Donors Have Changed, Have You?

We read all the time about changes in giving. Although the Chronicle of Philanthropy reports that total giving has diminished very little over the past 5-10 years, many nonprofits have seen their donations suffer a decline.

The recession began in 2008. We are in a recovery, slow but steady. Nonprofits cannot use the recession as the whipping boy for smaller and fewer contributions. Donors are more hesitant to give now. That is true. They are more careful with their money, they want value, they have less trust in nonprofits and they want to know what will happen and what difference it will make when they donate.

Change is inevitable. Are you being changed or part of the change? Smart fundraisers will lean forward.

Consider the following:

       Show donors the impact their money can make.
Try using numbers – real ones! “your gift of $500 will do WHAT?”, “ your investment of $1M will help raise $10M for WHAT?” You get the idea.

·      Similar to above: show how their gift is an investment in the future.

What can happen, continue and expand because of major donations. Nervous donors need to know that you will use their gifts widely.

·      

    Show donors a clear return on their investment.

How much goes directly to programs. Don’t get caught in the myth of overhead, it’s a false diversion. Rather concentrate on mission, what these donations make happen; how do they create change in lives or the community. “I can make a difference” is important.

·      Don’t talk about process, talk about OUTCOMES.

It’s not how often you did something; it’s what happened because of your programs. Here is the place to how client or program success stories. The Salvation Army does a good job of this in that they talk about lives changed, hurt eased, children in a safe place etc.

·      Build credibility.

·          It’s okay to use charts and graphs to show where donations are used. Your Board names and positions should be on your website and letterhead. Show awards and recognitions you receive. Show your IRS 990 on your website. Add a “Your Gifts at Work “column to your newsletter and website.

·      Consider letting donors designate their gifts.

What are priority needs and what do they cost? Having a designation, maybe naming list of projects for donors to select if they so choose. Have a range of choices. I gave a road once that was subsequently named “Bonny Lane”. It was a big donation and a got a big smile from me, plus tears. I still make annual donations.

     

Make your annual appeal project focused.

Use numbers: Your donation of $x helps one person for how long?   Your donation of $x keeps us open longer after school for how long?

What ideas are you using to meet this challenge? Share with us what has worked for you. Do these ideas resonate at all?  Let’s talk.

Adapted from Gail Perry's “Fired Up Fundraising”.

There’s Never Enough Time…. hints for being more productive.

Unless you are someone I have never met, and may not want to know, you never finish your “to do” list. The adage the faster I run, the behinder I get applies to most of us.

Here are some hints by Ilya Pozin, a columnist for Inc. and Forbes that I have found valuable and adapted for you.

·     1. Create a smaller to do list.

 Well, duh! Why didn’t I think of that?

·      

      2. Take breaks.

Brain freezes occur when you concentrate too long. Take a break, talk to someone and walk around; make lunch plans with someone you need to see. Or check out the Food 52 blog.  Lots of yummy food for thought!

·     3. Use the 80/20 rule.

20% of what you do produces 80% of your results. Pare down your tasks to get to the 20%. Delegate or eliminate. Lots may be important but you don’t have to do it all; delegating builds team competencies. And some things just don’t matter.

·      

      4. Start the day by focusing on yourself.

      Well, I like this one. But it really means don’t let your e-mails dictate your daily accomplishments. Eat a good breakfast, just like we tell children, it really matters. Read the news and catch up on your world. Then consult your to do list. I wish this included spa treatments but it doesn’t.

·      

      5. Do harder tasks first.

Another common sense idea. Your brain is fresher and you are rested, I hope. Save busy work until the afternoon.

·      

      6. Pick up the phone.

Multiple emails create noise when you use them just to clear your inbox. If your email chain goes beyond two replies, call, don’t write. Schedule the call if necessary. You’d be surprised how much more effective talking to someone is than emailing them. Personal contact is important, subtleties are revealed and confusions can be avoided.

