By Susan Fields, CFRE

our organization’s board members have the potential to be its most loyal and generous ambassadors. Engaging them in its mission begins with the recruitment and orientation process and can continue after they have served their term or stepped down and received “alumni” or “emeritus” status. Never forget that they are your greatest asset and it is your job as CEO or fundraising professional to fully utilize their talents and express radical appreciation and acknowledgement for their beneficence.

In reviewing the following list of takeaways, it is important to mention that it was unanimously agreed by the panel that “giving and getting” was one of the most important roles of a nonprofit board.  In cases where boards were originally organized as primarily “advisory” it was suggested that possibly the culture of these governing bodies could gradually be transformed through education and other engagement processes.

1. Recruit to task! Existing board members can often provide the best leads in targeting new board members that are suited to the various skills needed. In fact, many boards utilize a nominating committee which encourages existing members to consider personal and business contacts who have the motivation, expertise, connections, and financial resources to share with your organization. It is always best for a board member to be present at the recruitment interview.

2. Be straight-forward about “giving and getting”! The best way to articulate financial expectations is in a written document listing personal gift minimums, event sponsorships and tables, and the amount prospects are expected to raise from outside sources. Rather than giving an exact figure, many nonprofits stress that board members contribute “a meaningful gift” to leave the door open for an even larger contribution than expected. Of course, it’s always a good idea to ask a potential member if they can open doors in terms of corporate support or individual gifts.

3. Board members are not ATM’S!  Once you have put together a dynamic and dedicated board who are fully aware of the expectations—stop talking about money and start sharing your plan to assist them in realizing your organizational needs.  Meet with them, talk with them before and after board meetings, show interest in their business and professional life, hook them on your mission, and acknowledge them profusely both publically and privately for their service.

4. Don’t put your board to sleep with long and boring meetings? If possible  make certain the time and location encourage optimal attendance. Keep committee reports brief and focus agendas on problem solving as well as strategic priorities requiring members to focus on the big picture. It’s also a good idea to “put fundraising first” on your agenda by highlighting the status of the annual fund, major gifts, and event revenues, etc. Special accomplishments of board members in this area should also be heralded. If possible and appropriate, try to limit your meetings to five per year.

5. Exhibit patience with recalcitrant fundraisers! It’s easy to beat yourself up because one or a few board members are dragging their feet in bringing on donors. Instead ask yourself what you can realistically obtain from them at this point in time. Sometimes it’s necessary to compromise in exchange for other benefits such as a generous personal contribution, valuable media contacts, or a connection to a stellar board recruit. Being patient and working with them is often the best strategy of all!

6. Hold an annual board retreat. Weekend retreats are an excellent means of bonding members to mission. These occasions provide an opportunity to evaluate individual and collective performance, make suggestions for improvement, and get to know one another on a more personal level. These events are also perfect venues for Capital Campaign strategizing, fundraising and solicitation training, strengthening board-staff relationships, and creating a culture of fundraising.   

 

Join us for the next AFP-NYC Educational Program
Organizations in Crisis, Achieving the Best, Averting the Worst
Thursday morning, 5/17/2018

Interview by Nicole Carrea

Director of Development, National Kidney Foundation

In her role as a Director at a premier non-profit consulting firm, Orr Associates, Inc. (OAI), Lisa Keitges works closely with clients in New York City and across the country providing development management and strategic planning assistance. It wasn’t the consulting, but rather the journey, that brought us together over breakfast on the Upper East Side.

Nicole: Hi Lisa! Tell me your background, how did you come to be the person that is sitting across from me today?

Lisa: I had a mish-mash of a trajectory. I was born in Japan and grew up in Texas. I decided to leave the state for college in Ohio, where I had dreams of attending law school before ultimately realizing that public service was where I could make the largest impact. Life has a funny way of changing course on you, and my first job after college ended up being with the New Orleans Saints (achieved through a random LinkedIn connection!). It wasn’t glamourous - I picked up trash at training camp in 100-degree Louisiana heat, but it opened a door. I was hired into the Saints front office and worked with several departments, including with the community relations team. With that team, we brought fitness to schools through the NFL’s Play 60 campaign. I realized I loved how it felt being part of the community and seeing the direct impact of our efforts. I wanted more of that. It was all nonprofit work from there on.

