By Susan Fields, CFRE

AFP-NYC EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM
February 8, 2018, Scandinavia House, New York City

Cultivation and Stewardship are the two most important Donor Relations processes in the field of fundraising and development. While Cultivation is the process of building and growing relationships with potential and existing donors, Stewardship is the series of actions and communications that take place after a gift is pledged or received. On many occasions these two concepts overlap—but it is important for fundraisers to recognize the nuances between both activities in order to maximize recruitment, as well as maintain and upgrade existing donors.  

This lively AFP-NYC panel discussion, moderated by Gary Weinberg, President of DM Pros, highlighted the following actionable takeaways for Donor Cultivation and Gift Stewardship:

1.         Personalize acknowledgement letters!  Studies have shown that donors prefer letters that acknowledge how the gift will be used. Handwritten notes at the bottom of a letter or crossing out the formal salutation and adding the supporter’s name or nickname go a long way in making the donor feel special. Most importantly, avoid communications that sound overly businesslike or transactional.

2.         Timeliness is Critical! Nothing turns off a donor more than getting an acknowledgement letter a month or more after the gift was made. Return all email, phone, and written communications within 24 hours. The only exception would be over holidays and vacations unless you intend to do this consistently during the entire relationship with the donor. It’s all about professionalism and courtesy!

3.         Immerse in the Mission. Donors are motivated by “hands on” experiences such as meeting the recipients of your organization’s services. For instance, a nonprofit that provides eye surgery for children in Tanzania might fly selected donors and prospects to the local village to meet the doctor, and possibly even witness the procedure.

4.         Get to know your volunteers! Hold a special recognition event and stand by the door so that you can greet everyone that enters and leaves. Although volunteers often make annual gifts, they are also great prospects for increased lifetime giving and legacy gifts. Of course, don’t forget your Board of Directors or equivalent top leadership—as they are often the most apt to give leadership gifts.

5.         Leverage Colleagues! Use the experts at your fingertips to meet with, thank, and motivate donors and prospects. Include anyone who works for your organization who has something positive to share—senior staff, program directors, staff with a long or interesting track record, and peer workers.

6.         Share information creatively! Create a file of collected materials about the problem your nonprofit is seeking to solve and share it on an ad hoc basis with your donors and prospects. This might include articles or clippings about relevant topics or developments, books, videos, TedTalks, as well blogs and websites.

7.         Send birthday cards. Older donors in particular love them, and will often respond with a note or a phone call. Other landmark dates may also be important to commemorate such as anniversaries or holidays. Mark actuarial birthdays if you issue gift annuities. If you don’t already have this type of information in your database, make it a project to do so.

8.         Don’t forget event supporters. Send timely follow-up acknowledgements to all attendees and donors heralding the success of the event and how the funds will impact your organization’s cause. Prioritize your top five to ten donors/sponsors with a personalized note, email, or phone call the day after the event to acknowledge their generosity. Providing pictures (that include the donor) as well as press coverage is also a big motivator for future generosity.

9.          Target donors that would benefit from micro-stewardship. Through analyzing their giving style and behaviors, develop a personalized journey map with the intention of moving their giving to a top level. For instance, an elderly donor who has given to your organization faithfully for a decade might be an excellent prospect for a sizable bequest. A regular sponsor to your annual gala which raises funds for scholarship might be a prospect for a large endowment gift for the same purpose.

10.     Listen to your donors. Sometimes fundraisers are so intent on talking about their organization that they fail to learn about the interests and needs of their supporters. Ask leading questions, and donors and prospects will share tons about themselves if you give them the time. The more they share, the more likely they will feel good about the encounter as well as your organization, and the more information you will have to cultivate their next gift!

You can download the presentation here. If you found the information in this article to be of value, consider attending the next AFP-NYC Educational Program Managing Your Fundraising Team, on Thursday morning, March 15^th.

