Successful Major Gift Strategies with Michael Baker

Michael J. Baker CFRE

Michael J. Baker CFRE of M3 Development talked to the AFP Suncoast Chapter in March 2013 about Successful Major Gift Strategies. He advocated a 5% strategy – if your job is running the office as development director, dedicate at least 5% of your time to raising major gifts.

Michael covered much in his presentation, a copy of which has been added to the chapter website. Click here to download.

Some of the highlights include the following:

• Don’t wait, just ask.
• Get others to ask for the gift! Peer solicitors are an important resource.
• The wealthiest 3% of the U.S. population gave 50% of all dollars nationwide.
• 32% of donors give because of the tax benefit according to the  2012 Bank of America Study of High Net Worth Philanthropy.
• Women control 60% of U.S. wealth.
• If your organization does not have a strategic plan, your fund development efforts will not have a road map and will struggle with the case for support.
• Look inside your existing donor pool first.

About the Author, Jen Filla

Jen Filla is a roving reporter on the AFP Suncoast Communications Committee. She is also president of Aspire Research Group LLC where she works with organizations worried about finding their next big donor, concerned about what size gift to ask for, or frustrated that they aren’t meeting their major gift goals.

Corporate Giving, Scholarships, College…and Lunch!

(L-R) Kathryn McManus, Debra Faulk of Wells Fargo Bank, and Marc Brechwald enjoy some conversation.

Debra Kent Faulk from Wells Fargo Bank grabbed the attention of AFP Suncoast members and their guests on April 17, 2012, with stories and insights on what it’s like to be a corporate funder and how to best approach a corporate funder for your organization.

 

Her passion to make meaningful investments in the community and her pride in the work of Wells Fargo Bank was engaging. She hosted an intimate roundtable discussion after the luncheon.

Scholarship Winner Ruth Bannhard

Ruth Bannhard of the University of South Florida, this year’s scholarship winner, shared some highlights from the AFP International conference in Vancouver, Canada earlier this month.

(L-R) Victor Teschel hosted University of South Florida Collegiate AFP Chapter members, Kelly Torres and Mitzy Gonzalez

 

There were so many attendees at this month’s luncheon that some people ended up seated on the upper level. Those included Victor Teschel and University of South Florida AFP Collegiate members, Kelly Torres and Mitzy Gonzalez.

Welcome AFP Suncoast 2012 Board of Directors!

On October 18, 2011, the AFP Suncoast members in attendance at the annual meeting voted in our board for 2012. Starting in January please welcome:

Person	Position
Marion Yongue	President
Nora Gunn	Vice Chair & EMC Chair
Beth Fonte	Secretary
Deborah Wagner	Treasurer
Sue Levitt	Immediate Past President
Maggie Ciadella	Communications
Leana Lopez	Diversity
Bill Faucett, CFRE	Ethics – Lead
Nina Berkheiser, CFRE	Ethics Co-Lead
Sara Leonard	Member Retention
Tammy Leventis	Membership
Judy Anderson	NPD
Ruth Bannhard	Planet Philanthropy
Joanne Sullivan, CFRE	President’s Council
David Bryant, CFRE	Programs Lead
Paul Dietrich, CFRE	Programs
Debbie Gavalas	Scholarships
Bryn Warner	Technology
Bart Cobb	Youth In Philanthropy
Janet Ware

 

Affecting Change, Achieving Impact

by Kim Payne.

The AFP Suncoast Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) had the distinct privilege of hosting Andrew Watt, President & CEO of AFP at their September meeting.  He had some very complimentary comments for attendees about the host chapter.

With the theme “Affecting Change, Achieving Impact,” Watt said we’re one large family. While personally not a fundraiser himself, he has worked with professional fundraisers for 20 years.  “There’s no community or people like fundraisers. Working together, we can create positive change,” said Watt.

He was effusive in his comments concerning the contributions made by the Suncoast Chapter.  “Since 2000, you have contributed over $13,000 to AFP which is extraordinary,” stated Watt. “This money is used for developing research and resources, conducting training, advocacy and education,” he continued.

He advocated professionalism as the hallmark of fundraising and a continuing commitment to the community as a critical component. He also recommended developing philanthropic partnerships by thinking creatively.

He also suggested organizations’ value statements should be unique and crystal clear to make your case for funding. The impact a donors’ dollars are making need to be constantly reinforced.  “In order to facilitate change, you need to engage people on their own level,” he remarked.  “As part of your outreach in making connections, it’s important to listen. We don’t listen enough,” he commented.

In conclusion, Watt again told the group to think outside the normal boundaries. “Engage people and keep them; retention is absolutely critical,” said Watt. “Create a relationship and maintain it.  Constantly emphasize  to your donors the key impact their contributions have made towards achieving your mission,” concluded Watt.

