PRESENTS

ADAPTING YOUR DEVELOPMENT PLAN TO THE NEW NORMAL

with Christal M. Cherry

#npapresents

About Me

Trained fundraiser

Board consultantBoard memberVolunteerSuper MomNative New YorkerPurple LoverSnickers Junkie

Annual Development Plan TriviaTrue or False

• Your relationship with money impacts how much money you will have and raise

• The annual plan is for restricted and unrestricted gifts

• Vast majority of donors make their first gift to an organization through an annual campaign

• 98% of texts are read while only 20% of emails are

• It is important that the annual fund have a name

• Using COVID-19 is more effective than Coronavirus in outgoing communications and appeals

• Donors should be treated like family

• There is a silver lining to this pandemic

COVID-19 Continues to Hit Hard

Nonprofit Resiliency Around Fundraising

• Most nonprofits report that they will continue with their major pre-existing campaigns with appropriate adjustments

• Technology and innovation being used for large fundraising initiatives

• Social media and virtual engagements have saved donor relationships and events

• Donors are still giving in cases when they were contacted early about response plans to the pandemic

Fundraising Trends Jan to June 2020

DONATIONS

The greatest increase in the number of gifts is seen among donors giving smaller amounts.

Annual Donor

Mid Level Donor

Major Donor

Under $250 $250-$999 $1000+

YTD 4.1% YTD 3.3% YTD 39.9%

YTD Change 19.2%

YTD Change 8.1%

YTD Change 6.4%

Stewardship Works

The number of new and recaptured donors increased sharply in the 2nd quarter. Despite a sharp decline in the number of new 2019 donors retained in 2020, the number of repeat donors retained or recaptured from previous years increased.

New Donors YTD 51.9% (YTD Change +12.6%)

New Retained Donors YTD 53% (YTD Change -8.6%)

Repeat Retained Donors YTD 61.1% (YTD Change +3.6%)

Recaptured Donors YTD 56.3% (YTD Change +15.7%)

Be A Resource

Acknowledge that people are experiencing uncertainty and hardship and message to that – send a pre-email in advance of a high value mailing to ensure that it is not a surprise when it drops in email inboxes.

Turn your giving page into a resource hub and showcase how your organization is meeting the needs of your clients and the community

Stay Connected To Your Donors

• Workout of the Day

Cardio Kickboxing with Michelle (video)

• Literacy & Learning

How to Make A Magazine Comic Book

• Back to School -Freshman Spotlight

Giving some love to college freshman

• Caring for Community - Teen Talk

8 Ways to help Teens Cope with Social Distancing Blues

• Joke of the Day

What do you call a dog magician?

An abracadabrador

Purpose of the Annual Development Program

Organized around financial and qualitative goals and objectives

Allows us to creatively identify new individuals to invite into our stories and engage with the work of our nonprofits

Allows for predictable cash income at targeted times in the year

Allows nonprofits to increase the number of supporters, the number of gifts and the amount of gifts each year

Offers donors opportunities to give to something that is meaningful to them several times a year, year after year

Elements of A Successful Plan Remains Unchanged

• A good story

• Confidence in Leadership

• Sources for New Donors

• Donor Relations and Stewardship

• Relevant Channels for Solicitation

• Sufficient Resources for Fundraising

• A Workable Calendar with Deadlines and Accountability

Develop a COVID-19

Crisis Impact Assessment For Annual

Giving

• Helps you to understand the Nexis of mission, cash, and control

• Reiterates no time for magical thinking but to act and make decisions to prioritize the long- term mission

• Frames the impact in terms of key metrics that are important to your organization

• Covers potential revenue and donor impact broken out by channels such as phone, direct mail, and email and in terms of proposed changes to annual giving events and activities

• Focuses on mission and impact of giving

• Keep the assessment short and succinct (2 pages)

Resources to Create A Crisis Impact Assessment Plan

• https://charityvillage.com/developing_a_crisis_management_plan_for_your_nonprofit_organization