By Craig Shelley, CFRE

Like many of you I fell into this career.  I didn’t grow up thinking I wanted to be a fundraiser, nonprofit leader or consultant on either topic.  I’m pretty sure I wanted to be a cowboy.  Or maybe a lawyer.  But as I reflect back on the nearly 20-years I’ve been doing this work I can’t imagine I could have found a more fulfilling career.  Fundraising and nonprofit management make our world a better place.  We facilitate people who care investing funds that make so many things possible in our society from feeding and housing the hungry, to improving education, to ensuring art and culture remain a vibrant part of our lives.  None of this happens without fundraisers which is why I am so proud and grateful to be one.

As a member of our Chapter’s Executive Committee, and of New York City’s fundraising community, it is important to me that the Association of Fundraising Professionals New York City Chapter recognizes and promotes our profession commensurate with the value it has in our community.  We have long been a place for fundraisers to gather to exchange ideas and for camaraderie.  We’re eager to aggressively double down on and expand these purposes.

In the year ahead, I am optimistic you will see our chapter:

-          Actively participate in the dialogue and thought leadership that shapes our profession and our sector.  The best and brightest nonprofit leaders and fundraisers call our chapter home and the chapter should be a microphone through which our talented community finds and amplifies its voice.

-          Provide professional development opportunities that continue to be not just on the leading edge but defining it.  We’re eager to maintain the high quality of these sessions and expand the audience of those who benefit from these opportunities.

-          Be a place where members can commiserate, exchange ideas and make lifelong friends.  Let’s face it, we’ve chosen a commonly misunderstood profession where hearing “no” is more common than “yes”.  It can be a bit lonely and discouraging.  The chapter should facilitate forming these important relationships all of us value and need within the profession.

I look forward to working with you to accomplish these and other goals in the year ahead.  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 Derek Rogers

It’s happened to all of us – suddenly you’re responsible for a new major giving portfolio! It can happen when your colleague resigns unexpectedly or when you start a new job. With the average fundraiser staying on the job 16 months or less, it’s more and more likely that you’ll face the daunting task of managing a new portfolio of dozens to hundreds of individuals you don’t know.

Where do you begin? Here are 5 questions to ask yourself, and some accompanying suggestions to help you navigate and prioritize your new portfolio:

1.     Who are the donors who gave most recently?

Focus your initial portfolio management efforts on donors who gave most recently. A personalized thank you call, email, or handwritten note are classic stewardship practices, but also an important way to introduce yourself and open the door to getting to know current supporters better.

In your outreach, offer to meet them in-person or by phone to formally introduce yourself, learn more about their interest in your mission, and create a personal connection. You may even ask them about their past giving experience with the organization, so you can gain insights into what has or hasn’t worked well in the past. 

2.     Which individuals are slated for an ask in the next three months?

Analyze your portfolio to determine who the former portfolio manager planned to solicit within the next three months. Pore over these prospects with your Chief Executive Officer, Chief Development Officer, board members, Development Committee members, or other key stakeholders who have relationships with the prospects. They can help you to determine the most appropriate path to an ask, and whether the 3-month timeline is still realistic. Don’t be surprised if some of these prospects need additional cultivation and relationship-building before an ask can be made.

3.     Are there pending asks requiring follow up?

Review your portfolio to determine which prospects were asked, but did not formally pledge or decline. You may have many pending asks, depending on the size of your portfolio. Prioritize your follow-up by identifying prospects who were asked most recently, have the highest probability of giving, and have the highest capacity. Online tools like iWavecan assist you in determining a prospect’s net worth. Follow up with each prospect with a friendly introduction and an offer to meet with them to discuss their proposal or ask.

4.     Who are your largest donors from the past 2-3 years? Who has given annually for the past 2-3 years?

Identify donors who give the largest gifts, as well as those who give on a regular basis or have given consistently for the past few years. Give them a call or send them a handwritten note to thank them for their ongoing support and learn more about their interest in your mission. Ask probing questions about their giving experience, and ask them for their thoughts on your organization’s latest work and milestones. Through this stewardship, you can gather insights about how to appropriately cultivate these donors for a renewed or upgraded gift in the future.

