After making the successful Ask the "The Artful Journey" begins as William T. Sturtevant says and the donor relationship begins.This is stressed in this teaching module and we delve into the mind and heart of donors from a corporate,foundation and personal donors perspective which was accomplished through a live panel discussion that followed the slides.

1. The Ask,
Stewardship and the Donor’s
Perspective
Gary L. Bukowski, CFRE
Vice President for Advancement
Dr. Gertrude A. Barber Foundation
GaryBukowski@BarberInstitute.org
www.GertrudeBarber.org
May 20, 2014
6:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Penn State Behrend
Fundamentals of Fundraising
Certificate Program
Presented by:

2. Today’s Agenda
 Preparing for the ask
 Making the ask
 Success – Now what?
 Laying the foundation for a donor relations program – catalyst to enhancing &
accelerating the success of your fundraising program
 Looking through “The Eyes of the Donor.” Post-solicitation through long-term
donor relations
------Break------
 Panel discussion with foundation & corporate donors
1. Susannah Weis Frigon, VP of Investor Relations (Erie Community Foundation)
2. Ann Scott, SPHR, Community Outreach Manager (Erie Insurance)
3. Neil Parham, M.Ed., PHR, Senior Community Affairs Analyst (Highmark)

3. A Poem to Ponder
The Art of the Ask
An excerpt from Asking by Jerold Panas
A fundraiser stood at the heavenly gate,
His face was scarred and old.
He stood before the man of fate
For admission to the fold.
“What have you done,” Saint Peter said,
“To gain admission here?”
“I’ve been a fundraiser, sir,
For many and many a year.”
The pearly gates swung open wide,
Saint Peter rang the bell.
“Come in and choose your harp,” he sighed,
“You’ve had your share of hell!”

4. Fundraising:
What does it take?
• What characteristics do you need to have for this
special calling?
• David Dunlop tells us to “SEND MIKE”
Sensitivity – Effort – Nature – Devotion to the cause
Maturity – Integrity – Knowledge - Enthusiasm
www.AskingMatters.com
David Dunlop
*Retired Senior Development Officer,
Cornell University

5. Research shows…
Americans gave $316.23 billion in 2012
Individuals
$217.79
73%
Individuals &
Bequests:
79%
$252.3 Billion

6. Research shows…
Individuals
$217.79
73%
The top 5 organizations:

7. Preparing for the Ask

8. In the Words of Hank
Rosso…
“Donors make major gifts because of a sense of obligation
to the nonprofit, the greater community, or the world.
Gifts of significance arise out of true interests, values, and
passions of the prospective benefactor.
Regardless of the particular motivation for giving, the role of
the major-gift officer is to engage the donor in the important
work of the nonprofit and deepen the benefactor’s involvement
in the organization’s mission and value systems.”
-Hank Rosso, author of Achieving Excellence in Fund Raising

9. Getting Started
The importance of prospect research &
moves management
1. Select best prospects (1-25)
2. Create a file of each prospect and collect easy to access research
3. Identify natural partners for each prospect
4. (Preliminary) Confidentially consult with your natural partners
5. (Preliminary) Select a primary player for each prospect
6. (Preliminary) Develop a strategy for each prospect and establish gift objectives as to amount and
gifting opportunity
7. Plan the next 5 – 10 moves for each prospect
8. Implement the moves for each prospect, and after each move we recommend you carry out the
following:
a. Review what has occurred and do your call report
b. Refine your strategy and gift objective as appropriate
c. Fine tune the planning of your next move immediately after you visit so it can be
incorporated into your next move
9. At year-end or beginning of the year, review the status of each prospect. Refine your strategy and
objectives and plan the next 5-10 moves. Use a calendar charting system, automatic tickler system,
or whatever works best for you.
i.e. Buck Smith originally used note cards that he carried with him in carrying out this process
10. At year-end or beginning of the year, add and delete prospects from your list as appropriate.
David Dunlop – Moves Management

