The purpose of
the Good Lands Trust Annual Giving Program is to obtain unrestricted funds for
Trust operations. The Trust has been
successful in drawing restricted funds for the purpose of land protection from
a variety of sources, and needs the complementary funding from individuals to
support operations.
The annual
giving program provides donors, at varying levels, with the opportunity to
invest in an organization they believe will make positive changes in the
community. The resulting donor base opens doors to major contributions,
corporate and foundation giving and planned gifts. Finally, a strong and
plentiful donor base helps carry the message of the organization at far greater
levels than the staff and Board can achieve alone.
The process for
developing this plan occurred in three phases. The first phase consisted of a
strategic planning workshop conducted by
$500+ Benefactor
$100-499 Sustaining Member
$36-99 Supporter
$<35 Basic Membership
First year goals
of the annual giving program are based on 2001 giving levels. All annual giving
program donations will be categorized as unrestricted funds.
Goals for the four levels of membership
in the Trust include:
Benefactor: Renew previous year’s gift at same or increased level
Sustaining: All donors double previous year’s gift
Supporter: Request additional beginning of year gift (no amount
specified)
Basic Member: Membership renewal at $35 or less
The first step
in implementing an annual giving program is to develop a strategy incorporating
the following tasks:
§
Form
a campaign committee
§
Develop
a budget
§
Identify
prospects including personal, business and corporate contacts
§
Set
campaign goals
§
Establish
campaign timeline
§
Identify
and secure recognition items
§
Segment
prospects into current or potential giving levels
§
Identify/create
solicitation tools (letters, phone script, visit outline, etc.)
§
Assign
volunteers to solicit donations (where appropriate)
§
Establish
mailing schedule for all correspondence elements
§
Train
campaign volunteers
§
Conduct
requests for funding through personal visits, phone calls or mailings
§
Recognize
contributions and thank donors
§
Evaluate
success
Types
of giving fall into six categories:
1) Acquisitions (first-time donors)
2) Renewals
(second-time donors)
3) Retention (habitual donors)
4) Giving Club Donors (upgrades)
5) Major Donors (benefactors giving over
$500)
6) Perpetual donors (planned giving)
The
first two years of the Trust’s annual giving program will focus on
acquisitions, renewals, upgrades and major donors. The Trust will rely heavily on the names and
contacts made through previous events and outreach activities.
At
every level of giving, a distinct solicitation vehicle, message and process
will be utilized. However, as the Trust undertakes the campaign, it will
incorporate the following principles:
§
The
more personal the solicitation, the greater its chances of success. Therefore, a more personal approach will be
applied with the largest contributors.
§
Campaign
volunteers are much more effective when they have given themselves. Therefore, all people asking for money will
first be asked to make a contribution themselves.
§
People’s
ability to give varies on a monthly basis.
Therefore, solicitations will be conducted at several intervals over the
year.
§
People
invest in their community – show them why your organization is worth the
investment. Therefore, the Trust will
develop specific “results” that donors will be asked to support with their
contributions (even if those results focus on organizational capacity.)
§
Any
contribution to the Trust can be valuable, regardless of size, and can open the
contributor to a greater level of giving.
Therefore, any contribution to the Trust – cash or in-kind contributions
of true value – will be acknowledged as a membership contribution.
Acquisition efforts will focus on getting donors to contribute to the Trust for the first time at a low, introductory level. Mailing lists will be drawn from Trust events and contact, shared lists with other similar organizations and, when appropriate, from mailing houses.
Any unsolicited contributions or contributions received from personal requests, newsletters, brochures, etc. will be included in this acquisition process. All contributions, regardless of level, will constitute a “membership” contribution, and will initiate the renewal process. Contributions will be acknowledged with a letter to inform the contributor that they are now a “member” of the Trust.
§
Letter
of up to four pages using a second color and underlining to emphasize key
points
§
Return
response form, personalized whenever possible.
Response gives prospect a “gift string” that provides three
options for giving to the Trust at $50, $100 and Other.
§
Return
envelope
§
Outside
envelope, using outside printing when appropriate
§
Compelling
description of Trust programs highlighting accomplishments in protecting
agricultural lands.
§
“Leveraging”
benefits of extending contributions from donors many times over with outside
grants and contracts.