N: Picture yourself during that first job. What advice would you give that person?

L: Don’t underestimate how far being a good person and hard work will take you. The hard work is a given. You need to work hard and smart to have an impact, but it’s not talked enough about that people want to work with good, honest people. Stay true to that and yourself. It got me most places then and since.

N: Your career path has been a winding road but from my perspective you’ve pivoted at all the right moments and taken lessons from each chapter to build a really strong foundation for your next move. Having lived it I’m sure you wouldn’t agree that it was so seamless but what do you think really helped you along the way?

L: I was given the opportunity to do big things at a young age and always had great bosses that allowed me to thrive. I was the first ever full-time events coordinator at the Louisiana SPCA. Here I was, 23 years old, putting together these big fundraising events like galas, beer festivals and dog walks. They couldn’t afford someone more experienced, and I was willing to do the work. I put in the sweat equity. For me, it’s important to trust your gut, pull from your experiences, and use the expertise of those around you. I find that people have a lot of pride and won’t admit what they don’t know, and it always comes around to bite them. I’m not that person.

N: I love that attitude! It’s a mentality we, as development professionals, need to key into more often. Especially as we recruit new fundraisers into the industry. Any thoughts around that?

L: I agree- we need to recruit more self-motivated young professionals into the field and agree to allow them to make a big impact. We stifle young, ambitious people in entry level jobs where they plug numbers into spreadsheets for years. We should empower them to make decisions. Give them a stake in the game. We have to invest in our junior staff because one day they will be our senior staff. When you’re hiring, take a chance on people that don’t come from the most well-known schools or prestigious internships. It’s most important to see if they understand thought process, can think logically, and have basic relationship building skills.

N: Building on that concept of developing young staff, what role did AFP play for you early in your career?

L: I became involved with AFP as a young fundraiser to understand the career paths and different parts of fundraising. It was crucial for me early in my career to have those conversations and attend those education sessions. I was broke and couldn’t afford the sessions, but was very fortunate to have workplaces that believed in my professional development and would underwrite my attendance. Fast forward to 2018 and I’m mentoring at Fundraising Day. It’s an open call so anyone can sign up and you just talk about things like their resume or their next career move. It’s a great opportunity to pay it forward and help someone who needs an unbiased person to talk to. Or just get to know other people in the field. We’re all in this together, foster the next generation. Even if you think you have nothing to add you probably do. Get involved! 

N: In one sentence, describe your current role as a non-profit consultant.

L: I work with nonprofits to help them more effectively and efficiently achieve their mission—whatever that may be-- by employing creative fundraising strategies and using best practices.

N: Do you always consult on the same area or type of situation?

L: Every non-profit partner we work with needs something different, so while I consult on a broad range of issues, my niche has become major gift programs. It’s what everyone is looking to build right now. I help nonprofits build prospect pipelines, I do trainings on how to move event attendees to major gift donors, and I even help them close major gifts as an embedded partner. I meet with my nonprofit partners often, and we talk a lot about what major gifts fundraising is, what it is not, and how to set a new or failing program up for success early. I enjoy this work, because a successful major gifts program is not only fiscally rewarding for the organization but it’s also fulfilling for the fundraisers. It’s meaningful to form relationships with donors who are working towards the same goal. 

N: So many event fundraisers hit a wall in their career when they know a change is necessary but next steps might not be so clear. What was that process like for you?

L: I dove right into major gifts. It’s the future of fundraising and I knew it was where I needed to be if I were to grow in this profession. I think from a career path perspective, it takes a bit of getting over yourself. Qualifying a prospect portfolio for major gifts is hard and humbling work. And sometimes when it feels like you are going nowhere, a prospect that you’ve been cultivating for months, years, comes back to you and is finally ready to make an investment. The most rewarding part of major gifts is that after every gift I’ve closed, the donor has thanked me for allowing them to make a transformational gift. They see you as a conduit to impacting the future.

N: Your first official foray into major gifts was at NYU Langone Medical Center where they have an established program and a specialized staff to run it. What was that like for you?

