Best Practices in Fundraising Identification – Cultivation – Solicitation - Stewardship

1. Best Practices in FundraisingIdentification – Cultivation – Solicitation - Stewardship Presentation and Moderation by Jay Ornellas Panel & Group DiscussionOctober 15, 2011

2. More Basic Truths • Fundraising starts with passion • People want to give – even in rough economic times • You help donors achieve their goals (giving is good for both the donor and UCLA) • Fundraising is a noble endeavor

3. It’s All About Relationship Building • Create opportunities for involvement and interaction • Personal contact is critical • Attentiveness is key • Phone calls are more effective than snail mail or email • Face-to-face interaction is more effective than phone calls • Let the donor/prospect know that they are important and that their contributions matter

4. Prospect Cultivation & Solicitation Cycle

5. Fundraising Terms • Prospect – A potential donor who has been identified as having the capacity to give at the target level, an affinity withthe organization and/or its work, and as one to whom the organization has access through his or her relationship with one or more volunteers and/or staff persons.

6. Identification • Your best prospects are your current donors • Next best are Level 2 and then lapsed donors • Then Level 4 prospects with capacity, affinity and willingness

7. Qualifying Prospects • Capacity • Do they have a level of income sufficient to support a leadership gift? • Affinity • Do they have an interest in and/or an emotional tie to one or more parts of the University? • Willingness • Are their circumstances such that they are amenable to making a gift if asked?

8. Donor Behavior of Alumni Volunteers Reflects living alumni of record

9. Identification Discussion Questions • For Staff • What are your current best practices for identifying Chancellor’s Associates (CA) prospects within “the Heart of the Organization?” • How would you describe a “good prospect” for CA? • Do we have a better “close rate” for prospects identified by our donors and volunteers? If yes, why do you think this is so? • What are the best places for volunteers to “look” for prospects? • For Volunteers • For those of you who have identified prospects who went on to join the Chancellor’s Associates, how did you identify them? • Based on your experience, what are the qualities that you would look for in identifying a prospective donor and where would you find them? • What was the impetus that caused you to become a leadership donor to the UCLA Fund?

10. Fundraising Terms • Cultivation – The process of developing the interest of a prospect through exposure to institutional activities, people, needs and plans to the point where he or she may consider a leadership annual or major gift. Focused cultivation activities can extend over a period of a few weeks to many months or even years in the case of a major or principal gift strategy.

11. Cultivation • Teamwork between UCLA development staff and regional volunteers • Telling your “UCLA story” and listening to the prospect’s UCLA story to personalize the relationship • Using the principles of “Ethical Fundraising”

12. Ethical Fundraisers • Match donor’s passion/interests with University’s needs • Determine and support donor’s ability to give (capacity + affinity + willingness) • Invest in long-term relationships and not just a single gift—especially in an annual fund environment

13. Cultivation Discussion Questions • For Staff • What are the most effective ways that volunteers can help with prospect cultivation? • For Volunteers • When talking to prospective donors about supporting UCLA, what points have been most effective in sparking their interest? Which talking points have resonated with the greatest number of people? • What’s your best “elevator pitch?” • When talking to prospects about supporting UCLA, what have been the most common objections and what have been your most effective responses to these objections?

14. Cultivation Discussion Questions • For Volunteers (continued) • How do you describe your involvement to non-donors and what are the reasons you cite as to why others should support UCLA and serve as volunteers as well? • How do you describe the need to support the Chancellor's Greatest Needs fund? What points have made the most sense to the prospective donors? • How do you describe the need for unrestricted support?  What do you feel resonates best with alumni and parents about the need for unrestricted support? • Why are you a volunteer? What do you find most rewarding about your experience? • Describe how you feel your financial support and volunteerism strengthens UCLA now and in the future.

15. Fundraising Terms • Personal Solicitation – The preferred method of fundraising, involving one or more individuals meeting face-to-face with a prospect to invite that alum, parent or friend to make a charitable gift to the University.

16. Why People Give • What are the three primary reasons why people say “yes” when asked to give? • Because the are expecting to be asked • Because they are asked • Because the right person asked

17. Why People Don’t Give • What are the primary reasons why people don’t give? • It’s not a good match; they are not emotionally compelled • Weak case for giving and/or insufficient stewardship • The wrong person did the asking, for the wrong amount, at the wrong time • They weren’t asked

18. Solicitation The “Ask” shouldn’t make you feel like this...

19. Solicitation It should and can make you feel like this…

20. Solicitation How to get to the “Happy Place” • Overcome your fear • You’re teamed up with a member of the development staff – a professional! • We know the prospect’s passions/interests • We’ve built a relationship with the prospect • We’ve planned the call on the prospect so we each know what to do • Go for a “yes,” but realize you can live with a “no” • Turn a “no” into a “not yet”

21. Solicitation How to get to the “Happy Place” (cont’d) • Follow “Best Practices” on conduct • Check your ego at the door • Convey enthusiasm and positivity • Build rapport • Listen attentively • Look for linkages and connections • Be non-judgmental • Focus on the words, emotions and feelings • Careful body language • Stay on track

22. Solicitation The Steps of the Ask • Open • Engage • Tell your story • Make the Ask

23. Solicitation Discussion Questions • For Staff • What are our current “best practices” for donor solicitation? • What value do volunteers add when they’re part of “the ask” that makes it more effective? • For Volunteers • What approach has worked best for you when you’ve made “the ask” or when you’ve participated in a meeting where the development staff made “the ask?”

24. Fundraising Terms • Stewardship – The development process by which an organization shows gratitude to a donor through timely and meaningful acknowledgement, recognition and involvement and through annual reporting demonstrating the impact of the gift on the mission of the organization.

25. Why People Don’t Give • What are the primary reasons why people don’t give? • It’s not a good match; they are not emotionally compelled • Weak case for giving and/or insufficient stewardship • The wrong person did the asking, for the wrong amount, at the wrong time • They weren’t asked

26. Effective Stewardship - It’s All About Involvement and Saying “Thank You” • Create opportunities for involvement and interaction • Personal contact is critical • Attentiveness is key • Phone calls are more effective than snail mail or email • Face-to-face interaction is more effective than phone calls • Let the donor know that they are important and that their contributions matter

27. Stewardship Discussion Questions • For Staff • What are our current “best practices” for donor stewardship? • What are the most effective ways that volunteers can help steward donors? • For Volunteers • As donors, you yourselves are thanked by UCLA on a regular basis and in a variety of ways. What forms of stewardship have meant the most to you and why? • What suggestions do you have for new, effective ways of saying “Thanks!” to our donors?

28. “The Tiny Essentials of Fundraising” Neil Sloggie • One thing has remained constant in fundraising for two thousand years, that is that the more personalized approach works the best. For the future of fundraising, no matter what happens, it will come back to the levels of personalization that can be provided.

29. Thank You. • Any Questions?