Chapter Leadership Brief

By Jill Scibilia, CFRE, AFP-NYC President-Elect
Vice President, Development
Phelps Hospital Northwell Health

As I write this, I am on the campus of the community hospital I serve, Phelps Hospital Northwell Health in Sleepy Hollow.  Our hospital sits on a 69-acre campus overlooking the Hudson River and my office is in a building up the hill from the main hospital.  I am not on the front lines the way my medical colleagues are who care for patients, but I am a close witness to the work in which they are engaged. These are unprecedented times and it is an honor to work with them always and especially during these times. 

As the world has shifted in response to the novel coronavirus, our hospital has shifted.  Like all healthcare settings it is fair to say we are taking it hour-by-hour and there has been a great deal of change.  I will fully admit to you that I have changed my mind more than a few times over the last few weeks. But the change has been about details.  And we know details matter in our work and I certainly know how much they matter in our healthcare settings right now.  As the world begins to feel topsy-turvy with all of this change, I think it is important we remember that the heart of what we do has not changed.  There are some constants.  For me it is helpful to remember them at these times as both an anchor and source of inspiration. 

Here is my list…

1. My organization’s mission remains constant and the people we serve are worthy of the highest level of investment and support.
2. My role as its lead fundraiser is to be a champion and to connect people who want to make a difference with those who can.
3. People respond to people—and in order to respond, they need to be asked. 
4. Our donors and those who care about our organizations want to hear from us during the good times; they often crave hearing from us during the bad times. 
5. Authenticity beats perfection every time.

Perhaps you have some constants you would add to this list.  I would be very interested to hear them.

I will close with a note that one of my donors sent me last week after I had checked in to make sure he and his family were safe and well.  His note warmed my heart and moved me to tears. It also reminded me that our donors care about us and want to see our organizations succeed. 

“It is heartening to know that the community is bonding together to spread the available knowledge and ways to deal with this dreadful pandemic. May you never tire and cease to reassure people on this all-of-a-sudden strange planet we are all in.”

I hope you and your loved ones are safe and well.  Remember that the work you do to facilitate philanthropy is noble whether you are a fundraiser or a consultant who serves our industry.  Our organizations and all those we serve will need us now more than ever in the days and months to come. 

Thank you for all you do to make the world a better place.

Steven G. Jacobson, President

Fellow AFP NYC Members:

First of all, let me start by saying that I hope that all of you are safe and in good health.  Like you, I’ve received a number of COVID-19 update emails from various suppliers, consultants, partners, associations, and companies.  Thirty-seven, in fact, over the past two days.  I was hesitant to send a message about COVID-19 to you, fearing that it would get lost in all this noise.  After all, how many times do you need to be reminded to wash your hands? 

But then I realized that these are not normal times.  In fact, these are times that happen once every two or three generations.  There is a lot of uncertainty and fear out there and it’s really hard to see the future when you’re concerned about a potentially deadly but unseen enemy lurking about.  It is important, however, to maintain a semblance of normalcy in these chaotic times. And with that in mind, I thought that you might appreciate hearing what we are doing to adapt and continue being of service to the membership.

First, everything is going virtual.  In a change that we made prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, all of our chapter committee and board communications are now being done through Basecamp, a cloud-based workflow and collaboration tool.  It allows us all to work together while working apart.

Given current circumstances, you’re probably already using at least one of the many video conferencing software products on the market.  Happily, prior to the contagion, our chapter implemented Zoom and it has been great, allowing the board, officers, and committees to have productive virtual-face-to-face meetings and planning sessions.  So, even as we practice social distancing, we don’t miss a beat operationally.

While we have postponed our March and April in-person professional advancement sessions, we plan to deliver our top-notch content online. Look for more details as we have them. And we’ll also bring you information from other chapters that we find particularly valuable and relevant. We are all in this together and AFP’s international network is a resource we can all draw upon.

And, pssst….  Don’t tell anyone, but we are exploring options for holding a virtual Fundraising Day in New York this year.  More info on our plans will be forthcoming.

Please stay safe.  And, remember to wash your hands!