L: I consider myself a jack of all trades, so It was difficult making the transition from doing everything to doing a few things. At big shops, you become segmented in your responsibilities. My job was solely to work alongside physicians and scientists, and speak to prospective donors, not to do research or fix the copier! Being in this setting, at a big shop with seasoned professionals, I quickly learned the best practices in major gift fundraising. I was very lucky to have great bosses that showed me the way and gave me the freedom I needed to excel.

N: By your own admission you weren’t an expert major gifts fundraiser when you joined the NYU Langone team. Why do you think they took a gamble on you and what gave you the confidence to do it?

L: I’d have to ask them, but I believe they saw that I understood the process and had the personality for the job. I had been entrepreneurial in my career up until that point, and that benefited me in a position where I had no goals except numbers. You have to be your own boss and I had done that, though I hadn’t really realized it. It’s important to set benchmarks and goals for yourself. I believe that smart progress and action leads to gifts and money. If you take no action, you raise no money. And beyond the ambition and bullishness of asking for major gifts, I had the persistence to not let up if I thought it might lead somewhere. To be honest, sometimes it did, sometimes it didn’t.

N: Give me the “how to ask for a major gift 101” cliff notes.

L: Major gifts is a long game and you have to be willing to invest the time and resources. You start by understanding the donor’s inclination. Typically, major gift prospects have given before, so start by thanking them, understanding why they’ve been involved, talking to them about the impact of their past gift. Start to explain new initiatives and future vision, and how they could play a pivotal part in the grand strategy. When it’s time to ask them for a gift, carefully choose an amount and designation that is fitting for that person. By the time you get to the ask, the donor should expect it.

Timing is everything. Donors may not always be ready when you first approach them, but they won’t come back around if you don’t give them the opening. Send research updates, impact reports, keep them up to date and let them know the opportunity remains to be involved and make a difference. 

N: Let’s bring this full circle back to your current career. How did you decide to move into non-profit consulting?

L: Over the course of my career, I had done everything…annual fund, major gifts, events, planned giving, etc. and I missed that. I wanted to do more. I also liked the idea of serving as a mentor and trainer in the professional sense, after having done it on a more ad-hoc basis for fundraising friends and junior team members before.  I had known about OAI’s reputation, and their team-based approach really appealed to me. I’ve been at OAI for a year and half now and have worked on 5 or 6 projects. I’ve filled a lot of roles and have learned a lot in a short period of time. This has been a rewarding role. I feel like my time has an even greater impact now because I’m able to help more organizations achieve their missions.

N: At this point in your career, what’s your proudest accomplishment?

L: I’ve had a lot of moments in my career thus far where I’m like man I can’t believe I pulled that off! I pulled together some events at the Louisiana SPCA with great teams alongside me. At NYU Langone, I met so many people that were touched by the Medical Center’s services. I feel so fortunate to even be a little part of their lives and of their families. 

N: Getting to know families and donors is always amazing. The relationships are the fun part of what we do! Is that what keeps you going?

L: Yes- and also knowing that we’re working for a better tomorrow. All of us together in the non-profit world are in this together. When you have that critical mass working towards something, that’s when you know when you can really make a change. People make fun of me for that pie-in-the-sky view, but I really believe that.

N: Is there a notable learning moment in your career?

L: This is a more general thing I’ve learned. Anything that has gone wrong in my career is because of a lack of communication. It’s always because a conversation didn’t take place that probably should have. Maybe I felt uncomfortable, didn’t want to waste someone’s time or whatever it may have been – and then it backfired. A lot of things can be fixed by just by picking up the phone or sitting down for coffee.

N: That's a strong lesson for us all to remember and perfect words of wisdom for us to end on. Thank you for sharing your career journey with us!

By Craig Shelley, CFRE, Chapter Treasurer & Managing Director, Orr Associates, Inc. (OAI)

Benjamin Franklin was once asked for assistance raising funds to erect a new meeting-house in Philadelphia.  In what was the first recorded instance of a prospect offering advice instead of money and of capital campaign consulting, Franklin offered,  “I advise you to apply to all those whom you know will give something; next, to those whom you are uncertain whether they will give anything or not, and show them the list of who have given; and lastly, do not neglect those who you are sure will give nothing, for in some of those you may be mistaken.”