·      

      7. Create a system.

Try to have a daily schedule that gives you time for e-mails, meeting with staff, open door hours, research and writing and meeting with clients. During the week you should have a system that covers important functions. Be selective, everything doesn’t have to happen every day. Keep in mind there will always be fires that need putting out- you can’t plan for them but they don’t have to be flummoxed by them.

·      

      8.  Don’t confuse productivity with laziness.

Are you majoring in minors? Does busy work look like hard work? Place your focus on things that matter most to your mission.

These ideas can all help us be more productive. We aren’t robots, yet. So pick and choose those that work best for you. Add a few at a time to your efforts to improve your own productivity.  

If you have better ideas, share them. What works best for you? 

Let’s learn from each other.

Amuse Bouche

           

According to Wikipedia, "an amuse-bouche [aˌmyzˈbuʃ] is a single, bite-sized hors d’œuvre.^[1] Amuse-bouches are different from appetizers in that they are not ordered from a menu by patrons, but, when served, are done so free and according to the chef's selection alone. These, often accompanied by a complementing wine, are served both to prepare the guest for the meal and to offer a glimpse into the chef's approach to the art of cuisine."

If you are reading this, then welcome to the amuse-bouche of my first “blog,” Food for Thought...Nourishing Ideas for Nonprofit Leaders.  While I have no complementary wine to offer at present, I hope this blog will provide a nourishing "meal" of ideas for people who are passionate about making a difference.

I call the blog “Food for Thought” for a couple of reasons.

Most people who know me know that I am not shy about sharing my opinions and I usually have something to say about almost anything.   I collect facts, ideas and experiences like a magpie. Also, I love to cook and eat. In fact when someone tells me about a trip they have taken my first question after “where did you go?” is “what did you eat?”

These two home truths came together in a most unusual way when I served as a Salvation Army first responder in the wake of Hurricane Rita. Stationed in Lake Charles, LA, I cooked 1200 meals a day on a two burner propane stove. It was exhausting (no one would use a photo of me at the end of the day as a recruitment poster) and a significant life changer.  I have spoken and written about this experience many times to spread the word about the Salvation Army as well as about service.  It brought me closer to what we do as volunteers, consultants  and professionals in the nonprofit community and why we do it.

This blog is a way to merge my passions in a manner that lets me share with you while inviting you to share with me.

Nonprofit consulting and cooking actually have several things in common:

•    They involve taking a variety of ingredients and creating something that is more than the sum of its parts;

•    They make you aware of others needs and tastes;

•    They allow you to give of yourself;

•    They may surprise you with the results.

Recognizing how important it is to feed our minds, bodies and souls, I’ve launched Food for Thought with the goal of helping to nourish all three. I’ll be sharing information about ways to better serve your nonprofit mission and fuel the passion for your work and hope you'll share your challenges, experiences and insights, as well.  And we'll serve it up with some tasty recipes and kitchen tips and a dash of southern wit to keep things fun.

So please check in regularly- I’ll be faithful in posting and encourage you to bookmark the website and use and share the resources.  Just let others know where you found all this good information and advice, please.

Right now I am especially excited about our Fall Workshops and the new CSA and Farmer’s markets flourishing this summer and fall. Our first workshop on September 17 is called Inspire Me! and it is all about creating compelling communications. Information about the workshops can be found on the website's workshop page,  www.macintyreassociates.com/workshops. 

Our area has an abundance of both farmer's markets and CSAs- Community Supported Agriculture sites.  Both are a fantastic source for local seasonal produce.  Right now corn, tomatoes and peaches are at their peak. Freshly husked corn is ready 6 minutes after you pop it on the grill or drop it into boiling water.  Slice up a couple of tomatoes and some peaches.  Can you imagine an easier or more delicious meal? 

Send me the name and location of your favorite farmer's market or CSA.  Or check out the 2013 listing of Delaware Farmer’s Markets and Buy Local Chester County, PA Guide. 

Thanks for reading and let’s talk.