March 20, 2020

Recorded webinar and discussion

These are unprecedented times.  As professional fundraisers, our top priority, after the well-being of our families, is to attain the resources needed to continue the valuable work of our nonprofits.  The world has dramatically changed over the past three weeks - and so has fundraising.  How are donors reacting?  How are fundraisers leading?  How are organizations meeting their urgent needs?  The leaders of AFP-NYC will bring their diverse perspectives and experiences to a conversation that explores these and the other realities we're all now facing. 

Listen now

AFP-NYC Chapter Leadership Team

	PRESIDENT Steven G. Jacobson President & CEO Jacobson Consulting Applications, Inc.
	IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Gary Laermer Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations Pace University
	PRESIDENT-ELECT Jill Scibilia, CFRE Vice President, Development Phelps Hospital Northwell Health
	TREASURER Craig Shelley, CFRE Managing Director Orr Group
	SECRETARY Michele Hall President & CEO EnCourage Kids Foundation

Chapter Leadership Brief

By Steve Jacobson, AFP-NYC President and CEO, JCA, Inc.

While I typically would wish you a happy Friday, today is not, by any means, a happy day.  We are all under threat from COVID-19, and its potentially devastating impact on our health and safety and the health and safety of our colleagues, family and friends.  As a leading voice in our community for the professional advancement of fundraisers, we have a responsibility to enhance the lives and careers of our members and our fundraising community.  But, we always have to consider the best interests of this community as we assess our engagements and interactions.  With that said, AFP-NYC has decided to postpone all of our professional advancement programs and networking events through April 30^th.  Specific details on each activity will be forthcoming shortly. 

This is a decision we have not made lightly.  In recent days, the virus’s rate of infection has taken on seemingly exponential growth and there is no sign that the contagion will abate any time soon.  Best practices indicate that we not take public transportation, congregate in large groups or come in close contact with anyone.  We have to be smart.  We have to be vigilant.  We have to be safe.

Unfortunately, we don’t have a crystal ball and we need to take our actions for the time horizon that we can see.  As we move forward, we will be regularly reviewing the upcoming events calendar.  For now, our signature event, Fundraising Day in New York, is planned to be held as scheduled on June 5^th at the Marriott Marquis on Times Square.

In terms of virtual, online educational and networking opportunities from AFP-NYC, stay tuned.  We’ll be hitting up your inbox over the next couple of weeks.

Stay safe, everyone!

By Craig Shelley, CFRE, Chapter Treasurer & Managing Director, Orr Group

I’ve been thinking a lot about fundraising as a profession of late.  I just renewed my CFRE credential (I’ve written about this before but I’m happy to discuss the process with people and encourage fundraisers to pursue this distinction), which I initially pursued as a commitment and recognition of the profession.  But I’ve also of late been thinking about the difference of volunteer driven vs professional driven fundraising efforts and where the line of distinction is drawn.

On the one hand you have entirely grassroots driven fundraising, like the parent association fundraiser my wife recently got involved in.  These efforts are driven by shoe leather, grit and enthusiasm.  While the group was quick to ask for my advice, I’m not certain the types of fundraising strategies I espouse, and implement are effective for their purposes.  There’s no need for a theory of change and we won’t need a pitch deck or network mapping to billionaire philanthropists interested in our cause area.

The opposite is the highly professionalized fundraising operations I tend to work with.  Experienced fundraisers are working through deliberate cultivation and stewardship plans.  Large gifts are being solicited.

Those two ends of the spectrum sound very different but as I’ve reflected, they really aren’t.  In both instances, particularly if you’re going to be successful in the professionalized model, you are still relying on volunteers (board members and others) to make introductions, open doors and to set the tone and giving expectations.

The nonprofit sector and philanthropy generally take many shapes and approaches with a myriad intended outcome.  But at its heart, all efforts rely on the generosity of both time and money from well intentioned, kind and optimistic people.

I’m not sure what that all means but it’s been a topic I’ve been musing on and thought I’d share.  I hope to see you soon at one of our chapter events.  They are informative and truly a nexus of well intentioned, kind and optimistic people.

This is my first Chapter Leadership Brief and I pondered for weeks on what I wanted to write. Should I share some cheeky advice on loving donors, volunteers, board members or your co-workers in honor of Valentine’s Day? Or delve into the current status of diversity in fundraising in a nod to Black History Month? Both are certainly worthy topics to explore; however my thoughts are in the vice grip of event planning…. Gala season is upon us!

