Do you LOVE fundraising?
​It’s Valentine’s Day! In the spirit of the holiday that’s brought us candy hearts, sappy hallmark cards and over-priced dinner ‘specials’ at our favorite restaurants - we actually have a question for YOU this month!
 
Our question is…do you LOVE fundraising?
 
Okay, so we know that no one loves their job every single day. Heck, sometimes it may feel like weeks or even months at a time where our work seems overwhelming or challenging. First of all, please know – you don’t feel overwhelmed or challenged at work because you are doing something WRONG. Fundraising IS IN FACT overwhelming and difficult at times. However, as you know, this work can also be incredibly fulfilling and an amazing way we can contribute to making the world a better place.
 
So, on this Valentine’s Day, we wanted to share 3-quick-pick-me-ups you can try TODAY to remind yourself that you actually do LOVE fundraising. 

1. Start your day by calling 3 donors JUST to say thank you. It can be any donor you’d like at any giving level you’d like. Though, finding someone who has been giving say $5 a month or $50-$100 annually over a long period of time are kind of the sweet spot for this. These are the folks who often fall through the cracks of even the most strategic cultivation strategy. So getting a call from you just to say thank you will fill their heart with all the feels – and in turn, fill YOUR heart with all the feels. Doing this first thing in the morning, before you start your to-do list, will help get your day off on the right ‘feel-good’ foot.

 

1. Watch your organizations funding videos. You spend so much time, effort and emotional energy on these videos, right? You show them at an event or share them in an email and then they live in perpetuity on our shared drive or website. Binge watch these videos! These videos give us the opportunity to watch the people we serve talk about all the things they love about our orgs, and the impact it’s had on their lives – with emotional music and heartfelt overtones to boot! You might try to do this before you leave the office or towards the end of the day. It’s a great way to give your heart the jolt it needs when you just spent the entire day writing an appeal letter while also re-inventing (ugh) your annual fundraising event.

 

1. Connect with your favorite fellow fundraisers. I think this one is my favorite! There is no one better suited to pull you out of a rut than someone who has been in the trenches with you. Send them a quick text, telling them about your latest cranky donor or challenging co-worker. You can rest assured their response will be exactly what you need to hear! Or send them a shared memory over email, BUT be sure to pick that one memory that will make you laugh out loud alone in your office before you even hit send. Remember, it’s these people in our lives who are especially qualified at helping us round out the sharp edges of our day - so don’t forget to connect with them when you need a boost!

 
Do you have any little pick-me-ups that help you remember the things you love? Be sure to share them with us – we’d love to hear them!
 
Happy Valentines Day! xoxox 

​What is considered "best practice" when receiving a significant gift from a donor?
 
What a great day when we hear the news that our organization has just received a significant gift! This is cause for great celebration among the development team, the staff and the Board. These gifts will make a huge impact on the organization and how it will fulfill its mission. They often allow an organization to think big and allow for those dreams we’ve had to become a reality!
So, how do we convey this to our donors? How do we thank them in a way that makes them feel that their investment makes a difference?
Sometimes the news of a lead gift is shared directly with us – when we are meeting with a donor face to face to ask them to consider an investment in a program or project. Or, a gift is made a bit down the road after we’ve asked and the donor has been contemplating what they would like to do. And, there are also times when an unexpected gift arrives and is truly a joyful surprise.
Regardless of how a major gift is received, one thing remains steady, we must thank our donors in an authentic and personal way. Below are best practices for acknowledging a lead gift:

• First and foremost, we must thank our donors swiftly – as soon as we know of this gift. Pick up the phone – call and thank them. If you get a voicemail, leave a message of thanks and share you will try again to connect to talk more about this amazing gift.

