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| Re: end-of-year receipts vs. ongoing thank-yous
Posted by Tony Poderis  on 1/10/2008, 1:47 pm, in reply to "end-of-year receipts vs. ongoing thank-yous"
VIP Poster
No, you need not---we never did---send end-of-year receipts to donors after officially acknowledging the gifts as they came in on an ongoing basis throughout the year.
You can come up with better ways to remind the donors of your organization at the end of the year if you wish with a general “Thank You” via regular mail or email communication. You will acknowledge them, and remind them of your good works anyway, in your organization’s Annual Report.
Such dual acknowledgments/receipts would most likely confuse the donors, and some busy, non-attentive, donors may inadvertently regard the dual communications sent for one gift, as a double contribution, on their tax forms. It’s hard for some to keep up with such things after say, being thanked once in March, then thanked again for the same gift in December.
As well, it’s good you have stepped in to get it right. Previously generally not responding at the time of receipt-of-gift, and waiting until the end of the year, no doubt had many donors call to tell the organization their check had not shown up in their bank statement, and they would have wondered whether the organization received it. Your new process, the only one needed, now has quick acknowledgment as possible upon the receipt of a donation, which shows that the gift is appreciated and the organization efficient.
I know you will do the same when pledges, not cash, are received. They are acknowledge just as promptly, citing the gift was a pledge, and confirming the schedule of payment. Here, however, when payment is later made, whether partial or in full, at that time it is necessary to give a receipt for the cash received at that time. Not only are you letting them know you received the payment, but now they have the proper receipt they need for tax purposes.
The prompt acknowledgment letter brings closure to the solicitation process for the current campaign. It records the outcome of the solicitation, and it announces any follow-up yet to come on the part of the organization. This initial, on time, communication is not only an expression of gratitude, but with its particulars citing amount of gift and date, serves as all the receipt any donor will need.
I hope this helps,
Tony
P. S.
I like your handwritten note practice, and I would urge that you keep that up as much as is possible to send personally from you as a complement to the official acknowledgment signed by someone other than you, such as the ED, if you are not the ED, or the board president. I did that as much as I could with select donors, and it was always warmly appreciated.
As well, either in the body of the official, upon-receipt, thank you letter or via your own handwritten notes, you may want to consider a few of the following declarations to use from time to time to more personalize the routine, form, acknowledgments we all use:
1. Indicate that their gift arrived in this morning's mail or as recently as possible.
2. Praise their generosity --- appreciate the regularity of their donations.
3. Show how their gift encourages and raises the morale of the staff or the persons working at your organization's office.
4. Tell them that others are also responding as they have and that their gift, added to the gifts of others, is having a significant and positive impact.
5. Give an example of recent positive and uplifting results of one of your programs.
6. Tell them the story of a person (or animal, etc.) who has benefited from your organization's programs and services.
7. Report on a recent event presented by your organization.
8. Announce an upcoming event that is possible because of their generous support.
9. Mention a societal trend or current event that dramatizes the need for your organization's work and for their continued support.
10. Report on the growth of your membership membership program (if you don’t have one, do develop one).
11. Suggest they recommend someone else who might be interested in supporting your organization.
Tony Poderis
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