The CityKids Foundation
Development Plan
FY 2013-2014
For the past 27 years, the CityKids Foundation has empowered members of New
York City’s most vulnerable population to change the course of their lives. Utilizing a
model of intersecting academic, arts, and therapy-based programs, CityKids impacts the
lives of over 800 urban youth annually through their afterschool and performance-based
programs. The organization currently operates on a $1.1 million dollar budget, with
roughly half of that sum acquired through numerous foundation grants. Board member
contributions account for 20 percent of annual revenue, and CityKids proudly states that
100 percent of its board members contribute to the organization in a way that is
personally meaningful. Individual gifts and funds generated through special events
comprise the second largest tier of support, with corporate sponsorships and public giving
yielding the remaining $150,000. Additionally, CityKids takes in an estimated $15,000
per year in earned income through performance and workshop revenues.
The CityKids Foundation presents an excellent emotional platform for both
charitable and philanthropic giving. The highly involved board and dedicated staff act as
inspired leaders, collaborating to achieve fiscal sustainability while providing quality
programs to youth participants. In addition to these key members, CityKids boasts a vast
volunteer base, with employees of corporate sponsors often working directly with youth
in various capacities. Though Kristin Connor, the organization’s executive director, has
undoubtedly lead CityKids to new heights of financial vitality in the past five years, there
are key steps the organization may wish to take in Fiscal Year (FY) 2013-2014 to
increase individual and major gift contributions.
CityKids attracts some 120 volunteers annually, 23 of whom commit up to 40
hours per year; these members should be considered a key resource for development and
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solicitation. The current volunteer model leverages direct involvement with youth
participants in job readiness and life skill development capacities. CityKids’ volunteers
are often individuals affiliated with the organizations’ corporate sponsors and community
partners, and while they affect program outcomes, their expertise and commitment may
be further utilized in the development strategies outlined below. Creating a framework
for increased volunteer effort in development will increase CityKids’ capacity by better
utilizing already existing support.
The following narrative outlines specific strategies CityKids should employ in the
upcoming 2013-2014 Fiscal Year. Please see Appendix A for a calendar detailing the
timeframe and goals for fundraising activity and campaign planning.
Annual Giving: A Multi-Channel Approach
CityKids has historically secured nearly half of all income through foundation
support. In FY2013-2014, efforts to strengthen individual donations should be increased
in various development capacities. Please consider the following annual giving strategies
to further identify, cultivate and solicit individual support.
The Board:
The CityKids Foundation boasts an involved board, with 100 percent of members
contributing a total of 20 percent of annual organization income. Future board
solicitations should commence before Labor Day, and be lead by the executive director
and board chair. Board members may then embark on cultivation and direct solicitation
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along with the executive director and program managers. In previous years, the CityKids
board has proven effective at acquiring corporate and private donations from their
respective affiliations. Direct solicitation to individuals within CityKids’ extended
network of corporate sponsors should be lead by members of the board.
In addition to identifying individuals who are connected with CityKids’ corporate
network, the organization should utilize its various entertainment industry donors in a
similar capacity. The CityKids foundation has several recognizable supporters, known
both for careers in the entertainment industry as well as philanthropy. These individuals
may have knowledge of prospective New York philanthropists to be considered for direct
solicitation. Solicitations should occur in personal, face-to-face meetings in which
combinations of board members, the executive director, development staff, industry
donors, and program directors pair to converse with prospective donors. All efforts must
be punctuated by effective and timely stewardship from CityKids’ representatives.
Direct Mail:
The direct mail campaign should target the organization’s most recently lapsed
donors, considered those who have gone one to two years without giving. As the voice of
the CityKids Foundation’s youth-leaders is ever-changing, the appeal to rejoin the
CityKids community should reflect the same excitement the organization’s youth
participants generate. Volunteers may be employed to support the direct mail campaign,
which should commence in mid-September. In addition to individuals already familiar
with CityKids’ mission, identifying donors to like causes may yield direct impact.