 

• Follow up with a timely thank you letter that includes the gift amount and the purpose for the gift so that your donor knows that you clearly understand the intention of the gift. This letter should not be an after-thought or a standard thank you letter. Write a personal letter that includes ways in which this gift will impact or make a difference in the lives of those you are serving. This letter is as important as the “ask.” This letter should feel very personal and ensure the donor feels it is not transactional…but one that is specifically meant for them and that it conveys that their gift is meaningful.
• Inform your organization’s leaders of the gift. Reach out to your Board Chair, your steering committee, your top folks who have been engaged in this work. Prompt them to call (if they know them well and it feels right) or write a personal note. Help your leaders with the content of their messaging if they need it.
• Talk with your donor about sharing their amazing gift to a wider audience. Is there a special announcement, press release, media coverage, placement on the website, social media posts? Discuss what they are comfortable with and how they want the news of their gift shared with the public. Once this is determined, put this plan in writing and share with the donor to ensure everyone is on the same page.

Other special ways to thank a major donor would be to send a special video that conveys your gratitude as well as a story of how this gift will impact your constituents. Such a video does not need to be professionally created and can be short (90 seconds). Creating a personalized photo book is also a clever way to show how grateful you are and how life-changing this gift is to those you serve.
Thanking a donor for a major investment is one of the most fun and rewarding parts of our job. I hope this year ahead we all find ourselves busier than ever with this important part of our work. 

Happy New Year!
For this post, we are not answering a reader’s question; we are simply wishing you a happy, healthy and safe 2022.  And while COVID continues to drag on, we hope that you have found a “new normal” and are able to start the year off with hope and positivity.   Allow us to share a few highlights from the past year with you…
 
The Use of Zoom (yes, this is a highlight)
Despite our collective Zoom fatigue, it is worth remembering that this technology is still relatively new – and exceptionally useful.  It has literally changed the way in which we can all work, and mostly for the better. 
 
The Opportunity to Rethink How We Spend Time
The past year has given us all permission to reconsider the traditional structure of our workday.  Need to help your child with e-learning at 9a?  No problem.  Want to get out of the house for a midday walk?  Do it.  The old adage, “As long as the work gets done…” has never been more true – or supported.
 
The Opportunity to Rethink Events
What nonprofits discovered during COVID is that you don’t need to be in person – or even have an event – to inspire people to give.  For many organizations, the opportunity to truly rethink events has been a game-changer.  One client made the decision early in the pandemic not to host a single event in 2021.  Instead, they used their time and resources to thoughtfully connect with donors – by phone and via Zoom – a process that costs no money.  The response was overwhelmingly positive, and they were still able to meet their aggressive fundraising goal.
 
Philanthropy Continues
People are generous.  They are compassionate.  They want to help.  The pandemic heightened people’s awareness of others’ challenges.  Donors donated.  And my guess is that most nonprofits gained a few new donors along the way.
 
So take these “wins” into 2022 and continue to find ways to appreciate these and build upon them in the new year.  Cheers! 

 

 We can’t afford much in the way of professional development. Are there options available aside from attending a 2 or 3-day course?
Professional development can be challenging for many nonprofits, especially for small ones with limited budgets and one to two-person development shops. The good news is there are plethora of free and low-cost options available, if you just know where to look. 
We at HPS Chicago highly recommend Forefront for high quality, affordable professional development opportunities. Forefront is Illinois’ statewide association representing both grantmakers and nonprofits, as well as their advisors and allies. Its mission is to build a vibrant social impact sector for all the people of Illinois by providing education, advocacy, thought leadership, and facilitate collective action around issues important to our Members and to the sector. Joining Forefront gives an organization access to numerous professional development opportunities thought the year including “Ask the Consultant” and other webinars, peer networks, a Library, and more. Check Forefront out here: www.forefront.org.
 
Another great resource is the American Association of Fundraising Professionals which offers a wide range of professional development opportunities from webinars to in-person courses to blogs on a variety of topics. Many of these are free, made possible by AFP partner organizations and sponsors. More information is available here: www.afpglobal.org.
 
Finally, you should know that HPS Chicago consultants are available for free consultations to help answer a pressing question or help solve a problem. And, our weekly blog is a great resource: submit your question and we’ll be happy to answer it in an upcoming post. Email us with your question or to schedule a consultation at hpshelp@hpschicago.com. 

