1. Growing The Donor Base Early Engagement
General Assembly
November 13, 2012

2. Objectives Goal to increase engagement which will: Improve retention
Grow revenue
Plan based on:
Welcome Kit test results (FY’11 and FY’12)
Focus Group Research (Spring ’12)

3. Welcome Kit #1
Developed Welcome Kit for all new under $1,000 donors

4. Welcome Kit #2
The Welcome Kit was redesigned in mid-FY’11 to improve cultivation

5. Welcome Kit #2 Results pledge pay-up rate (first four months)
average second gift (same fiscal year)
second year retention rate
donors giving second gift within a year

6. Additional Insight
Focus Groups were conducted in May ’12 among key donors segments:
New
One-time
Lapsed
Re-engaged
The goals were to understand how to:
Improve donor engagement
Drive donor retention

7. Findings re: Why Donors Lapse
Several clear themes emerged regarding why small donors lapse:
UJA only cares about large donors
They wanted to know where the money goes
Small donations aren’t appreciated
UJA is big and impersonal
Pressured to give
Solicitations are too frequent
Asks (amount) are overly aggressive
They are put ‘on the spot’(when solicited)
“I’m a small donor and I’m treated like one. So if I have money later, and I will, you can bet I’m not giving to UJA”
“No matter how much I give, it’s never enough”

8. Segment Findings New Donors: Limited awareness of what UJA does
Thought knowing what UJA does, would increase contribution and involvement
Ranked events and social activities highest in likelihood of increasing gift
Lapsed Donors:
Did not consider themselves lapsed
Had different expectation about donation frequency than UJA did

9. Segment Findings One-Time Donors:
Many reasons for giving (e.g., Disaster relief, honoree at event)
Donor not necessarily giving because of relationship with UJA
Cultivation required before solicitation
Educate donor about where money goes
Build relationship
Engage donor

10. New Donor Communication Plan
The focus groups informed first-year communication plan:
Welcome Kit feedback positive. Used comments to ‘tweak’ kit
Exactly what they wanted to know
Thank donors and let them know how gifts are used
But they assumed it was ‘another solicitation’ and never opened it
Changed teaser copy to better communicate contents
Rebalance cultivation and solicitations
Increase number of cultivation mailings, reduce solicitations
Optimize timing of solicitations based on giving trends
Make them feel like their gift makes a difference

11. New Donor Communication Plan
Make new donors feel appreciated and important:
Ensured that messages, formats and visuals are engaging and make small donors feel that they are making a difference
Use postcards to avoid assumption that ‘it’s a solicitation’ so that messages get across
First postcard/ in series launched October 2012

12. Communication Comparison
The new plan reduces the number of solicitations and increases the focus on donor cultivation. We anticipate this will drive increased payment and higher giving levels.
2012
New Plan (2013)
Acknowledgement 1
Welcome Kit Direct Mail
Solicitation Direct Mail 13 3
Cultivation Direct Mail 6
Cultivation
4-5
Solicitation 17
Qtrly. Bills (if balance) 4
Contacts/Solicitations
40-41/30
24/6

13. New Donor Solicitation Packages/Timing
The timing of direct mail and solicitations (order will vary) will be optimized based on giving trends.
Percent Donors Giving Second Gift
High Holiday
End of year
* Note: the groups are not mutually exclusive. e.g., Month 12 can also be HH or End of Year.

14. New Donor Solicitation Packages/Timing
The timing of direct mail and solicitations (order will vary) will be optimized based on giving trends.
Percent Donors Giving Second Gift
Months from initial pledge
* Note: the groups are not mutually exclusive. e.g., Month 12 can also be HH or End of Year.

15. Cultivation Postcard Series
Following the acknowledgement letter, the donor will receive either the Welcome Kit or the first postcard:
Series includes six s around similar themes (if have address)
Month
Theme
October
Children/Families
December
New Yorkers/Poverty (Homelessness & Hunger)
January
Jewish Identity/Education
March
Get Involved: Events & Volunteering
May
Israel
July
Aging/Elderly

16. Next Steps Track and evaluate results
Initiate Phase II to differentiate based on donor behavior:
Payment status – e.g., Telegiving open pledges
Acquisition Channel or program type – e.g., online; Friends Asking Friends; direct mail