Keep Your Donors: The Guide to Better Communications & Stronger Relationships

Praise for
Keep Your Donors
The Guide to Better Communications and Stronger Relationships
"No other book on the market addresses the primary role of fundraisers—building relationships. The duo of expertise from Tom Ahern and Simone Joyaux make this the book to own. An instant classic."
— Susan F. Rice, ACFRE, former chair, CFRE International
"At LAST! Ahern and Joyaux have produced a much–needed volume that combines concrete theory with the realities of fundraising to create a practical guide to fundraising communications. This will be an essential addition to every fundraiser′s library and an important resource for CFRE exam candidates."
— Morgean Hirt, Executive Director, CFRE International
"A great book...a great read...value beyond words. Ahern and Joyaux have married ideas, insights, stories, and real–life examples to remind us all...it is all about the donor."
— J. A. (Tony) Myers, Advisor to the President (Strategic Initiatives) University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
"Brilliant! A wonderful combination of big picture inspiration and practical know–how. A must–read for anyone in the nonprofit sector who cares about receiving contributions from donors."
— Alexcia WhiteCrow, CFRE, Development Services ManagerPlanned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota
"These pages are filled with everything you need to know about relationship fundraising—written in an easy conversational style that will have you fully engaged as a reader. The placement of sound, practical advice within the context of the deeper meaning of nonprofits and philanthropy creates an extraordinarily satisfying experience for the reader."
— Carol Golden, Executive Vice President & Chief Philanthropy OfficerThe Rhode Island Foundation
"Tom and Simone have made an invaluable contribution to the art and science of relationship building that is the hallmark of successful philan thropy. This timely, practical, and thought–provoking book should be shared with institutional leaders, volunteer boards, and development professionals who are committed to challenging themselves daily to be donor–centered. The writing style is engaging, opinions are supported by research and, in their usual style, the authors have liberally shared best practices that can be readily adapted to all sectors and program size. Read this book with a pen and pad in hand and learn how to master the art of telling donor stories."
— Pearl F. Veenema, FAHP, President & CEO, Hamilton Health Sciences FoundationImmediate past chair, Association for Healthcare Philanthropy
"A broadly nuanced view of written and personal fund development communications and their purpose—creating and sustaining relationships—that embraces philosophy, strategy, and practical tips. The counterpoint of their style intrigues, and their prose is lively and surprising: interspersing anecdotes with intermezzos with powerful challenges to the way we approach our work and our relationships. Bravo!"
— Kay Sprinkel Grace, Principal, Transforming Philanthropy, LLC

Spis treści:
Preface.
Acknowledgments.
CHAPTER 1 Beginning at the Beginning: The Context for Everything Else.
Why the Larger Context Matters.
Philosophical Framework.
This I Believe.
Building Community.
Building Community Redux.
Effective Organization.
Key Components of Effective Organizations.
Effective Fund Development.
In Conclusion.
INTERMEZZO #1 Why?
CHAPTER 2 The Red Pants Factor: A Story about the Power of Questioning.
Finding Your Own ‘‘Red Pants Factor’’.
A Postscript from Black Dress.
INTERMEZZO #2 What Do All the Words Mean?
CHAPTER 3 Key Components of Effective Organizations: Part of the Larger Context for This Work.
Adopt an Organizational Development Approach.
Limitations of Technical Fundraising.
Turning You into an Organizational Development Specialist.
What the Organizational Development Specialist Needs to Know.
Build a Culture of Philanthropy.
Concept of Corporate Culture.
Culture of Philanthropy.
Meaningful Questions.
Personal and Organizational Commitment to Conversation and Questioning, Learning and Change.
Learning Organization Theory.
Systems Thinking, the Cornerstone of Learning Organizations.
Conversation at Work.
This Is Hard Work.
Value of Research—Your Own and That of Others.
Collecting Data from Your Organization.
Translating Data into Useful Information.
Qualified Opinions Only, Please!
A Curious Conundrum.
Corollary of the Curious Conundrum.
In Conclusion.
CHAPTER 4 What Relationships Are and Why We Have Them: The Art of Human Interaction.
Relationships Are Everything.
A Radical Notion.
Relationships Require Choice.
Types of Relationships in the Nonprofit/NGO Sector.
Your Philanthropic Relationships: How Your Organization Relates to Its Donors of Time and Money.
Relationships with Other Organizations: How Your Organization Relates to Other Community Organizations.
Relationships within Your Organization: How the Various Parts of Your Organization Relate.
Advocacy and Public Policy Relationships: How Your Organization Promotes Public Policy that Fosters Healthy Communities.
Relationships Are Definitely Not Transactions.
Do Donors Really Want Relationships?
Watch a Good Relationship Builder.
Key Concepts in Relationship Building.
Sincerity.
Closeness and Boundaries.
Diversity and Cultural Competence.
Values.
Dynamism and Change.
In Conclusion.
Appendix 4A Values and Mission of the Equity Action Fund at The Rhode Island Foundation.
CHAPTER 5 Five Rather Deadly Sins: Warnings about Relationships and Solicitation.
Sin #1: Separating Fund Develop ment from Philanthropy.
Sin #2: Treating Giving as a Financial Transaction Rather than an Emotional Act.
Are You Treating Your Donors like Automatic Teller Machines?
Sin #3: Trespassing on Personal and Professional relationships. Please Promise that You Won’t!
How Do Your Board Members Feel?
But Lots of Organizations Do This and We Need the Money!
Sin #4: Universalizing Your Own Passion. Instead, Find Theirs—or Leave Them Alone and Move On!
Sin #5: Asking Prematurely.
More Visibility Does Not Produce More Gifts.
Ensuring Visibility with Your Prospects and Donors.
Don’t Solicit Unless You Know that The Person Knows Your Organization.
Not Sins but Certainly Worries.
Are You Worried about Donor Fatigue?
Are You Worried about All That Competition for the Same Donors?
In Conclusion.
INTERMEZZO #3 Direct Mail and Relationship Building.
CHAPTER 6 Eight Steps to Develop and Nurture Relationships: It’s What I’m Buying that Counts.
Developing Your Relationship–Building Program.
Steps in Relationship Building.
Step #1: Identify the Predisposed.
Step #2: Get to Know the Predisposed.
Step #3: Understand Their Interests and Disinterests, Their Emotions, and Their Motivations and Aspirations.
Step #4: Identify What You Have in Common and Define the Mutually Beneficial Exchange.
Step #5: Nurture the Relationship to Develop Commitment.
Step #6: Evaluate Interest and Readiness for the Request.
Step #7: Ask and Thank.
Step # 8: Monitor Progress and Measure Results.
In Conclusion.
Appendix 6A Evaluating Prospect Interest, Readiness, and Capacity and Designing the Ask.
CHAPTER 7 Identify the Predisposed: Finding New Prospects for Your Organization.
Who Are the Predisposed?
Introducing the Concept.
But What If They Are Reluctant?
Fund Development Professionals Help Organizations.
Identify the Predisposed.
Collect and Ana