IUPUI Principles and Techniques of Fundraising
Expectations
Fill gap in personal prof development
Learning about common opportunities
Developing partnerships
Leaving with one solid plan to pursue soon
Formulate nat’l plan compatible w/state off
Confidence-building
How to overcome the economic crisis to succeed in FR
Challenges
Not the typical NPO board
Lack of engagement of board members
Lack of network relationships to do FR
Small understaffed, under-resourced offices
Daily work seems more urgent
Difficult to articulate our “product”
Higher ed often not seen as worthy of funding
Principles of this course are universal = They work anywhere and everywhere, because FR is
about people first and funding second!!
•
•
•
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GOALS of FR School:
To understand FR as a process (not an event) with specific steps
To see FR as a function of management
To provide tools and techniques for effective FR
To substitute pride for apology in asking for philanthropic gifts
Designs for Fundraising by Harold Seymour – first book ever published about FR
Donor bill of rights
THE FUNDRAISING PROCESS
Insititutional readiness:
Constituencies, environment
Commitment
Methodologies and means to send/receive communication with donors
Stewardship
Rethink host situation if conflict exists
Fundraising cycle:
Examine the case = 1st step in FR – it must be compelling!!
Don’t ask too quickly – “We will sell no wine before its (it’s) time.”  Solicit no gift before its
time!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Let donor make that decision.
Markets:
Individual (84% - 76% is given outright; balance through bequests)
Foundations – 10-11%
Corporations – 5-6% (sometimes give products as opposed to cash)
Government
Coordinating Agencies
Associations
Giving in 2009 down only about 3% from 2008 – strong sign about philanthropy in America!!
Foundations tried to make up for decrease in giving in other areas. They used 3-year average to
determine asset base. In 2007, stock market was still fairly robust compared to subsequent
years, thus base had only one good year.
Giving to education declined for second consecutive year BUT education is 2nd largest recipient
of philanthropy behind religion. Most all of religious giving is individual. Thus education has
a bigger piece of the pie via foundations, corporations and associations.
Human resources:
Team-building - How to work around board if there’s a conflict; not just staff, but volunteers
also
Vehicles and strategies - annual fund, capital campaign, major/special gifts, planned giving
Management:
Analysis, planning, execution, control, evaluation, professional stance (Replace apology with
pride!!)
FR is a professional process that is managed toward predictable ends
Dynamic functions:
Foundations of FR - Acceptance of purpose, validations of needs, preparation of plan, selection
of markets, enlistment of volunteers, team-building, ethical practice
PAY ATTENTION TO ALL SIDES OF THE CUBE – WHATEVER
YOU IGNORE WILL BECOME YOUR BLIND SPOT!
THE FUNDRAISING CYCLE
2 Awareness of marketing principles – What does the donor need and how can I help her/him
accomplish her/his goals? What do you care about that matches what we’re doing? A values
exchange, not about making a sale! It’s what’s up front that counts.
1. Examine the case for support: Why is there (Louisiana) Campus Compact? Why does it
deserve philanthropic support? What benefits accrue to donor – why should I give?
2. Analyze market requirement - What do the different markets require?
3. Define objectives – strategic plan
4. Preparing a needs statement: reflection of strategic plan. What does LaCC need in order
to administer its services? Look at financial needs over a long period of time. Annual
fund – what’s needed for one year (sustainable dollars year in and year out). Capital
campaign - 3-5 year plan: not always about bricks and mortar but can involve program
expansion, increase of services, etc. Endowments and planned giving - 5-10 year outlook.
5. Involve volunteers – make sure they fully understand the organization and its needs
6. Evaluate gift markets 7. Validate needs statement – do donors understand why we’re trying to raise these funds?
8. Select FR vehicle – individual request/foundation request/direct mail campaign, etc.
9. Identify potential gift sources – 1) linkage – where is our common ground?, 2) ability –
do they have the funds we are asking for?, 3) interest – in who we are and what we do.
10. Prepare FR plan – reach certain dollar goal from highest percentage of those who give.
Annual fund - Gifts (10%) ~ Dollars (60%); Gifts (20%) ~ $ (20%); Gifts (30%) ~ $ (20%).
Capital campaign - 10 to 15 gifts (50-60%); 100-150 gifts (35-40%); rest of gifts (15-20%).
11. Prepare communication plan –
12. Activate volunteer corps - get feedback from market; sometimes the largest gifts come
via peer association;
13. Solicit the gift – make the request
14. Demonstrate stewardship and renew the gift – recognize appropriately, show how
money was used to achieve our goals, get the money again!
15. REFLECTION, then BEGIN ANEW!!
MARKETING PRINCIPLE – EXCHANGE OF VALUES
LaCC
Donors give
DONORS
3 Asks for from 
Donors give:
Money, in-kind donations, linkages, time, advocacy, expertise
In exchange, donors receive:
Recognition, influence/reach/impact, connections, nostalgia (from own student days),
meaning, support for values, personal gratification, sense of belonging, tax benefits, tangible
items – pen/pencil set, name on brick, etc.
We have something of value that people want – our programs have needs to keep these services
going
Doing this with a group of people is quite powerful – get many other points of view based on
personal experiences!!
Have S/L contacts and Pres/Chan articulate these values first!
Campuses have big alumni base to draw on – state CCs don’t have that luxury. Must build own
constituency, a real challenge!!
Need to re-activate LaCC Advisory Committee and include community folks.
Work with SLDs to get listing of faculty who have been funded through grants and use them to
build donor base.
Pres/Chan see themselves as doing their part because they’re paying their dues – need to
convince them otherwise or find a parallel group that has fundraising responsibilities
There are alternative structures to help an organization raise money if the governing board
refuses – later this week, he’ll talk about what they are
CONSTITUENCY MODEL
Education has become a commodity – CC can help schools think outside themselves and get
back to the public purpose of higher ed. We should not be seen as competitive, we are
4 collaborative – but how do we get this message across? Need to change view of higher ed so it
will be seen as vehicle for revamping state government and contributing to society
Campus Compact has the largest ed award program in country, the largest VISTA program in
the country, AND we give away hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant money to faculty
across the country.
Constituent – stakeholders, interested parties, those who are interested in our work
LaCC’s universe
 People with similar interests
 Former participants – former board members – former donors
 Members, general donors, employees, volunteers, clients, others
Major donors
Management
Board Members
Board members: Balance of Pres/Chan
Management: Me, Executive Committee, LaCC Advisory Council Members (Press Robinson,
Brad O’Hara, Denise Jacobs, etc.)
Major donors: Shaw, Dow, Exxon, BRAF, Brown Foundation, Northshore Foundation, State of
La. – Hah!!
Members: SLDs, National Campus Compact
General donors –parents of kids involved in successful service-learning projects, university
alumni, speakers who have done work for LaCC, Mayor’s office,
Employees – LaCC staff, former employees (David, Karen, Valerie)
Volunteers: current and former VISTAS, Americorps members
Former board members: LaCC founders (Moffett, Norman Francis, etc.)
Former donors: CNCS, IGESL, State Farm
5 Former participants: Carol Jeandron, Jan Shoemaker, Karen Soniat, grantees (esp. Jayne
Fleener), award recipients, former service-learners, faculty/staff funded thru LaCC programs
People with similar interests: EDs at other non-profits, Citizen Corps Council and Advisory
Council, VISTA Advisory Council, CPs (where LaCC VISTAs and AmeriCorps members work),
Aramark or other food service provider at campuses, University Systems (ULS, SUS, LSU
System, LAICU), Secretary of State’s Office, other legislators, small foundations, LaServe
Commission, authors who give us free books to give away to our members
ASSUME NOTHING!!! All they can say is NO, and if I don’t ask, they can’t say YES!!
Me as donor (in-kind) for FlCC, LaServe Commission, Tulane, etc.
LaCC business cards for VISTAs – 250 each – LaCC VISTA at ______________ University
Outside grant reviewers for LaCC as donors to LaCC
Succession planning – speak to donors about this
WHEEL OF ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Family/job – profession/civic-professional organizations/Education/etc.
Can drain or enrich LaCC – depending on how thin one is spread
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AFFECTING FUNDRAISING
Need to know these things about people we’re considering approaching - Demographics – age (40-65 yrs. is prime), race, income, education, geography, gender,
marital status, number of children – single women more generous than single men,
married couples more generous than either gender single
 Technology – can manage more data but can also be intrusive; can facilitate the process
 Culture – of generosity or of struggle??, generational
 Competition – within host institution and across institutions, with consumerism, with
dollar and with time
 Economic climate – direct correlation between income and S&P index (since 2008);
normal rate of growth is 5-6%/year, but there’s been a 3% decrease each of the past two
years due to economic crisis. Even in past two years, almost 50% of NPOs saw an
increase in donations. Interestingly, international giving has increased during past two
years -- partly due to international disasters, perhaps because younger generation has
more global view of the world.
