WaterPartners Board Meeting
February 7-9, 2008
Juno Beach, Florida
WaterCredit 2.0
WaterPartners Board Meeting
February 7-9, 2008
Juno Beach, Florida
Discussion Topics
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Why are we interested in proving WaterCredit
Where we’ve been and what we’ve done
What’s worked?
What’s not worked?
What are we doing now and going forward?
How will we measure success?
Risks
Next Steps
Why we are interested in
proving WaterCredit
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Drives us closer to clear line of sight on
achieving our vision/mission
Potential to reach far more people with
WS&H per dollar invested
Leverage market forces, the ultimate key
to scale and sustainability
Potential to drive greater impact in the
sector overall
Different approach: ownership v.
dependency
Where we’ve been, what
we’ve done
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South Asia pilot programs launched in
2003, Kenya in 2005
$1.3 million of grant money deployed
under various structures
NGOs lend grant money to community
based organizations (CBOs)
CBOs collect fees from end-customer
Repayment rates are 98%+ in South Asia,
but only ~25% in Kenya
What’s Worked?
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Working with NGOs strong in
community mobilization to spur
demand
Funding an NGO’s and MFIs WC
start-up costs with grant money
Using MFI’s to provide training to
NGOs
Loaning to smaller, simpler projects
What’s Not Worked?
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Trying turn NGOs into MFIs
Working in areas where microfinance does
not have a long, successful history
Working with smaller NGOs to implement
WaterCredit
Providing minimal funding for start-up
costs
Lending to larger, more complex projects
without project screening and project
management training
Risks
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Strategic Risk
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Reputation
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Donations could have been deployed more effectively
as grants
Ability to attract funding for new initiatives
Ability to attract Partner Organizations
Opportunity Costs
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Attention could have been given to other initiatives
yielding higher benefits
How will we measure success?
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Ability to attract grants for WaterCredit
Cost per beneficiary from donor perspective is
lower than traditional grants
We reach more beneficiaries than would
otherwise be possible with traditional grants
Partner Organizations remain accredited via
independent audits
MFIs graduate to commercial credit for water
and sanitation
WaterCredit 2.0 Gating
Milestones
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Complete Partner Organization
Certification Procedure by March 31, 2008
2 new Partner Organizations certified by
June 30, 2008
$1MM in WC grant commitments by
December 31, 2008
MFIs leverage WPI grant to gain $500K of
commercial credit by December 31, 2008
Note: The Board would receive quarterly reports on progress against
these milestones
WaterCredit 2.0 Gating
Milestones – con’t
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30,000 beneficiaries by March 31, 2009
Repayment rate greater than or equal to
80% by March 31, 2009
90% of Partner Organizations satisfactory
opinions from third-party financial and
operational auditors by June 30, 2009
Repayment rate greater than or equal to
90% by December 31, 2009
Note: The Board would receive quarterly reports on progress against
these milestones
WaterPartners Board Meeting
February 7-9, 2008
Juno Beach, Florida
Development &
Communications Plan
WaterPartners Board Meeting
February 7-9, 2008
Juno Beach, Florida
WaterPartners Development
& Communications Plans
The full text of these plans is
available on the board website at
www.waterpartners.org. The
name of the document is Master
Development and Communication
Plan and it is located under the
Operations tab.
WaterPartners Communication Plan
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Define the WaterPartners’ brand, key messages and
audiences in order to increase brand awareness.
Implement a comprehensive communications plan to
increase awareness of WaterPartners and the global
water crisis through increased media coverage and
outreach.
Maximize value of Water.org asset.
Secure a celebrity advocate for WaterPartners.
Increase grassroots support via increased outreach to
schools, faith communities, special events and causerelated marketing.
Approved by the Development and Communications Committee on 7/12/07.
FWV Brand Audit Findings
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Gary White is highly respected and there is
broad support for his vision.
Need to build consensus on how to achieve the
vision.
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WaterPartners vs. Water.org.
Audience & Positioning: Thought leaders vs. mass
marketing (wholesale vs. retail).
Recommendations
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Shorten brand to WaterPartners and use Water.org as
call to action.
Dual communication strategy targeting people in the
sector and out of it.
Approved by the Development and Communications Committee on 12/13/07.
Universal Core Messages
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Work for all audiences.
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The global water crisis is a leading cause of illness,
death and lost productivity in developing countries.
WaterPartners is the premier non-profit in the
United States working exclusively to alleviate this
problem.
WaterPartners projects are proven to be
sustainable, saving lives and improving long-term
quality of life.
To learn more about the global water crisis and how
you can help, visit Water.org.
