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(It’s Easier Than Asking For Money)
Presented by:
Judy Savage - President, Lions Gate Hospital Foundation
Rose Terzariol - Vice President, KCI (Ketchum Canada Inc.)
Why Is Stewardship Important?
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Giving Seems to Have Rebounded
Source: Statistics Canada
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But There’s Been a Decline in # of Donors
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Not All Donors Think Alike
CASUAL GIVER
[18%]
HIGH IMPACT
[16%]
“I give to well known
non-profits because it
isn’t very complicated.”
“I support causes that
seem overlooked.”
“I give to non-profits I
feel are doing the most
good.”
REPAYER
[23%]
FAITH BASED
[16%]
“I give to my alma
mater.”
“I support organizations
that have had an impact
on me or a loved one?”
Source: ‘Money For Good’ report, Hope Consulting
“We give to our church.”
“We only give to
organizations that fit
with our religious
beliefs.”
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SEE THE
DIFFERENCE
[13%]
“I think its important to
support local charities.”
“I give to small
organizations I feel I can
make a difference.”
PERSONAL TIES
[14%]
“I give when I am
familiar with the people
who ran an
organization.”
Major Donor Characteristics
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Deliberate
Discerning
Demanding
Thinking intentionally
about what they want to
achieve through their
giving
Projects are “nice to
have” or “need to have”
Bigger campaigns =
bigger gifts = demand for
more information
Issues not organizations
Tough questions: why we
matter, how we make a
difference, what will
change?
Donors looking for
partnership &
collaboration and
meaningful engagement
How are we linking our
priorities with the major
issues important to
donors?
Who in the donor
community considers our
projects “need to have?”
Does collaboration and
meaningful engagement
mean the same thing to
us as to our donors?
The Stewardship Continuum
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Themes & Characteristics
DONOR ENGAGEMENT
RECOGNITION
SERVICES
(Activity-centred)
(Elements of engagement incorporated
– focus on plans and reports)
• Focus on accountability and impact
Focus on thanking, showing
appreciation, automated
correspondence
• Emphasis on plans, agreements,
and systems to ensure work gets
done
•
Staffed by administrative and
event support
•
Invitation to special events;
events and benefits related to
Giving Circles
• Reports designed to show
outcomes, how the money was
spent
•
•
Annual Report, newsletters
•
Low degree of customization;
high degree of automation
• Recognition in print materials,
naming, and event to celebrate
philanthropy
• Higher degree of customization
continued reliance on automation
(Donor-centred, personalized, one to
one conversations)
•
Focus on engagement;
demonstrating impact
•
Tours, special access to key
leaders, researchers, physicians
•
Sustained effort to create natural
“authentic” relationships
•
Annual lunch / dinner with key
leaders
•
Special correspondence
•
Emphasis on personalized
interactions – cultivation for next
gift
•
Highest degree of customization,
low reliance on automation
Current Model of Donor Relations: Activity Centred
Recognition
Stewardship
•
Naming opportunity
•
Annual Report
•
Donor Wall
•
Impact Statements
•
Donor Lists
•
•
Plaques
Personalized
letters/reports
•
Stewardship meetings
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New Model of Donor Relations: Donor Centred
Public Recognition
General
Communications
Private
Recognition
Donor
Relations
Mission
Engagement
Reporting &
Accountability
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Stewardship at Lions Gate
Hospital Foundation
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Public Recognition
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• Chairman’s Circle
• “Gown”’ donors whose
cumulative giving $50k+ as
Doctors of Philanthropy at a
Donor Appreciation event.
• Become life-time members of
the Chairman’s Circle
• Hosted at an annual dinner
(sponsored)
• Listing in magazine
• 95% continue giving after
they join the “Circle”
Public Recognition - Legacy Society
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• Recognition of those who have
left a future gift to the Foundation
• Hosted at an annual Chairman’s
Tea (with monthly donors) at
Christmas
– sponsored at a local venue
– entertainment
– educational message about LGH
– poinsettias (deliveries to those
unable to attend)
• Listing on a special donor wall
• Invitations to receptions
throughout the year
Public Recognition (cont’d)
• Named spaces
• Annual and
commemorative
donor recognition
walls
• Event sponsor
“Thank You” ads in
local newspapers
• Website and social
media recognition
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Volunteer Recognition
• Volunteer Appreciation events
– ie Directors Social with
spouses; office and event
volunteer Christmas party
• Honorary Directorships
• Recognize volunteers
(Directors, Committee
members) who have
demonstrated exemplary
service during their term
• Community Ambassadors
Private Recognition
• Thank you letters from
physicians and Hospital
staff to donors
• All letters hand-signed
by President
• Thank you calls (for
nearly all) gifts
• Annual “Thank A Thon”
• Patient blankets
• Poinsettia delivery
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Let’s Not Forget…
Mission
Engagement
Reporting &
Accountability
General
Communications
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•
•
•
•
•
•
Hospital tours
“Behind the Curtain” loyal donor events
Meetings with physicians, staff
Women’s Giving Circle
Stewardship Reports (hand delivered)
Yearly/anniversary Reports - updates
on impact of previous gifts
• Media articles on program area
• Birthdays, anniversaries
• Follow-up to those unable to attend
opening receptions
And Let’s Really Not Forget the Internal Team
• North Shore Health Awards for Outstanding Achievement
• Spirit of Philanthropy Award
• Applause Awards
• Healthcare Hero Awards
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Some Cool Ideas
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A Novel Idea to Creating a Donor-Centred Culture
Donor
Summits
inform….