6  Government – in 1986, there was a change in the tax law that made it more
advantageous to give in 1986 than in 1987, so more gave ion 1986; thus a decline in 1987.
Older generation prefers personal letter, younger generation prefers technology, in-betweens
like personal contact by some means
CASE FOR SUPPORT
Case components/Preparation
Internal uses
Case expressions (statements)
Critical questions
Putting things together
Case: Preparation
Mission – Why do we exist?
 Philosophical – core beliefs that inform the org’s work
 Human/societal need
 Values and values
Goals – What do we want to achieve? General statement of what want to accomplish
Objectives – How will we achieve these goals? Specific, measureable, achievable, resultsoriented and time-determined
Programs and services – Which methods will we use?
Governance – people judge an organization by who serves on your board!!
Staffing – what is their level of experience and expertise?
Facilities of mechanics of service delivery – are you mobile?
Finances – narrative, numerical, graphic
 Total expenses and income
 Philanthropic support required
Strategic planning and program evaluation
History – shows longevity, success, impact
Humming different songs together is NOT harmonious! MUST get on the same page!!
Internal use of cases:
 Establish agreement inside organization
 Help enlist leadership – having right people associated with LaCC is CRITICAL!!
 Provide information backdrop for developing leadership materials
 Create basis for institutional evaluation, priority-setting and decision-making
7 Examples of Case Expressions:
Brochures
Foundation proposals
Appeal letters
Campaign prospectuses
8 Newsletter articles
Speeches to community organizations
F-2-f conversations for cultivation and solicitation
Press releases
Reasons you deserve philanthropy –
 We are educating the next generation of leaders
 We occupy a unique position in academia
 Our programs benefit local communities
 We graduate more productive workers and engaged citizens
Building your case for support:
Why is the world a better place because CC exists?
Higher education has moved to a private good when it needs to be a public good – our
campuses exist in our communities and there needs to be a free flow of ideas and information to
address specific community needs – improvement in health care, education, poverty, etc.
Need mission statement – only have vision statement
We believe in ______________, ___________________, ____________________ and
________________.
We believe that:
All citizens have the right to be educated and take an active part in the governance of
themselves and their communities/states/country. All people have the power and
responsibility to learn and contribute to the world
BUT
lack of information, lack of access, and severe distractions in people’s personal lives often
interfere with this process
SO
LaCC was formed to try and alleviate some of these obstacles.
We work in concert with the Louisiana Serve Commission, which administers K-12 servicelearning programs, to provide support for academic initiatives that combine meaningful
community service with course objectives to enhance the quality of life for local citizens and
create exciting learning experiences for students, teaching them the value of civic engagement
for incorporation into their personal lives.
Case expressions:
 Why would anyone give to LaCC?
 What difference would a gift make?
 What are the benefits to donors?
State the need:
 Propose strategies – why is LaCC the organization to do this work?
 Identify who benefits – community members, students, faculty, Presidents/Chancellors
 Demonstrate your competency – expertise and experience of staff
 Resources required – money, expertise, time, etc.
 How to make a gift – make it as easy as possible
 Benefits of giving – personal and community - back to list above
Need to be answered at national level:
What cause is being served?
Whom do you serve?
Why should someone take action?
Why should anyone give you money?
Who has funded us and why?
DAY 2
PLANNING, BUDGETING AND MANAGING FOR FR
Planning:
15 steps to FR can be condensed into Plan, Plan, Plan, Make the request:
To get best results, get right person(s) asking the right prospective donor (linkage, ability and
interest) to request for the right amount for the right program at the right time (ours is always,
donors’ varies), thus the need for a broad base of donors
9 Planning sequence for FR:
 Gather facts
 Determine and validate needs
 Consider/evaluate markets
 Consider vehicles
 List and evaluate resources
 Select appropriate vehicles
 Determine goals
 Prepare plan
 Install and use control mechanisms
Facts:
Needs statement from strategic plan
Look at gift history – what have we done and how did we do?
Sources – where did $ come from?
Strategies – what worked best over past 3-5 years?
Constituency model – consider prospective donors and opps; expand donor base if necessary
Needs: now and for the future
Program – ongoing needs - annual fund goal
Special needs – for program expansion or enhancement, special opps
Longer term or larger dollar amounts – capital campaign
Endowments – planned giving
Markets:
Individuals
Foundations
Business
Government
Partner organizations
Fraternal organizations
Look at own gift history with regards to markets – evaluate past and consider future
Vehicles:
E-mail, direct mail
Planned giving
Special events
Grant proposals
In-person visits
Resources: what are they and are they adequate; if not, how do I get them?
10 11 Staff
Volunteers/networks
Case support
Database
Budget – materials, space, etc.
Select appropriate vehicles: match vehicle w/market where it will provide highest return
In-person visits: corporations, individuals
Goals:
Raise $
In-kind donations
New donors, repeat donors, upgrades
Outliers - Raise friends – networks; create awareness of our work
Prepare written plan: What, when, who’s responsible?
How much money?
How many in-kind gifts?
How many repeat donors? How many upgrades?
Calendar – an absolute MUST!!!
SWOT analysis – what are your strengths and weaknesses? How to bring strengths to bear
against existing, future opps and minimize threats in order to carry our an effective FR
campaign?
Put plan on calendar or white board – x (task) has to be done by y (date) by z (person)
Have to spend $ to raise $ - the higher the investment, the greater the level of success!!
75-90% of Pres/Chan time is spent in FRing
“Working with a consultant” – chapter on the flash drive
Budgets:
Types
Review
Programs
Zero-based
Line item
Incremental
Program budget assesses individual expenses per program instead of presenting organizational
or FR budget. Can be very intimidating, even threatening, if particular program is shown to not
be making money.
Line item breaks out each individual expense without regard to program.
Zero-based budget starts with blank sheet and build over the year. Also threatening and
intimidating.
Incremental starts with last year and adds a %.
Fundraising costs:
Watchdog organization’s study said NPO must spend 65 cents on every dollar for
programming, or they are NOT a good investment for donors.
FR School disagrees – says must look at mission/impact/other factors before making a decision
Best way to talk about FR costs is to know what they are and defend them – there is NO
industry standard.
Donors/non-donor:
Size of prospective donor base: LaCC, with no FR base, will incur higher costs. If do direct
mail, much of it will go to non-donors.
Type of organization: Higher ed and NPOs are mostly safe.
Local culture: is it historically one of giving? Check for Civic Health Index, Giving USA, Urban
Institute, Center on Philantropy and Wealth (Boston College), IUPUI Center for Philanthropy
Staff experience: can contribute to or minimize FR costs
Volunteers: they can help/hinder, too
Methods: A mixture is best
ROI:
Must track FR costs – know what they are and explain why they are high or low – justify ROI
Patrick Rooney, Thomas Pollack – study on FR strategies across all sectors (Higher Ed, religion,
health, etc):
Method
Special Event
Per Dollar Invested
$3.20
12 $7
$7
$10
$11.9
$20
$28
$20
$20
$28
$24
13 Web
E-mail
Direct mail
Telephone
Foundation
Government
Capital Campaign / Planned Giving
Foundations
Federated ??
Major gifts
New presenter –
Specific fundraising strategies
Vehicles for FR:
LAI – linkage, ability and interest
THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
Linkage
Involvement
Advocacy
Planned gift
Big gift (transformative)
Major gift (top 10%)
Special gift (program-related)
Upgraded donor
Repeat donor
Upgrade donor
Planned giver
Ladder of effectiveness:
Personal: face-2-face
- Team of two (play off of each other; often a staff person + 3rd party advocate)
- One person
Personal letter (on personal stationery) – 3rd party advocate writing on LaCC’s behalf
- With telephone follow-up
- Without telephone follow-up
Personal telephone
- With letter follow-up
- Without letter follow-up
14 Personalized letter/internet
Telephone solicitation/phonathon
Impersonal letter/direct mail/internet
Impersonal telephone/telelmarketing
Fundraising benefit/special event
Door-to-door
Media/advertising/internet
The further away you get from the donor, the less successful you will be
The Donor Pyramid – FR strategies:
Planned Gift Donor
Personal contact only
Capital donor
Personal contact only
Special/Major gift donor
Personal contact/letter/phone call
Renewed/upgraded donor
Personal contact/letter/phone call
First-time donor
Direct mail/telemarketing/FR benefit/internet/media/door-to-door
UNIVERSE OF PROSPECTS
Fundraising matrix:
Vehicles/Mkts
Annual fund
Direct mail
Special Events
Capital campaigns
Major gifts
Project funding
Planned giving
Indiv
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Foundations
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Corporation
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Assns/Churches
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Gov’t.