Segmentation Summary
Audience Track
Audience Type
Target Messages
Communication Channels
Funding Type
Track 1--Large Institutional
Donors
Foundations (including
those associated
with venture
philanthropists)
Innovation, esp. WaterCredit;
large-scale, systemic
changes; outcomes/
research
1 to 1, face to face; (media attention
and networking will help open
doors); conferences/
symposia
Restricted
Corporations
Halo effect/ marketing value for
company
1 to 1, face to face; (media attention
and networking will help open
doors); conferences/
symposia
Restricted
High net worth individuals
Transformation--especially at the
village level--with special
emphasis on women's
empowerment and benefits
for children
Peer networking (including
successful ex-patriots);
internal communications
(Ripples, e-newsletter, etc.);
wealth managers
Restricted
Transforming individual lives, with
special emphasis on
women's empowerment
and benefits for children
Direct mail; web (including social
marketing sites); strategic
advertising; special events;
media; outreach (schools,
faith communities, civic
groups, etc.); internal
communications (Ripples, enewsletter, etc.);
Unrestricted
Track 2--Individuals
Grassroots Individuals
PR & Media Relations
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Proactive earned media campaign utilizing
targeted and optimized press releases supported
by tailored collateral messages.
Conceive, develop and manage a series of
traditional and innovative vehicles to effectively
communicate key messages.
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Internet advertising.
Print PSAs.
School curriculum.
Speaking opportunities.
Water.org 2.0 & Web Outreach
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Harness the power of the internet to broaden and
deepen the base of support and leverage fundraising
capability.
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Customized, interactive experience
Emotional connection through stories, photos, video, etc.—take
people to projects.
Integrated with external websites and internal systems.
Empowering constituents to take action (donate, advocate,
volunteer, etc.)
Global Village Initiative
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Coordinated social networking campaign featuring interlinked
social media presences and virtual villagers.
Reviewed by the Development and Communications Committee on 1/24/08.
Marketing & PR Results
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Multiple Tier 1 media placements, including the Wall
Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, Public Radio
International & USA Today Online.
11M media impressions in the last six months, with
conservative ad equivalency of $460K.
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7:1 ROI relative to our PR fees with FWV.
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Detailed information about these results is available on the board website at
www.waterpartners.org under the Operations tab.
Completion of Brand Audit Analysis.
Redesign of Water.org in 2007.
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Since 2005 on Water.org:
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Annual visitors have tripled from 100K to 300K.
Online donors have grown from 15 to over 50 per month, with over $70K
raised in 2007.
E-community membership has grown 120%, to nearly 4,400 today.
WaterPartners Fundraising Plan
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Increase number of current donors to 3,450 in FY 08, up from 1,950
in FY 07.
Stellar after-care and stewardship program to keep donor retention
above 60%.
Build on the strengths of existing geographic areas and open new
fronts in strategic locations.
Relationship building with major gift prospects to increase donors
over $1,000 to 195 in FY 08, up from 131 in FY 07.
Increase board-led fundraising effort to $160,000 in FY 08.
Launch a planned giving outreach program to lay the groundwork
for substantial, long-term sources of revenue.
Reposition WaterAmbassador program to maximize funding and
board development opportunities.
Carry on tradition of grassroots support through outreach to
schools, faith communities, special events and cause-related
marketing.
Approved by the Development and Communications Committee on 7/12/07.
Major Gift ($1,000+) Strategy
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FY 08 Goal $2.9 million.
Continue discovery process with existing donors.
Expand prospect list
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Networking
Referrals
Special events targeting major donors and prospects.
Build relationships with qualified prospects.
Conduct research on newly-acquired donors.
Solicitation and stewardship of qualified prospects.
Create new donor networks through attending major
philanthropy forums.
Cultivate relationships with wealth management
community.
Position WaterPartners as turn-key intermediary.
2008 Events
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January 26 in Palo Alto
February 23 in Chapel Hill
February 25 in Charlotte
March 5 in New York City
March in Chicago
April in Kansas City
Major Gift Results
Since 2005:
 Number of donors over $1,000 increased by
73%, from 82 to 143.
 Number of donors over $10,000 doubled from 10
to 21.
 Dollars raised from major gift fundraising tripled,
from $1M to $3.5M annually.
 Dollars raised from donors other than the top 3
grew from $400K to over $1M.
 Board-led fundraising grew from $50K to a goal
of $160K in FY 08.
Board Challenge
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Goal $160,000, up from $100,000 in FY
07.
Direct board giving: 6 of 12 have
contributed or committed $33,500.
Board-led fundraising $70,000, (of
which $45,000 came from one couple).
Total for board challenge is $103,500,
or 65% of goal.
Donor Recognition
Giving Level
Prom pt ThankYou and
Ripples,
Receipt
etc.
Special
Listing in Special Gift
Village
Personal
Thank You
Annual
(as
Sponsorship Visit (if
from Gary
Report appropriate) (if desired)
desired)
$1-$999
X
X
$1,000-$4,999
X
X
X
X
$5,000+
X
X
X
X
X
Donor retention is currently 80% for all donors;
91% for donors over $1,000.
X
X
Donor Care Challenges
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Timeliness and quality of village-specific info (photos,
success stories, progress reports, etc.) from partners
when somebody sponsors a village.
Identifying methods for recognizing gifts that are
meaningful for donors and culturally-sensitive for
villages.
What’s meaningful to one donor isn’t necessarily
meaningful to the next.
Backlog on fulfillment of high-end donor recognition
(i.e., it’s hard to keep the focus on stewardship when
there is such urgent pressure for new donor
acquisition.)
Geography is a challenge for making donor
recognition more personal.
WaterPartners Board Meeting
February 7-9, 2008
Juno Beach, Florida