The AAA Way to Fundraising Success: Maximizing Involvement, Maximizing Results 2010 Bridge to Integrated Marketing and Fundraising Conference July 27, 2010 8:30 9:20 a.m. Kay Sprinkel Grace, Presenter
Agenda Welcome and introductions Overview: Maximum involvement, maximum results a AAA strategy for dynamic fundraising Building a culture of philanthropy: the Board s role in philanthropy, development and fund raising Board AAA Rating: Ambassador, Advocate, Asker survey, grid, monitoring results Applying AAA to the development function Summary and conclusion 2
Overview: Maximum Involvement, Maximum Results Gaining maximum engagement from your board: why it is important, what it requires Tapping into volunteer motivation How to engage your full board in fund and donor development AAA as a tool for board recruitment strategy AAA: influence on staff as board becomes more involved 3
To Build a Culture of Philanthropy, Rely on These Proven Principles People give because you meet needs, not because you have needs A gift to your organization is a gift through your organization into the community All philanthropy is based in (shared) values and is increasingly about issues, not institutions (it is not about you ) Fundraising is not about money, it is about relationships based on shared values 4
Transactional Bell Curve: Challenge to Creating a Culture High Impact Philanthropy Kay Sprinkel Grace, Alan Wendroff
Transformational Infinity Loop: What a True Culture Can Produce High Impact Philanthropy Kay Sprinkel Grace, Alan Wendroff
Transformational Infinity Loop: Basis of Stewardship 1.You Make Your Case 2. You Tailor Your Case 3. Donor-Investors Champion Your Case High Impact Philanthropy Kay Sprinkel Grace, Alan Wendroff 7
Tapping Into Your Full Potential: Building A AAA Board Team Step 1: Determine board member motivation through the AAA board engagement program
Defining a AAA Board A board with a AAA Rating is one where every board member is motivated to be an Ambassador, Advocate and/or Asker tapping into board member motivation and offering assignments drawn from the strategic plan or the development plan that are specific and geared to the board member s motivation 9
Roles Board Members Can Play in Creating a Culture of Philanthropy Ambassadors Making friends Building relationships Advocates Making the case (formal and informal) Key to solid board recruitment Askers Making the ask Front line fund raisers 10
Ambassadors A role everyone needs to play Starring roles in cultivation of prospective donors and stewardship of continuing donor-investors Need to be well oriented and coached in the message Masters of the elevator speech (and the elevator question ) Catalysts for donor-investor renewal Are all of your board members confident Ambassadors? 11
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Advocates At work or in the car pool these individuals are strategic in their information sharing They may also advocate for your organization on a more formal basis with government, another organization with which you are partnering or an institutional funder Are informed not only of the case for support, but also are well integrated into your strategic plan and vision Are well coached on desired results of the advocacy and handling objections Who on your board is or might be an Advocate? 13
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Askers Enjoy asking Well informed, well trained Matched with prospective donors (or current donorinvestors) for maximum possibility of success Teamed with another board asker or staff leader Staff organizes the ask so the Asker s focus can be on the single purpose of getting (or renewing) the gift Benefit from the work of the Ambassadors and Advocates How many confident Askers are on your board? 15
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The AAA Rating Some board members will do it all Most board members excel at one or two Motivation is increased when board members are assigned to roles that draw on their skills and are in their confidence zone A AAA program on your board engages each member in a role that contributes to your organization s advancement and helps them feel respected and engaged As motivation increases, you will find board members moving among the roles even to Asker! 17
Tools to Build AAA Confidence Training and coaching Staff and board leadership support, feedback and encouragement A tool kit including (but not limited to) fact sheet, elevator speech/question, stories from your organization, objections/responses they may confront, financial statements, staff and board lists with annotation, organizational funding priorities, etc. 18
Motivating a AAA Board How to keep the confidence strong Board, staff and non-board volunteer training and orientation Steady internal marketing and communication about the impact of your philanthropy on the community Positive feedback showcase successes and encourage people to keep engaging people Invest in it: retreats, materials 19
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Setting Up a AAA Board Program Review of survey
SAMPLE BOARD MEMBER SURVEY Please review the following roles and identify ( ) how you will be involved in fundraising as an Ambassador, Advocate and/or Asker. You may select all that apply to you. In making your selection(s), assume that you will be provided training, materials and support to fulfill your role(s). Thank you for completing and returning this survey. 22
