Reaching More Kids by
Taking Donors Seriously™
TDS 101
My Family
Why Raise Support?
“Fundraising is as spiritual as giving a
sermon, entering a time of prayer,
visiting the sick, or feeding the
hungry!”
Henri Nouwen
Describe how you currently feel about
fundraising in your area
Luke 8:1-3
8 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and
village to another, proclaiming the good news of the
kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, 2 and also
some women who had been cured of evil spirits and
diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven
demons had come out; 3 Joanna the wife of Chuza, the
manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many
others. These women were helping to support them
out of their own means.
T
D
S
Doing what we Do with Kids,
but with Adults
Bringing the same relational
quality and intentionality that
anchors our work with kids to
our work with adults!
Young Life doesn’t have a
money problem, Young Life has a
communication problem.
Bill Hautt, founder of TDS
Adult Ownership
The Big
O
Ownership
Adult Ownership
Who owns the
funding in your area?
Healthy Areas Have It!
The 7 Essentials (Non-Negotiables) of TDS
Prayer
1.
• We not only recognize that it is within God’s power to fulfill all
our needs, we also desire God’s wisdom and strength to carry
out our responsibility in a way that ministers to all our donors.
• Do you have a prayer strategy in your area that includes
donors?
Case Statement
2.
•
•
A Presentation Tool, Not a Brochure
Vision beyond what currently is happening
Leadership (TDS Team)
3.
•
•
Often Small Business Owners, Active Community People
Can come from your top 30% of Donor Base (TDS Chairperson, TDS
Askers, Data Manager, AD, Committee)
Do you know (does your entire Committee know)?
 How much needs to be raised each month to keep your
area on track?
 How much needs to still be raised before the end of
the fiscal year (September – this month)?
The 7 Essentials (Non-Negotiables) of TDS
4.
Cash Flow
Projects your area Budget 12 months into the
future
2. Shows how changes in Revenue and Expenses
will affect your area
3. Creates a one page summary of your area’s
financial health
4. Helps get everyone one the same page with
reality (faking financial health doesn’t work)
1.
The 7 Essentials (Non-Negotiables) of TDS
5. Priority Prospect List (Online tool)
1.
List of current, past and potential donors
Answers the questions:

How much is committed in cash and pledges?

How much more needs to be raised?

Does the best case scenario= 150% of what you
need (the budget)?
The 7 Essentials (Non-Negotiables) of TDS
6. Strategy
•
•
70/30 Rule of Fundraising
The most effective way to raise money is to
ask for it
The Strategy
The Importance of an
Effective Approach
The Attributes
How many of these does the prospect have? The more the
have the more likely they’ll give.
 Love kids
 Love Christ
 Love you
 Love YL
 Have a giving spirit
Circles of Support
 What are some of the possible circles of support?
5 Ways to Raise Support
 Large Group Events
 Letters
 Phone Calls
 Small Group Events
 Face-to-Face Meetings
Effective Strategy for Asking
Getting people On the Team
– Committee, TDS, etc.
More People Saying “Yes”
Spend 70% of Time/Effort in
Top 3
Face-to-Face
Small Group
Large Group
Phone Call
Letter
Spend 30% of Time/Effort in
Bottom 3
Increased Gift Size
The 7 Essentials (Non-Negotiables) of TDS
7. Financial Master Plan
•
•
•
A fancy way to say “calendar”
Year long plan broken down by month as to how
the area is going to the raise the budget
Takes the strategy and breaks it out in practical
month by month pieces
Q&A
What To Do If Finances Are Really
Tight
 Update Cash Flow – get an honest assessment of what is needed
and by when
 Get people praying for the area’s finances so the area can reach
more kids
 Communicate with the Core
 Committee
 Top Donors – sit Face-to-Face with Top 20-30% of PPL and ask for
their help/ask the Who question
 Parents – let then know how this thing works
 Leaders connections (appropriately)
 Get Top 3 asking strategies happening in the next 15-30 days
 Look for Top 20-30% donor who could put up matching money
 Talk to Regional Team
 Talk to Field Development Director
Dynamics of Great TDS
 People experience God’s blessing in helping to grow His




kingdom.
Relationships are built and deepened.
Donors are enabled to meet specific needs and thereby
blessed!
