Keep the Change...  
A monthly shot in the arm for your fundraising
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February 2014
 

Today is an important day. And, no, I'm not talking about the Netflix release of season two of House of Cards. (Though I'll give you one guess what Penny and I will be doing tonight!)

 

Today is Valentine's Day. And for all the schmaltzy commercialism, it's a good reminder to tell the people you care about that you do indeed care about them. Something you can never really do too often.

 

And, if you're in fundraising, the people you care about had better include your donors. So I've put together a few greatest hits on how to show your donors some love.

 

Happy Valentine's Day to you, my dear reader. 

Tina

  




Tina Cincotti

Funding Change

P.S. What's your favorite way to show some donor love? Tell me. My favorite idea will win a prize!

Show your donors some love this Valentine's Day! 

 

Because sharing is caring, my Valentine's Day gift to you is a collection of tips and examples for how to increase the donor love at your organization.

  

Donor "Thank You" Calls

One study showed close to a 40% increase in giving from donors who received a "thank you" call from a board member within 48 hours of gift receipt. 

 

You can read more about the importance of these calls here and get a two-page PDF of instructions for making this calls to share with your staff and board here.

 

 

20-Question Donor Relations Quiz

How strong is your donor relations work? Find out in this quiz (PDF) that I adapted from a section of Janet Hedrick's book,  Effective Donor Relations

 

I often use this questionnaire in my trainings and almost no one ever scores above a 15. The average score is less than 10 points. So don't get discouraged. A low grade just means you have a lot of untapped potential for building a stronger individual donor program. And that's great news!

  

 

A Donor Relations Tool for Tax Time

One great way to be helpful to your donors is to send a letter sent in January (or February, it's not too late!) detailing their total giving in the prior year for tax purposes. And, more importantly, tell them all the amazing things they made possible with their support. 

 

Some of you may already be doing a letter like this. But I can virtually guarantee that you're not taking advantage of it for the true donor relations opportunity that it is. Find out more about this creative non-ask fundraising strategy here.

 

 

Write "Thank You" Letter that Stands Out

Hopefully, you're already writing and sending gift acknowledgements. But making them more personal, more genuine, and more focused on your donors will have an incredible impact on your donor loyalty. Here (PDF) are some tips for improving your "thank you" letters.

 

 

Donor Satisfaction Survey

How satisfied are your donors with your organization and how you treat them? In this time of abysmal donor retention rates, you can't afford to not know the answer to this question. And, the only way to find out is to ask! Learn more about this strategy here and download of PDF of a sample survey here.

 

 

 

 

  

 

  

 

Tina's pic

Want to read more...?
 
 
This monthly enews is four years old. And that means there are tons of past issues online.
 
So if you're a new subscriber or want a refresher, check out my online archive. 

 

You'll find no-nonsense advice on how to write for better results, what an effective website looks like, ways to improve your fundraising appeals, how to make "thank you" calls... you name it, it's probably there. And if it's not, let me know -- maybe I'll cover that next!
 

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Who is this email from, anyway? 


That's me! 

A fund development expert with a passion for social change, Funding Change founder Tina Cincotti gives grassroots groups the skills, tools, training, and confidence they need to raise more money from their supporters.

 

She specializes in building individual donor programs; improving donor relations and donor communications; writing newsletters, annual reports, and solicitations; coaching staff new to development; and motivating boards to be more engaged in fundraising.   

 

Are you looking for consulting, coaching, or training help? Let's talk!   

 

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