The AAA Way to Fundraising Success:
Maximum Involvement, Maximum Results
Bank of America Nonprofit Impact Series
May 25, 2011
2 - 3 p.m. EDT
Kay Sprinkel Grace, Presenter
Agenda
Overview: Maximum involvement, maximum results – a
AAA strategy for dynamic fundraising
The Board’s role in philanthropy, development and fund
raising
Board AAA Rating: Ambassador, Advocate, Asker –
survey, grid, monitoring results
Benefits of the culture of philanthropy and AAA
Summary and conclusion
2
Overview: Maximum
Involvement, Maximum Results
Gaining maximum engagement from your board:
why it is important, what it requires
Tapping into volunteer motivation
How to engage your full board in fund and donor
development
AAA as a tool for board recruitment strategy
AAA: influence on staff as board becomes more
involved
3
Tapping Into Your Full Potential:
Building A “AAA” Board Team
What it is
How to build one
5
Defining a AAA Board
A board with a AAA Rating is one where every board
member is motivated to be an Ambassador, Advocate
and/or Asker – tapping into board member motivation
and offering assignments drawn from the strategic
plan or the development plan that are specific and
geared to the board member’s motivation
AAA is a management tool, ensuring follow through by
staff and volunteer leaders
6
Roles Board Members Play in
Maximizing Development Results
Ambassadors
Making friends
Building relationships
Advocates
Making the case (formal and informal)
Key to solid board recruitment
Askers
Making the ask
“Front line” fund raisers
7
Ambassadors
A role everyone has to play
Critical role in cultivation of prospective donors
and stewardship of continuing donor-investors
Need to be well oriented and coached in the
message about your impact
Masters of the “elevator speech” (and the
“elevator question”)
Catalysts for donor-investor renewal
Be sure all of your board members are confident
Ambassadors
8
Advocates
At work or in the car pool – these individuals are
strategic in their information sharing
They may also advocate for your organization on
a more formal basis with government, another
organization with which you are partnering or an
institutional funder or potential board members
Are informed not only of the case for support, but
also are well integrated into your strategic plan
and vision
Are well coached on desired results of the
advocacy and handling objections
9
Askers
Enjoy asking
Well informed, well trained
“Matched” with prospective donors (or current
donor-investors) for maximum possibility of
success
Teamed with another board asker or staff leader
Staff organizes the ask so the Asker’s focus can
be on the single purpose of getting (or renewing)
the gift
Benefit from the work of the Ambassadors and
Advocates
10
The AAA “Rating”
Some board members will do it all
Most board members excel at one or two
Motivation is increased when board members are
allowed to choose tasks that draw on their skills and are
in their “confidence zone”
The AAA program on boards engages each member in
a role that contributes to your organization’s
advancement and helps them feel respected and
engaged
As motivation increases, you will find board members
moving among the roles – even to Asker!
11
Tools to Build AAA Confidence
Training and coaching
Staff and board leadership support, feedback
and encouragement
A “tool kit” – including (but not limited to) fact
sheet, elevator speech/question, stories from
your organization, objections/responses they
may confront, financial statements, staff and
board lists with annotation, organizational
funding priorities, etc.
12
Setting Up a AAA Board Program
Review of survey
Review of summary grid
SAMPLE BOARD MEMBER SURVEY
Please review the following roles and identify
() how you will be involved in fundraising as an
Ambassador, Advocate and/or Asker. You may
select all that apply to you. In making your
selection(s), assume that you will be provided
training, materials and support to fulfill your
role(s). Thank you for completing and returning
this survey.
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I WILL BE AN AMBASSADOR
As an Ambassador, I will:
 Identify and cultivate those in my circle of
friends/colleagues who would be interested in supporting our
programs.
Host a private cultivation or donor recognition gathering (at
my home/at a public venue/at the organization).
Take (#) of people to lunch each quarter.
 Invite my best prospects to be my guests at appropriate
functions, special tours, lectures, etc.
 Help to steward relationships with our prospects and donors
through writing notes, participating in Thankathons, hosting
donor events, etc.
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Other: __________________________________
_________
I WILL BE AN ADVOCATE
As an Advocate, I will:
Represent the organization at public functions
(as an attendee/as a speaker)
Become part of a speaker’s bureau if asked
Make phone calls to appropriate city or other
officials when asked.
Work with staff to create and engage in
specific strategies to present the case to my
best prospects or those identified by staff.
(Arrange information sessions with your
contacts who are individual, corporate, or
foundation prospects.)
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•Other:
I WILL BE AN ASKER
As an Asker, I will:
(Lead/Participate in) requests to potential and renewing
donors for investment in the organization
Generate and sign letters asking for appointments or gifts.
Make follow up phone calls to solicitation letters and/or
visits.
Seek sponsorships for special events and/or promote table
purchase by my friends and colleagues.
Other: ________________________________
Please provide your comments or other ideas for getting
involved:
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Measuring AAA Effectiveness
Number of contacts Ambassadors make – and tell
you about! Create an easy way to relay information
to your prospect files.
Success of Advocacy: whatever the task assigned,
was it accomplished and did it have the desired
results?
Success of the Asker is the easiest to measure
All three need to be honored: SOS
18
Think About Your Board:
Open for Your Input
What roles are board members playing?
How does AAA fit with your boards? Staffs?