Donor
Engagement &
Experience
strategies
that….
Donor
Councils
bring to life
and monitor.
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Other Cool Ideas
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• Telephone Town Halls (Canadian Cancer Society)
• Name A Gene (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston)
• Fun Awards for Volunteers
• Name in Lights
• Special Donor
Donorof the Day
• Free
Summits
Parking
inform….
Donor
Councils bring
to life and
monitor.
Tap Into Social Media
Victoria Hospitals Foundation, Victoria BC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KFFmTYGRgE
BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, Vancouver BC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h-RF47qpGo
Donor
Donor
Summits Foundation, Estevan SK Councils bring
St. Joseph Hospital
to life and
inform….
monitor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwFDS_KuFog
HealthEast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNYQhyv4MD4
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Some Additional Insights to
Take Away
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Key Trends
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Staffing
Cumulative Giving
E-Strategy
• Donor Relations and Stewardship
is a profession on the rise.
Institutions are doubling, tripling,
and in some cases, quadrupling
staff (used to be 1 professional
plus a secretary) – now teams of
5 or more.
• Organizations using Search
Consultants to hire Directors of
the program.
• The new donor relations leaders
must have a wide array of skills
and an understanding of
fundraising or better yet, direct
solicitation experience.
• Director’s time is devoted almost
exclusively to organization’s high
end donors (approximately 75%).
• Most departments have a writer
assigned to develop donor reports
and letters.
• Typically, staff is occupied with
recognition, reporting, signage,
donor events (high-end), media
and gift acknowledgment.
• Donor listing reflect cumulative
giving to build stronger ties and
lasting relationships with donors,
as well as current and former
senior volunteers.
• Charities are establishing Loyalty
or Giving societies regardless of
level of giving, i.e. for both annual
and cumulative giving.
• Online giving is increasing the
fundraiser’s ability to reach broad
audiences and analyze donor
behaviour. Organizations are
beginning to use emails to thank
donors who choose to make gifts
via their online portals, rather than
traditional mail.
• Donor recognition via Thank You
videos is an emerging mode of
communication.
• E-newsletters, e-invites to special
events increasingly used to
manage costs and notify
segments of donors about areas
of interest.
• Many organizations are now using
Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to
provide health tips, photos, videos
and provide opportunities for
dialogue and sharing of stories.
Best Practices in Stewardship
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Gift Acknowledgment &
Receipting
Gift Acceptance &
Management
Recognition
Reporting
• Prompt acknowledgment
and receipting (within 5
business days).
• Signatory of letter has a
relationship with the donor.
• Letter from CEO to
organization’s most
generous donors should be
highly personalized.
• “Acknowledgment calls”
from leaders and volunteers
for all gifts of $1,000 or
more.
• Offer to deliver receipt for
new donors.
• Welcome package for new
donors.
• Coding of gifts so that all
fundraisers aware of status
of donor.
• Written and signed Gift
agreements, Endowment
Terms of Reference,
Naming and Recognition
policies.
• Gift agreement guidelines to
manage donor expectations.
• Agreements for named
spaces, projects or
programs.
• Clauses in agreements to
reflect investment policies
(endowments) and to
address repurposed or
demolished buildings.
• Form to define degree of
donor anonymity (may not
want public recognition, but
wants to receive
stewardship reports).
• An “alternate” use clause in
Gift agreements in the event
that the program or project
is discontinued so that funds
are reallocated with donor
input (or donor family input if
donor passes away).
• Greatest recognition is to
utilize the person with best
relationship with the donor.
• Donor Walls or Installations
recognize cumulative, annual
and legacy giving.
• Names listed according to
giving levels.
• Donor walls for specific
capital or other special
campaigns, plaques on
rooms and named spaces.
• Donor recognition event held
to honour donor or group of
donors.
• Listing in Annual Report by
level of giving.
• Donor stories in Annual
Report, newsletters,
bulletins, media releases,
and on website.
• Lead donors invited for tours.
• Matrix of recognition by level
of giving and assigned
responsibilities for actions.
• Special recognition for loyal
donors (consecutive years of
giving).
• Personalized Annual
Stewardship Reports for all
donors of $50,000 and above
detailing ongoing impact of
gift, testimonials and thank
you letters from beneficiary
of funding.
• Endowment / Stewardship
Reports written by
beneficiary of funding (e.g.
Department or Program lead)
that includes impact, how
funds were spent, details of
students helped, graduation
information, etc. and a
snapshot of next steps.
• Covering letter signed by
CEO for all donors of $100K
and above and/or
Relationship Manager for
gifts of $50,000 to $99,000.
• Lunch or dinner with CEO
and key leaders/researcher
/Board Chair annually for
donors of $500,000+.
• Visit from Researcher/
physician or clinician.
• Tours of clinic or operations.
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