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
Send acknowledgement for donor-advised fund gifts to plan administrator, and a thank-you to
the donor. A receipt is inappropriate, as they have already taken the tax deduction.
www.irs.gov website has all the necessary form for charitable giving
15 Annual fund:
Operating costs only
Annual fund objectives - Inform – awareness of LaCC
 Provides stewardship – demonstrates how money spent in the past
 Develop donor base – reaches out to the most folks
 Renew – Give, Give again, Upgrade
 Establish giving habit – don’t let them forget!!
 Basis for planned giving – if have given and are over 55, don’t fail to contact them
Goal - $60,000
10% – major gifts
20% – upgraded gifts
70% – balance of donors
Goal - $500,000
Gift range chart helps to maintain realistic outlook on how much money might be raised and
where it’s going to be coming from.
GOAL - $100,000
Gift range
# of gifts
5,000
2,500
1,000
500
250
100
Under 100
2
4
18
30
Cumulative
# of gifts
2
6
24
54
Prospects
10 (5:1)
20 (5:1)
72 (4:1)
124 (4:1)
(3:1)
(3:1)
(2:1)
Cumulative
# of
prospects
2
20
102
226
$ per
Range
10,000
20,000
18,000
5,000
1,382
Start with $10-20,000 as goal for first year with donor base of 400-500 people
Uses of the internet:
Cum $
10,000
20,000
38,000
53,000
16 Awareness
Website
Brands
Resources
FB and Twitter (real-time info – Rachel to teach us how)
Blog
Linked-in
Donate Now! – website
Webinars
Registrations
To what ends:
Donations
Events
Research and prospecting
Creating awareness and interest
Communication
Membership, involvement and activism
Direct mail:
Best and worst FR direct mail received –
BEST
Anything from TAMU
Good
Concise and direct
Created emotional tie
Affiliation
Student/recipient-created
SASE
Quality photos
Creative item enclosed
Motivation to help achieve a realistic local goal
Website, contact info
WORST
Cleft-palate child
Bad
Too often
Too flashy
Too long
Guilt-trip
Impersonal, incorrect
Deceptive
CAVEATS:
Note on the outside of an envelope can get people to open it
Use real envelopes, no fold-overs or windows
Special appeals – indicate urgency in some way
Mail date – Any NPO affiliated with United Way cannot solicit between mid-October and midNovember due to UW Campaign
Strategize mailings 16-24 weeks ahead of time
- Compile list of donors
- Draft and redraft
- Will list be segmented – diff people get diff letters?
- Proof, proof and proof!!!
- Allow plenty of time for copy and design work
- Direct quotes – write or leave a space?
- Who will sign and how?!
- What kind of envelope?
- Run addresses through national change of address database first
- Adequate postage
- Who will handle mailing?
Events:
Anniversary galas – might generate funds
Award events
Workshops
Conferences - sponsorships
Webinars
Races - could
Student and faculty trainings
Presidential meetings
Service competitions
Servathon
Golf tournaments – Matt to try first!
Book sales (at conferences??)
CAVEAT: Does staff time expended warrant the revenue brought in?
Blue Avocado??
17 High profitability / mission awareness
Low profitability / mission awareness
Why have events?:
Make $ (may be valuable, even if they don’t)
Expand donor base
Expose people to our mission – get volunteers
Motivate board members and major givers
Launch new program
Share info
Collaborate with other orgs to build relationships
Recognize donors or volunteers
Put donors in touch with recipients of funds
Utilize volunteers’ skills and interests
Steps to successful event:
Match event with your capabilities
Think entire event out – how will it work?
- Organization chart
- Number of components
- Contingency options
Publicity plan – leave nothing to chance!!
Select and brief key players
Develop a budget
Prepare materials list
Plan the work, and work the plan
- Follow-up, follow-up, follow-up
- Never assume anything
- Handle each detail completely
Keep all players up to day
Collect all your $
Thank all your volunteers and your staff
Critique your event:
How much visibility did you get?
How many names (with contact info) did you add to your donor list?
How much money did you make?
How much time was required of staff and volunteers?
Donor recognition groups (gift clubs):
18 Concept
- Investment
- Annual
- Minimum
Purpose
- Unrestricted
Donor recognition group – a charter group of 6-12 people who have the capacity to give at
levels that you want to have for the donor recognition group and who have name recognition
among their peers (pulling power?)
- Face-2-face solicitation of peers
- Can facilitate appointments with their peers
- Can do direct mail invitations BUT must create a HIGH QUALITY PIECE that stands
out – heavy stock envelope and matching card or stationery, probably an unusual size
slightly bigger than standard envelope, with a first class stamp – no meters! Language
should be worded very positively with reference to the organizational mission. “The
Board invites you to join with others to support the mission of Louisiana Campus
Compact…” Include a response card with SASE that indicates different dollar amounts
for varying levels of support - “Here is my minimal annual contribution of _____.”
Donor + spouse two-fer. Retired Presidents still in state, former Mayors/Governors,
Senators/Reps, University board members, BoR members, etc.
Recognition, benefits and perks – ask the Board, “What would be meaningful to you for
donation at level X?” Tours, advance tickets, opening nights to plays, 10% off to events,
special lapel pins, parking passes, special reception prior to or after an event, etc.
At some point, might want to increase donor levels – inform people first and give people lots of
lead time!! Initially met with resistance and lost some participants, but also retained many,
upgraded some and secured more, then some returned. Need to offer some sort of perk to get
people to go along.
If form donor recognition group, DO NOT offer a lifetime membership!!
Major gifts: top 10% that generate 60% of income
-
Way above average – love affair with zeroes!!!
In addition to annual fund
How to define $ amount – varies by state and by institution, but should have multiple
persons in present donor base
If have pride in your cause, and you’re comfortable with your case, you should be able
to ask for ANY amount of money
19 Principles:
- Donors start small and grow into major givers, but there ARE exceptions! – look at each
donor VERY carefully, the frequency of their gift (offer monthly installments and get
more!), the recency of their gift, the size of their gift, etc.
- Each gift is a “campaign” – what is of genuine interest to each donor or potential donor?
Define roles of volunteers
- Compelling reasons – ref strategic plan. What is LaCC’s vision, beyond our mission?
This is NOT business as usual, so what it our inspiring message that inspires folks to
give at the higher/est level(s)?
Cultivation of the relationship – a series of engagements over months/years – System or
process to set up, track, report progress, monitor (tickler system), collect, etc. – our database
will do all of this
Right solicitors, right way, right amount, right listeners, right time, etc. Include spouse,
kids, financial advisor, etc. Accept and acknowledge the gift. Then, stewardship begins.
Repeat the process when it’s the right time.
8-step process:
Identify
Qualify (interest and inclination)
Strategize (plan and timetable)
Cultivate (engagement)
Solicit and negotiate
Acknowledge and follow up
Steward (see below)
Renew!!
Stewardship is the guiding principle in philanthropic fundraising. It is the philosophy and
means by which an organization exercises ethical accountability in the use of contributed
resources and the philosophy and means by which a donor exercises responsibility in the
voluntary us of resources.
Beginning to end of this process is between 18 and 24 months!
Qualities of a prospect:
- Aware
- Interested
- Involved
- Concerned
 Seeking fulfillment
- Committed
- Capable
- Accessible
- Experienced
20 What the prospect looks for:
Evidence of good management
Evidence of reasonable planning
Evidence of prior support
Persuasive presentation by credible volunteers
Absence of pressure
Invitation to share/join
SOCIAL EXCHANGE
Advocate askers are willing to use their networks on your behalf. They call in social chips to
hook us up with potential donors, asking them to make a gift just like they have.
We must educate them well on our mission and vision.
Gifts are made to us via advocate askers.
Everyone is happy – we are, because we got the money; advocate askers are, because they
helped us; donors are, because they are working in harmony with their peers and getting the
satisfaction of being able to give that they otherwise would not have had.
Replace apology with pride!!!!!!!!!
CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
High $ goal bracketed by a limited timeframe – creates a sense of urgency
Series of meetings punctuated by moments of sheer terror!
Raising dollars to increase asset base of organization
Types:
Pure capital (building)
Combined (Capital + Endowment)
Comprehensive (Capital + Endowment + Annual Fund goal)
Special project (shorter in time with slightly lower goal)
CCs require significant volunteer activity, lots of energy over short, focused amount of time
Helps organization stretch its capacity and take it to next level
Characteristics:
- Large dollar goal
- Defined by a feasibility study – identify project and preliminary cost (consultant usually
involved for fee) DO NOT hire them for entire project or agree for them to take a
percentage of dollars raised!