§
Urgency
of program efforts, and a compelling reason for people to join NOW.
§
Photograph
or graphic of appropriate and compelling landscape printed within letter.
§
Develop
mailing schedule
§
Acquire
and organize mailing lists
§
Develop
mailing materials
§
Coordinate
mailing schedule with mailing house
§
Develop
“thank you” acknowledgement letter template
§
Process
contributions including sending acknowledgement letters
Renewals will be sent to basic and supporting members that have given a contribution to the organization in the last 14 months (renewals for sustaining and benefactor levels renewed using special appeal process below). Renewals will be sent as if the member is a “member of the Trust family,” and will not emphasize the reasons for giving as completely as other solicitation tools. If possible, the letters will attempt to resemble a “bill,” in hopes that the member will treat is as one.
Renewals will be sent for up to four consecutive months following the anniversary of the contribution. After four months, people who have not renewed will be moved to the acquisition mailing lists in attempt to gain them back as members.
§
Personalized
return response form with amount of previous years total giving listed, along with a next higher giving level and an
Other category. A section of the renewal
will highlight accomplishments from the last year.
§
Return
envelope.
§
Outside
envelope, personalized to the donor and having some outside printing, when
appropriate.
§
Thank
you for your continuing support of the Trust.
With your support, we have been able to accomplish the following results
(list major accomplishments of the previous year).
§
Members
are encouraged to become “Tree Free Givers” as part of a monthly or quarterly
giving club. Contributions can be made
electronically using direct deposit or credit cards.
§
Please
let us know if any of our contact information is wrong so we can keep our
records accurate.
A
more personalized process will be used for larger contributions, special
appeals at every level and for upgrading members who have given consistently at
a particular level. The following
solicitation process will be utilized at each giving level:
§
Thank
and acknowledge benefactor for previous gift
§
Provide
progress report on Trust activities and finances
§
Describe
new annual giving program and need for giving on a regular quarterly basis to
help stabilize Trust finances
§
Communicate
how funds will be utilized
§
Commit
to keeping donors informed of progress
§
Encourage
donors to offer comments and suggestions
§
Solicit
new potential donor names
§
Request
donor give same or larger gift as previous year (on anniversary date)
§
Offer
to send quarterly reminder on 3/15, 6/15, 9/15 and 12/15
§
Communicate
how donor will be recognized
§
Personal
contact calls donor to set up meeting
§
Meeting
held
§
Follow-up
letter to thank donor for visit and gift
§
Deliver
recognition item
§
Thank
donor for previous gift
§
Acknowledge
donor as part of core donor pool
§
Provide
progress report on Trust activities and finances
§
Describe
new annual giving program and need for giving on a regular quarterly basis to
help stabilize Trust finances
§
Communicate
how funds will be utilized
§
Request
donor double contribution from previous year
§
Ask
donor to consider moving into benefactor category
§
Offer
to send quarterly reminder on 3/15, 6/15, 9/15 and 12/15
§
Communicate
how donor will be recognized
Process
§
Send
letter to inform donor you will be calling them (include newsletter)
§
Personal
phone call made
§
Follow-up
letter to thank donor for gift
§
Deliver
recognition item
Vehicle
– Personal letter
Message
§
Thank
donor for previous gift
§
Provide
progress report on Trust activities and finances (include newsletter)
§
Describe
new annual giving program and need for giving on a regular quarterly basis to
help stabilize Trust finances
§
Request
donor make beginning of year contribution
§
Ask
donor to consider moving into sustaining member category
§
Communicate
how donor will be recognized
§
Send
personal letter
§
Follow-up
letter to thank donor for gift (if appropriate)
§
Deliver
recognition item
Four personal
letter solicitations detailing Trust progress and activities will be sent to
current and potential donors throughout the year. Mail dates and key messages
are as follows:
March 1 Request
to help get the year underway
June 1 Donors
should look forward to annual event in September and in the interim, please
consider a mid-year gift
November 1 Hope donors enjoyed annual event, please consider a
year-end gift
December 15 For those who haven’t sent in their gift, please remember the Trust for a year-end contribution and tax planning purposes
A letter will also be sent August 1 to
announce the September annual event.