• https://www.gailperry.com/fundraising-action-plan-for-crisis-response

• https://clairification.com/2020/06/25/fool-proof-nonprofit-crisis-fundraising-communications-templates-every-audience

• https://www.charities.org/news/nonprofit-continuity-5-steps-surviving-crisis

• https://www.bridgespan.org/insights/library/organizational-effectiveness/how-to-communicate-during-a-crisis

Stay Focused On Mission

Share client testimonials in writing, with pictures, and videos

Blogabout how the organization is responding and adapting to keep the organization operating and moving in crisis mode

Tell compelling stories that emote empathy and inspires action

Includethe impact your organization has made and continues to make, Infographics, impact reports, dashboards

Revisit your Case for Support and embed it with new language in all of your communications

Know New Metrics

Virtual Visits Team Video/Email Message

Videos/Photos from Events

Stewardship Touches

Social Media Posts

Content Creation

Tell Compelling Stories

Pick topics on the forefront of everyone’s mind now

1

Build a list or story bank of articles and videos you know will resonate with people now

2

Use these stories for connection, stewardship, and future solicitations

3

Work with your digital team to share the content online to build awareness and engagement

4

Sample Messaging Strategy In One Month

Exposition Impact Ask Stewardship

Explain to your donors what you are doing in response to our current climate of social unrest and a national health crisis. Communicate strategically in the beginning of the month through direct mail, email, social posts and texts.

Ramp up your communication in the middle of the month to let donors know they can help by volunteering or filling financial gaps due to cancelled events or donation shortfalls. Feature those who benefit from your organization in a post or newsletter.

Create emails to ask and thank donors for their support. Also reach out via text and social posts to increase giving.

Continue to cultivate your relationships with your donors through storytelling on social media, email, and text dialogue.

Ask But Change

Your Focus

“We decided to still have our annual Giving Day but changed the focus to only a student emergency fund and raised over $100,000, a massive increase over last year.”

Know Digital Fundraising Trends

• Mobile optimization - mobile traffic continues to outpace desktop and tablet traffic. Make your website, mobile-responsive

• Recurring Giving Options have increased by 17% in 2020. The average recurring donor will give 42% more in one year compared to a one-time donor

• Peer-to-Peer - Great way to leverage existing relationships to help raise funds quickly and easily. Empower donors to help fundraise on your behalf

• Facebook Ads - Set when you want to run your ads and hone in on your targeted audience. Facebook ads are customizable and work with any budget.

Email Fundraising

For email fundraising optimization it is crucial that we remember that people give to people – not email machines. Your messaging should emote and relay how funds will make communities and the world better.

Invest In One-On-One Outreach

Just like Major Gift Officers, the Annual Development Team should also engage in as many one-on-one conversations as possible with annual donors (prioritize first with volunteers and then loyal donors with phone conversations, messages on social media and surveys)

Poll Question

How many of you feel that your organization does a good job at segmenting donors and tailoring messages related to their interests?

✓Yes, I know who my donors are and what they want

✓Sorta, I know some of my donors and what they are passionate about

✓No, I have no clue who my donors are. Our messaging is to one audience

Segment Your Donors

Gen Z

Women

Donors of Color

Segment Your Donors Gen Z

Segment Your Donors -Women

• Women, regardless of wealth, outpace men at similar income levels when it comes to charitable giving

• 64% of all charitable donations are made by women

• 93% of wealthy donors to women’s and girls’ funds are female

• 75% of millennial women give because of empathy (crowdfunding and work placefundraisers more than baby boomers)

• Super involved in board service and volunteering –”go all in” integrated into their lives

• Giving Circles are attractive options

Segment Your Donors of Color

• 14% of US millionaires with $1 million dollars of cash on hand are people of color

• Two thirds of African American households give to charity and yet 48% report household incomes below $50k per year.

• More than 30% give because of family tradition and to support their unique heritage and tradition

• 41% report plans to increase their giving in the next 3-5 years.

