Make a List...
And Check it Twice!

By Tim McCormick, Vice President
Cleveland

The man in the bright red suit is not the only one who should be making a list and checking it twice at this time of the year. All of us in the fundraising profession could benefit from some year-end “checking” to position our organizations for 2007. There are a number of areas we could look at. Here are few suggestions for those that should be near the top of the list.

1. Thanking Key Donors and Volunteers.
Most of us are aware that the number one reason people support organizations is “Because they were asked.” People will provide ongoing support to organizations where they feel their donations or involvement are appreciated and where they feel their efforts make a difference.

It is important to thank a donor or volunteer at the time they make a commitment to the organization. Equally as important is stewardship, the ongoing communication throughout the year to let your donors know how their involvement and support has had a positive impact on your organization and the people your serve.

This time of year presents special opportunities to say “Thank you” one more time to those individuals who have contributed in a significant way to advancing your organization’s mission.

For more tips on ways to thank donors, see New$ You Can U$e, “Are You Appreciating Your Donors?,” December 2003, or “Make Your Last Days Count,” December 2004.

2. The Pension Protection Act
Earlier this year, Congress passed the Pension Protection Act which provides certain individuals tax advantages to make charitable contributions from their IRA accounts. Under the new law, individuals may donate up to $100,000 a year from now through December of 2007. Because of the limited time frame to make a donation, it’s important that you act to help donors take advantage of the Act’s benefits right away.

Have you reviewed this opportunity with your key volunteers? Have you researched your donor data base and identified those individuals who may be able to take advantage of this opportunity, and contacted them? Have you prepared information to respond to donors who may be interested in pursuing this opportunity?

If you have not already done so, spending time implementing these steps over the next several weeks may provide your organization with additional support in 2007.

To learn more about this topic and how it might benefit your organization, see New$ You Can U$e, “Pension Protection Act,” September 2006

3. The November Election Results.
Many areas of the country elected new individuals to represent them on a local, state or national level in November. This means that when the newly elected officials assume their roles in early January, there may be new government funding priorities. Whether you are trying to maintain your current levels of funding or take advantage of some potential new funds, it is important that you establish a strategy to cultivate a relationship with your newly elected officials and their staff members as soon as possible.

A good place to start is to know the priorities the individuals stressed during their campaign and how your organization fits in with those priorities. Preparing a basic information packet about your organization, including your mission, strategic vision, community impact and funding needs will help the new officials understand who you are and why their support is so important to you. You will also want to schedule an initial face-to-face visit as soon as possible. (Keep in mind that newly elected officials have extremely busy schedules the first several weeks of the year, so if you can see them before year-end, you have a better chance of having their full attention).

At the state and federal level it is important to have a relationship with a representative’s staff as well. In many cases, they will be the ones shepherding your requests for support through the process and they can also alert you to new opportunities that may be available. A little effort on your part to get to know your newly elected officials and their staff now could garner your organization additional support for the next four years.

Regardless of what items are on your year-end list, this is a good time to pause and reflect on what has happened in your organization over the past 12 months and to look ahead to 2007. In the coming weeks be sure to take time to renew yourself as well, so that you can make the most of the opportunities that will come with the New Year.

For additional thoughts and suggestions, see New$ You Can U$e, “So You Want to Approach Your Elected Officials?,” March 2006