Apidays New York 2024 - Scaling API-first by Ian Reasor and Radu Cotescu, Adobe
2012 pyramidlmwals
1. The Donor Pyramid: Moving
Donors to New Levels of
Support
Lynne M. Wester
Yeshiva University
www.donorrelationsguru.com
2. COUNCIL FOR ADVANCEMENT
AND SUPPORT OF EDUCATION 2
Road Map
Understanding the Giving Gap
Benefits of Mid-Level Strategies – What’s in it for
you!
What’s a Mid-Level Strategy Look Like
Visualizing the Future: Evidence for Success
Questions?
3. The Collapsed Giving Pyramid
Annual FundAnnual Fund
Major Giving
No real focus on mid-level donors
The Giving Gap
10%
decline
in
major
donors
=
averag
e 30%
decline
in
revenu
e
4.
5. No real focus on mid-level Scared to
upgrade/let-go
25 donors @ $500
Promote to major gift officer
$12.5k lost revenue
350 donors @ $35 = $12.5k
$17.5k acquisition cost
Net loss = $30k
ANNUAL
GIVING
GAP GIVING
Focus on upgrading
mid-level donors
25 donors @ $500
15 (60%) upgrade @ $3k =
$45k
40% remain @ $500 = $5k
15 to replace ($7.5k annually)
214 donors @ $35 = $7.5k
$10.7k acquisition cost
Net gain = $46.8k
Focused at $25k+
25 donors @
$500
Cannot prioritize
No strategy
Net gain = $0k
MAJOR
GIVING
Source: Adapted from Penelope
Burk, Donor-Centered Fundraising
6. • Increased lifetime value of donors
• Improved donor experience
• Effective solicitation at lowered costs
• Higher revenue, ROI
• Improved conversion, retention & upgrade
• Increasing future major donor pipeline
• No more missed opportunities
7. Create a Pyramid of Your Current Donors
1.Determine pyramid gift ranges
2.Export the # of donors at each level over
the past five years
3.Export dollars raised at each level over
the past five years
4.In Excel, create charts that illustrate the
numbers
5.Discuss with team members
“Transitional Giving for Building Strong Fundraising Pyramids” by Lawrence
Henze. White Paper, www.blackbaud.com
8. • Donor Intelligence Driven
• Multi-Channel & Truly Integrated
• High Tech
• Highly Personal
• Appropriate ROI Measurements
What Mid-Level Strategy Looks Like
9. Determining Interest
PASSIVE DATA
• Demographics
• Historical Giving Data
• Mail – Responders Only
• Interactive / Online
• Open rates
• Click-thru rates
• Video view rates
• Multiple sessions
• Response rates
• Heat map
10. Determining Interest
ACTIVE DATA
• Face to Face
• Survey
– What are the most
important questions to
ask?
– What can we learn?
– Rate your loyalty,
connection points,
likelihood to give
• Cross-Channel
Integration
• Involvement
12. 1. Analyze current situation
2. Identify Mid-Level potential and donor interest
3. Develop Mid-Level strategies
4. Establish timelines and measures of success
5. Creating Accountability
6. Make the Case; Create win-win
7. Refine for the future
Implementation Plan Steps
Changing the Culture
90 / 10 rule; 90% of dollars coming from 10% of gifts (major giving)…10% of dollars coming from 90% of gifts (annual fund) Annual fund necessary to identify next generation major givers We know this as fundraisers, yet our structures and systems do not support the total donor pyramid.
Source: Adapted from Penelope Burk, Donor-Centered Fundraising
Analyze current situation Mid-Level donors (Do you have a pyramid or sombrero?) Real retention Identify potential and interest Find popcorn eaters; Leverage active & passive data Profile your Mid-Level prospect’s behavior, demographics, motivations Develop strategies The Matrix: Multi-Channel, Integrated High tech, highly personal Establish timelines and measures of success Set appropriate ROI, metrics Take a long-view of 3-5 years Make the Case Create the win-win; Innovate on internal politics, silos, change management External messages updated Refine for the future Data collection, analysis and management Prospect management Multi-year donor-centered focus Organizational structures to support achieving lifetime value of the donor