My team and I are once again faced with the increasingly complex task of creating an event that is not just another “charity chicken dinner” as one of my esteemed fundraising colleagues recently and accurately described the never-ending stream of sit-down dinners littering the New York City social calendar. Early last month my fellow panelists and I discussed the complex challenge of executing exciting events at the AFP-NYC 2020 Annual Meeting at Current at Chelsea Piers, and throughout the lively discussion, there was one common thread and shared frustration – how to make your event stand out among the competition so that new donors will be interested enough to stay for the mission pitch and existing donors will remain engaged year after year.

Whether your gala is your largest annual fundraiser or the event that your board insists on keeping because “we’ve always done it”, there is always an opportunity to make it new and exciting. Consider the following when planning your big event.

• Keep it Fresh. Stay on top of trends and new technologies that can improve upon tried and true fundraising tools, and don’t be afraid to take a chance on trying something new.
• Cater to Your Audience. If you know your attendees love to network, build in the time for them to do that. But be sure to dispatch well-trained staff and volunteers to interact with them.
• Steward on Purpose. You’d be surprised at how many organizations do not have a “play book” when walking into their event. Your entire staff should know all of the key players in the room. Greeting someone by name without having to look it up can go a long way toward making a guest feel special, and that feeling will be remembered. Be sure to provide your staff and board members with talking points and targeted lists and seat locations of donors to cultivate at the event.
• Recap Immediately. Find out what worked and what didn’t, and share information while it’s fresh. Have a staff member compile notes and share them back out to the team for review.
• Survey Your Event Volunteers. They often have great insight and a fresh perspective to share.
• Streamline Your Program. Pay attention to whether or not your guests are leaving before the program ends. Use video to introduce honorees for efficient time management and to change it up. Try not to have the same person on stage for long periods of time, like the Oscars but shorter.

When all is said and done, remember that the gala is the hook. You want to make your guests fall in love with the mission and want to expand giving beyond the event. We all know that a well-diversified revenue stream is the ultimate goal. To that end, I invite you to attend our next professional advancement event30 Ways to Move Your Donors: Cultivation Ideas and Tactics to Move Your Donors to the Next Level of Givingthat the chapter has planned this year where you can learn from industry leaders about corporate social responsibility, capital campaigns, tips for closing the ask and much more.

I’ve been giving a great deal of thought lately to how development is branded—both at my institution and across the non-profit sector.  In this week’s article, I will focus on the development brand within institutions.  In a future article, I will share my perspective on the brand of development across the non-profit sector. 

Our ability to drive the needle and inspire meaningful philanthropic support depends on a positive image of our institution and its mission.  It also depends on a positive image of our development program.   When I think of brand-building in development, I focus on three areas:  Strategy, Positioning, and Trust.

Strategy. It is important to align our fund development strategies with the mission, values and strategic plan of our respective organizations.  Robust fund development planning that is informed by our respective organizations’ current state and fund development industry practices helps us design fundraising programs, staffing and other resources to achieve the greatest potential for our organizations. 

Positioning.  Demonstrating the importance and strategy behind development activities and how they impact the mission of my institution is critical. Sharing some metrics of fundraising performance—particularly growth—is helpful, but I find storytelling to be the best and most interesting way to engage people.  Earlier in my career, I focused on communicating impact to donors.  I have learned it is just as important to engage colleagues across the institution who are delivering the mission.  It is important they understand the impact.  Every person in the institution can be a champion for philanthropy and help amplify the efforts of the development team.  Colleagues who are particularly passionate about the mission often become the most loyal donors. 

Trust I believe the most critical ingredient to building a strong development brand is trust.  In my experience, trust is earned over time through:

• A well-executed development program.  These include the basics of development operations such as prompt, accurate gift acknowledgement and correspondence, well-written proposals and appeals, and returning calls and emails promptly and appropriately.   
   
• Transparency.  It is our duty to be honest and transparent about the successes of our programs and instances where we fall short. If a program is not meeting its goals, it is important we inform its donors.  It is the right thing to do, and it helps to build stronger relationships with the donors.
   
