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Engagement: How to
Start an Affinity Group
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
Kenton Barham
VP Major Gifts and Planned Giving
Trident United Way
Dustie Lanier
Director of Strategic Initiatives
United Way of Forsyth County
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
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Agenda
• The POWER of Affinity Groups
• Start Up Tips
• Planning Your Affinity Group: Case Studies
• Affinity Group Action Plan
• Idea Exchange
• Question/Answer
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
The POWER of
Affinity Groups
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
The Pyramid of Donor Experience
Ultimate Experience
Continuously Deepen Relationship
Ultimate gift
1-on-1 relationship
Offer engagement
Segment based on interest
Advanced Experience
Build Relationship & Loyalty
Learn donor interest
Segment based on demographics
Educate impact of giving
Basic Experience
Establish Relationship
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
Acknowledge and thank you
Names, contact and email
Affinity Groups
A group of people having a common
interest or goal or acting together for
a specific purpose.
Merriam Webster
Engagement:
How to Start an Affinity Group
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The Road to Community Impact:
Changing Directions for Affinity Groups
From
To
Establishing Affinity Groups
to Recognize Donors
Establishing Affinity Groups
to Engage Donors
Events for networking
Events for networking and
to inform & engage donors.
Donors hear from UW once
or twice a year.
Ongoing communication with
donors
United Way shares
information with donors
United Way listens to donors
United Way materials
translated to other languages
United Way seeks to understand
various cultures of giving, and
includes in message strategy.
Transaction
Relationship
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
Affinity Group Giving Programs
Raised Over $200 Million
2010
2009
Pct Chg
($s)
Women
129
$132,575,947
$119,867,267
10.6%
Young Leader
131
$55,173,273
$47,952,508
15.1%
16
$6,782,524
$7,213,728
-6.0%
Hispanic
7
$880,783
$516,781
70.4%
LGBT
1
$207,317
$88,568
134.1%
Other
17
$5,912,476
$4,504,864
31.2%
$201,532,320
$180,143,716
African American
2005 Affinity Group Total :
$120,184,946
Five Year Growth Rate: 67.7%
Engagement:
How to Start an Affinity Group
UW_Template_022704
11.9%
Cumulative 6-yr Growth Comparisons –
Affinity Group Giving
% Inc. from 2004
110%
95%
80%
110%
Women
Young Leader
All Affinity Groups
Current Year Support
86%
90%
90%
89%
Campaign
66%
65%
70%
65%
64%
57%
49%
50%
41%
35%
29%
38%
14%
20%
5% 0%
-10%
2004
Engagement: How
UW_Template_022704
13%
12%
3%
9%
1%
2005
to Start an Affinity Group
8%
3%
5%
2%
2006
0%
1%
-5%
-6%
2009
2010
4%
-1%
2007
2008
Affinity Group Dollars as a Percent of All
Individual Giving
2010 Individual Giving: $2.55B
2010 Affinity Group Giving: $201MM
10.0%
9.0%
7.9%
8.0%
7.0%
7.0%
6.5%
5.6%
6.0%
4.9%
5.0%
4.0%
4.4%
3.9%
3.0%
2.0%
1.0%
0.0%
2004
Engagement: How
UW_Template_022704
2005
to Start an Affinity Group
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Impact of donor Affinity Groups over the
course of their LIFETIME?
217,500
48,880
3,915
Average Gift
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
2% of Income
Engaged Donor
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Start Up Tips
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
Start Up Tips
Recruit at least
one volunteer
champion
Staff
appropriately
Understand
your audience
Establish the
gift level
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
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Start Up Tips, continued
Connect the group
to the work of your
United Way
Help the group
focus their work
Remember the
basics: ASK.
THANK. INFORM.
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
Determine how to
engage the most
people in a way
that will drive the
change you seek
Don’t underestimate
the need for the
group to have a
seat at the United
Way table
14
Additional Start Up Tips
Have fun. Offer
opportunities for the
members to get to know
each other in a social
setting
As your program grows,
remember your staffing
should increase as well.
Re-evaluate your goals to
ensure:
•
•
•
•
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
Relevancy to your core group
Retention of your donors
Growth of your donor base
Impact is made on your
community
15
Planning Your
Affinity Group
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
What Affinity Group should
We start at my United Way?
Points to Consider:
• How can I build a program that engages donors
over the course of their lifetime?
• How can I build a program that reflects the
diversity of our community?
• What group will yield the largest return on
investment?
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
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Planning Your Affinity
Group: Case Study
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
Goals
Internal (TUW)
Recognize women
Network
Educate
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
Meaningful
Engagement
External (WLC)
Build & strengthen
relationships
Increase $
Decrease designations
to other 501c3s
19
Define Engagement
What is “meaningful” engagement?
