You’re Invited!

It’s time to talk campaigns.

At Kennari Consulting, we are dedicated to giving nonprofit organizations the skills and resources they need to prepare for their futures. On September 7th, from 12-1pm, join us for lunch as we discuss Campaign Readiness and what it means to be prepared for a campaign. Capital campaigns are wonderful opportunities to move your organization forward, facilitate change within your community, and engage your donors, but they require much planning and preparation on a whole range of development components. So even if a capital campaign is the farthest thought from your organization’s mind, join us to learn what strategies you can implement today to guarantee capital success tomorrow. You won’t want to miss it!

Date: September 7, 2017
Time: 12:00 – 1:00 PM
Location: 401 Hall St. SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 – First Floor Conference Room
RSVP: Click here to register

When a donor makes a gift, it should be obvious to send them an acknowledgement quickly. But why? Well, it’s the right thing to do! It also gives the donor confidence by letting them know you did receive their gift and it reminds them why your organization is so important.  It lets them know they made a wise investment!

There are many great ways to say thank you to a donor. First and most important, the thank you letter. Like a broken record, we’re going to tell you that you should have that letter in the mail within 48 business hours of receiving the gift.

What should you include in the thank you letter?

• Include a story about something exciting happening through your organization’s mission because of donations received. This gives the donor an idea of how the donation might be used in the future.
• If it’s the first time the donor is making a gift to your organization, if they are a returning lapsed donor, or they made a significant increase, make note of it.
• Provide contact information, preferably for someone in your development office, as an easy point of reference if needed.
• Add a P.S. line with an additional call to action to keep the donor engaged: Sign up for eNews, attend a tour, sign up for a volunteer orientation, follow us on social media, etc.
• IRS Language stating the amount of the gift received, the date, and the value of goods received only, which is usually $0. You are NOT tax advisors, so don’t overthink this part.
• A live signature – no electronic images!

When thinking through your acknowledgement process, it can be helpful to develop a matrix based on the gift received. This matrix can include strategies for thanking different donors in different ways. Some strategies include a general letter, a handwritten note on a letter, a phone call from staff, or a phone call from the executive director – just to name a few. Think about how you might thank each of these donors differently:

• First time donor under $100
• First time donor over $100
• First time donor over $1,000
• Regular donor that sends in $100 at year end every December 31
• Regular donor that sends in $1,500 every spring “just because”
• Monthly donor
• A donor that reaches a giving milestone: 5 years of gifts in a row or $1,000 in cumulative giving, for example

Capital Campaign Recognition

The right strategy for acknowledging donors is not just limited to your annual fund donors.  A capital campaign often comes with naming opportunities such as named rooms or space, bricks, tiles, or a donor wall or display. The key to making a donor happy during a permanent naming installation? Communication! Never assume you know what a donor wants their named space to reflect. Even if you ask them on a pledge form to indicate how they prefer their name be listed on recognition pieces, always confirm the listing with them. If you’re able to get a proof of the print or brick, for example, send it to them for approval. They will appreciate the added communication in the long run.

In summary, if you put the same thought and care into thanking your donors as they put into making their gift, they will understand how special and important they are to your organization.  When donors feel valued and important, they will continue to deepen their investment with you.  As a result,  you will see better retention rates, which directly helps your organization achieve its mission!

Although corporate giving should not be the focus of fund development efforts for organizations overall, it can be an important component of the annual fund.  And, some organizations lend themselves particularly well to a comprehensive program.

Corporate, service club, faith, and student groups can make more informed decisions when you offer them either a comprehensive sponsorship or comprehensive partnership package.  You benefit because a single solicitation annually frees your valuable time for deeper cultivation opportunities.

So, what are they exactly?  Comprehensive packages share these characteristics:

• They are part of your annual fund strategy.
• You send one solicitation per year in which you offer a menu of tiered offerings, graduated from small to large, with benefits calibrated to financial size.
• Donors have some choice and flexibility.
• Donors care about your mission but also appreciate the self-interested “halo effect” they derive from association with your nonprofit.

