Philanthropic Transformation – Roles of Staff and Volunteers As Financial Development professionals, you know the cycle of philanthropy. However, your board may not be aware of it. If they are familiar with it (congratulations!), they may not know what they can do to help move potential donors through the process. Here are some concrete steps that can be implemented at each stage of the cycle of philanthropy.
Cycle of Philanthropy Identification
Appreciation
Solicitation
Qualification
Cultivation
Staff and volunteers collaborate in numerous ways at each step of the process. As an organization moves into a growth mindset for financial development, basic steps can be implemented into regular board meetings to advance the process.
Consider introducing the cycle at one board meeting, then at each following meeting pick one phase and try the action items listed below.
Identification The goal of the Identification phase is to list as many potential donors as possible. Any name is a good name at this point. You are looking for quantity. Gail Perry recommends a casual approach to this process which includes asking board members to pull out a scrap piece of paper and list the names of friends and colleagues who may be interested in knowing more about the organization. You are not mentioning being a donor. The chart below gives more structured actions that could be executed by each group. Staff Review lists of alumni, current parents and grandparents Review lists of vendors Review lists of partners Review donors to similar institutions Search local/educational foundations
Board Consider past board members
Both Brainstorming sessions together to generate energy, enthusiasm, and names
Consider associates on other boards Consider professional associates with a heart for mission Consider people in service organizations with you
Qualification Now we begin to prioritize the lists and determine the best use of resources. Two factors weigh heavily, the affinity a person has for the organization or its cause and the capacity they have to make a larger gift. Consideration is given to current participants, past involvement, and the potential to be reengaged by your organization. This is where we begin to get selective on how resources will be invested – namely volunteer and staff time to develop a stronger relationship. Board members can be involved at this phase by serving on a qualifying committee, talking with friends and colleagues about the mission of the organization, and inviting potential supporters to events. Staff Wealth Screening (already completed for all considered in Capital Campaign) Narrow list for Qualifying Committee Prioritize lists based on Qualifying Comm Rate list according to accessibility to potential donors and staff resources
Board Make staff aware of circumstances that would preclude or elevate a potential donor
Both Qualifying committee to rate the list by affinity & capacity
Cultivation Once the potential donors are prioritized by affinity and capacity, work needs to be done to build relationships with these potential donors. No one is ready to be asked for a gift cold. They need to be refamiliarized with the organization prior to a solicitation. Furthermore, to help move donors to higher levels of giving, they need to be part of ongoing cultivation. Staff and volunteers pay a key role in cultivation of potential donors. Staff Systematize regular communication to potential donors Schedule times for Dr. Martin to meet with potential donors Prepare donor specific material
Board Introduce leadership to potential donors that have been ranked highly Where appropriate, invite the CEO to attend events where introductions could happen naturally Host an event at your home to a small group of friends that have similar interests
Both Continually look for opportunities to talk about the organization’s impact
Track contacts and feedback from visits
Solicitation Once we are confident that a potential donor has been cultivated to a point of being ready for a solicitation, it is time to make the ask. Volunteers are crucial in this step as your presence gives an endorsement to the cause and often times have a closer relationship to the donor than the staff person. Both staff and volunteers should be trained in the best practices of asking for a gift. Staff Sends pre-letter and sets the appointment with the donor
Board May be involved in helping to set the appointment – followup call
Prepares proposal and material to leave behind Sets the ask amount
Helps staff customize material that would be meaningful Lends consideration in the ask amount Follows best practices when talking to a donros
Trains volunteers on best practices for an ask
Both Prepares for visit by reviewing potential donor’s interests and the ask amount Set aside time to prepare together prior to the visit Asks for a specific amount
Appreciation This step is crucial! Too often a donor only gives once to an organization because the organization fails to steward the relationship after the gift is made. Both volunteers and staff play a significant role in further deepening a relationship between a donor and the organization. Staff Within 24 hours of a visit & gift, a thank you letter is sent Depending on the size of the gift, further steps taken by staff Send ongoing communication about impact Goal is to thank them 7x’s for every one ask
Board Call a donor to thank them for their time and their gift Hold a thank-a-thon or assign donors to call after each Board meeting Assign thank you calls at the end of every board meeting
Both Carry a sense of gratitude for the donors Always prepared to thank a donor for a gift
With a multitude of ways to involve board members in developing relationship between an organization and a potential donor, all board members can find a place in the circle of development. As board members are recruited, this expectation should be communicated and then staff plan strategically and implement consistently ways to involve the board beyond just making an ask.
Content prepared by Nikki Rach, Senior Managing Consultant with The Winkler Group. Contact at
[email protected] or via Twitter @NikkiRRach.
