Grants for Lunch
February 16, 2011
Finding Potential
Donors—How Do
You Do It?
Today’s program:
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Finding organizational donors demonstration and case study
on the Foundation Directory Online (Kassy)
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Provocative question! + video clip
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Panel discussion—finding potential donors, how do you do it?
o
o
o
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Barry, Gail, Kassy
Moderator questions
Audience Q&A
Follow ups:
Podcast
o Handouts (look for GC notes)
o E-mail with PowerPoint and survey
o
Finding Organizational Donors
Presented by: Kassy Rodeheaver, Grants
and Nonprofit Librarian, Pima County
Library
Pima County Library resources
 Foundation Directory Online
 Case study!
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Finding and Cultivating Donors:
Panel Discussion
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Barry Benson—Senior Director of Development,
College of Engineering

Gail Browne—Executive Director, UA Poetry
Center

Kassy Rodeheaver—Grants and Nonprofit
Librarian, Pima County Library
Moderated by: Jenny Flynn, Associate Vice President,
Foundation Development and the GIFT Center
Does anybody know this guy?
Some strategy do’s and don’ts. (Video)
Many minds…
We surveyed national and local colleagues—
development professionals, faculty, and
nonprofit staff—about their experiences
identifying potential new donors.
We’ll fold into our discussion quotes and
information from the survey.
How do you tap into different networks
to discover new potential prospects?
Meeting with members at all levels of the philanthropic
community; identifying leaders in this community
who have an interest in or affinity for programs and
initiatives taking place at the College, especially as it
pertains to the demographic profile of the student body.
—Thomas Galyean, Director of Corporate
and Foundation Relations, The University of
Virginia's College at Wise
How do you tap into different networks
to discover new potential prospects?
Through Board members and other donors; attending
events - social, corporate, educational; and, through
giving back to the community myself through
volunteerism, mentoring, and connecting people to
others who can be helpful.
—Survey respondent
We rely on loyal donors and prominent community
members to connect with potential prospects.
—Manuela Boscenco, Development Coordinator,
University of British Columbia Library
How do you tap into different networks
to discover new potential prospects?
We divide and conquer. We assign gift officers to
different events or networking
organizations/opportunities, and we engage individuals
in community leadership positions in
businesses/industries where we don't have strong
support to join us as a Campaign Steering Committee
member or other similar volunteer capacity.
—Amy Raimo, Director, Corporate &
Foundation Relations, Albany Medical
Center Foundation
How do you partner with others to find
new potential donors?
For us at this point, the issue is one of incorporating the
possibility of donor relationships into our thinking about
partnerships. We work with faculty and leadership to
consider themselves part of the fund-raising
process, as essential to donor development - and in
doing that I think we raise the possibility of finding new
donors.
—Stephen T. Russell, Professor / Director,
Norton School / Frances McClelland Institute,
University of Arizona
How do you partner with others to find
new potential donors?
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Involve our liaison to the External Advisory Board…in
everything so that he will be aware of what we do.
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Ask board and faculty leaders for new information re:
alumni or corporate contacts.
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Ask donors/prospects if there are other funders they might
recommend I contact, and if they'd be willing to help.
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Work hard to cultivate internal relationships [to facilitate]
sharing information about external relationships.
—Survey respondents
GC note: See “Uncovering Connections” and “Community Sleuthing.”
How do you encourage new prospects
to self-identify?
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Direct mail, event attendance, website, e-newsletters, blog,
attendee lists, corporate visits and introductions.
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In all of our email and written communication.

Make it known that we need donations in our newsletter and
on our listservs.
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Stories…that tell about our students, successful alumni, and
projects…that will have a great impact on what we do.
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Talk with them about their values.
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Listen, listen, listen to their passions.
—Survey respondents
What events do you host to identify and cultivate
new funders and how do you make them effective?
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Annual poster conference, Halloween costume party
hosted by a board member, campus events and private
tours for groups of donors, houseparties
—Survey respondents
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Tried and true breakfasts, coffees, lunches and dinners.
Always have an agenda and a goal.
—Kathleen Sullivan Alioto, Dean of
Development, City College of San Francisco
GC note: See “Sign Them Up!” and “The Fundraising
Houseparty Step-by-Step.”
What events do you host to identify and cultivate
new funders and how do you make them effective?