• Loyalty.  It is important we are loyal to the institution we are serving and its mission while being respectful of the interests of our donors.  It sounds simple, but there will be instances that donors asks us to accept a gift not aligned with our mission or goals.  Most times the donor has worthy intentions and we may be able to re-direct them to another initiative that meets their goals. But sometimes we need to say no to gifts. And sometimes donors have questionable intentions. It is important the institution we are serving has trust that we as development professionals will handle these situations with integrity.
   
• Ethical Fundraising Practice.  Trust also relies on ethical behavior and adhering to both the letter and spirit of the law.  AFP has a Code of Ethical Standards that outlines this and offers courses that help fundraisers learn how to navigate this. 

Building a strong, well-respected development brand is an ongoing exercise.  I believe it is work that is never finished and to be honest, there are some days I think we succeed at this more than others.  Its importance on our ability to engage donors to make a meaningful difference cannot be understated. 

Thank you for all you do to serve our sector and inspire this meaningful difference.

Steve Jacobson, AFP-NYC President and CEO, JCA, Inc.

Happy 60^th Birthday, AFP!

Happy New Year, everyone!  Now that year-end gift processing has (hopefully!) been completed and the results are in, I trust that 2019 was a great year for your organization’s fundraising.  And, I hope that 2020 is even more successful, though you only have 349 more days to reach your goal, so you’d better get cracking!  Thankfully, we have an extra day due to the leap year this year…

This year marks the 60^th anniversary of the founding of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP).  Although, back in 1960, the organization wasn’t known as AFP.  It was originally chartered as the “National Society of Fund Raisers” or NSFR.  For those of you who have been in and around fundraising for a while, you may be asking, “Hey, what happened to the ‘E?’  Wasn’t it NSFRE, the National Society of Fund Raising Executives?” Well, yes it was, but that change wasn’t made until 1977, when NSFR(E) moved from New York to Washington, DC and hired its first paid president.

In 1964, the transition of NSFR to a national, chapter-based organization began in (where else?) New York City as what is now NYC AFP became AFP’s “founding chapter.”  And, in the 56 years since, we haven’t looked back.  Our membership and educational programs led a nascent industry, whose professionals yearned for standards that would hold fundraisers to a code of ethics.  AFP offered a way for the fundraising profession to be truly legitimized, something that we, at times, still struggle with today.  Fast forward to today, and AFP is a robust international organization, comprised of more than 240 chapters with over 31,000 members in 8 countries.  AFP’s individual and organizational members collectively raise over $115 billion annually.  Now, that’s impact!

As you’re reading this, we will have likely just concluded our chapter’s 2020 Annual Meeting, graciously hosted by our friends at Abigail Kirsch at Chelsea Piers.  Today, we celebrated the many people that made 2019 so great and those who will make 2020 even better.  As I look forward to working with our many volunteers, staff, colleagues and friends in 2020, I wish everyone a healthy, happy and productive New Year.

As a reminder, don’t forget to join us for our next professional advancement event, 30 Ways to Move Your Donors: Cultivation Ideas and Tactics to Move Your Donors to the Next Level of Giving at Scandinavia House on Thursday, February 20 at 8:00am.  I hope to see you there!

Steve Jacobson, AFP-NYC President-Elect and CEO, JCA, Inc.

The Donor Experience

As some of you may know, I lead and manage a for-profit company that serves the technology and information management needs of nonprofits.  Over the years, we have built software products and established a consulting business.  Essentially, our nonprofit clients are our customers.  So, when I received an email invitation from an organization called “Meetup” about how to build a better customer service experience, I figured that this would be a great opportunity to learn more.

So, off I went last Thursday, ready to steel myself with the latest and greatest tools, procedures and methodologies for giving our customers the best treatment.  It didn’t take more than 10 minutes into the presentation for me to figure out that what I was learning was 100% equivalent to how nonprofits should be treating their “customers,” namely their donors.

One of the first points made was that, to be successful, you have to treat your customers with sincerity; they are your partners and you are trying to make things right.  This is no different from how we should strive to treat our donors.  If we mistakenly referred to you by the wrong name or failed to send you an event invitation that you were expecting, the canned response of “sorry for the inconvenience” just doesn’t cut it.  Instead, let’s agree on a way to make things right and make sure this never happen again.

