Tips on Donor Giving
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To this end, the following are some TIPS in raising money from individual donors:
1. Personalize your donor relationships. People give to other people and not just to causes and institutions. Make sure you know what your donors like about your organization, and what programs and people turn them on. Most donors will make a decision based on the relationship they have with either you or one of your leaders. Never forget that.
2. Donors fall into three groups and the strategies are different for each group:
- The first is the small donor - this is the person who will give under
$100 per year. The most cost effective approach for this type of donor is
generally through direct mail. Try at least three mailings per year.
- The second is the mid-level donor (giving $100+ to maybe $500 per year depending upon the size of the organization). Why not try a "parlor" meetings for this group? This type of meeting is typically put on by one of your volunteers or board members who invites 10 people to their home for a bar-b- que or reception and to discuss the impact of the organization. At the end of the meeting, the host asks for a contribution. If 10 people give $250, your organization has grossed $2,500 at that event.
- The third donor is the major donor ($500+). These donors are always
courted individually over lunch, or at their homes.
3. Always try to build your donor and prospect list. Every time you speak at
a church, rotary club, etc., try to collect addresses and email addresses of
the attendees, then put these on your organization's mailing list. The
information should then go into a database where you keep accurate and
disciplined records of every contract, donation, etc. Once per month, email
these contacts updates of your progress and impact. Additionally, ask
each of your board members to supply 10 names and addresses of people they
know who are likely to donate to your cause, then do a direct mailing to
these people with a follow up call coming from the board member. Other ways
to add to the list: Ask your staff members, your friends, and your relatives
to provide you with names and addresses of prospects.
4. Urgency Without Crisis. When asking people for money, either in
person or in writing, ALWAYS illustrate a sense of urgency in terms of why
you need the money NOW. Unless you are truly in crisis-mode, do not imply
that without their donation your organization is going to fold - BUT make it
clear that without their money one of your important programs may have to be
dismantled (or something to that effect).
5. The best donors in America are inside religious institutions. Try to
speak to the womens' groups at the largest churches in your community, and
ask everyone to provide their name, address, and email address to receive
further information, or to be put on your newsletter list. Quickly follow-up
with a request for support.
6. Speaking of churches, every church has a senior group. Many of these
people are retired and come with time on their hands and generations of
experience in marketing, finance, public relations, accounting, etc. Get
them involved. They are an excellent group to jumpstart a planned giving
program
7. Can't say "THANKS" ENOUGH. After receiving a gift, be sure to thank the
donor in some way (written note, phone call, in person) within 48 hours.
Thank them again, publicly, in your newsletter. I have found a unique and
thoughtful way of showing thanks is through a thank-you letter to the
individual's spouse, mate, mother or father.
8. When writing a direct mail letter, always put a personal, handwritten
note, on the FRONT OF THE LETTER. This will get their attention immediately.
Also, if you have less than 500 individuals on your mailing list, ask some
of your volunteers and board members to get together (not for a pizza party
because the envelopes will look terrible) and have the group hand address
the envelopes.
9. When asking for money, always try to ask for a specific sum, or a
specific time period and for a specific program or project. People like to
know where there money is going.
10. It is critical that you feel good about your organization when you ask
people to support it with donations. When you make the ask, do it in a way
that shows them you are asking for an INVESTMENT that pays tremendous
dividends in better health care, food for the hungry, cultural enrichment,
or whatever you are involved with. It is important that you believe in your
product and you are proud to ask people to support something that you
intimately believe in.
These tips came from one of the following sources:
RichTips Non-Profit Management Newsletter, http://www.richardmale.org;
Training Resources for the Environmental Community (TREC), http://www.trecnw.org;
or, The Lands Council, http://www.thelandscouncil.org