Comprehensive sponsorships focus more on event benefits.  Your sponsors will still receive valuable touch points from you throughout the year in order to cultivate relationships.

While both comprehensive sponsorships and partnerships provide your donors visibility, comprehensive partnerships offer a variety of ways for them to engage with you.  This can be through events, volunteerism, education, workplace giving, complimentary memberships or use of your facility, and more.

What do you have to offer your sponsors outside of event benefits? What volunteer engagement activities can you offer your sponsors?

These two questions help determine which path is best for you.

So which is better for you?  Start with some self-analysis of your organization and donor base.

Whichever route you choose, these key steps will help you design your comprehensive program:

1. Determine what benefits donors can receive and distribute these across tiers you establish. Identify the donation amount associated with each level.
2. If you’re creating a comprehensive partnership program, what engagement options would your donors value?
3. Bomb proof your plan. Confirm you can fulfill the benefits you provide.  Are the tiers graduated appropriately?  Does the monetary value of all benefits exceed 30%?   (An added benefit of this exercise is that it helps you determine the non-deductible portion of a donor’s gift.)
4. Identify whom you’ll approach.
5. Meet with your donors to explain your comprehensive program and gain their support.
6. Listen during these meetings and document their wishes. It will help you with cultivation and guide changes to their partnerships with you.

Ultimately, both of these programs are best for growing and cultivating existing sponsors and relationships. Through the process, you will learn what your donors value about your organization as you begin to build stronger relationships with them and offer them opportunities to have a deeper investment in your mission. And remember, this is not a one-size-fits-all approach. If you are trying to determine the best program for your organization, please reach out to us so we can help you!

Your Board Manual: A Training Tool and a Permanent Resource

The Board Manual plays a key role in Board Orientation and Training, but it should also be an ongoing resource for members. Board members are often reluctant to fulfill their roles because they don’t feel knowledgeable about the organization they have agreed to serve. These are your highest level volunteers who are making a commitment to assist in the overall accomplishment of your mission. A well-designed manual will provide the basic information they need to be empowered to take action on behalf of your organization.

Your Board Manual should be a living document that reflects current circumstances. As policies, key staff, or processes change be sure to update those pages in hard copies and/or electronically. Assign a staff member the role of making changes as needed and sharing updates with Board Members.

How should your manual be distributed? Hard copy or electronically? This is an organizational decision and, for security reasons, you probably don’t want to simply email it. Depending on your culture, it may make sense to provide a hard copy but also have a protected page on the website with an electronic version. If providing electronically, make sure it is optimized for mobile platforms.

Why do board members need a manual?
• Know the people — List of all board members, their terms, and their contact information; a list of staff; an organizational chart
• Know the responsibilities — Description of board member responsibilities; job descriptions of the officers; all committee description and a list of members
• Know the legal framework — Articles, bylaws, Form 990, board-related policies, liability insurance
• Know the organization — A short organizational history, highlighting the key historical events; mission statement; fact sheet about the industry

Sample Table of Contents

1. History of the Organization and Current Annual Report
   • Board Roster
   • Agendas & Minutes
     • include most recent
     • 3 hole punch agendas for meetings to add to binder
     • include events and meeting dates
2. Core Corporate Documents
   • Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws
   • Tax-Exempt Status – IRS
   • Tax-Exempt Status – State
   • Mission, Vision, Tag-line, logo
3. Board Member Policies to sign and return
   • Conflict of interest disclosure statement
   • Code of Ethics for Board Members
   • Expectation Policy
   • (Also included: Emergency contact information sheet for board members)
4. Description of Programs and Services
   • Strategic Plan
   • Project info if they are in a campaign
5. Staff Profile
   • Organizational Chart
   • Volunteers: How the organization involves volunteers
   • Personnel Policy Manual
6. Financial Overview
   • Current Budget and financial statements
   • Most recent Audited Financial Statements
   • Most recently filed Form 990
   • Revenue and expenses at a glance (pie-chart)
7. Fund Development Resources
   • Case Statement & Messaging Matrix
   • Board Role in Fundraising/Donor Pyramid
   • Current Board Analysis
8. Board Operations
   • Board of Directors’ Responsibilities
   • Executive Committee Function Committees – Brief description of each
   • Telephone Meeting Call-in Information and Protocol
   • Critical Corporate Resolutions and governance policies
     • Executive compensation policy
     • Full board review of the 990
     • Whistleblower protection