I WILL BE AN AMBASSADOR As an Ambassador, I will: Identify and cultivate those in my circle of friends/colleagues who would be interested in supporting our programs. Host a private cultivation or donor recognition gathering (at my home/at a public venue/at the organization). Take (#) of people to lunch each quarter. Invite my best prospects to be my guests at appropriate functions, special tours, lectures, etc. Help to steward relationships with our prospects and donors through writing notes, participating in Thankathons, hosting donor events, etc. Other: 23
I WILL BE AN ADVOCATE As an Advocate, I will: Represent the organization at public functions (as an attendee/as a speaker) Become part of a speaker s bureau if asked Make phone calls to appropriate city or other officials when asked. Work with staff to create and engage in specific strategies to present the case to my best prospects or those identified by staff. (Arrange information sessions with your contacts who are individual, corporate, or foundation prospects.) 24 Other:
I WILL BE AN ASKER As an Asker, I will: (Lead/Participate in) requests to potential and renewing donors for investment in the organization Generate and sign letters asking for appointments or gifts. Make follow up phone calls to solicitation letters and/or visits. Seek sponsorships for special events and/or promote table purchase by my friends and colleagues. Other: Please provide your comments or other ideas for getting involved: 25
Measuring AAA Effectiveness Number of contacts Ambassadors make and tell you about! Create an easy way to relay information to your prospect files. Success of Advocacy: whatever the task assigned, was it accomplished and did it have the desired results? Success of the Asker is the easiest to measure All three need to be honored: SOS 26
Tapping Into Your Full Potential: Earning Your AAA Rating Step 2: Create board-staff partnerships for development
The Full Development Team All staff Board Non-board volunteers Well-stewarded donors Tasks: Ambassadors Advocates Askers 28
The Full Development Process Identification Qualification Development of strategy Cultivation* Evaluation Assignment Solicitation* Follow up Acknowledgement Recognition Stewardship* Role for staff and board partners in AAA at every level; * indicates key roles (next slides) 29
Cultivation Ambassadors and Advocates are critical in the leadership and execution of effective cultivation Give generous credit for those who connect you with people whose relationships ultimately benefit the organization or who provide special information that moves a prospect Help them understand that cultivation is deliberate, systematic relationship-building and they are important in that process Give them a tool kit, cultivation strategies and a cultivation calendar
Cultivation - 2 Let Ambassadors and Advocates know that the purpose of cultivation is to build the relationship and uncover shared values Development staff and/or board leadership to inform them about what to listen for and observe so they will know when to shift the prospect over to the solicitation process Leadership need to understand, participate in and fund cultivation activities
Cultivation - 3 Your imagination (and budget) are your only limitations in creating a systematic cultivation process and using your Ambassadors and Advocates in a way that strengthens their engagement, confidence and enthusiasm Encourage them to use resources and intuition to move people from cultivation to solicitation to stewardship 32
Solicitation For the Askers, an easier step because the other two A s have helped build the relationship Some things to remind Askers about when you are working with them: It is not about you: it is about the donor Plan carefully Teams of two are most effective (an Ambassador or Advocate may be happy to come along or a staff member serving the program) Master an asking process that will frame your time and message Be adept at anticipating and handling objections Close appropriately based on the outcome of the ask (yes, no, maybe)
Stewardship All three A s play a role All staff play a role: although the board, CEO or Executive Director/President and development staff raise the money, it is the programs at the organization that benefit: involve program staff Stewardship consists of letters, emails, thankathons, appropriate recognition, on-going information about impact through stories, etc. 34
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What AAA Organizations Report Non-board volunteers are more engaged and major gifts committees (e.g.) are using the model Staff members are very keen on being Ambassadors and Advocates and many are making great Askers on team calls AAA has been integrated into job descriptions and recruitment matrices Confidence has zoomed among some volunteers 36
In Closing. You must get involved to have an impact. No one is impressed with the won-lost record of the referee. John H. Holcomb Without involvement, there is no commitment. Mark it down, asterisk it, circle it, underline it. Stephen Covey 37
The AAA Way to Fundraising Success: Maximizing Involvement, Maximizing Results 2010 Bridge Conference Washington, DC Kay Sprinkel Grace, Presenter www.kaygrace.org kaysprinkelgrace@aol.com 415-831-2923