5.     Are there donors who require serious attention or had a negative giving experience?

Partner with your Chief Executive Officer and development team to identify donors who may require personal outreach to remedy a negative giving experience or deteriorating relationship with your organization. Leverage your newness to the situation by serving as a sounding board for the donor at an in-person meeting. Create a comfortable setting for the donor to express their dissatisfaction, and use their feedback to identify a path to recover the relationship, and hopefully renew their support in the future.

While it can seem overwhelming at first, receiving a portfolio of new donors doesn’t have to be when you ask yourself these 5 key questions. It is possible to take on your new portfolio strategically and intentionally. Good luck!

Derek John Rogers is a Senior Associate Director at Orr Associates, Inc. (OAI). OAI leverages top talent and innovative technologies to help nonprofits grow and diversify revenue.

Interview by Nicole Carrea Director of Development, National Kidney Foundation

Johann Fox is an award-winning fundraiser who has been making a name for himself in the industry for over a decade. Johann currently serves as Director of U.S. Development at CMRF Crumlin. Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, CMRF is the principal fundraising body for Our Lady's Children's Hospital as well as The National Children's Research Centre. We conducted this interview over breakfast at the Intercontinental Hotel in Midtown during one of his recent visits to New York City.

My favorite question to ask my peers is how did you get into this career? I’ve yet to meet anyone who replied by saying they grew up wanting to be a fundraiser but I won’t stop until I find that person. Is it you?

I’m a qualified software engineer. I loved computers, I thought it could change the world! Seriously. I worked with one of Irelands largest insurance companies in their IT department and was unhappy so I ended up going back to school for a post-graduate degree in journalism and public relations. The insurance company chose CMRF to be their beneficiary of the year and as a part of my graduate project, I interviewed the organization’s leadership.

So you fell into it like the rest of us.

I guess so. Some friends and I fundraised for them but we weren’t interested in doing something small so we decided to put on three events. The first was a Gala. The second was the world’s largest duck race. The world record at the time was 100,000 ducks going down a river in Asia so we wanted to do 120,000. We created our own mini organization, registered it and everything. We ordered all these ducks having no idea how we were going to do this, we were just volunteers with an idea, not professional fundraisers. The week before the event the ducks hadn’t arrived as planned, they ended up coming three days before the event. That day the weather was unusually beautiful with no wind so the ducks didn’t move. News crews were there doing a live broadcast of the ducks floating in place. I learned a lot that day. The ducks ended up moving over night and it was a huge story in the news and online with people putting ducks in random bodies of water and posting pictures about it.

For the third fundraising event we road motorcycles from LA to NY. I had just quit my job and the head of fundraising at that time was Eamonn Coghlan who I had recently met through the duck event. He ended up coming along on the ride and eventually offered me a contract position with the organization. I joined officially in the Fall of 2006.

So does CMRF still host a duck race?

We’ve carried on some elements but no, no more ducks!

Well I’m glad you found fundraising or rather it found you. You seem to be making quite a name for yourself. In 2014 you won Irish Professional Fundraiser of the Year. Congratulations!

It’s funny because we had a whole reorg of the company the year before and while it presented some challenges I eventually found a way to make it my own. Then at the end of the year the original position I wanted on the Corporate Partnerships team became available and we ended up having our best year in corporate. My CEO nominated me for the award. I was not confident in winning but I was confident in what I had done. I then went up against two  other people for Global Fundraiser of the Year at the International Fundraising Conference and took 2^nd place.

Impressive! What about winning that award are you most proud of?

That year on the corporate growth, I had a great team and it was the year I was most myself. I was willing to take calculated risk and I did things my way. I didn’t know any better then. I’m more cautions now, but I learned to be authentic and yourself.

Do you have any plans for your career trajectory?

No. I did 3 years ago but now I feel like it’s good not to know. Ultimately, I’m more content. I want to do something I enjoy getting out of bed for. The first year in this position was full of dread in regards to finding my feet. We’ve now got the organization in a place I wouldn’t have thought was possible two years ago. Now in my third year of a U.S. cycle, it feels like this is going to be a great year for the organization. The stage is set based on the work we’ve done, now I’m just looking for that  big gift like everyone else!

