“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 Anne Manner-McLarty, Donor Communications, Donor Recognition Programs, Philanthropy | Tags: Capital Campaign, Donor Recognition, Fundraising, giving, Naming Opportunities, Philanthropy, Think Before You Thank, Trends in Fundraising | Comments OffAnalysis of a Successful Donor Recognition Installation
Naming opportunities are a commonplace means of motivating donors, especially during a campaign. However, thoughtful design of permanent donor recognition can dramatically improve the outcome. Taking time to “think before you thank” will result in a product that enhances the legacy of the donor, communicates the credibility of the organization and motivates others to give.
To illustrate these points, I offer the following analysis of a display recently installed at the Gwinnett Medical Center – Lawrenceville. This display’s design follows the recommended Donor Recognition Standards & Guidelines for interior area naming established first for the Duluth campus and now adapted for the Lawrenceville campus. The Standards provide direction on a hierarchy of plaque sizes, each with a specific content and an array of components, based on gift level.
Gwinnett Medical Center Strickland Chapel
Improve donor stewardship
First and foremost, donor recognition is a public, permanent statement of appreciation to the donor. As such, the more specific and meaningful it can be, the better. Recognition should be designed to contribute to the legacy of the donor and record specific information about the individual(s) and the reasons behind the gift. Dimensional letters alone cannot achieve this level of storytelling. Instead, major donors should be recognized by an acknowledgement of who they are, what relationship they have to the institution and why they made this gift. In this case, the recognition also includes the opportunity for the donors to share, through their choice of verse and a quote of their own sentiments, a challenge to others to give. Continue reading »
