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| | A Message from Atul Tandon |
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Thank and You Shall Receive |
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Research seems to show a strong correlation between thanking donors and receiving their renewed commitment. However, I think the research would really show the correlation is not "if they have been thanked", but rather does the donor "feel" thanked.
We have all received the perfunctory calendar or birthday/holiday greeting card from our dentist, doctor, insurance agent thanking us for our business. Most are never personalized and not that meaningful. But do we make the same kind of perfunctory thanks to our donors? Do they feel thanked?
Here are a couple of suggestions to thank donors in a way that they feel thanked.
First is timing. I've heard that many donors make up their minds about repeat gifts within thirty days of making their initial gift. How many of our United Ways have procedures in place to thank donors immediately? As we talk about the problem of donor churn (losing donors), doesn't it make sense to start by thanking donors in a timely fashion?
Second is personalization. We all get holiday cards, many including a pre-printed page updating us on the sender's family. But how much better do we feel when the page includes a hand written note...even if a few words. Once secret I learned years ago is to hand write something in addition to signing my name. It could be as simple as "thank you" or something that you know about the donor and what they mean to United Way. If the thank you looks mass produced, the donor will not feel as thanked as a one that is personalized.
Finally, Harold J. Seymour, in his classic book, "Designs for Fund-Raising," said donors have two fundamental recognition needs. First, they want to feel special. Second, they want to feel part of something very important. So our thank you message should communicate how important the donor is to us and the people we serve. And, that they are part of a special family of donors who want to make a difference.
So we are about to end 2010 and move onward and upward to 2011. THANK YOU for all of your hard work in 2010. And best wishes for the holiday season and Happy New Year!
--Atul
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The Charitable IRA Rollover Extended for 2010 and 2011
by Quina Page
Great news! On December 17, 2010, the president signed the charitable IRA rollover extension into law, which allows donors age 70½ or older to make a direct, tax-free rollover of up to $100,000 from an IRA to a qualified charitable organization, such as United Way. This extension runs now through December 31, 2011. Taxpayers can elect to have qualified charitable distributions made in January 2011 treated as having been made on December 31, 2010-thus qualifying as a charitable IRA rollover for 2010 and satisfying the taxpayer's minimum distribution requirement for 2010.
Please view the recorded presentation on the Charitable IRA Rollover.
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Say "thank you" with the United Way
E-card
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It feels good to be thanked and recognized, doesn't it?
As fundraisers, an important part of our job is to thank our  donors in a genuine way so that they feel thanked and appreciated. We need to do this for all of our donors, regardless of their giving level. And we need to do it regularly.
United Way Worldwide has created a year-end thank you e-card that you can customize and send out to your donors. In particular, we would suggest that you send this to your Loyal Contributors since they are often unsung heroes. But this could also be great to send to your Tocqueville Society members, your Women's Leadership members, your Young Leaders...all of your donors for whom you have email
addresses.
For special individuals, particularly those who have been engaged in your Community Impact work in a significant way, it would be great if your staff and/or your board made personal calls to these important people.
Note: We will also be sending you e-Valentine cards that you can send to your donors in February.
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On behalf of the Individual Giving (Major Gifts) and Planned Giving teams at United Way Worldwide...
Happy New Year! | |
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"If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is 'thank you', it will be enough."
--Meister Eckhart
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Thank you to all of the 325,000+ Loyal Contributors who have self-identified so that we can enthusiastically thank them for their consistent, long time support and let them know how important their gifts have been to make their community better...for everyone.
--Louise
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Thank you to the hundreds of local United Way colleagues who provide feedback to United Way Worldwide on course curriculum, services, publications and issues emerging from the field.
Your reliability is admired and valued!
--Kathy | |
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Thank you to my colleagues in the field who support the charitable gift annuity program either through your interest in the program or through marketing to your donors.
Thank you also to the UW Retirees Association.
I appreciate you all! J
--Quina | |
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Great BIG thanks to the National Women's Leadership Council and the staff and volunteers of the Orange County United Way's Women's Leadership Council for going above and beyond in your planning of the 2011 United Way Women's Leadership Summit.
Please be sure to join us March 2-4, 2011 in Newport Beach, CA. More information at wl.unitedway.org
--Linda
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Thank you to my colleagues at the local United Ways for all you are doing on a daily basis, with significant challenges, to improve people's lives in your community. Your work is literally transforming your community and making it better for everyone.
Please do feel thanked and appreciated. You are THE BEST!
--Louise | |
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