10. Making the Ask

11. The Progression of
Giving
The Institute of Charitable Giving,  1995

12. Annual Fund Gift Major Gift Ultimate Gift
Operational Needs Buildings, Equipment, & Endowment Primarily Endowment
Sustaining Gifts Special & Major Gifts (10 to 25 times Annual
Gift)
Generally once-in-a-lifetime expressions of support
(1,000 to 2,000 times Annual Gift)
Frequently given
Frequently asked for
Decision is rational, cerebral
Decision made quickly
Decision can usually be made without professional
assistance
Decision often made without spouse approval
Infrequently given
Infrequently asked for
Decision becomes emotional, visceral
Stop-and-think gift
Takes longer for decision
Nurturing fundraising
Spouse almost always involved
May involve combination of giving methods, often
deferred
Long-term relationship building
Decision becomes increasingly emotional
Takes longer and more study for decision
Receives professional input from others
The consequences of a poor decision become
greater
Sell special packages
Special projects & activities
Seek broad based support and peer involvement
Begin lifelong relationship
Acquire, renew, upgrade
Little cultivation required
Market institution’s mission & special
opportunities
Focus on select audience (Financial
capability + interest + involvement)
Foster strong personal relationship
Leverage association of staff, partners,
volunteers
Prior and regular cultivation
Total commitment to institution’s mission
Estate planning service & special opportunities
Educate prospects regarding planned giving
vehicles
Create bonding relationship
Leverage close relationships of staff, partners,
volunteers
Intensive cultivation
Direct mail
Telethon
Mass marketing
Special events
Local & community programs
Personal solicitation of prospects
Affinity programs
Personal solicitation (several contacts)
Special events (to focus attention and
cultivation)
Direct mail (for information, cultivation)
Initiation of stewardship
On-going stewardship
Personal solicitation (a number of contacts)
Educational seminars
Direct mail and topical newsletters
(for info, cultivation)
Special projects and events for involvement &
cultivation
Giving Clubs
Plaques, etc.
Naming Opportunities
Lifetime giving recognitions
Wall “Hall of Fame”
Heritage-type club
Naming opportunities
Lifetime giving recognition
CULTIVATE CULTIVATEASK ASK
PurposeCharacteristicsTypesRecog.StrategyMethods
ASKCULTIVATE
©Institute of Charitable Giving

13. Asking for the Gift
*You Don’t Have to Be Great to Start, but
You Have to Start to Be Great
1. Begin by knowing everything possible about the institution and donor
2. After careful assessment, determine the specific amount you should ask for
*Eighty-five percent of getting the gift is setting up the visit
3. Don’t let the size of the gift dominate the presentation. It’s all about mission – not
money
4. When making the ask, use words such as: “I would like you to consider a gift of…”
5. Get a commitment to something before leaving, either the gift or the date for
another visit
The Golden Rules of Fund Raising
From Asking by Jerold Panas

14. Listening for the Gift
 The importance of listening for the gift
 “The Fundraiser’s Guide to Listening”  The Institute for Charitable Giving
 The Heart Speaks: A Cardiologist Reveals the Secret Language of Healing by
Mimi Guarneri, M.D., of the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine

15. Success – Now What?
Laying the foundation for a strong donor relations plan

16. Donor Relations: What?
 Donor relations > stewardship.
 Three components:
◦ Acknowledgment.
◦ Recognition.
◦ Stewardship.
 “Everything that happens between asks.”
 Communication and interaction.
Reaching the Heart of the
Donor: Donor TouchPoint
Management, J. Hedrick

17. Donor Relations: Why?
 Cost of acquiring a new donor.
 Cost of losing a donor.
 Increased competition.
 Increased expectations of donors.
 Focus on building relationships.
 Lifetime value of donor.
Reaching the Heart of the
Donor: Donor TouchPoint
Management, J. Hedrick

18. Donor Retention
 Nonprofit Donor Retention Rate: 39%
 Donor Attrition Rate: 61%
 Loss of donors requires that new donors be
acquired.
 Acquisition is costly!
Bloomerang – Fundraising Effectiveness Project (FEP)
https://bloomerang.co/blog/infographic-2013-
fundraising-effectiveness-project-survey-report/

