BUILDING A CULTURE OF #DONORLOVE IN YOUR ORGANIZATION

#DONORLOVE

BUILDING A CULTURE OF #DONORLOVE IN YOUR ORGANIZATION

ASK LISTEN SURPRISE REPEAT Compiled by: Gwen Chapman, Sheena Greer, Sarah Lyon, Brock Warner

SPRING 2016

A REPORT ON YOUR #DONORLOVE DISCUSSION GROUP THEMES AND TOPICS. PLEASE SHARE, SEND YOUR FEEDBACK, AND KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING IN WHATEVER WAY YOU CAN.

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BARRIERS

WHAT STANDS IN THE WAY OF DONOR LOVE?

internal barriers Competition between departments Competition between fundraising channels Donor love not being seen as 'on brand'. Staff feel like fundraising is “tricking” people A pervasive “That’s your job” mentality No budget for stewardship Program staff think fundraisers are oversimplifying their hard work. Jargon and corporate speak.

external barriers Competition with similar charities Attacks on fundraising/admin ratios Negative press about the organization Donors are not always forthcoming with information or feedback. Low response rates to surveys

bottlenecks Multiple approval stages removes emotion and conversational tone. Inadequate staff resources for data input. Systems are not supporting stewardship needs. Stewardship tends to be an afterthought, after input, banking, and reconciliation.

access Fundraisers with responsibility, but no authority. Unsure about how to start the discussion with program, or senior fundraising staff. Blocking ability to solicit staff or board for gifts. Donor Love is a skill, not a talent. Senior management or communications want an emphasis on beneficiaries, not donors.

ALWAYS START WITH BECAUSE OF YOU...

#DONORLOVE

THREE IDEAS TO TRY BEFORE DECEMBER 31 Magic Moments When something fun, exciting, or just plain out of the ordinary happens, tell your donors! Maybe you'll do it in a public way, like a Facebook post, or you can do it in a personalized, private way, like a quick email without a template or formal voice. Donors often feel like family, but we don't always treat them that way. If it matters to you, it probably matters to them.

Ringading Call it whatever you want, a thankathon, a calling blitz, or a ringading. The point is, an old fashioned call to say "thank you" still works. If it comes from a volunteer, even better. Don't forget to measure! How many calls by how many people, how many voice mails, etc. Make sure all that information gets back into your database as well, even the anecdotal feedback collected should be transcribed. You never know what might be useful for analysis or strategy in the future.

Field Trips Did you make a new friend at #donorlove? Meet someone who works at a similar organization to your, or in a similar role? Invite them to come visit your office. Discuss what has worked will for you, and ask what has been going well for them. Ask how they show love to their donors, and adapt that for your own program. There's lots of love to go around, trust us.

BUILD A DONOR LOVE REVOLUTION. Building momentum and enthusiasm for a donor love revolution in your organization is no small feat. Don't dwell on what's standing in your way. Instead, look for opportunities to make donor love feel like a party that everyone wants to join. Bobby Umar, author and brand specialist at Raeallan once worked at Kraft and was tasked with boosting the image and sales of grated parmesan cheese. You know, the kind in the plastic green cone-shaped container? How did Bobby start building excitement about grated parmesan cheese? One day, everyone in the office found a bottle of cheese in their mailbox. On Halloween he dressed up as parmesan cheese...you get the idea. The point is, your enthusiasm is infectious, and momentum is incredibly power once you get it working in your favour. It can start with the person in the desk or office next to you, How does your office celebrate a sizeable gift? Ring a bell, do a dance, send an all-staff, or surprise everyone with donuts. Plus, don't miss out on the chance to bring your team closer with a little fun, like a tailgate party before the Super Bowl, or predictions for the Summer Olympics. A team that can laugh together will come closer, and the good vibes will flow.

SOME DONORS ARE HARD TO LOVE.

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RESOLUTION

HOW CAN WE PLACE DONORS AT THE CENTRE OF EVERYTHING WE DO AND RAISE MORE MONEY?

team building Everyone in the organization should be expected to meet with stakeholders. Translate the amount of gifts into impact for staff, as well as your donors. It all starts from the top. Leadership buy-in can be tricky, but is the key to stickiness. Share your appeal results far and wide.

systems & data An investment in data analysis could pay itself back in spades, bringing to light relationships that have been forgotten or unrecognized. Donors don't care about your database, until the day you lose their information. Personalization works, but it isn't possible if you don't have a system for managing data.

policies Live by "if it's not in the database, it didn't happen." Create or revisit a donor recognition framework with fresh eyes and new ideas. Leadership's open door policies should extend to donors of any gift size. Require annual co-operation goals across departments.

processes We can't let donor love slip to the bottom of our To Do lists each day. Set daily achievable goals for yourself that build towards your larger goals. Log donor inquiries (phone, email) in your database.

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REVOLUTION

HOW CAN WE SUSTAIN DONOR LOVE AND RAISE MORE MONEY?

what donors want Encourage feedback at every possible donor touchpoint. Voice mail, out-of-office messages, websites and more. Testing in mail and online is a way of asking donors what they want. Establish a Donor Advisory Group. Conduct a donor communications audit.

conflict resolution Bring non-fundraisers, including volunteers, to donor meetings. Create stronger bonds between non-fundraisers, donors, and beneficiaries. It's win-win-win. Don't waste time and energy on what you can't control. Find a champion from outside your organization to involve, helping to break down barriers.

tools & resources Peers in the fundraising community can be your best resource, so use them! Try to meet a new person at least every two weeks for coffee, or lunch. Search for inspiration elsewhere, in art or with a new hobby. This can spark a new idea. Use Outlook, your database or something else to schedule reminders related to donors.

surprise & delight Commit random acts of gratitude. Take risks. Don't underestimate the value of awards to donors, both internal and external, e.g., Order of Ontario.

DONOR LOVE IS TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND HONESTY. FIGHTING THE STIGMA OF POORLY EXECUTED, INTRUSIVE FUNDRAISING.

thank you.