Another tidbit I learned is that, before you can fix a problem, you need to know that you have a problem.  How many days does it take for you to acknowledge a gift?  How many donor visits has your team made this week?  If you don’t know the answers to these questions, chances are that you have a donor service problem.  You have to proactively measure your team’s performance to understand whether your donors are being treated the way they should be.

Another thing that I learned was that customer support is a subset of a larger, more important measure: customer experience.  Let’s think about the donor experience for a minute.  Sure, we want to fix problems that donors have – and that’s your version of customer support.  But, what about those donors you rarely engage?  What’s their experience like?  Are you keeping them informed of the latest developments?  Are you engaging them in your mission through volunteer or educational programs? Building lifelong relationships with your donors is a key component of the donor experience. 

As we head into 2020, I hope that you keep the donor experience top of mind.  I also hope that you’ll join us for our chapter’s Annual Membership Meeting and State of the Industry event on January 17^th at Chelsea Piers.  Early bird pricing is still in effect, but you need to hurry! Click here to register.

By Susan Fields, CFRE

Are you finding it increasingly difficult to acquire new donors and keep the ones you already have? Recent studies show that first-year donors retain at about 25% while donors that have given more than once renew at approximately 60%. Because acquisition is far more costly than retaining repeat donors, the processes of stewardship and cultivation have become increasingly important. With the advent of technology, the rules of the game have changed, with a 25% decline in direct mail appeals over the past eight years. The good news is that the number of channels through which your organization can communicate has increased to include email, social media, your organization’s website, and mobile devices. 

Five Recommendations for Marketing Your Non-Profit Across the Generations 

The Next Generation of Giving Research Series conducted by Blackbaud in 2010, 2013, and 2018 details the multichannel communication preferences and giving habits of individuals based upon their age cohorts. While not everyone fits into a generational mold, there is a lot to be learned from the research regarding how, when, and where to reach out to each group. Matures (born before 1945); Baby Boomers (1946 and 64); Generation X (1965-1980); Millennials (1981-1995); and Generation Z (1996 and beyond). 

1. Focus on the generations that will provide the biggest return on  investment.

Boomers have at least another decade at the top of the giving pyramid. With the average age of a donor at 64 years old, 78% of Boomers contribute a whopping $58 billion annually, representing 43% of all giving. Although the Matures group is dwindling in size, 78% of this cohort are responsible for an impressive $29 billion in annual giving. Keep this in mind when you are feeling pressured to spend a disproportionate amount of time and dollars cultivating younger groups.

2. Keep Generation X in mind when it comes to Bequests and Trusts.

While 55% of Generation X gives a total of $33 billion and $20 billion respectively, their cash gifts are still considerably smaller than that of previous generations. Statistics show, however, that 30% of this group has created an estate plan—with another 25% in the process of doing so. It is important to note that within the next decade this generation will be ready to take their place at the top of the giving pyramid—followed five to ten years later by Millennials.

3. Get back to basics.

Redouble your efforts around creating personalized relationships. Learn your donors’ interests, expectations and the channels where they are most apt to communicate. All generations engage in both online and offline communications and agree that direct mail is an acceptable way to be stewarded. Important to donors of all ages is personal responsibility to give back in a meaningful and personal way. Generation Z gives small gifts spontaneously and values recognition, while more seasoned donors budget for their gifts and are less interested in being outwardly awarded for their generosity.

4. Put your house in order.

The state of affairs in how your organization operates will determine the quality of your communication with donors. Unsupportive work environments, silos, limited resources, and the lack of ability to collect actionable data are all detrimental to relationship building. Although no environment is perfect, if you are in a leadership position, it will be necessary to examine your office culture and make the necessary adjustments. Generating change is often easier in smaller organizations due to less bureaucracy. Change in larger nonprofits often results from more organized planning with top administrators and possibly even a committee of the Board of Directors.

5. Commit to testing new ideas.

If you tried something that didn’t work in the past, it doesn’t mean it won’t work today. Possibly the consumer market has caught up with your ideas or you are more agile in adapting to donor needs in terms of preferred channels of communication. Social Media, moving at a slow and steady pace, is becoming viewed as an extension of philanthropic efforts. The older generations are likely to make a gift through a “peer to peer” online campaign—with younger donors both participating and contributing. Of course, members of younger generations tend to be more open to communicating and giving through mobile apps and text messages.