19. Donor Retention
 What is your retention rate?
◦ For first-time donors?
◦ For memorial/tribute gift donors?
◦ For donors of $1,000 or more?
 Is increasing your retention rate a stated
goal?
◦ How will you accomplish that goal?
◦ Strategies?
◦ Evaluation?
Reaching the Heart of the
Donor: Donor TouchPoint
Management, J. Hedrick

20. Donor Retention –
Why It’s Important
 10% improvement in donor retention
◦ Compound effect each year
◦ Less investment in acquisition
◦ Increased giving
◦ More involvement
 200% improvement in lifetime value of
database
Source: Adrian Sargeant, Tiny Essentials of Donor Loyalty

21.  What do donors expect?
 People generally only know what they want
when they don’t get it.*
 Donor Satisfaction
◦ Very satisfied or just satisfied.
◦ Shaped by relative importance.
◦ Influence of expectations.
 When donors leave, find out why.
*Source: Theodore Levitt as paraphrased by Adrian Sargeant.
Expectations of Donors
Reaching the Heart of the
Donor: Donor TouchPoint
Management, J. Hedrick

22. Donor Relations
As gifts become larger and the relationship with the organization
grows, donor relations changes and becomes:
•More individualized.
•More aligned with a donor’s preferences, interests, beliefs,
and personality.
•More driven by the donor’s relationship with the organization.
•More personal with more one-on-one contact with leaders at
higher levels.
•Focused on involvement and engagement.
•More specific in reporting on the impact and importance of
past gifts.
From Effective Donor Relations
by J. Hedrick

23. Looking Through the Eyes
of the Donor:
Post-solicitation through long-term donor relations

24. The Three Components
of …
Acknowledgement
Recognition
Stewardship

25. Component 1
Acknowledgement
Process of saying “Thank You” for the gift:
Letter
Receipt
Phone call
Hand-written note
Utilize the most personal form of communication between the
organization receiving the gift and the person, corporation,
foundation or organization who made the gift

26. Component 2
Recognition
Expressing gratitude in a public way:
Donor report
Donor wall
Press release
Special presentation
Display for donor’s home

27. Recognition Example
 Pictured here is the cover of
the 2012-2013 Barber Honors,
the 6th donor report in the 62-
year history of the Barber
National Institute .
 Check it out online!

28. Component 3
Stewardship
Using the gift as the donor intended:
Communicating with the donor on how the gift was used
Communicating that the organization is responsible
Honoring of donor intent
Example: Endowment reporting to donor

29.  Understand me.
 Value me.
 Remember me.
 How was my contribution
used? EXAMPLE
 How did my contribution
make a difference?
 What was the impact of my
gift? EXAMPLE
Expectations of Donors
Reaching the Heart of the
Donor: Donor TouchPoint
Management, J. Hedrick

30. Donor Relations: How?
 Donor Relations Plan!
◦ Buy-in of development staff
◦ Establish principles for plan
 Steps
◦ Review current practices
◦ Identify gaps
◦ Develop list of opportunities
◦ Create the program
 Evaluation
Reaching the Heart of the
Donor: Donor TouchPoint
Management, J. Hedrick

31. Earning Loyalty
“Building donor loyalty is the single
biggest challenge facing nonprofits
today.”
-Adrian Sargeant
Reaching the Heart of the
Donor: Donor TouchPoint
Management, J. Hedrick

32. Remember…
“People will forget what you said,
People will forget what you did, but
People will never forget how you made them feel.”
-Maya Angelou
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7s22HX18wDY

33. Final Thought
“It takes a noble person to plant a
tree that will one day provide shade for
those whom he may never meet.”
-Anonymous

34. Questions?

35. Panel Discussion
Panel Members:
Susannah Weis Frigon, VP of Investor Relations
The Erie Community Foundation
Ann Scott, SPHR, Community Outreach Manager
Erie Insurance
Neil Parham, M.Ed., PHR, Senior Community Affairs Analyst
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield