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Tip of the Month!
Promoting Bequests
A good Investment!
If you ask for a bequest by letter or phone, you can expect to spend just pennies to raise a dollar.
That's because the cost of promoting bequests is small compared to what can be received.
Hands down, bequest marketing delivers the highest return on investment of any
fundraising method. | |
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Click the link below to
attend the AFP and Council on Fundraising joint conference November 3 & 4, 2011!
Join Davenport & Barr and Spencer Group for their joint workshop
"Building Donor Loyalty" Parts I & 2
Click Below!
AFP Northern New England and CONFR | |
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Recent BEN™
Donor Portrait Clients:
Memorial Hospital
N. Conway,
New Hampshire
Masonic Health System
Charlton, Massachusetts
Mount Washington Observatory
N. Conway,
New Hampshire
North Shore Medical Center
Salem, Massachusetts | |
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OCTOBER 2011 AFR Announced
IRS Applicable Federal Rate (AFR) for October 2011 is 1.4%. This rate, also known as
the Discount Rate, represents an all-time low and means that charitable deductions on
new gift annuities and charitable remainder trusts will be reduced to their lowest levels.
For more information,
contact Davenport & Barr. | | (603) 356-3311 |
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Davenport & Barr
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Beyond Philanthropy Vol.1, Issue 1
October, 2011 |
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Dear Friends,
Davenport & Barr, Inc. & Spencer Group, Inc. are excited to present you with our new monthly newsletter featuring articles on philanthropy topics, news, statistics, tips and more. Please read on and learn more about how our joint newsletter can help your organization grow! We thank you for reading!
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Karen & Mike Davenport |
Charitable Giving Up!
by: Karen Davenport
President, Davenport & Barr
Despite the fragile economy, Americans are continuing their support of organizations
and causes that matter to them. Total contributions in 2010 were estimated at $290.9 billion, up from $280.3 billion in 2009 according to Giving USA Foundation™, the authority on charitable giving in America. The estimated $10 billion increase suggests that giving is beginning to recover as the economy slowly climbs out of the recession.
And while a meek 2% increase in giving isn't exactly cause for joy, there are a few key markers that are worth noting. Most remarkably is the fact that bequest giving rose 16.9% in 2010! Maybe it's a result of the massive wealth transfer experts in philanthropy have been talking about for years - or maybe it is because a charitable bequest is a very practical gift during tough economic times.
Regardless of the reason for the increase, The Giving USA Foundation™ recommends that all non-profits consider even the most modest of planned giving activities in an
effort to capture bequest dollars. In difficult times, just one single bequest can make the difference between enhancing or cutting services. For more established organizations, bequests can provide the insurance of long-term sustainability.
If your organization isn't actively promoting bequests to your most loyal supporters, you may be missing out on
source of revenue with the greatest potential to make a difference in your philanthropy program. |
Don't Leave Money on the Table
by: Mike Spencer, President, Spencer Group
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Mike Spencer |
Times are tight, and organizations are scrambling to find ways to cut costs. A common solution: scale back on direct mail appeals. Forget about the deadbeats and only mail to the donors who gave last year. It's an easy fix ... but a costly one!
Here's why: for every dollar saved, there's a blown opportunity to collect three or four dollars (or more). Consider these results from an actual fundraising appeal:
- Donors who had missed a year (one-year lapsed) generated $21.00 for every name solicited. Since it only cost an extra buck or so to include each name, that's a 2000% return-on-investment!
- Even donors who had been lapsed for more than five years contributed an average of $1.81 per name solicited. While that seems like a mere 81% ROI in comparison, it sure beats a CD!
- Overall, lapsed donors yielded $4.25 per name mailed (325% ROI) and accounted for 18% of the total amount raised from the appeal.
Sure, there are plenty of deadbeats not worth the time of day - or the cost of the mailing. But make sure they're not getting thrown out with legitimately good donors. Otherwise, you could be leaving quite a bit of money on the table!
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Fundraising is All About Relationships. . . But Which Ones?
by: Anastacia Barr, Director of Client Communications
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Anastacia Barr |
Spencer Group and Davenport & Barr have teamed up to bring you the BEN™ Donor Portrait -- a proven analytical tool that identifies those most likely to make a bequest to your organization. What's more, the BEN™ Donor Portrait provides valuable insight into annual giving performance and potential - so you can maximize the value of each donor...and the return on your fundraising investment.
Contact us today for a free consultation!
Davenport & Barr, Inc. (603) 356-3311
Spencer Group, Inc. (802) 865-4100
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Thank you for reading!
Sincerely,
Karen & Mike Davenport, Mike Spencer & Anastacia Barr |
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