Please find a sample annual appeal letter in Appendix B.
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Social Media and Electronic Solicitation:
The CityKids Foundation has a consistent breadth of resources at their disposal,
and the organization’s mission often reaches large audiences through youth-developed
performance pieces. As a youth-driven, arts, and education nonprofit, it is the perfect
organization for targeted Internet fundraising, and as such, electronic solicitation should
be considered as a prime mechanism for acquiring first-time donors. In the past year,
CityKids has bolstered its social media strategies due to the combined efforts of both staff
and youth participants. Though the organization is active on Twitter, Instagram,
YouTube, Pinterest, and Facebook, staff should include a direct link to donate on every
form of social communication to bolster individual giving. FY2013-2014 should see an
increase in the use of YouTube incorporated into an electronic solicitation campaign with
the goal of showcasing the strengths of the organization through youth testimony and
compelling performance. Particularly as CityKids has a comprehensive Annual Appeal
YouTube video at its disposal, the efforts of these endeavors should be more fully
incorporated into e-mail solicitation strategies.
The e-mail campaign should be ongoing and lead by volunteers. CityKids may
wish to have several rounds of correspondence with current and prospective donors prior
to solicitation. Such communication should include messages from key stakeholders and
volunteers outlining the case for support. Prospects to consider include appropriate social
media followers and participants. To identify these prospects, CityKids should track their
online community using interns and development staff to create a robust database of
prospects and fans. E-mail solicitation is a relatively inexpensive venue for increasing
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support, and is often more effective when targeted toward a younger age cohort. As such,
interns, volunteers, and those receiving clinical supervision should be considered as
useful resources to broaden the CityKids network. Immediate steps to take include
changing the CityKids Website to include a donation button on every page, preferably
located in the upper right hand corner and highlighted by the already prominent
“CityKids red.”
Volunteers:
CityKids has noted a vast database of committed volunteers, many of whom
donate their time to increase program effectiveness. In FY2013-2014, volunteers should
be solicited as integral members of CityKids’ donor community in a manner that values
their current contributions to the organization with appreciation and gratitude. CityKids
volunteers are often employed by current corporate sponsors; targeting these men and
women and inquiring as to matching gifts will increase the organization’s individual
donor base and inspire philanthropy in corporate partners from both the top-down and
bottom-up.
Events
CityKids hosts several large annual events centering on both cultivation and
solicitation. The CityKids Annual Golf Tournament takes place every September, and is
a means for cultivating new donors through invitation, and soliciting both prospective
and current donors through a silent auction. Though the event has yielded success in the
past, ensuring silent auction items through volunteer-driven donation solicitation will
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reduce the event’s expense. Additionally, board members should be considered as
potential contributors to silent auctions with personal items such as use of vacation
homes, if applicable. All attendees should be considered for annual giving by board
members in the same fashion previously outlined.
As events weigh heavy on CityKids’ resources, relying on a volunteer-based task
force may prove to be effective in reducing costs to the organization. All attendees must
be added to the CityKids donor database, and appropriate stewardship must follow all
events. Particularly in the case of the organization’s Spring Benefit, in which youth
participants perform and showcase new choreography and original pieces, stewardship
including a youth-voice may be of particular value.
Major Gifts
As the CityKids Foundation currently has a small but active individual donor
base, a major gift campaign for members already within the organization’s support
network would create a more robust individual donor pyrmaid. Leadership is an essential
component to major gift solicitation, and as such, CityKids may wish to develop a
committee or task force to focus on identification, cultivation and solicitation. Prospects
for major giving are predominately individuals, and may include current and past board
members, as well as other active donors who have been identified as having the capacity
to greater contribute to the mission and vitality of the CityKids Foundation.