Donors feel that they are a part of the team and that
this is ‘their’ ministry.
Not only are kids’ lives changed but adults’ lives are
changed as well.
Resources
 TDS Manual
 Field Development Website -
http://staff.younglife.org/FieldDevelopment
 Other successful Committees
 Regional Team
Contact InfoGreg Lehman
Divisional Field Development Director
glehman@sc.younglife.org
937-286-9954
Taking Donors
(even more) Seriously™
TDS 201
My Family
Donor Retention Reality
 Areas currently retain 65% of donors
 Donor retention for monthly online donors is 90%
 Offline retention rate hovers around 50%
What does this tell us?
This Tells Us That The Way We
Approach Donor Work Really
Matters
Transactional vs. Transformational
Transactional
•
•
•
Transaction - You give me a gift, I thank You and talk
with you next year.
Transformational
•
•
•
Invite them onto the team and they will be transformed. Ask donors
for involvement beyond giving (Prayer, Table Host, Committee, Club
Support, etc.)
Communicate throughout the year in ways that keep them close to
the ministry.
Get them close to the fire! Get them to a Club, a Weekend, or Camp
as an Adult Guest.
How Do We Become
Transformational?
What does TDS look like
in an area?
• A regularly meeting of a group of likeminded people
who want to see Young Life on a solid financial
ground.
• The group looks into the future and is able to project
financial needs.
• A group of people who are not afraid of money and
who are bold with people.
TDS Team Roles
 Area Director/Staff
 Prepares the case statement
 Ensures the PPL and Cash Flow are being updated
 Personally knows the top 10 – 12 donors in the area
 Builds teams: TDS, banquet, golf, etc.
 Coordinates communication of confidential donor
information to TDS team.
TDS Team Roles
 TDS Chair
 Partners with the area director in the above
 Holds face-to-face askers accountable for doing major
donor visits
 Owns 3-8 major donor relationships
 Insures execution of strategies to raise budget
 Data/Finance Manager
 Maintains PPL master list (and possibly Cash Flow)
 Prints out banquet invitation lists, phone-a-thon lists,
face-to-face lists
 Identifies lapsed donors
 Communicates information to appropriate team
members
 TDS Askers
 Review lapsed donor list annually
 Have relationships with major donors that win the right
to ask
 Make 3 – 4 major donor asks yearly (2 times thank you, 1
time ask)
 Brainstorm new names for PPL annually
 Young Life Committee
 “Owns” the banquet
 Do major donor thank you visits and write thank you’s
 Conducts the phone-a-thon
Best TDS Teams are:
• Not just the main committee
• Tend to be business/business minded people
• Which means they might meet over breakfast/lunch.
• People who may have been on other non-Young Life
committees or boards.
• Have experienced financial campaigns or terms of office.
• Who see TDS as a ministry.
• Divide up roles.
• i.e. Foundations, golf, treasurer…
How to Make TDS Succeed
in Your Area
• Area Director/Staff needs to partner with this group.
• Scripture, sharing, prayer
• Needs to be lead by a non-Young Life staff person –
the TDS Chair.
• Needs to have strong accountability by the TDS Chair.
• Needs to be focused around “Asking” and deepening
relationship with donors.
To Grow Support
Build a Team of…
3 Askers…
Making 2 Asks Per Month…
10 Months a Year!
To get people on the TDS
 Pray
Team…
 Create a list
 Look at key donors
 Ask around the community
 Ask-Be bold, use the case
 Make specific, personal asks.
 Lay out a clear role for them to serve in.
 Clearly share the vision of why they are so important to
the mission of reaching kids.
 Center the group around Askers.
Effective Strategy for Asking
Getting people On the Team
– Committee, TDS, etc.
More People Saying “Yes”
Spend 70% of Time/Effort in
Top 3
Face-to-Face
Small Group
Large Group
Phone Call
Letter
Spend 30% of Time/Effort in
Bottom 3
Increased Gift Size
Entry Points
 What are the entry points for adults into Young
Life?
 Successful areas create entry points throughout
the year for adults
 The most successful areas understand that the best
entry point is a person!
 TDS member
 Committee person
 Current donor
Finding New Donors
 Through current donors. The question that should
constantly be on our lips: “Who else should we share
this with?”
