Non-Traditional Donor Recognition Outlets
Monday I had the good fortune to participate in a session at the Association of Donor Relations Professionals annual conference in Baltimore. I sat on a panel discussing “tricks from the experts”. My portion of the presentation focused on ways to recognize donors beyond traditional plaques and printed lists. Specifically, we considered avenues available to those who either have no physical space for traditional donor recognition or are interested in exploring new methods for engaging donors and potential donors alike. Continue reading »
Filed under Donor Communications, Donor Recognition Programs, Philanthropy, Social Media, Stewardship | Tags: ADRP, Communications, consultant, Donor Recognition, Facebook, Fundraising, Interactive Displays, new media, online giving, Philanthropy, Social Media, Trends in Fundraising | Comments OffChairs, Professorships and Scholarships are Underappreciated on Campus
In our recent survey to Georgia Education Advancement Council members, who are responsible for fundraising and communication efforts at the state’s colleges and universities, we learned a lot about methods and attitudes related to non facility-based gift recognition. By that term I mean, gifts aimed at named chairs, professorships and scholarships as opposed to those that name a room or building.
Filed under Best Practices for Donor Recognition, Donor Recognition Programs, Recognition Environments, Stewardship, Think Before You Thank | Tags: area naming, Best Practices for Donor Recognition, Communications, Fundraising, Naming Opportunities, Philanthropy, Stewardship, Think Before You Thank, Trends in Fundraising | Comments Off“Buying Legacy”: Donors RARELY give for self-serving reasons!
A recent Bloomberg article blew my mind! It’s titled, Getting Your Name on a Building Gets Cheaper as Non-Profits Compete. The article considers the possibility that donors may be able to negotiate gift amounts for naming opportunities during this economic crisis. True enough. Yet it also calls the act of giving “the price for immortality,” claiming that donors “buy” recognition. Nowhere in the article is there any mention of the basic tenet that donors give out of passion for a cause and that they do so to advance the mission of the organization. I’m offended on behalf of all philanthropists and fundraisers. I can only hope that the fundraising consultants mentioned in the article were misquoted to serve the author’s sarcastic premise. Continue reading »
Filed under Donor Communications, Donor Recognition Programs, Philanthropy | Tags: Capital Campaign, Donor Recognition, Fundraising, giving, Naming Opportunities, Philanthropy, Think Before You Thank, Trends in Fundraising | Comments OffUnintended Messages in Thanking!
This picture is the result of an actual donor complaint. An elderly donor drove by the building named for her husband in order to show it to a friend. As soon as she returned home from her “drive-by”, she called Institutional Advancement. Her exact words to the Stewardship Manager, I did not overhear, yet I can imagine her chagrin. Suffice it to say that she felt that this building represents his legacy and in the past she found great comfort from seeing his name on it. And I do know she very pointedly asked questions as to the importance of his legacy to the university! It was, I was told, a difficult phone call to manage.
Leverage a Position of Authority through Donor Recognition Planning
Today Anne and I presented at the Association of Healthcare Philanthropy International Conference in San Francisco. We used the Greenville Hospital System’s Donor Recognition Program Standards & Guidelines as a case study to demonstrate how documented policy can leverage a position of leadership for the fundraiser. Our experience has shown that donor recognition planning has a positive impact on giving to the organization.
The handouts from this presentation are included here for quick reference.
AHP International Presentation 092609
In short, we focused on the eight key components of any comprehensive and fully-functioning donor recognition policy:
- Written donor recognition policies and procedures
- Comparative analysis of giving programs and their benefits
- Naming opportunities master plan with proposed location and scope of architecturally-integrated recognition elements
- Guidelines for donor recognition design
- Content formatting guidelines
- Product installation maintenance guidelines
- Product order forms
- Product implementation reference library
Participants were asked to complete a survey on the status and value of any donor recognition policy already in existence for their organizations. Likely the first ever research into this subject, findings from this survey will be available here soon. If you would like to participate in this research and analysis of the correlation between programmatic donor recognition and broadened and enhanced giving, please email thanks@rewinc.com for further information. Reference “survey” in the subject line.
This is the AHP presentation: Leverage a Position of Authority through Donor Recognition Planning.