Major gift solicitation requires few resources, and instead relies heavily on the
volition of organization leadership. Every board member must therefore play a role in
major gift development and cultivation. CityKids should enlist the prowess of a newly
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created task force to begin prospect identification and cultivation. Solicitations should be
scheduled in pairs, in which two active CityKids representatives are present to lead an
intentional and cause-driven ask. Though major gift solicitation may be ongoing due to
need, opportunity, and prospect readiness, first efforts of this type should commence in
July of 2013 with potential goals as outlined below.
$40,000 – 2 Donors
Prospective Major Gift Pyramid Yielding a total of
$300,000 in Contributions
$20,000 – 4 Donors
$10,000 – 6 Donors
Capital Campaigns
Though the agency is steadily bolstering its donor pyramid to create a more
diversified and robust network of support, CityKids may lack the capacity to fully
implement a capital campaign at this time.
Planned Giving
The CityKids Foundation has an excellent case for engaging individuals in
planned giving. CityKids hails 27 years of success in empowering urban young people to
dramatically change the course of their lives through arts, academic success and
opportunities for leadership. The organization is stable and meets an enduring need of a
large population. Particularly as planned giving offers many options, the CityKids board
may wish to consider multiple strategies and create a Legacy Society. Efforts to
introduce planned giving into the culture of the organization will start with board
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members, who may then be used to identify, cultivate and solicit others to join in making
a meaningful impact and ensuring longevity for the CityKids Foundation. In addition to
board members, prospects may include donors who have given more than five times,
individuals of a distinguished age, and those who have expressed loyalty to supporting
the CityKids mission of youth-empowerment. A planned giving campaign should be
ongoing, and lead by board members, development staff and the executive director.
Rather than targeting donors individually, CityKids may wish to release news of the
newly formed Legacy Society to a large group of prospects as incorporated in newsletters
or regular correspondence.
Institutional Proposals
As of FY2012, nearly half of all CityKids’ income was received through
foundation grants. An additional $153,260 of funds came in the form of corporate giving
and matches. The agency currently boasts a large list of foundation support, due to the
commitment and talent of the executive director and development staff. In FY20132014, CityKids should continue efforts to secure foundation funding, and attempt to
identify foundations in which capacity building is funded. CityKids has the metrics and
model that many foundations seek in prospective grant recipients, particularly as the
organization thrives in a culture of philanthropy as demonstrated by the board. Creating
a grants calendar, as well as a proposal bank with which to keep program descriptions of
various lengths may help with foundation proposal efficacy. The CityKids Foundation
has already taken many strides to ensure fiscal sustainability and vitality in FY20132014. The exemplary board and foundation support demonstrate program effectiveness
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and stakeholder commitment to the mission. By better utilizing current resources, most
notably, volunteers and Internet presence, the organization can create a larger and more
robust individual donor base to further their mission and achieve annual goals.
Below please find a detailed calendar with goals and planning suggestions for
FY2013-2014. Please also note additions to the timeline that were not specifically
mentioned in this development plan. These additions, such as the end of year campaign,
are already well executed by CityKids who requested the plan focus on strategies in other
development areas.
Appendix A. FY 2013-2014 Calendar and Goals, by Event
Timeline
August/ Ongoing
September (Post-Labor
Day)/ Ongoing
Mid September
Late September
October
Ongoing
Ongoing
Activity
Staffing
(Point of Contact)
Annual Giving
Goal from Individuals: $400,000
Identify Prospects
E-mail Solicitation
Direct Mail Campaign
Phone Follow-Up
Solicitation
Stewardship
Volunteer Solicitation
Board Members, Volunteers,
Development Staff
Board Gifts
Goal: 20% of Annual Income
Board Solicitation
Executive Director, Development
Staff
February
March
April
April
June
October
November
Ongoing
End of Year Campaign
Goal: $75,000
Collect names from Board members
Update mailing / e-mail list
Mail Letters
Personal notes from Board
Mid-Year Progress Letters
End of Year Appeal Letter
Individual Follow-up
Stewardship
Board, Executive Director,
Volunteers, Development Staff
June
Events
Goal: $150,000
Golf Tournament: Secure Venue &
Board, Executive Director,
Development Staff, Volunteers
July-August
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July
August
September
September/ Ongoing
January
February
March
April
Ongoing
July
July
August
August
August/ September
September/ Ongoing
Identify Prospects
Golf Tournament: Cultivate Prospects
Golf Tournament: Volunteers Secure Silent Auction
Items
Host Golf Tournament
Golf Tournament Stewardship
Spring Benefit: Secure Venue and Hosts
Spring Benefit: Assign Board Committee and
include youth-participant leaders
Spring Benefit: Identify Prospects and begin REP
Rehearsals
Spring Benefit: Invite Prospects and Secure other
event essentials (catering, gifts, etc.) REP continues
to prepare.