We're doing "boutique" events...an evening at our planetarium
focused on science/technology donors…an on-campus
alumni/community/family picnic where we showcase departments
and clubs.
—Richard H. Morley, Executive Director, Mt. San
Antonio College Foundation

We have created a series of canvases with images from the
Library's rare books and special collections. We have hosted a
musical reception and 3-week long exhibit of these canvases.
During this free public event, we have connected with new potential
donors.
—Manuela Boscenco, Development Coordinator, University of
British Columbia Library
What events do you host to identify and cultivate
new funders and how do you make them effective?
President's Community Enrichment Programs (PCEP)
are premier educational events that connect the
community to ASU's visionary scholars and ideas
through single lectures, multi-week courses and campus
tours. PCEP engages the public, donors, and
prospective donors in current issues, highlighting how
ASU tackles major challenges of the 21st century. What
began as a grassroots engagement effort in 1998 now
connects more than 600 community members each year
with the intellectual power of a New American University.
—Shaun Brenton, Vice President, Corporate
Relations, ASU Foundation
In seeking new potential donors, do you use
technology and how?
Survey respondents use:

Alumni database and current student database

Wealth indicators on our existing database (biographical information
and real property holdings)

Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter

Google (good old Google) as well as AZ Gates, Chronicle of
Philanthropy, Grant Wrangler (K-12), Philanthropy News Digest,
Corporate Social Responsibility Newswire

Online subscriptions such as Foundation Directory, Wealth Engine,
Lexis-Nexis, High Beam

“Change in giving algorithm”/predictive models to “spot significant
increases in giving for follow up”*
* GC note: Low-tech adaptation = trendspot on your own data
What innovative strategies have you tried or would
like to try?
Targeted outreach: …asking realtors who support my organization
and who work in high-end residential sales, to make sure new
people moving to town and buying a house from them know about
the organization and the work we do.
Facilitate networks: Regional alumni focus groups. Increased alumni
donors by about 10 percent.
Unlikely partnerships: Partnering with athletics to seek funding to
launch the first ever annual giving program at a library.
Don’t forget the basics I and II: …nothing beats building from existing
database of support and read the paper!
Don’t forget the basics III: Listening to what the donors say they
will fund instead of trying to impose current funding needs on
sets of prospects or existing funders.
For further discussion:
1.
What do you do when you’re starting from scratch?
2.
I have a list of people who have come to our events or
otherwise shown some interest. What do I do now?
3.
Can you give an example of a way to use an event or
public offering to engage potential new donors?
4.
What are some specific ways you share good news and
why is that important?
5.
What exactly do you say to someone to determine
his/her potential interest in your work?
Kassy’s Resources & Tips for
Foundation Grantseeking
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Visit Pima County Public Library’s Grants & Nonprofit Information
Center website at http://www.library.pima.gov/grants/
Watch the Foundation Directory Online’s Guided Tours at
http://foundationcenter.org/getstarted/tutorials/fdoguidedtour
Learn at Grantspace.org, which offers information and resources
that are specifically designed to meet the needs of grantseekers.
Before doing research for private funding:
 Fill out a “Project Profile/Planning Worksheet” (GC note: sample
copy in your handouts) or write an outline for your program.
 Know how much money your project will cost.
Remember, it is a combination of the grantmaker’s giving priorities,
geographic focus, and typical grant size that will help you identify
great funding opportunities.
Gail’s Tips for Donor Cultivation
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Directly engage potential donors with your
programs and public offerings.
Make a clear case for support―why do you
need their financial support?
Consistently share the good news about your
organization.
Recognize contributions immediately (and
personally, if possible).
Solicit general advice from donors―make them
feel connected to your organization.
Barry’s Tips: How to find new
donors
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Cultivate passion first…. then gift.
Think Millionaire Next Door (e.g. UAW’s vs.
PAW’s)
Always ask “Who else should I be talking to?”
Utilize technology (e.g.
)
It’s a numbers game—be visible and active…
your phone wont ring by itself!
Strategically communicate, communicate,
communicate.
Questions?
Contact the GIFT Center at
GIFTCenter@al.arizona.edu