Obstacles and opportunities for AAA
Comments and questions
19
Tapping Into Your Full Potential:
Creating a Culture of Philanthropy
The principles that guide philanthropy
The values base of all philanthropy
To Build a Culture of Philanthropy,
Rely on These Proven Principles
People give because you meet needs, not
because you have needs
A gift to your organization is a gift through your
organization into the community
All philanthropy is based in (shared) values and
is increasingly about issues and impact, not
institutions (it is not about you…)
Fundraising is not about money, it is about
relationships based on shared values
21
Philanthropy
Based in values
Development
Uncovers shared values
Fund Raising
Gives people opportunities
to act on their values
22
Transactional Bell Curve:
Challenge to Creating a Culture
High Impact Philanthropy
Kay Sprinkel Grace, Alan Wendroff
Transformational Infinity Loop:
What a True Culture Can Produce
High Impact Philanthropy
Kay Sprinkel Grace, Alan Wendroff
What These Times
Require of Boards
Constant renewal (term limits, mission connection,
involvement in ways that develop confidence and
commitment)
Increased transparency, accountability, outreach and
stewardship
Finding partners who share your values to join you
Changes in governance (keeping “the young and the
restless” and the “RT’s” on board becomes a challenge)
Involvement of all board members in donor and fund
development and the culture of philanthropy
25
AAA Roles in Relationship Building
and Major Gift Procurement
Through the lens of AAA
Cultivation
Solicitation
Stewardship
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Cultivation
Ambassadors and Advocates are critical in the leadership and
execution of effective cultivation
Ambassadors and Advocates form relationships which may
ultimately benefit the organization
Cultivation is deliberate, systematic relationship-building and
you are important in that process
Use the tool kit, systematic cultivation strategies and
cultivation calendar
Use resources and your intuition to move people you know
from cultivation to solicitation to stewardship
Cultivation - 2
The purpose of cultivation is to build the relationship and
uncover shared values
Look to staff and/or board leadership to inform you about
what to listen for and observe so you will know when to
shift the prospect over to the solicitation process
Expect staff and board leaders to understand, participate in
and fund cultivation activities
Your imagination (and budget) are your only limitations in
creating a systematic cultivation process and becoming
engaged, confident and enthusiastic Ambassadors and
Advocates
Solicitation
Askers have an easier task because the “other two A’s” have
helped build the relationship
If you are primarily an Asker, remember these things
It is not about you: it is about the donor
Teams of two are most effective (an Ambassador or Advocate
may be happy to come along – or a staff member serving the
program)
Master an asking process that will frame your time and
message
Be adept at anticipating and handling objections
Close appropriately based on the outcome of the ask (yes, no,
maybe)
After the Ask:
The Critical Role of Stewardship
Fundraising is not about money, it is about
relationships
The goal is not just to bring in money: it is to engage
long-term investors who will grow with us
Social investments are made because the investor
wants a result: the foundation brokers the gift, but the
results happen throughout the medical center
The entire staff is part of the stewardship team
31
Stewardship Cycle: Where are You
Involving Board Members?
Gift
Deepening
Engagement
On-going impact
feedback
Stewardship
Strategy
Recognition
32
Levels of Stewardship
3. Special treatment and opportunities
appropriate to level of gift
2. Appropriate and consistent
recognition, communication and
opportunities for involvement
1. Accuracy in donor records, timely
response, noting donor’s interest(s)
33
Key Data for Stewardship:
Why Donors Stop Giving
(From B/A US Trust Study): In 2007, nearly 38% of
donors stopped supporting organizations they had
previously supported, and 26% stopped supporting at
least two organizations they had previously supported.
The principal reason they gave for stopping their
support was:
No longer felt personally connected 57%
As a board member, you can be a AAA connector
34
35
What AAA Organizations Report
Non-board volunteers are more engaged and
major gifts committees (e.g.) are using the model
Staff members are very keen on being
Ambassadors and Advocates – and many are
making great Askers on team calls
AAA has been integrated into job descriptions
and recruitment matrices
Confidence has zoomed among some volunteers
36
AAA: Meeting the Financial
Challenges We Face
Even in recovery from volatility or economic
shrinkage, donor-investors suffer from “psychic
poverty” – you must focus on relationships and the
return on social investment
Don’t change your messages to ones of financial
crisis and need: instead, emphasize both investment
portfolios
Emphasize how philanthropy comes from abundance
and also creates abundance
37
Meeting the Challenge - 2
If previously generous donors have faltered in their
giving, as a AAA team keep engaging them in your
mission – keep them engaged, and when they can
give again, it will be to you
Ask for information and opportunities for AAA
involvement – and use the Internet as the least
expensive relationship-building tool you have
Increase your relationship with ALL donors, not just
big donors – be engaged as a full AAA team
38
In Closing….Some Thoughts on
the Power of AAA
 You must get involved to have an impact. No one is
impressed with the won-lost record of the referee.

John H. Holcomb
 Without involvement, there is no commitment. Mark
it down, asterisk it, circle it, underline it.

Stephen Covey
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Regarding Use of This Material
The creator of this material, Kay Sprinkel Grace, is
the sole proprietor of the contents of this
presentation.
AAA was developed in 2002 and is copyrighted
through its use in her book, The AAA Way to
Fundraising Success, Whit Press, 2009
Permission to use all or portions of this presentation
may be obtained by contacting her at
www.kaygrace.org or kaysprinkelgrace@aol.com 40
The AAA Way to Fundraising Success:
Maximum Involvement, Maximum Results
Bank of America Nonprofit Impact Series
Kay Sprinkel Grace, Presenter
www.kaygrace.org
kaysprinkelgrace@aol.com
415-831-2923