Host Spring Benefit
Stewardship
Board Committee, All Staff,
Executive Director, Volunteers,
Youth Participants
Major Gifts
Goal: $300,000
Board members solicited
Board members identify prospects
Cultivation commences
Board members and staff schedule meetings
Prospects are solicited
Stewardship
Board Members, Development
Staff, Executive Director
Institutional Proposals
Foundation Goal: $650,000
Ongoing
September
September
October
October
Ongoing
May
Ongoing
Ongoing
Ongoing
Ongoing
Develop Calendar and Reminders
Draft Proposals
Development Staff and Executive
Director. Volunteers if expertise is
demonstrated.
Corporate Goal: $200,000
Presentations to Corporate Groups
Confirm Corporate Prospect List
Write Proposals as needed
Corporation solicitation
Recognition and stewardship
Planned Giving
Incorporate advent of Legacy Society into
organization correspondence
Solicit Board Members
Identify Prospects
Solicit Prospects
Stewardship and Recognition
Board Members, Executive
Director, Development Staff
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Appendix B. Sample Annual Appeal Letter
Dear Xxxxxxx,
In 2007, I joined the CityKids Foundation as the Executive Director with one goal in mind, to
make a difference in the lives of the young people we serve. I was committed to advancing the
mission of the foundation, and providing the best quality programs to our young people.
Since 2007, the CityKids Foundation has made great strides in developing a sustainable
foundation. Most importantly you have been part of all our successes. Here are some of our
accomplishments:
 Restructured programs to make sure that a young person felt comfortable to explore more
than one program or activity.
 Expanded our programmatic reach including welcomed 90 new young people into
Freshmen In Progress over the summer.
 Made sure that we were a resource to select partner schools including the Urban
Assemble of Business for Young Women and the Facing History School.
 Focused on mission achieving outcomes, and as well as recruitment and retention efforts
to serve 800 youth annually.
 Increased our Board and committee participation.
 Worked with more than 100 volunteers to improve our facilities providing a study center,
counseling and small group work, performance space.
 Augmented and diversified our revenue support.
As we approach the year-end, CityKids is robust programmatically; we couldn’t be in a better
situation if our strength were measured by the passion and conviction of our young people. Even
in this volatile economic climate, we understand how critical it is to always ensure we are serving
our young people with sophisticated yet progressive initiatives and programs they need to
advance to the next level in their lives. Rather than cutting back, the CityKids Foundation
intends to forge ahead with plans to expand our programmatic, development and marketing
initiatives. In an effort to be responsive and to continue providing a quality SafeSpace for our
young people, for the 2012-2013 fiscal years we are committed to instituting the following
strategic goals:
 Strengthen CityKids’ SafeSpace youth development program model
 Attract and retain young people in CityKids programs
 Strengthen our drop-out prevention strategy
 Increase our profile
 Maximize in-kind resources and expand funding opportunities
To achieve these goals, we need your support. I am asking you to make a contribution of
$100, $500, $1,000 or more to support our efforts. Please support the CityKids Foundation
today and help to empower our young people.
Thanks for everything you do to support the CityKids Foundation and the young people we serve.
I am grateful for your dedication and commitment.
With warm regards,
Kirsten Connor
Executive Director
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