 Characteristics to look for:
 Heart for kids
 Giving lifestyle
 Passion to follow Christ
 Other places to look:
 Parents of kids involved (talk to team leaders)
 Connected community people (i.e. highly involved in
churches, schools, healthy civic groups, local
businesses, successful realtors and sales people, etc.)
Increasing Monthly Donors
Working with the
Top 20-30%
People Give
Because They’re Asked and Shown How
 We often make two mistakes when we ask people for
money:
 We go to them and give them an assortment of choices
of gift sizes – from very small amounts to very large
amounts

this is confusing and makes a decision difficult
 We don’t suggest when and how we would like to receive
the gift.
 Long term we should know our donor well enough to
ask for the size gift that they are capable of giving and
suggest a method that fits their situation.
“Top 3 Principle”
Difference from 2005 to now:
2005 – people were giving to their
top 7 charities
Present – people are giving giving to
their top 3 charities
Invitational Asking
 Would you rather be asked for something or invited to
something?
 Donors need to feel like they are a part of the great
work that is going on in the lives of kids!
Giving Styles
Telling the Story
Discussion
 What is the story?
 What is unique about the Young Life story?
 What must we make sure that we communicate?
How Do We Continue to
Tell the Story?
The Importance of Story
How is your area telling the story of
kids and Christ…
Deeper Discussion and Q&A
John 6:1-15
The Feeding of 5000
Resources
 TDS Manual
 Field Development Website -
http://staff.younglife.org/FieldDevelopment
 Other successful Committees
 Regional Team
Contact Info
Greg Lehman
Divisional Field Development Director
glehman@sc.younglife.org
937-286-9954
The Ask
The Ask
 1. The Invitation
 Who is making it and setting the right expectation.
 2. Preparation
 Right attitude
 Know and prep The Case
 3. The Meeting
 Listening
 Telling the story
 Asking the Question
 4. Follow Up
 Thank within 48 hours
 Make it easy for them to give the gift
 Continue and deepen the relationship
Invitational Asking
 Would you rather be asked for something or invited to
something?
 Donors need to feel like they are a part of the great
work that is going on in the lives of kids!
People Give
Because They’re Asked and Shown How
 We often make two mistakes when we ask people for
money:
 We go to them and give them an assortment of choices
of gift sizes – from very small amounts to very large
amounts

this is confusing and makes a decision difficult
 We don’t suggest when and how we would like to receive
the gift.
 We should know our donor well enough to ask for the
size gift that they are capable of giving and suggest a
method that fits their situation.
One Important Step
3 Askers
2 Asks Per Month
10 Months a Year
Financial Master Plan
Where Strategy Gets Lived
Out in a Calendar
FMP Handout Example
God is Able
“Now to him who is able to do
immeasurably more than all we ask
or imagine, according to his power
that is at work within us, to him be
glory in the church and in Christ
Jesus throughout all generations,
for ever and ever! Amen.”
Eph 3:20
Donor Retention Reality
 Areas currently retain 65% of donors
 Donor retention for monthly online donors is 90%
 Offline retention rate hovers around 50%
What does this tell us?
This Tells Us What We Are
Doing with Donors Really
Matters
Thanking Donors –
The Power of
Appreciation
How do you like to be
thanked?
What makes you feel
appreciated?
Ways to Thank Donors
 Face-to-face
 Handwritten Notes
 Quarterly Thank You Notes from the Service Center
 Phone Calls
 Letters
 Appreciation Events
 Other Creative Ideas
Key: Connect the donors giving to the
lives of kids!
Women in Fundraising
 Did you know:
 Women control two-thirds of all wealth in the U.S.
 Women make 80% of all household purchasing
decisions.
 Women give more to non-profits than men do.
 Women are often connectors and twice as likely to pass
information on about your cause.
Resources
 TDS Manual
 Field Development Website -
http://staff.younglife.org/FieldDevelopment
 Other successful Committees
 Regional Team
Contact Info
Greg Lehman
Divisional Field Development Director
glehman@sc.younglife.org
937-286-9954
Resources
 TDS Manual
 Field Development Website -
http://staff.younglife.org/FieldDevelopment
 Other successful Committees
 Regional Team
Contact InfoGreg Lehman
Divisional Field Development Director
glehman@sc.younglife.org
937-286-9954
Q&A
The End
Herding Cats
Extra Slides
Ask Clearly
and
Thank Well
The Importance of Story
How is your area telling the stories of
kids and Christ…
The Big Question
Successful Areas Are Asking
Who else could we share
Young Life with and invite to
be a part of this?