- Set intensive period of time – used to last 3 years, now
21 -
-
Dependent upon lead gifts
Volunteer-driven
Start at top (board leadership, executive staff, lead volunteers – never send anyone on
campaign call that hasn’t made their own gift first; have peer solicitation – asker should
be requesting at level that s/he has already given)
NOT the annual fund – smaller universe of people; emphasis on SIZE of gift
Feasibility study:
Internal Assessment
- Case: consultants will often help to formulate language to make it very compelling
- Needs and goals
- Commitment – make sure all are on same page
- Stewardship – how to manage internally – structure, acknowledgements, naming, etc.
- Management – who will manage internally? (time and expertise?)
- Leadership
- Prospect and donor development
- Readiness for volunteer impact and volume of activity
External Assessment
- Environment – geographic, economic, competing interests campaigning at same time
- Understanding of case – does it make sense? Will folks support?
- Goals and constituency – which groups likely to participate?
- Markets – where can we go for support?
- Campaign leadership – consultants will make recommendation
- Attainability of giving standards – can it succeed
- Public image and understanding of who we are
Key areas for feasibility study interviews
- Case
- Proposed Goal
- Leadership
- Gift potential
-
Timing
Public relations
Referrals for other interviews
Special areas of concern
Tip of the iceberg –
*************************
Step Seven – Wrap-up
*************************
Step 6 – Public Phase
22 ******************************************************************
Step Five – Advanced gift phase (year before public phase)
Step Four – Beginning in-house phase (6 mo – 1 yr before public)
Step Three – Pre-campaign activity
Step Two - Testing for readiness, 1-2 years
Step One – institutional readiness (prior to public phase, 2-3 years – staff, case,
donors/prospects, public relations)
Gift chart for CC
Can be done for as little as $250K
Test for readiness – p. 49
Faculty, VISTAs, SLDs – all are volunteers in some sense of the word that could be tapped for
potential fundraising partners
Signed faculty books and publications are good ways to introduce work to potential donors
Planned Giving: p. 50, Sec. IV
Gift legally provided for during the donor’s lifetime but whose principal benefits may not
accrue to the recipient organization until a future time, generally at the death of the donor
and/or the income beneficiary.
Name the bequest society that will collect these gifts (other than the Legacy Society or the
Heritage Society). Reserve the first year as charter year and subsequently identify those who
join in all media materials.
Bequests:
Have you considered including LaCC in your will? Put language on our website – people can share
info with their financial advisors. Everyone who lives has some desire to leave the world a
better place, so allowing them this opp is offering them some sense of immortality. Planned
giving officer works with folks to show them how to teach values to their heirs: You already
insure your valuables; think about insuring your values. Bequests encourage estate planning.
People can make a larger gift if it’s planned. Memorial; retention of planned income - can
provide income for survivors - charitable gift annuity in stock (non-income producing to the
holders), which recipient organization sold immediately then gave them a percentage back in
income to use for the rest of their lives; organization created a scholarship in their name for
future generations);
Benefits:
23 24 One planned gift can lead to another.
Assets managed at no cost to donor.
Brief description of planned gifts:
Wills/bequests
Donor names org in will
Provides for family first
Estate tax deduction
*************************************************************************************************************
Retained life interest
Gift of real property with
Donors can live in home for
retained life estate
rest of their lives;
Partial income tax deduction;
No capital gains tax;
Reduction of estate tax.
Charitable lead trust
Trust pays income annually
to organization for period of
years determined by donor,
after which income reverts
to heirs.
Gift of old or new policy with
charitable org as beneficiary
Life insurance
Gift returned to donors at no
tax or cost;
Gift or estate tax savings;
Donor makes large gift
with little expenditure;
No estate tax when proceeds
Are paid directly to org
***********************************************************************************************************
Charitable lead trusts
Charitable annuity trust
Pooled income funds
For every bequest you know about, there are two that you don’t
SOLICITATION MODEL
Linkage, ability and interest have already been identified. NOT A COLD CALL!!
Team of two or three are ready to go and make the request – need more than one person so can
speak, monitor, clarify when signs of confusion or disinterest are detected. Carefully consider
who these people might be!!
Set the appointment. If bring materials, refer to them during the warmth and rapport stage, but
provide them only upon departure. May send materials early, but bring another copy to leave.
Summary of involvement
Permission to proceed
OPENING
INVOLVEMENT
Warmth & rapport
Purpose
The big need
Services required
Explore:
relationships
needs
feelings
(DONOR SPEAKS)
CLOSE
Presentation
F, B, Q
3-4 features
3-4 benefits
questions
(SOLICITORS SPEAK)
Five Steps:
Benefits “join”
Agreement
Disagreement
Results of non-support
Something different
STOP
Need to rehearse beforehand:
JOIN - When donor asks, “What do you want me to do?” Someone has to speak the words, “We
would like you to make a gift of $________. May preface that by having peer solicitor say,
“Would you join me in making a gift of $_______.” If peer volunteer wants me to make the
request, clear it with her/him – “We would like for you to join x in making a gift of $________.
If don’t identify amount, may say, “I have given a gift commensurate with my ability,” and this
would allow donor to know about where that might be, as long as s/he knows the person well.
If soliciting team is two staff persons who have not made such a gift, use the gift range chart
and ask donor to make “one of these lead gifts.”
Then it gets scary! Answer may not come right away, but DO NOT fill the silence (may be 7-10
seconds)!!!! Let the donor answer the question. S/he may want to do it and needs a little time to
figure out how. Make sure that all solicitors stay quiet while the donor is thinking about how
to answer.
Getting something negative at this point, when all along there has been positive feedback,
recover the ground where there was prior agreement.
Disagreement – try and find common ground.
Results of non-support – here are consequences of not receiving the level of gift that you are
asking for – would negatively affect the rest of the gifts.
Something different – ask if another program might better fit donor’s wishes.
25 DON’T say NO for the person you’re asking! If s/he mentions that they just lost a lot of money
in the stock market or just made another big commitment, offer them an alternative about how
they can still make the contribution – gift to annual fund over the year? Or delay in making the
gift? You might say, “It sounds like you are very interested in our program, and it seems to be a
matter of timing. Could you give part of it now, and part of it later?” Only in the end should
you say, “We’ll appreciate any amount you might be able to give,” or “When is a better time to
ask again?” Need to have a contingency plan!!
Role play:
They asked us to describe some of the challenges we see in the community and what we care about
Emily asked what kind of employees Matt would be looking for? Adaptability, critical thinking, problem-solving
Reiterated the benefits and the leadership skills that S/L builds, prompted Franchesca to talk about how she’s see
that in students at her University
Franchesca asked Matt why his company gives to United Way - because all employees can make a larger contribution
and have bigger impact
Asked for $10K – Matt said no at first to gift at that level but later said yes to a 75% personal/25% corporate gift
Need to keep jargon to a minimum and use word and phrases, describe experiences that you
know students have had, relate stories of CPs and the impact that you have seen, if you have
current or prospective students who have entered your U because of work done by your
students in the local public high school – talk about them!
Presidents are great to make request. Students or VISTAs can also make GREAT partners in the
request – they can share stories of how S/L work has impacted their lives or describe the good
capacity-building work they are doing at U and in the community.
MUST agree on what you are asking for, and all must know what the others are going to say!!!
Strategies for culture shift – easing Pres/Chan into thinking that they need to donate to LaCC as
well, outside of their membership dues! DUES vs. PHILANTHROPIC CONTRIBUTIONS –
what’s the difference?? Describe what membership dues allow LaCC to do and what return
the members get in return. If we want to expand programs, we need additional money in order
to do so. This is a board decision, not the job of the ED.
Depending upon the amount you ask for, people may be offended; often because the request is
TOO LOW!!
Pledge card or letter of intent – fill it out at end of visit or send it after the meeting. Ask at
meeting how s/he would like for reminders to be sent. For big gifts, do pledge card on the spot
and follow it up with a letter.
“Thank you very much for your generous gift. It is our understanding that you have made a
pledge commitment of $ _______________ to be paid in ________ installments over a period of
26 __________ years. You have asked for reminders to be sent one week prior to the beginning of
each quarter.”
“As you requested, we are sending a reminder to you about the pledge you made to our annual
fund / capital campaign. Your next installment is due at the beginning of the ____________
quarter, ___________. We appreciate your generous support of our organization‘s mission /
project.”
The more follow-up you do, the more the donors will respect you for your attentiveness to your
work. PROFESSIONAL STANCE
Keeping donors apprised of the good work being done with their gifts depends on the size of
the gift.
Annual report for sure / perhaps a letter or phone call every 3-6 months if time permits
Volunteerism
Why NOT to volunteer:
- Low energy
- Didn’t feel like it
- Nervous in front of group
- Let someone else do it
- Fear of singing???