Tracey Crocker Joins the Team!

As the new member to the communications committee – I guess the best place to start is by introducing myself: my name is Tracey Crocker.  I spent most of my adult life in Alabama working as a small business owner (ranging from home repair to automotive sales and service) and a pastor.

My fundraising was like most pastors’ “pass the plate and pray”.  A bake sale, car wash, or raffling off the ladies quilting bees latest work was about the extent of my fundraising. While these are all good ways of raising funds, they don’t raise the amounts that are needed to truly help those in the community: the least, the last, the lost, and the forgotten.

After moving to Tampa, I took a position with AmeriCorps Vista. Working for both the National Coalition for the Homeless and the Homeless Coalition of Hillsborough County. Part of my position was to find sustainable funding for the “Unexpected Faces Unexpected Places” Speakers Bureau. What I found was a great deal more.  I found out there was a real profession and a real skill call fedundraising and development.  While online searching for information on a funding model called Benevon, I came across the AFP web-site.   This was a group of fundraising professionals that offered amazing educational tools and training for members, even a code of ethics. The very next day Jen Filla called and invited me to the local Suncoast chapter luncheon.

From the first l moment I walked into the room I was hooked.  There was so much energy and so many people willing to help me grow.  I was amazed. One of the people I met was Beth Eppley, Director of Development for Bay Area Legal Services.  She has become my mentor and friend.

I am now the Coordinator of Leadership Giving at the Homeless Coalition and have started my own business called TDC Consulting Concepts, Inc.

There you have it, my introduction and my introduction to AFP.  I will be providing a blog post at least once a month on various fundraising topics such as interviews, the newest in best practice models and other information on fundraising and AFP.  Please let me know if there is something you are interested in and would like to see posted.   Until, next time.

Sustainably Yours,

Tracey

15-Step Social Media Plan

by Kim Payne.

Bernie Borges

Bernie Borges shared a 15-step social media plan with the AFP Suncoast chapter in July. Social Media is ubiquitous. From Facebook and Twitter to Linkedin and YouTube, social media dominates a significant part of the Internet landscape.

During the AFP Suncoast Chapter lunch meeting, local Internet marketing entrepreneur Bernie Borges, Chief Find Officer of Find & Convert, educated members and guests what sites should be used and why, how to use them to their fullest advantage and if they should be used at all.

Borges advised that social media is still a new frontier and it shouldn’t be thought of as merely a marketing tactic. He indicated there are three strategies of the Social Media ROI Cycle. They include: Launching, Management and Optimization.

He offered a couple of important take-aways:
1. New marketing paradigm – a mindset shift using Content Strategy and Relationship/Engagement
2. You want to be a magnet – attract the right people to your site using Content as your Foundation/Platform

In his closing, he provided a 15-Step Plan to develop a Social Media Marketing Strategy:
1. Persona – identify someone to map out a plan
2. Identify sources of content in your organization
3. Develop content that speaks to the needs of your target audience
4. Develop content for all stages of your customer life cycle
5. Create an editorial calendar of content plan
6. Assign content to as many people as possible (sales, marketing, customer service, etc.)
7. Marketing Department is the traffic coordinator, not the content producer
8. Develop diversified portfolio of content across various media
9. Leverage social media as a Communications & Engagement channel
10. Define many success metrics and measure them
11. Obtaining C-Level support is a MUST
12. Produce content that has a measurable support on sales
13. Focus on educational content; enlighten and entertain
14. Be willing to experiment with content
15, Study content management examples in and outside your industry new ideas

For more information, visit www.findandconvert.com or you can follow Bernie on Twitter:@berniebay

_______________

Kim Payne is the Roving Reporter for the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Suncoast Chapter. Contact him for story ideas via email.

Silence is Golden

Doug Van Dyke

Listening can be a powerful skill in your development toolbox if you only know how to employ the proper techniques.  Improving Listening Skills was the topic of the March AFP Suncoast Chapter membership meeting as Doug Van Dyke, President of Leadership Simplified, shared the 5 keys of great listening and how to apply them in a manner that boosts professional results.

