Recommendations to help nonprofit staff prepare for year end fundraising. Sponsored by the Association of Fundraising Professionals DC Chapter

1. GET READY, HERE IT
COMES . . . YEAR END
FUNDRAISING!
Association of Fundraising Professionals
Washington, DC Metro Area Chapter
August 11, 2015
Presenter: Mary Dillon Kerwin, President, Blue Strike
AFP Workshop: Year End FundraisingAugust 11, 2015 1

2. This session will focus on how to:
• Get ready for year-end fundraising
• Juggle schedules and prioritize tasks
• Motivate staff during this hectic time of year
• Be creative, strategic . . and get the job
done!
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3. For this session
• We should tap the wisdom in the room
• Share ideas and questions
• Access the slides at
www.bluestrike.org/webinars_and_trainings
• Provide feedback
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4. A framework for our discussion today –
Five focus areas
1. Create fresh, relevant content
2. Carry out solicitation activities
3. Connect with staff and office
4. Engage your board, and
5. Prep your website and online presence
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5. 1. Prepare fresh, relevant content
• List of accomplishments
• 2016 Top Ten Priorities
• Video, one-pagers
• Sample asks
• Hot issue . . . or not?
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6. Content issue: political unknowns
• Is your issue going to be at the top of the
political agenda?
• Will your organization be garnering media
attention? Good or bad?
• Is the Supreme Court hearing a case that
will affect your organization’s issue?
• Consider how to manage action and
engagement along with solicitations
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7. 2. Solicitation schedule of activities
• Get your schedule squared away now
• Segment and prioritize donor list
• Sync up multi-channel
• Use phone and social channels as support
• Blitz lapsed donors
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8. Solicitation channels
• Mail – personalized letters with notes
• Email – schedule and follow through
Customize asks with ask strings
• Ask for a specific amount
• Before You Hit Send: Your End of Year
Fundraising Appeal Checklist
Danielle Johnson-Vermenton, NPEngage, Aug. 2014
• Don’t Make These Five Mistakes in Your
Fundraising Appeal Gail Perry interviews Tom Ahern
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9. Make it fun and rewarding
• Giving clubs
• Matching or challenge campaign
• Sustainer campaign
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10. Figure 1. Giving Clubs
$1,748,474
$1,940,761
$2,697,044
$0
$500,000
$1,000,000
$1,500,000
$2,000,000
$2,500,000
$3,000,000
$3,500,000
$4,000,000
No Giving Club Recognition Only Recognition and Fundraising
Giving clubs with a fundraising component are
associated with higher revenue
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11. Figure 2. Matching Campaigns
$1,778,860 $1,848,724
$2,655,744
$3,246,755
$0
$500,000
$1,000,000
$1,500,000
$2,000,000
$2,500,000
$3,000,000
$3,500,000
$4,000,000
No Matching Campaigns Low emphasis Moderate Emphasis Heavy Emphasis
Matching campaigns are associated with higher revenue
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12. Figure 3. Sustainer Program
$1,789,965
$2,726,310
$0.00
$500,000.00
$1,000,000.00
$1,500,000.00
$2,000,000.00
$2,500,000.00
$3,000,000.00
$3,500,000.00
$4,000,000.00
Low emphasis/no program Moderate and heavy emphasis
Sustainer campaigns see higher revenue
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13. How to handle another big thing or two
• Giving Tuesday is Dec. 1, 2015
http://www.givingtuesday.org/
• Annual Gala
• Walkathon
• Capital campaign
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14. 3. Connect with staff & office
• Development office
• Executive director and senior staff
• Support staff, incl. IT, web, and online
• Program heads
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15. Office toolbox - have it handy!
• EIN
• Stock gift transfer instructions
• Grant app materials (in case a foundation
calls) board list, budget, audit, 990, tax-
exempt ruling.
• Login codes
• Acknowledgement letters
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16. 4. Engage board
• Board fundraising webinar
• Thank you calls
• Challenge or matching campaign
• New Year’s Eve “chat room”
• Updates on positive fundraising news
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17. 5. Website and online presence
• Make it mobile
• Hijack home page
• Prime social channels
• Check Google AdWords
• Test donation pages and back-office ops
• Review third-party sites . . . donors do!
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18. Shadow box aka pop-up
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19. Shadow box
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20. Charity Watchdogs

21. Check other third-party sites
How does your organization’s profile look on these sites?
Up to date? Accurate?
• Great Nonprofits
• Guidestar http://www.guidestar.org/
• Network for Good http://www1.networkforgood.org/
• JustGive https://www.justgive.org/
How about with government regulators?
• IRS Exempt Organizations Select Check Tool
http://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/
• State licensing agency: Washington, DC, Virginia,
Maryland

22. Recap: “five” for year end
1. Create fresh, relevant content
2. Carry out solicitation activities
3. Connect with staff and office
4. Engage your board, and
5. Prep your website and online presence
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23. Charitable giving laws
• In 2014, congress waited until the second
week of Dec. to decide on the tax
deductibility of certain gifts, specifically the
IRA rollover and conservation easements.
• Keep tabs with your state association or
subscribe to emails from the National
Council of Nonprofits.
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24. Just when you thought it was over . . .
• January number crunching
• Control your benchmarking environment
• Prepare for the second best time of year –
February and March
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25. Wrap up
• Evaluation
• Come to Friday’s Aug. 14 brown bag!
ASAE 1575 I St. NW. at 11:45 am
• Sign up for “share results” activities
• Keep in touch
marydillonkerwin@bluestrike.org
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