Building a Bridge: Transitioning Campaign Success into Sustainable Major Gifts

1. Building a Bridge: Transitioning Campaign Success into Sustainable Major Gifts Travis Carley Corporate Vice President CCS AICAD Development Conference Monday, July 16, 2012

2. About CCS • CCS is a comprehensive fundraising consulting and management firm. • Founded in 1947, headquartered in New York City. • 11 regional U.S. offices and 2 international offices in London and Dublin. • More than $3 billion in project goals under management. • CCS designs and directs initiatives for distinguished local, regional, national and international charities across the spectrum of non-profit sectors, including:

3. Course Objectives • Identify the opportunities that are inherent to a successful campaign • Discuss the key elements to forming a continuing major gift relationship during the pledge period • Explore how the campaign experience can transform your annual program • Explore the options for the school’s next strategic effort

4. Congratulations on Your Campaign Success!

5. Campaign Success = Natural Opportunities • Campaigns can serve as a tremendous starting point for a newly formalized or invigorated major gifts program • Peak awareness of the school, its needs and vision • Great enthusiasm and high sights • New donors and newly enriched existing donor relationships • A focus on effective individual solicitation practices • Board and leadership engagement is elevated • Momentum!

6. Making the Most of Campaign Success

7. 1. Campaign Close Out

8. Proper Campaign Close Out • Bring the campaign to a successful and definitive close • Highlight your success! • Focus on the impact on students and programs • Say thanks again and again • The campaign does not end when goal is reached • What you do post campaign will define your relationship with volunteers and donors

9. Post Campaign Priorities • Close outstanding requests • Continue campaign communication • Focus on pledge redemption • Continuation committee • Publish pledge redemption results and impact • Keep up with pledge reminders • Pledge follow up procedures • Monitor pledge progress carefully • Track one-time donors and be ready to re-contact them • Keep the momentum and excitement!

10. … At least! Provide campaign recognition in a timely fashion Put someone in charge! If you haven’t already, determine: “name as you wish to be recognized” Create or update your donor wall Make plans for campaign celebrations or receptions Distribute keepsakes Remember leadership recognition Do What Was Promised

11. Evaluate Your Success • Did we reach goal is just the beginning • What made the campaign a success? • What worked well? What could have been adjusted? • Board/volunteer/trusted donor assessment of the campaign • What did we learn from the campaign that can be applied to our ongoing efforts? • Know Your Numbers: • Lead gift • Table of gifts • # Donors • First-time donors • Success rate • % of ask secured • Board participation

12. 2. Continued Donor Relationships

13. Stay in Contact • Don’t lose the relationships you have built! • You can’t say thanks often enough • Continue to communicate with donors • Project updates • Thanks, not invoices for pledge payment • Stories from students that have benefited • Notes from engaged faculty • Take relationships to the next level • Go beyond the recognition promised • Keep volunteers engaged • Have a plan!

14. Donor profiles Coffee table book Thank-you advertisements Impact/Appreciation Reports Annual stewardship meetings Ceremonies to unveil recognition Creative Donor Recognition

15. Use natural opportunities for stewardship and cultivation as campaign projects begin Events Tours Onsite programs Communication Advisory opportunities Communicate important milestones to campaign donors Begin to tie newly funded spaces and opportunities to ongoing programs Take Advantage of Your New Project

16. Create Stewardship Plans • Each top donor should have a written stewardship plan • Part of an overall donors strategy • Spans the pledge period • Includes a trigger for developing the next donor strategy • Be aware of the transition from stewardship to cultivation • Taken together, these stewardship plans define monthly to-do items for your team

17. 3. Build Your Major Gifts Program

18. Learn from Your Campaign Success • Compelling vision for the future • Well-defined case for support • Table of gifts, a plan and a goal • Dedicated resources and priority focus • Board and leadership engagement • Strategically identified and engaged prospects • Personalized solicitation materials • The power of pledging • Focus on activity

19. Identify a New Vision for the Future • Benefits: • Enables larger gifts • Allows you to tell a complete story • Demonstrates thoughtfulness • Increases confidence • Requires Board and staff involvement • Major gift success requires a vision beyond this year • Is there as strategic plan in place for the next 3-5-10 years • What is the next big step for your institution? • Additional capital needs • Expanded annual support • Phase II of current project? • Expansion of a program • Where does a donors investment fit in the big picture?

20. Nonprofit Donor Cycle

21. Translate that Vision into a Case for Support • 65% of wealthy donors said they are most motivated by notion of giving back to the community • 72% cited making a differenceas their primary motivation • 71% direct their giving to what they feel is an efficient organization • But just 20% believe their donations make a major impact on the organizations they support Source: Bank of America Study of High Net Worth Philanthropy

22. Translate that Vision into a Case for Support

23. Establish Goals, a Timeline and a Plan • Define specific multi-year goals tied to the school’s vision • Use defined timelines and periods of increased activity to create campaign urgency • Use a table of gifts and attach names to each gift • Create a plan and use it to guide staff, leadership and volunteer efforts

24. Maintain Staff Attention and Priority • Effective major gift programs (like campaigns) require daily staff focus • Continue the practice of standing report meetings and activity tracking • Don’t let the pipeline dry up! • Steward campaign donors • Identify new prospects • Cultivate donors concluding pledges • Solicit one-time donors • Build a balanced portfolio over time

25. Keep Board and Leadership Engaged • Keep board and committee members engaged • Use campaign follow up to keep a spotlight on top donors • Continue to use their time strategically, regularly and well • Maintain donor relationships with leadership • Treat board members like major gift prospects (they are)

26. Strategically Engage Prospects

27. Develop Written Donor Strategies • Review prospect relationships • Includes stewardship • Determine ultimate goal and timetable • Plan appropriate actions • Develop specific actions • Coordinate actions with the team • Report and record the results • Review and revise

28. Make your major donor feel special Offer a compelling leave-behind Inspire post-solicitation reflection Give you a competitive advantage Demonstrates impact Conveys urgency Speaks directly to the reader and reflects their interests Contains a specific request and impact Is not a boilerplate Personalized Proposals

29. Power of the Pledge The Cumulative Power of Pledging

30. Focus on Activity Nearly 40% of wealthy individuals cited being askedas a primary motivation for giving.

31. Keep Your Foot on the Pedal Compelling vision for the future Well-defined case for support Dedicated resources and priority focus Board and leadership engagement Table of gifts, a plan and a goal Strategically identified and engaged prospects Personalized solicitation materials The power of pledging Focus on activity

32. Campaign Transition • Structural Options • Another capital campaign (phase II) • Comprehensive campaign • Annual fund supplemented by targeted efforts

33. Comments and Discussion

34. Thank You! Travis W. Carley Corporate Vice President • 800-832-3214 tcarley@ccsfundraising.com • www.ccsfundraising.com Follow us: twitter.com/ccsfundraising Like Us: Facebook.com/ccsfundraising Link Us In: http://linkd.in/hZhTWq