- Introverted / extraverted
- Lack of information – provide plenty up front
- See who else before making the commitment
- Lack of trust
- Request too little of someone – not enough info
- Didn’t matter – explain importance to organization
Volunteer:
- Help needed – this needs to be specific rather than general
- Someone asked – needs to be personal with/out a reason why
- Challenged self to step out of own comfort zone
- Adventure - Trusted recruiter – found her/him untrustworthy or didn’t like it once got started
- Guilty
- Tools provided
- Thank you (can bring them back again)
VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT IN FR ENVIRONMENT
27 Essential steps for volunteer involvement:
Analyze volunteer needs –
- What are the needs of the volunteers? Belonging, skill development, guilt, meet new
people, make a difference, fill additional time, status/recognition
- What does the organization need in volunteers? In FR, can’t afford NOT to be choosy!
Identify potential volunteers – constituency model, networks
Recruit volunteers – en masse or ask specific people personally (best for FR)
Train and orient volunteers - Have position descriptions and orientation materials ready for them,
- Provide a good supervisor for them,
- May need to move them to a different slot,
- Can ask them to leave, but give them an out before dismissing them!
Involve volunteers in programs – provide information, introduce them to players, etc.
Use the volunteer’s time carefully –
- Don’t have fundraising volunteers stuff envelopes
- Get them to go over lists and have them indicate their assessment of each person to give
to your organization.
- Ask them things like, “What do you need from us to do your job more effectively?” or
“What can we do to improve your experience?”
Recognize volunteers – almost like you recognize donors, since they are helping you get the
money!
Spirit of Philanthropy
Each department /section can name up to two honorees annually to be based on
charitable contributions, volunteer time, or a combo thereof. Chancellor didn’t buy in but
finally agreed. Had 12-15 the first year, brought them to campus and had lunch and photo opp,
gave them a book written by faculty member. Grew and grew so that it was too big to hold it
on campus. When suggested cancellation, Chancellor balked and told them to move it
downtown. One honoree died, and his honor made it into his obituary. Today it’s a REAL
winner for the campus.
Role of volunteers:
Understand mission and accept values of what organization does
Live the values and serve as advocates for the organization
Involve them in FR planning process
Identify and cultivate prospects
Make a gift
2008 stats:
78.2% of volunteers make charitable gifts of at least $25
Only 38.5% of non-volunteers do so
28 Volunteer value:
Provide market sensitivity
Provide advocacy
Expand org’s networks by providing linkages
Keep FR current and creative
Find volunteers or expand volunteer base:
- Former VISTAs or AmeriCorps members
- Any program participant who has received transformational experience or funding
- Committed CSDs or SLDs
- From Volunteer Baton Rouge or Volunteer Louisiana
- Faculty Consulting Corps
- Retired faculty
- Students in S/L courses to help with planning
- CPs
- Retired development officers
- Award recipients
- Corporate leaders
Advisory Council – great resource for getting the help we need
IUPUI – Board of Trustees (Governor appoints 4 or 5 people who are supportive of Governor;
the rest come on by alumni election. They write up a description of why they want to be on the
board (most never mention FR). So there’s the IU Foundation – they recruit and appoint FR to
the board of the foundation. At least one trustee of University sits on the Foundation Board. IU
has 8 campuses throughout the state. IUPUI has 21 schools – inside the schools are institutes
and centers (FR School is part of Center on Philanthropy. CoP has Board of Visitors composed
of specialists and experts on education who are well-connected to business and industry and do
FR. They have no say on hiring/firing of ED, budget, etc. - can only make recommendations.
They receive a position description with a list of expectations).
Core Development Team Members: me and Pres/Chan
CEO/Executive Director
Development officer
CFO
Development committee chair
Board Chair
Expanded or full development team: think outside the box!
Members of core development team
Development staff
29 Program staff
Volunteers
Consultants – who are they??
Role of Development Staff:
- Activate development function
- Manage development process
- Implement ideas from board members and administrators
- Lead staff and volunteers
- Develop and maintain professionalism
Things we’ve learned about fundraising:
Various vehicles that can be appropriate (or not)
Extent of planning required for Capital Campaign or Endowment
Expanded sense of potential donors
Systematic approach for doing FR
Importance of annual fund
Sense of guilt replaced by pride
Steps of solicitation process
New ideas for working with Board
30 When talking to Presidents - What do you want to achieve with regards to civic engagement on
your campus? How can I help you achieve those goals?
Approach Board with draft of comprehensive plan
Matrix to match cases and donors:
VISTA
Student
leadership
development
Workshops,
Conferences
Professional
Development
Awards
Grants
EP/DR
Unrestricted
Board
members
Former
Employees
VISTA
alumni
$50
$100
$50
$100
Former
award or
grant
recipient
Advisory
Council
$25
$50
$50
$50
$50
Me,
Mom
Friends
of LaCC
$50
$50
$50
$50
$100
$100
$250
If amount given does not match bottom line needed to fund programs, either reduce
programming OR find new donors.
Gift range chart
VISTA
Student
leadership
development
Workshops,
Board
members
Former
Employees
VISTA
Alumni
PL
PL
PL
$1,000
$250
$150
$2,000
Former
award or
grant
recipient
PL
Advisory
Council
Me,
Mom
Friends of
LaCC
PL
PL
DM/online
$25
$500
$150
$50
$150
$500
Corporations
31 Conferences
Professional
Development
Awards
Grants
EP/DR
Unrestricted
TOTAL
32 $50
$50
$300
$2,000
$5,000
$100
$350
$150
$175
$1,100
$500
$500
$1,000
$500
Total - $9,775
Strategies for Solicitation
Direct mail
Face-2-face
Written proposals
-
Acquisition
Renewal, upgrade
Personal letters vs. mass mailing
Online gifts
Events
Evaluation of FR plan - Most important thing to reach is $ goal, also trying to reach as many
donors as possible, upgrade former donors, seek new donors
Timeline – get calendar for FR plan in plain view for all to see.
Day 4
THE WHY AND WHAT OF RESEARCH
Pertinent information about donors:
Who knows them – clubs, professional associations
Current/former profession/employment
Approximate net worth
Boards and civic involvement
Level of past/current charitable giving
Passions/interests/hobbies
Family info
Schools – their alma mater, those of their kids
Process: Meet person, watch their personal gifts and send thank-you note to him for his spirit of
philanthropy; do holiday drive-by and drop off faculty book; submit proposal of interest for
low end of their giving range later.
David R. Updegraff – Arizona, mostly not-for-profit career
OR
Stephen E. Sterrett – Indiana, business leader
Stephen E. Sterrett
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Simon Property Group, Inc.
$84.83 per share
$2.473.00%
07/22/10
54 Years Old
Mr. Sterrett, Our Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Sterrett joined MSA
in 1988 and held various positions with MSA until 1993 when he became our Senior Vice
President and Treasurer. He was named Chief Financial Officer in 2001.
Compensation for 2009
Salary
$493,269.00
Bonus
$750,000.00
Restricted stock awards
$319,680.00
All other compensation
$17,780.00
Option awards $
$0.00
Non-equity incentive plan compensation
$0.00
Change in pension value and nonqualified deferred
compensation earnings
$0.00
Total Compensation
Republican
$100-2499 to Goodwill
$1,580,729.00
33 !10,000-24999 to Indiana Golf Assn.
Pipl.com
Facebook.com
Wiki.com
Muckety.com
Google.com
Forbespeople.com
Bloomberg.com
Zillo.com
Guidestar.com
Annual reports of NPOs he’s associated with
Simon Youth Foundation
Characteristics of Effective Prospect Research
Sequential
Cumulative, ongoing
Accurate and comprehensive
Realistic and accurate
Depends as much on info from field as from
info from print and online sources
Organized and accessible
**Must make sure that all info is correct; don’t use anything that’s unconfirmed.
**Don’t leave any personally-revealed info or gossip in files
**Show areas of interest and giving so that you don’t approach with uninteresting proposal
What prospect research can do for you:
- Expand house list
- Upgrade gifts
- Plan solicitations
- Enable the prioritizing and management of the activities of staff and volunteers for
maximum effectiveness.
LAI / LIA
Donor research and Acquisition
- Linkage
- Ability
- Interest
Donor Development
- Linkage
- Involvement
- Advocacy
Try to expand linkage in both areas.
IUPUI FR School supports donor-centered FR.
Look for donor’s values and our mission
Find a way that values and mission overlap
Increase amount of overlap
34 Engage donors in our programs
Send updates about target of gift
F-2-f visit to spell out linkages
Invite them to join committee or board
Ask for their advice or input on a particular matter
Query other suitable linkages
The 9-Box Grid
Ability (1,2,3)
1 = highest
3A
3B
3C
Ability 
Inclination/interest (A,B,C)
A = highest
2A
2B
2C
1A
1B
1C
Interest
Every major donor prospect receives a “score” ranging from 3C (lowest potential interest) to 1A
(highest potential interest). Always have blank forms with you to fill out.
