1. Board members are absolutely key. Many grants will ask for a list of your board members. A number of grantors will ask about what percentage of the board financially supports your mission. They want the answer to be 100%. I always tell my board members, “If we don’t care enough about what we are doing to support it financially, why should anyone else?” It is important that they like and respect you. It is equally important that they all give at leadership levels – whatever that means for each person. (We have materials to help board members learn about their proper role in governance and giving.) Board members will ideally be people of influence. They should be respected by your community. They should be people that others turn to say, “What do you think?”
2. Recruit at least three – five additional people to serve on a Development Committee. They will be in training to see if they are a good fit for future board members. They will serve as your right hands in hosting small events that introduce people to your organization and writing thank you notes. (Yes, it takes time to recruit and train them, but it will save you time in the long run.)
3. Use social media. Assemble a team of On-line Ambassadors – folks who agree to like, comment, and share your social media outreach and who will link back to your website from their social media. It seems so simple but it moves you up in SEO and keeps you in the news feeds longer so you can reach more people. You can ask them to watch for posts from others where they can draw attention to your organization in the comments – like, “I know an organization that helps with this. Check out their website.”
4. Now, you have a core group that will help you share your stories. You want ways to share the stories of lives changed. You need stories, and you need people to share the stories with. You need contact information, so you are able to share the stories. You will need names, addresses, phone numbers, e-mails and if possible the relationship to someone connected to the organization.)
5. A sampling of ways to engage prospects:

a. Invite businesses that are interested in your mission or benefit from it to come for a tour or observe your organization in action Be sure to collect contact information from the attendees. Send emails or notes thanking them for coming. Add them to your newsletter and appeal lists.

b. Have Board members and Development Committee members host small coffees, where they invite 4-8 people they think may be interested in your mission. In addition to light refreshments, have a brief PowerPoint or video or talk outlining what is special about your program – include brief stories of lives changed. If you have collateral marketing material, hand it out. Be sure to collect contact information. Have committee members follow up with a phone call, asking attendees for feedback and if they would like to get involved in any way – such as volunteering or donating, and do they know anyone else, who might be interested.

You’ve collected contact information for prospective donors, now what?

a. Consider sending a newsletter two times per year. Share stories of lives changed with a focus on the role of donor support. Tell about a program expanded and the difference that made for a life. Include a donor profile in each newsletter. Telling the story of the donor and their words for why they give. Keep it personal. Lives saved. Understanding gained. Community improved.

b. Mail out an appeal with a response card and envelope to everyone in your data base in the spring and in the fall. Focus the appeal on the difference donors make in lives. You can do electronic appeals at the same time. Keep in mind that in-person asks get 64 times more gifts than either written or electronic asks. So make personal asks of potential larger donors.c.Enlist a well-respected board member to help you solicit the rest of the board.

c. Have your board members and development committee members divide up the names of donors and see that each donor is thanked in writing as quickly as possible – within 48 hours if possible. Call each donor who gives more than $250 the day the gift is received.

d. Once a year, have the Development Committee host a thank you gathering for all donors. Display pictures related to your mission. Have light refreshments. Consider having 3 very brief testimonials from people who understand the power of your work.

e. Have a Thank-a-thon where Board and Development Committee members use a script to call donors and thank them. Usually, they will leave a message.

f. Thank yous from people who benefitted or closely observed the benefit are particularly powerful.