This information was presented at our May 2017 Kennari Consulting client round table.

Meet Claire Timmer, a Senior at Aquinas College majoring in Business and Communication and minoring in Community Leadership. Claire spent both semesters of her Senior year interning at Kennari Consulting before graduating in May.
 

What were you looking for in an internship?

When I began my search for a Senior year internship, I was looking for a place where I could further my knowledge in the nonprofit sector. Additionally, I was seeking to learn the ways in which the business sector (my major field of study) intersects with the nonprofit sector (my minor field of study). Working with the team at Kennari Consulting, coming into work each time has been exciting, as I am learning new things every day I am here. No one day is the same as the next when you are an intern at Kennari Consulting, and I thoroughly enjoyed that.  

What did you learn from your internship at Kennari Consulting?

Over the course of my internship at Kennari Consulting, one overarching lesson I learned time and time again, was that I had a passion for fundraising and I wanted to turn that into a career after graduation. I learned that there are a multitude of opportunities in the philanthropic world, specifically in Grand Rapids. At Kennari Consulting, I had a behind the scenes look at the day to day tasks and operations of both a consultant and a fund development professional. Kennari Consulting gave me the opportunity to shadow their team of consultants each week. I sat in on meetings with numerous clients, shadowing the consultants and learning a wealth of information as it pertains to philanthropy and fund development. I also had the opportunity to work in the office at Kennari Consulting where I learned the day to day office tasks and operations of the business side of a consulting firm.  

What projects did you work on over the course of your internship?

During my internship at Kennari Consulting, I also had numerous opportunities to work closely with our clients. For example, in the fall semester, I worked closely with the Hispanic Center of Western Michigan to plan their Entre Amigos table hosted luncheon. During the fall semester, I also spent time researching data that Kennari Consulting regularly provides their clients with. For example, I read and studied the Burk Donor Survey and then I presented the information from the Survey to one of our clients. The information I collected from the Burk Donor Survey was highlighted in a Kennari Consulting newsletter as well. During spring semester, I worked with Holland Museum on their first ever Trivia Night table hosted event. I also gained marketing experience working with Our Hope Association to promote their role in the Art Van Charity Challenge. It is evident that Kennari Consulting gave me the opportunity to work hands on with our clients, which is a benefit that an intern elsewhere typically does not experience.  

How will this internship help you in school and/or your career?

As a result of interning at Kennari Consulting, I learned that I want to work in fund development in the nonprofit sector post graduation. Kennari Consulting provided me with the opportunity to work hands on, directly with their clients, from which I learned so much. Another huge benefit of interning at Kennari Consulting is that you make great connections within the community! I met numerous individuals over the course of my internship and I am so grateful that I made connections with so many of them.

I am so grateful to have interned at Kennari Consulting and I will be forever grateful for all the knowledge and experience their amazing team provided me!

 
Claire has been an invaluable asset to our team during her two semesters at Kennari Consulting. We are so grateful for her hard work and willingness to step up and tackle every project sent her way. While we will miss having her in the office, we are so glad we’ll have the opportunity to see her in the future as she begins her career in the nonprofit sector.

To learn more about Kennari Consulting’s internship program, please email Kim Kvorka at kim@kennariconsulting.com.