How do I get my Board more engaged with fundraising?
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How do I get my Board more engaged with fundraising?
This is a question that most of us grapple with at every non-profit organization for which we work. And, we know, that it is absolutely critical to our organization’s success to have an engaged and active Board. In past years, we often looked for Board members to help us with finance, marketing, HR, legal – and we actively sought out Board members to help us manage operations with the skilled help that they could provide. Yet today, this isn’t the case. Our goal is simple…we want Board members who are committed to the mission and willing to be ambassadors.
According to Board Source, engagement efforts from the Board are crucial, especially since Boards have been shrinking in size over the last few years. While smaller Boards can be more agile, the risk is that they cover less ground and reach fewer donors.
The following are some suggestions on how to engage Board members with fundraising…
Make sure that Board expectation are clear. From screening new members to recruiting and on-boarding them, be crystal clear of what is asked of each Board member. It makes it difficult to increase engagement and improve Board fundraising when there is lack of clarity in the Board member’s role at the onset. 

Board members need a clear understanding of what Fundraising is and what it isn’t. I’ve heard many Board members say, “I’m not a fundraiser. I can’t ask people for money.” It’s our job to explain that there is much more to fundraising than simply asking for money. Make sure your Board members understand that “the ask” is just one piece of the fundraising cycle. They can engage in introductions, stewardship and more. Ask your Board members to invite guests to tour your facility, attend an event, host a friend-raiser, etc. 

Arm your Board with resources. Provide them with materials about your organization – sample emails, brochures, video, letters...whatever they need so that they feel comfortable as an ambassador. Help them develop their own elevator pitch. Meet with each Board member and get to know them. Help them determine their sphere of influence and assist them in developing a plan for each of their prospects. When Board members feel they have the tools they need to be successful, they feel more comfortable to help with fundraising. 
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Create a goal-oriented plan for each Board member. Meet at the start of every fiscal year with every Board member and thank them. Share with them all the ways they helped –both their personal gifts and their “gets.” Determine a roadmap for the new fiscal year with each member with clear set goals that they would like to meet. For example, they may share what they will commit to giving, that they will host a friend-raiser, help secure an event sponsor, write personal notes and provide 10 names for the year end appeal, etc. After the meeting, send the written plan to each Board member and work with them throughout the year to provide support so that they can achieve their goals. 

Some Board members come to our organizations very seasoned and ready to go. Others, not so much. Meet your Board members where they are and show them the way from where they are. I wish you success – and have fun!

Can you share some best practices and ideas for ways in which to recognize major donors?

When recognizing our major donors it’s important to understand why they decided to give to our nonprofits in the first place. In the book The Seven Faces of Philanthropy: A New Approach to Cultivating Major Donors, the author, Russ Alan Prince, profiles seven types of major donors and then offer creative strategies on how to approach them for a gift.
For example, the motivation of a person who attends a fundraising event is likely different than the person who gives a stock gift at the end of the year. If you haven’t read this book, I would recommend it. But for me, the take away extends to how we recognize these donors too. 
We are all familiar with a beautiful donor list in a hospital wing, and we have all made sure sponsor names and logos get the attention they are promised during our in-person and virtual events.
But there are some creative approaches that have more staying power and continue to remind our donors of why they gave to our organization, weeks or even years afterward. Here are some things I’ve seen recently that worked, and made a lasting impression on donors for my clients:

• A donor who was honored at an event for his generosity and impact was presented with a beautifully bound book containing photos and the life dreams of school aged students who received educational scholarships because of his work.
• A family who donated sizeable in-kind and cash gifts to improve a group home for adults with disabilities were treated to a surprise celebration at the home.  The residents and staff were in site and their experience included a tour, snacks, a champagne toast and a plaque that was hung in their honor placed on the wall of the home.
• A widow who annually makes stock gifts, but is reluctant to visit in person, was mailed a vase that was hand-painted by participants with disabilities. She was so grateful to receive this, that she said the vase has become is a permanent fixture in her dining room.
• A busy small business owner was given a desk size photo of one of the participants with disabilities who benefited from her generosity.  We also provided a card with background information on this person.