It seems straight forward when you put it that way and from that simple insight you can draw a straight line to philanthropy as we know it today.  Several years ago, I came to terms (happily) that fundraising, nonprofit management and philanthropy were the activities on which I’d spend my professional life.  In doing so I increasingly started to seek out groups and mechanisms by which I could learn and grow to become better in my chosen field.  This led me to AFP and an involvement in our chapter that has evolved into my present role as treasurer, and it also resulted in my seeking out the CFRE (Certified Fundraising executive) credential.

Undoubtedly being involved with AFP and being a CFRE have been of benefit to me.  I’ve learned and grown as a fundraiser and made valuable friends and important professional contacts.  But just as importantly they have been the ways in which I’ve been able to contribute to defining and maintaining fundraising as a profession.  I was lucky to find this career.  Millions of people who benefit from the funds we raise are lucky this career exists.  I want to make sure that continues to be the case.

We can’t all be Benjamin Franklin (let’s face it, he already had most of the good ideas I’m certain we’d have come up with if he hadn’t done it first), but I do think that like Franklin each of us can define and advance the fundraising profession.  By actively engaging with our AFP chapter, seeking credentialing and advance education in our field to learn and illustrate the value of this learning we can ensure fundraising and philanthropy continues to benefit future practitioners and beneficiaries of this work.

Join one of our committees, attend one of our events or simply retweet or like one of our social media posts.  But please engage with our chapter and our profession.  We’ve all benefitted from the fundraisers who came before us and it’s our turn to be those fundraisers now.

If you have ideas or suggestions please always feel free to contact me directly at cshelley@oai-usa.com.  If you’re interested in my thoughts on fundraising and news in the sector, sprinkled with the occasional picture of my kids, please follow me on Twitter @craigshelley.

Thank you for everything you do.

By Susan Fields, CFRE

Major economic and cultural shifts in American society over the past five decades have drastically altered the workplace of private business and the nonprofit sector with more than 20% of the labor force indicating that they plan to work into their seventies. In addition, a Pew Research Center analysis of the U.S. Census Data indicates that one-third of employees are currently Millennials and will eventually make up the largest share of the US workforce. As a result, many employers will find themselves grappling with the challenges of managing staff that could span up to five generations—all with differing values, skills, and workstyles.

Because the most difficult task a nonprofit leader can face is keeping everyone on their team happy, motivated, and productive, this AFP Educational Program focused on providing nonprofit managers with “in the trenches” strategies for maximizing staff productivity in a generationally diverse environment.

Traditionalists- born prior to 1945 Loyal, Disciplined, Old-School, Veterans, Reserved, Women in the Home   Baby Boomers- 1946 to 1964 Strong Work Ethic, Competitive, Sexual Equality Two-Income Families, Money and Prestige Oriented   Gen X- 1965 to 1980 Financial and Health Care Motivated, Mistrustful of Establishment, Self-Employed   Milliennials– 1981 to 1999 Entitled, Optimistic, Raised on Technology, Under-employed, Justice and Fairness   Gen Z– born to 1999 Realistic, Cynical, Multi-Tasking, Private, Entrepreneurial, Hyper-Tech Dependent

Five Insights for Managing a Generationally Diverse Fundraising Team

1. Establish Multigenerational Teams– The best way to encourage a collaborative learning environment is to create project teams that are varied in age, skills, experience, and perspective. In addition, it is important for managers to hold regular staff meetings with an educational and/or problem-solving component to assist in building employee cohesiveness through sharing the “big picture” of their organization. Opportunities for intergenerational mentoring can also create a sense of respect and cooperation—with older members of the staff sharing career-building ideas and Millennials providing tutelage in technology systems.

2. Reach Beyond Stereotypes– Although generational groups have specific similarities, keep in mind that just because a person is a certain age does not necessarily mean they fit the profile. Keep in mind that each employee is an individual with unique hopes, dreams, talents, and skills—who seeks to be instrumental in your organization’s success. Listen to the people that are on your management team, watch them as they work, and ask yourself how you can make them the best that they can be. As a rule of thumb, Millennials tend to seek out more affirmation for their efforts while Boomers, although they like regular communication with their supervisor, require less validation.

