On their way to AFP Congress..

My colleague Ruthann Richardson and I got to make some really cool calls yesterday. We got to speak to the four people we'd chosen on behalf of Pareto Fundraising as recipients of passes to AFP Congress at the end of the month.

We received a large number of really good applications, which made our job harder. But there were four that really stood out for us.

So we were thrilled to award the four Congress passes to:

Pam Bastedo from Meal Exchange
Aileen Doyle from JHR (Journalists for Human Rights)
Elaine Scrivener from Mark Preece Family House
Mary Warner from the Toronto Renewable Energy Cooperative

Each of these individuals shared with us what they were most excited about learning at Congress and how they would be able to use the knowledge and experience gained to further their organizations fundraising and make the world a better place.

Thank you to all who those who took the time to submit an application. And congratulations again to Pam, Aileen, Elaine and Mary. We think you rock! And we know you'll make the most of the three days.

We’re really looking forward to a great Congress.

I'm personally looking forward to bring inspired, challenged, taken out of my comfort zone and perhaps having some fun along the way.

See you there.

Jonathon

Time to stop our unhealthy obsession...

I read with interest this morning the latest philanthropic trends report delivered by KCI Ketchum, which you can read here. Thanks to KCI firstly for releasing this.

Actually, I read more with angst than interest. The fixation by our sector (not donors) on 'cost to raise a dollar' bugs me for four reasons:

1 We perpetuate the problem ourselves. Organization's claiming that they spend no money on fundraising and administration set unrealistic expectations for the rest of us.

2 It's a storm in a tea cup. When was the last time someone told you they don't or haven't supported you because you are not fiscally responsible? Or the last time a donor left you because they weren't happy with your ratios? Or the last time you asked a donor why they support you and they responded with "I am passionate about your low administration costs".

Give me a break.

Ron Dumouchelle, President & CEO, VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation says, “however, in our experience, it is not an issue that is often brought to us directly by our donors.

3 We spend an exorbitant amount of time worrying about this. I'd argue time that could be spent more effectively, actually fundraising.

And finally, but probably most importantly..

4 Cost per dollar ratios are flawed.

As Innes van Nostrand, Vice Principal, Upper Canada College says in the KCI article, "..The way this ratio is positioned with the public leaves the impression that a low cost per dollar raised indicates good overall performance on the part of the organization..

..The problem is that the ratio doesn’t take into account other factors that are critical to how well an organization is performing – factors like the quality of services, the kind of fundraising being done, the longer term outcomes of programs or even whether donors gifts are being used as intended. As a result, for most charities, I don’t think it is wise for it to be the sole or primary indicator of a charity’s performance or worthiness for investment..”

Here, here Ingrid. Couldn't have said it better myself.

Let's stop the obsession with this and get on with doing what we do best. Fundraising.

Jonathon

Canadian charities rocking on monthly...

Amongst all the doom and gloom, there is some good news.

At Pareto Fundraising we recently released the latest findings from our ongoing benchmarking studies.

Firstly, a big thank you as always to the 10 amazing organization's who participated and who are raising the bar when it comes to leading edge fundraising. Not to mention their openness to sharing.

Quite simply, you rock.

Check out our media release here.

In short, the biggest message that came through this was: monthly givers are recession proof. This form of giving continues to strengthen, on every measure. They are resilient in every way. Frankly, they are just bloody brilliant people.

In addition to this latest evidence, if you need any more ammunition about why its such a fantastic way to engender support, I have loads of old posts here, including this one from last year entitled getting the most by getting it monthly.

There are some other really interesting insights uncovered in our latest findings, including our members collectively increasing individual income in 2008. Although in terms of sheer impact, none was more impactful than the reiteration of the power and magnitude of committed, monthly support.

So in case I didn't make myself clear enough: monthly, monthly, monthly, monthly, monthly....

Jonathon

Thinking ahead rather than looking behind

It's been a week of prognosticating and big thinking. Kicked off by Ken Burnett's future of fundraising vision, which I commented on here earlier.

Ironic actually as I'm in the midst of reading a great book on how bad we are in the world at decision making and creative thinking. Check out Edward De Bono's Think!: Before it's Too Late: Twenty Three Reasons Why World Thinking is So Poor

Ironic also because we do tend to spend a lot of time (guilty as charged) looking back. Talking about past successes and failures.

I remember hearing Bernard Ross talk about this at a session once, critical that all we do at fundraising conferences is regurgitate old stuff. A showcase of what's happened in the past, an almanac of fundraising campaigns, if you like.

So Bernard has done something about it and pulled together the aptly named fundraising scenarios site that's generating lots of interest right now.

I've used this forum to follow up my earlier post about where I see us needing to go as fundraisers moving forward. You can view my thoughts here.

Jonathon

Crystal ball gazing

I thought it would add my 20 cents worth on Ken Burnett's interesting piece about the Future of Fundraising.

Thanks to Ken and Bernard Ross for opening up this dialogue.

It's about 5 minutes long, enjoy.

Jonathon

PS - I'm going to follow up with some more detail on the 4 items I discuss over the coming week. Watch this space.

The acquisition hook

It's damn tough to find new supporters. It's even harder to keep them.

So if it's so hard to keep them, why don't we revisit the hook that got them to support us in the first place?

I think this is too often overlooked.

Your acquisition pack talks about Darfur. Or perhaps your street canvasser talks about land preservation.

We then get so excited at the lovely new person that comes on board that we forget about what made them tick in the first instance.

Get back to your (acquisition) roots. Make it normal practice to bring your new donors back to where they just were, just days or weeks ago. Use some variable copy in the next appeal or that subsequent phone call to remind them why they did what they did.

Remember, it was damn hard work finding them. If you play back why they made that decision to help you, you'll find it a little easier to hold onto them.

Jonathon

Keeping it fresh

When was the last time you took stock of every touchpoint you had with your supporters?

Sean Triner wrote a really good blog today about how in many ways not much has changed in fundraising over the past 120 years. Namely, long letters still work, much like they did for Dr Barnardo's in the 19th century.

That is true. And I'm very much an advocate of doing things that works. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.

But what I do see too often is stale communications. Ask yourself, does this communication advance the relationship with your supporters? Does it cut through the clutter?

I ask because I see lots of stuff that is downright dull. Crusty and old.

So, enough of the ranting. Here is some 'meat to the bones'. I'd suggest you:

1 Make a habit of critiquing every piece of literature that reaches your supporters. By that I mean appeals, newsletters, telephone scripts, e-communications, thank you letters, welcome packs. By 'habit' I mean at least twice a year.

2 When you analyze each of these pieces, do the following:

- Read it aloud, preferably to someone else. Does it sound like something you would actually say or does it sound like an advert for health insurance?

- Get someone else (who isn't intimately involved in the fundraising program) to critique them. You'd be amazed at how much can creep into your materials that doesn't make any sense or just doesn't sound right. Health warning: you're not looking for someone to mess with your fundraising, like suggest you take out all asks. You're wanting someone to see if what you're saying makes sense.

3 Look around you. There are a vast array of really good and very relevant supporter communications out there. Specifically look at the way other organization's communicate with their donors (online, offline, via the phone). Look out for materials that are simplistic and easy to understand.

4 Strip out as many references to you . It isn't about you. It's about your wonderful donors and those people/animals/environment they generously support. Spend most of your time talking about the latter.

5 When you think you've done all of this, repeat steps 1 through 4 one more time.

This may not be the most fun or sexiest part of your job. But it helps to ensure:

- That you're not stale
- That you're communicating with donors, not at them
- That you care enough to tell it as it, right now

Jonathon