• Any interaction that strengthens
donor’s understanding of TUW &
community impact (event
attendance, face to face meeting)
• Strengthens TUW staff member’s
relationship with donor
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
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Define Engagement
Engagement opportunities:
• Steering committee member
• Subcommittee member
• Program/event attendance
• Volunteer project participation
• Placement on another TUW
committee
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
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Engage in Community Impact
Steering Committee
Steering
Committee
Annual
Luncheon
Chair to serve on TUW
Board of Directors
CI staff member speaks at
the beginning of each
committee meeting for 10
minutes followed by Q+A
Awards
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
Nominating
Programs
Volunteerism
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Engage in Community Impact
Annual Luncheon
Steering
Goal is 1/3 membership
attendance
-Met all three years Committee
Keynote Remarks connect to Community Impact & WLC Mission
Annual
Luncheon
-2009 Women & Philanthropy (Charlotte Berry, UWA Trustee)
Awards
Nominating
Programs
Volunteerism
-2010 Financial Stability (Connie Duckworth, ARZU Studio Hope)
-2011 Health (Dr. Ann Kulze, Nationally Recognized Wellness Expert)
-2012 Leadership (Charlotte Beers, CEO, Chariman, Under Secretary of
State, Advertising Execuitve)
* To Be Confirmed
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
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Engage in Community Impact
Awards
Steering
Criteria
relate to recipient’s
Committee
role in Community Impact and
Give, Advocate, Volunteer
-Behind the Scenes Hero
Annual
Luncheon
Awards
Nominating
-Nonprofit Leader Programs
Volunteerism
-Role Model
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
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Engage in Community Impact
Nominating
Steering
Committee
CEO level where possible.
Strategic and diverse with
regards to:
-Workplace campaigns
represented
Annual
Luncheon
Awards
Nominating
-Outside of workplace
Programs
Volunteerism
represented
-Geographic Region
-Various demographics
such as age, race, etc.
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
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Engage in Community Impact
Programs
Plan three programs/events
Steering
annually that connect
to
Committee
Community Impact for smaller
groups than annual luncheon.
Annual
Luncheon
-Education
Town Hall
Awards
Nominating
Programs
Volunteerism
-Financial Stability
Women & Philanthropy
-Health
Healthy cooking class
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
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Trident United Way
Engage in Community Impact
Volunteerism
Steering
Annual Friends & Family
Committee
Day of Caring
Annual
Luncheon
-Engage children, spouses
& friends
Awards
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
Nominating
Programs
Volunteerism
-Learn about Community
Impact
27
Goals
Internal (TUW)
External (WLC)
Network
Educate
Meaningful
Engagement
Recognize women
Build & strengthen
relationships
Increase $
Decrease churn
Decrease designations
to other 501c3s
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
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Measuring Success
Internal (TUW)
External (WLC)
Network
Educate
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
Meaningful
Engagement
Recognize women
Build & strengthen
relationships
Increase $
Decrease churn
Decrease designations
to other 501c3s
29
Measuring Success
Building committees
Continued increases in event attendance
External (WLC)
Staff leveraging WLC to build relationships
Recognize
within the
workplace women
Network
Workplace
“neutral” so appealing to
donors outside of that campaign structure
Educate
Internal (TUW)
Build & strengthen
relationships
Increase $
Decrease churn
Decrease designations
to other 501c3s
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
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Measuring Success
Membership
External (WLC)
2008
550
600
Recognize women2009
2010
675
2011
765
Internal (TUW)
Build & strengthen
relationships
Network
Increase $
Educate
Decrease churn
Decrease designations
to other 501c3s
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
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Trident United Way
Measuring Success
Internal (TUW)
Lower churn
rate as compared
External
(WLC)to all Leadership
givers in 2011:
Recognize women
8.7 % WLC vs. 13.3% All Leadership
Build & strengthen
relationships
Network
Increase $
Educate
Decrease churn
Decrease designations
to other 501c3s
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
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Trident United Way
Measuring Success
Focused effort began with
2011 Campaign,
and the
results
External
(WLC)
aren’t in yet. This will be a challenge
Recognize
women
across the
board, but
we want to
compare WLC trends to campaign
trends in
general.
Network
Educate
Internal (TUW)
Build & strengthen
relationships
Increase $
Decrease churn
Decrease designations
to other 501c3s
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
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Goals of WLC
Define
At the core of every decision,
event, communication
Internal (TUW)
TRACK!Recognize women
Network
Educate
Meaningful
Engagement
External (WLC)
Build & strengthen
relationships
Increase $
Decrease churn
Decrease designations
to other 501c3s
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
34
Trident United Way
Lessons Learned
• Spend significant time planning a
launch or re-launch
•Be thoughtful and deliberate as every
act sets a precedent
• Recruit leadership that shares TUW
vision (ex: our WLC does not have a
focus area - rather funds all CI work)
• Learn from other UWs
•
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
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Planning Your Affinity
Group: Case Study #2
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
YLU members give $250 or
more annually and volunteer
24 hours/year in our
community.
2010: 432 Members;
$249,000 raised
2011: 1,109 Members;
$743,000 raised
Since launch in the fall of
2010, YLU members have
logged more than 40,000
volunteer hours in the
community.
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
YLU members participate in monthly:
• Lunch with Leaders
•Group volunteer activities
•Social events
•Professional Development workshops
YLU members hosted the second
annual Rock United in April, raising
over $10,000 for United Way of Forsyth
County.
www.youngleadersunited.org
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
Affinity Group
Action Plan
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
Affinity Group Action Plan
1. Who are your top volunteer champion prospects
2. What are the desired qualities of the person or persons
who staff the group?
3. What are the top 3 objectives of your group?
4. How will you connect your group to the work of your
United Way?
5. What “benefits” will you provide for your group?
6. How will you know you are successful?
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group
Idea Exchange
Engagement: How to Start an Affinity Group