Committee
Must Subscribe to Basics
 Committee owns the ministry
 You will be here long after current staff moves on
 Committee needs to build the relationships that make
the area ministry possible and guarantee its future
 Every member of the committee needs to be doing
TDS on some level
• It’s relational! • It’s challenging! • It’s rewarding!
More Than Money
I Timothy 6:17-19
17Command
those who are rich in this present world
not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth,
which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in
God, who richly provides us with everything for
our enjoyment. 18Command them to do good, to be
rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing
to share. 19In this way they will lay up treasure for
themselves as a firm foundation for the coming
age, so that they may take hold of the life that is
truly life.
Entry Points
 What are the entry points for adults into Young
Life?
 Successful areas create entry points throughout
the year for adults
 The most successful areas understand that the best
entry point is a person!
 TDS member
 Committee person
 Current donor
Adult Ownership
The Big
O
Ownership
Adult Ownership
Who owns the
funding in your area?
Healthy Areas Have It!
Dynamics of Great TDS
 People experience God’s blessing in helping to grow His




kingdom.
Relationships are built and deepened.
Donors are enabled to meet specific needs and thereby
blessed!
Donors feel that they are a part of the team and that
this is ‘their’ ministry.
Not only are kids’ lives changed but adults’ lives are
changed as well.
Transactional vs. Transformational
Transactional
•
•
•
Transaction - You give me a gift, I thank You and talk
with you next year.
Transformational
•
•
•
Invite them onto the team and they will be transformed. Ask donors
for involvement beyond giving (Prayer, Table Host, Committee, Club
Support, etc.)
Communicate throughout the year in ways that keep them close to
the ministry.
Get them close to the fire! Get them to a Club, a Weekend, or Camp
as an Adult Guest.
Who do you currently ask for support?
Circles of Support
 What are some of the possible circles of support?
Connecting the Circles
 What connects these circles back to the ministry?
 The ASKER
 Who are your Askers?
 Who could be your Askers?
Finding New Donors
 Through current donors. The question that should
constantly be on our lips: “Who else should we share
this with?”
 Characteristics to look for:
 Heart for kids
 Giving lifestyle
 Passion to follow Christ
 Other places to look:
 Parents of kids involved (talk to team leaders)
 Connected community people (i.e. highly involved in
churches, schools, healthy civic groups, local
businesses, successful realtors and sales people, etc.)
Invitational Asking
 Would you rather be asked for something or invited to
something?
 Donors need to feel like they are a part of the great
work that is going on in the lives of kids!
Finish with Luke 8:1-3
or
John 6:1-15
Q&A
Deeper Donor Work Through
Great TDS and a Great TDS Team
God is Able
“Now to him who is able to do
immeasurably more than all we ask
or imagine, according to his power
that is at work within us, to him be
glory in the church and in Christ
Jesus throughout all generations,
for ever and ever! Amen.”
Eph 3:20
 OCTOBER
 Annual fund-raising banquet (plan to raise the last 12 to 20 percent of budget).
 Meet with #1 donors to thank them for supporting the area.
 Confirm and/or revise pledges for year not yet fulfilled.
 Letter /Newsletter to everyone on PPL with update on ministry.
 NOVEMBER
 Meet with and cultivate #4s who attended the banquet and explore their
interest in giving prior to Dec. 31.
 Letter/Phone follow-up for #2 and #3 donors who didn’t attend the banquet, or
who attended but didn’t make a commitment.
 Meet with #1 donors not available in October to thank them for supporting the
area.
 Year End Appeal and Holiday newsletter.
 DECEMBER
 Have Campaigner kids call key donors they know to thank them for making
Young Life a reality and wish them a Merry Christmas.
 Year End Appeal face-to-face meetings and phone calls.
 Send Christmas cards.
Plan
• Complete a Strategy and Timeline
(Financial Master Plan)
• Manage your List (PPL)
• Start Now!
Building a Great TDS
Team
What does TDS look like
in an area?
• A regularly meeting of a group of likeminded people
who want to see Young Life on a solid financial
ground.