Get this book:
Cultivating Diversity in Fundraising by Janice Gow Petty – ethnic, racial, gender, etc.
e-Tapestry available for network use –
- Make sure to attend to detail!!!
- Can input lots of info, lives beyond us and leaves info for those to come
- Need to use frequently
- Also use to track day-to-day activities
- Need to figure out how not to step on others’ toes
- National is thinking about how to go about a FR campaign – likely state/national hybrid
Only about 4-5% of gifts come from Corporations
Why Cs give:
- Visibility
- Tax benefits
- Well-being of community helps C
- Positive public image (WalMart, tobacco)
- Reach new markets
35 -
Provide their employees an opportunity to serve
Support employee interest in public work
Competition with other Cs
Cause-related marketing highly effective
Can save $ for company (State Farm)
Inventory management (unsold merchandise)
Part of their mission (Ben & Jerry’s)
Networking opps
Volunteer leadership (involve younger or lower-level management on boards)
How to find Corporations:
- Know someone who works there
- Working with Chamber of Commerce to find connections
- Look at prior giving history and specific areas of interest
- Philanthropic motive (bigger gifts ) and/or marketing motive (sponsorships)
- Look for corporate giving officer on company’s website
- Ask corporate leaders to serve on awards committees
Make connections/stay in contact/make a request– if regional office, what level can you make a
decision on here, and what would have to go to Corporate?
Ask each Board Member to host an event to bring together people in their sphere of influence
Visit with vendors at exhibitions at conference to make your pitch – who in your corporation
might be interested in our organization?
Attend meetings, join organizations, get involved with boards where you can find out what the
interests are of various Corporate leaders.
More formal reporting process (or not)
Some sort of inexpensive, but nice-looking, corporate gift to remind them of us
How we better the community, develop better students, etc. is typically of interest to them
Foundations
Types:
-
Corporate (State Farm, Shaw, Dow, Exxon, etc.)
Family (Brown)
Private
Community (BRAF, Northshore)
36 Possible funders:
•
•
•
•
•
•
The Ella West Freeman Foundation -­‐ This southeast Louisiana funder, who prioritizes to private education, arts, community improvement and governmental oversight, and human service organizations, provides guidelines and list of grantees. Institute of Mental Hygiene of the City of New Orleans -­‐ Funds mental health programs for children and youth, as well as capacity building for organizations that provide these programs. Includes guidelines and list of grantees. Keller Family Foundation -­‐ Primarily funds greater New Orleans organizations devoted to education, civic affairs, and social services. Provides application forms and brief history of the foundation. The Rapides Foundation -­‐ Serves Allen, Avoyelles, Catahoula, Grant, LaSalle, Natchitoches, Rapides, Vernon, and Winn parishes, emphasizing health and education. Provides lists of grantees, application forms, and research publications. The RosaMary Foundation -­‐ This greater New Orleans funder, who prioritizes to private education, arts, community improvement and governmental oversight, and human service organizations, provides guidelines and list of grantees. Zigler Foundation -­‐ Organization which gives educational grants and scholarships for Jefferson Davis Parish provides its recent annual reports, and contact information. See also: http://www.cof.org/files/Documents/Government/StateGiving/LA.pdf
See also: http://philanthropy.com/section/Home/172
Suggestions for an Inquiry Letter to a Foundation
- Send after carefully reading RFP guidelines
- Follow format carefully, usually no more than 2 pages on letterhead
- Indicate why you are applying to the grantmaker, describe the match between your
program and their grantmaking interests
- Briefly describe the rationale and purpose of your program, summarizing goals and
objectives
- State the dollar amount of your request
- Usually only attachment is tax-exempt letter from IRs, sometimes the anticipated budget
They will usually respond with YES or NO; make follow-up call if they say no to find out why.
Can ask to modify to fit other program to their guidelines
A Proposal Model:
Cover sheet (face page)
• Abstract (executive summary)
Table of contents (if more than 10 pgs)
• Problem (needs statement)
• Proposed solution (method)
•
Rationale (why LaCC is best to solve problem)
Staff
* Evaluation
Impact of grant
* Budget and explanation (other funding?)
37 Description of organization (Board, etc.)
Appendices
•
Future funding (start-up only, sustainable?)
* Components every proposal should contain; others are often optional
DO NOT use jargon!!!!!!!!!! Get lay a couple of people to read prior to submission!
OJO! – LaCC doesn’t need anything; our cause or community or constituents have the need!!
If involve faculty, ask for bio, not a cv!
Become a proposal peer reviewer to gain some experience.
If hear about a new foundation, call or e-mail; schedule a visit with them to discuss opps.
CALL BRAF and Brown, and look at new ones I just found!!
Donor-advised fund at community foundation??
Foundations NEED us! When times were good, they used to have to spend at least 5% of their
own funds on philanthropy.
CREATIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING
Who owns donors? – NOBODY OWNS A DONOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Structural issues – donors probably don’t care, but these affect us!
CHALLENGES:
- How to take this experience back to our boards??
- Changing mindset of board members - Dues + personal donations + outside funding
- Changing mindset of national – if we raise money, do we give some to National?
- Common mission statement
- Strategic planning National initiatives - Focused fundraising, logical partnerships
- If National does FRing in a state, invite State Ed along on ask
- Change of our thinking: Transactional (exists at state level between state compact and
members  Transformational
- How to react quickly to opportunities
- Staff turnover
- Visibility/Branding/common language
- Role of regional structure
- Scarcity or Abundance – let it be the latter!
38 MONEY COMES TO ME EASILY AND EFFORTLESSLY!
RECOMMENDATIONS:
- Begin a chart of grant cycles
- More joint work
o ED in state going along on solicitation call
o Strategize to see how we can work collaboratively across the US
No rules but there are cultural understandings
- SWOT analysis in each state
- Dealing with personalities, not structure – need new person nationally to kick ass!
- More MOAs and/or contracts between states and national
- Develop checklist for new directors to include things like funding addendum
- More transparency by national in what $ is raised and how it’s distributed; how to get $
on ground to states where work is being done
- Identify several successful programs that have worked at state level for National to do
FR around
- More hard conversations to determine how to proceed next
- Looking at National as an opportunity but no forced participation
- Clear, consistent communication
- Everyone raises $ for Compact fund and everyone benefits
- National raises $ and does significant amount (up to 90%) of pass-through, and states
continue to raise $
Prospect request/prospect assignment/prospect ??
If assigned a prospect, has 6 months to demonstrate development of relationship
Can ask for extension if not ready to present a proposal; if someone else submits.
request to be assigned to same donor, committee has to make the decision.
Answer can be to have donor visited by neutral party,
usually a highly skilled member of Development Office,
to see how might combine efforts between colleges
The Go Giver, a business book
“Change is inevitable; progress is optional,”
~ Chuck Loring
39 40 Day 4.5
Remaining challenges:
Time – have to MAKE time
Internal challenges that FR School cannot address
How we talk about what we do – language is crucial!! We suffer from beggar syndrome, want
to live by self-reliance and be independent. Hard to ask anyone for help, esp. monetary. We
are interdependent.
De Toqueville essay about volunteerism in America
Replace apology with pride.
Talk about what we do with a sense of excitement – invite others to become a part of it.
Avoid certain language; select more positive alternatives:
- Grant-writing  grant proposals
- Go after  target
- Make the pitch, pitch it (carnival hawker, used car salesman)  ask for gift
- Language of combat  Values exchange, invitation to join
- The ask  solicitation of the gift, asking for the gift
Application of Principles, Part II: Resources inventory, p. 56/Sec. VII
Organize development team within two weeks of returning from TFRS:
Core Development Team Members: me and Pres/Chan
Sandra Harper to head up - Hughes, May, Hulbert, Savoie, Marsala, Belton, others?
-
-
Step 1. Go over The Cube, FR Cycle, LAI, Exchange of values, Case statement elements,
Gift range chart, Stewardship
Step 2. Team to reviews Resources Inventory (reflects the cube) and Analysis section
and evaluate institutional readiness, human resources, markets, vehicles, management
of the development function and development committee operation
Step 3. Team to concentrate on areas that need improvement , prioritize them and select
who will be responsible for each.
-
Step 4. I will prepare report that summarizes work outlining priority areas needed for
improvement, timelines and responsible parties for distribution to team members.
Step 5. Schedule follow-up meetings to monitor progress and update team on FR opps.
Conduct an annual review (more often as needed) ot case statement to ensure that it’s
current and applicable to mission.
Steps 1-4 should require only a morning or afternoon session each. Subsequent progress
updates last 1-2 hours.
“Notes for reflective practitioners” – Paul Pribbenow? Minnesota
Shawn Stannard-Stockton – Tactical Philanthropy blog, social media, GREAT PRESENTER
What should we do first?