The common denominator is that it is not a one size fits all approach. These gifts and experiences were identified by thinking a bit outside the box.  As we embark on our biggest season of giving, let’s continue to find creative and lasting ways to connect our donors with the missions that are changing lives and saving lives every day. 

Do most Boards have a Give-Get policy?  If so, what is it and how can I introduce it in my organization?
 
A give-get policy is designed to ensure that all Board members are donating (giving) from their own resources and seeking additional support (getting) from other resources on an annual basis.
 
From my experience, larger institutions, such as universities, hospital systems, and major cultural institutions, typically have a policy in place, which can range from $5,000 - $50,000+ annually.  Smaller organizations often struggle with this concept – and the idea of asking Board members to help in the fundraising efforts – which ultimately does both the organization and the Board members as disservice.  Let me share a few details about how a give-get policy can make a difference in your non-profit.  A policy will help you:
 
Ensure 100% Board Participation
Every organization should be able to expect 100% financial participation from Board members.  In fact, it is hard to look donors in the eye and ask for a gift if you can’t state that you have 100% Board participation.  In fact, these days, prospective funders may even ask how much the Board collectively donates annually.  Why would someone consider making an investment if the Board isn’t “all in”?
 
Set Clear Expectations
Every Board member and prospective Board member wants to have a clear understanding of what is expected of them in their role as a Board member.  By telling them before they join the Board – or annually reminding Board members – the expectation is clear.  If someone declines a role on your Board because of the give-get policy, chances are, they probably aren’t that passionate about your mission.  And that’s OK!  That person may choose to get involved in a committee or attend an event, which are still great ways to support the organization.  Also, by making it clear from the outset, it makes any subsequent conversation about their give-get more factual and less awkward.
 
Support Board Members as they Support the Organization
As with any non-profit, no two Board members are the same.  Some may be very comfortable seeking support from family and friends, their company or other businesses or funders.  Others may have never been in a position to “ask” for support.  As the Development Officer or Executive Director, it is your job to make this as easy as possible for your Board members.  Be sure to proactively reach out to each Board member to discuss what contacts they have and ask how you can help.  Make it as easy as possible by providing them with the materials and resources they need.  In addition, remind them that they can simply be the conduit – in other words, they can provide a “warm handoff” by making an email introduction to you – and you can take it from there.
  
How to introduce (or update) a Give-Get Policy
If your Board is considering a give-get policy, discuss this with your Board Chair and provide examples if necessary.  A policy can be simple and straightforward – and it can evolve over time.  Simply introducing the concept and ensuring 100% financial participation is a great place to start!  

Should my organization participate in GivingTuesday? How can we do so on a limited budget?

A resoundingYES!
GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Since then, it has grown into a year-round global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate and celebrate generosity. Last year, 34.8 million people in 75 countries collectively contributed $2.47 billion. As #GivingTuesday continues to grow, don’t let your organization miss out. In other words: people will be giving, why not make sure they’re giving to you?
The countdown to this year’s biggest day of generosity, November 30, is on. Set aside time now to plan your campaign. Social media and human connection fuel this day— so think about how you can use your organization’s website, Instagram, Twitter, etc. to promote opportunities for support. Share donor and volunteer stories as part of your campaign. Ask your board members to commit to inviting 1-3 friends to support your cause either as a donor or volunteer (or both!) on GivingTuesday. Consider asking donors to set up recurring gifts rather than making a one-time contribution.
Above all, remember, people can show their generosity in a variety of ways on GivingTuesday—whether by helping a neighbor, advocating for an issue, sharing a skill, or making a financial contribution—everyone has something to offer. And every act of generosity counts.
Small budget? No need to worry. The GivingTuesday organization makes it easy for nonprofits of every size, with any size budget, to participate. With downloadable logos, graphics, Canva templates for social media use, and GivingTuesday key messages readily available, there’s no excuse to not join in this global movement of radical generosity. GivingTuesday resources are available here: https://www.givingtuesday.org/resources/.