• Many give because of the trust relationship they have with the person asking.

• One in five say they would support more organizations if asked more often.

Prioritize Authentic Stewardship

Stewardship and donor relations needs to be at forefront – connect with them like family

Nurture relationships, check in with donors, ask about health and well-being

Treat fundraising like a relationship business, not a transactional one

Thank donors for their support, show them how their invested funds are being put to use during this crisis

Take donor stewardship segmentation to the next level. Thank them by sharing stories that align with their interests.

Don’t Be Afraid To Ask

For What You Need

Be sensitive but

not timid. Know

what you need

and ask for it

Create tactful

solicitations for specific

program needs and staff

support

Modify Days of Giving or

pre-virus fundraising

campaigns based on current

and caused based needs

Embed ways

to stay

engaged in

external

messaging

Keep Asking

• Ask with clarity, specificity and relevancy

• Resume sending annual appeals connecting directly to donor interests

• Refine segmentation to connect with the right potential donors

• Transition back with those audiences who are most likely to give (review giving habits, i.e., those who give in the last quarter or only in December, a lybunt who is responsive on FB, who’s the most engaged in your story)

• The more personal the ask feels, the more likely it will be well-received

• Use Peer-to-Peer opportunities – FB Birthdays

• Start Giving Tuesday Campaigns early, put the donor first in every appeal by delivering stories they care about, show impact

• Be ready to respond personally to every response you get

Donor Care PlanMonth Strategy Method Idea Action Resources Who Cost

Jan Stewardship Email HNY E-Card Order cards $$ to purchase Dev Dir

Feb Exposition Web, email Report/video CEO video $$ for video Dev Dir

March Impact Social Media Story/Volunteer

Write story SM platforms Marketing

April Stewardship Virtual Vol App Event Plan event Zoom Dev Dir

May Stewardship Phone calls TU 4 Giving Make calls Script DD/ Marketing

June Stewardship Direct Mail Trinkets mailed

Order trinket, envelopes

$$ for trinket, postage

Dev Dir

July Impact Direct Mail Notes from board or FELT

Prepare notes Note cards, postage

Dev Coord

August Impact Email Invite to Town Hall w/CEO

Get invites out Enticing language

Marketing

Sep Stewardship Email Back To School Content Campaign Marketing

Oct Ask Email, SM GivTues launch

Create/camp Committee DD/Committee

Nov Stewardship Email Ecard Order/Mess $$ for cards Dev Dir

Dec Ask Direct, Email, SM

Holiday mess Mess/CEO Holiday logo Dev Dir

Know Roles In Annual Development Planning

Board Members Staff Volunteers Donors

Post on Social Media

X X X

Author a letter X X

Write thank you notes

X X X

Send thank you videos

X

Stuffing parties X X X

Attend events X X X

Ask networks to give

X X X

More Annual Development Activities

Board Members Staff Volunteers Donors

Make a personal gift X X X

Host a party X X

Invite colleagues to annual fundraiser

X X

Participate in the thank-a-thon

X X X

Create an Annual Development Calendar

January February March April

Happy New Year emessageLapsed Donor AppealBoard Day of Giving Challenge

Happy Valentine’s DayBlack History MonthCalls to Lapsed Donors

TU calls to monthly donorsGet To Know Your Donor Survey

Spring Day of GivingVolunteer Appreciation Event

May June July August

Happy Mother’s DayGraduations/Memorial DayMental Health MonthAnnual Report on website

Mid Year Appeal and VideoWe Serve Family Walk

TU calls to monthly donorsHappy Hour Brewery Event

Back to SchoolFall Video Featuring a loyal donorCall for Volunteers for Gala

September October November December

Virtual Town Hall with CEO and HNW donorsHispanic Heritage Month

Gala EventBreast Cancer Awareness Month

Giving TuesdayThank-A-ThonThanksgiving Message

Year-End MessagesHappy Kwanzaa

Create an Annual Donations Dashboard

2020-2021

FY20-21Budgeted FY 19

Fiscal Year to August 27 Received Pending Comments

Unrestricted

Board Challenge 42,000 35,000 31,299 January

Lapsed Donor Appeal 10,785 10,000 8,978Reconnected and yielded 108 lapsed gifts

Spring Day of Giving 26,300 20,000 31,965Added social media messages for the 1st time

