Assignment:
The Discussion's Question( Least 350 words)
You heard and read about the 8 "mechanisms" that drive charitable giving.
Think about a time that you gave to an organization. Which of the 8 mechanisms drove your giving (one or more of the mechanisms on the list). Did the organization you gave to harness your motivation to request and acquire your gift? If so, explain how. If not, explain how they could have done so.
Which category of donor (habitual, thoughtful, etc.) would you be placed into? How could an organization "upgrade" your donor type?
Donor Relationships: Module Outline
1. Steps in the donor life-cycle. Be able to identify what activities occur in each step (podcast)
a. Identifying donors (donor prospecting)
b. Donor cultivation
c. Solicitation
d. Processing/closing the gift
e. Stewardship
2. Donor prospecting (textbook reading & podcast). Rank these aspects of donor prospecting from most to least important. What steps can you take, as a fundraiser, to gain more information related to each of these components?
a. Ability
b. Belief
c. Contact
3. What can each of the following groups contribute to the fundraising process?
a. Volunteers
b. Board members
c. Existing donors
4. Creating content (textbook reading)
a. How soon after a donor gives should they receive a thank-you/acknowledgment?
b. How frequently should donor content be changed in written communications?
c. What are some best practices for communicating with donors by phone?
5. What information should be included in each of the following documents/data-bases (textbook reading):
a. Prospect list
b. Master prospect list
c. Prospect record
6. What 3 categories of information must be included in donor segmentation? Identify and define them (textbook reading):
7. Because most donors only give once, what does Klein consider the most "fragile" time for contacting donors (textbook reading)?
8. When seeing donor solicitation as part of a relationship, what does Anna recommend as best practices for "making the ask" (podcast)?
9. What are some of the reasons that donors may reject you, and how can you deal with these (podcast)?
10. What are best practices for donor stewardship (podcast & textbook reading)?
Readings:
A Literature Review of Empirical Studies of Philanthropy: Eight Mechanisms That Drive Charitable Giving
By René Bekkers and Pamala Wiepking