​What are some creative perks for virtual fundraising event sponsors?
When the pandemic became our new reality, many organizations had to think quickly about how to host a virtual event and recognize sponsors. While this was an unusual time that was often challenging to navigate, it also opened up new ways of thinking about how we recognize donors and event sponsors.
Below is a list of some fun and practical things to consider when recognizing and thanking event sponsors. Some of these ideas can work whether your event is in-person or virtually.

1. Yard signs – scatter them across the community to share news about the event and organization on one side, and on the other, list key sponsors.
2. Sponsor box – create specially curated boxes of goodies that can be delivered to the event sponsors. Create one or a variety of boxes that are offered at different levels. One not for profit offered a few boxes at different levels of sponsorship. The contents of the boxes changed based on the level of sponsorship. The highest level contained an event “party in the box” – cocktail glasses with organization logo, liquor, a recipe for a cocktail and non-alcoholic drink, banners, snacks and more. A smaller scale, “family party in the box” was also curated with items that were geared toward families with stickers, silly glasses, feather boas and things of this sort. All of the boxes included a hand-written note of thanks from a leader of the organization.
3. Electronic program book – across the virtual event, showcase slides that share sponsor information and logos.
4. Lead sponsor – share the name of the lead sponsor on every slide of your virtual event.
5.  Dinner and dessert options – for the night of your event, plug your local restaurant partners on social media and encourage your guests to “dine in” while viewing the event. Local restaurants provide a portion of the sales for the evening, they get a shout-out on social media and, your guests feel they are supporting the local community and your organization at the same time.
6. Social media and website – these tools are great in spreading the word and recognizing sponsors. Develop a special marketing plan leading up to the event and following it to showcase your sponsors and their support. For sponsors at the highest levels, provide individual posts that highlight their generosity. For corporate sponsors, use links to encourage visitors to their websites when applicable.
7. Eblasts – across event time, include logos of your sponsors in your eblasts to your constituents.
8. Podcasts/Newsletters – Include a prominent story about a sponsor in the newsletter. Name one of your podcasts in honor of your special sponsor.

​Just Ask…
Today’s question came from a client who is hiring a new leader.  They asked…should we include staff members in the interview process, and if so, what is the best way to do this?
After you’ve narrowed your search to the most qualified candidates, it is time to select the right person for the role.
Involving staff in the interview process can have benefits if it is done thoughtfully.  This is especially beneficial for organizations that prioritize teamwork and comradery. Benefits include building consensus, seeking insight from different managers within the organization, and creating buy-in. It can also help identify red flags early on in the process and ensure you are making a good hiring decision.
Begin your search by creating a concise list of key characteristics you want the candidate to possess. For instance, the type of industry experience, leadership qualities, and personality type you want your ideal candidate to possess and write them down. Example: self-starter, effective multi tasker, effective working across all departmental teams, effective supervisory skills.
Then draft questions that will allow the candidate to describe their experiences and aptitude in these key areas. Their responses can be rated on a scale 1 to 5 (1 weakest to 5 strongest) after the interview process. Candidates with satisfactory ratings (say 3.5+ should proceed to the next level.)
Things to consider

• Begin with preliminary interviews by the Human Resources department to narrow your search.
• Once screened by HR, the candidate should interview with the person who will be their immediate supervisor. 
• Next, you are ready to bring in others from the organization. Share the job description, candidate’s resume, and the list of key characteristics you are seeking with everyone who will interview the candidate.  Discuss the interview format (individual or group) and make a plan as to how it will work.
• If using a group interview format, let the candidate know in advance. Even the most seasoned leaders can be thrown off their “A game” if they anticipate a one-on-one conversation but instead meet five to six team members.
• Regroup after the interview. You’ve already demonstrated that you care about your staff’s opinions by involving them in this process. So, be sure to regroup and hear their opinions and insights.
• Many organizations also evaluate fit. Yes, it’s a subjective, but it’s important to make sure your candidate isn’t only strong on paper, but will also embrace your organization’s culture and is someone your employees will want to work with in this role.