• The group looks into the future and is able to project
financial needs.
• A group of people who are not afraid of money and
who are bold with people.
TDS Team Roles
 Area Director
 Prepares the case statement.
 Prepares the FDT and data.
 Personally knows the top 10–12 donors in the area.
 Builds teams: TDS, banquet, golf, etc.
 Coordinates communication of confidential donor information to
TDS team.
 TDS Chair
 Partners with the area director in the above.
 Holds face-to-face askers accountable for doing major donor visits.
 Data/Finance Manager
 Maintains PPL.
 Prints out banquet invitation lists, phone-a-thon lists, faceto-face lists.
 Identifies lapsed donors.
 TDS Askers
 Review lapsed donor list annually.
 Create and maintain relationships with major donors that win
the right to ask.
 Make three to four major donor requests yearly.
 Brainstorm new names for PPL annually.
 Young Life Committee
 “Owns” the banquet.
 Does major donor thank you visits.
 Conducts the phone-a-thon.
Best TDS Teams are:
• Not just the main committee
• Tend to be business/business minded people
• Which means they might meet over lunch.
• People who have been on other non-Young Life
committees or boards.
• i.e. United Way, YMCA, etc.
• Have financial campaigns or terms of office.
• Who see TDS as a ministry.
• Divide up roles.
• i.e. Foundations, golf, treasurer…
How to Make TDS Succeed
in Your Area
• Area Director needs to partner with this group.
• Scripture, sharing, prayer
• Needs to be lead by a non-Young Life staff person –
TDS Chair.
• Needs to have strong accountability by the TDS Chair.
Principle:
We Have Not Because
We Ask Not
We are afraid to ask people to help
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock
and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks
receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the
door will be opened.” Matt 7:7-8 NIV
Remember
 Pray
 Create a list
 Look at key donors
 Ask around the community
Ask-Be bold, use the case
 Make specific, personal asks.
 Lay out a clear role for them to serve in.
 Clearly share the vision of why they are so important to
the mission of reaching kids.
 Center the group around Askers.
Thanking Well
 Thanking and funding go together!
 Thanking sets up asking.
 How do we thank donors well?
 How do you like to be thanked?
Women in Fundraising
 Did you know:
 Women control two-thirds of all wealth in the U.S.
 Women make 80% of all household purchasing
decisions.
 Women give more to non-profits than men do.
 Women are often connectors and twice as likely to pass
information on about your cause.
Development in YL
1. Field Development Department
Helping areas to be financially healthy so they reach more
kids
Coaching & Conference Calls
1.
2.
1.
2.
3.
4.
3.
4.
Cash Flow & PPL Training Calls
Deficit and Reduced Salary Calls
Financial Watch Calls
Emma Best Practices Calls
Best Practice Emma Newsletter
Website
2. Grants and Foundation Office
3. Gift Planning
Contact Info
Greg Lehman
Southern and Eastern Divisions
937-286-9954
glehman@sc.younglife.org
Q&A Time
Extra Slides
Growing
Raising ministry support is one of the greatest opportunities to
grow in your faith and to help others respond to God’s call to
build His kingdom.
Philippians 4:10 – “I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you
have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been
concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.”
Philippians 4:14-20 – “14 Yet it was good of you to share in my
troubles. 15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of
your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia,
not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and
receiving, except you only; 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica,
you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. 17 Not that I
desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your
account. 18 I have received full payment and have more than
enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from
Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an
acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all
your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
20 To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
Discuss
What is your biggest fear in raising support?
What currently is your biggest challenge?
Namestorming
 2 Relatives
 2 Christian Friends
 2 Past/Current Co-Workers
 2 Past/Current Neighbors
 2 People You’ve Been in a Bible Study With
 2 People You Know Who Have Taken Mission Trips
 2 Church Members
 2 People You’ve Sent Christmas Cards To
 2 Past Employers/Employees
 Your Doctor and Your Dentist
Namestorming
 Think through specific periods of your life:
 2 People You Went To Elementary School With
 2 People You Went to High School With
 2 People You Went to College With
 If you’re married, people in your wedding party and
people who came to your wedding
 People You Invited/Will Invite to Your 40th Birthday
Party
The Referral (“Introductions”)
 After asking for financial support ask, “If you were in
my shoes who would you talk to.”