3. Establish Core Expectations– In organizations with a wide-range of age groups, it is important to set non-negotiable policies such as specific work hours, number of sick days, rules about working at home, dress code, pets in the office, and flexible hours. Each organization, based upon its culture and capabilities, will set different policies with various levels of flexibility. The most important thing to consider is to create this structure with parity across age levels with an understanding of the needs of your employees. For instance, some nonprofits might wish to establish a fixed number of hours worked each day within a specific time frame such as 8:00am through 7:00pm—with limits on the number of days an employee can work from home.

4. Communicate Openly About Generational Differences– Include this topic on the agenda of one of your staff meetings, inviting everyone to share their viewpoints and perspectives. For instance, a common issue in multigenerational organizations centers around attitudes toward change—with older workers often threatened that they might lose their status or even their jobs. Traditionalists and Boomers have been exposed to a more structured and “top down” work culture where “information is power” while Millennials tend to value transparency and open access to information that previously would have been only available to senior staff.

5. Nothing is Perfect– As with everything else, there is no “one size fits all” strategy in managing a multigenerational workplace. The best approach is a willingness to listen to the ideas and needs of staff, to be open to new ways of thinking and doing, and to understand that the wide range of talents and values that come along with a diverse workforce can be of immeasurable benefit to any organization. From Millennials who passionately seek to make a difference in the world to Boomers and Traditionalists who value prestige, position, and money—there is no “right or wrong” in what motivates people.

Enjoyed reading this? Join us for more AFP-NYC Educational Programs at

FUNDRAISING DAY IN NYC

Friday, June 22, 2018, Marriott Marquis, NYC

By Gary Laermer, AFP-NYC President

One definition of networking is to interact with other people to exchange information and develop contacts, especially to further one's career.  I prefer to think of networking as an exchange of ideas and information to advance an entire profession.

That’s what I see as the role of AFP in New York City.  Together as a group, we have the chance to celebrate the extraordinary work we perform each day, the people our efforts help, the societal issues we help to address and the extraordinary missions we work to support.

Our profession represents the special connection between the generous donors who want to make our city, country and our world a better place, and the organizations that are committed to achieving the change a donor seeks.

Our Chapter’s schedule of professional advancement sessions, hosted webinar lunches, young professional events, member only events, and of course Fundraising Day in New York, are designed to support philanthropy professionals at all stages of their careers and they have one common thread:  we provide the opportunities that help to define our profession’s capacity to effect positive change in society and for the organizations for which we work.

AFP networking and educational events are so much more than just to exchange information for one’s career; we network for a much greater purpose.  Certainly, you can never tell how a chance meeting can help advance your own career, but your participation in AFP programs advances all that we stand and strive for. Thank you for being engaged is such important work.

Becoming a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) is one of the highest levels of certification a fundraising professional can achieve. Fundraising professionals must demonstrate their ability to raise funds in the sector, participate in 80 hours of continuing education over the previous five years and pass a 200-question exam in order to be designated a CFRE.

We are proud to recognize our members who recently became CFREs:

Leslie Weber of New York, NY
Jennifer Stokum of Red Hook, NY

We congratulate them on a job well done! April 15 is the next deadline to submit your CFRE application.

More information about becoming a CFRE is available at www.cfre.org.

By President-Elect Steven G. Jacobson

When I left the corporate world back in the mid-80’s (yes, I’m old), I started a computer consulting company with a friend of mine.  It seemed like the thing to do, given that businesses were hungry for PCs, computer networks and the latest software.  One of my first clients was NYU Medical Center and one of my first projects was to help them select and implement a new fundraising system.  I remember researching a lot of options – the old fashioned way, by perusing the ads in the back pages of nonprofit trade magazines.  Back then, who knew that there were actually publications for nonprofits?

I quickly found out that fundraising was complicated business.  Matching gifts, soft credits, donor clubs, restricted funds, irregular pledge schedules, tax deductibility. And the software had to do it all.  I was hooked!  Fast forward 30 years later and the systems have gotten so much more sophisticated.  So much so in fact, that they are no longer fundraising or donor management systems, they are Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) systems.  And why is that?  Because fundraising is all about relationships.

