The Art of Donor Cultivation and Friend Raising From Suspect to Prospect to Donor February 17,2003 © Tamarack – An Institute for Community Engagement & Wayne Hussey Consulting Inc

A way of thinking None of us will knowingly invest in confusion We will not knowingly support mediocrity We will not knowingly compensate for inefficiency We are not comfortable giving to strangers We will give funds to those people or organizations that we believe in and trust

Need is not enough With more than 80,000 charities in Canada and even more not for profits we are working in a crowded house The many charities that are successful in fundraising know that they make friends first and ask for funds second We all know how to make friends

Remember We meet someone new and begin a careful investigation of whether we have anything in common or not If we find some commonalities we may continue to engage with that person and the relationship grows due to even more common interests, value and views or remains a simple acquaintance Relationships require ongoing contact to remain healthy and positive

Which way do you want to raise funds A stranger asks a stranger for a gift and it is usually a difficult situation for both parties – gifts are small and few A new acquaintance is asked for money which usually strains the relationship – are they interested in me or my money? More gifts but again usually small and one time A friend asks a friend for support and the gift is almost always made, can be quite large and both parties feel good

The Prospect Cultivation Cycle (“I” Cycle) Identification Who is a prospect? Information What do we tell them? How do we deliver the message? Interest It must be built! Involvement From outsider to insider Investment Not the end, nor the beginning of the end, but the end of the beginning

The Best Prospects Board Current Donors Sympathetic Sectors Volunteers & Staff Demographic & Psychographic Universe of Prospects

Sources of Donation in Canada ( ) Corporations Foundations Individuals

Internal constituencies People we already know will want to give because of their current affiliation with us Project steering committee Leadership round tables Sponsoring or founding members and agencies Past donors to like projects Etc.

Sympathetic sectors Corporations with a demonstrated social conscience Philanthropists with evident support for similar types of projects or aligned with the concept of reducing poverty Foundations Service Clubs Not for profit agencies Don’t forget the faith community

Prospect identification & research Involves basic and sophisticated processes: basic info re: background, family, education, clubs, affiliations, financials, directorships, giving interests, gift records, colleagues, associates, advisors record of contacts with institution Estimating giving potential involves uncovering information Measurements of inclination to give are less precise, more subjective, but very important Overall goal is to be efficient and effective

Prospect rating Involves basic and sophisticated processes: basic info re: background, family, education, clubs, affiliations, financials, directorships, giving interests, gift records, colleagues, associates, advisors record of contacts with institution Estimating giving potential involves uncovering information Measurements of inclination to give are less precise, more subjective, but very important Overall goal is to be efficient and effective

How do we get this information? We visit the suspect to determine if they are a prospect - interest We visit the prospect to qualify if they are a major prospect or not – capacity Do you like what we are trying to do? Is now an appropriate time to ask you to share your personal (corporate) resources? Are you one of the few people who can make a major gift to Vibrant Communities?

Prospect rating Preliminary rating done by staff and validated by volunteers Staff rating more technical, volunteer rating is more subjective The more knowledgeable the individual is the better the rating, but it is never exact Where potential exists, but inclination doesn’t, prospects must be moved through the “cultivation cycle”

Cultivating major gifts What is it? a systematic, continuing effort to identify, inform, generate interest, secure involvement and ultimately investment Takes months – even years!! A continuing cycle of: learning/gathering information about potential donors heightening their interest encouraging meaningful involvement

Cultivating major gifts We track our progress Each donor is an individual Tracking confirms progress It ensures we maintain momentum over long periods It makes us focus our attention on top prospects It facilitates meaningful reporting Through it we develop a written “institutional memory” of interactions with our prospects Each prospect is assigned to a staff member and volunteer who designs a “personalized Campaign” Follow-through is critical: typically 2-3 contacts to get a gift

Why people give To make a difference To fulfill their personal goals or promises Recognition They identify with the cause Familiar with the institution They know & respect the people involved They have the means See an opportunity Because we ask

Why People Give to You “The 3 C’s” Max. Gift CapabilityContact Commitment

Goals of a visit To inform Build interest To solicit feedback Seek common goals To ask for a gift To secure the gift

Starting the process Find the right ambassador Write out a cultivation plan Where and when should the first visit be How do we communicate that we are not asking for money (at least not now) What is the outcome we want for the first visit What is our ongoing communication plan so that they receive some type of communication every month – phone call, fax, , letters, press coverage

Cultivation events Bringing more than one prospect together for cultivation Receptions Tours Speaking engagements Celebrations Etc.

Patience is a virtue We must continuously evaluate what messages we are receiving from our prospects They will tell us how fast or slow to go They will tell us what they need from us to garner their trust They will even tell us when they want to be asked and even for how much

The Art of Donor Cultivation and Friend Raising From Suspect to Prospect to Donor February 17,2003 © Tamarack – An Institute for Community Engagement & Wayne Hussey Consulting Inc