 Don’t ask them to qualify the names.
 Ask them if they would consider giving you an
introduction through an email or phone call.
 Even better if the will set up the meeting and be there
with you.
 Not everyone will give you referrals but ask everyone.
 Contact the referrals promptly.
 Thank people for their help!
Breakout Groups
 What is something that has worked for you/your
ministry in raising support?
 What is something that God has brought to your
attention so far today that you need to focus on in
raising support?
 What is one prayer request in regards to raising
support that others can pray for?
 Go around the circle/group and pray for one another!
Financial Master Plan
What is it?
A fancy way to say Calendar
 Breaks down the fundraising plan month by
month
 Keeps the team on the same page by
answering the question: What are we
doing this month to care for donors, ask
donors for support, and thank donors?

Thanking Well
 Thanking and funding go together!
 Thanking sets up asking.
 How do we thank donors well?
 How do you like to be thanked?
Challenge
What are two things regarding support raising that
you need to take action on when you return home?
What step of faith does God want you to take in
raising support?
Q&A Time
The Tools
 Young Life’s Taking Donors Seriously System
 The Online Priority Prospect List
 The Online Cash Flow
 The Field Development Website
What To Do If Finances Are Really
Tight
 Update Cash Flow – get an honest assessment of what is needed
and by when
 Get people praying for the area’s finances so the area can reach
more kids
 Communicate with the Core
 Committee
 Top Donors – sit Face-to-Face with Top 20-30% of PPL and ask for
their help/ask the Who question
 Parents – let then know how this thing works
 Leaders connections (appropriately)
 Get Top 3 asking strategies happening in the next 15-30 days
 Look for Top 20-30% donor who could put up matching money
 Talk to Regional Team
 Talk to Field Development Director
The Ask
The Ask
 1. The Invitation
 Who is making it and setting the right expectation.
 2. Preparation
 Right attitude
 Know and prep The Case
 3. The Meeting
 Listening
 Telling the story
 Asking the Question
 4. Follow Up
 Thank within 48 hours
 Make it easy for them to give the gift
 Continue and deepen the relationship
Thanking Donors
HOW TO THANK DONORS
Compiled List from Areas Around the Country
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Sent a blanket to a $50,000 donor "'This is what a $50,000 blanket looks like" OH
At Christmas take kids to deliver YL blankets to top 30 donors PA
Pray IA
Constant contact - newsletter, small gifts, gift cards VA GA
Notes from kids at camp VA MA CT
Group photo of kids at camp and made post cards MA
Camp picture - put note at bottom and put in magnet sleeve (CHEAP) CT
Write personal thank you notes VA
Top 40-50 donors get a written note once or twice a year VA
Post cards from any trips taken (new staff training, etc.) more personal donors VA
Campaigner kids are given an example and they use it to write 2-3 thank yous each
(great response from recipients) VA
Hand deliver hand written notes GA
Take pictures of kids, put in nice engraved frame with logo on it CA
Made cards that had a collage on the front of the kids - with a thank you note inside written by
the kids TX VA
Put testimony from kids in the newsletter VA
Special thank you section in one of our newsletters VA
One thank you card from a committee upon receipt of check or money
(get a person or two that wants to make this their job) Montly donors only get one 2-3 times a year VA
Special thank you section in one of our newsletters VA
A general thank you letter from the committee confirming pledge after the banquet, signed with a
note VA
Committee lady handwrites thank you notes to every donor every month OH
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$300 a year thank 7 times
calendar…everybody on committee had a person to thank all 7 times
they are responsible for being contact person for that person NH
Poinsettias at Christmas time hand delivered to top 25 donors VA
Hand deliver Christmas gifts by leader and a kid (homemade Chai, ornament etc.)
