By Joyce Penland, CFRE
Ah, summertime! Time to kick back and soak up the sun, read that bestseller on your bedside table, and nap in the hammock with a refreshing drink. Sounds great, doesn’t it? Savvy fundraisers will take advantage of summer’s natural slow down to rest and rejuvenate. But savvy fundraisers also know that summer is an ideal time to accomplish those important tasks that will help you and your team get a great start on the year once the busy-ness of fall approaches.
Here are five tips from the Bacon Lee & Associates team to help you use your summer wisely for the benefit of your organization.
Firm up commitments by your volunteer leadership
The summer months are a very good time to have lengthier, deeper, and more meaningful conversations with your volunteer leadership. Take time to visit your board chair and key committee chairpersons personally and share with them your plans and aspirations for the coming year. Then, take time to listen to their opinions and ideas. Finally, ask for and secure their commitment and support for your goals. Too often we think that once our boards or key volunteers have said, “yes” we’ve done all that needs to be done. But wise Executive Directors will continually communicate with their board members ensuring they are kept close to the organization through constant “touches.” The more personal these touches, the more beneficial for you and your organization.
Map out your yearly calendar
We are strong advocates of the “yearly calendar” approach to fundraising strategy. Utilize the summer months to review the successes and challenges of the previous year and make plans for the coming year. Start by penciling in your written appeals, your electronic appeals, any phone outreach your organization undertakes, your board meeting dates, key special events, and any other significant dates to your organization (i.e., 150th anniversary, new executive director’s first day, the anticipated groundbreaking for a new facility, etc.). When you see that your October is filled to overflowing, and there’s nothing slated in February, you and your team can make the needed adjustments NOW.
Conduct your board/staff retreats
“Without retreats we are like a football team that never huddles, never practices, never plans, and does not hold training camps.” These wise words from Peter Twist in a recent Idea Health and Fitness Association’s newsletter expresses our sentiments to a tee!! Despite the challenges of finding a date that works for everyone, summer is a good time to bring your entire staff together to discuss plans and goals for the coming year and to motivate and inspire your team for even greater achievement. Organizations may meet separately as a staff and then bring board members in for higher-level information sharing and discussion. Twist says that it’s essential to “continuously reevaluate your goals, your plan of attack and your focus. The (organization’s) infrastructure, systems, and processes must be regularly reviewed and updated to enable your employees to succeed.”
Clean up your database
We can’t encourage this enough. Summer is an ideal time to take a look at your data to ensure the information on your donors and prospects is as accurate as possible. Your data is the lifeblood of your organization. Since more than 30 percent of the people in your database will have changed addresses or died in a four-year period, it’s essential to “scrub” your data regularly. The U.S. Postal Service offers address verification through the National Change of Address (NCOA) on its website. Segment and work on your donor list first, since your donors are your closest friends and supporters. Ask your staff and board to carefully review it, updating it with new information. A word of caution: Someone with longevity in your nonprofit needs to have eyes on this list to ensure that long-time donors’ salutations and contact preferences are duly noted. Nothing can harm your organization more than sending donors a letter with their names misspelled.
Refresh your appeals with updated testimonials/photos
Putting a fresh twist on your nonprofit’s messaging is a vital task and can be accomplished effectively during the summer months. Using the above-mentioned yearly calendar as a springboard, carefully consider your proposed written communication pieces. Use this time to design, write, (or hire a professional writer) and update and enliven your appeals. Visit select clients served by your organization to assemble quotes and testimonials and to add to your photo file. We’re strong believers in continually taking new photos for your website, your brochures, and your appeals to invigorate and revitalize your messages.
Read for inspiration
Summer is a great time to recharge your own batteries. The comings months offer a great opportunity to pick a fundraising related book or a leadership oriented book that will motivate and inspire you through the rest of the year. It is important for all of us to stay up to date on trends in our field and to work on improving our professional skills. Some of the books you might consider include:
- Donor Centered Leadership by Penelope Burk
- The Chief Development Officer by Ronald Schiller
- Train Your Board To Raise Money: A Cookbook of Easy-to-Use Fundraising Exercises by Andrea Kihlstedt
What is YOUR organization doing this summer to help boost your effectiveness? If you’ve got a tip to share, let us hear from you at www.baconlee.com