Mid Year Appeal 14,999 14,000 11,657

Brewery Event 6, 000 5,000 7,267 Invited college students and alumni

Gala Event 740,000 700,000 0

Giving Tuesday 19,246 15,000 0

Holiday Appeals 168,498 150,000 0

Total Unrestricted 1,021,828 281,344

Use Giving Tuesday Tips

#GivingTuesday is a uniquely mobile experience (80% of social media takes place on a mobile device). Invite others to share your campaign from their phone to reach more donors.

Share your fundraising goals. Share updates throughout the day to allow results to be shared and inspire additional giving.

#GivingTuesday inspires more supporters. Donors under 35 give and get involved because of invites from their friends. Make it easy for them to get involved.

Don’t Forget Year-End Giving Advice

A strong year-end push can set your organization up to start the next year stronger than ever

01Reinforce your message with multiple appeals. It takes 2-3 exposures of your message for a person to make a decision

02Schedule text messages for consistency. Include metrics on your donation page so donors can see how their gifts are being used

03

Use a Communication Plan For December

December 3 Direct Mail (Christmas/holiday) (Ask)

December 10 Social Post (Video Link) (Ask)

December 24 Text (Ask)December 31 Email and or Social Media (Embed Image or Video) (Ask)

Be Transparent With Donors – “Because of You”

We can subsidize more programs and

increase affordability

We can provide direct

financial assistance to

offset fees

We can expand existing

programs

We can provide start-up funds for community programs

Know Steps for Successful Fundraising During Crisis

Thank Thank, thank, thank donors

Let Let donors choose if and when they will give

Stay Stay the course on capital and other campaigns

Cancel Cancel events, ask to keep the funds

Meet Meet with donors more frequently

Ask Ask for what you need

Think Ahead

• Use this time to think about projects that can be launched b4 or in early 2021.

• Clean up the database

• Update to a donor centered website

• For example, design a more exciting monthly giving program

• Celebrate giving milestones when a donor hits their 5, 10, and 15- year anniversaries by creating a virtual wall of honor

• Create a council of HNW female prospects and prospects of color to support a new initiative around racial equity and gender parity

• Stay focused. Read current events and be prepared to pivot but keep moving!

How 2020 Has Changed the Future of Fundraising

• No matter what season we are in, no matter what kind of crisis we are facing, your donors want to know that you are making an impact. Show them how your work has changed, positively and/or negatively, since the pandemic flipped the world upside down. Julia Campbell, Social Media Strategist

•As time goes on, I predict we will see many more major gift solicitations performed virtually. This will happen once we are on the other side of COVID because donors want to save travel time, save organizational resources, and in many cases convenience. Ryan Woroneicki, VP Strategic Partnerships, Donor Search

• We're at a turning point - not just in terms of before and after the pandemic - but also in terms of race relations and understanding what equality really means. I think we'll start seeing a lot more nonprofits really taking a hard look at how they center the communities they serve in their fundraising and marketing materials, and hopefully begin to see the end of white supremacy culture in nonprofits. Karen Hopper, Senior Data Strategist at M+R

•If 2020 has taught us anything, it's that nothing is predictable. Pivot and adapt to the new normal. Sara Hoshooley, Founder of Charity Shift Consulting

Upcoming Event

The Board Pro

Christal M. Cherry

www.theboardpro.com

470-222-3292

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/unheard-voices-black-men-in-fundraising-speak-tickets-125969613505

Keep The Conversation Going!

HTTP://THENONPROFITACADEMY.COM/FORUM/

#npapresents