will be invited to attend upcoming events (especially those about the project they are funding) Thank them for their generosity and for their time. Yes!

17. The donor response is not now or “No” Your reply is: “Thank you for considering our request” Is there an amount that would be more appropriate? Would you be able to make pledge payable over multiple years? Can I call on you again at a later time? No.

18. Immediately send a personal thank you note in a medium suitable for that donor (regardless of outcome) Document next steps along and gift information Note any important information for donor’s record Family, career or education information Likes, dislikes, associations with other organizations, etc. Develop a stewardship plan Congratulate yourself for job well done! Assess and adapt anything you could improve Stewardship and Follow-up

19. Please read the scenario and donor briefing documents Break into groups of four One pair will be the solicitation team and one pair will be the prospect couple Switch off roles Role Play Instructions

20. Solicitation Role Play

21. What did you learn from the role play? What would you have done differently? Role Play Follow-up

22. Questions?

23. Thank you! Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.