This document discusses strategies for strengthening mid-level donor engagement. It notes that many organizations focus fundraising efforts on annual gifts and major gifts but neglect mid-level donors, creating a "giving gap". The document outlines benefits of dedicated mid-level strategies and provides examples of what such strategies may include, such as personalized communications, events, and impact reports. It also stresses the importance of using donor data and analytics to inform tailored multi-channel outreach and establishing metrics to measure strategy effectiveness over time.
1. 1
Mid-Level Donor Stewardship -
Fixing Your Hourglass or Sombrero
Shaped “Pyramid”!
Lynne M. Wester
Yeshiva University
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 Fund
Major Giving
What’s Missing?
No real focus on mid-level donors
The Giving Gap
6. • Donor Intelligence Driven
• Multi-Channel & Truly Integrated
• High Tech
• Highly Personal
• Appropriate ROI Measurements
What Mid-Level Strategy Looks
Like
8. 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
9. Calendar Approach
• 9/ Thank You postcard
• 10/ Hanukkah Dinner Invite
• 11/ Thank A Donor card mailed
• 11/ Send email invite to YC play 1776
• 12/ Mail Hanukkah postcard/museum invite
• 1/ email invite to private screening of "Footnotes"
• 2/ Soy Seforim Sale invite
• 2/ Purim Postcard with recipe for hamentashen
• 3/ thank a thon
• 3/2 Scholarship Reception invitation
• 4/ Scholarship impact piece mailed
• 5/ Invitation to commencement mailed
• 6/ end of FY thank you postcard
• 8/ Calendar with student art work
10. Tips and Tricks
• Everything starts with data – validate assumptions
• Data informs strategy
• Don’t get distracted by “shiny” tactics
• Begin with the end in mind
• Set appropriate metrics for success in the start
• Continuously measure and tweak ideas and efforts
• Repurpose content but with unique spin for each segment
• Personalize everything for the individual – no excuses!
• Don’t be afraid to let go and be transparent once framework exists
17. Questions? Comments
• Lynne Wester
• wester@yu.edu
• www.donorrelationsguru.com
• Friend me on Facebook
• Follow me on Twitter @donorguru
Hinweis der Redaktion
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 giversWe know this as fundraisers, yet our structures and systems do not support the total donor pyramid.
Analyze current situationMid-Level donors (Do you have a pyramid or sombrero?)Real retentionIdentify potential and interestFind popcorn eaters; Leverage active & passive dataProfile your Mid-Level prospect’s behavior, demographics, motivationsDevelop strategiesThe Matrix: Multi-Channel, IntegratedHigh tech, highly personalEstablish timelines and measures of successSet appropriate ROI, metricsTake a long-view of 3-5 yearsMake the CaseCreate the win-win; Innovate on internal politics, silos, change managementExternal messages updatedRefine for the futureData collection, analysis and managementProspect managementMulti-year donor-centered focusOrganizational structures to support achieving lifetime value of the donor