Month: July 2020

In 1899, Howard Carter was appointed Chief Inspector of the Egyptian Antiquities Service. He was only 17 years old. For the next six years Carter made a name for himself through his innovative approach to Egyptian historical artifacts; but his heart was in “the dig” and in 1905 he resigned to return to what he loved best. In 1907, Lord Carnarvon employed him to supervise exaction of the nobles’ tombs. In 1914, Carter was appointed to lead the digs in the Valley of the Kings. This was his dream job. However, the job was soon interrupted by World War One and he spent the next two years as a courier and translator for the British government. Finally, in 1917, he returned to his work in the Valley of the Kings. Season after season his digs failed to produce. Finally, in 1922, Lord Carnarvon informed him that the 1922 season would be his last.There was no more money. Imagine his discouragement! But on the 26^th of November,Howard Carter opened a hole and saw the tomb! By February 1923, Carter and his team opened the burial chamber and made the greatest discovery in modern archaeological history—the tomb of Tutankamen.

When I reread that story again recently, I realized how much archaeology and development work have in common. In this blog, my advice is simple: DIG, DIG, Dig! In my experience, it seems that the treasure is often buried right in front of our eyes. The data base manager holds the key and should become your best friend. Most recently, I worked with the Raiser’s Edge data base but most reputable bases have the same abilities. Let me therefore get you started on your archeological dig of the data base by offering four simple starter questions:

1. What are the top ten gifts and the amounts the organization has received in your history? For each gift, has the organization maintained a relationship with the donor or the donor family? If not, is there potential for reestablishing the relationship?

• What is your “average” gift. I have used quotation marks because you must first pull your top five gifts and your bottom five gifts before deciding the “average”. Also, take out any one- time unusual gifts. This prevents skewing your results and giving you a false result.

• What is the range of your gifts and how many were received in each category within the range? Your categories may include $1-$50, $51-$250, $251-$500, $501-$1000 and $1001 plus. I worked with one non-profit that received over 8000 gifts a year but almost 75% of those were in the $10-$25 range. That’s important information.

• Finally, ask your data base manager for a list of persons who have made a gift five years in a row. That listing has donors who have already demonstrated organizational loyalty and may be ready for a personal thank you visit and an increase in their annual support. When was the last time these people had a personal thank you for their loyalty?

What other reports can your data base manager suggest that could be helpful in your archaeological dig? Remember, Howard Carter dug in the Egyptian desert for seven years before he saw the fruits of his labors. Get digging—the treasure is there.

DIG, DIG, DIG!!!!!

(In our next blog we will discuss the importance of donor retention in reaching your goals)

For more information on how 4-Dconsulting can help your development efforts, please visit our web site and e-mail or call. We want to make you successful.

 

 

Every non-profit is asking the question. We are all living in era of fundraising uncertainty. What will be the effect of Covid-19 on our fundraising.? Our advancement visits have come to a halt. Our offices continue to debate the best strategies as we move through troubled waters. With this as my backdrop, I spent the last few days reading articles and blogs from respected sources who know philanthropy the best. While not being discouraged by the latest trends identified, advancement offices and CEO’s should be taking notice and increasing their efforts to become outstanding communicators.

The Chronicle of Philanthropy lists a few trending patterns which should be noted:

        15% of donors have paused their giving

        5% of donors have decreased their giving

        (Giving USA suggests that 47% of donors are giving less!)

        Donor retention rates dropped again in the first quarter of 2020 (1)

If these statistics don’t cause the advancement office to take notice, perhaps the following will sear into your mindset the importance of donor retention:

          “Over time, the impact of donor retention rates is devastating. Consider a non-profit with 1,000 donors. Even if the organization beats the national average and maintains an annual rate of retention at 60%, its donor base would fall to 600 in year two. After five years, the organization would have only 78 donors left!” (2)

So, what can the advancement office do right now to retain its donors? It seems we repeat this in every blog: COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE

Digital communication carries no germs

In a June blog, Bloomerang lists five things the advancement office should be doing right now to address donor retention:

1. INFORM  We have written on transparency before. The advancement efforts must do everything possible to insure the donor identifies and continues to identify with the organization, its mission and the people who are laboring in the trenches every day.
2. EMPATHIZE  Remember, donors are not your personal ATM machine. They are flesh and blood, as confused and as quarantined and as frustrated as you are. You must think of them as your partners who also may be hurting.
3. ONLY ASK IF YOU NEED IT NOW  Some non-profits have expended all their resources and any reserves as they serve the dying or as they feed the hungry. Others have simply ceased the mission until we return to the new normal, whatever that may be. Craft your story well and only ask if it is critical.
4. POSTPONE EVENTS AND DO NOT DO ONE ONLINE  Virtual baby showers on ZOOM may be fun for a time, but now is not the time for celebrations and fun events as fundraisers. Do nothing to minimize the seriousness of the pandemic.
5. ENGAGE DONORS AND VOLUNTEERS  What, beyond providing timely information can you do to engage your donors and your volunteers? I received a letter from a CEO of an organization who suggested a book that had an impact on him and related to the mission of his organization. I received a list of prayer requests from an organization who simply asked that I include their ministry and the needs in my prayers. How can you engage donors?

Yes, all the clichés apply…we are in uncharted waters…change is inevitable… etc.etc.etc. It’s exciting, isn’t it?

1. Special Report, philanthropy.com/specialreport/covid-19-coverage-fundraising/237
2. Jessica Browning, The Winkler Group, “A Smarter Easier Way to Raise Money:Donor Retention, April 29, 2020
3. Bloomerang, July 2020