Notes For the Reflective Practitioner
Volume Eleven, Number Five (June 2010)
“What we have loved, others will love, and we will teach them how.”
-W. Wordsworth, from “The Prelude”
NOTES FROM READERS
What you think
Not much chatter out there since my last Notes. I hope you are enjoying a refreshing beginning to your
summer. We have our second commencement this weekend and then we turn our attention to the fall!
Long-time subscriber, Joan Flanagan, author and grassroots fundraiser extraordinaire, who now raises
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quote in one of your essays; I stole it for the end of this blog on Florence Kelly’s map.
Please re-post as appropriate – we are eager to grow the blog. In two years we have gone from 0 to
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http://imagine2050.newcomm.org/2010/05/28/how-knowing-respecting-ones-neighbor-can-effect-socialchanges/“ Check it out!
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for our reflective practice.
REFLECT ON THIS
For God so loved the world
I’m dedicating this entire issue of my Notes to the following sermon, which I wrote and preached on the
th
occasion of my dad’s 50 anniversary of his ordination. It was a deeply meaningful celebration for our
family and friends, and my sermon offers you some insight into how many of the abiding themes in my
work are grounded in the lessons I learned from my dad. Enjoy and reflect on those who have shaped
your practice and work in the world.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not
perish but may have eternal life (John 3: 16)
th
As you probably know, our family is gathered here this weekend with many friends to celebrate the 50
anniversary of dad’s ordination to the Christian ministry. It is a wonderful occasion and we are so pleased
to share it with the McFarland Lutheran community, which has been such an important part of dad’s
personal and professional life. Thank you for your hospitality to our family and your abiding care for dad.
You are a blessing for us.
Given this remarkable occasion, I imagine you will not be surprised that my sermon this morning is a love
letter to my dad, but I begin with a story about my daughter…
Our youngest, Maya, was surrounded by family and friends at her baptism, including her older brother,
Thomas. As my dad baptized her in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, spilling the ceremonial
water over her head, Maya let out a great cry, and her brother, always quick to get a word in, shouted out
for the entire congregation to hear, “Maya, shake it off like a dog.”
I want to suggest that here is an object lesson for this morning, for as much as we might like to shake off
the role of faith in our lives – to avoid the disruption, the surprises, the call to service, the promise of
abundance – it is, of course, impossible to do! Thanks be to God! And with the gift of faith – ours in
baptism, we are launched on our vocational journeys, to follow our calls to be God’s people and to do
God’s work in the world. And we can’t shake it off!
Today we celebrate the call my dad answered more than 50 years ago to be our pastor. And though I
can only imagine the many times when he would have liked to shake it off, he could not and he did not.
Thanks be to God again and again.
This idea of a calling is, of course, central to our Lutheran identity. Martin Luther extended the theological
concept of vocation or calling to include all that we do in the world as God’s people – our careers and
professions, yes, but also what we do in our families and schools and neighborhoods. I especially like the
definition of vocation offered by preacher and essayist, Frederick Buechner, who asserts that true
vocation is the “place where your deep gladness meets the world’s deep need.” Isn’t that beautiful?
Consider for a moment where and how you experience deep gladness in your life – that is the first step in
discovering your call.
42 But then there is the critical second step, which, in Buechner’s definition, is to name the world’s need that
you will serve, to explore what in the world you were called to be and do! This is sometimes tougher for
us to do, but our familiar gospel for this morning tells us why we must – for God so loved the world, we
read, and because God does love the world, God sent his only Son – and because God sent his Son to
die for us, we have been saved – and as we celebrate our being saved through the crucified and risen
Christ and made whole again in our baptism, we return full circle to our calls to love and serve the world
that God first loved. Our gladness intersects with a deep need in God’s world, and there we find our
genuine calling as God’s faithful people. And we can’t shake it off!
My good colleague, Dr. David Tiede, former president of Luther Seminary and currently the Christensen
professor at Augsburg, is always fond of reminding us that the gospel of John does not say, “For God so
loved the church,” or even “For God so loved the college,” it’s always been “For God so loved the world.”
But that can be a hard message for God’s people to hear when the world so often places obstacles in our
faithful way – obstacles of inequity and violence and anxiety and fear and injustice – obstacles that make
it really tough to see how God can havea plan for this world. Forgive as you are forgiven – surely you
jest. Do justice, take risks for the vulnerable in our midst, love those who hate us – you’ve got to be
kidding. “For God so loved the world” – really, we ask? But dad has never let those human doubts about
our work in the world get in the way of his calling as our pastor.
One of the stories I often tell about my dad has to do with what it was like to be a part of the Pastor
Pribbenow’s family on Sunday mornings. Dad would instruct us before Sunday services – where we
often sat down front – that he wanted us to take notes on his sermon so we could have a family
conversation at lunch. At the time, I’m sure you can imagine that we found this rather extreme – “come
on, dad, we’ll listen” – but many years later, I came to realize that what dad taught me was the
importance of paying attention, of attending to what is most important – in the case of Sunday services,
what was most important, of course, was the proclamation of the Word, the sermon. To this day, when
asked (as I often am) what my definition of leadership is, I respond that a leader helps individuals and
organizations to pay attention, to keep their eyes and minds firmly focused on what is most important.
Dad taught me that, for which I am most grateful, and I think one way to sum up dad’s ministry is to
suggest that he taught all of us to pay attention, to attend to our baptismal covenants, to follow our own
calls, to love God’s world and do God’s work in the world – and he did it with the hands, the voice, the
mind and heart of a pastor.
In other words, dad’s call to serve God as pastor for these past fifty years has been defined by his humble
work – as shepherd, as proclaimerof the Word, as fellow laborer in the fields – to help us discern and
follow our calls, to be God’s faithful people in the world, to serve our neighbors, to seek justice and
wholeness and reconciliation in a world that so needs to know our God’s good intentions. For God so
loved the world – and so must we.
And what remarkable work dad has done. I have so many stories about dad….and I know that many of
you haveyour own! I want to share three brief stories from my experience that I hope resonate with you.
We celebrate Pastor Pribbenow in our stories of his life and work in our midst.
Teaching me to listen for a call
I remember a Saturday morning some 40 years ago, when my dad and I hopped into a borrowed pick-up
truck to commence a day of work on behalf of the Church World Service’s CROP program. Though most
43 of you probably know CROP today through its annual “walks,” in rural areas CROP has long sponsored
the grain contribution effort we helped with that day.
For eight or nine hours that Saturday, my dad and I drove from farm to farm in our southern Wisconsin
community gathering contributions of grain from generous farmers. When our pick-up truck was full, we
would drive to the local grain elevator to unload. At the end of the day, our various contributions were
totaled by the elevator operator and the contributed grain was transported to the Church World Service
barge or flatbed, ultimately ending up in Africa or Asia as part of U.S. efforts to alleviate world hunger.
On that Saturday, my dad and I were grain-gatherers. Along with the grain donors (the farmers), the
grain-storersand counters (the elevator operator), the grain brokers (Church World Service), and the grain
recipients (the hungry of the world), we participated in the common work of a community where each
member did his/her part, helping to relieve a need, working to feed the hungry and build a healthier
world.
It is a simple picture of a complex set of dynamics. It is, however, a picture that defines who I am and
what it is I care about in my work. I was called to be a grain-gatherer. I live out that vocation every day in
my professional life. From my early experience, however, I know well that my work makes no sense
outside of the community of grain donors, counters, brokers, and recipients, who share my commitment to
a more humane and responsible world.
Dad helped me find my calling. I have gathered grain for many important causes during my career – and,
as I like to say, if you stay at it long enough, sooner or later they make you the chief grain-gatherer! And
now I gather grain as part of a community that shares in the work of loving God’s world – in my case, a
college that educates students for service. And dad helped me find my call by walking alongside me,
accompanying me on a vocational journey that continues yet today. Dad taught me by working with me –
not by lecturing me or handing me a book or counting on others – just as he has worked alongside so
many of you who have populated the congregations he has served. Dad works quietly, humbly, as a
servant – following the example of his Lord and Savior, who emptied himself, as we read in Paul’s letter
to the Philippians – because he knows how much the world needs faithful people to love and heal and
restore God’s good creation.
Teaching me to follow the commandments
I was a fairly precocious Sunday School and Confirmation student, and when your Dad is the minister and
thus your teacher, there was a good chance that I would regularly push the envelope on Dad’s good
lessons.
I remember one of dad’s confirmation assignments was to write an essay on the Ten Commandments in
the context of the interpretation of the commandments in Martin Luther’s Small Catechism. I remember
writing page after page about each of the commandments, extending their reach to create a complete
moral code. My Dad smiled and patted me on the head. I loved the law.
