| 1. |
Make
your own gift or upgrade your current giving. |
| 2. |
Provide
10-20 new names for the mailing list annually, especially
for invitations for special events and mailing of the annual
report. |
| 3. |
Provide entrée for staff
to visit two or three close friends or colleagues – no solicitation. |
| 4. |
Help research grant opportunities; review lists of boards of foundations to
see if you have any connections. |
| 5. |
Help identify major gifts prospects and create
individualized cultivation plans.
|
| 6. |
Participate
in the cultivation efforts (taking donors or prospects to
lunch, giving tours, sending birthday greetings, etc.).
|
| 7. |
Attend
workshops/seminars on fund raising. |
| 8. |
Learn how to advocate for
your organization’s mission on a political level. |
| 9. |
Update and reorganize the board orientation process – do one every year
and request all board members, new and current, to attend.
Each board member should say why he or she serves.
|
| 10. |
Ask
staff to train you to speak about the organization. Then
join the organization’s speaker’s bureau. |
| 11. |
Call
donors and thank them for their gifts and interest. Ask
them why they support the organization. Tell them why you
do. |
| 12. |
Put
the organization in your will, sign over an unneeded life
insurance policy or create some other type of planned gift. |
| 13. |
Help
your organization create a legacy society to recognize
donors who have made a bequest or crafted some other type
of planned gift. Keep
on the look-out all year long for potential board members
who could add value to your board.
|
| 14. |
Keep
on the look-out all year long for potential board members
who could add value to your board. |
| 15. |
Help
create a welcome package for new donors. |
| 16. |
Create your own “community rap” or “elevator
speech” to be able to quickly tell your organization’s story
in any given situation. |
| 17. |
Help
create gift acceptance and donor recognition policies for
your organization. |
| 18 |
Attend
your organization’s special events and invite your friends
and colleagues. Continue to cultivate them post-event.
|
| 19. |
Invite
the executive director and/or development professional from
your organization to a community function as your guests.
|
| 20. |
Add
your organization’s website as a link on your identification
information for email, and on your letterhead.
|
| 21. |
Share
your passion for your organization’s mission with people in
your day-to-day life. |
| 22. |
Ask friends
and family to honor you for a birthday or anniversary by making
a contribution in your name. |
| 23. |
Hold
a “parlor party” at your home for a special, targeted group
of prospects or donors. |
| 24. |
Ask
community groups in which you hold membership to sponsor events
to benefit your organization. |
| 25. |
Be
sure that fund raising is included in your annual retreat/strategic
planning meetings. |
| 26. |
Support
an adequate budget for continuing education for development
staff. |
| 27. |
Help
write a case for support for your organization.
|
| 28. |
Hand-deliver
thank you letters with your appreciation to those who make
a contribution at a designated level. |
| 29. |
Call
donors just to update them on the organization’s accomplishments.
|
| 30. |
Take
pictures of the program in action and send them with a hand-written
note to donors and potential donors (be sure that any confidentiality
issues are respected). |
| 31. |
Volunteer
to “work” a fund raising event. |