Lets talk about where those gifts come from. How did the organization go about building a donor network here in the U.S.?

Eamonn Coghlan was the catalyst in 2012 to open doors here so many of our contacts came from him. He was known as ‘Chairman of the Boards’ in running circles and very well-known in the Irish-American community on the east and west coast. Also, PGA and Ryder Cup golfer Graeme McDowell from Northern Ireland was quoted in a news article saying he wanted to align with a charity so CMRF sought him out, he got on board and we continued to expand our reach through his supporters.

So many organizations struggle with diversifying their donor base beyond that initial circle of influence. Have you faced that?

Our donor pool has changed only over the last few years or at least our knowledge of the pool has changed. The Gala seven years ago was strictly Irish guests that only Irish people would know, and now it’s so diverse. This year’s Gala features Conor McGregor (MMA fighter), Henrik Lundqvist (Hockey player) and Bret Baier (politics) they are shifting the dial significantly not only in what is actually happening at the event but in terms of the people who are interested in our work. I try to harness the Irish people in that core group so that they then become the ambassadors for this wider cause. I’m also getting more personally involved to create more impactful relationships. For example I would now be carefully monitoring a  donor’s giving history to look for opportunities to get them involved.

Ok so you get people in the room but how do you sell them on a mission that’s taking place in Ireland?

We have some amazing projects we are working on and our work has evolved. We’re unique that the entire pediatric population of Ireland attends our hospital and so we’ve collected amazing data, much of which is now internationally used. We’re currently collaborating on projects in 11 U.S. states. The fact is that 1 in 100 kids worldwide are born with a heart defect, it doesn’t matter what your nationality is, you are affected by this and will benefit from our research. My role is to articulate those funding opportunities to an Irish American audience but also a purely American audience now with those partnerships.

Storytelling is big in the industry right now. I imagine it plays an especially important role in how you communicate to your growing audience.

I find that the challenge of storytelling is making something from 25 years ago relevant now and something people care about today. CMRF is getting ready to celebrate our 40^th anniversary and we’ve put together a book highlighting the leadership, history, and accomplishments over those years. If a donor wants to focus on a specific topic, we can now pull from the stories captured in this report. We’ve never really demonstrated what has been accomplished in this way before. For example, there was an Irish attending physician at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and his work was jointly funded by that institution and ours. He is a superstar but we’ve never used that story for donor impact until now when we’re finally building a cultivation event surrounding him and his work.

What are your tips for managing donor relationships?

Focus on the top 10% of your donors because we know they give 90% of the dollars. Start with the gifts you’re already getting, look to retain what you have and then move them towards something bigger. When it comes to donor acquisition, don’t go too far away. We don’t have time for that. Be focused on having personal relationships and listen to your donors!

You’ve been a professional fundraiser for 10 years, have you noticed any trends during that time?

People don’t prioritize spending time with people. It takes time. Relationships take time. Impact reports take time but are necessary and worth it. Know the donor, record what you can. But you can’t do everything! Focus your energy. It has to come back to relationships. Until people know and trust you, you are never going to move a $500 gift to $5,000. Also, its all relative. A major gift is major to your organization. If you’re going to move them to give more the principles are all the same.

When did you join AFP and what has the experience been like for you?

When I kind of divorced myself from Ireland and came here I had heard about AFP from The Resource Alliance. It was new and exciting. I think I joined in 2015 and I got involved in the Young Professionals  group. I’ve been to some of the events but scheduling is hard with my travel back and forth to Ireland.  I went to Fundraising Day and met some good contacts, I actually found our fundraising agency there. I also went to the AFP National conference in San Francisco in 2017 and am hoping to go to New Orleans this spring. I try when possible to read the communications, and yes I’ll be reading and sharing this one!

It’s January so I have to ask, any 2018 goals?

