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The Ideal Proposal What would that look like in our dreams? How do we get there (today)?

Aim for Ideal: Getting to the Best Proposal Possible through Qs & As E. John McKee Executive Director of Gift Planning University of Maryland Philanthropic Services for Institutions Conference June 26, 2014. The Ideal Proposal What would that look like in our dreams?

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The Ideal Proposal What would that look like in our dreams? How do we get there (today)?

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  1. Aim for Ideal: Getting to the Best Proposal Possible through Qs & AsE. John McKeeExecutive Director of Gift PlanningUniversity of MarylandPhilanthropic Services for Institutions ConferenceJune 26, 2014

  2. The Ideal Proposal • What would that look like in our dreams? • How do we get there (today)? • Walking backwards in time from the Ideal Proposal and looking at the actions that lead there • Once we go back to the question-asking stage, we will turn around and return to an Ideal Proposal

  3. What’s not ideal about gift proposals now? • Volunteer a real life example of a donor who: • Has been heavily cultivated • You feel you know him or her well • You have already asked for a significant gift, either in person or via a written proposal • They haven’t said yes or no, and it has been a long time… • What is missing by our concept of an Ideal Proposal?

  4. The Ideal Proposal (of our dreams) • Appeals more to the donor’s heart than the head • Contains only things that are important to the donor • Not the needs, history, and description of your charity, UNLESS that IS what is most important to the donor • Thus, you obviously have to KNOW what is and isn’t important to the donor • References the (donor’s) past and projects the (donor’s) future • Solves donor “problems”

  5. How do we get to this place of deep understanding of the donor? • We create a space where a gift discussion can happen • We ask a lot of questions • We identify what the donor is getting in exchange for his or her assets • We solve one or more problems with the gift proposal

  6. Creating a space where a gift discussion can happen • Being open about who we are and what role we play at the charity; honesty • Writing everything from scratch; sincerity • Practicing the Golden Rule; empathy • Fundraise wearing the donor’s shoes • Look at the arc of life: where is the donor? • Privacy • Respect • Control

  7. Asking Questions • What are we trying to learn? • What’s in it for the donor? • What are the desires? • What are the limitations? What are the fears? • What are the feelings? • What are the problems? • What are the assets, and who is family? • Asking the right (types of) questions • You don’t need to memorize great questions, but… • You do need to know how to make up the right questions on the spot and as you go along • The right types of questions • Open-ended • Probing to uncover desires and “problems”

  8. What is in it for the donor? • The Even Exchange • What desires are we fulfilling? • Joining the charity’s mission • Honoring or memorializing • Legacy • What problems are we solving? • Tax • Income • Disposing of property • Not enough disposable assets to complete the desired gift

  9. When do we know when to stop asking questions and write an Ideal Proposal? • When you can describe both sides of the Even Exchange… • …and price it out! • When you can articulate how the donor’s life will be better as a result of the gift • When you can recommend specific gift strategies that fulfill their desires and solve their problems

  10. Example of a proposal formed with this process: • We are honored to be in this discussion with you • This is what you shared with me, and these are what I understand are your goals and challenges • These are your options, and how each might work in your situation • My recommendation would be… • This is how I will follow up with you—I can’t wait! • Thanks again for considering this

  11. Questions? • Thanks for coming! • John McKee • Senior Gift Planner • Office of Gift Planning • University of Maryland • 4145 Riggs Alumni Center • College Park, MD 20742 • (301) 405-0320 • jmckee@umd.edu

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