Blue strike webinar simple tips for publishing your donor list - feb. 25, 2014 final

BLUE STRIKE

SIMPLE TIPS
FOR
PUBLISHING
YOUR
DONOR LIST

WELCOME

 This is a 45-minute webinar for development staff who have
responsibility for generating a donor list for use in
communications and fundraising materials.

 We will look at simple steps for pulling together the content
of the list, formatting and design, and then discuss ways to
use your list throughout the year as you do outreach and
cultivation.
 Developed for organizations engaged in advocacy, civic
engagement, policy, and public interest law.
Blue Strike Webinar: Publishing Your Donor List
February 25, 2014 bluestrike.org

BLUE
STRIKE
INSPIRING
SUPPORT FOR
CIVIC
E N G A G E ME N T


DOUBLE
CHECK AND
. . . TRIPLE
CHECK!


WEBINAR AGENDA
Three sections will cover:
 How-to guide for information gathering, editing, polishing
and avoiding errors;

 Formatting, design, and production – a look at actual
samples of good lists; and
 Using your donor list for fundraising.
We will wrap up by 2:00 PM.


DETERMINE
FRAMEWORK

SECTION 1:

GATHER
CONTENT
EDIT
POLISH


FRAMEWORK DECISIONS

 Establish your timeframe. Use your fiscal year and put the
dates at the top of your list.
 Determine gift amount levels:

 Name your giving levels: gold, silver, bronze or creative
names reflecting your organization’s mission and history

CREATIVE GIVING LEVELS


POPULATE YOUR LIST

1

• Make sure all gifts are entered in database of record.
Check all systems are synched. Reconcile online gifts, stock
transfers, foundations, bequests, and memorial gifts.
• Run a list of all donors for the year. Ask for salutation,

2

spouse name, full name, source codes, flags, join date,
cumulative total and all gifts. Run lists extended window.

3

• Eyeball for accuracy. Do a spot check of 7 – 10 records to
make sure the data-pull captured everything. Run a new list
if you need to.


POPULATE YOUR LIST (CON’T)

4

• In Excel, sort by cumulative gift amount. Segment by
giving level, then sort alphabetically by last name. Remove
duplicates.

5

• Clean up names, salutations, couples. Check corporate
and foundation websites. Ask for grant letters and other
records for “this is how to list us” info.

6

• Export new list to Word. Get out last year’s list. Set it up
side by side with new list. Compare.



7

8
9

• Add new names. Err on the side of inclusion.

• Remove lapsed donors. Keep a list of removals for
secondary review. Don’t exclude 14-month donors.

• Move donors up/down. Be circumspect about who you
remove or downgrade.



10

11
12

• Apply special codes. Look to join date, source codes or
flags to designate special gifts or special donors.

• Look at the list through your board members’ eyes. Check
to see where each board member’s name appears.

• Send the removals list around for secondary review


.

FINAL
STEP
SHARE
WITH A
HANDFUL OF
R E V I E W ER S !


BASICS
FORMAT

SECTION 2:

DESIGN

PRODUCTION


BASIC COMPONENTS OF A DONOR LIST
 Introductory paragraph, including date range
 Lists of donors a. individuals b. institutional-corporate
foundation c. bequests d. planned gifts e. memorial/tribute
gifts
 Key for special gifts and categories
 Disclaimer
 Contact name, phone, and email


UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS
INTRODUCTION


FREE BSD FOUNDATION
SAMPLE DISCLAIMER
The FreeBSD Foundation Privacy Policy
We would love to acknowledge everyone who donates to the
foundation, but we also would like to respect your privacy.
The Foundation will not sell or provide your address, phone
number, or email address to anyone, nor will we send you
unsolicited mailings. Please indicate if you wish to make
your donation anonymously through PayPal by indicating
this in the "Optional Note" field. Otherwise, if paying by
check, please write this on your check. If you do not see your
name, or it is incorrect, please let us know by sending an
email to donations at freebsdfoundation dot org. We will
only publish the name of the actual donor .

UNIV OF MICHIGAN GRAD SCHOOL
SPECIAL RECOGNITION


UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS
SPECIAL RECOGNITION


DESIGN AND PRODUCTION
 Easy to edit
 Clean and simple
 Flexible to use
 Font: 8 to 10 point
Times or Verdana
 Columns
 One page front/back
 Review the blueline
 Send a preview copy,
if possible

PUBLIC
CITIZEN
S a m p le o f o n e page format


FORMATTING NAMES
 Use consistent format.
 First name, middle
initial, last name, suffix.
 Leave out prefixes. Use
professional suffix only.
 Couples with different
last names? Alpha order
by last name. Mary
Adams and Jerome
Baker go under the A’s.

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS


DONOR
CALLS

SECTION 3:

BOARD
MEETINGS
GRANTS
REFERENCE


USING YOUR LIST ALL YEAR LONG
FUNDRAISING AND OUTREACH
 Donor calls - in person. Make the list part of your packet.
 Board meetings - Ask the board chair or development chair to
distribute at meeting. 1 . it encourages everyone to find their
own name; 2. it lets them see who else is or could be on the
list.
 Recruitment - Include in solicitation mailings.
 Foundations, charity watchdogs, IRS - Include in grant
applications to demonstrate public support; healthy individual
giving.
 Use it as quick reference throughout the year.

ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES


OTHER RESOURCES
Kivi Leroux Miller, But What About Donor Lists??? Kivi’s
Nonprofit Communications Blog, June 21, 2011
Marc Pittman, Printed Donor Lists: To do or not to do? The
Fundraising Coach, March 30, 2010
Penelope Burk, The Cygnus Donor Survey, Where
philanthropy is headed in 2012 , June 2012
The 2012 Study of High Net -Worth Philanthropy, the Center
on Philanthropy Indiana University


UPCOMING
BLUE STRIKE WEBINARS
I n t r o duc e Y o u r B o a r d t o F u n d r a is i ng
T u e s da y , M a r c h 2 5 , 2 0 1 4 a t 0 1 : 1 5 P M
F i v e E a s y W a y s t o U p g r a de Y o u r D o n o r s
T h u r s da y, A p r i l 1 0 , 2 0 1 4 a t 0 8 : 3 0 A M
S p o ns o r e d b y A s s o c i a t i o n o f F u n d r a i s in g P r o f e ss i o na ls - D C C h a p t e r
S e n di ng Y o u r E x e c u t i v e D i r e c t o r o n T o u r
T u e s da y , A p r i l 2 9 , 2 0 1 4 a t 0 1 : 1 5 P M
R e c a p t ur i ng L o s t D o n o r s
T u e s da y , M a y 1 3 , 2 0 1 4 a t 0 1 : 1 5 P M
The Magic of Thank You Calls
T u e s da y , M a y 2 7 , 2 0 1 4 a t 0 1 : 1 5 P M
C h a r i t y W a t c h do g s : M a n a g i ng Y o u r P r o f i le a n d R a n k i ng
T u e s da y , J u n e 2 4 , 2 0 1 4 a t 0 1 : 1 5 P M


BLUESTRIKE.ORG

THANK YOU!


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Blue strike webinar simple tips for publishing your donor list - feb. 25, 2014 final