To play golf at Winged Foot…finally! Learn Spanish. My personal and professional goals often blend. I tend to overcommit. I’ve done the NYC Marathon twice and intended for this year to be the third but was honest with myself that it won’t work with scheduling. From a purely professional perspective, the goal is to crack what we are doing. I learned a lot in year one, changed things in year two, and year three is the jumping off point. Oh and to attend more AFP events!

By Gary Laermer

In my first article for Fundraising Matters I would like to begin by thanking my fellow Board members for their continuing support of the Chapter and our important work.  I recognize their efforts to move our agenda forward and make a powerful statement about their belief in the impact philanthropy professionals have on our City. 

I would also like to welcome our 2018 class of new members to the Board of Directors:

Veronica Bainbridge, Director of Development, Madison Square Park Conservancy

Mindee Barham, Vice President of Development, Grameen America

Leah Heister, Senior Director, CCS Fundraising

Carmel Napolitano, Senior Consultant, DRG, Inc.

Toby Pearce, Director of Development, Hudson River Park Friends

Michael Rodgers, Vice President Development & Philanthropy, New York Road Runners

Susan Shapiro, President, shapiroassociates

Our collective work over this year will be centered on our commitment to our members and the all philanthropy professionals in New York City.

The Chapter board is working to ensure the programs we provide are focused on:             

• Providing best-in-class professional development and education services
• Consistently elevating those working in the philanthropy ecosystem
• And celebrating the extraordinary impact that philanthropy professionals have in our great City, regardless of the size of the agency, zip code or nonprofit cause they are working to support.

Fundraisers make a vibrant New York City possible. AFP-NYC trains fundraisers to create more sustainable organizations that fuel this city and contribute to the lifeblood of its social safety net, its revenue and employment.  Funding the missions of our social service, educational, healthcare, cultural and all other nonprofits is more important than ever, and working with donors to fulfill their aspirations for change and improvement makes us a powerful force for good. 

By demonstrating the importance of trained development professionals, setting standards for professionalism, and training development staff, AFP helps nonprofits to raise more money so they can do more, be more effective in fulfilling their missions, and contribute to New York City.  Thank you to all philanthropy professionals, service providers, consultants and partners for being engaged in this critically important effort.

What better way to express the spirit and power of philanthropy than through the magic of storytelling! This intriguing event not only shared the success stories of five outstanding nonprofit professionals, but underscored the unparalleled power of storytellingin touching the hearts and minds of those who support the 1.5 million nonprofits in the United States. In an age where many funders have placed an ever-increasing emphasis on data and metrics, it is eye-opening to learn that science indicates inspirational stories are far more likely to motivate generosity than numbers. Studies of the brain have shown that compelling narratives light up the brain making potential donors highly receptive to stories that move the heart and provide a genuine struggle with which to identify. In the end, for fundraisers it’s a balancing act—providing the data that many funders require, while never forgetting that if you are seeking to ignite the spark of philanthropy—it’s all about the stories!

From Susan Shattuck

Happy New Year! I hope 2018 is a good year for us all.  As my term as Chapter President ends, I want to thank you for your support of Fundraising Matters and of the Chapter.  These past two years have whizzed by and I’ve truly enjoyed them.

My first article for this newsletter was January 8, 2016 and in it I thanked my predecessor Mark Hefter for his terrific work and said I hoped I could leave the Chapter in as good shape for the next President.  With the help of the board, members and sponsors, I believe we’ve accomplished a lot.  A few of these efforts include creating an advocacy program in Albany to represent the nonprofit sector; development of a dynamic and holistic Diversity and Inclusion program; building on and enhancing our many programs including Fundraising Day, NPD NY Stories in Philanthropy and year-round Mentoring. 

I’m delighted to turn over the reins to the Chapter’s new President, Gary Laermer. I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know and work with Gary as our President-Elect and board member, and of receiving his wise and discerning assessments. I can say with confidence the Chapter is in excellent and capable hands.  