But that was just the beginning. I went on to college and then to graduate school in theology and social
ethics. I studied with Martin Marty and let me humbly tell you that I know a lot about ethics and moral
codes. Professor Marty smiled and patted me on the head. I had become an expert in the law.
44 And then my Dad and Professor Marty sent me into the world to live and work with God’s faithful people,
to follow my calling as an educator and a college leader, and now I know what I didn’t know before.
These commandments are pretty simple and if you break them, bad and messy stuff happens.
I know this because I now live with faithful people who have experienced the bad and messy. Two years
ago in September, a young Augsburg student was murdered outside a community center in our
Minneapolis neighborhood, gunned down as he left his work-study assignment tutoring neighborhood
children. Someone broke the commandment, “You shall not murder,” and now I know why God gave
Moses the great gift of these commandments.
God spoke these commandments directly to God’s people so that they might know that they were
chosen, that God loved them, and that God wanted them to flourish. And in following the
commandments, the Israelites would live into God’s will, God’s reign, God’s intentions for God’s people.
What a remarkable gift.
And it is God’s gift that I was firmly focused on as I led a mourning community in the midst of an anxious
and frightened neighborhood. Someone broke a commandment and now we had to live in the aftermath.
It has become so clear to me during the past two years that God does not give us commandments
primarily to convict the sinner – we all get that, we’re broken, we don’t live up to the rules, we struggle to
hold it all together. God gives us commandments so that we might know the sort of lives God intends for
us to live together.
Martin Luther is truly helpful here in his explanation of the sixth commandment (I’m sure we all remember
from our confirmation days!), “You shall not murder,” when he says: This means that “we are to fear and
love God so that we do not hurt our neighbor in any way.” Simple and yet so remarkably helpful. To kill
someone is about much more than the sinful act of murder – the law covers the murderer – it is about our
neighbors and our neighborhood. It is about the pain and fear and injustice – it also is about the
compassion and consolation and remembering. It is about God in our midst, allowing us to go on,
keeping us strong even when we don’t believe we can go on because we are sad and desperate and
frightened. The commandments are about a loving God with us.
At a neighborhood meeting after the murder to address safety concerns in the aftermath of the shooting,
we all experienced first-hand the wrenching emotional impact of this shooting on our lives together.
Though we intended to talk about security cameras and safety patrols, instead we listened to urgent
longing for community. When an Imam (a Muslim religious leader) stood to speak, his first words were
“God is good,” and though we were a room of people of very different faith traditions, we could whisper,
“Yes, God is good, and this is not what our God wants for us.” In that spirit, our community came
together to rededicate itself to the well-being of our neighbors – yes, to more security cameras and
personnel, but even more urgently to finding common purpose in the health, safety and well-being of our
neighbors and neighborhood – I think that is what Martin Luther meant as he explained the
commandment!
And I know that is what my dad was teaching me in confirmation. It has taken me many years to fully
grasp that, but now I understand how much dad loves God’s creation – the world and all that is therein –
and how he sees his calling to teach and preach as all about encouraging and challenging and guiding
and sometimes even chastising us to see what God intends for God’s good people and world and to work
to make it so. It’s not about the law, it’s about the gospel!
Fidelity, duty and love: the stuff of ordinary lives
45 There are many parts of my dad’s life that are not as transparent to those who know and love him. I have
inherited some of his reticence to say all that is on his mind and in his heart. But my dad has never failed
to show us all in his deeds, in his work in our midst, how much he loves all of us. He is a remarkable
man, if I do say so myself, not perfect by any means, but full of good spirit and hope and faith and great
skills that are exemplified in the mundane, everyday ways in which he has been our pastor – and also our
father and brother and friend.
I made a long list of some of the memories that best illustrate what I mean – dad is a carpenter and a
gardener, who loves to work with his hands and share the bounty; dad made summer Bible camp a staple
of our growing up, teaching us to love the outdoors and the Lord; dad is a hands-on volunteer and leader
in service to others, from his furniture ministry to Habitat for Humanity to the Befriendersprogram in area
hospitals; dad is Papa Jerry to 16 grandchildren and one great-grand child; dad has a deep commitment
to mission work around the world and has done so much (with many of you) to support pastors and
families from other countries and to learn more about their countries and lives (leading up to his lifechanging and affirming trip to Tanzania a few years back where he was fittingly celebrated by Christians
there for what he had done from afar for their pastor and their ministries) – and I could go on and on.
And, of course, I must say a word about the great loves of his life because a pastor so needs a loving
partner. Dad was married to mom for 46 years, raised six children, and loved and cared for her as she
lost her valiant battle with cancer. He then found new love with Judy who lost her own battle with illness.
And now he is so happy with Su as his special friend. It could be a sad story and there certainly is
sadness for us all, but it also is a powerful story about how Jerry – our pastor and father and friend –
models for all of us in his daily life what God requires of us in our vocational journeys to love and serve
God’s world.
It’s about fidelity – faithfulness. It’s too easy today to say that I don’t want to deal with the pain, the
messiness, the anxiety, so we walk away – being faithful to God and to each other, loving the world, no
matter the pain and messiness, dad teaches us, is at the center of our baptismal covenants and calls.
It’s also about duty. We get too easily drawn into this notion that only if I have the time, the energy, the
inclination, I’ll do my part. But it’s not always a choice, God’s call can be inconvenient, disappointing,
even frightening, but we can’t shake it off. Dad – this kid from tiny Rio, Wisconsin – has gone where God
has sent him. And so must we.
And it’s about love – the richest and most meaningful of all human capacities, our gift from a loving and
gracious God. Love is a tool and attitude and promise that we need to battle all that seeks to tear down
God’s world…hate, war, injustice, hunger, degradation of the earth. Jerry Pribbenow loves us and walks
the talk when it comes to showing us the difference love makes in serving his God.
So these are my stories and the lessons I have learned from my dad. It’s not all fun stuff, there’s plenty of
heartache and struggle to go with the fun and adventure, but it’s all full of grace as we learn to pay
attention, to attend to God’s intentions for our faithful lives in the world. Fifty years is a long time and fifty
years of faithful service is especially daunting for those of us who have many years to go to meet that
mark. But, of course, it is not a contest and dad, thanks be to God, intends to continue to be our pastor
and partner and friend in the years ahead as we seek to be faithful to God’s call in our own lives.
I think a good bit about these sometimes frightening and awesome calls we must live into as a central
part of my work as president of one of our Lutheran church colleges. Every day, I have the gift to work
with young people who are trying to figure out how they will live out their calls, how they will make a
46 difference, how they will love God’s world. And I have found these moving words from the great
American theologian, Reinhold Niebuhr, to be an inspiring guide to my work – as I find them an apt
description of what I have learned from my dad about how to live faithfully and hopefully in the world:
Nothing worth doing is completed in our lifetime; therefore we are saved by hope. Nothing true or
beautiful or good makes complete sense in any immediate context of history; therefore we are saved by
faith. Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone; therefore, we are saved by love. No
virtuous act is quite as virtuous from the standpoint of our friend or foe as from our own; therefore we are
saved by the final form of love, which is forgiveness. (from The Irony of History)
We’re in good and gracious company – called by our loving God at our baptisms to do God’s work, to be
God’s people, to heal the world, to be instruments of God’s loving and reconciling and justice-filled
intentions for the world. For God so loved the world, he sent his only Son that we might be saved. And
then he sent Jerry Pribbenow, who fifty years ago heard and accepted his call to be God’s good and
faithful servant in our midst. And then he sent us to be God’s faithful people in this world God loves so
much. And we can’t shake it off. What good news! Thanks be to God. Amen.
PAY ATTENTION TO THIS
Resources for your reflective practice
I have two books on my reading list, both of which came to me directly from the authors.
The first is The Secret of the Mongol Queens: How the Daughters of Genghis Khan Rescued His
Empire(Crown Publishers, 2010), by Jack Weatherford, retired faculty member at Macalester College and
honorary degree recipient from Augsburg. Jack writes beautifully of a world few of us know or understand
beyond our stereotypes.
The second is Greg Mortenson’s Stones into Schools: Promoting Peace with Books, Not Bombs, in
Afghanistan and Pakistan(Viking, 2009). Mortenson, who attended one of our sister Lutheran colleges, is
the author of Three Cups of Tea and is a compelling personality for many young people these days.
Invocation
Here is Wendell Berry’s beautiful invocation from his Sabbath Poems (2002) – which seems fitting in the
theme of this issue, honoring my dad…
“Teach me work that honors Thy work,
the true economies of goods and words,
to make my arts compatible
with the songs of the local birds.
Teach me patience beyond work
and, beyond patience, the blest
47 Sabbath of Thy unresting love
which lights all things and gives rest.”
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Topics for the next issue (August 2010)
Asking the right questions
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Evolving social arrangements
(c) Paul Pribbenow, 2010
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