And relationships are what AFP is all about.  I’ve been a member since 1992 (I have my 25-year pin to prove it!) and have valued my AFP experience on a number of levels. I’ve learned so much through educational opportunities, especially those that our AFP-NYC chapter presents through our Professional Advancement series.  I’ve learned so much from our chapter’s signature event, Fundraising Day in New York.  But, while AFP has empowered me with so much knowledge, the value for me still comes back to relationships. 

I’ve met so many great people: fundraisers, event planners, planned giving specialists, capital campaign consultants.  So many interesting and dedicated professionals. There’s a camaraderie amongst our chapter’s members that’s palpable yet hard to define. Perhaps it’s due to everyone having a shared and noble passion.  Perhaps it’s the shared bond of doing what we do, when others don’t quite “get” it. Perhaps it’s the dedication to make our chapter the best that it can be.  Perhaps it’s a combination of this – and more – that makes it so special.

As a member of the AFP-NYC Executive Committee and Board, I encourage you to join me in becoming more involved.  Whether it’s attending one of our great Professional Advancement programs or volunteering for Fundraising Day, you can’t go wrong. I look forward to talking with you at one of our next events!

By Jill M. Scibilia, CFRE -- AFP-NYC Secretary

My first fundraising experience was selling stuff—stuff that offered immediate, tangible benefits to the buyer.  First it was Girl Scout Cookies.  Then it was the Toblerone chocolate bars I sold for French club in high school.  My best customers: physics class, third period. 

I did not seek fundraising as a profession.  What hooked me was a stint volunteering at an organization I supported.  I worked the phone bank and had the opportunity to speak to volunteers who cared about the mission and who were prepared to do something about it.  This inspired me to pursue fundraising as a career. Fast-forward 16 years and there is nothing I enjoy more than engaging with people who share the goals of the organization I serve professionally and those organizations I serve as a volunteer including AFP.

I no longer sell chocolate bars (or even Girl Scout Cookies—though I do work for the Girl Scouts. Girls sell the cookies).  When I think about it, I am still offering a product. And it is a product that has benefits and a great deal of good attached to it.  As fundraisers, the product we offer people is the opportunity to make a difference. We facilitate this opportunity for them.  Through their support, our donors make a difference to our missions.  We know this makes a difference to them, too.  When a donor thanks us for giving her the opportunity to give, it feels magical. 

As fundraisers we know it is not magical.  We know the time we need to invest to build meaningful, lasting relationships with donors.  We also know that even when we invest this time, it doesn’t always work the way we wish or in the time we wish.  If only we could predict the optimal timing for our asks as easily my third period physics class when the chocolate bars I offered got my customers through the last period before lunch.

AFP understands this.  And AFP understands fundraisers.  Since I have joined AFP, it has helped me to do my job better; it has helped me to become a more effective volunteer and most importantly, it has connected me with some of the most incredible people on the planet—people like you who are making a difference every day.   

As a member of AFP-NYC’s Board and Executive Committee, I am committed to amplifying the difference we all make as fundraisers every day.  This impact is tangible, and it offers benefits to countless people and causes across our city every day. 

I hope to see you at an AFP professional advancement event this spring or at Fundraising Day on June 22^nd.  Thank you for the work you do to make New York City a better place.

Fundraising Day in New York -- June 22, 2018

Fundraising Day in New York -- June 22, 2018

Portfolios, Prospect Pipelines, and Moves Management – Oh My!

3:45p – 5:00p

Michael Delzotti, CFRE, CSPG
Martha H. Schumacher, CFRE, ACFRE, MInstF

Is your Major Gifts fundraising stalled or stagnant? Or are you launching a Major Gifts program for the first time?

Building (or jump-starting) a successful Major Gifts program means implementing equal parts art and science. The art of Major Gifts is individually tailored relationship building. The science is the methodology used to build those relationships. Attend this hands-on session to learn proven methods that will lay the groundwork for building major donor relationships that last!

Every day, staff and volunteers across the country and around the world have conversations with donors and donor prospects about making major, principal and mega gift philanthropic investments. Depending on your organization’s mission needs and fundraising program maturity, how you define a “major” gift depends on your organization’s mission needs, fundraising program maturity, and budget size.