From Gary Laermer:

I would like to begin by thanking my fellow Board members and committee chairs for making me feel so welcome as I transition into this new role as Chapter President.  I must also acknowledge and thank Susan Shattuck for her long-standing commitment to the Chapter and the entire profession.  Susan is an inspirational leader who has helped advance our work tremendously.

I look forward to getting to know our members even better and learning from each of you, how the Chapter can best serve you.  I hope you’ll get to know me as well.  As the Senior Vice President & Chief Development Officer of the YMCA of Greater New York, I have great respect for those who have chosen a professional role in philanthropy.

In the coming months, I will seek your input and advice on how the New York City Chapter can continue to provide each of you and your organization’s even greater value for your involvement.  We’ll focus our collective work on further strengthening our position as the area’s leading professional development organization for fundraisers and as the “go to” source on issues of philanthropy, as well as continuing to elevate our profession.

Thank you for your confidence and please accept my sincerest best wishes for a great 2018!

The New York City Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP-NYC) has elected new leadership to take office on January 1, 2018. Ascending to the office of president is Gary Laermer, Sr. VP and Chief Development Officer, YMCA of Greater New York.  Susan Shattuck, who served the chapter for 2 years, transitions to Immediate Past President. Succeeding Laermer as president-elect is Steven G. Jacobson, Principal of Jacobson Consulting Applications, Inc. Craig Shelley, VP of Orr Associates, Inc. takes office as treasurer, while Jill Scibilia, VP, Philanthropy & External Relations with the Girl Scouts of Greater New York  continues as Secretary.

AFP-NYC also welcomes seven new Directors to the Board, elected by membership referendum to one-year terms starting January 1. They are: 

• Veronica Bainbridge, Director of Development, Madison Square Park Conservancy
• Mindee Barham, Vice President of Development, Grameen America
• Leah Heister, Senior Director, CCS Fundraising
• Carmel Napolitano, Senior Consultant, DRG Executive Search
• Toby Pearce, Director of Development, Hudson River Park Friends
• Michael Rodgers, Vice President, Development and Philanthropy, New York Road Runners
• Susan Shapiro, President, shapiroassociates

In addition, the Chapter is welcoming new staff leadership as executive director Holly Koenig steps down. Chapter associate director Alexandra Cantor Owens will take over as Executive Director on January 1. Owens is a senior account executive with Kellen. Koenig, a VP at Kellen, remains on the team for strategic counsel.

The new leadership joins current Board of Directors members Immediate Past President Susan Shattuck, Co-Founder and Principal, Special Events Unlimited; Gregory Boroff, Chief External Relations Officer, City Harvest; Richard Brown, RB Consulting; JuWon Choi, Director of Learning, Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc.; Hank Goldstein, President,  The Oram Group, Inc.; Edward Griffin, Director of Alumni Relations, Trinity School; Margaret Holman, President, Holman Consulting, Inc.; Vikki Jones, Planned Giving Officer, Weill Cornell Medicine; Trish Lambe, Associate Vice President for Special Events, The New York Botanical Garden; Brigid Lang, Executive Director, Grace Institute; John Linder, Consultant; Richard Martin, Director of Development, Ronald McDonald House of NY, Inc.; Robin Merle; Jennifer Moore, Director of Institutional Advancement, Young Audiences New York; Sarah Nannery, Director of Development, Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey; Denise Nelson, Chief Development and Communications Officer, FPWA; Sunil Oommen, Senior Director of Development, Human Rights First; Michael Ostroff, Founder and President, The Ostroff Group, Inc.; Poonam Prasad, Founder and President, Prasad Consulting & Research; Nancy Raybin, Senior Consultant & Principal, Marts & Lundy; Andrea Schwartz, President, ADS Creative & Mailing; Cathy Sharp, Director of Development, Care for the Homeless; Arik Thormahlen; Kerry Watterson, Senior Director of Development, Year Up; Honorary Directors, Mark Hefter, Associate Vice President of Planned Giving, American Technion Society and Penny Stoil, Founder and Director Project Plus, Inc.