According to Van Dyke, the 5 Keys of Great Listening are:

• Full Attention – square-up your shoulders to connect
• Body Language – have terrific body language
• Don’t Interrupt – it’s an issue; we go into solution mode
• Capture the Essence – the meaning of what they’re saying
• Capture the Emotion – the feeling they’re experiencing

Words account for 7%, tone 38%, but body language is 55%.  Here are 10 Body Language Tips:

1. Eye Contact
2. Fingers on Chin
3. Facial Expressions
4. Lean Forward (slightly)
5. Lean Backwards (relaxed)
6. Neck Rubbing (your own)
7. Gestures – horizontal (warm & welcoming); vertical (alarming)
8. Attending – little nods of affirmation
9. Crossed Arms – interpret as closed off
10. Postural Echoing – doing something similar

The “Sounds of Silence” can best be summarized as:

1.)     Capture the essence and emotion of what was said – repeat back in different words

2.)    Great Repoire Builder – through communication techniques & listening skills

3.)    Be a Fantastic Listener

“Great listening is the lynchpin of great communication.”  “There is power in silence,” concluded Van Dyke.

Van Dyke is the author of Leadership Simplified – The Field Guide for Savvy Leaders.  For more information about Doug Van Dyke, visit http://www.leadershipsimplified.com

Jay Goulart asks, “Are you capturing emotion?”

The Florida Suncoast  Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) held their monthly meeting on February 15, 2011 at the Centre Club, Tampa.  The AFP Suncoast Chapter serves over 250 members in the greater Tampa Bay area.

The Chapter meeting luncheon speaker was Jay Goulart, Director of Advancement, Academy at the Lakes, who addressed the topic, “Designing Organizational Focus,” to the assembled audience of more than a hundred. Goulart later led a roundtable discussion of about 20 individuals and answered participants’ questions.

His presentation focused on the importance of taking responsibility for confronting fundraising efforts by board members and key stakeholders by delineating a clear and concise purpose.  Having them concentrate on the proper tasks will allow the fundraising professionals to continue to build a long-term, successful endeavor.

Goulart said that FAR – Find, Ask and Retain, was the fundamental principle in any development-related activity.  He stated that emotions drive behavior, and the critical nature of valuing trust.  He outlined the “Key Elements of Trust”:

1. Competence
2. Reliability
3. Integrity
4. Communication

According to Goulart, open and honest communications is also a significant factor for internal staff and external messaging in helping to design and customize the donor experience.  “Capturing the emotion is essential to a successful fundraising effort and our overall, continued success,” concluded Goulart.

Recommended Reading:

• Orbiting the Giant Hairball by Gordon MacKenzie

Tami Milner Scholarship Story

Tami Milner

At the February 15, 2011 AFP Suncoast chapter meeting, Tami Milner, Associate Director of Development at the Hillsborough Education Foundation shared how she used a scholarship to attend a local conference:

“I work for an organization that is very supportive of external training so when I heard about the chapter scholarships available to AFP members, I immediately did my research.  I found out that I was eligible to apply because  I was a supporter of the ‘Every Member’ Campaign and I volunteered on a committee. I decided to apply for a scholarship to defray expenses to attend the Plant Philanthropy conference in Boca Raton last summer.

The scholarship is available online and it’s very easy to fill out. The application took me about 20 minutes to complete, and after submitting it, I was notified that I would receive $500 toward my expenses for Planet Philanthropy.

I received a lot of useful information from this conference. The sessions I decided to attend focused on Engaging with Foundations, Grant Making, Board (committee) Development, and my favorite was how to win over an unhappy donor! I encourage you to get involved and apply for a scholarship!”

Members: Tracey D. Crocker & Marla D. Grant

(L-R) Tracey Crocker, Margaret Djekovic and Greg Williams

Last year, I invited Tracey Crocker to come to a meeting. She liked it so much she became a new member of AFP and the AFP Suncoast chapter. Her energy and enthusiasm for the fundraising field has made her exciting to be around. When she introduced two guests at lunch on January 18th I felt compelled to tell you the story.

Tracey is Director of the NCH Florida Project for the Homeless Coalition of Hillsborough County. She encouraged her colleague Margaret Djekovic to join AFP and they brought their colleague Greg Williams, who also works for the Homeless Coalition of Hillsborough County. I had the pleasure of talking with them about volunteer opportunities and that led me to introduce them to Marla Grant, who is the primary administrator of the AFP Suncoast page.

Marla D. Grant

Marla has been interested in starting a new initiative within the chapter to help people who are new to the fundraising field get acclimated. Already, Marla does a GREAT job of posting resources on the Facebook page. She filters through the massive amounts of information available online and posts only the resources she finds most valuable.

Getting involved in AFP is like turning a little snowball into a mighty army of snowpeople (forgive me but it is winter even if we don’t get snow in Florida!) What started with me inviting Tracey and working with Marla on Facebook is now likely to turn into a great sub-community for new fundraisers. See how easy that was? What an amazing chapter we have!

So share the love and invite people you know who would benefit from all that AFP Suncoast has to offer.

P.S. And if you want to talk with Marla about resources for new fundraisers, why not give her a post here:  http://www.facebook.com/AFPSuncoast