Whether you work for a major university on a large advancement team, a small social service organization with one full-time development staffer (that’s you!), or a mid-sized advocacy group with limited fundraising resources, this Fundraising Day in New York session is for you.

Seasoned presenters Mike and Martha will lead a fast-paced and interactive workshop. Michael Delzotti, CFRE, CSPG, is the President & CEO, University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Foundation and AFP International Executive Committee member, and Martha H. Schumacher, CFRE, ACFRE, MInstF, is the President of Hazen and HILT and AFP International Chair-Elect.

Philanthropic thought leaders who have closed hundreds of major, principal, and mega gifts, Martha and Mike will guide you through their moves management worksheet, portfolio principles, and pipeline tip sheet. They will show you how to: simplify your portfolio assessment with three key criteria, rate and rank your major donors and major donor prospects for maximum effect, and drive your moves management activities forward using the CAR© model.

Join Mike and Martha to get the tools and tactics you need to grow your Major Gifts for maximum success!

By Susan Fields, CFRE

Based upon the Giving USA 2016 Report, corporate philanthropy for 2015 reached $18.45 billion—an increase of 3.95% from the previous year. Of course, the big question remains—how can your organization connect with one or more of these companies to obtain a piece of those resources in the coming year? Because most corporations and large businesses are multifaceted, navigating their complex structure can feel like standing outside Fort Knox figuring out how to get inside. It is for this reason that the Panel of Experts at this informative AFP NYC Educational Program provided ten key strategies and ideas to bring your organization closer to tapping into corporate resources:

1. Put yourself in a “business state of mind.”Fundraising from corporations is fundamentally different than seeking funds from individuals and family foundations. Because the primary goal of corporate philanthropy is to promote their brand in the community,  there will almost always be a quid pro quo in terms of what they will gain from their affiliation with your organization.
    
2. Target your audience.  Make a list of corporations in your community. Search for prospects through business directories and websites. Include those with local headquarters or branches as well as utilities and high profile local sports teams. Keep your eye out for prospects on “donor walls” and annual reports of nonprofits in your area.
    
3. Determine in advance the type of support you are seeking. Corporate contributions and partnerships can take many forms—financial support, furniture and equipment, meeting or event space, employee volunteer support, cause related marketing, Matching Gifts, and event Sponsorshipsand/or ticket purchases for your gala or golf classic.
    
4. Research, research, research.  Learn about the corporations on your list through reading the information on their websites or utilizing the various resources on the web such as NOZA, The Foundation Center, and Guidestar. Most large companies do their giving through special programs (Matching Gifts, Sponsorships, etc.) or via their own foundation.
    
5. Find an insider to advocate for you.Distribute your list of potential supporters to your Board of Directors, staff members, volunteers, and other constituents for possible connections within these companies or others you have not included.
    
6. Network in the community. Become active in organizations such as the local Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club. Attending events, joining committees, and speaking at luncheons can put you in contact with a wide range of corporate and business executives.
    
7. Prepare your proposal.  Most usually you will be asked to fill out an online application—while other companies will request a query followed by a personal meeting. Be clear and concise regarding the type of support you are seeking, why your organization is a good fit with their priorities, and how their company will benefit.
    
8. If the answer is “no”, discuss obtaining another form of support through their company as a means of maintaining a connection which could later result in financial support.
    
9. If the answer is “yes”,  make regular contact with the funder to remind them how their generosity is impacting the people that you serve as well as the publicity they are receiving as a result of their partnership with your organization.
    
10. Remember!There is a great deal of competition for corporate dollars. Focus on how your nonprofit stands out and how it fits their funding goals. Don’t rule out approaching smaller businesses for event sponsorships, journal pages, and in-kind contributions to gain a presence in the business community in your area.

Susan J. Fields, CFRE, has worked in the nonprofit sector for 22 years. A former English teacher, she worked in the major gifts department of the United Jewish Appeal and later served as Director of Institutional Advancement at Holy Cross High School in Flushing, Queens. Susan is currently a communications consultant to nonprofit organizations.