A lot of donors welcomed them in to chat VA
Made a local calendar with pictures of kids and sent to top 300 donors TX
Have kids deliver cookie trays CA
Christmas cards to everyone - a leadership christmas picture from Wal-mart VA
Some don't send Christmas cards because they already receive so many
Hand deliver a gift on Valentine's day KS
We took 50 dozen cookies to our top businesses and top donors just to say thank you VA
We Sent out Valentine's - 'thanks for loving kids' VA
Bring them baskets with candy and a picture of the kids with a thank you on the back IA WA
Hand deliver bread (big impact) TX
Regional - deliver cherries to donors CA
End of fiscal year (September) send a gift of $5 or less (book, cd, picture of kids in a frame) NJ
Give YL "thank you" coffee mugs [where the "thank you" shows up after you fill w/something hot] VA
Give small tin of YL-staff-homemade chocolate covered pretzels VA
Something in donors hands every month - rubber bracelets..kids going to camp put on as a reminder to pray
Important people remember birthdays & anniversaries
Big auction fundraiser - don't spend money..make something personal
2 dozen assorted cookies CA
Committee - took a percentage of donors and delivered something everyday for 1 week
cookies, movie tickets (resources of the committee) People were blown away!
Personal knocks from 7 different people in a row IN
Invite them to personal events such as bowl-a-thon, dodge ball tournament, etc IL
Make it a point to get together with donors on a regular basis VA
Contact work with key donors (personal lunch goes a long
Briefly Discuss
When you hear the word
‘fundraising’ what comes to
mind?
What do you think when I say..
Fundraising
“A necessary but unpleasant activity to support spiritual
things...”
“Fund Raising is proclaiming what you believe in and
proclaiming it in such a way that you offer the other
person an opportunity to participate in your vision”
Young Life doesn’t have a
money problem, Young Life has a
communication problem.
Bill Hautt, founder of TDS
Effective Strategy for Asking
Getting people On the Team
– Committee, TDS, etc.
More People Saying “Yes”
Spend 70% of Time/Effort in
Top 3
Face-to-Face
Small Group
Large Group
Phone Call
Letter
Spend 30% of Time/Effort in
Bottom 3
Increased Gift Size
Oversimplified Fundraising
Meet w/ Top
40 Donors
before
Banquet
Spring Golf
Event
Camp
Have Money
Raised by
Dec.
Have a Fall
Banquet
End of the
Year/ Follow
Up
Seven Steps in a Donor Gift Cycle
Reporting &
Follow-Up
Identify
Research &
Evaluation
Thank You
Cultivation &
Communication
Ask
Involvement
Goals:
 Better equipped to reach more kids for Christ
 Be Encouraged
 Have long term healthy ministry, staff, committee
and donors
 Grow in our own walks with Christ!
Describe how you currently feel about
fundraising in your area
Evaluating Prospects:
The Big Three
• How are they connected to you and/or Young Life?
• What's their financial situation?
• Are they "givers"?
“Fundraising is as spiritual as giving a
sermon, entering a time of prayer,
visiting the sick, or feeding the
hungry!”
Henri Nouwen
The Way Young Life Traditionally Raises
Money
Stage 1: The October Banquet
 278 People Attend the Banquet
 $57, 395 of the $133K budget is raised/ pledged
Stage 2: The End of the year letter
 Money Keeps Coming in from Banquet Follow Up
 End of the Year Letter (with envelope)
 Revenue for area by end of Jan is $64K (2M+)
Stage 3: Run Out of Money
in April
 Feb and March are slow with $14K given total (3k
church gift)
 Expenses do not slow down spending $26K (1M+)
 April BAD only $2700 revenue
 April Expenses are $11,300, area is -$1800
Stage 4: Golf Event in Late
May
 Sponsors $16K
 Players $20K
 Expenses 6K
 Clear $30K
 May Revenue was 14K (Some Golf $$)
 May Expenses were $12K ($0 balance)
Stage 5: Run out of money
in July
 May and June were bolstered by the golf money.
 June is just above $2,000 (.2M ahead).
 July expenses are about $16,000
 July revenue is $1,300 (Area is –13K, -1.1M)
Stage 6: The Staff Goes on
Reduced Salary
 Aug- the area director receives a 75% Grace Letter
 Sept- the Staff person goes on 75% reduce pay
 The committee wants to see something happen, but
the next banquet is only a month away, and it feels
wrong to ask people for help now and expect those
same people to give at the banquet.
Problems with the
Treadmill:
 The focus was on events instead of relationships.
 There wasn't a clear plan to raise the area's budget.
 No strategy was used - every donor was given the same
effort regardless of their ability to give.
 Responsibilities were not clearly defined.
 Too much stress and pressure was put on one event the banquet.
 The most effective way to raise money - through face to
face meetings was not used!